Kodos and Kang have been a staple of The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror special for more than 30 years, and their names pay homage to an iconic sci-fi show.
Some of the most enjoyable things in life only happen once a year. For two of the most popular and iconic characters in The Simpsons, it’s on Halloween. the annual the house of the tree of terror special has been a hallmark of the series for over 30 years. And for about the same time, two aliens have been synonymous with the most wicked horrors to befall the city of Springfield, Kodos, and Kang. However, their names pay homage to one of the most beloved and important series in science fiction: Star Trek.
The pulpy, drooling, glass-caseed octopuses of Reigel 7 (whose native language, Rigellian, sounds like English) made their triumphant debut in the house of the tree of terror in 1990. It premiered early in the show’s second season, and the characters immediately had an indelible impact on viewers. The aliens were more than just caricatures: they were savage critics of the human tendency to hypocrisy and mental weakness.
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Created by writing partners Wallace Wolodarsky and Jay Kogen, the aliens were partially inspired by another pair of violence-prone aliens, courtesy of Gene Roddenberry. Kang and Kodos were drawn directly from Star trekKang the Klingon and Kodos the Executioner, two memorable characters from The original series which was published in the late 1960s. They were a pair of killers whose own ambitions weren’t that far off from their cartoon counterparts. While iconic characters everywhere, The Simpsons, What Star trek, he only used them sparingly to help maintain his special status among other characters.
The most determined duo in the galaxy trying to conquer Earth and enslave humanity has appeared in all the house of the tree of terror episode. However, they did not always feature prominently. In fact, at times, it was afterthought in episodes for short cameos. At one point, they weren’t going to appear in one of the the house of the tree of terror specials, but executive producer Al Jean chimed in, making sure they made an appearance, albeit brief. From there, they were enshrined as essential ingredients for each the house of the tree of terror, it can never be omitted. And they have been there ever since, with the only minor exception when only Kang appeared in Tree House XXI.
Initially, the gender-ambiguous duo was interchangeably male and female, and both Kang and Kodos were referred to as each other’s sister, as in Treehouse of Horror VII. They were presumed brothers for decades. It just wasn’t important enough to The Simpsons‘creators and writers to clarify one way or another. They were just funny characters until a time travel crossover with another popular series put the problem to bed.
In a combined episode with revived characters of Matt Groening canceled. Futurama, much of the attention was on the other group traveling through space, Kang and Kodos. The Johnsons, the confirmed surname of the aliens, were revealed to be in a relationship, not siblings. As such, the Johnsons were a lesbian couple.
For more than 50 years, the original Star trek The series has left its fingerprints on dozens of TV shows, movies, and books. People who grew up amazed by The original series, and even Star Trek: The Next GenerationBefore finding careers in entertainment, they often cite the show as inspiration. From Seth MacFarlane to Steven Spielberg, Star trek has shaped entertainment far beyond the deck of the spaceship Enterprise, and The Simpsons is no exception.
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