Elijah Kalgan

Elijah Kalgan was one of two main antagonists on the 1988 South African movie Space Mutiny.

He was portrayed by the late John Phillip Law.

Born on the generation ship Southern Sun, Kalgan became the head of the Enforcers - the ship's security detachment - and the Sun's Flight Commander. At some point he began working with pirates in the Corona Borealis system to force the ship to land on a planet in that system instead of proceeding on to the ship's original destination. Doing so would have made Kalgan a very wealthy and powerful man.

Kalgan and his people murdered the Enforcers and other crew members that they couldn't bring over to their side. Working with Chief Engineer MacPhearson, Kalgan sabotaged the ship's docking bays and communications so that the Sun would be unable to summon help.

Being very intolerant of failure, Kalgan had those who disappointed him placed in cryogenic suspension or ejected into the vacuum of space.

What Kalgan didn't anticipate was the arrival of David Ryder. Ryder discovered and brought forward evidence that Kalgan was planning a mutiny to the Sun's Commander Jansen and Captain Scott Devers. The pair promptly fired Kalgan, and named Ryder as the new Flight Commander. Kalgan tried to take Jansen's daughter Lea hostage but she was soon rescued by Ryder.

Ryder and a group of loyalist engineers he had assembled fought the Enforcers in combat. Kalgan was defeated by Ryder and apparently killed in a golf cart explosion. (He was later revealed to have survived). MacPhearson died when Ryder ignited the ship's gas expulsion sump. Believing their leadership dead, the remaining mutineers were left with no choice but to surrender to Commander Jansen.

Trivia

 * Law's portrayal of Kalgan was the first of two MST3K appearances. Law's second MST3K appearance was as the titular character in the original series finale Danger: Diabolik.