posted
These inconsistencies are not between individual good and bad Klingons, they are inconsistencies of 'policy' i.e one minute its not good to get captured but then it is, depending on the circumstances. Troi describes the Romulans as honourable in her briefing to Picard, although an attack on Khitoma 'when they were supposed to be our allies' -worf) doesn't sound promising in the honour stakes. It tends to just be a loosely used word in the Star Trek universe, especially among the Klingons
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posted
Sort of like it is in our universe. Klingons base their honor on what other people think of them. The truly honorable Klingons or Romulans or whatever, in the Star Trek stories, or those who base their decisions on Human morality.
Worf for instance does what's right in spite of the fact that it will cost him his honor, or standing in Klingon society.
Attacking someone might be considered honorable because it looks good to other Klingons, in spite of the fact that to Humans it's considered cowardly. Being captured and slaughtering all your captors... likewise honorable to Klingons. Being captured and spending the rest of your days rotting in fetters... not so honorable. Remember, Martok had the opportunity to kill Jem'Hadar and still entertained the possibility of escape.
And like pretty much every other moral issue, yes we're going to find differences in interpretation. Any Klingon who says, "It's dishonorable to so-and-so" is just as likely to be speaking about his own beliefs as he is about any kind of moral policy of the Empire.
posted
I always theought that simply being captured was a disshonour? thats why the Klingons in the Romulan prison camp in the Kariar system refused to go home and bring shame to their families. Why was it okay for Martok? ALso, why did the Federation ever agree to an aliance with the Klingons in the first place, was it simply a matter of convenience? Everything about them is opposite to Federation beliefs, they are brutal, savage, empire builders who turn on their allies at the drop of a hat. As troi says about the Son'a, "why are we allied with these people" The Klingons refer to starfleet officers (as a rule) with contempt, the Klingon general in Aquiel and Gowron refer to that 'child's uniform' There's also a mention in Equinox that Ransom was once pursued (pre-war) by a bird of prey, we can infer that this incident did not provoke a response. I seriously hope that any future incarnation of the franchise deals them serious punishment.
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posted
"Why was it okay for Martok?" Because Martok has different beliefs. He obviously viewed the opportunity to kill an enemy, however small, as something worth living for, and the possibility of escape as somethign honorable, perhaps to report back abotu the Jem-Hadar. The prisoners in the Koria system felt differently.
"Why did the Federation ever agree to an aliance with the Klingons in the first place?" Because the Federation are in the business of making peace, and being at peace with someone is better than having to look over your back all the time. They still kept their eyes on them and it wasn't a "we'll support you in everything you do" kind of thing. They opposed their actions towards the Cardassians and, doing so even led to hostility. It was a peace agreement. Peace good. Slaughtering each other bad.
I too vote for a series entirely devoted to annihilating one of the more interesting and well developed species in the franchise. Why? Because they suck and they smell bad. And because one of their swords showed up on an epsiode of SG-1 and that kind of cross-series discontinuity must be destroyed.
Re: Klingons and capture: Klingons have rather a strong dislike of Romulans. Perhaps being captured by such a "dishonorable" enemy is considered dishonorable of itself. Whereas, being captured by a worthy adversary like the Jem'Hadar is less so.
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posted
Obviously the real Goa'uld problem with Earth is the insidious invasiveness of our pop culture. Young Goa'uld coming home with their caps turned backwards and listening to this Jay-Z instead of practicing their hieroglyphics and lording it over the slaves.
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As a slight aside to the Stargate banter, I wonder if the Cardassians are the only Empire that actually forceably occupy planets? When the false hol-image of Weyoun and Damar planning the invasion of the Star-Empire is recorded, Weyoun mentions the 'Outlying colonies will begin to look out for themselves once we occupy the homeworld' perhaps the Romulan Empire consists of Romulus, Remus, and a few colonies with no occupied worlds with other races enslaved by them...
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