Kobayashi Maru

Last updated

The Kobayashi Maru is a training exercise in the Star Trek franchise designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets by placing them in a no-win scenario. The Kobayashi Maru test was first depicted in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , and it has since been referred to and depicted in numerous other Star Trek media.

Contents

The nominal goal of the exercise is to rescue the civilian fuel ship Kobayashi Maru, which is damaged and stranded in neutral territory between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The cadet being evaluated must decide whether to attempt to rescue the Kobayashi Maru—endangering their ship and crew—or leave the Kobayashi Maru to certain destruction. If the cadet chooses to attempt a rescue, an insurmountable enemy force attacks their vessel. By reprogramming the test, James T. Kirk became the only cadet to overcome the Kobayashi Maru simulation.

The phrase "Kobayashi Maru" has entered the popular lexicon as a reference to a no-win scenario. The term is also sometimes used to invoke Kirk's decision to "change the conditions of the test."

Depiction

William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. Kirk is the only character credited in live-action Star Trek with succeeding in the Kobayashi Maru test. Captain kirk publicity photo.jpg
William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. Kirk is the only character credited in live-action Star Trek with succeeding in the Kobayashi Maru test.

The test is introduced in the opening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , with Lieutenant Saavik commanding her crew on a bridge simulator. They receive a distress call from the Kobayashi Maru and enter the Klingon Neutral Zone to rescue it. The crew loses contact with the civilian ship and three Klingon vessels attack. With the bridge crew dead and the ship badly damaged, Saavik orders the crew to abandon ship and the simulation ends. When Saavik says the test is unfair because there is no way to win, Admiral James T. Kirk replies that a starship captain might face an actual "no-win scenario". Later in the film, Kirk reveals that he beat the Kobayashi Maru as a cadet on his third attempt by reprogramming the simulation to make it possible to rescue the ship, and that he does not actually believe in the idea of a no-win scenario.

The 2009 film Star Trek shows an alternate timeline's version of Cadet Kirk defeating the Kobayashi Maru test; in contrast to the original timeline where Kirk was commended for his unorthodox approach, this version of Kirk receives an academic reprimand for violating the spirit of the test.

The test is also depicted in the Star Trek: Prodigy episode "Kobayashi". Dal, who is struggling as the starship Protostar's captain and does not understand the purpose of the Kobayashi Maru, repeats the simulation many times. Every attempt ends in failure, adding to his despondence. A holographic version of Spock advises Dal that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," and Dal finally solves the problem while realizing that he needs to listen to his crew more often. [1]

The Kobayashi Maru is referred to in other live-action and animated content, and characters also use the phrase "Kobayashi Maru" to describe no-win or desperate situations generally. The fourth-season premiere of Star Trek: Discovery is titled "Kobayashi Maru" (2021) and depicts the main characters confronting several challenging situations. [2] Licensed media provide additional depictions of and references to the test, and two Star Trek novels carry the test's name in their title: The Kobayashi Maru (1989) by Julia Ecklar and Kobayashi Maru (2008) by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels.

The simulation is performed in the novel Stone and Anvil (2003), a part of the Star Trek: New Frontier series by Peter David. In this version, Klingons are replaced by Romulans (the series takes place after the events of the sixth film) and the simulation is conducted on the holodeck. Captain Mackenzie Calhoun tries to save the Kobayashi Maru, but when he notices that the enemy ships are using it as cover, he orders it fired upon, resulting in two of the three enemy ships being driven towards each other and exploding. Having saved his crew, Calhoun orders them to escape. [3]

Concept and production

Star Trek II screenwriter Jack B. Sowards developed the Kobayashi Maru, naming it after his former neighbors. Kirk's rejection of "the no-win scenario" in the film is one of several characterizations that reflected Sowards' own mindset at the time. Anticipating that news would leak of Spock's death at the film's end, Sowards had Spock and other known Enterprise bridge officers feign their deaths as part of the opening Kobayashi Maru simulation; Kirk's quip afterward to Spock—"Aren't you dead?"—was Sowards' way of playing on that knowledge with the audience. [4]

The "all-star crew" of Spock, Uhura, Sulu, and McCoy on the bridge simulator in Star Trek II motivated Star Trek: Prodigy's producers to attempt to create a "perfect" bridge crew for a holodeck in their show. The writers could not reach consensus, and their lineup was limited by the availability of appropriate audio. Aaron Waltke, who wrote the episode, believed strongly that the characters should be voiced by the original actors, which meant finding either archived audio or recording new dialogue. Waltke did most of the research to find appropriate audio, which involved reading 90 scripts and watching 40 episodes from across the franchise; he called it "one of the hardest writing experiences I've ever had." The protagonist Dal's (voiced by Brett Gray) holographic bridge crew ultimately consisted of Spock, Uhura, Scotty, and Odo, and they were "voiced" by mixing archival television and film dialogue of the characters as depicted by Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, and René Auberjonois, respectively. Beverly Crusher was added when the writers realized someone needed to interact more directly with Dal, and Gates McFadden recorded new dialogue for the character. [5]

Critical response and impact

Entertainment Weekly said the Kobayashi Maru test is one of the top ten elements of Star Trek with which non-fans are likely to be familiar; [6] writing for Tor, Keith DeCandido said "everyone knows that the Kobayashi Maru refers to a no-win scenario". [7] Craig S. Semon said that if the 2009 Star Trek film were popular with both general audiences and serious Star Trek fans, then director J. J. Abrams will have outperformed Kirk on the Kobayashi Maru. [8] io9 called Prodigy's Kobayashi Maru and its impact on Dal "surprisingly touching". [9]

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Star Trek fan Randy Pausch received an autographed picture of Kirk whose inscription from William Shatner echoed Kirk's dialogue in Star Trek II: "I don't believe in the no-win scenario." [10]

The term has been applied to real-world scenarios with no perceived positive outcome or that requires outside-the-box thinking, such as climate change, [11] constitutional law, [12] education, [13] and the casting of the Ancient One character in Doctor Strange . [14] [15] Commentators have used Kirk's unorthodox answer to the Kobayashi Maru test as an example of the need to redefine the premises upon which an organization operates—changing the rules rather than playing within them. [16] [17] Computer security educators have used the Kobayashi Maru to teach students to think like an adversary, and that by stepping outside the rules of the game one can redefine the game. [18] Ideas and products focusing on immersive learning have also been compared to the realistic, immersive nature of the Kobayashi Maru test. [19] [20] [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan</i> 1982 US science fiction film by Nicholas Meyer

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Nicholas Meyer and based on the television series Star Trek. It is the second film in the Star Trek film series following Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), and is a sequel to the television episode "Space Seed" (1967). The plot features Admiral James T. Kirk and the crew of the starship USS Enterprise facing off against the genetically engineered tyrant Khan Noonien Singh. When Khan escapes from a 15-year exile to exact revenge on Kirk, the crew of the Enterprise must stop him from acquiring a powerful terraforming device named Genesis. The film is the beginning of a three-film story arc that continues with the film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and concludes with the film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romulan</span> Extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek franchise

The Romulans are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise Star Trek. Their adopted home world is Romulus, and within the same star system they have settled a sister planet Remus. Their original home world, Vulcan, was renamed Ni'Var later in canon. They first appeared in the series Star Trek (1966–1969). They have appeared in most subsequent Star Trek releases, including The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds, and Lower Decks. They appear in the Star Trek feature films Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) and Star Trek (2009). They also appear in various other spin-off media, including books, comics, toys and games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James T. Kirk</span> Character in the Star Trek media franchise

James Tiberius Kirk, commonly known as James T. Kirk or Captain Kirk, is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in Star Trek serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise as captain. Kirk leads his crew as they explore new worlds, new civilizations, and "boldly go where no man has gone before". Often, the characters of Spock and Leonard "Bones" McCoy act as his logical and emotional sounding boards, respectively. Kirk has also been portrayed in numerous films, books, comics, webisodes, and video games.

Christopher Pike (<i>Star Trek</i>) Character in the Star Trek franchise

Christopher Pike is a fictional character in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. He is the immediate predecessor to James T. Kirk as captain of the starship USS Enterprise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyota Uhura</span> Star Trek character

Nyota Uhura, or simply Uhura, is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. In the original television series, the character was portrayed by Nichelle Nichols, who reprised the role for the first six Star Trek feature films. A younger Uhura is portrayed by Celia Rose Gooding in the 2022 prequel series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, while an alternate timeline version of Uhura has been portrayed by actress Zoe Saldaña in the feature films Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and Star Trek Beyond (2016).

<i>Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country</i> 1991 film directed by Nicholas Meyer

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is a 1991 American science fiction film directed by Nicholas Meyer, who also directed the second Star Trek film, The Wrath of Khan. It is the sixth feature film based on the 1966–1969 Star Trek television series. Taking place after the events of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, it is the final film featuring the entire main cast of the original television series. The destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis leads the Klingon Empire to pursue peace with their longtime adversary, the Federation; the crew of the Federation starship USS Enterprise must race against unseen conspirators with a militaristic agenda.

<i>Star Trek III: The Search for Spock</i> 1984 US science fiction film by Leonard Nimoy

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 American science fiction film, written and produced by Harve Bennett, directed by Leonard Nimoy, and based on the television series Star Trek. It is the third film in the Star Trek franchise and is the second part of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and concludes with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986). After the death of Spock (Nimoy), the crew of the USS Enterprise return to Earth. When James T. Kirk learns that Spock's spirit, or katra, is held in the mind of Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Kirk and company steal the decommissioned USS Enterprise to return Spock's body to his homeworld. The crew must also contend with hostile Klingons, led by Kruge, who are bent on stealing the secrets of the powerful terraforming device, Genesis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saavik</span> Fictional character in the Star Trek universe

Saavik is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe. She first appeared in the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) played by Kirstie Alley. Robin Curtis took over the role for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986).

USS <i>Enterprise</i> (NCC-1701-A) Fictional starship in Star Trek

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A), or Enterprise-A, to distinguish it from other vessels with the same name, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. It made its debut in the final scene of the 1986 film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

This article discusses the fictional timeline of the Star Trek franchise. The franchise is primarily set in the future, ranging from the mid-22nd century to the late 24th century, with the third season of Star Trek: Discovery jumping forward to the 32nd century. However the franchise has also outlined a fictional future history of Earth prior to this, and, primarily through time travel plots, explored both past and further-future settings.

A no-win situation or lose–lose situation is an outcome of a negotiation, conflict or challenging circumstance in which all parties are worse off. It is an alternative to a win-win or outcome in which one party wins. Arbitration or mediation may be used to avoid no-win outcomes and find more satisfactory results.

"The Practical Joker" is the third episode of the second season of the American animated science fiction television series Star Trek, the 19th episode overall. It first aired in the NBC Saturday morning lineup on September 21, 1974, and was written by American television writers Chuck Menville and Len Janson who together also wrote the first season episode "Once Upon a Planet". The "Rec Room" in this episode is the forerunner of the Holodeck, which plays a significant part in numerous episodes of the subsequent spin-off Star Trek series.

<i>The Ashes of Eden</i>

The Ashes of Eden is a Star Trek novel co-written by William Shatner, Judith Reeves-Stevens, and Garfield Reeves-Stevens as part of the "Shatnerverse" series of novels. This is Shatner's first Trek collaboration.

<i>Star Trek: Starfleet Academy</i> 1997 video game

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a Star Trek PC simulation game developed and published by Interplay in 1997. The game simulates the life of a typical Starfleet cadet, with the player learning the basics of flying a starship and engaging in roleplaying with a crew of cadets, with the eventual goal of becoming captain of their own ship. The game included full motion video featuring William Shatner, Walter Koenig, and George Takei reprising their roles from the original television series and movies, and a multiplayer simulation mode allowing for up to 32 players.

Jack B. Sowards was an American screenwriter who wrote Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and the 1988 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Where Silence Has Lease". Sowards created the term Kobayashi Maru, naming it for his next-door neighbors in Hancock Park.

<i>The Kobayashi Maru</i> (Star Trek novel) 1989 novel by Julia Ecklar

The Kobayashi Maru is a 1989 Star Trek science fiction novel by Julia Ecklar which centers around several characters from The Original Series marooned in space on a disabled shuttlecraft. Its title comes from the unwinnable Starfleet Academy training scenario first introduced in the 1982 movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

<i>Sarek</i> (novel) Novel by Ann C. Crispin

Star Trek: Sarek is a novel by A. C. Crispin, set in the fictional Star Trek universe. It is set shortly after the motion picture Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan discovers evidence of a complicated plot to cripple the United Federation of Planets; he must work to find out who is behind it while also coming to terms with the death of his human wife, Amanda Grayson. A secondary storyline follows the adventures of Peter Kirk, nephew of James T. Kirk, who inadvertently becomes caught up in the enemy's schemes.

Joachim is a genetically engineered character in the fictional Star Trek universe who appears as one of Khan Noonien Singh's henchmen in the Star Trek episode "Space Seed" and the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, in which he is played by Mark Tobin and Judson Scott, respectively.

<i>Dreadnought!</i> 1986 novel by Diane Carey

Dreadnought! is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel written by Diane Carey. It is written in the first person from the perspective of Lieutenant Piper.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Star Trek:

References

  1. ↑ Pascale, Anthony. "Review: 'Star Trek: Prodigy' Passes The Test In "Kobayashi"". TrekMovie.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  2. ↑ DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 18, 2021). "Winning a No-Win Scenario — Star Trek: Discovery's "Kobayashi Maru"". Tor.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  3. ↑ David, Peter (2003). Star Trek: New Frontier: Stone and Anvil. Pocket Books.
  4. ↑ Goldberg, Lee (February 1983). "Jack Sowards: The Man Who Killed Mr. Spock". Starlog (67): 22–25 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ Roth, Dylan (January 6, 2022). "How Star Trek: Prodigy pulled off the cameo-filled Kobayashi episode". Polygon. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  6. ↑ Franich, Darren (May 6, 2016). "'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' is a movie about acting". Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  7. ↑ DeCandido, Keith R. A. (May 23, 2017). "Star Trek The Original Series Rewatch: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan". Tor.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  8. ↑ Semon, Craig S. (May 8, 2009). "Back to the future; Can 'Star Trek' prequel re-energize franchise?". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, MA. p. B8. Gale   A199455885.
  9. ↑ James, Whitbrook (January 6, 2022). "Star Trek: Prodigy's Return Has Already Blown My Mind 3 Times". Gizmodo. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  10. ↑ Randy Psusch. "March 17th, 2007: A note on staying positive". Download.srv.cs.cmu.edu. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  11. ↑ Kurtz, Donald; Fustes, Manuel (May 2016). "The Politics of Global Warming: Sciemocracy and the Rescue of the Kobayashi Maru". Journal of Globalization Studies. 7 (1): 3–29..
  12. ↑ Mortopoulos, Constantine (January 1, 2011). "Kobayashi Maru: Arduous Effort and Scant Incorporation of the Yamashita Standard to the Hellenic Law". European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. 19 (3): 199–238. doi:10.1163/157181711X578440.
  13. ↑ Dunlap, Joanna; Lowenthal, Patrick (2010). "Defeating the Kobayashi Maru: Supporting Student Retention by Balancing the Needs of the Many and the One". EDUCAUSE Quarterly . 33 (4). Archived from the original on July 17, 2011.
  14. ↑ Wong, Edward (April 27, 2016). "An American Superhero Film Steers Clear of Tibet, Just to Be Safe". The New York Times . p. A6.
  15. ↑ Wong, Edward (April 26, 2016). "'Doctor Strange' Writer Explains Casting of Tilda Swinton as Tibetan". The New York Times . He likened the cultural issue involving the Ancient One to the Kobayashi Maru, a famous battle simulation game in the "Star Trek" universe
  16. ↑ Olenick, Michael (February 8, 2008). "Redefining Markets: Captain Kirk & the Kobayashi Maru". Valueinnovation.net. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  17. ↑ Girone, Bill (September 2007). "Changing the rules: if agents are to be successful, they may have to redefine their goals". Best's Review. 108 (5). A.M. Best Company, Inc.: 100. ISSN   1527-5914 – via EBSCO.
  18. ↑ Conti, Gregory; Caroland, James (July 2011). "Embracing the Kobayashi Maru: Why You Should Teach Your Students to Cheat". IEEE Security Privacy. 9 (4): 48–51. doi:10.1109/MSP.2011.80. S2CID   29371315.
  19. ↑ Erwin, Sandra I. (December 2006). "Simulation technology: Air Force sets sights on 'airman of the future' video games". National Defense. 91 (637): 38. Gale   A155870226.
  20. ↑ Ward, Cassidy (January 18, 2022). "Virtual reality teaching tools: The science behind Star Trek's holodeck". SYFY Wire. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  21. ↑ Bruni-Bossio, Vincent; Willness, Chelsea (October 2016). "The 'Kobayashi Maru' Meeting: High-Fidelity Experiential Learning". Journal of Management Education. 40 (5): 619–647. doi:10.1177/1052562916644284. S2CID   148549111.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.