Literally translated as “The Time to Die,” the Hegh’bat ceremony was a Klingon ritualized suicide. Klingon tradition held that when a Klingon was unable to stand and face his enemies, he should chose the Hegh’bat. The rite called for the eldest son of the celebrant, or a trusted friend, to deliver a ritual knife to the warrior, who would then impale himself in the chest. The son of friend would then remove the knife, and wipe it on his sleeve.
