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This Legendary Author Was The First Human To Meet A Klingon In Star Trek Lore

By Witney Seibold

June 21, 2026 6:00 pm EST

Paramount

True Trekkies will be able to tell you when humans first came into contact with certain notable alien species. Earth's historical first contact with Vulcans, for instance, is on April 5, 2063, when humans' very first faster-than-light engine attract the attention of a passing Vulcan research vessel. Vulcans land on Earth to investigate, and the ensuing first contact teaches humans that they are part of a larger galactic community, humbles them, and ushers in a new utopian age.

Of course, fans of "Star Trek: Enterprise" will happily point to the episode "Carbon Creek," wherein a group of Vulcans actually landed on Earth and secretly interacted with humans back in 1957. Other Trekkies will further note that Spock (Leonard Nimoy) visited Earth in the year 1930 in the original series episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" (often cited at the show's best). Evidently the so-called first contact wasn't first after all.

Likewise, Klingons "officially" met humans in the "Star Trek: Enterprise" pilot episode, "Broken Bow." A Klingon named Klaang (Tiny Lister) lands on Earth in the year 2151, and Earth sends the Enterprise to the Klingon homeworld to return him. As far as anyone knew, Klingons and humans hadn't met prior to this incident.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" fans will hastily point to the two-part episode "Time's Arrow," wherein the crew of the USS Enterprise-D traveled, via portal, to San Francisco in the year 1893.

Worf (Michael Dorn), the Klingon member of the crew, didn't go with them, so as far as we know, Klingons still wouldn't arrive on Earth until 2151. Thanks to some plot complications, though, a human from 1893 was whisked back to the 24th century and meets Worf face-to-face.

That human was none other than author Mark Twain (Jerry Hardin).

Mark Twain was the first human, chronologically, to meet a Klingon

Paramount

The plot of "Time's Arrow" is rather fun. While excavating a cave on Earth, Federation explorers find the severed head of the android Data (Brent Spiner) who is, curiously, alive and well on the Enterprise-D. The head appears to be about 500 years old, leading the emotionless Data to dispassionately conclude that he will, at some point, be transported into the past and die there. Data gets his wish when he and the Enterprise crew find that the cave in question is actually being occupied, in the 24th century, by interdimensional aliens that exist beyond their perceptions. The aliens have been sending agents into Earth's past, where they have been essentially sucking out people's souls and feeding them to their kind.

Data finds a way to use the alien portal and winds up in San Francisco in 1893. The aliens, he finds, have been using the latest cholera epidemic to cover their serial killing. Data begins constructing high-tech devices using the technology of the time to solve the mystery, and also discovers that his compatriot Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) lives in San Francisco. He initially assumes Guinan has also traveled back in time, but it turns out her species is just very, very long-lived, and that she happened to be on Earth in 1893, living as a high-society dame.

Given her social status, Guinan regularly attends salons with America's elite, including Mark Twain. Twain sees Guinan and Data conversing and becomes convinced that there's something fishy about the pale-skinned, strangely robotic man. Twain begins snooping. Eventually, Twain happens to be in the room when the Enterprise crew reopens the portal back to the 24th century, and he deliberately leaps through.

Mark Twain was given an important lesson about the economics of the 24th century

Paramount

When Twain arrives on the Enterprise in the 24th century, he is astonished, but he cannot cease being pushy and curious. He demands to know things of Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and is startled to see Worf. Worf notices Twain's astonishment and merely states, "I am Klingon." Twain wisely backs off.

This scene takes place in the year 2368, long after the chronological first contact humans had with Klingons. (Check out the full "Star Trek" franchise timeline in order here). But because Twain hailed from the year 1893, he technically still counts as the first human to talk to a Klingon. Twain, it should be noted, was deposited back in the year 1893 before the end of the episode, and his career played out as history noted. In the "Star Trek" universe, Twain died in 1910, just like in real life. History is complicated when there's time travel involved.

Of course, Twain's visit to 2368 came with an important lesson. Twain is placated by the calm demeanor and pretty face of Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis). Twain assumes that a gigantic starship like the Enterprise is built for military conquest, and that everyone on it lives in luxury while the impoverished live in squalor. Troi explains that, no, this is actually a ship of exploration and that there is no more poverty. Hopelessness, despair, and cruelty are gone now that poverty has been eliminated.

Twain can't believe it. "Young lady, I come from a time when men achieve power and wealth by standing on the backs of the poor," he counters, "where prejudice and intolerance are commonplace and power is an end unto itself. And you're telling me that isn't how it is anymore?"

Troi responds simply with, "That's right."

Twain likes that idea. We all do.