One of the most controversial aspects of 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness was the reveal that the character previously identified as John Harrison, played by Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch, was actually Khan Noonien Singh, one of Star Trek's most iconic villains. Though he's meant to be South Asian, Khan was originally played by Latinx actor Ricardo Montalban in the Star Trek episode "Space Seed" and the feature film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The reveal that Cumberbatch was actually Khan drew accusations of whitewashing, but according to one Reddit theory, despite what he says in the film, the character isn't actually Khan.

In Star Trek lore, Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman from the late twentieth century who conquered most of Asia before being deposed and escaping the planet along with those still loyal to him on a ship called the Botany Bay. Centuries later, the ship, with Khan and his followers hibernating on board, is found by the U.S.S. Enterprise. However, Star Trek Into Darkness takes place in one of several alternate timelines, and it's another Federation ship that discovers Khan's derelict spacecraft. After waking him from hibernation, the Federation forces Khan to work for them by using his still sleeping comrades as leverage until he eventually rebels.

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Horizontal - Star Trek Space Seeds Khan Montalban Kirk

A deviation in the timeline, though, doesn't explain Khan's new appearance, since things didn't split until centuries after Khan went into space. The Reddit theory suggests that unlike in the original timeline, Khan wasn't awakened from hibernation when his ship was found; it was one of his followers. Citing Batman Begins as an example, this theory posits that Khan left instructions that whoever is woken up first will identify themselves as "Khan" as a way of protecting his identity. Cumberbatch's character displays all of the physical prowess of Khan since he is a fellow superhuman as well, but he's ultimately just a henchman acting on orders while the real Khan is still hibernating, completely unaware of the events of the film.

One thing that could support this theory is just how loyal Cumberbatch's character is to his still sleeping compatriots. While in the original timeline, it's shown that Khan and his men are fiercely loyal to each other, in Into Darkness Harrison's obsession with getting back to his fellow super-humans proves to be his Achilles Heel. If the man once called Harrison is just a follower of Khan, then the reason why he's so obsessed with saving his companions is that he's really just trying to rescue his leader, the real Khan.

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However, this theory though can seemingly be disproven by a tie-in comic released after the film. In the comic, after he is discovered by the Federation, Khan undergoes a procedure that completely changes his physical appearance in addition to wiping his memory. He's then given a new identity, "John Harrison," and sent to work for the Federation before eventually remembering his true identity and going rogue.

Even with this attempt to explain Khan's new appearance, the issue of casting a white actor as the character still generates discussion to this day. This theory being true would've done a small portion of the legwork required to right the wrong, but given that the comic disproves it, Star Trek Into Darkness will have to continue to be marred by controversy.

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