Chang (Star Trek)

General Chang is the central antagonist in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, a feature film released in 1991,.

Chang, who is portrayed by Christopher Plummer, is Chancellor Gorkon's chief of staff and subsequently serves Chancellor Azetbur in 2293. He is depicted as being a fan of William Shakespeare, quoting him frequently, much to the chagrin of the Enterprise crew. Also noteworthy, the character is almost completely bald, a trait not seen among Klingons before the release of Star Trek VI.

Plummer's depiction of this character has been praised in the Star Trek franchise.

Overview
In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Chang is a well-known Klingon general who believes that "in space all warriors are cold warriors." Throughout the film he is often depicted as fierce, cunning and willing to participate in battles personally. Chang has a deep-seated hatred for the United Federation of Planets and believes that a war with them is inevitable.

As a result, in the events described in the video game Star Trek: Klingon Academy, he creates a simulated campaign against the Federation and uses it to train students at an Academy for future starship commanders. This hatred eventually leads him to participate in a conspiracy to thwart plans for a lasting peace between his people and the Federation.

Development
Chang's makeup originally included a wig appliance. However, Christopher Plummer felt removing the wig made the character more distinct. He also asked that Chang's Klingon makeup be made less severe. Chang's attire is unique in that an apparent eye injury is disguised with a metal eyepatch, which is attached directly to his skull by bolts bearing the Klingon emblem. Later depictions of Klingons with eye injuries, such as Deep Space Nine's Martok, had them flaunting their mutilations as battle scars.

Reception
In 2013, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Chang the 9th best villain of the Star Trek franchise, praising the performance of actor Christopher Plummer.

Time magazine rated General Chang the second best villain of the Star Trek franchise in 2016. In 2019, SyFy rated General Chang as the 8th greatest Klingon of the Star Trek franchise, noting Plummer's brilliant delivery of lines as well as an exceptional Klingon court scene with Captain Kirk (played by William Shatner) and Doctor McCoy (DeForest Kelley).

Plummer reprised the role in the computer game Star Trek: Klingon Academy (2000), where Chang gives the player's missions Shakespearean names.