!For characters who debuted in ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', see Characters.StarTrekTheOriginalSeries

[[foldercontrol]]

!Starfleet Personnel
[[folder:Admiral Harry Morrow]]
!!Admiral Harry Morrow
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/morrow.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I'm a Commander of Starfleet, so I don't break the rules."'']]
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/RobertHooks
!!!'''Dubbed in French by:''' Creator/PierreSaintons

->''"Jim, your life and career stand for rationality, not intellectual chaos. Keep up this emotional behavior and you'll lose everything."''

A cautious and skeptical Starfleet admiral.
----
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Granted, the situation around the Genesis Planet was undoubtedly a very difficult one from a political standpoint, but he point-blank refuses to help Kirk out in any way after being asked to help retrieve Spock's body. On the other hand, he at least seems genuinely concerned for Kirk, rather than just being obstructive for the sake of it.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Played with -- had he let Kirk and crew borrow the ''Excelsior'' or another starship that was in working order, then the whole fiasco with the ''Enterprise'' theft would never have happened. However, without Kirk and crew being in exile on Vulcan at the start of the next film (and not having access to the Klingon Bird-of-Prey), it's likely that the events of that film would have turned out far worse for everyone involved.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: After rejecting Kirk's request to take the ''Enterprise'' to Genesis, he's never seen again (and is, in fact, [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute replaced by]] [[Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome Admiral Cartwright]]). Source material suggests that he resigned over what happened.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Captain Jonathan T. Esteban]]
!!Captain Jonathan T. Esteban
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/esteban_3.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Dr. Marcus, it's your planet."'']]
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/PhillipRichardAllen
!!!'''Dubbed in French by:''' Creator/BernardAlane

->''"Exercise caution, Lieutenant. This landing is Captain's discretion, and I'm the one going out on a limb."''

The captain of the U.S.S. ''Grissom'', an ''Oberth''-class science vessel assigned to study the newly formed Genesis planet.
----
* {{Jerkass}}: Perennially berating Saavik and David for wanting to do their jobs and observe the Genesis Planet because he thinks it’s too risky. Not out of any concern for Saavik and David, but for his own career.
* NamedByTheAdaptation: The film only provides his initials, J.T., rather than his actual first name. Supplemental materials reveal the J stands for Jonathan.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: He spends his time denying Saavik and David a chance to check out the life on the Genesis Planet, and when he does he continues to harass them about it over the radio.
* RedShirt: He and his ship, the ''Grissom'', are destroyed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Captain Lawrence Styles]]
!!Captain Lawrence Styles
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/styles_3.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Kirk, you do this and you'll never sit in the Captain's Chair again."'']]
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/JamesBSikking

->''"If he thinks he can get away with warp drive, he's really in for a shock."''

The captain of the ''Excelsior'' prototype. Rather arrogant and in over his head.
----
* BattleTrophy: In the expanded universe, it's mentioned that Styles got his swagger stick from a Klingon he beat in hand-to-hand combat.
* CharacterTic: Carries a swagger stick (similar to UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton) wherever he goes. Scotty finds it particularly annoying.
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: The novel ''Forged in Fire'' has Styles getting killed by a bomb set by a Klingon pirate, leading Sulu to getting command of the ''Excelsior''.
* {{Jerkass}}: Very smug and overly proud of the ''Excelsior's'' abilities. He boasts to Scotty that he hopes to beat some of the ''Enterprise's'' speed records.
* NamedByTheAdaptation: His first name comes from the novelizations.
* TheRival: To Kirk. There are shades of this in the film but the expanded universe, particularly the novel ''Prime Directive'', really runs with it.
* ShadowArchetype: Styles is essentially what Kirk would have been like if he had focused more on Starfleet politics and career ambitions instead of passionate space exploration and cowboy diplomacy.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Styles was intended to return for ''Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome''[[note]]and ''does'' appear in the novelization[[/note]], but actor James B. Sikking was unavailable to reprise the role, so the finished film only features exterior shots of the ''Excelsior''. By the time of ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'', Sulu is Captain of the ''Excelsior'' with no indication of what happened to Styles. Expanded universe material suggests that Sulu was given command of the ''Excelsior'' after Styles was killed in action.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:"Mr. Adventure"]]
!!"Mr. Adventure"
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/ScottMcGinnis

->''"You're a twenty year space veteran, yet you pick the worst duty station in space. I mean, look at this place. This is the hind end of space."''

An obnoxious young lieutenant.
----
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: He spends a full minute griping to Uhura about his boring assignment, saying that he needs "some challenge in [his] life, some adventure...maybe even just a surprise or two." Uhura gives him this warning shortly before pulling a phaser on him and making him sit in a closet.
* KindRestraints: In the novelization, the main reason why Uhura locks him in the closet. It was meant for his own protection and not to implicate him in the plot to steal the Enterprise. In fact, he even gets an apology from Uhura in the novelization before she flees to the Vulcan embassy. Uhura knows that "Mr. Adventure" would be [[LampshadeHanging publicly humiliated]], but it was better than being court-martialed.

[[/folder]]

!Klingons

[[folder:Commander Kruge]]
!!Commander Kruge
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/star_trek_3_kruge_character_image.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Give me Genesis!"'']]
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/ChristopherLloyd
!!!'''Dubbed in French by:''' Roger Lumont

->''"Even as our emissaries negotiate for peace with the Federation, we will act for the preservation of our race!"''

The commanding officer of a Klingon Bird-of-Prey who is determined to steal the secret of Genesis.
----
* BadBoss: With a side of EvenEvilHasStandards, though. He executes his original gunner for "accidentally" destroying the ''Grissom'', though seems rather disgusted that the gunner showed no remorse in blowing up a defenceless science vessel, and instead bragged that he got a lucky shot. Subverted later when he is visibly grieving for what he sees as the senseless and honorless death of his crew.
* BeardOfEvil: Sports a Literature/FuManchu mustache and beard.
* BloodKnight: Kruge was basically the prototype for the [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration TNG]]-era "[[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} WAAAGH!"]] style of Klingons.
* DisneyVillainDeath: A variation, as we do see his body explode into a fireball when he lands in a lava pit.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: He establishes his ruthlessness in his first scene by blowing up the smuggler ship for [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness outliving their usefulness]], along with his lover for [[SheKnowsTooMuch knowing too much]].
* EvenEvilHasStandards: His immediate goal is similar to Khan's in the previous film, but where Khan was ruthless and willing to resort to senseless torture and murder to get his way, Kruge tries to keep enemy casualties to a minimum, initially because he needs prisoners who can explain Genesis to him, but he at least sounds willing to take Kirk's crew captive rather than destroy them outright. He's even willing to give Kirk ''two'' full minutes to announce his surrender to his gallant crew. On the other hand, and again unlike Khan, Kruge is very much a BadBoss to his own crew, as the unfortunate first gunner can attest to. Then again, the gunner not only destroyed the ''Grissom'' instead of just crippling it, which it's worth mentioning is what Kruge wanted so they could take prisoners, he dared to say that it was a lucky shot, so Kruge had a reason to be awful to the gunner.
* LeeroyJenkins: He starts a firefight against a battle cruiser-level starship that outguns him 10-to-1 using his cloaking device and the element of surprise (while still expecting to lose the fight), then when instead the captain starts ''negotiating'' with him, he realizes there is something seriously wrong with the ship and sends over half his crew as a boarding party to take control.
* NobleDemon: Is outraged after his gunner disregards his order to cripple a presumably unarmed science vessel and opts to destroy it outright, showing no remorse in doing so: Kruge calls him an 'animal' after vaporizing him. Later, he's shown in a VillainousBSOD when he realized he sent his crew into a trap.
** Him executing the gunner is expanded on in the {{Novelization}}, wherein he attempts to give the gunner an honorable death by ordering him to commit suicide, but the guy refuses, leading to Kruge shooting him.
* NotAfraidToDie: Kruge finds the prospect of fighting Starfleet's greatest hero captain on an exploding planet to be exhilarating. He's not purposefully trying to die, but such a death would be considered the most glorious end a Klingon could wish for.
* PragmaticVillainy: He's furious over the ''Grissom'''s destruction, but only because he wanted prisoners.
* RankScalesWithAsskicking: Comes across as noticeably stronger than Kirk when the two of them trade blows in the climax of the film, even [[NoSell No Selling]] multiple blows from a large tree branch. Ironically, his rank of Commander is beneath that of Kirk.
* SamuraiPonytail: He has one, reinforcing the samurai elements of Klingon culture.
* TakingYouWithMe: Tries to drag Kirk down into a fiery chasm, and before that he seemed quite happy with the possibility of dying with the Genesis Planet if Kirk wouldn't give him the info he wanted.
* WithholdingTheirName: Commander Kruge's name is only spoken by Valkris two minutes before she's killed; his troops only address him as "My Lord" or "Sir", and he flat-out refuses to tell Kirk his name.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Torg]]
!!Torg
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/torg.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Great power to control...dominate."'']]
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/StephenLiska
!!!'''Dubbed in French by:''' Mostéfa Stiti

The First Officer of Kruge's Bird of Prey.
----
* AliensSpeakingEnglish: Averted, which leads to the death of himself and his boarding party when none of them realize that the computer is counting down to self destruct. The novelization states that he assumed that the computer was chiming the time, and chocked it up as an annoying human affectation.
* BeleagueredAssistant: Nearly gets vaporized by Kruge in the aftermath of the Bird-of-Prey's first gunner getting blown to shreds, after Torg attempts to reveal the existence of David, Saavik and Spock on the Genesis Planet.
* TheDragon: Appears to be Kruge's second in command and the only officer that Kruge trusts with his plans to take Genesis.
* FatalFlaw: If only he understood Arabic numbers, he might have been able to call for a beam-out in time. Unless he was just TooDumbToLive.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Maltz]]
!!Maltz
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maltz.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Impressive. They can make planets."'']]
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/JohnLarroquette

The Second Officer and de factor Chief Engineer of Kruge's Bird of Prey.
----
* DeathSeeker: The film leaves it ambiguous as to whether he actually wants to die after the rest of his crew is killed, or whether he's just annoyed that Kirk is screwing with him. The novelization of the film makes it more explicit, and he commits suicide before the captured ship reaches Vulcan.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Maltz was going to return during the trial of Kirk and [=McCoy=] in ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry''; he was going to testify about their actions in stealing the Klingon scout ship. Laroquette was unavailable at the time of filming so the scene wasn't done.
* SoleSurvivor: The only surviving member of the Bird-of-Prey crew, most of whom get blown up with the ''Enterprise'', and the remainder of whom are killed down on the Genesis Planet.
* TakingYouWithMe: Refuses to help the ''Enterprise'' crew fly the captured Bird-of-Prey to safety, likely happy in the knowledge that they'll all die when the Genesis Planet goes boom. Fortunately, Scotty and Sulu work out how to fly it anyway.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: He has never been seen again in the canon film/TV universe. His fate past this film [[DependingOnTheWriter depends on the writer]] in the Expanded Universe. The novelization of the next film says he did eventually commit suicide. But other EU books see him appear alive. And as noted above, he was originally going to appear in VI to testify against Kirk and Bones at their show trial.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Valkris]]
!!Valkris
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/CathieShirriff

A Klingon spy working for Kruge.
----
* DisposableWoman: Subverted, as it's Kruge himself who disposes of her, though their exact relationship is somewhat ambiguous.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: She reacts to the news of her impending demise with a relatively calm "Understood."
* [[HeKnowsTooMuch She Knows Too Much]]: She, and the crew of the freighter she's on, get blown to shreds after she reveals that she looked at the Project Genesis briefing.
* ItHasBeenAnHonor: "Success, my lord... and my love."
* SuicideMission: Her motivation in the novelization for getting the Genesis data. When she was chosen to lead her family's house over her brother Kiosan, he fell into dishonor; his behavior got so bad that she was forced to disown him. She undertook the mission to steal the Project Genesis data because she knew Kruge [[BatmanGambit would kill her afterwards]] so her family honor would be restored.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Klingon Sergeant]]
!!Klingon Sergeant
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/DavidCadiente

A Klingon warrior serving under Kruge.
----
* DullSurprise: His reaction to almost everything, from Kruge killing the giant worm creature to the shocking sight of the teenage Spock rapidly aging into an adult.
* MookLieutenant: being a Klingon non-com and all.
* NoNameGiven: Not even in the novelization.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: He is the one who murders David.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Well, his ''rank'', anyway; in the film credits he's "Klingon S''a''rgeant," while in the novelization he's a "serjeant." Both are acceptable variations of "sergeant," though.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Klingon Gunner]]
!!Klingon Gunner
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/BobKCummings

The (first) gunner aboard the Klingon Bird-of-Prey.
----
* AssholeVictim: None of his fellow Klingons feel sorry for him when Kruge shoots him as punishment for insubordination.
* BeleagueredAssistant: Even before Kruge kills him, he's the one with the unpleasant task of feeding his leader's ferocious pet dog monster.
* NoNameGiven: Like the sergeant, he isn't named in any media.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: It is his destruction of the ''Grissom'' which forces the Klingons to search for hostages down on Genesis.
* TooDumbToLive: You would think that after the first Klingon gunner ignored the order to just cripple the ''Grissom'' and instead destroyed it, he’d have the sense to apologize when Kruge yelled at him for ignoring Kruge’s order. But no, he just called it a “lucky shot”, and was promptly shot by Kruge. It’s even worse in the novelization: Kruge tried to get him to [[DeathEqualsRedemption commit suicide so that the gunner could at least regain some honor]], but the gunner refused and was killed anyway.
* YouHaveFailedMe: With a side of EvenEvilHasStandards; when he "accidentally" blows up the ''Grissom'' after being told to simply cripple her, and ''then'' compounds his mistake by bragging it was a "lucky shot," Kruge shoots him.
** In the novelization, Kruge tries to make him [[DeathEqualsRedemption commit suicide]] to atone for his failure, but he [[DirtyCoward refuses]], which is what prompts Kruge to finally just kill him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Second Klingon Gunner]]
!!Second Klingon Gunner
!!!'''Played by:''' Creator/BranscombeRichmond

The replacement for the Bird-of-Prey's original gunner.
----
* KarmicDeath: After firing the shot which cripples the ''Enterprise'' beyond any immediate hope of repair, he ends up being among those killed when the ship self-destructs.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: He only has a single line of dialogue and a very brief amount of screentime, but he fires the shot which completely fries the main systems of the ''Enterprise'', forcing Kirk to destroy her.
* YouHaveFailedMe: Averted in his case as he's very careful to avoid the fate of his predecessor. When Kruge orders him to disable Enterprise (with a clear threat of what will happen if he also gets a "lucky shot" like the first guy) he understands his orders quite clearly and aims very carefully. It helps that unknown to him Enterprise is undermanned and running on a very precise automation system that fails at the slightest damage. He was actually about to keep firing until Kruge stops him.
[[/folder]]