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{{short description|Test in the fictional Star Trek universe}}
{{Refimprove|date=November 2007}}
{{about|the fictional ''Star Trek'' exercise|the 1914 historical incident|Komagata Maru incident|other uses}}
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The '''''Kobayashi Maru''''' is a fictional spacecraft training exercise in the '']'' continuity. It is designed by ] to place Starfleet ]s in a ]. The ''Kobayashi Maru'' test was invented for the 1982 film '']'', and it has since been referred to and depicted in numerous other ''Star Trek'' media.


The nominal goal of the exercise is to rescue the civilian fuel ship ''Kobayashi Maru'', which is damaged and stranded in neutral territory between the ] and the ] Empire. The cadet being evaluated must decide whether to attempt to rescue the ''Kobayashi Maru''—endangering their ship and crew—or leave the ''Kobayashi Maru'' to certain destruction. If the cadet chooses to attempt a rescue, an insurmountable enemy force attacks their vessel. It is described as testing the character of cadets rather than their actual skills, acclimating them to the emotional toll of defeat. A key plot point of many depictions is ] becoming the only cadet to rescue the ''Kobayashi Maru'' by hacking the simulation instead.
'''''Kobayashi Maru''''' is the name of a spaceship in a training exercise in the '']'' fictional universe. In the exercise, the "Kobayashi Maru" is the precipitating element in a simulated ]. The ship's name is occasionally used among Star Trek fans or those familiar to describe such situations.


The phrase "''Kobayashi Maru''" has entered the popular lexicon as a reference to a no-win scenario. The term is also sometimes used to invoke Kirk's decision to "change the conditions of the test."
The ''Kobayashi Maru'' was first depicted in the opening scene of the film '']'', in which command division cadets at ] are presented with a no-win scenario as a test of character. This provided context for how the main character, Admiral ], deals with the possibility of unwinnable situations, and death in particular.


== Depiction ==
The training exercise in ''Star Trek II'' describes the ''Kobayashi Maru'' as a Class III neutronic fuel carrier-ship, with a crew of 81 and 300 passengers. The name is ], and loosely translates as ''the ship named Kobayashi'', with '']'' (小林) meaning ''small forest'' and being a common family name. ''Maru'' (丸) is a common ] for ].
] as Captain ]. Kirk is the only character credited in live-action ''Star Trek'' with succeeding in the ''Kobayashi Maru'' test.]]
The test is introduced in the opening of '']'', with Lieutenant ] commanding her crew on a bridge simulator. They receive a distress call from the ''Kobayashi Maru'' and enter the Klingon Neutral Zone to rescue it''.'' The crew loses contact with the civilian ship and three Klingon vessels attack. With the bridge crew dead and the ship badly damaged, Saavik orders the crew to abandon ship and the simulation ends. When Saavik says the test is unfair because there is no way to win, Admiral ] replies that a starship captain might face an actual "no-win scenario". Later in the film, Kirk reveals that he beat the ''Kobayashi Maru'' as a cadet on his third attempt by reprogramming the simulation to make it possible to rescue the ship, and that he does not actually believe in the idea of a no-win scenario.


The 2009 film '']'' shows an alternate timeline's version of Cadet Kirk defeating the ''Kobayashi Maru'' test; in contrast to the original timeline where Kirk was commended for his unorthodox approach, this version of Kirk receives an academic reprimand for violating the spirit of the test.
==The simulation==


The test is also depicted in the '']'' episode "Kobayashi". Dal, who is struggling as the starship ''Protostar''<nowiki/>'s captain and does not understand the purpose of the ''Kobayashi Maru'', repeats the simulation many times. Every attempt ends in failure, adding to his despondence. A holographic version of ] advises Dal that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," and Dal finally solves the problem while realizing that he needs to listen to his crew more often.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pascale|first=Anthony|title=Review: 'Star Trek: Prodigy' Passes The Test In "Kobayashi"|url=https://trekmovie.com/2022/01/06/review-star-trek-prodigy-passes-the-test-in-kobayashi/|access-date=2022-01-24|website=TrekMovie.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
In ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'', the simulation takes place on a replica of a starship bridge, with the "testee" as captain and other Starfleet members, officers or other cadets, in other key positions. In the scenario of the 2280s, the cadet receives a distress signal, stating that the ''Kobayashi'' has struck a "gravitic mine" in the ] and is rapidly losing power, hull integrity and life support. There are no other vessels nearby. The cadet is faced with a decision:


The ''Kobayashi Maru'' is referred to in other live-action and animated content, and characters also use the phrase "''Kobayashi Maru''" to describe no-win or desperate situations generally. The fourth-season premiere of '']'' is titled "Kobayashi Maru" (2021) and depicts the main characters confronting several challenging situations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DeCandido|first=Keith R. A.|date=November 18, 2021|title=Winning a No-Win Scenario — Star Trek: Discovery's "Kobayashi Maru"|url=https://www.tor.com/2021/11/18/winning-a-no-win-scenario-star-trek-discoverys-kobayashi-maru/|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=Tor.com|language=en-US}}</ref> Licensed media provide additional depictions of and references to the test, and two ''Star Trek'' novels carry the test's name in their title: '']'' (1989) by ] and ''Kobayashi Maru'' (2008) by Michael A. Martin and ].
* Attempt to rescue the ''Kobayashi'''s crew and passengers, which involves violating the Neutral Zone and potentially provoking the ]s into hostile action or an all-out war; or
* Abandon the ''Kobayashi'', potentially preventing war but leaving the crew and passengers to die.


The simulation is performed in the novel ''Stone and Anvil'' (2003), a part of the '']'' series by ]. In this version, Klingons are replaced by Romulans (the series takes place after the events of the ]) and the simulation is conducted on the ]. Captain ] tries to save the ''Kobayashi Maru'', but when he notices that the enemy ships are using it as cover, he orders it fired upon, resulting in two of the three enemy ships being driven towards each other and exploding. Having saved his crew, Calhoun orders them to escape.<ref>{{cite book |last1=David |first1=Peter |title=Star Trek: New Frontier: Stone and Anvil |date=2003 |publisher=Pocket Books}}</ref>
If the cadet chooses to save the ''Kobayashi'', the scenario progresses quickly. The bridge officers notify the cadet that they are in violation of the treaty, which is duly noted in the log. As the starship enters the Neutral Zone, the communications officer loses contact with the crippled vessel. Three Klingon starships then appear on an intercept course. Attempts to contact them are met with radio silence; indeed, their only response is to open fire, with devastating results. The simulation ends with the understanding that the cadet's ship and crew have been lost. There is no way to win the resulting 'battle'; but then, the objective of the test is not for the cadet to outfight the opponent, but rather to test the cadet's behavior and thought processes in the face of insurmountable odds or circumstances.


== Concept and production ==
By the time of '']'', the ] had reached an alliance with the Klingons, rendering the previous format of the scenario no longer suitable. In the '']'' episode "]", Lieutenant ] placed several former ] crewmembers in a similar scenario on the ] using a damaged ] starship and ] warbird as the opponent in a tactical training scenario.
''Star Trek II'' screenwriter ] developed the ''Kobayashi Maru'', naming it after his former neighbors. Kirk's rejection of "the no-win scenario" in the film is one of several characterizations that reflected Sowards' own mindset at the time. Anticipating that news would leak of Spock's death at the film's end, Sowards had Spock and other known '']'' bridge officers feign their deaths as part of the opening ''Kobayashi Maru'' simulation; Kirk's quip afterward to Spock—"Aren't you dead?"—was Sowards' way of playing on that knowledge with the audience.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Goldberg|first=Lee|date=February 1983|title=Jack Sowards: The Man Who Killed Mr. Spock|url=https://archive.org/details/starlog_magazine-067/page/n21/mode/2up?view=theater|journal=]|issue=67|pages=22–25|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>


The "all-star crew" of Spock, ], ], and ] on the bridge simulator in ''Star Trek II'' motivated ''Star Trek: Prodigy''<nowiki/>'s producers to attempt to create a "perfect" bridge crew for a ] in their show. The writers could not reach consensus, and their lineup was limited by the availability of appropriate audio. ], who wrote the episode, believed strongly that the characters should be voiced by the original actors, which meant finding either archived audio or recording new dialogue. Waltke did most of the research to find appropriate audio, which involved reading 90 scripts and watching 40 episodes from across the franchise; he called it "one of the hardest writing experiences I've ever had." The protagonist Dal's (voiced by ]) holographic bridge crew ultimately consisted of Spock, Uhura, ], and ], and they were "voiced" by mixing archival television and film dialogue of the characters as depicted by ], ], ], and ], respectively. ] was added when the writers realized someone needed to interact more directly with Dal, and ] recorded new dialogue for the character.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Roth|first=Dylan|date=2022-01-06|title=How Star Trek: Prodigy pulled off the cameo-filled Kobayashi episode|url=https://www.polygon.com/features/22870436/star-trek-prodigy-cameos-spock-uhura-kobayashi-episode|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=Polygon|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Notable test takers==
===Saavik's Test===
The opening of '']'' is itself a ''Kobayashi Maru'' test, but this is not revealed until after it ends. As the test-taker, Lt. ] is in command of the simulated U.S.S. Enterprise. Captain ] is in his familiar role as science officer and second-in-command, with ] standing by on the bridge, ] as communications officer, ] as helm officer, and (as the viewers later learn) cadets fill other roles on the bridge.


==Critical response and impact==
Saavik makes a captain's log entry and instructs Sulu to "Project parabolic course to avoid entering Neutral Zone." Suddenly, Uhura receives a distress signal. It's from the ''Kobayashi Maru'', which has struck a "gravitic mine" within the Neutral Zone and is losing all its systems, including life support. Some may question the ship's presence in the Zone, but it's not inherently a treaty violation. If it's a cargo carrier, it could be a private ship and therefore can travel within the Zone. Furthermore, the test reveals that this is ] (abolished very late in the 23rd century), not the Zone between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire.
<!--Please include secondary sourcing establishing the significance of any references. Unsourced references may be removed. -->


'']'' said the ''Kobayashi Maru'' test is one of the top ten elements of ''Star Trek'' with which non-fans are likely to be familiar;<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/06/star-trek-ii-wrath-khan-geekly|title='Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' is a movie about acting|last=Franich|first=Darren|date=May 6, 2016|magazine=]|publisher=]|access-date=July 22, 2016}}</ref> writing for Tor, ] said "everyone knows that the ''Kobayashi Maru'' refers to a no-win scenario".<ref>{{Cite web|last=DeCandido|first=Keith R. A.|date=May 23, 2017|title=Star Trek The Original Series Rewatch: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan|url=https://www.tor.com/2017/05/23/star-trek-the-original-series-rewatch-star-trek-ii-the-wrath-of-khan/|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=Tor.com|language=en-US}}</ref> Craig S. Semon said that if the 2009 ''Star Trek'' film were popular with both general audiences and serious ''Star Trek'' fans, then director ] will have outperformed Kirk on the ''Kobayashi Maru''.<ref>{{Cite news |id={{Gale|A199455885}} |last=Semon|first=Craig S.|date=May 8, 2009|title=Back to the future; Can 'Star Trek' prequel re-energize franchise?|page=B8|work=Telegram & Gazette|location=Worcester, MA }}</ref> '']'' called ''Prodigy''<nowiki/>'s ''Kobayashi Maru'' and its impact on Dal "surprisingly touching".<ref>{{Cite web|last=James|first=Whitbrook|date=January 6, 2022|title=Star Trek: Prodigy's Return Has Already Blown My Mind 3 Times|url=https://gizmodo.com/star-trek-prodigy-has-been-back-1-episode-and-has-alre-1848315493|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=Gizmodo|language=en-us}}</ref>
Saavik orders Sulu to "Plot an intercept course," to which Sulu replies, in accordance with a Starfleet officer's duties, "May I remind the Captain that if a starship enters the Zone..." Saavik quickly interrupts him, saying she is aware of her responsibilities. As the simulated ''Enterprise'' violates the treaty and approaches the vicinity of the ''Kobayashi Maru,'' Uhura announces that she has suddenly lost the ship's signal. Immediately, a computer alert sounds that three Klingon battle cruisers are on an intercept course. Outgunned and on the wrong side of the border, Saavik orders the Enterprise out of the Neutral Zone.


After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, ''Star Trek'' fan ] received an autographed picture of Kirk whose inscription from ] echoed Kirk's dialogue in ''Star Trek II:'' "I don't believe in the no-win scenario."<ref>{{cite web|author=Randy Psusch|title=March 17th, 2007: A note on staying positive|url=http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/news/index.html|access-date=2012-05-20|publisher=Download.srv.cs.cmu.edu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224220159/https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/news/index.html|archive-date=December 24, 2023}}</ref>
Before Sulu can pilot them out, the Klingon ships fire ]. Sulu "dies" when the helm explodes. ] intercoms that the main energizer is hit. Subsequent explosions "kill" Uhura and then Doctor McCoy. The cadet at the weapons console announces that the shields are collapsing. Saavik orders all phasers fired, but Spock reports that there is no power to the ship's weapons. He then "dies" when his science station explodes. Scott reports that the ''Enterprise'' is dead in space, so Saavik orders the log buoy launched and that the crew abandon ship.


The term has been applied to real-world scenarios with no perceived positive outcome or that requires ], such as ],<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kurtz|first1=Donald|last2=Fustes|first2=Manuel|date=May 2016|title=The Politics of Global Warming: Sciemocracy and the Rescue of the Kobayashi Maru|journal=Journal of Globalization Studies|volume=7|issue=1|pages=3–29}}.</ref> constitutional law,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mortopoulos |first1=Constantine |title=Kobayashi Maru: Arduous Effort and Scant Incorporation of the Yamashita Standard to the Hellenic Law |journal=European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice |date=1 January 2011 |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=199–238 |doi=10.1163/157181711X578440 }}</ref> education,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Dunlap|first1=Joanna|last2=Lowenthal|first2=Patrick|year=2010|title=Defeating the Kobayashi Maru: Supporting Student Retention by Balancing the Needs of the Many and the One|journal=]|volume=33|issue=4 |url=http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/DefeatingtheKobayashiMaruSuppo/219103 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717113325/http://www.educause.edu:80/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/DefeatingtheKobayashiMaruSuppo/219103 |archive-date=17 July 2011 }}</ref> and the casting of the Ancient One character in '']''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wong|first=Edward|date=April 27, 2016|title=An American Superhero Film Steers Clear of Tibet, Just to Be Safe|work=]|page=A6}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=26 April 2016 |last1=Wong |first1=Edward |title='Doctor Strange' Writer Explains Casting of Tilda Swinton as Tibetan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/world/asia/china-doctor-strange-tibet.html |work=] |quote=He likened the cultural issue involving the Ancient One to the Kobayashi Maru, a famous battle simulation game in the “Star Trek” universe }}</ref> Commentators have used Kirk's unorthodox answer to the ''Kobayashi Maru'' test as an example of the need to redefine the premises upon which an organization operates—changing the rules rather than playing within them.<ref>{{cite web|last=Olenick|first=Michael|date=2008-02-08|title=Redefining Markets: Captain Kirk & the Kobayashi Maru|url=http://www.valueinnovation.net/2008/02/redefining-markets-captain-kirk.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216185530/http://www.valueinnovation.net/2008/02/redefining-markets-captain-kirk.html|archive-date=2012-02-16|access-date=2012-05-20|publisher=Valueinnovation.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Girone|first=Bill|date=September 2007|title=Changing the rules: if agents are to be successful, they may have to redefine their goals|journal=Best's Review|publisher=A.M. Best Company, Inc.|volume=108|issue=5|pages=100|issn=1527-5914|via=EBSCO}}</ref> Computer security educators have used the ''Kobayashi Maru'' to teach students to think like an adversary, and that by stepping outside the rules of the game one can redefine the game.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Conti |first1=Gregory |last2=Caroland |first2=James |title=Embracing the Kobayashi Maru: Why You Should Teach Your Students to Cheat |journal=IEEE Security Privacy |date=July 2011 |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=48–51 |doi=10.1109/MSP.2011.80 |s2cid=29371315 }}</ref> Ideas and products focusing on immersive learning have also been compared to the realistic, immersive nature of the ''Kobayashi Maru'' test.<ref>{{Cite journal |id={{Gale|A155870226}} |last=Erwin|first=Sandra I.|date=December 2006|title=Simulation technology: Air Force sets sights on 'airman of the future' video games |journal=National Defense|volume=91|issue=637|pages=38 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ward|first=Cassidy|date=January 18, 2022|title=Virtual reality teaching tools: The science behind Star Trek's holodeck|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/star-trek-holodeck-virtual-reality-teaching-tool|access-date=January 24, 2022|website=SYFY Wire|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bruni-Bossio |first1=Vincent |last2=Willness |first2=Chelsea |title=The 'Kobayashi Maru' Meeting: High-Fidelity Experiential Learning |journal=Journal of Management Education |date=October 2016 |volume=40 |issue=5 |pages=619–647 |doi=10.1177/1052562916644284 |s2cid=148549111 }}</ref>
Admiral Kirk, who had been monitoring the situation from an outside control room, halts the simulation. All the "deceased" officers begin to rise, and Spock (now revealed to us as the cadets' instructor) orders the trainees to the briefing room. Saavik protests to Kirk, "I do not believe this was a fair test of my command abilities...because, there was no way to win." He explains that "A no-win situation is a possibility that every commander may face," and that "How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life."


==See also==
Later in the film, during repeated inquiries from Saavik, Kirk allows that the exercise is a true "no-win scenario," because there "is no correct resolution." Rather than a problem-solving exercise, "It's a test of character."<ref name="st:twok">{{cite video | year = 1982| title = Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | medium = DVD | publisher = Paramount |people = Nicholas Meyer, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Kirstie Alley |accessdate = 2007-11-09 | url =http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084726/}}</ref>
{{Portal|Speculative fiction|Television}}

{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
===Other test-takers and their solutions===
* ]

* ]
] takes the test three times while at Starfleet Academy. Prior to his third attempt, Kirk surreptitiously reprograms the simulator so that it is possible to rescue the freighter. This fact finally comes out, later in the movie, as Kirk, Saavik and others appear marooned, near death. Saavik's response is, "Then you never faced that situation. Faced death." Kirk replies, "I don't believe in the no-win scenario."
* ]

* ]
As ] had not entered Starfleet Academy as a command track cadet, he did not take the Kobayashi Maru test while there. In his death scene at the conclusion of ''The Wrath of Khan'', he would describe his sacrifice as his solution to the scenario.<ref name="st:twok" />
* ]

* ]
Depictions of the Kobayashi Maru test are a fairly popular subject in ''Star Trek'' literature. Non-canonical examples of Kobayashi Maru tests have been shown in many ''Star Trek'' novels. Much like how Kirk cheated to win, characters are frequently depicted as coming up with very innovative or surprising ways of handling the situation.{{Fact|date=November 2007}}
}}

====''The Kobayashi Maru'' (novel)====

'']'' (]) by ] tells how each of these officers faced the problem:
* ] evacuates his ship and then crashes it into the three Klingon cruisers, destroying all four ships in the process and (inadvertently) all of the evacuees as well.
* Sulu realizes it is probably a trap and refuses to cross the Neutral Zone.
* Scotty attempts to fight the Klingon ships, employing a series of unorthodox tactics, such as bypassing the Klingon shields using a works-on-paper-only calculation (the failure-to-work-in-practice demonstration experiment was published by Scotty before he joined Starfleet and this fore-knowledge of theory/practice results in his being judged unsuitable for command track and sent off to engineering, as he actually desired), and transporting various destructive items to them. At first, he is surprisingly effective, but the computer scenario ups the ante with the arrival of additional Klingon ships. Scotty responds in kind with even more unorthodox tactics that rapidly escalate in on-the-fly engineering derring-do and destructiveness. The simulation is shut off before reaching a completed state, but it is clear that the simulation will never end, no matter what the student throws at the Klingon ships, as an ever-increasing number of Klingon vessels will arrive on the scene, guaranteeing that the testee will lose eventually.
* Kirk reprograms the simulated Klingons to be afraid of "''The'' Captain Kirk," arguing that he expected to build a comparable reputation.

====''Dreadnought'' (])====
In the novel ''Dreadnought'' by ], the protagonist, a recent academy graduate, Piper, manages to ] the entire simulator by attempting to improvise an engineering solution to the problem through a very unorthodox series of computer commands and ]ging, essentially tricking the computer into fighting itself. Her instructors admit that her solution might theoretically have been successful.

====''Sarek'' (])====
In ]'s novel '']'', ], James T. Kirk's nephew, uses his experiences through the novel to come up with another way to defeat the unwinnable scenario. Upon entering the Neutral Zone, he provokes the Romulans who are expected to destroy the ''Enterprise''. Before the Romulans open fire, Peter challenges the Romulan commander to a ritual fight-to-the-death (using an obscure but still valid Romulan law predating their schism with the Vulcans), in which actual battle is prohibited until the contest is resolved. As Peter leaves the bridge to go to the simulation ], he instructs the crew to beam aboard the "survivors" and escape, leaving him to certain death. The simulation ends with the supervising instructor ending the test in confusion. Upon learning of Peter's trick, he promises to change the scenario to prevent it from being re-used. Peter is credited with coming up with an actual "winning" solution: saving the Kobayashi Maru and his own ship by sacrificing himself.

====''Avenger'' (])====
In ]'s novel '']'', Captain Christine McDonald of the USS ''Tobias'' tells Captain Kirk that in her time, the ''Kobayashi Maru'' scenario is no longer used to test character, but rather to evaluate the very "original thinking" for which Kirk had received a commendation. In the new version of the scenario, cadets are charged with coming up with ways to outsmart the simulation by reprogramming it to counter various moves made by the more advanced ] of the computer.

====''Stone and Anvil'' (])====
In his '']'' novels, ] suggests that future versions of the scenario would involve the ]s. In the novel ''Stone and Anvil'', ] realizes that it is impossible to rescue the Kobayashi Maru, and takes the unorthodox solution of destroying the Kobayashi Maru itself. He determines that a rescue attempt will be unsuccessful, would likely end in failure and would probably also result in his own ship being destroyed or captured. His reasoning is that it is more merciful to kill the civilians outright rather than let them be captured (and likely tortured) by the Romulans. Alternatively, he proposes an alternate possibility that the entire scenario is a Romulan trap and the Kobayashi Maru is in league with the Romulans, so destruction of the Kobayashi Maru is a valid attack on an enemy.

====''Rock and a Hard Place'' ]====
Quintin Stone was reputed to have beaten the Kobayashi Maru test, without cheating. His strategy was not described in the book, but the achievement was still considered to be particularly noteworthy, even
amongst seasoned officers.

==== ''Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'' ====
Three short stories in the '']'' anthologies series have also tackled the test. In "The Bottom Line," by Andrew Morby (''Strange New Worlds III,'' ]) and Shawn Michael Scott's "Best Tools Available" (''Strange New Worlds VI,'' ]), cadet ] solves the scenario in two entirely different (and thoroughly ]) manners. Kevin Lauderdale’s "A Test of Character" (''Strange New Worlds VII,'' ]) depicts a different version of Kirk's solution from Ecklar's, in which Kirk's tampering is "cheating without cheating," since he merely creates a level playing field, where success is not necessarily guaranteed.

== ''Star Trek'' video games ==
In the PC game '']'', one of the missions given to the player is the ''Kobayashi Maru'' scenario. The player -- who controls the character of Cadet David Forrester -- has a choice to make prior to the test. The player can have Forrester face the unaltered version of the test, or have Forrester reprogram the computer as Captain Kirk did, altering the scenario in one of three ways. He can reprogram the Klingon AI, making them fight dumber (they do not fire at all), reprogram the strength of the Klingon ships by making them easier to beat (in addition, their weapons cause no damage), or make the Klingon captains fear and respect him personally.

If the player cheats by altering the battle itself, he is treated to two larger waves of ] cruisers after destroying the initial wave of three. After destroying those waves, the simulator computer crashes with a ] error, and in debriefing the commandant remarks that he would be impressed were it not for the impossibility of such a feat.

If the player cheats by instilling fear and respect into the Klingon captains, he is able to hail the Klingons during the scenario. The Klingon captain extolls Forrester's prowess, and agrees to help him rescue the freighter instead. This allows the scenario to complete successfully, and the commandant seems truly impressed in debriefing.

No matter how the player cheats, if he chooses this option the cheating is detected by Academy staff, and Forrester is offered a chance to avoid punishment by helping the authorities with an ongoing criminal investigation.

If the player decides to face the unaltered version, the ship is swiftly destroyed by the first wave of D7 cruisers.
In the PC game '']'', one of the campaign missions is titled "Klingon Maru". However, the player can rescue the ship and not fight a battle.
There was also a ] ] published by ] in ]. The game was a ] written by ] depicting the "Kobayashi Alternative Command Performance Evaluation," a test being proposed to replace the Kobayashi Maru scenario, and was available for the ], ], ] ], and ] platforms.

The first mission of the ], ], developed by ] and published by ] in ], is considered Ensign Munro's (the player character's) Kobayashi Maru by Commander ].

==References in other media==
A ship named the ''Kobayashi Maru'' appears in the ] ''Gundam F90'', and proves to be just as ill-fated as its namesake, being destroyed in the prologue just before finishing up a tour of duty.

In the American film version of '']'' (1998), the Japanese freighter destroyed by the creature in the beginning is named the ''Kobayashi Maru''.<ref>{{Citation
| title =The story of the arduous odyssey to conceive a leapin' lizard that could travel 500 mph through downtown Manhattan
| newspaper =American Cinematographer
| year =1998
| date =June 1998
| url =http://www.theasc.com/magazine/jun98/godzilla/index.htm }} (On-line exclusive) </ref>

In the film '']'' (2002) a soldier describes their situation as "the Kobayashi Maru test" when they find a bug in a radio. He assumes that their exercise was always a no-win scenario.{{Fact|date=November 2007}}

The phrase is featured in the rock band ]'s lyrics in the song "Neckbone" from their ] album.

The Kobayashi Maru is mentioned in the US TV series '']'' when ] calls another no-win scenario a "Kiriat Moriah" and is corrected by ].{{Fact|date=November 2007}}

In '']'' Expansion Pack Caribbean, a boat named ''Kobayashi Maru'' is set as the start and end point of several game levels.{{Fact|date=November 2007}}

A character from the movie '']'' (1995) is named Kobayashi, who blackmails the others into a seemingly unwinnable situation.

In the ] episode "]" (2007) the lab technician ] admits he has a cat called 'Mr. K' and subsequently calls him Kobayashi Maru.

In the Bridge Simulator used at the ], simulations often include a container ship, which is flagged in Japan, and named the Kobeashi Maru.{{Fact|date=November 2007}}

Star Trek Bridge Commander has several mods under the name Kobayashi Maru which gives the game more ships, better graphics, and still allows multiplayer capability.{{who|date=November 2007}}

In an interview with Trekmovie.com, Star Trek books editor ] has said that the next '']'' novel will be called ''The Kobayashi Maru''. The novel will involve Captains ] and ] taking their respective ships, '']'' and '']'', on a patrol of the Klingon border, where they encounter a civilian freighter which is under attack.

Business theory commentators have used the Kobayashi Maru as an example of the need to redefine the foundation upon which a business competes -- changing the rules rather than playing within a rigged game -- as an example of successful business strategy.<ref>http://www.valueinnovation.net/2008/02/redefining-markets-captain-kirk.html, Redefining Markets: Captain Kirk & the Kobayashi Maru</ref>

In the webcomic ] (Bonus page: Parson's Klog 1), Parson suggests himself to be in an altered state of consciousness and theorizes that his gaming group may have provoked it as an ''out-of-the-box Kobayashi Maru tactic'' for getting rid of the no-win scenario. He also thinks about rewarding them for their ''original thinking''<ref></ref>

In the webcomic ], in Tanner's Party Prep, Part 3, Tom referred to Tanner as "A living Kobayashi Maru." <ref></ref>


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==See also== ==Further reading==
* {{Cite web|last=Stemwedel|first=Janet D.|title=The Philosophy of Star Trek: The Kobayashi Maru, No-Win Scenarios, And Ethical Leadership|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetstemwedel/2015/08/23/the-philosophy-of-star-trek-the-kobayashi-maru-no-win-scenarios-and-ethical-leadership/|access-date=2022-01-24|website=Forbes|language=en}}
*]
*]


== External links == ==External links==
{{memoryalpha article|Kobayashi_Maru_scenario|Kobayashi Maru scenario}} {{Memory Alpha|Kobayashi Maru scenario}}


] {{Star Trek}}


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Latest revision as of 07:08, 3 December 2024

Test in the fictional Star Trek universe This article is about the fictional Star Trek exercise. For the 1914 historical incident, see Komagata Maru incident. For other uses, see Kobayashi Maru (disambiguation).

The Kobayashi Maru is a fictional spacecraft training exercise in the Star Trek continuity. It is designed by Starfleet Academy to place Starfleet cadets in a no-win scenario. The Kobayashi Maru test was invented for the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and it has since been referred to and depicted in numerous other Star Trek media.

The nominal goal of the exercise is to rescue the civilian fuel ship Kobayashi Maru, which is damaged and stranded in neutral territory between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The cadet being evaluated must decide whether to attempt to rescue the Kobayashi Maru—endangering their ship and crew—or leave the Kobayashi Maru to certain destruction. If the cadet chooses to attempt a rescue, an insurmountable enemy force attacks their vessel. It is described as testing the character of cadets rather than their actual skills, acclimating them to the emotional toll of defeat. A key plot point of many depictions is James T. Kirk becoming the only cadet to rescue the Kobayashi Maru by hacking the simulation instead.

The phrase "Kobayashi Maru" has entered the popular lexicon as a reference to a no-win scenario. The term is also sometimes used to invoke Kirk's decision to "change the conditions of the test."

Depiction

William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. Kirk is the only character credited in live-action Star Trek with succeeding in the Kobayashi Maru test.

The test is introduced in the opening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, with Lieutenant Saavik commanding her crew on a bridge simulator. They receive a distress call from the Kobayashi Maru and enter the Klingon Neutral Zone to rescue it. The crew loses contact with the civilian ship and three Klingon vessels attack. With the bridge crew dead and the ship badly damaged, Saavik orders the crew to abandon ship and the simulation ends. When Saavik says the test is unfair because there is no way to win, Admiral James T. Kirk replies that a starship captain might face an actual "no-win scenario". Later in the film, Kirk reveals that he beat the Kobayashi Maru as a cadet on his third attempt by reprogramming the simulation to make it possible to rescue the ship, and that he does not actually believe in the idea of a no-win scenario.

The 2009 film Star Trek shows an alternate timeline's version of Cadet Kirk defeating the Kobayashi Maru test; in contrast to the original timeline where Kirk was commended for his unorthodox approach, this version of Kirk receives an academic reprimand for violating the spirit of the test.

The test is also depicted in the Star Trek: Prodigy episode "Kobayashi". Dal, who is struggling as the starship Protostar's captain and does not understand the purpose of the Kobayashi Maru, repeats the simulation many times. Every attempt ends in failure, adding to his despondence. A holographic version of Spock advises Dal that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," and Dal finally solves the problem while realizing that he needs to listen to his crew more often.

The Kobayashi Maru is referred to in other live-action and animated content, and characters also use the phrase "Kobayashi Maru" to describe no-win or desperate situations generally. The fourth-season premiere of Star Trek: Discovery is titled "Kobayashi Maru" (2021) and depicts the main characters confronting several challenging situations. Licensed media provide additional depictions of and references to the test, and two Star Trek novels carry the test's name in their title: The Kobayashi Maru (1989) by Julia Ecklar and Kobayashi Maru (2008) by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels.

The simulation is performed in the novel Stone and Anvil (2003), a part of the Star Trek: New Frontier series by Peter David. In this version, Klingons are replaced by Romulans (the series takes place after the events of the sixth film) and the simulation is conducted on the holodeck. Captain Mackenzie Calhoun tries to save the Kobayashi Maru, but when he notices that the enemy ships are using it as cover, he orders it fired upon, resulting in two of the three enemy ships being driven towards each other and exploding. Having saved his crew, Calhoun orders them to escape.

Concept and production

Star Trek II screenwriter Jack B. Sowards developed the Kobayashi Maru, naming it after his former neighbors. Kirk's rejection of "the no-win scenario" in the film is one of several characterizations that reflected Sowards' own mindset at the time. Anticipating that news would leak of Spock's death at the film's end, Sowards had Spock and other known Enterprise bridge officers feign their deaths as part of the opening Kobayashi Maru simulation; Kirk's quip afterward to Spock—"Aren't you dead?"—was Sowards' way of playing on that knowledge with the audience.

The "all-star crew" of Spock, Uhura, Sulu, and McCoy on the bridge simulator in Star Trek II motivated Star Trek: Prodigy's producers to attempt to create a "perfect" bridge crew for a holodeck in their show. The writers could not reach consensus, and their lineup was limited by the availability of appropriate audio. Aaron Waltke, who wrote the episode, believed strongly that the characters should be voiced by the original actors, which meant finding either archived audio or recording new dialogue. Waltke did most of the research to find appropriate audio, which involved reading 90 scripts and watching 40 episodes from across the franchise; he called it "one of the hardest writing experiences I've ever had." The protagonist Dal's (voiced by Brett Gray) holographic bridge crew ultimately consisted of Spock, Uhura, Scotty, and Odo, and they were "voiced" by mixing archival television and film dialogue of the characters as depicted by Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, and René Auberjonois, respectively. Beverly Crusher was added when the writers realized someone needed to interact more directly with Dal, and Gates McFadden recorded new dialogue for the character.

Critical response and impact

Entertainment Weekly said the Kobayashi Maru test is one of the top ten elements of Star Trek with which non-fans are likely to be familiar; writing for Tor, Keith DeCandido said "everyone knows that the Kobayashi Maru refers to a no-win scenario". Craig S. Semon said that if the 2009 Star Trek film were popular with both general audiences and serious Star Trek fans, then director J. J. Abrams will have outperformed Kirk on the Kobayashi Maru. io9 called Prodigy's Kobayashi Maru and its impact on Dal "surprisingly touching".

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Star Trek fan Randy Pausch received an autographed picture of Kirk whose inscription from William Shatner echoed Kirk's dialogue in Star Trek II: "I don't believe in the no-win scenario."

The term has been applied to real-world scenarios with no perceived positive outcome or that requires outside-the-box thinking, such as climate change, constitutional law, education, and the casting of the Ancient One character in Doctor Strange. Commentators have used Kirk's unorthodox answer to the Kobayashi Maru test as an example of the need to redefine the premises upon which an organization operates—changing the rules rather than playing within them. Computer security educators have used the Kobayashi Maru to teach students to think like an adversary, and that by stepping outside the rules of the game one can redefine the game. Ideas and products focusing on immersive learning have also been compared to the realistic, immersive nature of the Kobayashi Maru test.

See also

References

  1. Pascale, Anthony. "Review: 'Star Trek: Prodigy' Passes The Test In "Kobayashi"". TrekMovie.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  2. DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 18, 2021). "Winning a No-Win Scenario — Star Trek: Discovery's "Kobayashi Maru"". Tor.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  3. David, Peter (2003). Star Trek: New Frontier: Stone and Anvil. Pocket Books.
  4. Goldberg, Lee (February 1983). "Jack Sowards: The Man Who Killed Mr. Spock". Starlog (67): 22–25 – via Internet Archive.
  5. Roth, Dylan (January 6, 2022). "How Star Trek: Prodigy pulled off the cameo-filled Kobayashi episode". Polygon. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  6. Franich, Darren (May 6, 2016). "'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' is a movie about acting". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  7. DeCandido, Keith R. A. (May 23, 2017). "Star Trek The Original Series Rewatch: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan". Tor.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  8. Semon, Craig S. (May 8, 2009). "Back to the future; Can 'Star Trek' prequel re-energize franchise?". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, MA. p. B8. Gale A199455885.
  9. James, Whitbrook (January 6, 2022). "Star Trek: Prodigy's Return Has Already Blown My Mind 3 Times". Gizmodo. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  10. Randy Psusch. "March 17th, 2007: A note on staying positive". Download.srv.cs.cmu.edu. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  11. Kurtz, Donald; Fustes, Manuel (May 2016). "The Politics of Global Warming: Sciemocracy and the Rescue of the Kobayashi Maru". Journal of Globalization Studies. 7 (1): 3–29..
  12. Mortopoulos, Constantine (January 1, 2011). "Kobayashi Maru: Arduous Effort and Scant Incorporation of the Yamashita Standard to the Hellenic Law". European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. 19 (3): 199–238. doi:10.1163/157181711X578440.
  13. Dunlap, Joanna; Lowenthal, Patrick (2010). "Defeating the Kobayashi Maru: Supporting Student Retention by Balancing the Needs of the Many and the One". EDUCAUSE Quarterly. 33 (4). Archived from the original on July 17, 2011.
  14. Wong, Edward (April 27, 2016). "An American Superhero Film Steers Clear of Tibet, Just to Be Safe". The New York Times. p. A6.
  15. Wong, Edward (April 26, 2016). "'Doctor Strange' Writer Explains Casting of Tilda Swinton as Tibetan". The New York Times. He likened the cultural issue involving the Ancient One to the Kobayashi Maru, a famous battle simulation game in the "Star Trek" universe
  16. Olenick, Michael (February 8, 2008). "Redefining Markets: Captain Kirk & the Kobayashi Maru". Valueinnovation.net. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  17. Girone, Bill (September 2007). "Changing the rules: if agents are to be successful, they may have to redefine their goals". Best's Review. 108 (5). A.M. Best Company, Inc.: 100. ISSN 1527-5914 – via EBSCO.
  18. Conti, Gregory; Caroland, James (July 2011). "Embracing the Kobayashi Maru: Why You Should Teach Your Students to Cheat". IEEE Security Privacy. 9 (4): 48–51. doi:10.1109/MSP.2011.80. S2CID 29371315.
  19. Erwin, Sandra I. (December 2006). "Simulation technology: Air Force sets sights on 'airman of the future' video games". National Defense. 91 (637): 38. Gale A155870226.
  20. Ward, Cassidy (January 18, 2022). "Virtual reality teaching tools: The science behind Star Trek's holodeck". SYFY Wire. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  21. Bruni-Bossio, Vincent; Willness, Chelsea (October 2016). "The 'Kobayashi Maru' Meeting: High-Fidelity Experiential Learning". Journal of Management Education. 40 (5): 619–647. doi:10.1177/1052562916644284. S2CID 148549111.

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