The Undiscovered Country

The Undiscovered Country is a Star Trek movie, the sixth film featuring the characters of Star Trek: The Original Series. It was released in December 1991, with a novelization and comic adaptation released in 1992.

Description[]

Stardate 9521.6: Internal pressures, enormous military expenditures, and the destruction of their primary energy source have brought the Klingon Empire to the verge of catastrophic collapse…

To avert disaster, Gorkon, Chancellor of the Klingon High Council, proposes negotiations between the Federation and Klingon Empire - negotiations that will put an end to the years of hostility between the two powers, and herald a new era of peace and co-operation. Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise-A are dispatched to escort the Chancellor safely into Federation space.

But a treacherous assassination brings negotiations to a sudden halt - and places Kirk and Dr. McCoy in the hands of the Federation's greatest enemy. With time running out, Spock and the Enterprise crew must work to uncover the deadly secret that threatens to propel the galaxy into the most destructive conflict it has ever known!

Summary[]

Klingons have recently attacked several Federation worlds, including the colony Kudao. An assault on Themis has left Carol Marcus, with whom Kirk has resumed his relationship, badly injured. Survivors report a ship that fired while cloaked. The Excelsior detects an explosion on the Klingon moon Praxis, which denies the Klingons much of their resources. The Federation authorities see this as an opportunity to sue for peace with the moderate Klingon chancellor Gorkon but Kirk and many others believe Klingons cannot be trusted.

Spock volunteers the Enterprise to escort Gorkon's party back to Earth but, after a fraught dinner descends into argument, the Enterprise apparently fires on Gorkon's ship, Kronos One, disabling it. Two Starfleet officers beam on board and gun down many of the occupants, including Gorkon. Kirk and McCoy beam over to try and help but Gorkon dies and they find themselves arrested for his assassination.

Gorkon's daughter Azetbur takes his place as chancellor and continues the peace initiative but insists Kirk and McCoy be tried. They are found guilty by a show trial and sentenced to life imprisonment on the penal colony Rura Penthe. However, Spock placed a tracking device on Kirk and he and McCoy get out of the prison's shield with help from a shapeshifting smuggler, Martia. It transpires Martia is leading them into a trap but is killed by the Klingons while Kirk and McCoy return to the Enterprise.

Spock and the others have deduced that Kronos One was fired on by a cloaked ship, allowing assassins to beam over from the Enterprise: Factions in both the Federation and the Klingons are working together to disrupt the peace process. The Enterprise's new helmsman, Valeris, is revealed to be a member of the conspiracy and Spock convinces her to divulge the identity of the leading conspirators: Admiral Cartwright, Gorkon's chief of staff General Chang and the Romulan ambassador Nanclus.

The Enterprise and Excelsior both head to the conference at Camp Khitomer, where they are attacked by Chang in the prototype cloaked ship, Dakronh. However, Spock and McCoy modify a torpedo to track the ship's plasma trail and the unshielded vessel is destroyed. Cartwright has a Klingon conspirator attempt to assassinate Azetbur, Federation president Ra-ghoratreii and Starfleet commander-in-chief William Smillie but is thwarted by the arrival of Kirk and his allies. The assassin is killed by Montgomery Scott and the others conspirators are taken into custody.

As the peace process continues, Kirk ignores an order to return to Earth to be decommissioned and takes the Enterprise out for one last voyage.

This summary is based on the novelisation. Some details differ from other versions of the story.

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References[]

Characters[]

Movie characters[]

Azetbur • Harlan Burke • Lance Cartwright • Chang • Ch'dak • Pavel Chekov • Dax • Daz • Genrah • Gorkon, son of Toq • Grokh • Kamarag • Kerla • Kesla (aka Woteln) • Khmarr • James T. Kirk • Klaa • Koth • Lojur • Martia • Leonard McCoy • Nanclus • Ra-ghoratreii • Janice Rand • Thomas Samno • Sarek • Montgomery Scott • William Smillie • Spock • Stex (aka Kor'choth) • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Valeris • Dmitri Valtane • Patrick West • Worf • Jackal Mastiff

Referenced only

G. Cantamessa • David Marcus • Richard Nixon • Okrand • Emily Post • William Shakespeare

Novelization characters[]

Azetbur • Harlan Burke • Lance Cartwright • Chang • Pavel Chekov • Dax • Genrah • Gorkon, son of Toq • Grokh • Imea • Kamarag • Kamerg • Kerla • Kesla • Khmarr • James T. Kirk • Korrd • Lojur • Carol Marcus • Martia • Leonard McCoy • Henry Mulwray • Nanclus • Pardek • Ra-ghoratreii • Janice Rand • Thomas Samno • Sarek • Montgomery Scott • William Smillie • Spock • Kwan-mei Suarez • Hikaru Sulu • Thlema • Nyota Uhura • Valeris • Masoud Valtane • Worf

Referenced only

Marc Chagall • Jackson Dahl • Alexandre Dumas • Irina Galliulin • Amanda Grayson • Klaa • Kruge • David Marcus • Joanna McCoy • Richard Nixon • Emily Post • Saavik • Sessl • William Shakespeare • Khan Noonien Singh • Sohlar • Lawrence Styles • Surak • T'Paal

Comic adaptation characters[]

Azetbur • Harlan Burke • Lance Cartwright • Chang • Pavel Chekov • Gorkon, son of Toq • Kamarag • Kerla • James T. Kirk • Koth • Martia • Leonard McCoy • Nanclus • Ra-ghoratreii • Janice Rand • Thomas Samno • Sarek • Montgomery Scott • William Smillie • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • Valeris • Dmitri Valtane • Worf

Locations[]

Alpha Quadrant • Beta Quadrant • Camp Khitomer • Delta • Earth • Eiffel Tower • Khitomer • Morska • Mortagh • Paris • Praxis • Qo'noS • Reydovan sector • Rura Penthe • San Francisco • Starbase 23 • Starfleet Headquarters

Referenced only

Amrita • Andor • Boswellia • China • Genesis Planet • Germany • Klingon Neutral Zone • Kudao • Organia • Rigel • ShanaiKahr • Themis • Virginia • Vulcan • Zorakis

Starships and vehicles[]

IKS Dakronh (B'rel-class) • USS Enterprise (Constitution-class) • USS Excelsior (Excelsior-class) • IKS Kronos One (K't'inga-class)

Referenced only

USS Ahwahnee • IKS Beria • USS Challenger • USS Eagle • USS Emden • USS Endeavour • Klingon warbird • USS Kongo • USS Lantree • USS Oberth • IKS Okrona • USS Potemkin • Romulan warbird

Races and cultures[]

Andorian • Chameloid • Deltan • Efrosian • Halkan • Human • Klingon • Rigellian • Romulan • Vulcan • Zelonite • Zeosian

Referenced only

Catullan • Organian

States and organizations[]

Brotherhood of Aliens • Klingon Defense Force • Klingon Empire • Klingon High Command • Klingon High Council • Marcuslabs • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet • United Federation of Planets

Referenced only

Starfleet Academy • Vulcan Diplomatic Corps

Occupations and titles[]

admiral • ambassador • brigadier • Chancellor of the Klingon High Council • Commander-in-Chief of the Federation Starfleet • fleet admiral • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lieutenant junior grade • rear admiral

Other references[]

Adam and Eve Expelled from Paradise • asteroid • asteroid shower • atmosphere • Bengali • Catullan liquor • Cinderella • cloaking device • Destruction of Praxis • dilithium • gas • gaseous anomaly • Genesis Project • gravity boot • Hamlet • ivory • Katra • Khitomer Conference • Klingonese • Klinzhai • Kobayashi Maru scenario • Kolinahr • medikit • moon • Okrand's Unabridged Klingon Dictionary • Operation Retrieve • Organian Peace Treaty • qrokhang • Romulan ale • Russian • sabot • Scottish • shapeshifter • subspace • subspace shock wave • tea • Tiberian bat • Ukrainian • universal translator • V'Ger • viridium • xenogeology • space • shock wave • quadrant • universe • time • clothing • teacup • saucer • pants • energy • energy wave • viewscreen • boots • jacket • jumpsuit • deflector shield • helm • thruster • impulse drive • starship • gas • gaseous anomaly • meteor • meteor shower • moon • planet • star • star system • sector • empire • lifeform • sensor • atmosphere • communication

Chronology[]

2285

Khan Noonien Singh attempts to steal the Genesis Device, detonating it and creating the Genesis Planet, where Kruge kills Kirk's son, David.

2286

Kirk contacts Carol Marcus to explain the circumstances of their son's death.

2293

Kirk and the Enterprise-A are ordered on the Klingon peace mission.

Appendices[]

[]

• The Fearful Summons (TOS novel) - "A stunning sequel to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country by one of the writers of the film."
• Cast No Shadow features Valeris and expands on the Khitomer Conspiracy.
• Cloak (TOS novel) - The novel Cloak establishes Admiral Cartwright as a Section 31 agent and subsequently implicates Section 31 in the Khitomer conspiracy.
• The reference book The Klingon Hamlet expands on why the Klingons read "Wil'yam Shex'pir".
• Assignment: Eternity (TOS novel) - This novel's prologue and epilogue feature the Khitomer Conference.
• TOS video game: Klingon Academy - This game explains why Chang likes William Shakespeare and why he was part of the conspiracy. It also explains why the explosion of Praxis was devastating to the Klingons and how Gorkon became Chancellor.
• Sarek (TOS novel) - This novel discusses the Romulans present at the Khitomer Conference.

Background[]

Notable cast and crew[]

• William Shatner as Kirk
• Leonard Nimoy as Spock
• DeForest Kelley as McCoy
• James Doohan as Scotty
• Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
• George Takei as Sulu
• Walter Koenig as Chekov
• Mark Lenard as Sarek
• Christopher Plummer as General Chang
• David Warner as Chancellor Gorkon
• Brock Peters as Admiral Cartwright
• Rene Auberjonois as Colonel West
• Michael Dorn as Colonel Worf

Images[]

Publicity images[]

Film images[]

Novelization images[]

Comic adaptation images[]

Connections[]

Media featuring the USS Excelsior (NCC-2000) under Captain Hikaru Sulu
episodes/movies	The Undiscovered Country • Flashback
novels	The Undiscovered Country • The Fearful Summons • The Captain's Daughter • The Ashes of Eden • Starfleet Academy • The Captain's Table: War Dragons • The Lost Era: The Sundered • Excelsior: Forged in Fire • Flashback • The Lost Era: One Constant Star • Burning Dreams
short stories	"Dilithium Is a Girl's Best Friend" • "Housewarming"
comics	Tests of Courage (The Tabukan Syndrome) • A Wolf in Cheap Clothing (1 • 2 • 3 • 4) • Captain's Log: Sulu • The Undiscovered Country • The Veteran
Captain Sulu Adventures (audiobooks)	Cacophony • Envoy • Transformations
games	Shattered Universe
characters	Hikaru Sulu • Pavel Chekov • Janice Rand • Dmitri Valtane • Leonard James Akaar • Lojur • Tuvok • Altos Viger

Timeline[]

published order
Previous comic: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier	TOS novelizations	Next comic: Starfleet Academy
Previous story: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier	Stories by: J.M. Dillard	Next story: Emissary
chronological order
Previous adventure: Losses	Memory Beta Chronology	Next adventure: Flashback Chapters 7-9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20 & 21
Previous adventure: Bloodline	Pocket Books Timeline	Next adventure: Flashback Chapters 7-9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20 & 21
The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2293. The Memory Beta Chronology places events from this story in 1 other timeframe(s):
Previous adventure: Bloodline	2293, two months earlier Chapter 1; section 1	Next adventure: Against Their Nature Framing story and narration

Production history[]

Translations[]

1992

German language: Star Trek VI: Das unentdeckte Land, translated by Andreas Branhorst (Heyne).

1992

French language: Terre inconnue (Presses Pocket).

1992

Portuguese language: A terra desconhecida (Editora Aleph).

1992

Japanese language: 宇宙大作戦 スター・トレック6 未知の世界, translated by Hiroshi Saito (Hayakawa Bunko).

External links[]

• The Undiscovered Country novelization article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• The Undiscovered Country article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• The Undiscovered Country article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.