Entertainment · Film · 2 hrs ago
Walter Koenig joked that Chekov met Khan off-screen in Star Trek
In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Khan says he recognizes Pavel Chekov, although the characters never met on screen in Star Trek: The Original Series.
Khan appeared in the series’ first season, while Chekov joined in its second.
Actor Walter Koenig, who played Chekov, said he raised the continuity problem during filming, but the scene stayed in the movie.
He later joked that Chekov had been trapped in a bathroom during Khan’s visit to the Enterprise, and Khan remembered his face when he came out.
Director Nicholas Meyer said he had not known about the mismatch when he made the film.
The scene still works dramatically because Khan uses Chekov as part of his revenge plan against Admiral James T. Kirk.
Koenig’s explanation was a joke, not established Star Trek canon.
Walter Koenig joked that Chekov met Khan off-screen in Star Trek: The Original Series.
The joke addressed a plot hole in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: Khan recognizes Chekov, although Chekov did not join the series until its second season.
Koenig said he had raised the issue during production, but the scene was filmed anyway.
Koenig’s full interview for The Center Seat II: 60 Years of Star Trek was released by The Nacelle Company.
Koenig died at 90 on October 25, 2026.
- Who
- Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov, offered the explanation. Khan was played by Ricardo Montalban.
- What
- Koenig joked that Chekov encountered Khan off-screen in the episode Space Seed.
- When
- The interview was conducted for The Center Seat II: 60 Years of Star Trek; its release date is not stated.
- Where
- The plot hole is in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Koenig’s joke places the meeting aboard the Enterprise.
- Why
- Khan recognizes Chekov in the film, although Chekov did not appear in the first-season episode Space Seed.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The episode Space Seed featured Khan, before Chekov joined the show.
Chekov joined Star Trek: The Original Series.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was released with Khan recognizing Chekov.
Koenig said he raised the Chekov-Khan plot hole, but the scene was filmed.
The story of what happened on Ceti Alpha V was revealed in the podcast Star Trek: Khan.
Walter Koenig died at 90.
- Film
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, released in 1982
- Character
- Pavel Chekov, played by Walter Koenig
- Khan actor
- Ricardo Montalban
- Original series episode
- Space Seed, from season 1
- Interview project
- The Center Seat II: 60 Years of Star Trek
What people are saying
So I made up a story. I made up a story how Chekov was in the bathroom, and he was so sick with malapropski's malady that he couldn’t get off the john. And Khan was on the other side banging pitifully on the door because he needed to relieve his bladder. Finally, when I came out, he looked at me and said, ‘Your face I will never forget.’