Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek #2
A surprising Klingon character in the Star Trek galaxy is a sex symbol - not just to other Klingons, but to all species. The honorable Klingons in Star Trek are one of the franchise's most popular alien species, serving as an allegory for the Soviet Union, Imperial Japan and more Earth-based cultures before eventually evolving into an entirely unique and fascinating society on their own. But Star Trek #2 hints that one Klingon character has transcended all previous labels to become a surprising - and even God-like - sex symbol.
In the early days of the franchise, the Klingons were a stand-in for the USSR; the Cold War era provided no shortage of inspiration for enemies, especially in science fiction, and 1967's Star Trek liberally borrowed from the communist union in spades. They were seen as conniving, warmongering, dangerous and eventually became extraordinarily popular, appearing in nearly every Star Trek feature film (either as enemies, allies or victims to a larger threat, such as V'Ger in 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture). Despite their overbearing warrior caste, Klingon culture is quite rich, and includes art, poetry and the famous Klingon Opera.
In Star Trek #2, written by Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing with art by Oleg Chudakov, a reemerged Captain Benjamin Sisko (last seen ascending to the realm of the Prophets in the finale of Deep Space Nine) gathers a crew from multiple Star Trek properties in order to investigate what could only be described as a deicide: impossibly-powerful species are in danger. On the Klingon homeworld Qo'nos, Worf takes the crew to a sacred site: the location of Kahless' battle with three war hoards. "Yeah, my wife has the holodeck program" adds Tom Paris. "It's for...ah, special occasions."
Even Humans Think Kahless Is A Klingon Sex Symbol
Kahless the Unforgettable is one of, if not the most important figures in Klingon mythology. A brilliant warrior who united all the tribes in a time when Klingons were fractured, Kahless is the closest thing the Klingons have to a God (while Klingons technically had deities before Kahless, they were killed by ancient warriors one thousand years prior to the 23rd century). It is natural for Klingons to consider their great hero a sex symbol (he was a warrior and liberator, after all), but Tom Paris' line suggests his appeal crosses species boundaries.
It is important to note that Tom Paris' wife, B'Elanna Torres, is a Human and Klingon hybrid, but it is logical to assume other species are attracted to Kahless as well. The new Star Trek comic series is appreciated by fans for the long-awaited return of Benjamin Sisko; the fact that he interacts with members of the Voyager crew and even Scotty himself is an added bonus. As the final Star Trek comic to be released in 2022, the revelation that Kahless is considered a sex symbol is just one of many new developments for the franchise going forward into 2023 and beyond.