Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Competition Quotes

How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Quote #7

KHAN: Kirk! Kirk, you are still alive...my old friend.

KIRK: Still, "old friend." You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target.

This is one of those moments where characters overtly refer to their conflict in terms of a sport, a game or some other competition. If you believe this phrase, Khan isn't trying to kill Kirk; he's just aiming at a "target" that he can't quite nail down.

Quote #8

SAAVIK: Sir, may I ask you a question?

KIRK: What's on your mind, Lieutenant?

SAAVIK: The Kobayashi Maru, sir.

KIRK: Are you asking me if we are playing out that scenario now?

SAAVIK: On the test, sir, will you tell me what you did? I would really like to know.

This is a girl who does not like to lose, and when she does, she ends up staring up at the ceiling thinking about it. All. Night. Long.

Quote #9

McCOY: Lieutenant, you are looking at the only Starfleet cadet who ever beat the no-win scenario.

SAAVIK: How?

KIRK: I reprogrammed the simulation so it was possible to rescue the ship.

SAAVIK: What?

DAVID: He cheated!

KIRK: I changed the conditions of the test. I got a commendation for original thinking. I don't like to lose.

And again, we are talking about this in terms of a game, complete with rules that Kirk broke and a passion for victory that drove him to it. In this case, competition is also a character trait, defining how Kirk got here and why even someone like Khan has a very hard time taking him down.