SPOCK WILL GO WHERE HE CAN BE A VULCAN!

               

             There is probably no character that is more representative of Star Trek than Mr. Spock.  Oh, classic Star Trek itself may have been the Captain Kirk show, but when people think of the series the character who comes to mind is Mr. Spock.  It is his alien nature and appearance.  Those Vulcan ears, the eyebrows, the genius level intellect, his commitment to logic, the stoic demeaner, and the classic blue uniform all made for a legendary character.  He is a character that has meant a lot to a lot of people. 

Getting some chess and saving the Captain at the same time!

       From his first appearance over fifty years ago Spock has always been representative of the cultural outsider.  He is the only Vulcan aboard the USS Enterprise.  Despite being part of that family there is always this thing that makes him stand a part.  Spock can never let his hair down, so to speak, even with his closest friends he always has to be the one who is in control, a Vulcan.  It is in his nature to sacrifice comfort for his identity.  Although he is technically half-human, he sees himself always as a Vulcan.  He only brings up his human half when it is relevant and it seldom is.   

Kirk won't take bigotry from Stiles

        From time to time, we see Spock have to deal with bigotry against Vulcans from petty humans.  Lt. Stiles who questioned his loyalty in “Balance of Terror” or Lt. Boma who questioned his basic decency because Spock was more concerned for living people than corpses in “The Galileo Seven.” However, we learn in the episode “Journey to Babel” that the worst bulling that Mr. Spock endured came not from humans but from other Vulcans.  Since he was the product of a Vulcan father and a human mother he was commonly viewed as a half-breed amongst his own people. While adult Vulcans keep their emotions under control the same cannot be said for Vulcan school children who viciously attacked him. Spock always identified as a Vulcan despite his half-human side, yet those who were his peers did not let him be a Vulcan.  Every time they attacked him, these young Vulcans betrayed their own philosophy of IDIC, yet hatred always seems to win over principle. 

Spock's career choice earns him the bitterness of his father

        In response, although he won on merit a place at the Vulcan Science Academy, he declines it in favor of an appointment to Starfleet Academy.  This will start a feud with his father that will last almost two decades but it doesn’t matter. He flees Vulcan to head the Earth where he will join Starfleet and be primarily with humans.  The funny part is Spock’s decision to be a part of something that surrounds himself with humans is not an embrace of his mother’s people nor an exploration into his humanity.  Spock has chosen to live among humans so that he can be a Vulcan.  For when humans see him, they see someone who is Vulcan.  Every moment he is among them reaffirms his identity even when confronted by bigots such as Stiles and Boma.  It is why every argument he makes with McCoy, in a way, McCoy has to lose because every insult McCoy can come up with will always sound like a compliment to Spock.  

"Go ahead, call me green blooded." 

        It is interesting that we learn in “Amok Time” that Spock had become on his own homeworld, a legend amongst his people.  His adventures first with Captain Pike then with Captain Kirk have made Mr. Spock a household name.  The child once bullied and rejected had become revered, like Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer who achieved status with his fellow reindeer when he helped Santa save Christmas, Mr. Spock achieved fame and appreciation on Vulcan.  Ironically this ends up costing him his marriage. T’Pring whose family overlooked Spock’s half-humanness and agree to a marriage, became so concerned with her betrothed’s fame that she sought comfort in another an attempted to use ritual rights to get Spock to fight Kirk.

Spock's lady number 1

Spock's lady number 2

        When it comes to women, Mr. Spock seem to share his father’s taste and goes for the more human type.  He actually cheated on T’Pring with Leila Kalomi during his time on Earth.  Once under the influence of spores he was going to live with her on Omicron Ceti III as seen in the episode “This Side of Paradise.”  During the episode “The Cloud Minders” Spock hooks up with Droxine, the described “work or art.”  That was just a one-time fling, a chance for the writers to confirm he doesn’t need to wait seven years.  This will be useful for Spock meets his own version of Edith Keeler in Zarabeth from “All of Yesterdays.”  Granted those last two weren’t human but they were more in the human direction than Vulcan.  The most Vulcan-like woman Spock ever found himself falling for was the Lady Romulan Fleet Commander in “The Enterprise Incident.” It was too bad he had to betray her because they were getting along great.

Spock's lady number 3

        

Spock's lady number 4

Outside of romance, when it comes to pure friendship I don’t know if there has ever been a better trio of friends on television than Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.  The three of them share this amazing bond that the actors of William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and Deforest Kelley bring to life.  It is always fascinating the three of them whether they are just hanging out on leave or about the save the galaxy form an impending threat.  The three of them clearly appreciate the skills that each one has, and is free to criticize each other when any one of them feels it is necessary. 

Spock's lady number 5

     

I would like to dedicate this post to the late and great Leonard Nimoy.  One of the great regrets of my life is never been able to meet this incredible induvial who brought Mr. Spock to life for us for almost fifty years. Other actors may pick up the role to add something to it, but Leonard Nimoy will always be Mr. Spock.