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Some Klingons wear boots with a spike near the toe, as seen in some episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Is there an in-universe reason for this design? Is this for battle as an additional weapon, ritual, only style or maybe because of Klingon anatomy?

Klingon Boot with Toe Spike in Hand-Drawn Red Circle

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    Was expecting a picture of Sting wearing Klingon Boots. Sad...
    – Vogie
    Apr 21, 2016 at 18:44
  • i am sorry for you ;-(. I am no native english speaker, is there a better word to describe this then sting?
    – kl78
    Apr 21, 2016 at 18:50
  • @kl78 - A spur, possibly?
    – Valorum
    Apr 21, 2016 at 18:53
  • @kl78 No, it looks like a Stinger (from a scorpion), or maybe a talon from a bird or certain types of dinosaur.
    – Vogie
    Apr 21, 2016 at 18:54
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    Did no one think of "spike"?
    – ApproachingDarknessFish
    Apr 21, 2016 at 21:39

3 Answers 3

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As a weapon

If you're Klingon and you're going to be kicking someone in the gut, you really want to make 'em bleed!

To conceal weapons

In TNG: Heart of Glory, the two Klingons are shown in the brig assembling a disruptor from parts strategically hidden in their uniforms. Some of those parts came out of those 'spurs'.

enter image description here

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Star Trek 'Visual Effects Producer' Dan Curry drew the following sketch to demonstrate Klingon anatomy. You may wish to note that the bone spur on the Klingon foot lines up perfectly with the spur on the shoe, strongly suggesting that a Klingon's foot-talon fits neatly into the talon on the shoe.

enter image description here

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    Except I'm sure we've seen Worf's naked feet on the show where he didn't have the talon.
    – ThePopMachine
    Apr 21, 2016 at 19:07
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    @DaveJohnson - Worf is not half-human. He was raised by humans but is wholly Klingon.
    – Valorum
    Apr 21, 2016 at 19:32
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    how exactly would you get the boot on over the horn? Unless you can flatten/straighten the horn (like you can fingers or toes) or the laces/zipper goes all the way down to the horn, anyone who has tried to dress an uncooperative child will tell you it won't work.
    – Mr.Mindor
    Apr 21, 2016 at 21:34
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    @Mr.Mindor There's any other kind of child?
    – ClickRick
    Apr 22, 2016 at 8:48
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    I imagine the bootspike is a bit like codpieces on human medieval armor. It corresponds to an anatomical feature, but the size of it might be a little exaggerated.
    – Peter
    Apr 22, 2016 at 10:40
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[about the appearance of early Klingons] Worf: We do not discuss it with outsiders... (Deep Space 9, season 5, episode 6 'Trials and Tribble-ations')

Perhaps the original Klingons did have the talon as part of their anatomy and it has simply been bred out of them (like how Klingons in more recent Star Treks look considerably different from their 'Original Series' counterparts).

Or it could have simply changed from a dominant, to a recessive gene, like blue eyes (a trait that is more rare, inherited only if both parents are carriers.)

So now it is worn to honor their history, AND as an added weapon, or as a hiding spot.

In a warrior culture such as theirs it makes sense for their appearance to be multipurpose in function. See Sihk Warrior Weaponry; a culture whose appearance is both spiritual and practical wearing their weapons upon their bodies, or hidden within their clothing for ease.

https://www.discussionist.com/101623499

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