Hikaru Sulu (AOS)

This article is about Hikaru Sulu from the AOS films. For Hikaru Sulu from The Original Series, see Hikaru Sulu (TOS). For other uses, see Sulu.

Character
Name:	Hikaru Sulu
Occupation:	helmsman, astroscientist
Relationships:
Fandom:	Star Trek: Alternate Original Series
Other:
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Hikaru Sulu is one of the main characters in the reboot Star Trek film series. He is played by Korean-American actor John Cho. The third movie, Star Trek: Beyond, presented this version of Sulu as having a male partner, Ben (Doug Jung), and a young daughter.

Origin of name and Controversies

Novelist Vonda McIntyre first introduced "Hikaru" as the character's first name in the novel The Entropy Effect. McIntyre derived the character's first name from The Tale of Genji. Although McIntyre was unaware at the time of any controversy surrounding her giving Sulu a first name, editor David Hartwell had to clear his name with Gene Roddenberry and Takei to override Paramount's objections. However, the name did not become canonical until its mention in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Peter David wrote about making the suggestion to director Nicholas Meyer at Takei's request during a visit to the set.

In some Japanese dubs, Commander Sulu's last name is changed to Kato. According to Bernardi, Sulu is not a Japanese name and would likely be unpronounceable by Japanese speakers as the language has no "l" sound and "u" is silent. Ojaste cites the reason for this as a lack of effort to be culturally accurate by the writers of the time to portray a true Japanese character. However, in recent films it is only slightly altered; the name スールー (Sūrū, with long vowels) is used instead of スル (Suru, with short vowels). Although the latter is a closer transliteration of the name "Sulu", may sound strange to Japanese audiences because "Suru" with short vowels is the verb "to do" in the Japanese language.

Currently played by Korean-American actor John Cho, Hikaru we is presented with his partner Ben (Doug Jung), and a young daughter in a small scene in the movie. Many fans were ecstatic and happy for the queer representation of the character, nonetheless the Hikaru Sulu's gay performance in the movie Star Trek: Beyond was heavily criticized by actor George Takei, who played the character in TOS. The idea came from Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty in the new films and penned the Beyond screenplay, and director Justin Lin, both of whom wanted to pay homage to Takei’s legacy as both a sci-fi icon and beloved LGBT activist.

Takei said he preferred Sulu straight.

“I’m delighted that there’s a gay character.”
“Unfortunately, it’s a twisting of Gene’s creation, to which he put in so much thought. I think it’s really unfortunate.”

Takei explains that Roddenberry was exhaustive in conceiving his Star Trek characters. (The name Sulu, for example, was based on the Sulu Sea off the coast of the Philippines, so as to render his Asian nationality indeterminate.) And Roddenberry had always envisioned Sulu as heterosexual. Proving that is not so simple a matter, however. Sulu never had an onscreen love interest during Star Trek‘s initial three-season run. He did mention a daughter, Demora, who appeared in 1994’s Star Trek Generations, the seventh film in the series (she was played by Jacqueline Kim).

Archives, Communities & Resources

• Hikaru Sulu tag at AO3 (includes original!Sulu works)