Hikaru Sulu
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| Hikaru Sulu | |
 George Takei aboard the Enterprise in 2266. |
|
| Species | Human |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Home planet | Earth (San Francisco) |
| Affiliation | Starfleet |
| Position | USS Enterprise helmsman USS Enterprise-A helmsman USS Excelsior commanding officer |
| Rank | Lieutenant Lieutenant commander Commander Captain |
| Portrayed by | George Takei, John Cho[1] |
Hikaru Sulu is a fictional character who is portrayed by George Takei in the original Star Trek series, the first six Star Trek films and one episode of Star Trek: Voyager. In the new Star Trek film, he will be played by John Cho.[1]
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[edit] Creation
George Takei recalled Gene Roddenberry wanted the character to represent all of Asia, which symbolized the peace of the Trek universe in spite of the numerous wars in the continent. Roddenberry did not want a nationally specific surname, so he looked at a map and saw the Sulu Sea. "He thought, 'Ah, the waters of that sea touch all shores'," the actor recalled, "and that's how my character came to have the name Sulu."[2]
[edit] Fictional character history
The fictional character Hikaru Sulu was born in San Francisco.[3], half Japanese and half Filipino. He was shown as the USS Enterprise's staff physicist in the pilot episode, "Where No Man Has Gone Before",[4] but served as helmsman throughout the rest of the series, during which he held the rank of lieutenant.[5]
Throughout the series, Sulu is shown having many interests and hobbies, including botany,[6] fencing,[7] and ancient weaponry[8] (Spock says that he "is at heart a swashbuckler out of the 18th century").[9]
The character is promoted to lieutenant commander some time before "Star Trek: The Motion Picture", and to full commander by the time of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan".[3] During the first five Star Trek movies, he serves as helmsman aboard both the USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A.[5] He is promoted to captain and given command of the USS Excelsior three years before the events of "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country".[3]
Star Trek Generations[10] introduces Hikaru's daughter, Demora Sulu,[5] whose origins are also depicted in Peter David's non-canon novel The Captain's Daughter.[11]
[edit] Guest appearances
George Takei reprised the role of Sulu, as part of Star Trek's 30th anniversary, in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Flashback".[12] In the episode, Captain Sulu appears in Tuvok's flashbacks of his time serving aboard the USS Excelsior, during events depicted in Star Trek VI.[5]
The non-canon fan production Star Trek: New Voyages episode "World Enough and Time" starred George Takei as Captain Sulu on the Excelsior recalling a time on the original Enterprise when a transporter accident caused him to come back thirty years older and with a daughter, Ilana. Demora also appears in this episode, as well as Hikaru's granddaughter.[13]
[edit] Other media
The Lost Era novel The Sundered[14] depicts a USS Excelsior mission under Sulu's command.
The novel Forged in Fire[15] depicts an earlier USS Excelsior mission prior to Sulu's assuming command of the ship.
Simon & Schuster Audioworks released three non-canon Captain Sulu Adventures, featuring voice acting by Takei and various others, in the mid-1990s: Transformations,[16] Cacophany,[17] and Envoy.[18]
In the Federation portion of the game Star Trek: Starfleet Command, the tutorials are taught by Captain Sulu, voiced by Takei.
Sulu has been spoofed on an episode of Family Guy from season 5, in "Stewie Loves Lois".
In the TV show Scrubs, Turk wants to be married by a priest who looks like Sulu. The priest is actually played by George Takei.
[edit] Name
Sulu's last name was taken from the Sulu Sea, as Roddenberry envisioned Sulu to be representative of all of Asia.[19] Novelist Vonda McIntyre first presents 'Hikaru' as the character's first name in the novel The Entropy Effect.[20] However, the name did not become canon until its mention in Star Trek VI, and it was included only after Peter David, who authored the film's comic book adaptation, visited the set and convinced director Nicholas Meyer to insert it.[21]
The name "Sulu" is not only not a Japanese name but also impossible to render identically in Japanese (the katakana for the name comes out as "Suuruu", and even as "Suru" kanji for use as a person's name are impossible). This is a moot point, however, as in English the character is half Filipino and so his surname can be thought to have come from that side of his family, and the character was renamed in the Japanese dub of the series to simply "(Mister) Kato."
While this negates the old joke about Star Trek being called "Master Helmsman Hikaru Sulu" in Japan, it should be noted that Episode 44 of Star Trek Voyager, "Flashback," in which Sulu appears, was titled "The Legendary Mister Kato" in Japanese.
[edit] Mirror Universe
In the mirror universe from the episode Mirror, Mirror, Scotty likens the Mirror-Sulu's personality to that of a Gestapo officer[citation needed]. He has a scar down the right side of his face.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Borys Kit (2007-10-12). Final frontier for Cho, Pegg. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 2007-10-12.
- ^ Michael Simpson. "John Cho Will Be a Great Sulu In 'Star Trek XI', Says George Takei", Cinema Spy, 2008-04-30. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ a b c Okuda, Michael and Denise Okuda (1996). Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-53610-9.
- ^ "Where No Man Has Gone Before". Star Trek. NBC.
- ^ a b c d Okuda, Mike and Denise Okuda, with Debbie Mirek (1999). The Star Trek Encyclopedia. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-53609-5.
- ^ "The Man Trap". Star Trek. NBC.
- ^ "The Naked Time". Star Trek. NBC.
- ^ "Shore Leave". Star Trek. NBC.
- ^ {{cite episode|title=The Naked Time
- ^ Star Trek Generations.
- ^ David, Peter (1995-12-01). The Captain's Daughter. Pocket Books. ISBN 0671520474. In the upcoming new Star Trek (film) actor John Cho has been casted to play the role of Hikaru Sulu.
- ^ "Flashback". Star Trek: Voyager. UPN.
- ^ Star Trek: Phase II Downloads
- ^ Martin, Michael A. and Andy Mangels (2003-08-01). The Sundered, Star Trek: The Lost Era. Pocket Books. ISBN 074346401X.
- ^ Martin, Michael A. and Andy Mangels (2008-01-1). Forged in Fire, Star Trek: Excelsior. Pocket Books. ISBN 978141654767.
- ^ Stern, Dave (1994-02-01). Transformations, A Captain Sulu Adventure. Simon & Schuster Audioworks. ISBN 067188624X.
- ^ Malloy, J.J. (1994-09-01). Cacophany, A Captain Sulu Adventure. Simon & Schuster Audioworks. ISBN 0671522868.
- ^ Graf, L.A. (1995-04-01). Envoy, A Captain Sulu Adventure. Simon & Schuster Audioworks. ISBN 0671522868.
- ^ Pascale, Anthony. John Cho is the New Sulu. TrekMovie.com
- ^ McIntyre, Vonda N. (06 1981). The Entropy Effect. Pocket Books. ISBN 0671836927.
- ^ "Comics Buyer's Guide" (March 2006) (1614): 10.
[edit] External links
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