Completely and utterly failing, especially if somebody else set you up to fail so they can see how you handle it.ĭepending on how you feel about deliberate no-win scenarios, it's cheating in either direction.'Kobayashi Maru' as a verb can then mean two things: He is known as the only person to 'beat' the 'no-win scenario'. Instead, he gained access to the simulator prior to taking the test, and altered the parameters in the software. He took the test multiple times, because he refused to accept a failure. However, James Kirk (commander of the Enterprise in The Original Series and first six films) developed a novel solution. They all fail to save themselves or the Maru, but nobody ever tells them why. It's also important to note that the no-win aspect is meant to be a secret multiple command candidates take the test, but they're sworn to secrecy about the parameters of the test. Rather than being a test of skill, the Kobayashi Maru scenario was used to test the resolve and character of the test-taker. The test is a literal no-win scenario - either the Maru was destroyed, or the test taker's simulated ship was. The titular Kobayashi Maru is a test given to command candidates in Star Trek.