star trek tos spock wife

A Short History Of Spock's Love Life: T'Pring Explained

It seems like " Star Trek: Strange New Worlds " is boldly going where few "Trek" voyages have gone before. The new series has pulled the curtain back on an exciting era in "Star Trek" history , which means that some of the fandom's most pressing questions will finally be answered. What was the U.S.S. Enterprise like before Kirk stepped onto the bridge, and what was up with its former captain, Christopher Pike ? How did the Enterprise crew really come to meet? And, more importantly: will the enigmatic Mr. Spock ever ... you know ... get down?

Vulcan romance has been used as a conceit in "Star Trek" stories here and there, but "Strange New Worlds" will see the human-Vulcan Spock navigating a serious relationship for the very first time. Granted, Spock has been pursued by women before. He's even pursued them back now and again, but usually while under the influence of sci-fi psychedelics or strange Vulcan mating rituals. Now, he's doing so of his own volition, and with an old flame previously introduced in "The Original Series." That's right: T'Pring is back — and for the long haul, it would seem.

Even if the name T'Pring doesn't immediately ring any bells, it's likely that her introduction in the original series episode "Amok Time" jogs a particular memory. It's a pretty zany episode, one made all the zanier by its introduction of pon farr, the Vulcan tradition that sends Spock into lust-fueled fever.

Let's T'Pring you up to speed

Pon farr visits Vulcans (typically the males) once every seven years. "It strips our minds from us," Spock explains to Kirk in "Amok Time." "It brings a madness which rips away our veneer of civilization." This bout of extreme horniness also forces male Vulcans to return to their home planet in order to mate, usually with a betrothed — and they've only got so long to do so. Apparently, if Spock's needs are not addressed within eight days, he'll likely die.

Kirk gets Spock to Vulcan just in time for his koon-ut-kal-if-fee ceremony, which can take the form of either a wedding or a gladiator-like fight to the death. And unfortunately for Spock, his is the latter. Though he was promised to T'Pring when they were children, Spock has been gone long enough for his betrothed to fall in love with somebody else. In an effort to annul their engagement, T'Pring claims kal-if-fee, forcing Spock and Kirk to duel for her hand in marriage. 

Spock's romance with T'Pring — if you can call it a romance at all — doesn't exactly end well, but it certainly wasn't his last. There was also Nurse Christine Chapel , whose crush on Spock came to a head in several episodes, "Amok Time" included. Unfortunately, her confessions (and Spock's subsequent rejections) get increasingly awkward as time goes by. But it's hard not to sympathize with her plight: Spock is weirdly irresistible. Haven't we all swooned a bit at his flawless intellect, or even his uncharacteristic outbursts? He might be prone to a rational approach in all his endeavors, but all that pent-up energy is bound to escape at some point. And when it does, it's kind of hot.

If we've learned anything from the "Twilight" saga, it's that restraint is inherently sexy. Such a phenomenon didn't begin on the pages of a Stephanie Meyer supernatural romance, but the Team Edward mania was certainly an example of the movement at its peak. Leonard Nimoy's Spock enjoyed similar infamy back in the days of "The Original Series," and it's not hard to see why. That Spock is so tightly wound really adds to his appeal as a sex symbol, in part because "Star Trek" writers know how gratifying it can be to watch him unravel. 

Take his run-in with Leila Kalomi, an ex-girlfriend of sorts, in "This Side of Paradise." Like Chapel, Leila once confessed her feelings for Spock before the events of the original series. Of course Spock couldn't reciprocate then, but when they reunite on an alien planet years later, Leila goes to interesting lengths to win his affections. Her tactics involve the use of a spore-spewing plant that "infects" its hosts with lowered inhibitions. Once Spock is exposed, he's finally able to admit that he loves Leila — but it's not clear how much of his confession is genuine, and how much is influenced by those pesky spores.

With most of these interactions taking place more or less against Spock's will, it's easy to feel icky about the whole affair. Fortunately, there's always the Kelvin timeline, which began with J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot in 2009. There, Spock enjoys a longterm relationship with Lt. Uhura. Though it's not without its ups and downs (Spock choses self-sacrifice and logic over Uhura's feelings more than once) it's one of the healthiest relationships he's ever had. It also informed Spock's battle between his human and Vulcan sides in a fresh and interesting way.

A logical appeal

Now, "Strange New Worlds" is taking that battle in a new direction. By reintroducing T'Pring (now played by Gia Sandhu), this time at the beginning of her long engagement to Spock, fans will finally get to see what he's like in a committed relationship with another Vulcan. We've seen him struggle against his more "human" inclinations in ill-fated flings with human women and we've even seen him forge connections with Romulans and Vulcans , but each was either born out of necessity or some weird extenuating circumstance. Spock's relationship with T'Pring is on an entirely different level from those in past installments. It will allow Spock to explore love and attachment through the lens of logic and tradition, and we can probably thank Ethan Peck — AKA "Hot Spock" — for this new and interesting development. 

Peck turned a lot of heads with his disheveled (and bearded!) Spock in "Star Trek: Discovery." His take on the character is younger and moodier than the Spock he'd grow to become, which means that his emotions — and his sensuality — could be played up a bit more throughout the series. It also doesn't hurt that he really is just plain hot, even when deferring to logic. Despite the obvious appeal of his more primal qualities, Spock's practical side is also a big part of his charm. It takes a certain kind of person to observe their emotions in a way that they can clearly articulate. Plus, his naïveté concerning human inclinations can be really endearing, and Peck plays into that innocence brilliantly.

Though he's clean-shaven and ready for duty aboard the Enterprise once more, Spock's latent sensuality hasn't gone anywhere. With T'Pring, Nurse Chapel, and even Uhura appearing  in "Strange New Worlds," who knows what situations Spock will find himself in this time around?

Episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" hit Paramount+ each Thursday.

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‘star trek: strange new worlds’ actress gia sandhu breaks down moving episode featuring classic sci-fi trope.

Sandhu examines with The Hollywood Reporter the relationship between T'Pring and Spock, making clear there are deep emotions between them — along with those complications.

By Ryan Parker

Ryan Parker

Former Senior Reporter

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[Warning: This story contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode “Spock Amok.”] 

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds actress Gia Sandhu knows T’Pring and Spock will not ultimately end up together per The Original Series , but she is finding great beauty in their present journey.

T’Pring, the Vulcan who was bonded to Spock as a child, only appeared briefly in the ’60s series, played by the late Arlene Martel in the classic episode “Amok Time.” Most casual fans would instantly recognize the episode from Spock and Kirk dueling one another with lirpas, an iconic Vulcan weapon. By the end of the episode, Spock and T’Pring are no longer (in the Vulcan sense) betrothed. Their story begins and ends with the episode. But there was so much more to be told.

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And that story is now unfolding through Sandhu’s T’Pring and Ethan Peck’s Spock. Strange New Worlds is taking a much deeper look into what makes both of the Vulcans tick, specifically for one another. And this week’s episode (the perfectly titled “Spock Amok”), does not disappoint, with Spock and T’Pring accidentally switching bodies.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter , Sandhu examines the relationship between the two characters, making clear there are deep emotions between them. But there are also complications. The actress also talked with THR about her and Peck’s process to portray one another for the classic, but fully rewarding, trope.

I love hearing about how folks became involved in the series. Mind sharing how you were cast as T’Pring? 

I went through the traditional casting process. And when I was given the audition scene, the character wasn’t actually revealed, which is characteristic of how Star Trek usually casts. ( Laughs .) It simply said “Vulcan woman,” so I did my best Vulcan woman. I’m actually glad I didn’t know that it was for the role T’Pring. Had I known, it might have caused me to get into my head! I sent in an initial audition tape, which was a unique experience unto itself because usually an actor aims to not sound like they are speaking rehearsed lines. And I remember watching my audition back and thinking, “Am I just doing very bad acting, or am I doing something ?” I guess I was doing Vulcan because they asked for a second audition, and then I ended up landing the part.

How did you prepare for the role? You were in a unique situation: T’Pring appeared on The Original Series played by the late Arlene Martel, but only briefly, so you weren’t beholden to a legacy character, like Ethan as Spock. 

I went right to the source and watched “Amok Time,” which I’d never seen before. I’d actually never seen any of The Original Series , so that happened to be the first episode I ever saw! I remember watching Arlene Martel and going, “Oh, my goodness. I’m playing her?” I was so excited. Although her role is brief onscreen, it’s very impactful. T’Pring is only in “Amok Time,” so it took a lot of pressure off what I think the other actors have to face. Arlene created this beautiful outline of a character, but there was definitely a lot of room for me to still color within that outline.

I looked at Ethan’s material from Star Trek: Discovery and also went back to Leonard Nimoy’s performances. There were a lot more components to think about. When you’re playing somebody who’s more established versus playing someone who’s less established, you get to really use your own imagination and your own creativity to get you there.

This week’s episode is so much fun. I love the classic sci-fi switched bodies trope. How did you and Ethan prepare, a lot of acting exercises? 

Ethan was really generous in terms of letting me into his process and revealing to me what influences him the most. And certainly Leonard Nimoy, I watched the documentary [ For the Love of Spock ]. And I went through a lot of TOS episodes. I also had a bit of a head start in terms of Ethan’s Spock because I got to see his work on Discovery , so that was very informative and helpful for me.

We really just sat down together and said, “How would you say this? How would you say that?” We had to identify for ourselves what’s most identifiable to the audience in terms of Spock’s mannerisms, his voice and intonation. Ultimately, we were given a bit of a free pass because the joke when the whole thing starts, T’Pring in Spock’s body says to Capt. Pike [ Anson Mount ], “Now that you know what’s going on, you can obviously tell the difference between us.” ( Laughs .) And Pike goes, “Yeah … sure,” saying that Vulcans are all very similar.

In this episode, most of my interaction is with Spock and with Jess [Bush] who plays nurse [Christine] Chapel. When we were preparing before the episode, Ethan, Jess and I all got on a call together, and we discussed what our characters are going through and what their intentions are. We rehearsed the scene together where Chapel and Spock in T’Pring’s body are outside. Ethan was listening in on and was able to help us get going in the right direction. One of the things that I definitely had to be mindful of as T’Pring was that I’m also carrying forward their chemistry. It’s almost the opposite of what my instincts want to do, but I’m picking up a part of what’s going on with them. So yeah, we had a great bond.

I spoke with Ethan a little while back, and he told me you’re so good at playing a Vulcan, he feels he needs to be more Vulcan in your shared scenes. Can you tell me more about bringing T’Pring to life? 

I think T’Pring specifically carries herself with a lot of grace, and she’s very deliberate in how she speaks. Her words are chosen very carefully, and this all comes from Arlene Martel, the original T’Pring. I definitely wanted to retain as much of that kind of elegance as I could. I think underneath, she’s probably a bit nervous too. She and Spock are two people who love each other, and are trying to navigate the ultimate long-distance relationship, living on two different planets. Both of their intentions are certainly to make sure this relationship succeeds. This whole episode gets into something that’s very funny, but it really starts off with the two of them just wanting to share each other’s katras, so that they can understand each other more and make things work between them. It is the sincerest intention that leads them astray.

Sadly, fans know it was not meant to be between the Spock and T’Pring. How do you go about the character and performance when you know the outcome that far out? 

You do have to let go of the future and try to honor what’s written for us right now. It is a very relatable situation. In any relationship, there are disappointments and there are triumphs. And the other part that I kind of love about this is that there is a bit of a love triangle that’s evolving at the same time. So, I think there’s a juiciness there as far as nurse Chapel brings to the situation. There’s just challenge after challenge that they’re having to meet and work through. And I think that’s definitely what makes it super relatable.

And finally, can tell me about your experience when the cameras are not rolling? Several castmembers have noted to me that you all have become a tight-knit group. 

Everyone is really easy to get along with, really kind, and all very welcoming. When I first got cast, Anson had everyone get together at a skating rink for his birthday, and he invited me. That was the first time I got to meet everybody, when we went for a skate in Toronto.

Interview edited for length and clarity. 

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams new episodes Thursday on Paramount+. 

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Inside the Spock's love triangle at the heart of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Spock is caught between two women.

One of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' overarching narratives involves the love life of Spock. In the series premiere 'Strange New Worlds,' he becomes engaged to the Vulcan T'Pring. Throughout the series, their relationship hits rough patches due to Spock's commitments to his job at Starfleet, which keeps them away from each other for long stretches.

At the same time, Spock grows close to Christine Chapel, the human civilian nurse serving under Chief medical officer Joseph M'Benga onboard the Enterprise. Though they have managed to keep things platonic so far, tension develops between them due to their complicated feelings for each other.

In the most recent episode, the love triangle between Spock, T'Pring, and Chapel has a stunning development.

A freak accident causes Spock to lose his Vulcan half and become entirely human. In this state, he is overwhelmed by emotions and acts similar to a teenage boy going through adolescence. The timing couldn't be worse because he is to attend a traditional Vulcan engagement dinner with T'Pring and her family, who are strict followers of their culture. Spock's inability to keep his feelings in check makes him question whether T'Pring is the woman he should marry.

Origins of Spock's relationships with T'Pring and Nurse Chapel in Star Trek

Spock's love interests have their roots in Star Trek The Original Series (TOS). We meet T'Pring in season 2 episode 1 'Amok Time.' She was bonded to Spock as children in an arranged marriage. When he returns to Vulcan for the wedding in the koon-ut-kal-if-fee ceremony, T'Pring expresses her objection to her potential husband by invoking her right of kal-if-fee, where two males fight for her hand in marriage. She shrewdly pits Spock against Captain Kirk hoping that either victor would not want her, and she would be free to marry her true love.

Nurse Chapel is a recurring character in TOS who has an unhealthy obsession with Spock. Throughout the series, she has many moments of affection towards him. During her first appearance in season 1 episode 4 'The Naked Time,' she professes her love to the Vulcan while under the intoxicating effects of alcohol like polywater. In the previously mentioned 'Amok Time,' she prepares him a special soup. While Spock is unconscious from a gunshot wound in season 2 episode 19 'A Private Little War,' Chapel tenderly holds his hand. Unfortunately, in each case, Spock doesn't reciprocate. The pair do share a kiss in season 3 episode 10 'Plato's Stepchildren,' but it is under duress by captors. She feels humiliated due to the situation because it is not genuine.

Spock's shoulder to lean on

Spock and T'Pring's relationship is tricky to navigate. The long distance is taking a toll, and T'Pring blames Starfleet for their separation. She questions how committed Spock is to her because any free time they have together is usually interrupted by his duties on the Enterprise. Spock is also self-conscious about his mixed heritage. He feels like an outsider to Vulcans because he is half-human and doesn't feel worthy enough for T'Pring.

Whenever Spock needs to vent or receive relationship advice, he turns to Nurse Chapel. In season 1 episode 5 'Spock Amok,' Nurse Chapel suggests her friend prioritize T'Pring and take time to understand his fiancé. At the beginning of season 1 episode 7 'The Serene Squall,' Spock needs someone to listen when he opens up about how T'Pring is more interested in his human half than he is and how that makes him feel.

The beginning of the Spock/T'Pring/Nurse Chapel love triangle

Spock and Nurse Chapel's friendship becomes awkward in 'The Serene Squall.' Pirates hijack the Enterprise and take Spock hostage. They plan to use him in a prisoner exchange with a Vulcan criminal rehabilitation center, where T'Pring is an administrator and treatment specialist. She must make the hard choice of releasing a convict and the subsequent consequences or losing the love of her life.

During negotiations for the prisoner swap, Spock tries to make T'Pring's decision easier by faking an affair with Nurse Chapel. To sell the romance, Spock kisses Nurse Chapel in front of his wife-to-be. After the pirate dilemma is resolved, T'Pring understands the necessity of the ruse, but it must be difficult to see your partner kiss another woman.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 developments

Things between Spock and Nurse Chapel are never the same following that kiss. He purposely tries to avoid speaking with his friend leading to uncomfortable situations. That doesn't mean he no longer has feelings for her. In season 2 episode 1 'Broken Circle,' Spock frantically performs CPR on Nurse Chapel after rescuing her and Dr. M'Benga from outer space. He sheds a tear that she wipes away when she regains consciousness. Later, he confesses he doesn't know how to describe how he feels for her.

In the most recent episode 'Charades,' the scales tip away from T'Pring towards Nurse Chapel. A freak starship accident with Nurse Chapel causes Spock to become 100% human. Unfortunately, this is right before his engagement dinner with T'Pring's family, who are very traditional. He, and his mother, decide to mislead their guests and carry on as if he were still a Vulcan. They almost get away with it until T'Pring's mother insults his human side and Spock comes clean.

T'Pring is as surprised by the deception as her family. She is also hurt that all Spock's friends knew of his condition, but he didn't bother to tell her. She interprets this as a massive lack of trust and questions their relationship. Especially after she spent an entire evening defending him from her mother. In the end, she decides they need a break.

Spock's single status doesn't last long when he meets up with Nurse Chapel after reverting to his regular self. He tells her his break-up with T'Pring is necessary because he has feelings for someone else. The episode ends with the two embracing and sharing a passionate kiss.

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Gia Sandhu Talks Playing Spock's Love Interest In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Exclusive Interview

In "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,"  audiences get a chance to revisit classic characters, such as Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Spock (Ethan Peck). However, there are other characters that have vital importance to the "Star Trek" mythos that viewers may not immediately recognize, and that goes double for Spock's mate, T'Pring ( Gia Sandhu ). 

T'Pring was introduced in "Star Trek: The Original Series" as Spock's wife in the episode "Amok Time." It's during this episode's events that Spock begins to suffer from pon farr, so he must return to Vulcan to mate with T'Pring. It's here that he learns she's fallen for another, and through various manipulations on T'Pring's behalf, James Kirk fights Spock to the death (not really, though). 

Her role in "Strange New Worlds" is far more subdued, as she's introduced in the pilot as a loving consort of Spock. It's an intriguing role, and Looper recently had the chance to speak exclusively with Gia Sandhu to talk about what it's like to play a character like T'Pring, who has such an interesting relationship with an iconic character like Spock.

On her relationship with Star Trek prior to Strange New Worlds

To start, what are some of your favorite movies of all time?

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona." "The Godfathers," of course. "Leaving Las Vegas," "The Hunt" ... It's hard to think of these when the question is asked.

Were you a fan of "Star Trek" before being cast on "Strange New Worlds"?

Yeah. I grew up watching "The Next Generation."

How were you introduced to it? Did you find it on the television one day, or were your parents fans?

That's how it worked back then. It was on the television at the time when I was not in school.

What was it like stepping into the role you have on "Strange New Worlds" as a character who has such a history with Spock in the "Star Trek" franchise?

When I got cast, I first went to the source material and I watched "Amok Time," which was actually the first episode of the original series that I'd never seen in its entirety. I was so enamored by Arlene Martel's portrayal of T'Pring, I think just like everyone else who watches that episode is. She's breathtakingly beautiful and so captivating on camera, and she gives such a strong and nuanced performance as T'Pring.

Although she's only on screen for a short period of time, she's very memorable, and what essentially was there for me to work with was this wonderful outline of a character. There's so much about her that's unknown, so I definitely was given the liberty of filling in all her history and shading in the rest of that outline that she created.

Working with Ethan Peck

What's it like working alongside Ethan Peck?

Ethan is an extraordinarily talented actor — as the world is getting to see — and beyond that, he's one of the kindest ... He's funny and he's really smart, and he's a great leader on sets. If you have to spend 16 hours a day doing something, doing it with him is great. We always have a great time together, and he was so generous with me in terms of letting me into his process and how he thinks about Spock and what his influences are. He gave me a lot to work with, and I absolutely adore him. I love working with him.

How do you think Ethan Peck's version of Spock compares or differs from Leonard Nimoy's or Zachary Quinto's versions of Spock?

I know that Leonard Nimoy's Spock certainly is a big influence for Ethan. We can even hear it in Ethan's speech when he speaks as Spock. He's got a bit of that Boston accent that comes up a little bit as well. There's a big Leonard Nimoy influence there, but he's also done a great job of balancing, making it his own. Ultimately, we're going back in time, whatever time is in this world. We're in a different period, so he gets to bring a lot of his creativity and his imagination into creating who this younger person is.

In the show, Vulcans are known for not showing a ton of emotion, but in the pilot, we see a bit more of the amorous side of T'Pring and Spock. What was it like balancing the logical side of this alien species with something that inherently requires some more emotion?

People who are fans of the show, who are invested in "Star Trek," are probably going to find this to be a bit surprising because we haven't really ever seen what happens behind closed doors for a young Vulcan couple. There's this new territory that we're navigating, and we get to see who they are. We get to see their sexuality. We get to see their affection for each other. What does intimacy look like between two Vulcans? And then we also get to see what they're like when there's an audience present, so we get to see the contrast between the private life and the public life for both of these people.

What's next for the actress

Steering away a bit from "Star Trek," who's an actor or a director you'd love to work with?

Good question. God, these are always the ones I go blank on. Pedro Almodóvar. He directs in Spanish, but should he choose to direct in English, my hand will be raised.

Do you have a dream role you'd love to play one day?

Maybe staying in the fantasy world. I grew up watching "Xena: Warrior Princess" as well. That would be a cool one.

Can you discuss any projects you have coming up?

I just wrapped on Season 2 of "The Mysterious Benedict Society." That will air starting in September, and that's my next thing that's coming up.

New episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" air weekly every Thursday on Paramount+.

This interview was edited for clarity.

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Published Sep 3, 2023

How Spock's Human Side in Strange New Worlds Fully Explains The Original Series

We love Spock because of his feelings, not in spite of them.

StarTrek.com

We need to talk about Spock . He’s smiling. He’s making jokes. He’s eating bacon in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

As Captain Kirk once put it, Spock has recently shown “a regrettable tendency you've been showing lately toward flagrant emotionalism.” But here’s the thing. Kirk made that comment in The Original Series , at the end of the classic episode “ The Menagerie .” So, Spock’s emotional outbursts are hardly new. And as counterintuitive as it sounds, the rational, cold hero of the final frontier is often most interesting when he seems to be losing it.

From “ Amok Time ” in The Original Series to “ Charades ” in Strange New Worlds Season 2, Spock’s emotionalism is central to our shared love of this supposedly unemotional character. And thanks to Strange New Worlds , the story of Star Trek is offering a new, utterly revelatory way of understanding the inner struggle of Spock, which, in the final analysis, is perfectly logical.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Spock the Human

Way back when Leonard Nimoy filmed “The Cage,” in 1964, the character of Spock hadn’t been fully formed. At that point, Star Trek series creator Gene Roddenberry actually conceived of Number One as the more guarded, stoic unemotional one.

In 2019, with the Star Trek: Short Treks episode “ Q&A ,” writer Michael Chabon attempted to reconcile this, by making it clear that Number One had a big influence on Spock’s overall development. But, that was Spock’s first day on the Enterprise and only the beginning of a bigger process. Starting with Star Trek: Discovery Season 2, and throughout Strange New Worlds , Spock is on an emotional journey, one that has an end point with how we find Spock in The Original Series. As SNW co-creator Akiva Goldsman said in 2023 , “Something happened between ‘The Cage’ and ‘Where No Man Has Gone Before.’”

Goldsman is right. But, putting Spock on an emotional rollercoaster isn’t something SNW randomly invented. Spock has gone on several emotional journeys prior to SNW . In the Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover, “ Those Old Scientists ,” Chapel says Spock is “going through a thing.” But, when, if we’re being honest, has Spock not been going through a thing?

"Amok Time"

Throughout The Original Series, the classic films, and even The Next Generation , Spock, as played by Leonard Nimoy, changed his emotional presentation quite a bit. In the classic series, he was openly frustrated by human emotions, but after the events of The Motion Picture , and his failure to purge his emotions via the Kolinahr, Spock eventually loosened up, and became comfortable with his illogical human allies. The level of comfort Spock has with Kirk and Bones in The Wrath of Khan is drastically different from the guy we met in “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” So, in order for classic Spock to mature, and grow, there had to be a baseline, a specific foundational personality to build upon. This is where Strange New Worlds comes in. Because it’s here that we’re finally seeing how and why Spock’s emotional cocktail was mixed.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Hot Spock

In “Those Old Scientists,” Boimler and Mariner — time travelers from the 24th Century — are borderline horrified by Spock smiling and attempting to make bad jokes. Cleverly, Strange New Worlds uses what seems like canon inconsistencies to actually make a point about how people change. Boimler believes that a smiling Spock is not really the character. Just like fans being jarred by Spock smiling in “The Cage” or flashbacks from “The Menagerie,” emotional Spock can read as a mistake, rather than a nuance. Boilmer, as a cipher for a confused fan says, “This is just like what a phase and he’ll get over and get back to like his serious, real self soon?”

In some ways, Boimler is right. What we’re seeing in Strange New Worlds is new, but, it’s also a fallacy for us to believe that “serious” Spock is also “real” Spock. In 1966, “ The Naked Time ,” was only the fourth episode of Star Trek ever aired, and the seventh episode ever filmed. This means that extremely early in Star Trek canon, we got an episode in which Spock was openly crying like a baby. Within the canon of Trek , it seems pretty likely that Kirk didn’t put all of that into his logs, out of respect for Spock, which is also probably doubly true of Spock yelling at people at the beginning of “Amok Time.”

"The Naked Time"

Relative to their perception of “smiling Spock,” Boimler and Mariner lack something we have as fans. We have an overall idea of “serious” Spock in our minds, but once we start looking at individual Spock stories, all from the classic era, Spock “acting out of character” becomes the basis of his character.

As Ethan Peck put it earlier in 2023 , “It’s possible that ‘normal’ Spock doesn’t exist.” But for Mariner and Boimler, they’re really only going off of history books, which were almost certainly influenced by Pike, Kirk, and others, just selectively leaving information out. Although Mariner and Boimler are somewhat obviously very aware of Pike’s tragic fate at the start of “The Menagerie,” it’s possible that they’re not aware of how that story ended for Pike. “The Menagerie” concludes with Pike living out, happily on Talos IV. But who put him there?

"Those Old Scientists"

If Spock hadn’t acted out of compassion, and stolen the U.S.S. Enterprise to get Pike to Talos, that happy ending couldn’t have happened. At the very end of that episode, that’s when Kirk confronts Spock and drops that “flagrant emotionalism” line. Spock cuts him off saying, “I see no reason to insult me, sir; I believe I've been completely logical about the whole affair.” When Boimler and Spock discuss Spock’s more stoic future reputation, Spock says, “I have no choice but to stay true to the path I have chosen in this time. If you sway me, then my future will have been altered, is that not logical?”

It’s a mic-drop moment that Boimler can’t deny, and represents one of many times this season that Spock has stood up for his human heritage a bit more than he did in The Original Series. Because even if Boimler did sway Spock a tiny bit, what this journey of self-discovery proves is that only Spock knows what’s right for Spock, and our shared definition of his character doesn’t just come from our projections or perceptions — of which there are many! Instead, the defining feature of Spock’s character isn’t coldness or emotionalism, but rather his struggle between the two. And the choices he makes aren’t about canon or the timeline. Spock’s choices to become himself in Strange New Worlds reaffirm what Kirk said in The Wrath of Khan . Of all the souls we have known in Star Trek , Spock’s is perhaps the most…human…of them all.

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Ryan Britt is the author of the nonfiction books Phasers on Stun! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World (2022), The Spice Must Flow: The Journey of Dune from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies (2023), and the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (2015). He is a longtime contributor to Star Trek.com and his writing regularly appears with Inverse, Den of Geek!, Esquire and elsewhere. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, South Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In addition, the series airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada and on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Star Trek: Christine Chapel and Spock's Romance, Explained

Chapel and Spock's Star Trek love story is a nuanced exploration of unrequited feelings and sacrifices in pursuit of dreams.

• Nurse Christine Chapel's unrequited affection for Spock adds depth and complexity to her character, showcasing the challenges of relationships in the Star Trek universe.
• In Strange New Worlds, Chapel and Spock's relationship is explored with newfound depth and complexity, showcasing their growing closeness and genuine emotions.
• Chapel's decision to prioritize her career over a romance with Spock highlights the complexities of human-Vulcan dynamics.

Star Trek is a universe brimming with iconic relationships, from the bromance of Kirk and Spock to the enduring romance between Riker and Troi. However, one of the most overlooked, yet most intriguing, love stories in the saga revolves around Nurse Christine Chapel and the enigmatic Spock.

Chapel was the first character to openly show romantic feelings for Spock. In the 1960s, Chapel's affection for Spock was a source of comedic relief, given Spock's perceived lack of emotions. However, the evolution of their relationship takes on new meaning in Strange New Worlds. In this series, the dynamics of their connection are explored in depth, shedding light on a love story that has remained in the shadows for decades.

Star Trek: How Spock’s Characterization Has Evolved Over The Years

Who is christine chapel.

Christine Chapel is known for her appearances in the original Star Trek television series and subsequent films. Portrayed by actress Majel Barrett, Chapel serves as the head nurse aboard the starship USS Enterprise under the command of Captain James T. Kirk.

Chapel is introduced in the first season of Star Trek: The Original Series , where she is depicted as a compassionate and competent medical professional. Chapel often assists the ship's chief medical officer, Dr. Leonard McCoy, in medical procedures. One of her defining characteristics is her unrequited romantic feelings for Mr. Spock, the Vulcan science officer. This unspoken and often subtle infatuation adds a layer of complexity to Chapel's character and contributes to the interpersonal dynamics among the crew.

Chapel's role extends beyond her medical duties , and she takes on additional responsibilities as the need arises. Her character undergoes further development in the animated Star Trek series and in the later feature films. But no matter the story, her dedication to the well-being of the crew remains a consistent theme.

In addition to her appearances in the original series, Chapel is also featured in the Star Trek films The Motion Picture , The Voyage Home , and The Undiscovered Country. More recently, the character has appeared in Strange New Worlds .

Christine Chapel and Spock's Relationship in The Original Series

Christine Chapel's relationship with Mr. Spock in Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS) is a poignant and nuanced aspect of the show. Chapel's feelings for Spock are revealed in the episode "The Naked Time." Under the influence of a contagion, Chapel confesses her love to Spock :

I’m in love with you, Mr. Spock. The human Mr. Spock. The Vulcan Mr. Spock.

Spock, being Vulcan, is characterized by his logical and emotion-suppressing demeanor. He acknowledges Chapel's feelings, but maintains his stoic composure. He explains that he is incapable of returning her affection in the same way, due to his Vulcan nature. This dynamic creates a bittersweet undertone in their interactions. For the rest of the show, Chapel continues to serve alongside Spock while grappling with her unrequited feelings.

Throughout TOS , Chapel's love for Spock adds depth to her character, offering viewers a glimpse into the challenges of navigating relationships in the world of Star Trek . Despite the unfulfilled romantic tension, Chapel remains a dedicated and professional member of the Enterprise crew.

Christine Chapel and Spock's Relationship in Strange New Worlds

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (SNW) , the dynamic between Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) and Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) unfolds with a depth and complexity that distinguishes it from Spock's previous encounters, notably with his fiancée T'Pring in the original series. While T'Pring was portrayed as emotionally detached in TOS , SNW has breathed new life into her character . The new iteration of the character has a personality, family, and a career rehabilitating Vulcans who have committed crimes.

Meanwhile, SNW explores the evolving connection between Spock and Christine Chapel. The series shows their growing closeness, starting with gentle flirting in Season 1. In "Spock Amok," Chapel offers relationship advice, providing insights into her own history of avoiding serious commitments. Their collaboration continues in "The Serene Squall," where they feign a romantic involvement to thwart a space pirate's plot. This facade reveals an undercurrent of genuine emotions beneath the surface.

SNW takes an unexpected turn in the musical episode "Subspace Rhapsody," marking the apparent end of Chapel and Spock's relationship . The seeds of their breakup were sown in the Lower Decks crossover episode "Those Old Scientists," where Ensign Brad Boimler's observations trigger Chapel's realization. Understanding that Spock's inclination to explore his human side is temporary, Chapel recognizes the inevitable conflict between his Vulcan nature and the demands of their relationship.

The decision comes to a head when Chapel secures a place in Dr. Roger Korby's fellowship, which gives her the opportunity to advance her career. Understanding the transient nature of her relationship with Spock, she decides to prioritize her professional aspirations over a romance destined for heartache.

Ultimately, Strange New Worlds has redefined Christine Chapel and Spock's relationship, unraveling the intricacies of unrequited love and evolving emotions. From the comedic undertones of the original series to the profound moments in SNW , Chapel's journey reflects the complexities of human-Vulcan dynamics . As the series continues, fans are left eagerly anticipating the next chapters in the unfolding romance between Nurse Chapel and Lt. Spock, wondering if fate will ever bring them back together in the vast expanse of the Star Trek universe.

MORE: Star Trek: What Is Spock's Biggest Flaw?

Ethan Peck on 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,' Spock's Relationship With T'Pring, and Meeting Uhura

He also discusses which 'Strange New Worlds' character he'd switch roles with.

Paramount+ is gearing up again to boldly go where no one has gone before with the premiere of the highly anticipated Star Trek: Discovery spin-off series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Set in the years prior to Star Trek: The Original Series , the show will explore the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise under the leadership of Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ). Pike was first introduced in The Original Series , along with Number One ( Rebecca Romijn ), Spock ( Ethan Peck ), Uhura ( Celia Rose Gooding ), Doctor M’Benga ( Babs Olusanmokun ), and Nurse Chapel ( Jess Bush ), though the roles were originated by different actors. Strange New Worlds is set to introduce new characters as well, including La'an Noonien-Singh ( Christina Chong ) and Erica Ortegas ( Melissa Navia ).

During this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, Ethan Peck discussed navigating Spock’s romance with T’Pring ( Gia Sandhu ), which character he’d love to switch roles with, and which episode he’s most excited about fans seeing. As with most of our interviews, you can choose to either read the interview below or watch it in the video player above!

COLLIDER: The last time we saw Spock, he was reeling from the loss of his sister. So where is he mentally when we reunite with him in Strange New Worlds ?

ETHAN PECK: I think that Spock at the beginning of Strange New Worlds is in a very sort of fragile place. He's just had this huge trauma in his life, this sort of unraveling that's occurred with his contact with the Red Angel, with the loss of his sister to time. And really nobody that he's allowed to speak with it about. I suppose there are a select few that are around him, but there's so much that he has to attend to day-to-day. I don't think that he can dedicate much of his energy to consideration of that part of his life. So I think he's uncertain. I think he's seeking of himself and of the right perspective in the universe. He's betwixt these two worlds, right? He's born and raised on Vulcan, but he's also half-human, and these are in such conflicts with each other, which is what I hope and think makes him such a compelling character. So he's in this place of experimentation.

RELATED: Most Essential Star Trek Episodes to Watch Before ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’

In the trailers, we get to see his relationship with T'Pring. What is it like playing a character in a romantic fashion who's such a reserved character?

PECK: It's really wild and a bit frightening, because there's not much of a blueprint for it. So for instance, with that scene, we all, in front of and behind the camera approached that scene with such caution and trepidation, and with respect to what's been done and to what we interpret to be is the right thing. And there was a lot of discussion. So on that level, it was like this really difficult and complex problem to solve, and also kind of thrilling to be laying that ground.

We get to meet Uhura in Strange New Worlds .

PECK: Yeah.

So what was it like getting to play out that first introduction between these two characters?

PECK: Well now in retrospect, absolutely wonderful. In the moment I really try not to think too much about how things will be perceived. So I do as much to be in the center and in the perspective of this character, who's just having an experience. So for me, it's quite different than probably how it appears to be from the outside, which even now I'm not sure I have that perspective yet. Maybe in some years, I'll better be able to answer that question.

Excellent. What episode are you most excited for fans to see?

PECK: Oh. Oh, that's a great question. Well, personally, I really enjoyed making Episode 7.

PECK: And I think that's all I can say about that.

Good to know. And then for a fun question, if you could switch roles with any other character in Strange New Worlds , who would it be and why?

PECK: Oh, really interesting question. Maybe... Oh God, I'm going to offend other characters if I don't want to switch places with them. I spend so much time with Christina Chong and her sort of development of her character La'an, and that character has such a rich emotional history that maybe I would switch places with her. Because it just seemed like so fun and so challenging to sort of uncover and explore that character.

That's an excellent answer. And that is such a great character. I mean, so many of these characters are fascinating. She's got a rich history.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds begins May 5 on Paramount+.

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Interview: Ethan Peck On Feeling The Pressure To Get Spock Right On ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’

| May 8, 2022 | By: Laurie Ulster 27 comments so far

At the Strange New Worlds premiere event, TrekMovie spoke with Ethan Peck, who returns to the role of Spock after taking it on for season two of Discovery . The actor talked about the pressure of playing such an iconic role and life on the set of Strange New Worlds .

In your interview with us last week and others, you seem to be feeling a lot of pressure about getting Spock right. So how do you shake that off?

Uh, I don’t know yet. But if you figure something out, you let me know.

Leonard Nimoy struggled with the same thing…

He struggled playing an emotionless character. When everyone else was having a lot of fun, he was not.

Yeah. That’s often the case on set. People come up to me after a scene or after a day’s work and they are like, “Did you have fun?” It’s like, “Yeah.” I mean, in between takes I have fun, but being Spock is quite a pressurized experience and a delicate endeavor because he is in control of so much of his emotions. It’s quite challenging, at least for me as an actor. What’s too much emotion? What’s too little? What’s too Vulcan? What’s too Human? So I’m constantly wrestling with those things.

Ethan Peck as Spock on Strange New Worlds

In terms of the growth of Spock, do you have a clear path of how he gets to where we saw him on  The Original Series from where he is now?

I do not. I have no idea. I get new scripts and I do my best to interpret them and experience them as the Spock that is in me. I hope there is one in me.

Of all the moments you have been on set, what was your biggest, “Oh my god, I’m in Star Trek” moment?

That takes me back to season two of Discovery . The very first time I walked out onto the bridge, I was waiting in a turbolift. The cameras had just started rolling before action. And I was with Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anson Mount, and they were all in character. And I was in the back right corner. And everybody kind of got ready. And I was like, “I’m here.” And I couldn’t see anything that wasn’t the set and that felt very real to me. And that was pretty startling and I’ll never forget it.

You must get the same kind of feeling with alien planets and the AR wall virtual set?

Oh yeah, absolutely. But that is quite different, though. When it’s practical and you are surrounded by people in character, that’s a very different thing. But the AR wall is another thing entirely. It’s an incredible thing and really does a lot for us and for our imaginations.

Ethan Peck as Spock in season two of Discovery with Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham and  Anson Mount as Captain Pike

Still more SNW interviews to come

We still have more gold carpet interviews from the New York premiere of Strange New Worlds with the cast and creatives. Check out our earlier interview with Henry Alonso Myers . Plus see our interviews with executive producer Alex Kurtzman , cast members Anson Mount and Rebecca Romijin , Christina Chong , and Bruce Horak .

New episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds debut on Thursdays exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Latin America, Australia and the Nordics. The series airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada. In New Zealand, it is available on TVNZ , and in India on  Voot Select .  Strange New Worlds  will arrive via Paramount+ in select countries in Europe when the service launches later this year, starting with the UK and Ireland in June.

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Just dropping a line to thank Laurie for this series of interviews from the gold carpet at the premiere, and even for finding a different angle of questions for the well known cast members and characters.

The TrekMovie coverage of the premiere is very comprehensive in comparison to most of what else is out there. While it’s great that many non-genre media are profiling and praising the show, they aren’t comprehensive or deep in many cases. It’s great to have you reaching for that extra angle and detail that long time fans are looking for.

I’m hoping and looking forward to some TrekMovie interviews with the production and costume designers. It sounds like they are excited to share once CBS permits it, and the For Your Consideration campaign is starting immediately for this Emmy year.

By the way, the local CBC in BC ran a story that high fashion boot and shoe designer John Fluevog designed the boots for the crew for SNW. This hails back to a well known Italian boot designer crafting the boots for TOS. But better, Fluevog will actually be selling the boots as a licensed product through his stores and on line site. They will go for about $CDN 500 here.

One difference with Spock between this series and TOS, is that on TOS Spock appeared to be the only alien in an all-human crew, which set him up as “the outsider,” an important aspect of his character as portrayed by Nimoy. In SNW he is clearly not the only non-human, and it seems the “outsider” mantle will be worn by the new engineer instead. Doesn’t that affect the character development?

That’s a really good point, but if they’ve actually thought matters through before embarking on this course of action (a very big if, granted), then the fact that the crew shifts from this melting pot to a ‘seemingly all human except this one half-human guy’ in the next few years might itself have fueled some of Nimoy/Spock’s isolationist aspects.

It would be hairy, and would require some kind of xenophobic event, or a backlash against humans and Starfleet by other member races, to make such a huge exodus remotely credible. Plus if you look at what Uhura says to Spock in MANTRAP about Kirk being the closest thing to a friend Spock has onboard, you might wonder if Spock himself is responsible in some way or perceived as responsible in some way for his isolation, or perhaps even for the fact there aren’t any other aliens on board. Maybe Vulcan pissed off all the other alien races in some Israel or Switzerland kind of way? That would be particularly ironic, given my take is that not just Sarek, but most of Vulcan, probably frowns on Spock being in Starfleet.

The only other way I can see this happening is if they try to do some parable-of-now thing with Starfleet actively hounding out aliens in an attempt to make it a genuine humans-only club, but that would probably alienate a lot of the optimistic-minded viewers who would see it as a total betrayal of GR/Trek principles.

I just reread all that, and man, I wish they would go down some path like this. Likelihood, however, is zero.

It’s an interesting idea, if likely impossible to pull off well, but I see what you’re saying. Might also explain why there was a starship [the Intrepid?] with an all-Vulcan crew, which sounds like a holdover from the early days of Starfleet. I think it’s just more likely Spock’s later isolation is due to being the only Vulcan on board, and there “were” in fact a lot of alien species serving on Kirk’s Enterprise, but we just didn’t see them. I don’t see a real need to explain Spock’s outsider perspective as the result of a nearly all human crew.

I’m sure TOS would have shown more aliens on Kirk’s Enterprise if they had the budget for that sort of thing… but they just didn’t!

We know there’s an all-Vulcan ship in Starfleet, because we saw the Intrepid in “The Immunity Syndrome.” I figured that members of all Federation species were in Starfleet, but they mostly serve on single-species ships, because the different species have different physiological requirements. The temperature and oxygen percentage on a mostly Vulcan ship would be bad for humans and Andorians, and a mostly human ship would be too cold for a Vulcan, and the air would feel unpleasantly thick.

There can be a totally mixed Starfleet SERVICE while still having single-species SHIPS.

The thing about Spock is that he is a hybrid, so which ship do you assign him to, an all-Vulcan ship, or an all-human ship? He’s an outsider in either place.

You just came up with the next spinoff: STAR TREK: SHIP OF FREAKS.

Actually that’s kinda what I wished they had done in the 24th century if Dukhat hadn’t gone back to being pure evil. When he took over that BoP, he could have had a crew of castoffs ranging from Ishara Yar to Barclay, a whole shipful of weird character types. Would have almost made up for them totally blowing the Maquis angle, which to me was the biggest squandered potential of all.

Thanks for all interviews Trekmovie. Yeah, I enjoyed the first episode. Nothing to really complain about. The episodic structure felt very fresh next to the dull serialisation we’ve had for 6 seasons. At least it wasn’t grimdark or depressing but seemed optimistic, as it should be. I’m hopeful.

He’s facing the same thing Nimoy did on the show originally, which is interesting. Now that they have set Pike’s date with destiny as ten years away, the writers have a lot of room to feel around what Spock can be.

Who knows, we could get 70 stories or more with Ethan. So knowing too much Would be overwhelming.

10 years away? Isn’t THE MENAGERIE a 2266 event?

Spock asked when, and I thought I heard Pike say, “a decade.” Is that wrong/misheard?

Maybe that is a new kind of reboot, one that accumulates over time via a multitude of flagrant canon violations. I thought this series was set in 2260 or 61, and if WNMHGB is 2265, then MENAG should be 2266 or 2267.

I could have heard wrong or….Pike doesn’t know what he thinks he knows?

Discovery seasons one and two were in the 2250s.

Season one was set in 2256-57, and season two in 2257-58.

SNW starts sufficiently later that the Enterprise has been through a major refit and the aliens in the premiere were able to reverse engineer a warp bomb.

So, let’s say it’s late 2258. There’s still a good six or seven years before Kirk takes command.

I replayed the scene. Pike says, “It’s almost a decade away.”

I guess there is wiggle room.

And plenty of room for 70 episodes of Ethan Peck’s Spock.

It’s quite a legacy to live up to, but i think Ethan Peck and Zachery Quinto have done a great job trying to meet the bar set by Leonard Nimoy! I have to admit being a little skeptical back in 2009 to seeing anyone else portray Spock, but when Mr. Nimoy himself endorsed Quinto’s work, I think that meant a lot to some of the skeptics. I hope Quinto’s work helped lessen the pressure on Ethan Peck in 2019 and when Nimoy’s family did the same for him back in S2 of Discovery, then I hope most fans were pretty ready to welcome another Spock into the Trek family. From what I have read, it seems Peck has had great reviews for his work in 2019 and in last week’s premiere – so much so that I think many fans like his work over what we saw in the Kelvin movies. That is a testament to all of his hard work that he has put into the role.

I definitely like Peck’s Spock more than Quinto’s emo kid, but he’s more humorous in a contemporary sense than Nimoy Spock, who was just so cool and funny without having to be “funny” in the way Peck’s Spock is being written in SNW.

He’s really upped his Spock game in SNW, and I definitely noticed.

When you recast a long-established role, it’s extremely difficult to separate the character from the actor. Out of all the people I’ve seen “play Spock”, Quinto was easily the best. (Which was tough to pull off literally playing opposite Nimoy in some scenes.)

But this first episode of SNW… man, I gotta give the crown to Peck. I liked him well enough in S2 of Discovery , but I didn’t always feel like “yeah this is a young Spock”.

But since then he’s clearly been working on it, and it’s paying off. Not only was he believable in the role this week, but he actually did the opposite of taking me out of the moment. His portrayal really made me feel more “at home” with the show (which was already dynamite), like a warm blanket.

I really haven’t felt straight up GIDDY about Star Trek in a long time, and his work is one of the many things that has contributed to that feeling with Strange New Worlds . 😎

“Pressurized experience”? “Delicate endeavor”? Geez, this guy sounds like Spock even in interviews ;-)

I think he’s doing an outstanding job in the role!

Ethan Peck seems like a nice guy in real life, but I truly believe he has been miscast in the role of Spock. I expect a certain “vibe” off the person playing the part, and I get nothing from Peck’s performance. Zilch. Nada. As an example, when I watch any incarnation of Sherlock Holmes or James Bond, I expect the actor to convince me they ARE that character. And I’m not talking physical resemblance to the original actor who made the character famous. Benedict Cumberbatch is such a skilled actor, I bought him as Sherlock Holmes, and didn’t even think of Basil Rathbone (as an example) in comparison. Nor did I go looking for Sean Connery in Daniel Craig. The same is true regarding any comparison to Leonard Nimoy. When it came to casting Spock, couldn’t the casting director find some actor (in their ‘30’s) with great acting chops who could showcase a character with passionate emotions deep down, but who suppresses them with a cool logical exterior? You know, someone who jumps off the screen with both charisma AND talent. Someone equal to Anson Mount for screen magnetism. And, brother, that ain’t Peck.

Isn’t expecting a “certain vibe” and “magnetism” from a Vulcan…..illogical? To me he plays the part perfectly, I find his voice and acting quite soothing for some reason.

Personally I like Ethan, and have no worries about how little or how much he ‘channels’ the late great Leonard’s version of ‘Spock’…as I’m looking on Strange New Worlds as being set in an ‘alternate fantasy universe’ to the TOS show setting and it’s characters anyway.

I know it will matter to all those who wish to imagine this as an actual ‘prequel’ to TOS’s ‘prime fantasy universe’ however…so a LOT rests on the writers of the show I’d say.

.. .‘alternate fantasy universe’….

Same here, Cervantes. I’ve come to the conclusion I’ll enjoy the show all the more if I consider it the same. That said, I’ve had no issues thus far with Peck’s portrayal of Spock, and think it’s much better than Quinto’s was/is in the Kelvin films.

I think Peck’s delivery as Spock has been fine; now that he’s freed of being Burnham’s second fiddle I can only hope he will grow. That said I found his comment about Spock’s growth interesting: “I get new scripts and I do my best to interpret them and experience them as the Spock that is in me.”

It’s as much the responsibility of the writers to understand where the character is at this point in his life and where he’s going as it is the actor’s. On TOS, Nimoy was able to bring his own ideas and experiences to the role; he basically invented the nerve pinch and Vulcan salute by himself and I’m sure there are more examples. Does Peck have that kind of freedom? Are the writers open to those kinds of ideas? I read comments like that and I get the sense that there is no overarching discussion about the matter.

TonyD, a reasonable idea until one day Peck suggests a dune buggy scene with Spock behind the wheel!

Well, Vulcan does have a lot of sand dunes….

BAHAHA!!! (wipes tear) Good one, TonyD!

• Cast & crew
• User reviews
• Episode aired Sep 15, 1967

In the throes of his Pon Farr mating period, Spock must return to Vulcan to meet his intended future wife, betrothed from childhood. In the throes of his Pon Farr mating period, Spock must return to Vulcan to meet his intended future wife, betrothed from childhood. In the throes of his Pon Farr mating period, Spock must return to Vulcan to meet his intended future wife, betrothed from childhood.

• Joseph Pevney
• Gene Roddenberry
• Theodore Sturgeon
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 36 User reviews
• 14 Critic reviews

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk

• Mister Spock

• T'Pring

• Christine Chapel

• Admiral Komack
• Lieutenant Hadley
• (uncredited)
• Vulcan Ceremonial Aide

• Space Central
• Vulcan Litter Bearer

• Lieutenant Leslie
• Vulcan Executioner
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia First appearance of the Vulcan phrases "Peace and long life" and "Live long and prosper." Also the first ever Star Trek episode to feature any Vulcan characters other than Spock.
• Goofs After T'Pring chooses Kirk to be her champion, Kirk and McCoy are speaking with T'Pau. If you look in the background, you will see Leonard Nimoy standing against the wall with his hands behind his back, apparently unaware that he is on camera. Spock is supposed to be off in the corner, deep in the blood fever.

Spock : [after T'Pring has explained her actions] Logical. Flawlessly logical.

T'Pring : I am honored.

Spock : Stonn, she is yours. After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.

• Alternate versions Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song. Highlights include a new aerial view of the arena with a city in the distance.
• Connections Featured in William Shatner's Star Trek Memories (1995)
• Soundtracks Theme Music credited to Alexander Courage . Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

User reviews 36

• Aug 14, 2006
• Why wouldn't Spock tell anyone about the Pon Farr?
• September 15, 1967 (United States)
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Why Does Spock Never Talk About His Long-Lost Sister, Michael Burnham?

Star Trek: Discovery introduced a big retcon to Spock's history by revealing an adopted sister; here is why he never mentioned Michael Burnham before.

• Spock made a tough decision to keep his adopted sister a secret to protect the galaxy in "Star Trek: Discovery."
• Spock's history of keeping personal matters private helps explain why he never mentioned Michael Burnham.
• The addition of Michael Burnham to the Star Trek timeline has interesting implications for the Kelvin timeline.

When it comes to Star Trek , there is arguably no character more associated with the franchise than Spock. The Vulcan First Officer became the breakout character of the series and remained a fixture in pop culture. He is one of the few characters to make it past the original pilot for the series and then be a major character on not just Star Trek: The Original Series but original actor Leonard Nimoy returned to play a role in all six live-action films, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the two J.J. Abrams-directed reboots where he passed the baton on to actor Zachary Quinto. In addition, actor Ethan Peck plays a young Spock on both Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , making him the character to appear in the most entries in the franchise.

As Spock's popularity grew, creators decided to expand on his backstory. One of the most controversial decisions was the revelation of Michael Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green in the series Star Trek: Discovery . The series established her as the adopted sister of Spock, a human who was raised alongside Spock by his parents, Sarek and Amanda Grayson. This was a major shock to fans as it was a huge retcon to the franchise. Plus, with Star Trek: Discovery originally being a prequel series, the character was never mentioned by Spock or anyone else in the rest of the franchise.

While the obvious answer was the character was not created then, the writers of Star Trek: Discovery came up with an answer that fits within the established Star Trek timeline to explain why she was never brought up again despite her close connection to Spock. This is why Spock never mentioned his adopted sister, Michael Burnham, before.

Spock Vowed Never To Speak of Her or the Crew of the Enterprise to Save the Galaxy

Star Trek: Discovery season one firmly established that Michael Burnham was adopted by Sarek and his wife, Amanda Grayson, following the disappearance of her parents at a young age. Then, in Season 2, she introduced characters like Captain Pike and Number One, who debuted in the original pilot for Star Trek alongside Spock . This raised many more concerns about how nobody ever mentioned Spock's adopted sister. The series provides an explanation in the season two finale, “Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2.” The Crew of the USS Discovery is able to take the rouge AI villain Control into the 31st century, which prevented itself from establishing.

The USS Discovery is reported to have been destroyed in action. To prevent another rouge AI like Control from emerging and risking Discovery's sacrifice being in vain, Spock proposed to the surviving members of the USS Enterprise and allies of Discovery to never speak of the ship or its crew again, wiping it from history essentially. This takes place in the year 2258, about eight years before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series . This was also years before Spock met many members of the crew he was closely associated with, like James Kirk, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, or Uhura, so they never met Michael Burnham or knew of her existence.

This development creates a new context for viewing Star Trek: The Original Series and all subsequent stories featuring Spock after Star Trek: Discovery . He is keeping the pain of losing his adopted sister, Michael Burnham, to himself, but he also theorizes that the crew of Discovery survived and will emerge alive in the future, which he is proven correct. While Spock does not live to see it, Michael Burnham does get to see Spock's impact on the galaxy in her absence and looks to preserve the Federation her brother defined.

Spock Is Known For Keeping Things From His Friends Before

Spock, being half-human and half-Vulcan, has been known to keep things from his closest friends until it is time to inform them of an important piece of news. This is best summed up in his younger Kelvin timeline, when in Star Trek Into Darkness he informs Captain Kirk that their new science officer is, in fact, Carol Marcus, the daughter of Admiral Marcus. When Kirk asks him when he is going to tell him, Spock replies, "When it became relevant, as it just did."

This is clear many times in Star Trek: The Original Serie s. The first was in the season two premiere, "Amok Time," where Kirk discovers that Spock is bothered to T'Pring and set to be married. Later in that season, in episode ten, “Journey to Babel,” audiences are introduced to Spock’s father, Sarek, for the first time. Kirk was surprised at the announced familial connection between them as it was clear Spock never revealed much about his family to Kirk, and the Captain only gets details from talking to Spock's mother, Amanda. These two incidents show that Spock was never one to talk about himself to Kirk, so it is not out of the realm of possibility to believe that Spock would never mention Michael Burnham in public to anyone.

Star Trek: 10 Facts About Spock You Probably Didn’t Know (Or Forgot)

This also is not the first time that Star Trek has introduced a long-lost, never-before-mentioned sibling of Spock's to the franchise and used his not being the most open with his friends as a way to explain the retcon. The main villain of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is Sybok, who is revealed to be the half-brother of Spock, who is fully Vulcan and has a different mother. This means that Spock had two siblings: an adopted human sister and a half-brother who was fully Vulcan.

When Spock reveals to Kirk that Sybok is his brother, he is left in disbelief and thinks that Spock is lying. Kirk cites he would know if Spock had a brother, and Spock reveals that Sybok and he were raised together after Sybok's mother died. When Kirk asks why he had never mentioned it before, Spock plainly says, "I was not disposed to discuss matters of personal nature." showing that Spock only reveals information when it is absolutely important, even to those closest to him like Kirk. It certainly helps provide an explanation as to why Spock never mentioned Michael before.

Does Michael Burnham Exist in the Kelvin Timeline?

The addition of Michael Burnham to the main Star Trek timeline also creates a new wrinkle for the franchise in terms of the alternate reality created in J.J. Abrams's 2009 reboot, Star Trek . That film features a younger Spock and Kirk meeting at an earlier point in their lives, but no mention is made of Michael Burnham, despite Spock's parents being prominently featured in the first film. In fact, in the Kelvin timeline of films, it seems that the divergent event is what led to her never needing to be adopted.

The USS Kelvin is attacked and destroyed, resulting in the creation of a new timeline in 2233. In the original Star Trek timeline, Michael Burnham's parents did not go missing until 2236, which led to her being adopted and raised by Sarek. Since this is three years after the event of the Kelvin timeline's divergent origin point, it stands to reason the ripple effect in the galaxy meant that Michael Burnham's parents never went missing, and therefore, she was never adopted and raised alongside Spock. In the Kelvin timeline, Spock never had a sister, and Michael Burnham had to live and grow up with her birth parents.

Star Trek 4: Development History & Why It's Taken So Long

This might be an intentional choice by the creators as the showrunner of Star Trek: Discovery is Alex Kurtzman, who also was the co-writer of 2009's Star Trek , which created the Kelvin timeline and established the rules of how the universe works from branching off from the point of Nero's ship coming through the black hole. When writing Star Trek: Discovery , he likely picked the year that Michael Burnham's parents went missing to be set after that stardate, so it could be implied in the Kelvin timeline it altered events to where she would never need to be adopted.

It appears the creators have done a good job providing plenty of in-universe explanations for why Spock never mentioned his adopted sister in the original Star Trek series or in the Kelvin timeline movies.

Check out our interview with Michael Burnham herself, Sonequa Martin-Green, on the final season of Star Trek: Discovery below.

Mirror Universe Spocks Fate In Star Trek: Discovery Explained

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 - "Mirrors"

• Mirror Universe Spock's death led to a revolution in the Terran Empire, but ultimately couldn't prevent its downfall.
• The ISS Enterprise became a symbol of hope in the Mirror Universe, with rebels seeking freedom in the Prime Universe.
• Dr. Cho, a refugee from the Mirror Universe, rose to become a Branch Admiral in Starfleet, shaping her own future.

Star Trek: Discovery confirmed the fate of Mirror Universe Spock (Leonard Nimoy) after the events of the classic Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "Mirror, Mirror." Since its first appearance on TOS, several Star Trek series have visited the Mirror Universe, a parallel universe populated by evil versions of Star Trek's heroes. In the Mirror Universe, the xenophobic Terran Empire serves as the antithesis to the United Federation of Planets, and torture and murder are commonplace. Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery are already familiar with the Mirror Universe, as they spent some time there in Discovery season 1.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 , "Mirrors," Captain Burnham and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) follow couriers Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) into interdimensional space in search of the next clue leading to the Progenitors' treasure. Once there, they find the damaged ISS Enterprise, which holds clues about the fate of Mirror Universe Spock and his crew. In Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 4, "Mirror, Mirror," Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) encourages Mirror Spock to initiate change, telling him: "In every revolution, there's one man with a vision." Written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco, and directed by Jen McGowan, Star Trek: Discovery's "Mirrors" offers more insight into what became of that revolution.

What Happened To Mirror Universe Captain Kirk In Star Trek?

What happened to mirror universe spock revealed by star trek: discovery, spock died fighting for change..

After the events of Star Trek: The Original Series' "Mirror, Mirror," Captain Kirk left Mirror Universe Spock with a lot to think about. The goateed Vulcan apparently took Kirk's words to heart and began enacting a series of reforms to change the way things were done in the Terran Empire. Although he was attempting to prevent the collapse of the Empire, Star Trek: Discovery revealed that Spock was killed while working on his reforms. In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, Burnham and Book explore the ISS Enterprise and discover a plaque detailing some events from the Mirror Universe.

The light of hope shines through even the darkest of nights" became a "rallying cry" for those who opposed the violence of the Terran Empire.

Reading from the plaque, Book says that the "Terran High Chancellor was killed for trying to make reforms." Although Michael does not know that Spock was the Terran High Chancellor, the audience knows this information in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Mirror Universe episodes. Spock helped turn the Terran Empire into a more peaceful galactic power, and while his reforms were popular with many, some clearly opposed them. Nevertheless, Spock's dedication to logic made him less villainous than his Mirror Universe counterparts, and his words: “The light of hope shines through even the darkest of nights" became a "rallying cry" for those who opposed the violence of the Terran Empire.

Star Trek: DS9 Reveals What Happened To Mirror Universe After Spocks Death

Spock initiated change, but couldn't prevent the fall of the terran empire..

In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 23, "Crossover," Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) and Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) find themselves in the Mirror Universe. Major Kira's Mirror Universe counterpart, Intendant Kira, runs the equivalent of Deep Space Nine (Terok Nor) as a mining station populated by Terran slaves. The Intendant reveals that Captain Kirk's visit to the Mirror Universe had a "profound influence" on Mirror Universe Spock, which led Spock to reform the Terran Empire. Unfortunately, these reforms rendered the Empire unable to defend itself when the Klingon/Cardassian Alliance decided to attack.

After conquering the Terran Empire, the Alliance proved to be just as brutal and eventually became ruled by Regent Worf (Michael Dorn).

Having been under Terran occupation for years, Bajor petitioned for entry into the Klingon/Cardassian Alliance and went on to become a major player in the Alliance. Much like Kirk's visit to the Mirror Universe affected Spock, Major Kira and Dr. Bashir's visit inspired a rebellion among the Terran slaves, which became a thorn in the side of the Alliance. Although Spock had initially been trying to prevent the fall of the Terran Empire, the Empire fell away, but some people held on to the ideals Spock had tried to spread.

Star Trek 10s Best Mirror Universe Variants

Star trek: discovery reveals what happened to mirror universe spocks iss enterprise, the iss enterprise became a symbol of hope and freedom..

The plaque Captain Burnham and Cleveland Booker find on the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise also reveals some events after Mirror Spock's death. After Spock was killed, those who believed in his reforms sought help from a "Kelpian slave turned rebel leader," aka, the Mirror Universe version of Saru (Doug Jones). Saru told these people about Star Tre k's Prime Universe, describing it as "a near perfect mirror that casts our darkness into light." While Saru stayed behind to help more people in the Mirror Universe, several rebels stole the ISS Enterprise and traveled to the Prime Universe to begin new lives.

Dr. Cho was also one of the six scientists who helped hide clues to the Progenitors' technology.

Upon returning to the USS Discovery, Michael finds proof in Federation databases that many of the refugees on the ISS Enterprise successfully made new lives for themselves in the Prime Universe . One refugee, named the Enterprise's Science Officer, Dr. Cho, joined Starfleet and eventually became a Branch Admiral. Dr. Cho was also one of the six scientists who helped hide clues to the Progenitors' technology, which remains at the center of Star Trek: Discovery season 5's quest. Michael remarks that Cho may have chosen to leave her clue on the Enterprise as a reminder that almost anyone can shape their own future, even when facing impossible odds.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery stream Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Cast Blu del Barrio, Oded Fehr, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, Eve Harlow, Mary Wiseman, Callum Keith Rennie

Where To Watch Paramount+

Release Date September 24, 2017

Showrunner Alex Kurtzman

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Star Trek: The Original Series

Cast Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, William Shatner, George Takei, Leonard Nimoy, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan

Release Date September 8, 1966

Showrunner Gene Roddenberry

Biography [ ]

The son of Skon , Sarek was born in 2165 and was willingly tutored by his own father. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ; TNG : " Sarek "; TOS : " Journey to Babel ") He had a pet sehlat named I-Chaya . ( TAS : " Yesteryear ")

Sarek's first child, Sybok , was conceived out of wedlock with a Vulcan princess . ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ; SNW : " The Serene Squall ")

Later, Sarek, while serving as ambassador to Earth , wed a Human named Amanda Grayson in the late 2220s . ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ; TOS : " Journey to Babel "; TAS : " Yesteryear ") A later recollection of Sarek's was that he had married her because, " at the time, it seemed the logical thing to do, " but in actuality he loved her. ( TOS : " Journey to Babel "; Star Trek )

Sarek, holding his newborn son Spock in 2230

Three years after their marriage, in 2230 , the two were in the city of ShiKahr where Amanda gave birth to Sarek's second son, Spock . ( TOS : " Journey to Babel "; TAS : " Yesteryear ") Upon first holding him, Sarek remarked that the newborn Spock was "so Human." ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ) Sarek passed his pet sehlat I-Chaya on to Spock, and raised him and Sybok as brothers. ( TAS : " Yesteryear "; Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

Sarek in 2237

In 2237 , when Spock was aged seven, Sarek was involved in arranging for him to wed T'Pring , later in life. ( TOS : " Amok Time ") Sarek also gave Spock his first lesson in computers . ( TOS : " Journey to Babel ") However, as a seven-year-old, Spock was occasionally bullied by Vulcan children who claimed that Sarek had brought shame to Vulcan by marrying a Human. ( TAS : " Yesteryear ")

In an alternate timeline created by the death of Spock at an early age, Sarek separated from Amanda Grayson, and did not remarry after Grayson died. Also he had been Federation ambassador to seventeen different planets between 2237 and 2269 . ( TAS : " Yesteryear ")

When the Human parents of Michael Burnham were killed by Klingons , Sarek took her as a ward and raised her on Vulcan, where she became the first Human to ever attend the Vulcan Learning Center and the Vulcan Science Academy , the latter of which she entered in 2245 . ( DIS : " The Vulcan Hello ", " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry ") When Burnham was a child, the Learning Center was bombed by logic extremists and Burnham was rendered medically dead. Sarek came to her rescue and initiated a mind meld with Burnham, in order to revive her. As a result of this, a portion of Sarek's katra remained inside her mind, which later allowed him to communicate with her across interstellar distances. ( DIS : " Battle at the Binary Stars ", " Lethe ")

Sarek with Michael Burnham on board the USS Shenzhou in 2249

After Burnham's graduation from the Vulcan Science Academy, Sarek was forced to choose between Burnham and Spock on who should join the Vulcan Expeditionary Group . Sarek chose Spock over Burnham for this; he then arranged with Captain Philippa Georgiou of the USS Shenzhou that Burnham would serve on her ship after graduation. In 2249 , Sarek transported from Vulcan to the transporter room of the Shenzhou with Michael Burnham, and scolded her for being too rigid, refusing to follow human niceties by giving her hand to Georgiou; quietly he told Burnham to "behave" just before he departed from the ship. ( DIS : " Battle at the Binary Stars ", " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry ", " Lethe ")

However, he later regretted his favor to Spock; the latter decided to apply to Starfleet Academy instead of the Vulcan Science Academy, whereas Sarek wanted Spock to follow his father's teachings, just as he himself had followed the teachings of his own father. In 2250 , Sarek broke off his relationship with Spock and, for years to come, the two were estranged. ( TOS : " Journey to Babel ")

Role in the Federation-Klingon War [ ]

Right before the Battle of the Binary Stars in 2256 , Michael Burnham called Sarek over a subspace channel seeking information about how to handle the Klingons. Sarek narrated to her how the Vulcans had handled them after their first contact in 2016 : by firing first , cautioning her this solution was unique to them. Further, he cautioned her from letting the fact that Klingons killed her parents affect her judgement. ( DIS : " The Vulcan Hello ")

During the Federation-Klingon War , Sarek travelled from Vulcan to a secret meeting on Cancri IV with a supposedly dissenting Klingon faction which could end the war. However, his Vulcan cruiser was disabled by the pilot V'Latak , who was actually one of the logic extremists and attempted to assassinate him by turning his own body into a bomb; though Sarek survived, the ship was disabled inside the Yridia Nebula . Gabriel Lorca of the USS Discovery launched an unauthorized rescue mission; Sarek was too injured to continue and Admiral Katrina Cornwell went in his place. However, the meeting was actually a trap orchestrated by Klingon General Kol to capture Sarek, and Cornwell was captured instead. ( DIS : " Lethe ")

Sarek in 2257

In 2257 , after the Discovery returned from the mirror universe , Sarek met the mirror counterpart of Philippa Georgiou, who offered her help with the war. Sarek and Cornwell (who had been liberated from her captors) wished all information regarding the crossover to be buried. He then negotiated with the Federation Council, received approval of Georgiou's plan, and it was decided that they had no choice but to proceed. ( DIS : " The War Without, The War Within ")

After the end of the war, Sarek, with Amanda, visited Paris for the victory celebrations, where they met with Michael, now reinstated as a commander and appointed science officer of the Discovery . ( DIS : " Will You Take My Hand? ")

Control crisis [ ]

After the appearance of the red bursts in 2257, Sarek left the Discovery to return to Vulcan and was assigned to the Federation task force investigating the mysterious signals. ( DIS : " Brother ")

Sarek confronting his family in the sacred crypt

After discovering Spock had disappeared in that same year, Sarek began to search diligently for him, to no avail. As it turned out, Spock had secretly returned to Vulcan, with Amanda hiding him in a sacred crypt and was shielded from telepathic searches due to the presence of Katra stones . When Burnham returned to Vulcan to join in the search for Spock, Amanda led her in secret to the crypt, but Sarek followed them in secret. Sarek confronted his wife about her deception and was able to convince them that the best course of action was to turn over Spock to Captain Leland . ( DIS : " Light and Shadows ")

Later that year, when the crew of the Discovery was planning to escape to the future as part of a plot to escape Control , Sarek was able to pinpoint the location of the Discovery using Burnham's katra. There, Sarek and Amanda said their goodbyes to Burnham, expressing their love for each other. Sarek agreed to look out for Spock, albeit from afar, at Burnham's request. Following this farewell, Sarek and Amanda returned to Vulcan. Following the Discovery 's nine-century voyage, Sarek swore to never speak of Burnham or the Discovery again, using his status as an ambassador to avoid interrogation. ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow ", " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ")

Reminisces by Spock [ ]

In 2266 , his estranged son Spock was serving in Starfleet aboard the USS Enterprise . That year he noted Balok as being reminiscent of his father, even stating – at one point early in the first contact between the First Federation and the Enterprise – that he regretted not having learned more about Balok. ( TOS : " The Corbomite Maneuver ")

While affected by polywater intoxication later that year, Spock remembered that he had respected Sarek and their Vulcan traditions but had been ashamed of his Human blood . ( TOS : " The Naked Time ")

In 2267 , while Captain James T. Kirk was attempting to aggravate Spock by making up false insults, he insisted that Sarek had been "a computer." ( TOS : " This Side of Paradise ") Later the same year, Spock evoked the authority of his father (as well as their male ancestors), while making an unsuccessful attempt to persuade T'Pau to prevent him battling Kirk in a kal-if-fee . ( TOS : " Amok Time ")

Coridan involvement and reconciliation [ ]

Sarek in 2268

Sarek's accomplishments as an ambassador of the Federation included the Coridanite admission debate of 2268 before the Federation Council. Sarek's involvement in the Coridan admission debate included attending multiple council sessions, at least one of which was before the conference on a neutral planet . ( TOS : " Journey to Babel ")

Shortly before he left Vulcan with his wife and a group of aides, Sarek suffered two heart attacks . He did not inform his wife of these incidents, though his physician prescribed Benjisidrine for the condition. During the council session en route to the Babel Conference Sarek met and debated with Tellarite Ambassador Gav , winning their argument. He did not speak with Spock until Sarek survived a series of heart attacks and surgery , and they talked again only after a transfusion of rare T-negative blood from his son. This event resulted in a brief retirement and a rekindling of their relationship. ( TOS : " Journey to Babel ") The conference finalized the admittance of Coridan into the Federation. Despite several minor quarrels, Sarek cast the final vote in favor of Coridan's admittance. ( TNG : " Sarek ")

Sarek and Spock remained on good terms as the Klingon détente bloomed in the 2280s . In 2285 , Sarek was briefed on Project Genesis and the report from James T. Kirk on the recent activation of the Genesis Device . That year Spock was left for dead on the Genesis Planet after sacrificing his life to save the USS Enterprise . Sarek, believing that Spock had put his katra in Kirk before he died, traveled to Earth to convince him to retrieve his son's body. It turned out it was Leonard McCoy who now possessed Spock's katra . On Vulcan, Sarek pushed for a fal-tor-pan , a fusion of Spock's katra and body; although aware of the dangers and complications of the ritual, Sarek stated that his logic was uncertain where his son was concerned. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock )

Three months later , Sarek finally apologized to Spock for his original opposition to Spock's decision to join Starfleet, recognizing Spock's friends as people of good character. Sarek attended a meeting of the Federation Council that had put the Enterprise crew under accusation; he witnessed the controversy over the Genesis Device, especially the arguments from them that Kirk be extradited . Sarek defended the Enterprise , accusing the Klingon Ambassador that his navy had attacked the Enterprise , citing Kruge 's attack on the USS Grissom and the death of Kirk's son ; he was shocked that the ambassador proudly admitted his men indeed did so. ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

In 2287 , Sybok manipulated the starship USS Enterprise -A and reunited with his brother Spock. He caused an apparition in Spock's mind of his own birth; Spock saw his father holding him, commenting that the baby resembled a Human rather than a Vulcan. ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

Later career [ ]

Among Sarek's later accomplishments were his effort to bring about a Federation- Legaran treaty , which began in 2273 , and concluded in 2367, early treaties with the Klingon Empire ( Treaty of Alliance ), and the Treaty of Alpha Cygnus IX . ( TNG : " Sarek ")

Sarek in 2293

In 2293 , Sarek suggested that Spock initiate negotiations for a proposed Federation-Klingon Alliance with Chancellor Gorkon , hoping to bring together the two lifelong enemies after the destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis . That almost didn't happen, for Gorkon was assassinated. Captain Kirk and Doctor Leonard McCoy were arrested by the Klingons, having been framed for the chancellor's murder . Sarek was present in the Federation President 's office when several attempts to stop Kirk and McCoy being tried in Klingon territory were outlined, but he had to concede that the Klingons were within their legal rights and that the Federation could not interfere in their due process. Kirk and McCoy, with Spock's assistance, eventually escaped from imprisonment on Rura Penthe , and they arrived at the Khitomer Conference in time to prevent the assassination of the Federation President. ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ) Afterwards, Sarek was involved with the Khitomer Accords , and further helped the Federation and Klingon Empire establish their almost one-hundred-year peaceful co-existence. ( TNG : " Sarek ")

Sometime after the Khitomer Conference, Spock left Starfleet and became an ambassador and representative of the Vulcans to the Federation. The two, however, split again over the Cardassian issue of the 24th century . Sarek was also dismissive of Spock's friendship with Romulan Senator Pardek , who he had met at Khitomer, and the prospects for a lasting Federation-Romulan peace. ( TNG : " Unification I ") By that time, Amanda had died, and Sarek had married another Human woman, named Perrin . Sarek was present at his son's wedding before they again stopped speaking to each other; it was at that event that Sarek first met Jean-Luc Picard . Soon after, Sarek studied Picard's career, describing his service record as "satisfactory", a choice of words Picard recognized as high praise from a Vulcan when he and Perrin later spoke of it. ( TNG : " Sarek ")

Later years [ ]

Picard meeting with Sarek, shortly before his death in 2368

In 2366 , Sarek was diagnosed with Bendii Syndrome en route to the Legaran Conference . As his emotional control became very weak, he mind melded with Captain Picard at the suggestion of his wife, Perrin. Sarek was then stable enough to conclude the negotiations for a treaty with the Legarans. He told Picard, " we shall always retain the best part of the other inside us. " ( TNG : " Sarek ")

In 2368 , Sarek was visited by Captain Picard. Picard, who had been assigned to investigate Ambassador Spock's disappearance, came to see Sarek and ask if he had any knowledge of a person Spock might contact on Romulus . During their brief conversation, Sarek regained a measure of control over himself and told the captain about Spock's Romulan friend Pardek. Before leaving, Captain Picard gave Sarek the traditional Vulcan salute and the first half of a phrase often accompanying it: "peace and long life." Sarek tried to respond but was overcome by his illness. Shortly thereafter, he died at the age of 203. ( TNG : " Unification I ")

When meeting with Ambassador Spock on Romulus, Picard learned that Spock and his father had never mind melded, and offered Spock the chance to share what Sarek had shared with him. The meld passed along Sarek's true feelings of love and admiration for his son that he had never allowed himself to convey in life. ( TNG : " Unification II ")

In 2370 , after Julian Bashir told Elim Garak , " Before you can be loyal to another, you must be loyal to yourself, " the Cardassian attributed the quote to Sarek, but it was actually Bashir's own. ( DS9 : " Profit and Loss ")

The 24th century starship USS Sarek was presumably named in honor of Ambassador Sarek. ( DS9 : " Favor the Bold ")

Alternate timelines and realities [ ]

In the mirror universe , Sarek was member of a multi-species rebellion against the Terran Empire in 2257 . ( DIS : " The Wolf Inside ")

Sarek in 2258 of the alternate reality.

In an alternate reality created by Nero's incursion, in 2258 Sarek was rescued by Spock when Vulcan was destroyed, but his wife Amanda Grayson was killed. ( Star Trek )

Sarek's skull in Q's alternate timeline.

In an alternate timeline where Humans ruled the totalitarian Confederation of Earth , Sarek served as director of the Vulcan Science Academy . According to Q , after an encounter with General Jean-Luc Picard , at some point before 2401 , Sarek was " decapitated on the steps of the Vulcan Science Academy in front of a crowd that included his wife and son. " Q found that to be a "nice touch." Sarek's skull was later mounted on display in General Picard's library at Château Picard . ( PIC : " Penance ")

Key dates [ ]

• 2165 : Born to Skon
• 2227 : Marries Amanda Grayson
• 2230 : His second son, Spock , is born
• 2237 : Arranges for Spock to marry T'Pring
• 2240s : Takes Michael Burnham as his ward
• 2249 : Transports Burnham to Captain Georgiou 's care aboard the USS Shenzhou
• 2250 : Becomes estranged from his son Spock
• 2256 : Targeted by logic extremists en route to a peace meeting with the Klingon Empire on Cancri IV
• 2257 : After Sarek's negotiations with the Federation Council, Georgiou's plan is passed. End of the Federation-Klingon War
• 2268 : Reestablishes contact with Spock while en route to the Babel Conference aboard the USS Enterprise ; survives a series of heart attacks and surgery , following a transfusion of rare T-negative blood from Spock
• 2273 : Begins to make contact with the Legarans in order to start relations with the United Federation of Planets
• 2285 : Appeals for the search and rescue of Spock
• 2286 : Finally accepts Spock's decision to join Starfleet
• 2293 : Becomes politically involved in Federation-Klingon relations, attending the Khitomer Conference
• 2366 : Diagnosed with Bendii Syndrome ; mind melds with Captain Picard to conclude negotiating a treaty with the Legarans
• 2368 : Visited by Picard; dies on Vulcan at the age of 203

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Isn't it unusual for a Vulcan to retire at your age? After all, You're only 102. " " 102.437 precisely, doctor. Measured in your years. I… had… other concerns. "

" Tellarites do not argue for reasons. They simply argue. "

" It does not require pride to ask that Spock be given the respect which is his due…not as my son, but as Spock. "

" Threats are illogical. And payment is usually expensive. "

" Emotional, isn't she? " " She has always been that way. " " Indeed. Why did you marry her? " " At the time, it seemed the logical thing to do. "

" What you seek has not been done since ages past, and then only in legend. Your request is not logical. " " Forgive me, T'Lar. My logic is uncertain where my son is concerned. "

" Kirk, I thank you. What you've done is – " " What I've done, I had to do. " " But at what cost? Your ship. Your son. " " If I hadn't tried, the cost would have been my soul. "

" We demand the extradition of Kirk! We demand justice! " " Klingon justice is a unique point of view, Mister President. "

" Your vessel did destroy USS Grissom . Your men did kill Kirk's son . Do you deny these events? " " We deny nothing. We have the right to preserve our race! " " Do you have the right to commit murder? "

" Your associates are people of good character. " " They are my friends. "

" Do you have a message for your mother? " " Yes. Tell her I feel fine. "

" These walls are too bright! "

" I have been accused of many things in my life, never an excess of emotion. "

" I saw you crying. " " I did not cry. " " I was there, I saw the tears. " " You exaggerate, captain. I recall only one tear. " " So you were emotionally affected by the music. " " That is not possible. " " You still haven't answered my question, Sarek. Is it logical for a Vulcan to cry? "

" The Legarans trust only me. They will not meet with any other member of the Federation. I must be allowed to complete my mission. There are no other logical solutions. "

" I will not be spoken to in such a manner! " " Do I hear anger in your voice? " " It would be illogical for a Vulcan to show anger! It would be illogical! Illogical! Illogical! Illogical! "

" A mind-meld can be a terrible intimacy, captain. "

" My wife, you will leave me now. I require solitude. "

" No! It is… it is… wrong. It is wrong! A lifetime of discipline is washed away, and in its place… (laughs briefly then grunts) Bedlam… nothing but bedlam! I am so old! Nothing left but dry bones… and dead friends. Tired. Oh, so tired. "

" I will take my leave of you now, Captain. I do not think we shall meet again. " " I hope you are wrong, Ambassador. " " We shall always retain the best part of the other inside us. " " I believe I have the better part of that bargain, Ambassador. Peace and long life. " " Live long and prosper. "

" Sarek, you will listen! " " Go from me!! " " Picard is here. " " No more chaos!! No more. " " I will leave you alone with him. He will either acknowledge you, or he won't. "

" Sarek, I have come a long way to see you. " " I will not answer!! " " I must talk to you about your son. " " I wish no one with me!! " " About Spock. "

" I never knew what Spock was doing. When he was a boy, he would disappear for days into the mountains. I asked him where he had gone, what he had done, he refused to tell me. I insisted that he tell me. He would not. I forbade him to go. He ignored me. I punished him. He endured it, silently. But always he returned to the mountains. One might as well ask the river not to run. But secretly I admired him, the proud core of him that would not yield. "

" Sarek… We're a part of each other. I know that he has caused you pain. But I also know… that you love him." " Tell him, Picard… " [Sarek struggles to perform the Vulcan salute. Picard assists him, then returns the hand gesture] " Peace and long life. " " Live long and… and… Live long and… [starts sobbing] Spock… my son… " " …and prosper. "

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Vulcan Hello "
• " Battle at the Binary Stars "
• " The Wolf Inside "
• " The War Without, The War Within "
• " Will You Take My Hand? "
• " Brother "
• " Light and Shadows "
• " Perpetual Infinity " (archive footage)
• " Such Sweet Sorrow "
• " Stormy Weather " (picture only)
• TOS : " Journey to Babel " (First appearance)
• TAS : " Yesteryear "
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
• " Unification I "

Background information [ ]

Identifying actors [ ].

Sarek was primarily played by Mark Lenard , except in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , where young Sarek was played by Jonathan Simpson , though voiced by Lenard. In a deleted scene from 2009 's Star Trek , the character was played by Ben Cross , who played his alternate counterpart in the film . In Star Trek: Discovery , Sarek is portrayed by James Frain .

Casting and first episodes [ ]

The first canonical evidence of Sarek was a very vague reference in " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", an allusion that was specifically Spock mentioning "one of [his] ancestors" who had married a Human female. From then on, Sarek was usually referred to in a more direct fashion, consistently described as Spock's "father" in later episodes of the first season .

A description of Spock in an early- 1966 publicity booklet released by NBC (and reprinted in Inside Star Trek: The Real Story ) suggested that his father not only was an extraterrestrial who had married a woman from Earth but also was possessed of "a precise, logical turn of mind" which Spock inherited.

During the run of the series, Sarek was referred to in the past tense in all but one episode; in " The Squire of Gothos ", Spock tells Trelane , " My father is from the planet Vulcan. " Sarek's occupation as an ambassador was first established in " This Side of Paradise ", whose teleplay was written by D.C. Fontana . This reference was a prime motive for Fontana later writing " Journey to Babel ". ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 2 , p. 84) While she did so, Fontana conceived the rift between Sarek and Spock, including it in the episode. ( Starlog issue #118, p. 18) It was also in that installment that Sarek was finally named.

Sarek's name was inspired by a memo in which Robert H. Justman proposed to Gene Roddenberry that Vulcan names should be no longer than five letters, begin with "S", and end with "k". ( I Am Spock , hardcover ed., pp. 72 & 73)

The script of " Journey to Babel " included the following description of Sarek: " Because of Vulcan longevity, it is impossible to tell Sarek's age. He appears no more than late forties. He is actually one hundred two – middle age for a Vulcan […] Sarek's speech is almost without inflection. " ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 155 , p. 40) A scene cut from the same episode's final draft script would have established that Sarek's father was himself a well-renowned Vulcan ambassador, named Shariel. ( The Star Trek Compendium , 4th ed., p. 89)

Mark Lenard was cast in the role of Sarek apparently because he had made a good impression with the producers by playing the similarly pointed-eared Romulan commander in " Balance of Terror ". ( I Am Spock , hardcover ed., p. 71) D.C. Fontana recalled, " When we were casting in second season for 'Journey to Babel' and I was then the story editor and I had written that script, Gene said, 'What do you think about Mark Lenard for Sarek?' and I said, 'Whoopy-do! Let's go!' You know, I was all for it. He was perfect, again." (" Balance of Terror " Starfleet Access , TOS Season 1 Blu-ray ) Lenard was forty-three when he was cast for the part in "Journey to Babel". ( Star Trek: The Original Series 365 , p. 218)

Mark Lenard was artificially aged to play Sarek for the Vulcan's introductory appearance. " In those days, " he reflected, " they needed to fix my hair up with a little grey and they put wrinkles around my eyes, and then, of course, the ears. " ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - The Official Poster Magazine , p. 56)

By way of research before playing Sarek, Mark Lenard quizzed Spock actor Leonard Nimoy , shortly after they first met. " Mark was very curious about Vulcans and wanted to know as much as he could about them, " Nimoy recalled, " so we discussed this at length on the set. " Lenard found it easy to perform the Vulcan salute and helped devise the intimate ritual of Vulcan finger-touching . ( I Am Spock , hardcover ed., p. 71) He also developed a large degree of knowledge about the character of Sarek. In a 1987 interview, Lenard mused over Sarek's personality and his reaction to Spock opting to join Starfleet rather than the Vulcan Science Academy, commenting, " Sarek, like many people of strength and societal importance, believes in the superiority of the Vulcan way […] And the fact that Sarek's son, whom he nurtured and taught, the one who expresses the best that is the Vulcan society, should go off and share all this knowledge with others hurt him deeply, I think. " ( Starlog issue #117, p. 46)

The fan response to Sarek was immediate and, for two weeks after the initial telecast of "Journey to Babel", Mark Lenard's fan mail was even more numerous than that being sent to Leonard Nimoy. ( The World of Star Trek , 3rd ed., p. 146) Nimoy himself also approved of how Lenard portrayed Sarek in Star Trek: The Original Series , later stating, " Mark had a real sense of the dignity and authority the character needed. " ("To Boldly Go… Season Two", TOS Season 2 DVD & Blu-ray ) Nimoy also expressed, " The great dignity that he brought to the role of Sarek earned him a permanent place in the hearts of Star Trek fans. " ( I Am Spock , hardcover ed., p. 71)

In a deleted scene filmed for " Elaan of Troyius ", it was revealed that Sarek was an accomplished musician. He placed first in an all-Vulcan music competition; second place was awarded to Spock. ( The Star Trek Compendium , 4th ed., p. 197; [1] )

The character of Sarek proved so popular that D.C. Fontana intended to bring him back for the third season, and included the Vulcan ambassador in her original story outline for " The Enterprise Incident ". In this version, Sarek was escorted by the Enterprise for a diplomatic mission, and later helped in negotiating with the Romulan commander (who, in this outline, was a male), gaining time for Kirk and McCoy (both being surgically altered to look Romulan) to perform their covert mission. However, comments made by Robert H. Justman regarding the outline made Fontana realize that Sarek didn't serve much purpose in the story, on the contrary, he was taking attention away from the main storyline and the other characters, especially Spock (whose relationship with the commander, soon to be turned female, became a pivotal point in the episode), and was basically there only for "fan service". Hence, Fontana soon eliminated him from the episode. ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season Three )

Finally, Fontana was able to bring Sarek back for her 1973 Star Trek: The Animated Series episode " Yesteryear ". ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2015 , p. 72) In the script of that installment, Sarek was initially described as "distinguished looking". The same teleplay later characterized him as having a "deceptively quiet, unhurried voice" that Spock "would recognize in an instant anywhere." The "Yesteryear" script went on to further describe Sarek thus; " He is a tall, broadshouldered Vulcan, obviously in physical trim. His sharply planed, strong features and deepset eyes make him attractive. " Before Mark Lenard was available for that animated episode, James Doohan recorded the character's lines of dialogue for the installment. It was intended that his voice would serve as Sarek's in the episode, though Lenard's voice was thereafter looped over Doohan's recordings. ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 119 , p. 78)

Initial film appearances [ ]

In a story written by Jon Povill and proposed to become the first Star Trek film , a societal upheaval on Vulcan included one of the Vulcans arguing that Sarek should be confined. ( Lost Voyages of Trek and The Next Generation , p. 11) Sarek was also to have been mentioned by name during the Kolinahr scene in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and was included in the shooting script for that movie, though not in the film's final version. [2]

Sarek's inclusion in Star Trek III was arranged by Harve Bennett . ( Starlog issue #117, p. 49) In an early story outline that Bennett wrote for the film, Sarek was a prime minister on Vulcan during a politically critical situation, as a Vulcan faction had reverted to the primitive behavior of their ancestors. Upon the Enterprise visiting the planet, Sarek rescued a landing party from an attack by the rebellious faction, though his attitude toward the newcomers was somewhat cold and angry. Sarek told Kirk, in the prime minister's quarters, that many Vulcans were unhappy with the Federation having such a powerful weapon as the Genesis Device; though elected prime minister as a peacemaker, Sarek was barely retaining order. It was also at this point, rather than on Earth, that Sarek admonished Kirk for not returning Spock's body to Vulcan and inquired as to how Kirk had known Spock had not been in a transcendental state. Sarek finally instructed Kirk to bring him Spock, and advised the admiral to hope that he would still be there when Spock arrived. [3] Although Sarek additionally appears in the film's conclusion, this was not true of the outline. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 3, Issue 8 , p. 30; Trek: The Unauthorized Story of the Movies , p. 84)

Mark Lenard was very happy to reprise his role of Sarek in Star Trek III . He later reminisced, " I was given a wonderful part in the film […] [As director, Leonard Nimoy] really gave me some great opportunities to bring my character to life; I got to play an equal part in giving ideas for Sarek. " ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 137 , p. 48) With Lenard having become a frequent guest at Star Trek conventions by that point, fans rejoiced when he reappeared as Sarek in the movie. ( Star Trek Compendium , 4th ed., p. 89)

In reprising the role of Sarek, Lenard explained, " When I came in for the makeup tests for Star Trek III , nobody really knew how to do Sarek's look. They had a few general ideas. I brought a picture in to show them what the hair looked like. The original makeup artists from the TV series are gone; Fred Phillips has retired. We had to dig up 'Journey to Babel' and run it, just to see what the makeup was like, to look at the angle of the eyebrows. " Regarding his new look, Lenard continued, " You may have noticed that the ears have changed. They used to be much bigger; now, they're more delicate […] I like the new look. Aesthetically, it fits the face a little better. Also, the movie screen is so much bigger than the TV screen that you can be more delicate, things don't need to be emphasized so much. " Finally, Lenard added, " Agewise, I had been made to look older back during 'Babel', but when I came in for tests this time, Leonard Nimoy thought I looked just about right. But then they did the makeup test. Leonard looked as it and said, 'Mark, you look more like my brother than my father!' So, they whitened my hair some more, applied a stronger age makeup – all in the name of fatherhood. " ( Starlog #86, September 1984 )

Spock and Sarek at the Federation Council in 2286

Sarek's chat with Spock in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was conceived a little differently from how it turned out. In the earliest version of the discussion, Sarek basically admitted that, though he would never understand Spock's half-Human nature, he nonetheless accepted him. " It was originally much more bonding, but they [the producers] removed about half a page of dialogue, which changed things quite a bit, " related Steve Meerson , who was originally assigned to co-write the film's script. ( The Making of the Trek Films , 3rd UK ed., p. 64)

Sarek was talked about amid a story conference in which William Shatner , Harve Bennett and David Loughery tried to work out the details of the plot for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier . At one point, Shatner voiced interest in Sarek's motives for marrying Amanda, following the death of Sybok's mother. Even though Loughery reminded Shatner that this event had been commented on in the series, Loughery did not consider this usable story material for the film, finding it superfluous to the storyline. Despite this, Shatner again briefly mentioned Sarek's relationship with Amanda as a potential element of the movie's backstory. The group briefly contemplated that Sarek may have fathered Sybok during his marriage to Amanda, bearing the child out of wedlock to another woman, but the team then opted for Sybok having been born before Sarek married Amanda. Sarek was also considered as having motivated Sybok's departure from Vulcan, out of fear regarding Sybok's influence on Spock. An alternative to this involved both of Sarek's children choosing to leave but Sarek then confronting Spock with an implied threat that, if Spock did decide to depart, he would be completely disowned by his own father. ( Captain's Log: William Shatner's Personal Account of the Making of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , pp. 64 & 65) The film's eventual backstory concerning Sybok and Sarek's relationship with a Vulcan princess has long been considered apocryphal by some sources, which included Gene Roddenberry . ( citation needed • edit )

Depictions in TNG and final film [ ]

In " The Big Goodbye ", an illustration of Sarek was seen when Data was assimilating the Dixon Hill novels. This illustration was from the FASA RPG module The Federation .

Sarek's initial reappearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation originally came about because Gene Roddenberry – having at first been determined to separate that Star Trek series from the original one – became confident to try a character crossover between the series. This was due to The Next Generation gaining popularity by its third season . In hindsight, Mark Lenard reminisced, " I was in Gene's office and he said, 'You know, it's about time that Sarek comes back. After all, Vulcans age very slowly.' I thought that was a good way to put it, not that they live a long time, but that they age very slowly – because it took them another year and a half before they found a script for me to play! " ( Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before , paperback ed., p. 136)

Although Sarek's previous appearances in the third and fourth Star Trek films could have been the last times he was featured in the franchise, Marc Cushman had other notions in 1988 , when Gene Roddenberry heard his idea for a plot involving the character. Cushman pitched Roddenberry a story in which the Vulcan ambassador had to be brought out of retirement for one final mission but was, unbeknown to those around him, in the initial stages of a debilitating neurological illness. ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2015 , pp. 72 & 74) Early in TNG's second season and six months after the 1988 Writers Guild strike began, Roddenberry notified Cushman that, although he wanted to do something with the story, he was reconsidering whether the plot's main character was to be Sarek. " He asked me to take Sarek out of the script, " said Cushman, " and make it a different Vulcan, or a member of a different race that has telepathic abilities. " Roddenberry's interest in excising Sarek from the story was because he wanted the plot to focus more on the regular characters of TNG and had changed his mind about linking the two Star Trek series together at such an early stage in the series run of TNG, still wanting it to stand on its own. " I didn't see where removing Sarek was going to improve the story, or get me more work with the show, " continued Cushman, " so I handed the outline off to Jake Jacobs , who was a writer I'd done some work with in the past. " Though Jacobs submitted a revised version of the plot to Roddenberry, neither Sarek nor the story he was to have been featured in were included in TNG Season 2. ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2015 , p. 75)

Sarek was present in an initial form of the story for third season installment " Yesterday's Enterprise ", written by Trent Christopher Ganino and Eric A. Stillwell . Recalled Stillwell, " Gene Roddenberry had circulated a memo saying […] that Mark Lenard might be interested in making a guest appearance. " [4]

This early version of "Yesterday's Enterprise" began with Sarek arriving at the time planet aboard the Enterprise -D. As a dignitary, he planned to rendezvous with a Vulcan archaeological team that had been using the Guardian of Forever , on the planet, to study ancient Vulcan history at the time of Surak , known as the Time of Awakening . Sarek not only intended to congratulate the archaeologists but also personally escort them back to Vulcan aboard the Enterprise , but before they could leave the planet's surface, the team accidentally altered the timeline so that Surak died before his time. ( The Making of Yesterday's Enterprise , pp. 29-31) After being captured as a spy, Sarek convinced a wary Captain Picard – fundamentally altered by the changes in the timeline – to let him travel back in time, via the Guardian, and replace Surak during the Time of the Awakening, in order to restore history. In this way, the story would have accounted for Sarek's name being so similar to the name Surak.

However, Michael Piller vetoed the use of Sarek (as well as the Guardian of Forever) in this instance. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (1st ed., p. 117)) This was because Piller considered the character to be a gimmick from the original series that he'd rather avoid. [5] Eric A. Stillwell later reflected that Piller rejected the inclusion of Sarek while "telling me he had no interest in doing a story about Spock's father," though this attitude was to ultimately turn out to be "rather ironic." ( The Making of Yesterday's Enterprise , p. 34)

At the start of TNG's third season, Michael Piller, taking on the responsibilities of running the show due to Gene Roddenberry's health failing, actually wanted to return Sarek to the story which had been pitched by Marc Cushman. ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2015 , p. 76) Sarek was reincorporated into the story after the writing staff decided that the guest character in that episode would be a member of Starfleet Command or of the Federation . In order to make the premise fit more easily into the science-fiction genre, someone suggested that a Vulcan experiencing psychological difficulties, due to some form of disease, might have extreme telepathic impact. " From that point it was really short-stepped to, 'What about Sarek?' " remembered Michael Piller. " Sarek is an extraordinarily honorable character who we felt obliged to protect and deal with in a very respectful manner. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , UK 3rd ed., p. 197) In this case, the use of Sarek maximized the extent to which the story had an impact on and involved the audience. Piller noted, " It brings home the idea that even the greatest of men is subject to mental illness. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (3rd ed., p. 127)) The episode's script, written by Peter S. Beagle without any of the changes Jake Jacobs had made to the story (though his name remained in the screen credits), introduced Sarek with the description, " Sarek is indeed old, but immensely commanding. A genuinely regal figure. " ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2015 , p. 76; [6] )

After the episode "Sarek" was green-lit, the character of Sarek was the subject of a discussion between Marc Cushman and D.C. Fontana when they met. Cushman apologized for having recently "stolen" the character and transferred it to TNG. Though Fontana seemed surprised because she had invented Sarek, she was also polite and gracious about the issue. " She said, 'Well, he belongs to the fans now,' " Cushman relayed. ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2015 , p. 77)

For Michael Piller and others working on The Next Generation , there were parallels between the ailing Sarek of "Sarek" and Gene Roddenberry at the time of the episode's making, which Piller described as "what I remember most about that episode." He went on to relate the similarities between Roddenberry and the character; " Gene was beginning to go into decline. Not that he was uncommunicative, but it was clear that he was not the same man that he had been. We all respected him so much, and he had been such an important, strong leader of the franchise and everything it stood for. But here is this great man – and I've only known him for less than a year at this point – here is this great man going into decline, and I immediately felt a very strong connection to the premise of 'Sarek' […] If you go back and look at 'Sarek' closely, what that character is, is Gene Roddenberry. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 119) Piller also noted that this was the intention at the time the episode was written. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 3, Issue 8 , p. 66)

The makeup for Sarek in the episode of the same name was much as it had been in the previously produced films. " Because Vulcans have an extreme longevity, the years between Sarek's appearance in the motion [pictures] and his first appearance on TNG didn't present us with any problems in designing his makeup, " commented TNG Makeup Supervisor Michael Westmore . " We decided not to age him, and the studio agreed, suggesting that we use the natural lines of his face as contours. " ( Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts , p. 78)

Leonard Nimoy had been appreciative of how Mark Lenard played Sarek in the episode of the same name as the character, describing this portrayal as "a beautiful performance." ( I Am Spock , hardcover ed., p. 325) Likewise, Ronald D. Moore thought the predicament Sarek finds himself in, during the installment which shares the character's name, made for an appealing episode. " Here was a respected, venerated figure in our Trek lore, and he had a problem, " Moore observed. " And it wasn't a problem where we were going to give him a hypo and solve it by the show's end. " ( The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 13 , p. 24) Moore clarified, " Mark Lenard has a chance to do some solid acting [in 'Sarek']. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 197)

The painting of Sarek in Star Trek VI

For Sarek's makeup in Star Trek VI , Jerry Quist , a makeup artist from TNG, agreed to join the film's makeup team – since the series was on hiatus while the film was in preproduction – and he alone concentrated on the character's prosthetics for the film. Makeup Supervisor Michael J. Mills recollected, " I just let Jerry take care of that, and he came up with an intermediate look for Sarek – something between what we'd seen in the previous features and what people would be seeing him as on TV. " ( Cinefex No. 49, p. 45) Also in Star Trek VI , a painting of Ambassador Sarek was hung in the USS Enterprise -A 's dining room.

The writing of Sarek's death in "Unification I" was inspired by the fact that, while the episode was being written, the writers were aware that Gene Roddenberry didn't have long to live. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 3, Issue 8 , p. 66) Ronald D. Moore commented that killing Sarek off took courage and, despite liking the character's final scene, he stated, " It wasn't pretty. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 23, No. 2/3, p. 54) Michael Piller approved of the depiction of Sarek in the "Unification" two-parter overall, enthusing, " I liked the stuff with Sarek, it was very moving. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 233) Concerning Sarek's final canonical appearance, Michael Westmore reflected, " We had to show the effects of the degenerative illness that had afflicted him. We again used the basic design and lines of Mark Lenard's face, but this time we aged him and showed him looking gaunt and drained. We used deeper shadows and placed rubber stretching around his eyes to show fatigue. " ( Star Trek: Aliens & Artifacts , pp. 78-79) Although Lenard enjoyed his small role in "Unification I" (saying, " It was a bit like King Lear "), he was unaware, during the making of the episode, that it contained a reference to Sarek having died. He explained, after-the-fact, " They only sent me part of the script. " ( Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before , paperback ed., p. 136)

Interim [ ]

The realization that Sarek had apparently died in "Unification I" came as a sudden shock to Mark Lenard. " I was at a convention somewhere when the episode aired and I was surprised, " he reflected. Following the installment's broadcast, Lenard received mail from concerned fans, which he found emotionally moving, but he reckoned he might still reappear. " Jimmy Doohan, who was at that same convention with me, said to me, 'Well, did anybody see him die? Was anybody there?' " Lenard reported. " I said, 'No.' 'Well, then,' he told me, 'you're all right!' " ( Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before , paperback ed., p. 136)

Ultimately, the role of Sarek was highly important in Mark Lenard's life. Mere months before he died in 1996 , Lenard commented, " I suspect that even though I've died on the screen, I will live and die as Sarek of Vulcan. There's no getting away from it anymore. " ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 137 , p. 48)

Despite Sarek making no appearances on Star Trek: Enterprise , the writing staff of that series at one time discussed the possibility of including a young version of the character on the show. ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 103 , p. 18) " We always thought that […] Sarek was one of the assistants to Soval and that sort of colored his view of the humans, " revealed Judith Reeves-Stevens . ( Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection , issue 55, p. 17) However, this would have contradicted previously established canon which places Sarek's birth several years after the timeframe depicted in Enterprise .

Sarek, Amanda, and their newborn son, before the timeline diverged ( Star Trek deleted scene)

Sarek was so integral to the origin story of Star Trek that, in one form, he once again made a movie appearance; his alternate counterpart was featured in the 2009 film Star Trek . ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2015 , p. 77) Mark Lenard's portrayal of the role provided a basis for Ben Cross' performance in the movie, as the alternate reality Sarek. As such, a sampling of Lenard's presentment of the character was supplied to Cross by Paramount , to prepare Cross for his own take on the character. ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 145 , p. 67)

In the aforementioned deleted scene from the film, involving Ben Cross portraying the prime-universe Sarek, he arrives home in the aftermath of Spock's birth. The scene in question takes place before Nero 's incursion – dated, on screen, as 2230 (which later became canon in Star Trek Beyond ) – thereby making the scene's depiction of Sarek, in fact, "this" character. The movie's script described Sarek, in this scene, as "late 40's," rather than sixty-five (which is how old he would be in 2230 if he was born in 2165) – by comparison, the script for " Journey to Babel ", set thirty-eight years later, also said that he appeared "no more than late forties." The script also established that he deliberately arrives after Spock's birth, explaining that Vulcan tradition excludes the father from actual childbirth, despite Amanda Grayson having wanted him to be there. [7] However, Sarek's absence from Spock's birth is not spoken about in the final version of the scene, leaving the reason for his late arrival unknown. The scene, both as scripted and ultimately edited, showed Sarek as being responsible for naming Spock, taking the name from "one of Vulcan's early society-builders."

Renewal [ ]

James Frain described Sarek as "endlessly fascinating, and complex, and ambivalent." ( Star Trek Magazine Discovery Collector's Edition , p. 36)

The episode "Sarek" stated that Sarek's first wife was from Earth; clearly, this was intended to be a reference to Amanda and that Sarek was not married to the Vulcan princess spoken about in Star Trek V , which admittedly never explicitly says that Sarek ever married the princess, only that she was Sybok's mother.

Mark Lenard was highly impressed with the actresses who were cast to play Sarek's wives. Shortly after appearing in the episode "Sarek", Lenard stated, " As Sarek, I've been graced with my wives so far. They've all been good-looking and charming women. " ( The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 14 , p. 28)

In "Journey to Babel" and "Sarek", Sarek introduced Amanda Grayson and Perrin respectively as "she who is my wife."

Apocrypha [ ]

The novel Ishmael gives his full name as "S'chn T'gai Sarek".

FASA 's RPG sourcebook The Federation claims that Sarek was born in Remsusala, Vulcan.

In the Thirteenth UK Story Arc , Spock had a cousin named Horek. If Horek was Spock's first cousin, this implies that Sarek had a sibling, one of Horek's parents.

In the comic story Star Trek: The Next Generation - Perchance to Dream , the crew of the USS Enterprise -D was attacked by a telepathic weapon called the Chova, which forced its victims to experience dreams and hallucinations focused on their personal failures. However, it was discovered that people with multiple personalities could render the Chova inert (since the Chova could only attack one personality at a time). Picard was deliberately infected with the Chova, since his mind meld with Sarek, the probe that gave him the memories of Kamin , and the remnants of his memories as Locutus of Borg still in his mind all gave him the makings of a multiple personality disorder. The four defeated the Chova, but Locutus then attempted to regain control of Picard's body, nearly 'killing' Kamin and Sarek before Picard gathered the mental strength to stop Locutus.

The novel Avenger revealed Sarek's "Bendii condition" to be actually caused by a poison or special pathogen used by members of the Symmetrists, a Vulcan terrorist group, to murder him without causing suspicion. Spock was also poisoned in this way.

In the novel Engines of Destiny , Sarek became the leader of a resistance fighting the Borg in an alternate timeline where the Borg conquered the Alpha Quadrant during the events of Star Trek: First Contact . However, Sarek retained some memories of the original timeline, which allowed him to recognize Kirk and Scotty when they arrived in 'his' timeline; even having never met them, he knew that he could trust the two of them. In the end, Sarek sacrificed himself to buy time for the temporally-relocated Enterprise -D to return Kirk to the Nexus , as Kirk's presence was required for Picard to survive in order to defeat the Borg's time-traveling experiment.

In the Myriad Universes short story A Less Perfect Union , in which Terra Prime was successful and the Federation-like Interstellar Coalition was formed without an isolationist Earth, Sarek was kidnapped by the Romulans before a conference discussing Earth joining the Coalition, and replaced by Keras ( Mark Lenard's Romulan character from " Balance of Terror ") – who, being so similar in appearance that this required no cosmetic alterations of any kind, concluded that the two likely shared a common ancestor from before the Vulcan-Romulan schism.

His mirror universe counterpart appeared in the novel The Sorrows of Empire and was mentioned in Dark Mirror and Spectre , all of which exist in separate continuities.

External links [ ]

• Sarek at StarTrek.com
• Sarek at Wikipedia
• Sarek at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Sarek at the Star Trek Online Wiki
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Screen Rant

What happened to mirror universe captain kirk in star trek.

Star Trek: Discovery returns to the Mirror Universe, which raises questions about what happened to the Terran Empire's Captain Kirk after TOS.

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors".

• In "Star Trek: Discovery", new information about the fate of the Mirror Universe Captain Kirk is provided by the return of the ISS Enterprise.
• Mirror Kirk may have faced execution or plotted violent opposition against Spock's peaceful reforms.
• A planned William Shatner comeback in "Star Trek: Enterprise" involving Mirror Kirk's return was shelved due to financial reasons.

Star Trek: Discovery has just brought back the ISS Enterprise from the Terran Empire, raising the question of what happened to the Mirror Universe's Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) after the end of Star Trek: The Original Series . In Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco, and directed by Jen McGowan, the next clue to the Progenitors' treasure is found aboard the ISS Enterprise , trapped inside a pocket of interdimensional space. As Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Book (David Ajala) explore the Mirror Universe's version of the starship Enterprise , they learn more about what happened after TOS ' "Mirror, Mirror".

In "Mirror, Mirror", the Mirror Universe version of Captain Kirk switched places with his Prime Universe counterpart. While in the Mirror Universe, Prime Kirk inspired the Mirror Universe variant of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to embrace the possibility of a more peaceful future. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine revealed that Spock's more peaceful approach led to the downfall of the Terran Empire at the hands of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance . However, DS9 was vague on what happened to the ISS Enterprise, Spock, and Kirk. While Star Trek: Discovery has now revealed the fate of the ISS Enterprise, the fate of Mirror Kirk is something of a mystery.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Burnham Fight Makes Michael Even More Like Kirk

What happened to mirror universe captain kirk after star trek: the original series.

Star Trek: Discovery reveals that the Terran High Chancellor was killed for trying to make reforms, which is presumably a reference to Mirror Spock . In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 23, "Crossover", it was confirmed that Mirror Spock rose to the role of Commander in Chief, and the peaceful reforms led to the Terran Empire being unprepared for war with the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. While Discovery seems to confirm that Mirror Spock was executed for this failure, it remains tight-lipped on the fate of Mirror Kirk after he was beamed off the USS Enterprise at the end of "Mirror, Mirror".

The fate of Mirror Kirk after Star Trek: The Original Series has spawned multiple comic books and novels over the years, including the Mirror Universe trilogy by William Shatner, and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens.

Many speculated that Mirror Kirk was either imprisoned or put to death by Mirror Spock, even though that doesn't correlate with the Vulcan's attempt to make peaceful reforms . However, career progression in the Mirror Universe is ruthless, so it's certainly possible that Spock would have had Kirk executed, so he could take control of the ISS Enterprise to cement his rise to power. Another possibility is that Kirk survived, and was one of the many Terrans who objected to Mirror Spock's more peaceful reforms, perhaps even being the one who killed him in Star Trek: Discovery 's new version of events.

Mirror Kirk’s Aborted Star Trek: Enterprise Return Explained

Mirror Kirk was an integral part of a William Shatner comeback pitched for Star Trek: Enterprise season 4. In Shatner's pitch, co-conceived with writers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, Mirror Kirk was put to death by Spock following the events of "Mirror, Mirror", by being placed in the Tantalus Field. However, it would be revealed that the Tantalus Field didn't kill its victims, it placed them inside a pocket universe, where they would be discovered by Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the crew of the Enterprise NX-01. Mirror Kirk and his comrades would then launch a hostile takeover of the Enterprise, pitting Shatner against Bakula.

Another pitch for a William Shatner episode of Star Trek: Enterprise would have seen him play the NX-01's unseen chef, who would be revealed as an ancestor of James T. Kirk.

William Shatner's return in Star Trek: Enterprise would have been a ratings smash, but it was nixed by Paramount . The reasons behind Paramount aborting Shatner's Star Trek return were said to be financial, with both Manny Coto and Rick Berman telling "The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek" by Peter Holmstrom that the actor's fee was more than Enterprise could afford. With the Mirror Kirk episode abandoned, the fate of Captain Kirk's Terran counterpart would have to remain a mystery. However, Star Trek: Enterprise did return to the Mirror Universe in a season 4 two-parter involving the USS Defiant from Star Trek: TOS .

Enterprise’s Mirror Universe Episodes Marked The Sad End Of The Star Trek Prequel

Star trek: discovery reveals what happened to mirror captain kirk’s enterprise.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors" may not reveal the fate of Mirror Kirk, but it does reveal what happened to his Enterprise. Investigating the abandoned ISS Enterprise in search of Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) , Burnham and Book learn about what happened after Spock's reforms. Following the death of the Terran High Chancellor, a group of Terrans boarded the ISS Enterprise in search of the Prime Universe, perhaps inspired by the hopeful words of Prime Kirk in "Mirror, Mirror". The refugees were led by Mirror Saru (Doug Jones), who had become a resistance leader following Discovery season 1 .

Saru is one of the few Star Trek characters to be a good guy in both the Mirror and Prime Universes.

However, the ISS Enterprise became trapped in the interdimensional fold encountered by the USS Discovery in the 32nd century. Forced to abandon ship, the refugees made it through the wormhole into the prime Star Trek universe. One of the refugees was Dr. Cho, who became part of the Federation's team that investigated the Progenitors' technology alongside Dr. Vellek (Michael Copeman) and Jinaal . Dr. Cho is the only named refugee in Star Trek: Discovery , but it creates the fascinating possibility that Mirror Saru, and maybe even Mirror Kirk found their way to the Prime Universe in the 24th century.

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

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Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.