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• Vulcan culture
• Humanoid species
• Telepathic species
• Races and cultures
• Beta Quadrant races and cultures
• Federation races and cultures
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There may have been numerous transitions within the Vulcan government which has shifted between the Vulcan High Command to the Confederacy of Vulcan . Part of their territory is known as the Vulcan Colonial Protectorate . ( TOS novel : Spectre )

• 1 Known individuals
• 2.1 Physiology
• 2.2 Lifespan
• 2.3 Medical conditions
• 2.4 Splinter Species
• 4.2 Mythology
• 4.3 Family life
• 4.4 Society
• 4.5 Rituals
• 4.6 Recreational
• 4.7 Holidays
• 4.8 Martial Arts
• 4.9 Artifacts
• 4.11 Beverages
• 4.13 Language
• 5 Technology
• 6.1 Appearances
• 6.2 References
• 6.3 External links

Known individuals [ ]

Biology [ ], physiology [ ].

Originating from a desert world, Vulcans have a number of features evolved for better survival in warm and dry environments. These include inner eyelids to protect their eyes from sand and the ability to go for some time without water . ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) This was a genetic trait that was traced to the early Vulcan ancestors following the scorching of their world and was spread through the use of primitive eugenics allowing the entire species to retain the use of this inner eyelid. ( TOS novel : Spock's World ) The inner eyelid is useful as it allows a Vulcan to withstand blinding flashes of light without any damage to the eye itself. ( TOS novel : Memory Prime , TOS episode : " Operation -- Annihilate! ") Within Vulcans there is a clear inner eyelid (a nictitating membrane) which filters radiation, dust, and other harmful elements that could damage the eye. Although this can be further mutated, under the proper conditions, to closely resemble that of a fish. ( TAS episode : " The Ambergris Element ")

Vulcans tend to be tall with dark hair and all have elongated upper ears that are pointed at the top and slanted eyebrows. Some specimens have pronounced brows. Similar to Humans , Vulcans tend to have a wide range of skin tones, an example being Xialites , and other tropically descended Vulcans, possessing a darker skin complexion. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) Dark skinned Vulcans were native of the southern continent of Vulcan . ( ENT short story : " Universal Chord ")

The Vulcan epidermis is unlike any in the known galaxy as it formed a two-way moisture proof shield which protects the body from external liquids and pressure, as well as maintaining the inner temperature and the liquid environment of the organs. A notable difference between Humans and Vulcans is that Vulcans do not possess sweat glands. Instead, they evolved an ability that allows their blood , skin , and body structure to cool itself rather than perspire, which would be inefficient on the race's desert homeworld. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) Vulcan blood vessels are more dilated than Humans. The larger blood vessels are the reason Vulcan blood pressure is lower. The dilated blood vessels and fast heart rate also play a key role in regulating Vulcan body temperature. A standard 91°F (32.78° C) body temperature is maintained by the internal cooling mechanism of fast blood circulation. ( ST reference : Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual )

Vulcan blood is copper based, giving Vulcan blood a green color. This makes it extremely effective in separating, as well as utilizing, smaller amounts of oxygen available in the Vulcan homeworld's low pressure and mildly irradiated environment. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) Whilst normally green, certain diseases such as Cymbeline blood burn have been known to turn Vulcan blood red, but only in the terminal stages of the disease. ( ENT - The Romulan War novel : Beneath the Raptor's Wing )

Vulcan internal physiology

Though they appear to be similar to Humans (there has been speculation that the Vulcan and Human species perhaps possessed a common ancestor due to similarities), the Vulcan species internal anatomy is far different. Males and females are of similar height as well as stature; averaging 2 meters in height and 70 kilos in weight. Furthermore, their muscle mass is much longer and their skeletal frame is denser compared to Terrans, the direct result of their living on a world with higher gravity and a thinner atmosphere . Due to these traits, the average Vulcan tends to be stronger than a Human. Their bodies are also capable of withstanding greater levels of radiation when compared to Terrans. ( ENT novel : Surak's Soul ) Vulcans possess a perfect bilateral symmetry and do not have an appendix. ( TOS novel : Spock Must Die! )

Vulcan internal organs tend to operate at a much faster rate compared to other comparable species. A Vulcan's pulse is normally considered quite rapid. ( TOS novel : Unspoken Truth ) An average heart rate is as high as 265 beats per minute. The heart itself is another source of distinction between Vulcans and Humans, as its location is the center of the torso, where Humans kept their livers. ( TOS movie : Star Trek Beyond ) It's surrounded by a large lung structure which is capable of holding approximately 20% more air then Human lungs. This has resulted in the Vulcan torso, rib cage, and musculature being significantly longer. This allows it to encompass the organs within, lessening the danger of outside forces causing serious internal injury. ( TOS novel : Dreams of the Raven , TOS episode : " A Private Little War ")

The Vulcan skull is also notably different when compared to other species. The Vulcans possess 28 teeth and lack rear molars. Instead, they possess a longer mandibular movement than other bipedal species. Although the bone structure of the Vulcan skull is thinner, the actual skull casing is formed of extremely dense matter. This allows a thinner depth of bone to be actually harder, as well as stronger, than a human skull. Thus, fatal blows to a Human head are less life threatening to a member of this race. ( TOS episode : " Mirror, Mirror ")

The Vulcan brain

Vulcan neurology is known to be incredibly resilient. ( ENT episode : " Awakening ") One of the least understood areas of the Vulcan body is the brain . The Vulcan midbrain is larger, more complex, and contains more nerve endings and capillaries than those in Human brains. The Vulcan midbrain is comparable with the Betazoid midbrain, which comprises nearly 65% of their entire brain mass, although the Vulcan midbrain only comprises 45% of the brain. It is believed that this portion of their brain gives the Vulcan species their remarkable psionic abilities, though further testing has proved to be inconclusive. Despite this being the case, their race is known to be considerably more adept telepathically when compared to most Humans. ( TOS novel : The Starless World ) The species also has thirty six pairs of nerves attached to their spinal cord which serves as an autonomic and voluntary nervous system. ( TOS novel : First Strike ) Their brains are also noted to not have the same lateralization of function when compared to Humans, where the left side of the brain controls certain functions and right controlls others. Instead, the Vulcan brain has an area controlling speech on each side of the brain, thus providing a level of redundancy (should one part be damaged, than the other could take over). This has also made Vulcans ambidextrous in nature, allowing them to use both hands equally well. ( TOS novel : Mindshadow ) The Vulcan nervous system is noted as being far more resilient when compared to other races, capable of surviving damage that would kill a Human or a Denobulan . ( ENT episode : " Rajiin ") Unlike most humanoid species, traumatic memories were not only psychologically disturbing to Vulcans, but had physical consequences as well. The Vulcan brain, in reordering neural pathways, could literally lobotomize itself. ( VOY episode : " Flashback ") A rare neurological disease that can affect Vulcans over 200 years of age, Bendii Syndrome , strips emotional control by affecting the metathalamus (part of the midbrain), and can also result in telepathic projection of emotion. ( TNG episode : " Sarek ")

They also possess more heightened senses than Humans. Vulcans' sensitive olfactory senses can tolerate human body odors with nasal numbing agents . ( ENT episode : " The Andorian Incident ") Furthermore, their senses are so sharp that a Vulcan can quite easily be capable of determining if another individual is an actual organic Vulcan or a robotic duplicate. ( TOS novel : Memory Prime ) It has been noted that Vulcan eyesight is more acute. They are able to recognize more color frequencies and see more clearly at a distance. There is a downside to this, as Vulcans experience pain and symptoms that are similar to headaches and eyestrain when exposed to highly vibrant colors for long periods of time. Furthermore, the Vulcan optic nerve is much more delicate and sensitive compared to those of Humans, which makes it more vulnerable to disease and degeneration. ( TOS episode : " The Deadly Years ") One of the most obvious distinctive features in Vulcans is the shape and structure of the ear, as the top of their ears' pinna tapers into a point. Though capable of funneling sound and intensifying the reception of harmonics, the internal structure of the eardrum is very different than Humans. It forms no fewer than three separate functioning eardrums. Tests have shown that these eardrums seem to respond to differing volumes and pitch and relay the sound through separate channels to the nerve centers of the brain. Each eardrum is known to work independently and, in the case of Vulcans of old age, it is most often the eardrums that sense low pitch that deteriorate. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

The hormonal activity within the Vulcan body can be regulated consciously by trained Vulcans. This allows such individuals to control their adrenaline, thyroid, and other metabolic systems which, in turn, allows them to alter their heart rate, oxygen consumption, and other bodily resources. This training also gives Vulcans amazing recuperative abilities, allowing them to control their bodies to repair internal or structural damage at an accelerated rate while in a self-induced hypnosis. ( TOS episode : " A Private Little War ") Most Vulcans can resist the phermonal emissions of Deltans ( TOS movie : Star Trek: The Motion Picture ), and those of Orions of the opposite sex. ( ENT episode : " Bound ") They are also capable of surviving for long durations without food or sleep. Under stress, Vulcans can do without sleep for weeks. ( TOS episode : " The Paradise Syndrome ", TOS novel : Yesterday's Son ) A possible exception to this control is during the reproductive cycle, Pon farr . Unless the pon farr is satisfied, a Vulcan would die within eight days of the process beginning. ( TOS episode : " Amok Time "; VOY episode : " Blood Fever ")

Different sources provide different information regarding the reproductive cycle of Vulcans and the age at which they reach sexual maturity. Vulcans reach full growth and legal adulthood a number of years before they reach the age of sexual maturity. ( TOS novel : The Vulcan Academy Murders ) The length of a Vulcan and Earth year is different, meaning that a Vulcan might account for his age either as measured in Earth years or in Vulcan years. It is not always clear which has been used in accounting for a Vulcan's age. The female Vulcan can be impregnated after her menstrual cycle begins, which is typically at the age of 16, and can be as late as 25. The male Vulcan is incapable of creating progeny until after the onset of their first pon farr , during which a hormone known as yamareen is released into the bloodstream. Thereafter, the Vulcan male is capable of reproducing at any time, but they must obey the physical urge to mate every seven years. This, in comparison with the reproductive ability of other species with which they can mate, gives credence to the theory that Humans, Vulcans, and Klingons are from a common ancestor seeded by the Preservers . ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) Most Vulcan males experience pon farr for the first time at the age of twenty, and in seven-year cycles following that, but amongst hybrids, their biological differences mean that it can come at more uncertain times. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory ) Vulcans are capable of producing offspring with humans, but some sources say the use of medical intervention is required. A human female needs to receive large doses of hormones and Vulcan vitamins before conception in order to prepare her body for the fetus, which takes 10 months to mature. ( TOS novel : Sarek , ENT episode : " Terra Prime ")

Lifespan [ ]

The Vulcan lifespan is longer than that of humans. Vulcans have been known to live over 200 years, and the Vulcan Zakal lived to the age of 276 - dying just as Surak's teachings began to take hold in Vulcan society. ( TNG episode : " Sarek ", TOS novel : The Lost Years , TOS novel : Epiphany ) At least one Vulcan lived past the age of 277 years. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

After reaching adulthood, the aging process of Vulcans slowed a great deal. Vulcans who appeared to be young adults by human standards could actually be as much as two or three times older than their appearance indicated. T'Pol , for example, who appeared by human standards to be in her late twenties or early thirties, was actually in her mid-sixties by the time she was assigned to the Enterprise (NX-01) , quite older than many of her crew members suspected. Lieutenant Commander Tuvok , who appeared by human standards to be in his late thirties or early forties by the mid-24th century, was actually over 100 years old by the time the USS Voyager was pulled into the Delta Quadrant. ( ENT episode : " Fallen Hero " and VOY episode : " Flashback ")

Medical conditions [ ]

Vulcan biology was vulnerable to Trellium as it was a neurotoxin to them which degraded their neural pathways to the point that they were suffering from violent emotions that resulted ultimately in madness. ( ENT episodes : " Impulse ", " Damage ") They had never suffered from a condition such as hyperthyroidism and thus never developed a cure for such a state. ( TOS novel : Legacy ) Vulcans never fainted as such a condition was the result of emotional stimuli though they were capable of being rendered unconscious by virulent disease organisms or intense external exertion. ( TOS novel : Windows on a Lost World )

• Bendii syndrome
• Choriocytosis
• Myrruthesia
• Pa'nar Syndrome
• Skag Maug plague
• Tuvan Syndrome
• Vulcans scourge
• Oroborus virus
• Vulcan bebonea

Splinter Species [ ]

The Vulcans have had the capacity for space travel since at least the 3rd century and have spread throughout local space. At least one Vulcan colony was lost from the Vulcan people: the Last-of-all-Cities colony on Darien 224 , which remained isolated from the galactic community for two millennia. ( EV comic : " Cloak and Dagger ") There were also several other Vulcanite races in the Federation, though it is unclear if these are directly connected to the Vulcans or if they are simply a similar species. ( Balance of Terror novelization) Other Vulcan off-shoots include:

• Vulcanoid Rigelian

There was speculation from Spock that Sargon 's people may have visited his homeworld in the past and perhaps the Vulcan species are an offshoot of theirs. ( TOS episode : " Return to Tomorrow ") It's also possible that the V'gelnians were a another splinter species of Vulcans.

History [ ]

Culture [ ].

Vulcan IDIC seal

Founded by an ancient Vulcan named Surak , the essence of Vulcan society is in arriving at the truth through logical process. Most Vulcans believe that emotions are illogical, thus making them impure, and deterrent to truth. However, Vulcans are born with the same emotions that afflicted their violent ancestors, but the continual mind conditioning, the t'san s'at , gives them the impassivity sought after by all Vulcans. The t'an s'at is an intellectual deconstruction of emotional patterns, a lifelong process that strives for absolute detachment from all emotion. Though not all can arrive at the ultimate pure logical state, the exacting process of mental control gives Vulcans enough to conform to the ideals of Vulcan society. Vulcans of this creed were impervious to greed, deception, anger, and all other vices. ( VOY episode : " Alter Ego ") Ultimately, the Vulcan way was one of enlightenment and expansion of the intellect through the pursuit of logic. ( VAN novel : Open Secrets ) This meant that they tended to control to the point of suppression of all acts of emotions. ( TOS novel : The Galactic Whirlpool ) Vulcans actually felt pleasure from the contemplation of logical processes at work and felt pain from perceiving its subversion though they were ultimately able to control the effects of pleasure or pain on their behavior. ( TOS novel : The Joy Machine )

The majority of Vulcans follow a belief in logic known as Cthia and many aim to achieve a state without emotion known as Kolinahr . ( TOS movie : Star Trek: The Motion Picture ) This philosophy meant that they relied on logic and reason to guide their lives, rather than emotion. All expression of emotions was completely forbidden, negative or otherwise. This did not mean that Vulcans had cast away all emotions they once had; they had merely made a choice not to let those emotions influence the decisions they were making. ( TOS novel : Demons ) This led to the mistaken belief amongst other species that Vulcans had no emotions; they did possess them, but did not permit those emotions to show in public or allow them to control their actions. ( TOS novel : Prime Directive ) Few Vulcans managed to extinguish all their emotions but most had mastered the ability to contain them. This went in line with Vulcan philosophy that their race had adopted which stated that there was no reason why any emotion should have any influence on behavior or cloud the path of logic. ( TNG novel : The Devil's Heart ) Vulcan families were privately proud if any of their number counted a Kolinahr student amongst their ranks. ( TOS novel : Recovery )

Both the Vulcans and the Romulans were known to possess much stronger instincts when compared to Humans. ( TOS novel : The Great Starship Race ) Curiousity was one emotion which Vulcans admitted and even approved. ( TOS novel : The Vulcan Academy Murders ) In contrast, fear was something that Vulcans believed that they did not experience under their strict beliefs against emotions. ( ENT episode : " Damage ")

Logic was similar to a religion to the Vulcans and as such it was filled with many sects as well as schools of thought each of which had widely differing view points and opinions on nearly every subject matter. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) It must be noted that this stance is not accepted by all Vulcans, however. There are groups of Vulcans referred to as " v'tosh ka'tur ", which means "Vulcans without logic." ( ENT episodes : " Fusion ", " Stigma ") The Romulans were originally a group of Vulcans who chose to split away rather than accept the philosophy of Surak. In addition to this, many Vulcan's can subscribe to the different teachings of other philosophers such as Jarok , Nirak , or T'mor . ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) In the 23rd century , the Vulcans held an interest in using the teachings of Surak to persuade the Romulans to adopt a logical viewpoint as their own so that they would, within the span of a few centuries, manage to throw off their violent, overemotional characteristics. ( TOS novel : Death's Angel )

One Vulcan saying is 'The Vulcan knows there is a time for everything' which is an approximate translation from the Kahr-y-Tan which means the 'Way of the Vulcan'. An aspect of this is the herb gathering ritual which Vulcans engage in which is where they collect necessary herbs in preparation of tea for Vulcan Masters. ( TOS novel : Dwellers in the Crucible ) When they decided to repress their emotions - the Vulcans' drive for ambition and desire to conquer, that were the characteristics of leaders, was expunged as they had seen the result of these traits that nearly brought devastation to their world and people. ( TOS novel : From the Depths ) Vulcan scientists had determined that there were hundreds of thousands or perhaps millions of sentient races in the galaxy that were victims of war, hatred and bigotry. Thus, their teachings made them believe that the greatest good they were capable of accomplishing was serving as instruments of logic and teach such races that there was a way outside violence as was discovered by the Vulcan forebears in their discovery of the control of emotion as well as the use of logic. ( TOS novel : Crisis on Vulcan )

Something of noted importance within Vulcan society was the discovery of the Kir'Shara by Captain Jonathan Archer and Commander T'Pol which brought at end of the rule of the Vulcan High Command . This also sparked a rapid change within Vulcan society which moved from a government that would engage in spying, battles and a more active part in the galaxy to one of more peaceful and almost isolationist tendencies. The discovery of the Kir'Shara presumably led to many years of study which the Vulcans concentrated on rather than follow the behavior they had previously. ( ENT episodes : " The Forge ", " Awakening ", " Kir'Shara ")

Vulcans did not distinguish moral factors from practical ones. In addition, they were notable for not making use of animal life. The reason for doing so was because they felt no great virtue in that necessity. As they began to master their own aggressive tendencies, they began to notice both the pain as well as rage and suffering that they had inflicted on their animals by influencing them through psychic feelings. These in turn reinfected the Vulcans, leading to a neverending cycle of emotions which the Vulcans in later years avoided. ( TOS novel : The Prometheus Design )

Mythology [ ]

In Vulcan's ancient times, there existed a number of gods and goddesses with dual aspects among them that stemmed from their emotions which was known as the Inner Chorus . The first was Tel-alep known as "the Watcher" who was the bearer of knowledge. His alternate counterpart was Alep-tel "the Bitter" who was eager to give knowledge but this was poisoned due to his bitterness. Another deity was Kir-alep who was the god of peace whilst his wrathful counterpart was Alep-kir "the Sullen" who was a source of apathy to Vulcans. Valdena , a Vulcan goddess, was the representation of love, joy and beauty while Dena-vel was her counterpart who sought to hide all the beauty of the world that she loves. Kal-ap-ton was the most dangerous of the gods as he was the representation of grief. A closer counterpart linked to Kal-ap-ton was Tyr-al-tep "the Unforgiver" who made Vulcans feel guilt over what might have happened had the death not occured of a loved one. One of the most dangerous and dark voices amongst the gods was Ket-Cheleb "the Destroyer" who signified anger and was the only one that lacked a counterpart with it being said that he killed his dual aspect ages ago. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

Among this pantheon of gods the ancient myths spoke of twin god brothers that were different from one another yet always united and together rose their mother, the sun, into the sky. The names of these god brothers would be adopted by the early Romulans for their homeworlds. ( TOS - Vulcan's Soul novels : Exodus , Exiles ) Other gods believed to exist included the gods of peace, death and war which were depicted on the Stone of Gol . ( TNG episode : " Gambit, Part II ") In addition, there was the warrior goddess T'Vet who was still worshiped amongst some circles on modern Vulcan. ( TOS novel : The Vulcan Academy Murders ) There were a number of other deities within this pantheon which included the goddess Reah who held sway over death and bereavement. There was also a male war god known as Khosarr who had a consort called Akraana . In addition, there was a red fertility goddess who was known as Lia . ( TOS novel : Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

Early Vulcans believed in a wide range of myths that spread across the surface of their homeworld before the age of Surak. Such beliefs include the Treasury of Erebus that spoke of an ice demon living within the snow at the peak of Mount Seleya . Another myth spoke of the Eater of Souls which would devour the souls of travelers lost in the deserts of Vulcan. While other myths spoke of a deadly creature known as the Veruul that lived within the heart of the Fire Plains of Raal within Vulcan's Forge . Furthermore, in the heart of the Womb of Fire was stated to lie Vorta Vor . ( TOS - Vulcan's Soul novels : Exodus , Exiles )

Vulcan mythology believed in a place known as Sha Ka Ree which was the Vulcan view of Eden . ( TOS movie : Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ) According to some of the oldest myths of the Vulcan race, that at the end of the universe all of existence was going to be consumed by fire. ( TOS - Vulcan's Soul novel : Exiles ) Though the practice of worshipping gods had long ended with the introduction of Surak's logic, there were traditionalist cults that maintained the practice of belief in these deities those these groups had little interaction with later era Vulcans. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

Similar to Earth mythologies, Vulcans never intruded on the realm of the gods without reason which was usually due to an important task that mortals were required to accomplish that the deities themselves were unable to conduct themselves. ( TOS novel : The Wounded Sky )

Some Vulcans combined the philosophy of Surak with older religious traditions. T'Pel , wife of Tuvok , asked the priests at the Temple of Amonak to offer prayers for his safe return. ( VOY episode : " Hunters ") Tuvok prayed that Mr. Suder might find peace in death that eluded him in life. ( VOY episode : " Basics, Part II ")

Family life [ ]

Family was noted as an important aspect of Vulcan society with loyalties overruling even planetary law. This was partly due to the fact that Vulcan itself was governed by an oligarchy composed of several prominent families. Vulcan families were extremely disciplined and very close knit. ( TOS novel : Yesterday's Son ) Vulcans were noted for their more complex family relationships compared to Humans. Such family units consisted of the Eldest of House with normally a matriarch in charge of the affairs of the House . ( TOS novel : Sarek ) The social traditions of a family were considered quite rigid in the sense that children had great expectations which were difficult to integrate with personal ambitions or needs. The family ultimately determined most life choices or attempted to influence them such as career and even marriage. The latter was a notable aspect as it was expected the family lines were to be preserved through succession and tradition be upheld. ( TOS novel : Yesterday's Son ) Traditionally, a male Vulcan was not present at the time when their mate was delivering their child during the pregnancy. ( TOS novel : Star Trek (2009) ) Children when they were born were not given a name until their Naming Day . ( TOS novel : Sarek ) Similar to the ceremonies surrounding marriage and burial, the Vulcan rituals that concerned birth had remained intact over the millenia with event he logic of Surak failing to strip the Vulcan race of their dark and ancient rites. ( TOS novel : Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

Newborn children til the age of four were known to take part in visual mathematics, basical calculation as well as beginning the neurological organization of their brains which was followed by an identity meld. By the time they were four, they began mathematics and species identification as well as began to coordinate the use of their physical bodies. Furthermore, algebra, geometry and physics dominated their study life at this time. ( TOS - Fortunes of War novel : Battlestations! )

Typically, as part of Vulcan custom, children are betrothed at around seven Earth years of age when they undergo a Bonding ceremony which telepathically links the two. As a result the two Vulcans would seek one another during their pon farr cycle. ( TOS novel : Sarek ) This practice had been in place for thousands of generations. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory ) This was a parental arrangement which dated to ancient times as it served as a method of preventing wars and strengthening ties between neighbors whose ancestral lands adjoined. ( TOS novel : Dwellers in the Crucible )

When they were eight, children began preliminary telepathic communication and were taught etiquette as well as their clans history along with Vulcan anthropology, calculus and quantum physics. When the child was ten, they learn to suppress cortical stimuli in the dominant hemisphere as well as learn of their races cultural history and began a study of Vulcan rites of passage. By the time they were eleven, they learn of the pressure points needed for mind melding in addition to learning memory accuracy and internal time counting. Furthermore, they were introduced to logic and definition, the principles of analysis, concreteness of thought and physical deportment. These early years of study were expected to continue til the child was between the age of thirteen to fifteen after which their formal training began. ( TOS - Fortunes of War novel : Battlestations! )

As children, Vulcans did not make use of secret languages though there were codes, gestures and intonation that were constantly changing. ( TOS novel : World Without End ) During their early education, Vulcan children took part in a curriculum where they learnt the most rudimentary telesper skills to better control their innate telepathic abilities. ( TOS novel : Unspoken Truth )

When formal training began, the first rite conducted was Tal T'Lee where they were assisted in their meditation by an adept of their clan council. They learn to control their subdominant cortices which was followed by Dwemish Hi-An where identity isolation was learnt along with brain control with numbers systems and equations. They also learn multiplication left to right whereupon they took part in Enok-Kal Fi Lar which was the processes of definition and the concepts of given. Once this was complete, the child took part in An-Prele between the age of sixteen to nineteen where they learn pain control meditation from a clan council adept. They were also expected to read Essays of Discipline and Analysis of Pseudodoxy as well as was expected to learn to segregate the lobes of their brains. ( TOS - Fortunes of War novel : Battlestations! )

As the child grew older, one of their rights of passage was the Kahs-wan maturity test which was a survival ritual that dated before the time of Surak. Those who survived took their first step into adulthood. ( TOS novel : Exodus )

At the age of twenty to twenty four, the Vulcan was expected to learn of logical paradigms and behavioral modification through the The Runes of T'Vish . They also learn multiplication right to left, diagonal and cross multiplication as well as learn to isolate their katra. This continued til the age of twenty five to twenty nine where the Sele-An-T'Lee was conducted which comprised of lessons in subdominant brain organization, advanced philosophy and logic, muscle coordination and the control of will. Part of this also included learning the five steps which were the belief discipline, reality awareness, sensory acuteness, visual calculation and fact analysis. There were further readings expected which included Logic and Definition , Equations , Systems of Logic , The Interior and Purpose as Prime Motivator . There were also taught advanced mind meld techniques as part of their training.

By the time the Vulcan was thirty to thirty five, they were expected to had conducted the Norn-La-Hal which involved superior control meditation and neurological organization. Furthermore, importance was placed on the dignity and tradition in Vulcan identity as well as the contemplations of infinity. The final stage of this training involved Venlinahr which was the state most adult Vulcans had attained and involved meditation by individual discretion. There was also further study of Vulcan dharma as well as advanced readings on the mystagogues of Surak, Scorus, T'Enne, T'Vish, Prisu and Seltar. ( TOS - Fortunes of War novel : Battlestations! )

Vulcans youths were not allowed to guide the conversations of their elders, this was especially the case if the child in question was not past the age of the Ka nifoor . ( TOS novel : Corona ) From a young age, Vulcans were geared towards the suppression of feelings of emotions and divest themselves from such traits. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation ) By the time a Vulcan was an adult, they had learnt a set of mind rules which governed their telepathic abilities as well as the necessary skills needed to shield their thoughts from outside emotions. ( TOS novel : Mindshadow )

It was generally believed that the Vulcans did not possess any emotions though such a line of thought was false as they in fact hold the capacity to not only understand but deal with emotions. However, they had chosen not to do so and instead worked for the suppression of such feelings. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation ) As such, they were perfectly capable of experiencing emotions but chose not to express them. ( TOS novel : Memory Prime ) Though ultimately logical creatures, it took many years of practice and training for young Vulcans who do demonstrate emotions at first before beginning the long process that was made by Surak centuries ago. To accomplish this, Vulcan parents used learning tools and techniques to train their children in the primary concepts of logic, and to gain control over their emotions. Eventually, through these processes young children began to learn emotional control. ( VOY episode : " Human Error ", TNG novel : Metamorphosis ) As part of their belief in honesty, Vulcan parents were known not to shield the truth from their young as they believed it would hinder their development in coping with such difficulties. Furthermore, a parent's attachment to the child was not considered an emotion but rather as part of the parent's identity and without the child, the parent would not be complete. ( VOY episode : " Innocence ")

Vulcans preferred not to dance with another man's wife which was attributed to their customs which stated that it was not appropriate for a man to have in his arms a woman that was not his. ( TOS novel : The Vulcan Academy Murders ) During the marital arrangements, it was possible for the male to pay a bride price to his future wife. These dowries were not paid by a bride's family on Vulcan but by the husband when he was seem to be fortunate enough to gain a life partner. At the time of the formal announcement of marriage, the husband paid a monthly sum to the bride's family until the wedding took place. This money was used to provide the future wife's needs until the husband officially took on his marital responsibilities. This was the case even if the woman was wealth or had a career of her own or even both. This meant that the bride price also varied and was determined by the husband's wealth with the more wealthy having to contribute more money to their future wife.( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory ) In addition, there were strict teachings that spoke against desecrating the dead. ( TOS novel : Mind Meld )

Matters regarding the Vulcan mating practices were typically not discussed with outworlders. ( VAN novel : Open Secrets ) They also believed that close family exchanges should be kept private. ( TOS novel : Crisis on Vulcan )

Vulcans were known to recognize the need to grieve though kept such affairs private. ( TOS novel : Ex Machina ) Thus, they mourned the death of friends and kin though they were aware of the danger of abdicating complete control to loss as it was frequently difficult to regain their former composure. ( TOS novel : From the Depths ) The tenets of their philosophy provided guidance on facing personal loss with equanimity and the use of logic to maintain emotional control as well as a state of quietude. Some believed that the lives of the dead were capable of being mourned only if those lives had been wasted. ( TOS novel : The Fire and the Rose ) It was considered an important matter to Vulcan families to recover the body of a deceased member. ( TOS novel : Bloodthirst ) In addition, whenever the partner in a bonding died, the family linked mentally in order to provide support until the surviving partner managed to adjust from the loss. ( TOS novel : Time for Yesterday ) Vulcan custom held that, whenever possible, the immediate family of the deceased walked from the site of the burial back to their home. ( TOS novel : The Fire and the Rose )

Society [ ]

Surak's teachings were the most important philosophical essays in Vulcan history, detailing the use of logic and reason in order to control warring emotions and destructive tendencies. In the beginning, Vulcans used their emotions as a tool, preferring to apply logic to justify their actions rather than use logic to guide their actions. As the race evolved and the teachings of Surak spread, however, the use of various techniques to banish and suppress emotion became more prevalent and Vulcan psychology blossomed. The understanding of one's mind and mental processes as well as one's emotional reactions became a necessity, and psychology was applied not only to one's own actions but also to understanding the actions of others. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) Their beliefs also led them to hold that all life was precious as it could never be returned or replaced. This meant that they never considered an act that would lead to the death of an individual - not even their enemies. ( TOS novel : Yesterday's Son )

The foremost psychologists on Vulcan belonged to the religious orders that guided Vulcan society. Surak's school, the largest and most popular sect of Vulcan beliefs, advocated the study and understanding of emotional desires, so that the student could suppress and control them. Constant study of this process, as well as assisting others in achieving mastery of psionics through control of emotion, had caused the devotees of this doctrine to become experts on the workings and common psychological traumas of Vulcan minds. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) Vulcan reasoning meant that they did not have "hunches" but rather used subliminal clues to add up to a high order of probability. ( TOS novel : Ishmael ) They also preferred to train their minds rather than artificially enhance it. ( TOS novel : The Starship Trap )

The school of Surak had many techniques which opened the mind of a student, perceiving where the student's difficulties and strongest emotions lie and adjusted the mind's processes so that the student can more completely face the emotion and learn to control it. Thus, they were experienced in abnormal psychology as well as the common workings of the Vulcan minds. When a Vulcan was unable to control his emotions, his family or colleagues often summoned a devotee of Surak to deal with him. When a Vulcan willingly gives in to his emotions, it was one goal of those who followed the doctrines of Surak to help him resolve his problems and rejoin society. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

One of the most contemplated teachings of Surak was his admonition that one should study reason above all else. He taught that a Vulcan should learn to discern reality both as it seemed to be and as it truly was. This dissection of truth from illusion had spurred Vulcans into intense study of science and mathematics, helping them dissect many of the most complex workings in the universe into logical steps. Patience, temperance and logical observation (truthfulness to the world) were three of the greatest virtues of Vulcan culture and all have great application to scientific reasoning. Vulcans believed that their adherence to this doctrine made them the foremost scientists in the Federation. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) An old precept among their kind stated that "the time required to solve a problem is inversely proportional to the amount of knowledge brought to bear on the subject" . This essentially meant that the more scientists capable of reviewing the data, the greater the chance was that someone would find the solution to the problem. ( TOS novel : Windows on a Lost World )

Further, the application of these virtues, combined with intense meditation, had given Vulcans great control over their native psionic abilities. They remained unable, however, to control that most famous biological trigger of Vulcan mental abilities such as the pon farr. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans ) Most Vulcans learn numerous mental techniques that had been first developed by Surak but over the centuries had been improved upon by generations of philosophers and healers. During times of stress or those that led to agitation, a Vulcan was capable of calming themselves through the use of a meditation formula. ( TOS novel : The Vulcan Academy Murders ) They maintained a great many techniques in the arts of meditation which they regularly employed. This ranged from simple basic defensive meditation capable of blocking the telepathic intrusions of highly trained telepaths such as Betazoids to complete meditation where there was a cessation of all thought. Such techniques were even used in the early period of interstellar travel when Vulcans entered into a deep extended meditation during intergalactic voyages that lasted for decades under sub-light travel where Vulcan explorers travelled between the stars. Furthermore, it was well noted that torture had little effect on Vulcans. ( TOS novel : Captain's Blood )

It was known that incense was a means used by Vulcans to better facilitate meditation. In addition, they often made use of special mandalas engraved with Vulcan glyphs that were used to focus as well as help quiet their minds and emotions thus removing any barriers or distractions that might prevent them from concentrating on the reception along with the application of logic. ( VAN novel : Open Secrets ) Meditation was a particularly useful technique when they were confronted with a problem that defied casual analysis. ( TOS novel : Legacy ) Masochism did not exist within Vulcan society. ( TOS novel : Star Trek (2009) ) Those that took part in the kolinahr ritual also learnt of calming techniques in order to center themselves during times of emotional turmoil. Concentration was an art that the Vulcans had learnt early though doing so without any results was taxing. ( TOS novel : Avenger )

Among the Vulcan disciplines taught included the simple technique of handling pain where the individual accepted the pain till it became a part of them whereupon it simply vanished. ( TOS novel : The Wounded Sky ) Vulcans did not believe in using medicines to cure minor afflictions and instead their science taught them to use their own bodies to create medicines to combat any such issues. This was the reason for the use of neuropressure in treating problems such as difficulty in sleeping. ( ENT episode : " The Xindi ")

Vulcans are noted for their patience and believe it is a necessity among their species while it was a virtue among Humans. ( TOS novel : Sarek ) One of the most famous qualities among the Vulcan people was their high degree of honesty. This was to such an extent that many Vulcan's were highly reluctant to tell a lie which led to the saying that "Vulcans cannot lie" ( TOS episode : " The Enterprise Incident ") Despite this, it was known that, under logical reasons of course, that they were capable of accomplishing such a task or make an omission. No Vulcan admitted such a dishonesty and considered it an act of "lying" . ( TOS movies : The Wrath of Khan , The Undiscovered Country ) A saying on Vulcan included "It is not a lie to keep the truth to oneself." ( TOS novel : Burning Dreams ) They had an old custom ridden culture with a complex social structure involved in its makeup. ( TOS novel : Yesterday's Son ) Greed was a particularly rare concept amongst Vulcans to the point that it was unheard of within their society. ( TOS novel : Legacy )

Their society had no property authority for investigating violent crimes since they rarely occurred. Vulcan belief held that those who had the ability to commit murder had a form of mental illness. Whilst they were capable of killing in cases of defense or racial survival; to actually murder for personal gain was not considered logical. ( TOS novel : The Vulcan Academy Murders ) These traits meant many believed that Vulcan society was devoid of criminal elements or terrorists though what was not known to many that such activities were known to had happened in the past. A total of at three hundred and twelve Vulcans were known to had committed terrorist acts in the past millennium by the time of the 24th century . Whilst terrorist acts on Vulcans were rare, they were generally limited to expressions of extreme political theory and also sporadic attempts at returning to the violent philosophies that ruled the Vulcan home world before the days of Surak. The number of such organizations included the Adepts of T'Pel , the Kahrilites , the Followers of the Cupric Band , the Binaries , the Traxton Compound , the Central Source and the Symmetrists . ( TOS novel : Avenger )

Individual Vulcan towns held their own regional justice committee who were responsible for detention of criminals, holding trials and giving permission for mind melds. ( TOS novel : Crisis on Vulcan ) In terms of murder, an ancient Vulcan tradition stated "Suffer the death of thine enemy" as the race were touch telepaths and the death of another often meant that the murderer had to accept their pain. As such, even in pre-Reform times, the Vulcans were selective about who they murdered as they had to decide whether it was worth experiencing the pain of their victim. ( TNG novel : Metamorphosis ) The Vulcan legal system was known to had developed to the point that it was considered both precise and elegant. ( TOS novel : Rules of Engagement )

Nutrition was seen as a perfectly logical activity though the Vulcans did not take any lunch. ( TOS novel : The Vulcan Academy Murders ) They were quite capable of going for long periods without food allowing them to fast for an extended time. ( TOS novel : Spock Must Die! ) Furthermore, tradition was an important aspect of their society which was partly attributed to their capacity to perform mind melds that allowed for memories to pass across the generations. ( TOS novel : Captain's Glory ) This meant that century long memories were passed down family lines through mind melds leading to the creation of a "secret heart" within the Vulcan mind where they remembered the horrors and atrocities of their "pre-history" . This also meant that there were a great many secrets were secretly kept from outsiders due to the respect for their traditions. ( TOS novel : Memory Prime ) Furthermore, Vulcan tradition held that its members be personally able attend to the affairs of any land or property that had in their possession. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory ) In addition, Vulcans were taught to not acquire many personal belongings as such an act was not deemed logical. ( ENT - The Romulan War novel : Beneath the Raptor's Wing )

After achieving their belief in logic, the Vulcan people estimated that other races had developed a similar "enlightenment" as well as the belief of peaceful exploration upon achieving warp travel but this was eventually proven wrong. To compensate with more 'emotional' races, they developed a complex behavioral algorithm that would allow them to model as well as predict another beings emotional response that would be calculated mentally. It was created as a form of self survival. The equations were very difficult to master but the Vulcan people had developed a wide variety in order to compensate for any situation. ( DS9 novel : The War of the Prophets ) To Vulcans, it was considered a breach of privacy to have their names called out loud in public. ( TOS novel : The Motion Picture ) Furthermore, Vulcans never carried weapons in public unless it was during the Kal-if-fee. ( TOS novel : The Abode of Life )

Due to their telepathic nature, the Vulcans had a number of mind rules in place over the governance and use of these powers. ( TOS novel : Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ) As they were touch telepaths, they preferred not to have physical contact during greetings such as when two people shook hands as Vulcans had an unpleasant mental intrusion from the brief contact. This did not mean that they avoided shaking hands but they did so only when they had to. ( TOS novel : Recovery ) Early training was designed to strengthen personal barriers and erect mental shields designed to prevent constant intrusion. In fact, on Vulcan it was considered a heinous crime for forcing a mind meld which was considered an unforgivable invasion of spirit. ( TOS novel : Yesterday's Son ) Students of the Vulcan mind-touch techniques were intimately familiar with the intricacies of telepathic communication. ( TOS novel : The Starless World ) One such technique allowed its adept to take the pain of another beings and drew strength from it. This ancient discipline was forbidden in modern Vulcan society as it was misused by many who sought to impose their will upon others allowing them to brainwash individuals to become loyal servants. ( TOS novel : Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

An ancient Vulcan custom was the offering of fire and water to guests allowing them to stay in a Vulcan home. ( Vulcan's Soul novel : Exodus ) Another involved casual contact which meant that others were not allowed to touch a Vulcan's body. ( VAN novel : Open Secrets ) This was partly attributed to their species being touch telepaths and any physical touch meant that the Vulcan in question was forced to peer into the mind of the other individual. ( TOS novel : Memory Prime ) Within their society, the Vulcan government was known to reward those individuals with advancement on meritocratic principles. ( ENT episode : " Awakening ") In addition, ninety eight percent of Vulcans had all held some form of public office by the time they were two hundred years of age. ( TOS novel : Spock's World ) There was a general belief that the Vulcan lifespan meant that they tended to fixate on their careers and stick to them during their long lifespans which led some to belief that their society suffered from some form of stagnation. ( ENT - The Romulan War novel : Beneath the Raptor's Wing ) Whilst they typically lived in large settlements, there were several isolationist villages scattered around their homeworld who shunned contact with the rest of their society with the closest human analogy being to that of the Amish communities. ( VAN novel : Open Secrets )

One saying attributed to the Vulcans was "When all rational solutions refuse to fit the available facts, then we seek an irrational solution that does." . ( TOS novel : The Starless World ) They also held a similar saying as the Human phrase "Speak of the devil and he will appear" . Though this was not superstition but simple observation on their part. ( TOS novel : World Without End )

Rituals [ ]

• Fal-tor-pan
• Koon-ut-so'lik
• Koon-ut-kal-if-fee
• Fal-tor-voh
• Rite of Tal'oth
• T'Ved-Surak ritual

Recreational [ ]

Poker was known to be extremely popular amongst Vulcans as it was a game of sublime logic and not of blind chance. Due to their logical nature and ability to calculate odds swiftly in their minds, Vulcans were known to possess the perfect poker face. ( TOS novel : Devil World ) Vulcans generally tended to be self conscious dancers though in relation to other arts, their fixation on logic did not preclude their appreciation of beauty. ( TOS novel : The Starship Trap )

Holidays [ ]

Martial arts [ ].

• Kareel-ifla
• Ke-tarya-yatar
• Taroon-ifla

Artifacts [ ]

• Stone of Gol
• Stone of J'Kah
• Katric ark (also known as a Vre'katra or Urn of Memory )

adronn feltara • anwoa sprout • b'lltarr • bertakk soup • c'torr • farr-kahli • filrak • forati sauce • gespar • iced fruit • ihntya • kahri-torrafeiaca • kalafruit • kleetanta • kreyla • lirs • L-Lersa • mia-zed • m'lu • n'gaan • plomeek • plomeek broth • plomeek soup • saffir • soltar • t'coraca • t'miirq soup • t'mirak rice • tolik fruit • tono'pak soup • ulan soup • vranto salad • wafer fruit

Beverages [ ]

• Vulcan brandy
• Vulcan port
• Vulcan Bill of Rights

Language [ ]

Technology [ ].

Vulcans are known to be an advanced spacefaring people that were exploring the stars long before humanity was capable of doing so, as early as the 3rd century . Early Vulcans were a violent people and much of their advanced technology was seemingly lost in the nuclear wars shortly before the reformation of the Vulcan people led by Surak in the Time of Awakening . ( EV comic : " Cloak and Dagger "; ENT episode : " Awakening ")

Technology from this period included psionic devices such as Katric arks and psionic weapons including the Stone of Gol , Tol par-doj and Vorl-tak . Psionic weapons were banned on Vulcan following the reformation, but survived in the lost colony of the last-of-all-Cities . ( EV comic : " Cloak and Dagger "; ENT episodes : " Awakening ", " Kir'Shara "; TNG episode : " Gambit ")

Even in the era of the Federation, the Vulcans contributed greatly in the fields of science. Sunok of Vulcan was responsible for the further refinement of transporter technology, making it virtually impossible for the machinery to malfunction, whilst many of Starfleet's starship design refinements came from advances in Vulcan science. ( TOS novel : Crisis on Vulcan )

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• DS9 episode : " Emissary "
• DS9 episode : " The Nagus "
• DS9 episode : " Vortex "
• DS9 episode : " The Forsaken "
• DS9 episode : " The Maquis, Part I "
• DS9 episode : " The Maquis, Part II "
• DS9 episode : " Crossover "
• DS9 episode : " Through the Looking Glass "
• DS9 episode : " Shakaar "
• DS9 episode : " The Visitor "
• DS9 episode : " Homefront "
• DS9 episode : " Bar Association "
• DS9 episode : " Rules of Engagement "
• DS9 episode : " Shattered Mirror "
• DS9 episode : " For the Cause "
• DS9 episode : " Broken Link "
• DS9 episode : " Trials and Tribble-ations "
• DS9 episode : " Rapture "
• DS9 episode : " Behind the Lines "
• DS9 episode : " Favor the Bold "
• DS9 episode : " Valiant "
• DS9 episode : " Image in the Sand "
• DS9 episode : " Afterimage "
• DS9 episode : " Take Me Out to the Holosuite "
• DS9 episode : " Prodigal Daughter "
• DS9 episode : " The Emperor's New Cloak "
• DS9 episode : " Field of Fire "
• DS9 novel : The Big Game
• DS9 novel : Devil in the Sky
• DS9 novel : The Soul Key
• PIC episode : " Firewall "

References [ ]

• ↑ FASA RPG module : The Federation

External links [ ]

• Vulcan article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 The Chase
• 2 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 3 Preserver (race)

Star Trek: Every Vulcan Ability You Need To Know

Star Trek's iconic emotionless aliens have more powers than you'd think.

The Vulcans are perhaps the most beloved aliens in Star Trek. They were the first alien species created by Gene Roddenberry for The Original Series and instantly became a Trek staple.

Vulcan history is incredibly detailed. Following a long history of violence and war that nearly devastated their species, the Vulcans chose to follow the philosopher, Surak, by suppressing all emotion and embracing logic. The followers of Surak engaged in countless rituals and meditations to completely purge themselves of all emotion, as they saw it as the only way to prevent the extinction of the Vulcan race. Some Vulcans rejected Surak's teachings, though most of these detractors eventually left the planet Vulcan and became the Romulan Star Empire.

However, Vulcans are not only renowned for their strict adherence to logic, but also for their many almost supernatural abilities. Vulcans possess a number of unique physical and mental powers, and this list will be counting down and describing all of them.

As always, live long and prosper.

8. Controlling Emotions

As mentioned earlier, when the philosopher, Surak, introduced the Vulcan society to his belief system of logic and emotional suppression, the species saw it as the only way to save the Vulcan people from themselves.

Naturally, Vulcans have much more intense emotions than most humanoid species. Their violent nature combined with their impressive physical and mental abilities led to a great many wars that devastated the planet for generations. So, although Vulcans may seem completely robotic, this is all just a façade that they maintain to avoid allowing their emotions to control them.

Vulcans work their whole lives to eradicate their emotions, though subtle hints of them remain deep in their minds. Without completing the Vulcan ritual known as Kolinahr, which Spock was never able to do, a Vulcan is still capable of emotional outbursts when dealing with extreme stress.

There have, however, been some Vulcans who've embraced their emotions fully, rejecting the Vulcan way of life, such as Spock's half-brother, Sybok.

Marcia Fry is a writer for WhatCulture and an amateur filmmaker.

How Star Trek's Vulcans Evolved Beyond Gene Roddenberry's Creation

While the in-universe history of the Vulcans in Star Trek is epic, the behind-the-scenes saga of their creation and development is equally important.

Quick Links

Creating the vulcans in the original series era of star trek, the vulcans stay at arm's length during the next generation era, how star trek: enterprise reimagined the vulcans and history with humanity, the vulcans and romulans are living in the days of futures past.

When Gene Roddenberry was first creating his " Wagon Train to the stars" in 1964, the Vulcans were the first alien species he created during development. Personified by Mister Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy), these logical humanoids were imagined with pointed ears, green blood and, most importantly, no emotions. However, Nimoy, other actors and writers all contributed behind the scenes to making Vulcans the most important aliens in Star Trek history. What's interesting about the Vulcans is that along with being a logical and scientific people, they are also deeply spiritual and ritualistic. This seems a bit like an incongruity, especially knowing how adamant Roddenberry was about humanism over religion.

Later storytellers helped reconcile these two facets of the Vulcan culture by fleshing out the species' history. Along with strong psychic abilities, the Vulcans are not emotionless. Rather, they have very intense and destructive emotions, far different from their human cousins. Thus, ritualism and spirituality are the "scientific method" they use to suppress their emotions in healthy and constructive ways. In the modern, third wave of Star Trek series, the Vulcan culture continues to be examined with storytellers continuing to build on the foundation laid by Roddenberry, D.C. Fontana, Star Trek's "other" Gene , Nimoy and everyone from set designers to costumers.

'The Phone Didn't Ring': Walter Koenig Reflects on Career Struggles After Star Trek

When developing the first Star Trek pilot in 1964, Gene Roddenberry hadn't fully fleshed out the idea of what the Vulcans were. Vulcans existed only so far as making Spock half-human. "I wanted part of him to be at war with the other, the human part and the alien part," he said in The Fifty-Year Mission by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman. Later, when developing the second Star Trek pilot, thanks to Lucille Ball , Roddenberry combined Spock's character with the "computer-mind qualities" of Number One, the woman First Officer discarded in the second version. That's how they became unemotional and logic-based.

In The Making of Star Trek by Roddenberry and Stephen E. Whitfield, the former envisioned that, despite the multispecies Federation, crews would be mostly human, Vulcan or other member species. As Spock became Star Trek 's central character , more stories about his people were created. Sarek, his father, was brought into the show. The classic Season 2 episode "Amok Time" introduced the Vulcan homeworld, while also establishing that Vulcans, while logical, were almost irrationally private about their most basic biological functions.

Leonard Nimoy was also essential to defining who the Vulcans were. He created the infamous Vulcan neck pinch and the salute, drawn from his Jewish heritage. Later, in the films, he would weigh in on Vulcan culture, defining it exclusively once he started directing. In The Center Seat - 55 Years of Star Trek , actor Robin Curtis who played Saavik described how Nimoy created the "love scene" between her and the reanimated Spock going through his first Pon Farr. Set and costume designers tried to marry the ideas Vulcans were scientific and logical as well as an ancient society. Their robes, ceremonial accessories and mostly stone structures were born from this notion.

9 Things About Star Trek: The Original Series That Make No Sense

When Gene Roddenberry was asked by Paramount to develop Star Trek: The Next Generation he turned to many of his collaborators from the days of the original series. Robert H. Justman, Dorothy Fontana, David Gerrold and others came back to help, though they didn't last long on the series. While many concepts from The Original Series were reused for The Next Generation , Roddenberry didn't want to include too many familiar elements. Primarily, this meant the Vulcans. There were no regular Vulcan characters in any of the second-wave series until Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager .

Despite the lack of regular Vulcan characters, there was significant advancement to the Vulcan story. The first came in Season 3's "Sarek," in which it's revealed that Vulcans live hundreds of years longer than humans. This episode also introduced what writer Marc Cushman called "the idea of a Vulcan going through senility," in The Fifty-Year Mission . Roddenberry liked the idea, but in the same book writer Ira Steven Behr reveals there was a massive fight with producers over whether they could even say Spock's name. Later, Paramount would convince Nimoy to bring Spock to Star Trek: The Next Generation to "pass the baton" and promote Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

The episode featured Spock seemingly defecting from the Federation to the Romulan Star Empire. Only he wasn't defecting. Spock wanted to bring the logic philosophy of Surak to Romulus in the hopes of reunifying the Romulans and the Vulcans into a single society again. Some fans felt the episode was too small, and executive producer Michael Piller said he was unhappy with his work on the episode. He called the episode "dark," "flat" and "talky" in The Fifty-Year Mission . In hindsight, it's a love swan song for the Spock character. He shares a lovely scene with Data, and his final mission puts him on a path to making the last great enemy of his time in Starfleet an ally.

Star Trek The Next Generation: When Does TNG Get Good?

Every new iteration of Roddenberry's universe since Star Trek: The Animated Series has been met with skepticism, and in some cases, outright hostility from fans. Star Trek: Enterprise perhaps received the most flak, in part because of how it depicted the pre-Federation history of the Vulcans and humans. Rather than dear friends, the Vulcans were antagonistic and did not trust the emotional humans to join the larger galactic society. Enterprise 's creators were trying to do something different without moving things too far from what makes Star Trek so identifiable.

Still, there were conflicts. Antoinette Stella recounted in The Fifty-Year Mission when an angry fan called Paramount to complain a Vulcan character lied. Her assistant, Juan Hernandez spoke to the fan, who pointed out Spock said Vulcans don't lie, quoting The Original Series . "And Juan took a beat and said, 'When Mr. Spock said that, he was lying." In fact, there are many examples of Spock lying, especially in The Undiscovered Country . The Enterprise storytellers made Vulcans more complete by showing they had the same kind of idiosyncrasies and character flaws as any group of people .

The showrunner for season 4, Manny Coto , helped to reconcile the Vulcans of Enterprise with the Vulcans fans knew. " I thought there was a great opportunity to do [a series of episodes] which bridged those two cultures and to develop a story about how they'd floundered from the original teachings of Surak ," he said in The Fifty-Year Mission . Not only did it help explain why these Vulcans seemed so different, it also underscored why Vulcans and humanity would be close allies while still maintaining the elements of secrecy and tension established in previous series.

Review: Discovery's Final Season Is a Bittersweet Star Trek Symphony

The third wave of series -- particularly Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds -- faced fan consternation as well, particularly because of their handling of Vulcan history. Michael Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green, was conceived as Spock's adopted sister, raised by Sarek and Amanda Grayson after her parents died. This gave viewers a new angle on Vulcan culture, from "logic extremists" to a reunified Vulcan and Romulan society in the 32nd Century . The producers know that Vulcans are extremely important to Star Trek , so they want to both honor the past and advance their story, justifying the use of the characters.

The best development to come of this is fixing the biggest mistake of the Kelvin Timeline films . The time-travel convention used to bring Nimoy's Spock into the past inadvertently meant his final mission was a failure. Yet, by the 32nd Century, Spock's mission to unify Vulcan and Romulans is a success, and they fully credit him for the development. This was an important element for Discovery Season 3, according to showrunner Michelle Paradise , allowing Burnham to discover just how far her adopted brother reached out to the galaxy.

In Strange New Worlds , however, some of the Vulcan cultural developments happen as they did in The Original Series era: out of story necessity. For example, the Vulcan V'Shal ritual "purely came out of [writers] breaking the story," co-showrunner Henry Alonso Meyers said . While the storytellers wanted to keep it authentic to Vulcan culture, it was created because it was funny to put Spock through a "when he's 'pretending' to be Vulcan" scenario. The danger of treating Star Trek Vulcans with too much regard for their sacred history is underserving the stories being told today . Thankfully, Star Trek has found that balance as it always does.

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

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Published Sep 15, 2023

WARP FIVE: The Makings of a Vulcan Relationship

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Gia Sandhu offers insight to T’Pring and Spock’s relationship in the latest season.

Editor's Note: This article contains material from an interview conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike against the AMPTP went into effect.

StarTrek.com

Welcome to Warp Five, StarTrek.com's five question post-mortem with your favorite featured talent from the latest Star Trek episodes.

On the anniversary of the first broadcast of Star Trek ’s “ Amok Time " on September 15, 1967, the iconic episode introduces many significant franchise firsts . Most importantly, its first depiction of the planet Vulcan and other Vulcans other than First Officer Spock allows us to understand Vulcan culture.

It’s on Vulcan that we meet Spock’s betrothed, T’Pring; they were both telepathically bonded to each other as children. It’s through their relationship that the Enterprise crew (and viewers) learned about pon farr and the kal-if-fee (passion challenge) ritual.

"Amok Time"

Following the events of “Amok Time,” fans would not learn more about T’Pring until 50+ years later, with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , whose events are set prior to that of The Original Series, with the character’s second on-screen appearance.

Earlier this summer, StarTrek.com had the opportunity to chat with Gia Sandhu about her thoughts on T’Pring and her appearances across the two seasons, her relationship with Spock, what exactly does a Vulcan break entail, and other elements from the second season’s “ Charades .”

"Spock Amok"

On Understanding T’Pring

Having been a fan of Star Trek with The Next Generation prior to joining the franchise, Sandhu revels in the opportunity of playing the Vulcan T’Pring and finally giving audiences more than “Amok Time” to go on, admitting she’s “always very delighted” when she gets a new script. Following the events of Strange New Worlds ’ second season, fans believe they’ve been given new lens to understand T’Pring’s actions in the TOS classic.

In “Amok Time,” T’Pring invokes her right to request kal-if-fee during their koon-ut-kal-if-fee wedding ceremony. With Spock more committed to Starfleet than their relationship, Spock is challenged to fight for her with T’Pring choosing Kirk as her fighter. She saw her logic as sound with all outcomes in her favor — If Kirk won, he would not want her. If Spock won, he would release her because she challenged their marriage. And should he still proceed with the wedding, he would always return to his Starfleet duties in space, leaving her free on her own.

"Strange New Worlds"

“T'Pring's journey, when we work backwards from ‘Amok Time,’ is really one where we're getting to understand how she ends up in that situation where she isn't the most sympathetic character when she makes the decisions that she makes,” explains Sandhu. “I've found myself really intrigued by all the steps that it takes to get somebody to make what seems to be a very harsh decision. We're seeing more and more what the justifications are and the reasoning and the thinking that happens before what is the final ending between T’Pring and Spock.”

Sandhu calls out a line in the script that stood out to her, “Spock says it right at the very end when they're sitting on the bed, ‘T'Pring, you seemed very overwhelmed by your mother.’ And that was the line that allowed me to understand what the journey of this character had to look like to get there and why Spock, despite trying to tell her, just absolutely couldn't. It allowed me to play with a lot of human emotions as well in there, which we don't always get to see Vulcans play with.”

"Charades"

On Her Relationship with Spock

As Strange New Worlds progressed, so did Spock’s feelings for Nurse Christine Chapel. In the first season “ The Serene Squall ,” Spock utilized another ruse in his gambit of outwitting a pirate, who took control of the Enterprise and sought to exchange the science officer for their lover, a confined criminal and Spock’s half-brother, at the facility for Vulcan rehabilitation where T’Pring worked. The ruse involved him renouncing his fiancée and professing his feelings for Chapel instead. At episode’s end, T’Pring commends his “impressive gambit,” believing he could not have feelings for Chapel, and praising his human side for selling the ruse.

In addition to her acceptance of Spock’s half human, half Vulcan nature, she also dismisses her mother’s disapproval of him. Where Spock is uncertain and believes he’s unworthy of her, T’Pring is confident in her choice, hinting at her own defiance of Vulcan culture.

“First of all, wouldn’t you just love a fiancée like T’Pring,” Sandhu cheekily remarks before expressing, “She sees someone who hasn't fully conformed to Vulcan society, and that the rebellion within T'Pring is attracted to that in Spock as well. He's created his own path in his life and he's a bit of an outsider. Despite the fact that T'Pring is a part of the Vulcan society in the way that she is, there's a big part of her that wishes to have more in her life and wishes to experience more and doesn't necessarily agree with everything that Vulcan society teaches.”

On the Events of “Charades”

While Spock suffers from an accident that leaves him fully human, he is unable to delay the V’Shal , a ceremonial Vulcan dinner, with T’Pring’s family any longer, especially as this meal between both families is meant to assuage her parents’ disapproval of Spock as a suitable companion. From her arrival on Enterprise , T’Pring reveals she too just wants to get the meal over with as she finds her mother exhausting.

“I love how blunt T'Pring is, and that is such an endearing quality of hers because there's nothing hidden with T'Pring,” states Sandhu. “All of this stuff that’s going on between Chapel and Spock, she has no idea until this episode. It kind of seems to her that, ‘Okay, this is weird,’ but everything is now out in the open. All her thoughts and her feelings are out in the open.”

“It really allows an audience to get behind that,” she adds. “It makes it less obvious who the good or bad people are in this whole love triangle. I really love that for T'Pring; that she's vindicated and she's justified and she's got a real reason that is an engine to where she ends up going on her journey in this love situation with Spock.”

On What a Vulcan Break Entails

“Charades” concludes with T’Pring deciding that the couple take time apart. Despite all they’ve been through, including the sharing of their katras , Spock did not feel like he could not reveal his ruse with her. It is not his current predicament of being fully human that set this in motion, but his betrayal and inability to confide in his partner.

“What I love about this show is that they really find those very human circumstances,” notes Sandhu. “Any woman, you can have a gazillion men after you, but if you want the person that you want, there is nothing that's going to stop you from just focusing your attention on that and loving that person. That just is what it is.”

On the betrayal, Sandhu shares, “It can't be pleasant, right? If I was in that situation going through this whole thing and somebody else comes in, and suddenly your other half is missing for a few moments... The way that they structured those moments is to show that T'Pring is curious. She is questioning. There's something going on here. I'm not sure how much she really knows. I would assume that she probably doesn't think that it is where it is between Spock and Chapel, but certainly she knows something is off. She smells something.”

When Ethan Peck was prompted to explain his perception of what their time apart meant , he shared, “I don't think he knows what a break means. I don't know that she does. I don't know that any of us do. What is a Vulcan break?”

Sandhu deems it’s the “ultimate Ross and Rachel question,” referencing an infamous situation between the two characters in Friends , before calling out, “That clearly still isn’t answered. They haven’t discussed what the boundaries are, and they’re both at fault for that. What happens next? I don’t know, but I’m sure that someone’s going to be not so thrilled about it.”

How to Properly Portray Spock

In the episode, as Spock continues his farce of hiding his human predicament, he consults his friends on the bridge on how to pass as more Vulcan, which they humorously find the opportunity to roast him on how he presents to them.

An expert on not only portraying a Vulcan, but specifically the Vulcan in question, we took the opportunity to inquire what Sandhu’s approach to playing Spock was. After all, she has experience. In the first-season “Spock Amok,” we get a glimpse into another Vulcan practice designed to help couples understand each other better.

In a “soul sharing,” Spock and T’Pring allow the other into their innermost thoughts and being. Unfortunately, their telepathic ritual involved a katric transfer, where their katras (or life essence) ended up swapping bodies. Intended to help each other see one another through the other’s eyes, they now had to literally live a day in the other’s life.

Sandhu jokingly states two most important aspects to master are the eyebrows and the delivery of “fascinating.”

Jokes aside, Sandhu reflects, “What I really love about Spock’s character, and having played him when I did, is that there’s this transparency about him. It comes out really nicely in this episode when the jokes are being made around the table [with the other crew in the mess hall]. He himself just doesn’t find it funny what’s going on until he becomes human.”

“I love that quality about Spock,” concludes Sandhu. “If something isn’t resonating, he’s not pretending. Everything just is , exactly as it’s displayed. The deeper layers aren’t accessible to him; that’s a great quality of his.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | Vulcan Wedding Rituals: Put a T'Pring on It

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How can Vulcans experience love in a relationship?

Discussion in ' General Trek Discussion ' started by ReadyAndWilling , Aug 9, 2009 .

ReadyAndWilling Fleet Captain

How is it possible for the Vulcans to feel 'love' for someone else? Love is an emotion so how can they really appreciate being in a relationship with another person? Doesn't make any sense to me, or do they view the other person as a high value? Not really sure where this thread should have been posted. Thanks  

Ensign_Redshirt Commodore Commodore

Vulcans do have emotions, they just don't show them or let them affect by them (well, most of the time).  

All Seeing Eye Admiral

ReadyAndWilling said: ↑ How is it possible for the Vulcans to feel 'love' for someone else? Love is an emotion so how can they really appreciate being in a relationship with another person? Doesn't make any sense to me, or do they view the other person as a high value? Not really sure where this thread should have been posted. Thanks Click to expand...

barnaclelapse Commodore Commodore

It always seemed to me that understanding those emotions was a lot more important than actually displaying them.  

USS Triumphant Vice Admiral Admiral

Much of this is speculative, and very little is canon, but here's the best I can grok it: Vulcan society is organized around arranged marriages - and in their case, unlike here on Earth, there is a biological component that actually forces the situation, or at least would have to be fought strongly against to avoid. Which wouldn't be very logical. At the age of 7, Vulcan children go through their first Pon Farr. They aren't physically mature, so the primary sexual component is absent, but the psychological component is there, and Vulcan parents arrange a betrothal at that point that creates a psychic link between their two children. There may be no contact between the children after that point until their next Pon Farr - although I suspect that in most cases, there is at least some acquaintance. At the age of 14, they enter Pon Farr again, and become "married" (which I suspect is a poor English translation of the Vulcan word for the state) since their bodies are mature enough for sexual activity. A "priestess" and several others are on hand during this and every subsequent Pon Farr for reasons that are not entirely clear - but I would think are something aside from, "hey, free porn!" Providing instruction or even applying technology, or making certain participants are unharmed, or providing ... additional genetic material, shall we say ... to attempt to help ensure a pregnancy when that is desired. That isn't generally our way, but hey, these are aliens . What's Love Got To Do With It? In many arranged marriages on Earth, the couples do grow to have an affection - love - for one another. I would assume this is the same for Vulcan pairings. Also, in the event of premature death of one half of a pairing, the biological drive will still be there every 7 years, and it is possible that love, or at least affection, plays some role in the choices made for these older betrothals. And then there are Vulcans that choose to mate with aliens. They are stone freaks , and their logic may be a bit questionable as regards why they would make such a choice. I suspect that Sarek chose Amanda because of the ping-pong ball trick.  

DevilEyes Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

Oh no, do people always have to come up with that question? Vulcans do have emotions, and in fact it's been stated several times (most notably by Sarek in TNG episode "Sarek" - which is also one of the episodes in which you get to see what a Vulcan is like when they are stripped of their emotional control - and in STXI), that their emotions are much stronger and more intense than human emotions. This drove them to violence in the the distant past, and after they almost destroyed themselves through war and aggression, they accepted Surak's philosophy based on logic, stoicism and suppression of emotion, and built their society and culture on that basis. Some Vulcans refused this and left Vulcan to form a society of their own - and became what we know as Romulans.  

KobayashiMaru13 Captain Captain

vulcans have emotions, but as they are exponentially strong, they are supressed. however, in the instance of "married" vulcans, they are telepathically linked, thus the marriage vows: parted and never parted. never and always touching and touched. they can show emotions by a touch or a glance. also-being touch telepaths- a hand rested on an arm or shoulder between consorts is as powerful as a passionate kiss ( ) you need to study your vulcan history.  

Ok, I worded it wrong. I meant to say suppressed emotions. I think it has to do with having a high value on something or in this case, someone.  

Rackon Commander Red Shirt

Good grief! Triumphant, Vulcans don't undergo "pon farr" at age 7!! Nor to the best of my knowledge at 14 either. Bonding at age 7, yes, some fo them. But "pon farr" is very specifically the hormone storm that culminating in compulsive mating drive that if not comsummated will bring death. Vulcans may be sexy, but they're not pervy when it comes to children. Spock underwent his first pon farr in his mid thirties. The stuff on the Genesis planet was because everything being greatly speeded up/out of sync.  

Myasishchev Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

Pon farr is a hodge-podge concept and as such tends to defy reasonable explanation. However, as sexuality is vitally important to any society with gender divisions, "Vulcan biology" as Spock shyly put it is vitally important to developing a framework for how the Vulcan societies operate. Beware, longish post, partly in reply to Triumphant, and parly my own diatribe. For the biologically-minded, you might find it interesting, or find some things to argue with. There is also a great penis joke buried near the bottom. USS_Triumphant said: ↑ At the age of 14, they enter Pon Farr again, and become "married" (which I suspect is a poor English translation of the Vulcan word for the state) since their bodies are mature enough for sexual activity. A "priestess" and several others are on hand during this and every subsequent Pon Farr for reasons that are not entirely clear - but I would think are something aside from, "hey, free porn!" Providing instruction or even applying technology, or making certain participants are unharmed, or providing ... additional genetic material, shall we say ... to attempt to help ensure a pregnancy when that is desired. That isn't generally our way, but hey, these are aliens . Click to expand...

Rackon said: ↑ Good grief! Triumphant, Vulcans don't undergo "pon farr" at age 7!! Nor to the best of my knowledge at 14 either. Click to expand...

Myasishchev said: ↑ At any rate, getting back to Sarek again, what's the deal with his pon farr? He's schtupping a red-blooded round-ear, but it's biologically retarded to say that pon farr could be satisfactorily resolved through that. (I'm looking at you, Voyager .) If this were the case, no sehlat on Vulcan would be safe. The answer must be that Sarek is polygamous, but not legally so. I am convinced he is getting some on the side. Nu-Uhura, watch out. Sylar's going to be a bounder come every seven years. Click to expand...

DevilEyes said: ↑ Myasishchev said: ↑ At any rate, getting back to Sarek again, what's the deal with his pon farr? He's schtupping a red-blooded round-ear, but it's biologically retarded to say that pon farr could be satisfactorily resolved through that. (I'm looking at you, Voyager .) If this were the case, no sehlat on Vulcan would be safe. The answer must be that Sarek is polygamous, but not legally so. I am convinced he is getting some on the side. Nu-Uhura, watch out. Sylar's going to be a bounder come every seven years. Click to expand...

Myasishchev said: ↑ DevilEyes said: ↑ Myasishchev said: ↑ At any rate, getting back to Sarek again, what's the deal with his pon farr? He's schtupping a red-blooded round-ear, but it's biologically retarded to say that pon farr could be satisfactorily resolved through that. (I'm looking at you, Voyager .) If this were the case, no sehlat on Vulcan would be safe. The answer must be that Sarek is polygamous, but not legally so. I am convinced he is getting some on the side. Nu-Uhura, watch out. Sylar's going to be a bounder come every seven years. Click to expand...

Sorry for the two posts in a row, but it's just so... much... easier. USS_Triumphant said: ↑ Well, you're probably correct that they don't undergo anything as thorough-going as what we say in Amok Time at age 7, but it is possible that the biological cycle has started in some small way, and even if it hasn't, that would seem like a logical interval at which to perform betrothal. Click to expand...

DevilEyes said: ↑ Aside from the fact that it makes no sense at all, biologically, that only sex with T'Pring would relieve him; Click to expand...

Myasishchev said: ↑ I doubt the sexual morality of humans would apply to creatures that would literally die without getting it on. Take the mitzvah that Jews can't eat pork, for example--virtually all Jewish sects recognize that if necessity dictates a Jew to eat pork, this is a morally acceptable outcome, because the life of a Jew is more important than anything else. This flexibility in morality recognizes that the nature of life is to live, and no law can effectively prohibit life seeking continued existence. The same applies to the common law and its adoption of principles of self-defense--even if we made an ethically defensible decision that the law should not accept a self-defense justification, biology would make it completely impossible to successfully enforce! Thus, I doubt Vulcan morality attaches any significant approbium to a pon farr-sufferer who, bereft of his mate, takes whatever action necessity dictates. Perhaps Vulcan morality goes even as far as tolerating rape. It would certainly tolerate necessary masturbation. Click to expand...

DevilEyes said: How would you know that?! This is all speculation, and with some very strange conclusions. "Perhaps Vulcan morality goes even as far as tolerating rape"?! Yes, perhaps Vulcans tolerate rape, perhaps they tolerate murder. Only, not likely. Click to expand...

Myasishchev said: ↑ DevilEyes said: ↑ How would you know that?! This is all speculation, and with some very strange conclusions. "Perhaps Vulcan morality goes even as far as tolerating rape"?! Yes, perhaps Vulcans tolerate rape, perhaps they tolerate murder. Only, not likely. Click to expand...

Folks, this is "fascinating". I've wondered for years why GR and the writers of TOS saddled the Vulcans with pon farr. It's often felt like a mere gimmick to me, but it's completely inescapable now. We are (and the Vulcans are) stuck with it. D C Fontanna has said Vulcans can mate anytime, but that they must mate during pon farr. For Myasishchev especially, what is the evolutionary purpose of pon farr in such a long lived race? And...lest we take too strictly a determinist view ...let me also ask you this: What about gay Vulcans? (Please fee free to ignore canon and slash in this discussion.) Cultural taboos aside, one would expect Vulcan sexuality to be at least as complex as human. As far as rape goes, the highly ethical Vulcans regard any encroachment or forcing of oneself on another person - be it mind or body - as abhorent. We are told that that Vulcan in modern times is a peaceful, non-violent, low crime society. That seems highly "logical" to me.  

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Star Trek: How Are Vulcans Different From Humans?

Star Trek has always defined Vulcans by their rigid dedication to logic, but what other traits make them stand out from Humans?

Spock (Leonard Nimoy) was the first of many Vulcans introduced in Star Trek , and it wasn’t just his pointy ears and sharp eyebrows that made him stand out among his human peers. After all, though Vulcans are humanoid, they are very distinct from their round-eared brethren. One of the most memorable moments of the series, for example, came from Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) pointing out that Vulcans' hearts are located in a different section of the body than they are in humans. There’s even the rumor that humans don’t smell pleasant to Vulcans , though that could be more fandom speculation than established canon.

The progression of their two societies is also similar, though Vulcans went down a different path. Humans saw the violence of their past as stemming from hatred, bigotry, and callousness. Upon joining the United Federation of Planets, they dedicated themselves to becoming more science-forward with an emphasis on empathy, understanding, and open-mindedness. Vulcans have a much more violent past that they attribute to an excess of emotion. Their version of moving forward meant dedicating themselves to the pursuit of logic and scientific discovery. Vulcans have evolved as a society over the centuries, but there are some things that even time can’t change. This is where the differences in the "Vulcans versus Humans" conversation become most obvious.

RELATED: Star Trek: Why Most Vulcans Are Vegetarian

Are Vulcans Stronger Than Humans?

Vulcans are notably stronger than humans, as seen throughout Star Trek . In The Original Series, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) was more likely to talk it out in disagreements with others, but he was more than capable of winning a fight if it came down to it. Yet, this didn’t stop him from losing almost every fight he got into with First Officer Spock. In Deep Space Nine , Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson) explained to Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) that Vulcans have quicker reflexes than humans and are, on average, three times physically stronger. Their strength could be the result of centuries spent fighting each other with such aggression that it shocked even violence-prone Humans. Maybe that’s just how Vulcans are made, like their distant Romulan relatives .

Either way, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) used that strength to his advantage while trying to take back control of the Enterprise from Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) in Star Trek (2009). Crew members were shocked at his callous references to Spock’s mother dying and his home planet Vulcan being destroyed. But they were more shocked when Spock responded by beating him half to death on the bridge for everyone to see. It would have been kinder to simply knock the captain out with the infamous Vulcan Nerve Pinch, a move less about strength and more about stealth.

What Weaknesses Do Vulcans Have?

The strength of Vulcans also manifests as higher metabolism, resistance to toxins, and greater immunity to sleep deprivation. However, that last claim should be taken with a grain of salt. In Voyager, Officer Tuvok (Tim Russ) made this observation to Officer Neelix (Ethan Phillips) to explain why he, as a Vulcan, needed less sleep than humans — before Tuvok promptly fell asleep in the command chair.

Still, for all their strengths, Vulcans are not without their weaknesses. In Star Trek: The Animated Series , Spock (Nimoy) is exposed to nitrous gas that causes him pain instead of making him laugh like the human officers of the Enterprise. Vulcans get cold more easily than humans since their bodies have adapted to the dry heat of their home planet, a sensitivity that only grows as they get older. Vulcans can also hear better than Hhmans, which can be a strength or a weakness depending on the situation. It puts them at an advantage while exploring new planets and keeping an eye (or a pointed ear) out for danger even in diplomatic situations .

But in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise , that sensitive hearing is really annoying to have. Humans end up making noises so grating they actually manage to annoy the nearest Vulcan, who in this case is the unfortunate Officer T’Pol (Jolene Blalock).

What Is The Lifespan Of A Vulcan?

In the ongoing debate of "Vulcans versus Humans," there’s one area in which Vulcans take the metaphorical cake: their longer lifespan. According to The Next Generation , Vulcans can live for over 200 years. Humans can’t live that long even with the scientific advancements of the Federation and, honestly, most wouldn't want to.

In season 3, episode 23, “Sarek,” Spock’s father Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard) pays a visit to the USS Enterprise on a diplomatic mission, when he begins to suffer from Bendii Syndrome. It’s a rare neurological disease that impacts Vulcans over the age of 200 years old. Sarek ends up losing control of his emotions and accidentally projecting them onto the unsuspecting Starfleet officers without even using the classic Vulcan Mind Meld . When humans get older, they lose control of their motor functions and their tempers, as shown in one bizarre episode of The Original Series . Captain Kirk (Shatner) became more hostile and impatient, but at least it didn’t send his crew into an angry frenzy.

Still, Vulcans enjoy a long life of scientific pursuits and perfecting their logical understanding of the galaxy at large. To humans, it may sound rather dull. But to Vulcans, it’s the reason they were granted such long life in the first place.

How Humans & Vulcans Relate

While Star Trek presents Vulcans as different from humans, they aren’t incompatible. Spock’s human mother Amanda Grayson (Jane Wyatt) married his Vulcan father Sarek, and the two made a logically loving home for themselves on Vulcan. Sure, Amanda was often driven up the wall by her husband and son's stubborn dedication to logic, even when she thought emotion was more appropriate. But she loved them both and they, in their own way, loved her just as much.

Star Trek: Discovery later introduced Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) as the adopted human sister of Spock. His relationship with Michael gave fans a new insight into his character , while also providing a new perspective on Vulcans as a whole. While Amanda was more driven by emotion than her husband and son, Michael was shaped by the logic of them both into her career as a Starfleet officer. She eventually found her own way to honor Vulcan philosophy, and it led her to the captain’s chair.

Star Trek and its fans will always debate "Vulcans vs Humans." Yet, they both understand that Vulcans and Humans exist in infinite diversity in infinite combinations throughout the galaxy – even in the heat of battle.

MORE: Star Trek: The History Of The Vulcans, Explained

Screen Rant

Star trek writers break down that massive 'vulcan god' twist, new section 31 secrets, and more.

Writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing discuss the massive lore reveals in Star Trek #19 from IDW Publishing and what fans can expect next.

• Revealing T'Lir as an Organian adds depth to the godly theme in IDW's Star Trek series, enhancing the character's identity and Trek lore.
• Exploring advanced beings' interaction with humanity is core to Star Trek, setting up a grand, unified, and catastrophic story.
• Section 31's mysterious involvement and upcoming revelations promise an incredible and interwoven tale in the Star Trek universe.

The Star Trek universe is adding new characters and resurrecting old ones in its quest to deliver "the best Star Trek story ever told," and with its newest headline-making chapter, the IDW comic series is pulling no punches to achieve that goal.

With the latest issue of the series dropping more than one lore-changing bombshell in the true, 'divine' nature of Sisko's Vulcan crew member T'Lir, a new twist in the shadowy operations of Section 31, and Captain Benjamin Sisko's own mission from the Prophets, fans are reeling. So Screen Rant asked the writers themselves, Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, to break down the newest reveals.

Needless to say, there will be SPOILERS for Star Trek #19 ahead!

SR: One of the new series' biggest mysteries has finally been solved: the true identity (and nature) of the Vulcan T'Lir. When did you decide to bring the Organians back into this story? What was it about their previous appearances in Tre k?

Jackson Lanzing: Finally, it can be told! T’Lir has secretly been an Organian from the very first outline - if we were going to make this a story about “gods,” it was extremely important for there to be a character on the ship who represented what that word actually meant. Incarnating them in a Vulcan body was also extremely important to us, as Star Trek always feels more like Star Trek with a Vulcan in the room, but it also gave us a great stereotype to begin breaking down - either as T’Lir cries when they see the crystalline entities for the first time, or when they keep repeating their mantra to stay grounded and corporeal. The audience could slowly be let into the secret… so that by the time we got to this reveal, it felt like it didn’t invalidate the character you knew, but rather enhanced them.

Collin Kelly: That question of whether T’Lir is the person the audience has grown to care about - and how much their Organian identity means to them - is right at the center of what makes this story tick. They didn’t just *become* a fully adult Vulcan - they were born, they were raised, they’ve lived a full life, all with the memory of another life - another person - under their skin. To help clue the audience in, every issue of this arc will feature a page from T’Lir’s personal journal, one they were keeping when they were still one of the Organians that were actually on the planet to meet Kirk and Spock during that species’ first appearance in “Errand of Mercy.” In those, readers will find a full story for T’Lir… one that will have huge consequences as we get to the end of this arc.

SR: So with one gigantic twist comes another: a journey to the Pleroma, why Sisko is forbidden from attending, and even a search for Wesley Crusher... what made these strands of god-level Trek lore stand out for you to dig into, and find spaces within the existing timeline to further flesh out?

Jackson Lanzing: That interaction between advanced beings and evolved humanity is at the very core of what makes Star Trek, well, Star Trek. It’s been there since the first two episodes - “The Cage” tells us all about how technology might be used to dominate us and change our very reality, while “Where No Man Has Gone Before” asks us what it means for a human to achieve that kind of reality-warping power. We knew from the start that this would be the center of our run.

Collin Kelly: Exactly. These were plot lines that we have wanted to dive into since the very first outline - in fact, of all the stories we planned to tell, “Pleroma” is the tale most crucial to paying off the first arc and establishing momentum for what comes next. As for Wesley, we owe that entirely to PICARD - while we always knew that Wesley became a Traveler, the world only recently learned that the Travelers are ALSO part of the Supervisors, which we established in Star Trek: Year Five as the leadership of the time-and-space caretakers known as Aegis. Now, Aegis was our villain in Year Five - which folks can read in the extraordinary hardcovers IDW has begun releasing - but their context has changed after that story. Are they friend, foe, or something in between? With Beverly on our crew, and the blessing of Paramount, the opportunity to reunite mother and (first born) child was too good to pass up. Jackson Lanzing: As for why Sisko *very specifically* isn’t invited to this gathering of Gods… read on.

Bringing in a new plot involving Section 31 is a bombshell on its own, but to name that character "Sloan," and recruiting one of Sisko's crew?! For the fans who already know the group's deal, what about this new wrinkle do you want fans to be asking, speculating, or worrying about until the next issue?

Jackson Lanzing: As with everything Section 31, that is extremely classified. What I’ll note is the character’s not named Sloan - they just use Sloan’s authorization. Maybe he’s gained a certain notoriety among the Section 31 agent community? Maybe there are those who wish he’d been able to go further? Collin Kelly: As for what’s going on with Section 31, fans might actually find more of a hint in the distant past than in their recent actions in the Dominion War…

SR: Your editor Heather Antos has teased that the next chapter of your Star Trek opus will go "beyond the human mind's wildest imagination." That's a grand scope, so any further details or teases you can offer about where these next chapters fit into the larger Trek tapestry?

Collin Kelly: First you ask about Section 31, then you ask about secrets? Is this a set up!? What we can say is that this arc is the start of something incredible - not just for our book, but for the casts of Star Trek: Defiant and Sons of Star Trek as well. This line is truly telling an interwoven story - and the time is drawing near to reveal the secret shape of what’s to come. Jackson Lanzing: You don’t tell a story about the fragile nature of spacetime without breaking a few realities. Strap in - there’s never been a Star Trek story as grand, as unified, or as catastrophic as the one we’re building to. You thought Day of Blood was a big event? You ain’t seen nothing yet.

Star Trek #19 is available now from IDW Publishing.

Star Trek is one of pop culture's biggest multimedia franchises, spanning multiple movies, TV shows, books, comics, video games, and various other media. The franchise was created by Gene Roddenberry and started with the 1960s TV series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Over the decades, several equally popular series have come out since as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Discovery.

10 Vulcan Proverbs From Star Trek

• Vulcans prioritize a commitment to logic, valuing reason over emotion.
• Vulcan proverbs and customs highlight diversity, logic, and peaceful coexistence.
• Vulcan philosophy emphasizes unity, the acceptance of change, and the wisdom found in balancing logic and emotion.

Introduced as Earth's closest, first, and greatest interstellar allies, Star Trek ' s Vulcans are known for their advanced technology, logical mindset, and seemingly emotionless demeanor. Vulcan culture values intelligence and rationality, leading them to prioritize exploration and political success. Despite a stoic exterior, Vulcans form deep connections with others, placing great value on privacy and private contemplation. Vulcan's strong and co-founding presence in the United Federation of Planets highlights a respected standing in the galaxy. The Vulcan relationship with Earth is challenging, beneficial, and instructive, revealing a collection of wise insights and philosophical ideals .

The Vulcan proverbs from Star Trek's series and movies offer a glimpse into the values and beliefs that shape this enigmatic alien race. With their extraordinary abilities like touch-telepathy, exceptional hearing, and impeccable logic, Vulcans navigate the universe with a perspective far removed from humans. The contrast between Vulcan's emphasis on reason and Earth's curious impulsiveness creates an enjoyable and intriguing dynamic. Delving into the essence of Vulcan culture reveals a complex society that seeks to balance tradition with progress, making them a fascinating and essential part of the Star Trek universe.

Every Upcoming Star Trek Movie & TV Show

"live long and prosper", star trek: the original series season 2, episode 5 - "amok time".

The iconic Vulcan saying " Live long and prosper " was first uttered in Star Trek: The Original Series but frequently repeated in the franchise's later series and movies. This traditional farewell greeting is often accompanied by a one-handed gesture dubbed the Vulcan salute. The farewell was first spoken by Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in the TOS season 2 episode, "Amok Time," following the kal-if-fee (challenge) fight with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Believing that he has killed Kirk, Spock addresses the Vulcan Priestess T'Pau (Celia Lovsky) and tells her that he " shall do neither " when she responds with the phrase in kind.

Leonard Nimoy based the famous Vulcan hand salute on a Jewish priestly blessing.

"Amok Time" is an important Star Trek episode offering a rare insight into Vulcan customs, culture, and tradition. It also reflects on the power of strong emotions as Spock experiences a charged combination of fear, anger, lust, and grief as events unfold. The phrase " Live long and prosper " has evolved into a timeless symbol of hope and goodwill , resonating throughout the Star Trek franchise and capturing the essence of Vulcan philosophy.

"Infinite Diversity In Infinite Combinations"

Star trek: the original series season 3, episode 7 - "is there no truth in beauty".

The Vulcan IDIC, which stands for " Infinite diversity in infinite combinations ," is a fundamental concept in Vulcan philosophy. Introduced in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode " Is There In Truth No Beauty? ", this emblem symbolizes the importance of diversity. The episode delves into themes such as the perception of beauty, tolerance, prejudice, self-worth, and telepathic ability, making the exploration of this core Vulcan value significant and impactful. The IDIC symbol, represented by a triangle over a circle, has become a recurring symbol throughout the Star Trek franchise , appearing in various episodes and even influencing the design of the Prime Timeline Spock 's Jellyfish ship in Star Trek (2009).

The IDIC serves as a reminder of the value of diversity and acceptance, reflecting the ideals upheld by the Vulcan civilization. Its presence in multiple Star Trek iterations demonstrates its enduring relevance and influence on the series' overarching themes. From its introduction as a key component of Vulcan philosophy to its portrayal in various forms throughout the franchise, the IDIC continues to serve as a symbol of unity and appreciation for differences across the galaxy.

“I am pleased to see that we have differences. May we together become greater than the sum of both of us.” - Surak"

Star trek: the original series season 3, episode 22 - "the savage curtain".

In the iconic Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Savage Curtain," Captain Kirk and Spock become engaged in a study of good and evil. Upon their first encounter with the historical icon Surak (Barry Atwater), the Vulcan philosopher and scientist utters the profound phrase, " I am pleased to see that we are different. May we together be more than the sum of our parts ."

Promoting diversity, inclusion, and peace, the phrase celebrates differences and friendship.

This Vulcan quote encapsulates the core value of diversity and unity within the Star Trek universe , echoing the qualities of IDIC . Promoting diversity, inclusion, and peace, the phrase celebrates differences and friendship and rejects prejudice as petty, illogical, and small-minded. The sentiment is a fitting lesson from the 'father of modern Vulcan civilization,' operating to inspire and remind us of the endless possibilities that can arise when working harmoniously with others.

"In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace." - Tuvok

Star trek: voyager season 5, episode 5 - "once upon a time".

When an ion storm causes Star Trek: Voyager 's Delta Flyer shuttle to crash on a class M planet, leaving the away team stranded, the situation quickly escalates as the craft becomes submerged 3km below ground with the rocky chamber around them filled with toxic gas. With life support failing, Tuvok (Tim Russ) tries to comfort the critically injured away team member as the survivors' air supply dwindles. Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) expresses disbelief at their predicament, musing that he never expected to be buried alive on an unknown planet. Meaning well, Tuvok suggests that "In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace," but the sentiment does little to ease the team's anxiety.

It reflects the logical and tranquil characteristics of Vulcan philosophy.

While Paris jests about preferring the familiar Vulcan saying " Live Long and Prosper ," Tuvok's attempt at solace underscores his stoic nature. Although the comment may fall short of providing immediate comfort, it reflects the logical and tranquil characteristics of Vulcan philosophy in challenging situations. Outside the dire circumstances they face, Tuvok's words hold a deeper wisdom that resonates with the composed demeanor of his species.

"Nothing Unreal Exists"

Star trek iv: the voyage home.

Shortly after Spock's resurrection on Vulcan , he undertakes an educational memory test and is presented with questions on various topics, including science, maths, and philosophy. When asked, " What is Kiri-kin-tha's first law ?" Spock correctly answers, " Nothing unreal exists. " This law, stemming from Surak's teachings, showcases the Vulcans' logical and analytical thinking, offering a simplified insight into the complex topic of metaphysics. It provides a foundation for understanding philosophical meaning and existence and showcases the impressive depth of Vulcan knowledge, wisdom, and reasoning.

The significance of Kiri-kin-tha's first law is revisited in Star Trek: Enterprise , season four episode "The Forge," where Arev (Michael Nouri) questions Archer about these guiding principles in the Vulcan desert. This retconned narrative twist in the franchise's timeline allows the prequel series to delve deeper into Vulcan cultural themes and build on the concepts introduced in previous iterations of the Star Trek universe.

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (or the one)." - Spock & Kirk k

Star trek ii: the wrath of khan and star trek iii: the search for spock.

One of the most iconic quotes from Star Trek , this phrase is closely tied to the heartbreaking scenes of Mr. Spock's death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . While it is synonymous with this moment, the phrase also appears in several of the franchise's other films. In this second movie, Spock sacrifices himself to repair the ship and save the crew from ongoing attack , ultimately succumbing to radiation poisoning. His final words to Kirk, emphasizing the logic behind his actions, set the stage for a recurring theme that extends into the next film, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock .

After Spock's resurrection, Kirk offers a different perspective on the phrase. When Spock asks Kirk why he sacrificed so much to help him, Kirk inverts the sentiment by stating that "the needs of the one outweighed the needs of the many." This quote reversal speaks to the ongoing struggle between logic and emotion seen throughout the franchise's various shows, particularly in Star Trek: The Original Series .

"One man can summon the future." - T'Pol / "One man cannot summon the future." - Spock

Star trek: enterprise season 4, episode 13 - "united" & star trek: the original series season 2, episode 10 - "mirror, mirror".

In a crucial moment to protect an operational alliance, Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) arranges to take the place of a Tellerite dignitary in a fight to the death with the Andorian Commander, Thy'lek Shran (Jeffrey Combs). First Officer T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) expresses concern for Archer's safety , but he argues that - of the three parties negotiating - his death is the only one that would not endanger the alliance. This fourth season episode of Star Trek: Enterprise hints at the early steps towards forming the United Federation of Planets .

Both instances exemplify the power of individuals in pivotal moments.

The sentiment is inverted in an episode from Star Trek: The Original Series , where Captain James T. Kirk attempts to convince the ruthless Mirror universe Spock of the futility of an illogical universe. Spock is dismissive, stating that " one man cannot summon the future, " but Kirk underscores the significance of individual actions in shaping the present. Both instances exemplify the power of individuals in pivotal moments within the Star Trek universe, reinforcing the idea that personal choices can greatly impact the course of events.

"Change is the essential process of all existence." - Spock

Star trek: the original series season 3, episode 15 - "let that be your last battlefield".

Captain Kirk and the USS Enterprise crew are inadvertently involved in a long-standing conflict between Lokai (Lou Antonio) and Commissioner Bele (Frank Gorshin) , a fugitive and his pursuer from the planet Cheron. This allegorical episode explores themes of racism and prejudice, revenge, hatred, and obsession - the two guest alien characters are too stubbornly caught up in their vendetta to notice the obliteration of their planet. Highlighting this idea and observing their driven visitors' intractable views and behavior, Spock remarks to Bele that " change is the essential process of all existence ." Bele is too focused on his task to capture Lokai, and the lesson goes unheeded.

With change comes progress.

It's an important observation of life , however, subtly acknowledging that with change comes progress. Though the sentiment seems at odds with the slow, stuffy perception of Vulcan tradition, it provides a clear perspective when considering the development and evolution of Vulcan culture and history in shows such as Star Trek: The Original Series and Enterprise .

"Without followers, evil cannot spread." - Spock

Star trek: the original series season 3, episode 5 - "and the children shall lead".

Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise crew face a formidable enemy that preys on their deepest fears to take over the ship and control their minds. With the help of a group of impressionable young children who follow the "Friendly Angel" known simply as Gorgon (Melvin Belli), a non-corporeal being from the Triacus, Kirk and Spock find themselves isolated and outnumbered on their own ship.

Realizing the children's pivotal role in the enemy's plans, Spock reminds Kirk that evil thrives only with the support of followers . It's a dark moment that highlights the predation of evil on innocents. This insight prompts them to strategize how to reclaim the Enterprise and defeat the Gorgon. The allegorical message of how evil spreads through cooperation, manipulation, and ignorance is a timeless and historically significant lesson that gains new perspective in light of the evolving Vulcan history depicted in later series.

"Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end." - Spock

Star trek vi: the undiscovered country.

In the 1991 movie Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , Spock is confronted with the reality that his protégé, Lt. Valeris (Kim Cattrell) , is conspiring against the Federation to sabotage diplomatic negotiations and assassinate the Klingon Chancellor. Spock's statement that " Logic is the beginning of wisdom, Valeris, not the end " is a profound message that reflects the idea that knowledge and understanding go beyond mere logic. Spock's own diverse experiences and interactions with a mostly Human crew and multiple other alien species undoubtedly shape his perspective, offering an informed insight that wisdom involves more than analysis and reasoning.

Spock's unique background as a Vulcan-human hybrid has given him a deeper understanding of the complexities of wisdom. Despite the long-standing internal struggle between his logical and emotional sides, Spock recognizes the importance of embracing both aspects to achieve true knowledge. Themes of unity and diversity resonate throughout the Star Trek universe , emphasizing the value of different perspectives in finding solutions and ultimately achieving peace.

All Star Trek series (except Star Trek: Prodigy) are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek I-X (movies) are available to stream on Max.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star trek: voyager, star trek: enterprise, star trek: discovery.

Unexpected (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production
• 4.2 Deleted scene 44
• 4.3 Continuity
• 4.4 Reception
• 4.5 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Guest stars
• 5.3 Co-stars
• 5.4 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.5 Stand-ins
• 5.6.1 Unreferenced materials
• 5.7 External links

Summary [ ]

Archer in the shower without gravity

While Captain Archer is showering, a gravity outage occurs causing both him and the water to float upwards. Malcolm Reed informs him there is a problem with the gravity plating on E deck , but that it is temporary. Then gravity is suddenly restored and Archer falls hard to the floor.

Act One [ ]

Malfunctions continue to affect multiple Enterprise systems. During a buffet in which Doctor Phlox is encouraging T'Pol to try Human food more, T'Pol calmly disagrees and goes to get some carbonated water , only to find a thick sludge come out of the machine instead. In engineering , Commander Tucker receives more malfunction reports when Archer arrives for an update. He's isolated it to the plasma exhaust , but needs more time. Just then, a small explosion in the room halts the conversation. Archer and a crewman put it out, but it forces Tucker to order the ship to slow down to impulse , something he'd rather not do since he thought he could figure it out.

It is soon discovered that the malfunctions are caused by a cloaked alien ship which is using Enterprise 's plasma exhaust to replenish its teraphasic coils because its own engines are malfunctioning. The aliens deeply regret the incident and Archer graciously offers to help them. Tucker is sent to the alien vessel to assist them with the repairs. With a few inoculations from Phlox, Tucker is excited to need to stay a few days on an alien ship for the assignment.

Travis Mayweather easily takes Tucker over via shuttlepod, and docks with the ship . Tucker enters and climbs a long ladder into a small chamber. Oddly, the room starts to fill up with a gas that burns his lungs. He's alarmed, despite a voice calling in to say his discomfort will subside if he breathes normally.

Act Two [ ]

At first, Tucker has an unpleasant experience as he adjusts to the ship's environment. During the three-hour decompression he calls Archer a few times. Then, he refuses to rest after, preferring to get a head start on the work. The aliens allow it, but he starts to feel nauseated and feverish. The feeling increases as he is led to the engine room. However, he finally accepts the suggestion (and Archer's order) to rest a little and begins to feel better soon afterward. In quarters prepared for him, the female Xyrillian engineer on board the ship, Ah'len , helps Tucker recuperate, offering him the closest thing they have to water on the ship: small cubes. Tucker is also fascinated to see that they have grass and food growing all over the ship itself.

After some time, Tucker helps the aliens with the engine and now enjoys himself. While coordinating with T'Pol, he relates the fascinating things he's seen to her and the crew. When it comes to a point where they need to wait, Ah'len shows him around the ship and introduces him to some interesting features of their technology: notably a kind of holodeck where various environments are simulated. She also plays some sort of a "game" with him whereby both reach into a pool of pebbles that enables them to read each other's minds. It is an interesting and enjoyable experience for Trip. When the coils come back online and thus the repairs are concluded, Trip finally returns back to the Enterprise , having thoroughly enjoyed his three-day trip.

Vorok's battle cruiser

After the Xyrillian starship cordially leaves, Tucker discovers a strange growth on his lower arm while talking to Reed. He thinks it is an allergic reaction but, after being examined by Dr. Phlox, he learns that it is actually a nipple . Phlox scans him and informs him that he is pregnant .

Act Three [ ]

Tucker goes through a thorough scan while Archer and T'Pol are called to sickbay to hear the situation. Phlox states no genetic material is taken from the male involved and therefore Tucker is only serving as a host to the embryo . However, it's integrated with his pericardium , so Phlox is reluctant to remove it without more information. Then, Tucker is asked some rather uncomfortable questions by Archer and T'Pol about his stay on board the alien vessel, as Phlox says there must have been some lengthy physical contact to transfer the genetic material. Tucker is emphatic that he was a "gentleman" the entire time, which prompts disbelief from T'Pol, who expresses surprise that Tucker couldn't keep it together for three days. Tucker continues innocence, but then remembers the pebble "game" he played with the female engineer. The doctor tells him that apparently the "game" served to transfer genetic information to him. They realize that they have to find the Xyrillians to find information about the gestation process.

While searching for the Xyrillian ship, a hormonal Trip finds himself irritated frequently. Later, Tucker is in engineering and becomes very concerned about the lift being dangerous to a child or a short alien, pulling a confused crewman Dillard aside to talk about it. Dillard expresses his concern and Tucker drops it in frustration. At dinner with Archer and Phlox, Tucker suspects that T'Pol told everyone about his pregnancy, as he believes everyone is looking at him differently. Archer and Phlox try to calm him, but also remind him that they may not find the Xyrillians, meaning he will need to deliver the baby. Tucker's appetite seems to have increased, prompting Archer to order 8-hour check-ups with Phlox.

Finally, they discover the Xyrillians hitchhiking on a Klingon battle cruiser as they did with Enterprise .

Act Four [ ]

Archer decides that they need the Klingons' cooperation since they will not be able to communicate with the Xyrillians without alerting them. This means a difficult explanation of the situation, as the Klingon captain, Vorok , is irate, firing on the ship first without answering the initial hail, then, after answering, immediately preparing to take the Xyrillians' ship and execute the crew. Archer tries to entice them to stop, but is unsuccessful. T'Pol then mentions Archer's experience with the Klingon chancellor , appealing to the honor and wisdom in heeding his request. Vorok then agrees. Archer also asks to allow Tucker to come with them to the ship, which is dismissed until they give the full explanation, including Tucker showing his now-protruding body to them (to his embarrassment). The Klingons find all this very amusing, and the captain decides not to destroy the Xyrillian ship if the Xyrillians promise to share some of their technology, in particular, the holographic technology .

On the Xyrillians' ship, the Klingons provide topographical data on their world and are amazed at the technology. The Xyrillians agree to adapt the technology. When Tucker is finally able to explain his situation to Ah'len, she apologizes, saying she didn't know that was possible. After examination, she finally concludes that the embryo could safely be transferred to another host – it is also revealed that the embryo is a girl and is very healthy.

As they depart, T'Pol informs Tucker that he may be pleased to know that after some research she found that this is the first recorded incident of a Human male becoming pregnant – " just how I always wanted to get in the history books ", Tucker responds.

Log entries [ ]

• " Captain's starlog, supplemental. We've spent eight days looking for the Xyrillian ship. But so far, we've… had no luck. "

Memorable quotes [ ]

" There's an old saying: 'When in Fellebia , do as the Fellebians do.' " " It's difficult enough having to smell all of this. Eating it is out of the question. "

" Three days on an alien ship. " " Remember to mind your manners. "

" I feel like I've, uh… got a fever. I'm having trouble focusing, breathing. I really think I need to get back, captain! "

" I'm not sure if congratulations are in order commander but, you're pregnant. "

" Three days. You were only there for three days, and you couldn't restrain yourself. " " I'm telling you, captain, I was a complete gentleman the entire time. " " I imagine that's a question of how you define 'gentleman' "

" Take a nap, Trip. That's an order. "

" I'm the chief engineer. I spent years earning that position. I never had any intention of becoming a working mother! "

" Tried these scrambled eggs? Tastes just like the real thing today. "

" Post-natal responsibilities? " " You may be putting those nipples to work before you know it. "

" I considered myself a diplomat from the minute I set foot on that vessel. Well… there was that box of pebbles. " " Pebbles? "

" One of the first things a diplomat learns is not to stick his fingers where they don't belong. "

" You'll probably feel a bit nauseated in the mornings, so get sufficient rest and exercise and see me at least once a day. That nipple may not be the only surprise your body has in store for you. "

" I can see my house from here! "

" If the starship profiles the Vulcans gave us are correct- " " They're correct, lieutenant. That's a Klingon battle cruiser. "

" Perhaps a little lunch might help. I hear Chef has prepared Rigelian sausage. (Tucker groans) Being vegetarian I can't speak from experience, but I'm told it's quite succulent. "

" I've run a check through the Starfleet database. You might be pleased to know that this is the first recorded incident of a Human male becoming pregnant. " " Just how I always wanted to get into the history books. "

Background information [ ]

Production [ ].

• The final draft script of this episode was issued on 26 July 2001 .
• Randy Oglesby ( Trena'L ) later played the recurring character Degra during the third season of Enterprise .
• Julianne Christie ( Ah'len ) previously appeared as Dexa , a Talaxian, in VOY : " Homestead ".
• Executive Producer Brannon Braga thought this episode's depiction of Tucker was effective and helped set Enterprise apart from the other Star Trek series. Braga believed what was especially refreshing was the way in which the character is at first very eager to go aboard the Xyrillian ship but soon becomes desperate to leave the vessel due to how strange he finds it. " That's the kind of stuff you would never see a Riker do, because they're just too seasoned, " remarked Braga. " And Connor [Trinneer] just brought more to Trip than we could've imagined. " ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 139 , p. 23)
• Connor Trinneer found he had a lot to do in this Enterprise installment. " And I really took that episode and tried to make it my own, " the actor stated, " because it was really centered around Trip and that whole experience [of winding up pregnant]. And it was funny. And I even had some ideas that I threw out that they were like, 'Yeah, that's great, that's great.' I think they were kind of giving me enough rope to hang myself with and I didn't. " ("To Boldly Go: Launching Enterprise , Part III: First Flight", ENT Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• This is the first episode of the series to be directed by Mike Vejar .
• The Klingon battle cruiser that appeared in this episode was a very much "unexpected" reuse of the K't'inga -class model. For more information, see Vorok's battle cruiser .

Deleted scene 44 [ ]

On the season one DVD release of Enterprise , there is one deleted scene which was removed from this episode. The number of the scene, 44, indicates the scene's original place in the episode before being cut.

The scene mostly takes place at the console in Enterprise 's situation room and shows Tucker (who is not feeling very well), T'Pol, and Reed discussing whether or not they are actually tracking the stealth alien vessel. Tucker attempts to dismiss himself, only for T'Pol to recommend a meal, revealing she has been told that Rigelian sausage, which has recently been prepared by the ship's Chef , is notably "succulent." Tucker replies that he plans to lie down for a while but, as he waits for the turbolift door to open, Reed comes up with a faster way to detect the alien ship's plasma trail – by modifying Enterprise 's UV sensors . He asks for the engineer's help to do so but Tucker, about to vomit, rushes to a door at the port side of the situation room, opens it and exits. A toilet is presumably on the other side of the door; Tucker can then be heard to vomit.

Continuity [ ]

• This episode features the first appearance of holodeck technology.
• This episode shows what Archer believes is the first inter-species pregnancy involving a Human. However, it will later turn out it is not even the first instance of first inter-species reproduction involving Tucker: " E² " reveals that the half-Vulcan son of an alternative version of him operates in the Delphic Expanse . In " North Star ", Enterprise will also uncover another earlier precedent, when they witness descendants of Humans and Skagarans . On the other hand, T'Pol's claim that this is the first recorded incident of a human male becoming pregnant remains unchallenged.
• This is the first known hostile encounter between a Starfleet vessel and a Klingon ship.
• The "mind reading" sequence makes mention of how Archer saved Trip's life in the Omega training mission , established in the previous episode, " Strange New World ".
• T'Pol later brings up Tucker's dalliance with the female Xyrillian engineer in " Oasis ", which causes him to angrily reply that T'Pol will "never let that go."
• Captain Archer says he has known Trip Tucker for eight years. This matches up with the episode " First Flight " which takes place in 2143 , eight years earlier.

Reception [ ]

• This episode achieved a Nielsen rating of 5.2 and was watched by a total average of 8.16 million viewers. [1]
• In Star Trek Magazine 's "Ultimate Guide", this episode was rated 1 out of 5 arrowhead insignia and was named the worst installment of Enterprise 's first season . ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 164 , p. 78)
• The unofficial reference book Beyond the Final Frontier (p. 360) comments about this episode, " A 'male pregnancy' story sounds terrible, but this pulls it off, with a blend of humour, genuine humanity and freakiness. An early sign that Connor Trinneer is going to be a useful member of the cast, this is a good episode. "
• Connor Trinneer believes this episode helped make his portrayal of Tucker memorable for the Enterprise writing staff, making it easier to write his character into subsequent stories. " I think from that point forward, " said Trinneer, " they were really able to hear my voice coming out of Trip. They were able to hear Trip's voice. " ("To Boldly Go: Launching Enterprise , Part III: First Flight", ENT Season 1 Blu-ray special features)
• A script from this episode was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [2]

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 1.3, 10 June 2002
• As part of the UK VHS collection Enterprise 1.1-1.3 Collectors Edition : 19 August 2002
• As part of the ENT Season 1 DVD collection
• As part of the ENT Season 1 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer
• John Billingsley as Phlox
• Jolene Blalock as T'Pol
• Dominic Keating as Malcolm Reed
• Anthony Montgomery as Travis Mayweather
• Linda Park as Hoshi Sato
• Connor Trinneer as Charles "Trip" Tucker III

Guest stars [ ]

• Julianne Christie as Ah'Len
• Christopher Darga as Vorok
• Randy Oglesby as Trena'L

Co-stars [ ]

• Regi Davis as Klingon First Officer
• T.L. Kolman as Alien Man
• Mike Baldridge as Dillard
• John Cragen as Crewman
• Drew Howerton as Steward

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Job Alonso as Xyrillian male 2
• Adam Anello
• Jef Ayres as Haynem
• Michael Braveheart as Klingon officer
• Solomon Burke, Jr. as Billy
• Christina Carmel as Xyrillian female
• Mario Carter
• David Citron
• Cecilia Conn as command crewman
• Amy Kate Connolly as sciences crewman
• Adam Conway as Xyrillian male 3
• Mark Correy as Alex
• Vince Deadrick, Jr. as Enterprise engineer
• Michael Duisenberg as Enterprise crewman
• Evan English
• Stacy Fouche as operations crewman
• Hilde Garcia as Rossi
• Jack Guzman as sciences crewman
• Bryan Heiberg as operations crewman
• Aldric Horton as operations crewman
• Martin Ko as command ensign
• Jason Lasater as Unnamed Enterprise (NX-01) personnel
• Alise Phelan as Enterprise NX-01 crewman
• Prada as Porthos
• Erik Prejean
• Mark Rogerson
• Cynthia Uhrich as operations crewman
• David Walrod as Xyrillian male 1
• John Wan as operations crewman
• Todd Wieland

Stand-ins [ ]

• David Anderson – stand-in for Randy Oglesby
• Amy Kate Connolly – stand-in for Julianne Christie
• Evan English – stand-in for John Cragen
• Tarik Ergin – stand-in for Regi Davis
• Simone Montanti – stand-in for Jolene Blalock
• J.R. Quinonez
• Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for Christopher Darga
• Pablo Soriano
• Mark Watson – stand-in for Connor Trinneer

References [ ]

3D simulator ; ability ; act of war ; Ah'len's embryo ; Ah'len's parents ; Almack ; amputation ; artificial gravity ; battle cruiser, Klingon ; bioscan ; blastocyst ; blind date ; blue ; blueberry pancakes ; carbohydrate ; carbonated water ; career ; catfish ; chef ; chicken tetrazzini ; civilian clothing ; decompression cycle ; delivery date ; depth perception ; dermal plate ; diet ; digestive tract ; diplomat ; drink dispenser ; dutara root ; EM residue ; environment ; exhaust port ; Fellebia ; Fellebian ; fever ; finger ; flashpoint ; game ; gestation ; granule ; grass ; green ; hair follicle ; hallucinogenic effect ; Hart ; history book ; hitchhiking ; holographic ; hologram ; hormone ; host ; injector cells ; intercostal ; ion matrix ; interspecies pregnancy ; Klaang ; Klingons ; Klingon chancellor ; Klingon Empire ; Klingon High Council Chamber ; lawn ; lungs ; manifold ; marriage ; meter ; milligram ; mirazine ; mood swing ; nap ; ocean ; omicron band ; orange : pancake ; pebble ; perceptual test ; pericardium ; plasma exhaust ; plomeek broth ; resequenced photons ; polarized hull plating ; pregnancy ; protein ; Qo'noS ; Qo'noS capital ; razor ; red ; respiration rate ; romance ; rowboat ; saying ; scrambled eggs ; sexual encounter ; shave ; shore leave ; shut-eye ; Shuttlepod 1 ; smell (odor); smell (sense) ; Starfleet database ; stealth device ; stealth technology ; Sto-vo-kor ; surrogate chamber ; telepathy ; teraphasic coils ; Thera ; toast ; topographical survey ; UV sensors ; vegetarian ; visual simulator ; Vorok's battle cruiser ; Vulcans ; Vulcan ; warp reactor ; water ; Xyrillians ; Xyrillian homeworld ; Xyrillian ship ; yellow

Unreferenced materials [ ]

D4 class (production art) ; Rigelian sausage ; vomiting

External links [ ]

• "Unexpected" at StarTrek.com
• " Unexpected " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Unexpected " at Wikipedia
• 1 Abdullah bin al-Hussein