Pavel Chekov
Pavel Andreievich Chekov was born in 2245 and is a young and naïve ensign who first appears on-screen in the original series’ second season as the Enterprise's navigator. According to Roddenberry, he is "an extraordinarily capable young man—almost Spock's equal in some areas. An honor graduate of the Space Academy."[6] Chekov also substitutes for Mr. Spock at the science officer station when necessary. His promotion to lieutenant for Star Trek: The Motion Picture brings with it his transfer as the ship's tactical officer and chief of security. During his tour of Duty on the Enterprise Chekov three times literally lost his mind: in Day of the Dove the alien entity turned Chekov into a vicious revenge seeking warrior; in And the Children Shall Lead Chekov was controlled by evil children and tried to arrest Captain Kirk (in the Star Trek Movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Chekov was again under an Alien Influence in The Tholian Web the interspace turned his brain into screaming madman. A running gag on Star Trek is that whenever Chekov gets into personal combat with opponents stronger than he is he gets the worst of it: The Trouble with Tribbles with Klingons or The Gamesters of Triskelion with the gladiator like slaves/thralls. In Spectre of the Gun he is shot and killed in the fantasy but survives only because his mind was on a beautiful/fantasy female. He also likes the beautiful female androids in I, Mudd.
By the events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Chekov is executive officer aboard the USS Reliant. In that film, Khan Noonien Singh uses a creature that wraps itself around Chekov's cerebral cortex to control him and his captain. Chekov overcomes the creature's mind control and serves as Enterprise tactical officer in the film's climactic battle.
A common myth about Star Trek is that Khan recognizing Chekov in the film is a continuity error because "Space Seed", with the villain, was broadcast before Koenig's casting.[7] Adaptations: From Text to Screen, Screen to Text calls this "the apparent gaffe notorious throughout Star Trek fandom".[8] Although Chekov does not appear in "Space Seed", "Catspaw"—with the character—has an earlier stardate.[7] Koenig joked that Khan remembers Chekov from the episode after he takes too long in a restroom Khan wants to use.[9]
Chekov is an accomplice in Kirk's theft of the Enterprise to rescue Spock in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, but is exonerated in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. He serves as navigator aboard the Enterprise-A during the events of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The character's final film appearance is as a guest aboard the Enterprise-B on its maiden voyage in Star Trek Generations.
Spinoff novels show a continued career path, but these are not considered canon in the Star Trek universe. Novels written by William Shatner detail that Chekov reaches the rank of admiral, and even serves as Commander in Chief of Starfleet.
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