Summary
Vulcans are one ofStar Trek’smost iconic alien species, but Vulcans other than Leonard Nimoy’s Spock only appeared in four episodes ofStar Trek: The Original Series. As the Science Officer of Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) USS Enterprise,Mr. Spock appeared in all 80 episodes of the originalStar Trek,becoming even more recognizable than his commanding officer.With a Vulcan father and a human mother, Spock spent much of his life learning how to keep his human emotions in check. Almost everything revealed about Vulcan culture onTOScame through Spock, as he embraced the Vulcan philosophy of logic above all.
ThroughoutStar Trek: The Next Generationand beyond, Vulcans would pop up in numerous episodes, even when a Vulcan was not a member of the main cast. As more of their history was filled in, Vulcans became even more essential toStar Trekand thefounding of the United Federation of Planets.Spock was the only Vulcan to appear onStar Trek: The Original Seriesuntil the first episode of the second season, “Amok Time.““Amok Time” also offers the first look at the planet Vulcan, offers an expansion of the audience’s understanding of the Vulcan culture, and introduces the Vulcan hand salute. Here are the other Vulcans besides Spock who appeared inStar Trek: The Original Series.
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5T’Pring & Stonn
Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 1 - “Amok Time”
The first episode to air inStar Trek: The Original Seriesseason 2, “Amok Time” brings the Starship Enterprise to the planet Vulcan and establishes several elements of Vulcan culture. When Spock begins behaving strangely,he eventually reveals to a concerned Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) that he is undergoing the Vulcan mating phase known aspon farr.Spock will die if he does not mate soon, so Captain Kirk diverts the USS Enterprise to Spock’s home planet of Vulcan.
Once the Enterprise reaches Vulcan, Spock reveals that he has a Vulcan fiancée named T’Pring (Arlene Martel). In Spock’s absence, however, T’Pring has chosen another partner in the full-blooded Vulcan, Stonn (Lawrence Montaigne).T’Pring then demands thekal-if-fee,a ritual of physical combat between Spock and an opponent of T’Pring’s choosing.T’Pring chooses Kirk, and what follows is one ofStar Trek’smost memorable fight scenes,as Spock appears to kill Kirk.
T’Pring (Gia Sandhu) made her nextStar Trekappearance onStar Trek: Strange New Worlds.Set years prior to the events of “Amok Time,” T’Pring and Spock (Ethan Peck) were together as a couple until T’Pring suggested they take some time apart.
4T’Pau & Non-Speaking Vulcans
InStar Trek: The Original Series'“Amok Time,” aVulcan minister named T’Pau(Celia Lovsky) arrives to officiate Spock’s wedding and then oversees the kal-if-fee when T’Pring declares it.Kirk recognizes T’Pau as one of the most well-known Vulcans in the Federation,and the only person to have ever turned down a seat on the Federation Council. Several other Vulcans appear with T’Pau, presumably as guards and witnesses to Spock’s ceremony.
Captain Kirk refers to T’Pau as"all of Vulcan wrapped up in one package.”
When T’Pring chooses Kirk to fight Spock,T’Pau shuts down Stonn’s objections and allows Kirk to decide whether or not to accept.As Kirk is unaccustomed to the thinner atmosphere of Vulcan, T’Pau allows Dr. McCoy to inject Kirk with a compound to help. Unbeknownst to T’Pau or anyone else present, McCoy gives Kirk a neuro-paralyzer that only makes him appear to be dead.
A younger T’Pau (Kara Zediker) appeared in three episodes ofStar Trek: Enterprise,as a leader within the Syrrannite movement, which followed the teachings of the ancient Vulcan philosopher, Surak.
3Mirror Universe Spock’s Vulcan Bodyguard
Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 4 - “Mirror, Mirror”
In one ofStar Trek: The Original Series’most famous episodes, Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), and Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols)find themselves in the brutal alternate reality known as the Mirror Universe.As Kirk and his crew members impersonate their Terran Empire selves, they desperately search for a way back to their own universe.
The ISS Enterprise returned inStar Trek: Discoveryseason 5, the series headlined by Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Spock’s adopted sister who was raised on Vulcan.
As assassinations are commonplace in the Mirror Universe, Spock travels around the ISS Enterprise with two bodyguards, one of whom is a Vulcan (Russ Peek).The idea to give Spock a Vulcan bodyguard reportedly came from the director of the episode, Marc Daniels, rather than the script.After his encounter with Kirk in “Mirror, Mirror,“Mirror Universe Spocktries to reform the Terran Empire, but is ultimately killed for his efforts.
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2Ambassador Sarek & Non-Speaking Vulcans
Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2, Episode 10 - “Journey to Babel”
When the Starship Enterprise transports several Federation ambassadors to an important intergalactic conference, Spock’s parents,Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard) and Amanda Grayson(Jane Wyatt), pay their son a visit. Sarek and Amanda arrive aboard the Enteprirse in full ceremony, with several other Vulcans in their entourage. Because Spock joined Starfleet rather than attend the Vulcan Science Academy,Spock and Sarek have been estranged for several years.
When Sarek reveals he has been suffering from heart problems, Dr. McCoy determines that the Vulcan Ambassador needs surgery.Spock acts as a blood donor for his father,and McCoy and Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett) successfully complete the operation. Upon awakening from surgery, Spock and Sarek begin talking again, thanks largely to Amanda’s interference.
Spock’s parents, and his struggle between his Vulcan and human sides, became an integral part of the character inStar Trek: The Original Series’movies and inStar Trek: Strange New Worlds.
1Excaliban Recreation Of Surak
Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3, Episode 22 - “The Savage Curtain”
InStar Trek: The Original Seriesseason 3’s “The Savage Curtain,” the USS Enterprise arrives at a new planet only to inexplicably encounter Abraham Lincoln (Lee Bergere) floating in space.Kirk and Spock beam down to the planet with Lincoln, where they meet Surak (Barry Atwater),the father of Vulcan civilization. A native of the planet eventually reveals himself, saying that his people, the Excalibans, wish to learn more about the human concepts of good and evil.
Kirk, Spock, Lincoln, and Surak have been chosen to represent the “good” side, while Genghis Khan (Nathan Jung), Colonel Philip Green (Phillip Pine), Zora (Carol Daniels DeMent), and Kahless (Robert Herron) represent the “evil” side.
Surak speaks of conflicts in Vulcan history, insisting that"it is more logical to heal than kill.“Surak attempts to negotiate with the evil group, but they kill him and Lincoln, before the Excalibans eventually allow Kirk and Spock to return to the Enterprise. Spock remains the most famous Vulcan introduced onStar Trek: The Original Series,but nearly every other Vulcan onTOSbecame an important part ofStar Trekcanon.
