Walter Koenig’s Hilarious Explanation for Star Trek’s Infamous Khan Plot Hole

The recognition gap

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Khan recognizes Commander Pavel Chekov and says he has not forgotten his face. But Khan’s episode, “Space Seed,” aired in the first season of Star Trek: The Original Series, before Chekov joined the cast in season two.

Koenig played Chekov in the 1982 film, directed by Nicholas Meyer. Khan, portrayed by Ricardo Montalban, tortures Chekov and takes control of his mind as part of his conflict with Admiral James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner.

Koenig’s bathroom story

The Nacelle Company released a 90-minute interview with Koenig for The Center Seat II: 60 Years of Star Trek. In it, Koenig offered a tongue-in-cheek account of how the two characters might have crossed paths offscreen.

Koenig said Chekov was stuck in a bathroom with “malapropski’s malady” while Khan waited outside. When Chekov finally emerged, Koenig imagined Khan telling him, “Your face I will never forget.” Koenig had also varied the story over the years, at times placing Chekov in the boiler room.

Filmmakers knew the problem

Koenig said he pointed out the Chekov-Khan continuity issue during production, but the scene was filmed anyway. Meyer’s explanation was more direct: he had not known about the mismatch. He was new to Star Trek when he took on the film and learned the franchise while writing the script.

Khan’s backstory continued beyond the film. He had been stranded on Ceti Alpha V for nearly 20 years after neighboring Ceti Alpha VI was destroyed, leaving his world barren and killing his wife, Lt. Marla McGivers. The events on Ceti Alpha V were later explored in the 2025 podcast Star Trek: Khan.

A lasting dramatic moment

The recognition may not fit the series’ timeline, but it strengthened the film’s dramatic conflict. Khan’s use of Chekov served as part of his vengeance against Kirk. Koenig, who also wrote an episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series, discussed his Trek memories and his work reviewing Star Trek II on The 7th Rule podcast. His imagined encounter offers fans a playful way to make sense of the plot hole.