Star Trek Codexery

Kahless the Unforgettable

The messianic figure who unified the Klingons and became their emperor.

Kahless "the Unforgettable" is an important religious and historical figure for the Klingons. Within the setting he is a messianic figure who unified the Klingon people and became emperor after three centuries without leadership; his story is a cornerstone of Klingon mythology and religion.

Quick Facts

Series
Star Trek
Portrayed by
Robert Herron and Kevin Conway
Species
Klingon

Lore & Background

Kahless taught that Klingons should fight not just to shed blood but to enrich the spirit. His wife was Lady Lukara: the two became involved after a battle against five hundred warriors at the Great Hall of Qam-Chee, where they alone stood and won.

He was portrayed by Robert Herron in the original series episode "The Savage Curtain" and by Kevin Conway in The Next Generation. The Klingon spelling and pronunciation of his name were set in 1984 by the language expert Marc Okrand, and he was the subject of a Klingon-language opera in the Netherlands.

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