Star Trek Exposes the Truth Behind the Klingons’ Most Legendary Weapon
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The bat’leth is the primary weapon of the Klingons, and one Star Trek comic explains its significance. In the Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Klingons one-shot, first published by IDW and set at the dawn of Klingon society, readers learn about the origin of the bat’leth, its importance to Kahless–and its role in helping forge the Klingons that Star Trek fans have come to know and love.
The violent, war-like Klingons are one of Star Trek’s most iconic species. During the era of James T. Kirk, the Klingons were the Federation’s greatest enemies; the two duked it out in a bloody war in the 2250s and relations remained strained since. In later shows, however, the Klingons become allies and one, Worf, even served in Starfleet. Worf’s character allowed for a deep look into Klingon society and what drives it. The Klingons have a reputation as brutal, but honorable warriors, and their primary weapon of choice is the bat’leth. Resembling a hybrid of a regular sword, a scimitar and a deer horn knife, the bat’leth has factored into many prominent Klingon stories; Worf was depicted as being a formidable bat’leth user, entering tournaments and (usually) winning. The weapon is ubiquitous among Klingons, warp and woof with their identity.
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And Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Klingons shows how this weapon became so intrinsic to Klingon society. The one-shot is set in Klingon pre-history, when their society consisted of warring houses. Kahless sought to unite the houses, and he created the bat’leth as a tool to do so, telling others he forged the sword in the fires of Kri’stak, to serve as his messenger. Kahless carves the word “honor” into the ground, telling everyone Klingon society no longer understands this concept, and he intends to bring it back. The one-shot was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and illustrated by Timothy Green.
Star Trek fans know that Kahless was ultimately successful in his bid to unify Klingon society, and the bat’leth was an instrumental part of Kahless’ efforts–and now it has become the weapon of choice among Klingon warriors. The Klingons are bound together by the concept of honor, and the bat’leth functions as a literal embodiment of this abstract idea. Klingons venerate Kahless in much the same way that Earth’s Christians revere Jesus; much of the Christian religion is built upon Jesus’ teachings and iconography of his life permeate the faith. Stories of Kahless’ life and deeds form the basis of Klingon life and society, thus items associated with him would also have meaning. When Worf uses his bat’leth in combat or in tournaments, he is honoring his Klingon heritage.
The bat’leth is a fearsome looking weapon, and has become as iconic as the Klingons themselves. Beyond being a formidable weapon, it has deep ties to Klingon culture, stretching back to the founding of their society by Kahless. It is so important to the Klingons that the Empire has launched several initiatives to locate it–to no avail. The bat’leth is a Klingon’s weapon of choice, and Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Klingons shows how this came to be.
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