The Most Influential Star Trek Movie Actor Isn’t Who You Think

Leaving an indelible mark on a massive movie franchise like Star Trek is no easy feat, but one underappreciated actor had an outsized impact on the future of the final frontier. When Kirk and the rest of the Enterprise crew returned 10 years after the cancellation of the series, it was a glorious day in the history of science fiction.

The Star Trek movies not only built upon the themes of the show, but allowed the characters and fictional universe to grow and expand. While the original cast was certainly the glue that held the Star Trek franchise together, one supporting star influenced its future. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy might have been legendary, but another actor broke new ground.

Christopher Lloyd’s Kruge Set The Standard For All Future Klingons

Klingons are undoubtedly the ultimate foe in the Star Trek franchise, but they’ve gone through a myriad of changes over the decades. There have been several different versions of the Klingons over the years, and their characteristics have changed just as much as their looks. They’ve always been a warrior species, but they were more mellow during The Original Series.

While they gained their signature ridged foreheads in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, they didn’t find their personality until Christopher Lloyd appeared as Commander Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. The character actor, known for his exaggerated mannerisms, played the brash captain who would stop at nothing to secure the Genesis Device from the Federation.

The movie showed the inner workings of a Klingon ship for the first time, and established the violent hierarchy within Klingon crews. Kruge was aggressive, arrogant, and single-minded, traits that would become standard once the Klingons began making regular appearances in the movies and shows. Though the writing established Kruge’s character, Lloyd gave him life.

All later Klingon characters owe a small debt of gratitude to Lloyd’s portrayal of Kruge, even if they were subtly different. Kruge was clearly a rogue villain, but his behaviors and motivations came from the burgeoning Klingon philosophy that would define the species going forward. His actions (and mannerisms for that matter) would be reflected in later characters like Gowron.

Kruge Is One Of Star Trek’s Most Underrated Movie Villains

Kruge strangles Kirk in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Following Khan after the towering triumph that was Star Trek II was an impossible feat, so Lloyd’s turn as Kruge is often overshadowed. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is usually seen as one of the lesser movies in the series, but it, like its villain, is highly underrated.

For a movie that is essentially one big retcon, it does an excellent job of telling a compelling story and moving characters like Kirk forward. What’s more, it featured a believable villain who had pretty clear motivations. Kruge was outlandish, but his desire to secure the Genesis Device was understandable and in line with Klingon philosophy.

Instead of introducing a villain with some deeper connection to the Enterprise crew, Kruge was a rogue element that ended up causing death and destruction in his wake. He actually continued the themes established in The Wrath of Khan without having to copy the success of the previous Star Trek movie. For his influence alone, Kruge deserves more credit.