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Spock is a
fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
in the ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' media franchise. He first appeared in the original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as science officer and first officer (and Kirk's
Second-in-command Second-in-command (2i/c or 2IC) is a title denoting that the holder of the title is the second-highest authority within a certain organisation. Usage In the British Army or Royal Marines, the second-in-command is the deputy commander of a unit, ...
) and later as commanding officer of two iterations of the vessel. Spock's mixed human-
Vulcan Vulcan may refer to: Mythology * Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...
heritage serves as an important plot element in many of the character's appearances. Along with Captain
James T. Kirk James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as captain. Kirk leads ...
(
William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
) and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (
DeForest Kelley Jackson DeForest Kelley (January 20, 1920 – June 11, 1999), known to colleagues as "Dee", was an American actor, screenwriter, poet, and singer. He was known for his roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy of the in the televisio ...
), he is one of the three central characters in the original ''Star Trek'' series and its films. After retiring from active duty in Starfleet, Spock served as a
Federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...
, and later became involved in the ill-fated attempt to save
Romulus Romulus () was the legendary foundation of Rome, founder and King of Rome, first king of Ancient Rome, Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus ...
from a
supernova A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...
, leading him to live out the rest of his life in a parallel timeline. Spock was played by
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
in the original ''Star Trek'' series, ''
Star Trek: The Animated Series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series'' (''TAS''), is an American animated science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. It originally aired under the title simply as ''Star Trek'', subtitled ''Created by Gene Roddenberry'', on Satu ...
'', eight of the ''Star Trek'' feature films, and a two-part episode of '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''. Multiple actors have played the character since Nimoy within ''Star Trek''s main continuity; the most recent portrayal is
Ethan Peck Ethan Gregory Peck (born March 2, 1986) is an American actor. He is the grandson of actor Gregory Peck and Greta Kukkonen, the elder Peck's first wife. In 2019, he played a young Spock in '' Star Trek: Discovery'' (2019), a role he has reprised fo ...
, who played Spock as a recurring character in the second season of '' Star Trek: Discovery'' and in '' Star Trek: Short Treks.'' Peck has reprised the role, this time as a main character, in the '' Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'', which acts as both a ''Discovery'' spin-off and a prequel to the original ''Star Trek'' series. Additionally, Zachary Quinto played an alternate reality version of Spock in the feature films ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' (2009), '' Star Trek Into Darkness'' (2013), and '' Star Trek Beyond'' (2016). Although the three films are set in the aforementioned parallel timeline, Nimoy appears in the first two as the original timeline's Spock. Aside from the series and films in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, Spock has also appeared in numerous
novels A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself ...
,
comics a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...
, and
video games Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
. Nimoy's portrayal of Spock made a significant cultural impact and earned him three
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nominations. His public profile as Spock was so strong that both his autobiographies, '' I Am Not Spock'' (1975) and ''
I Am Spock ''I Am Spock'' is the second volume of actor and director Leonard Nimoy's autobiography. The book was published in 1995, four years after the release of the last '' Star Trek'' motion picture starring the entire original cast, and covers the majo ...
'' (1995), were written from the viewpoint of coexistence with the character.


Appearances


Background

Spock's backstory has been explained during the course of several episodes of '' Star Trek: The Original Series'', the 2009 film ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' and the ''
Star Trek: The Animated Series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series'' (''TAS''), is an American animated science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. It originally aired under the title simply as ''Star Trek'', subtitled ''Created by Gene Roddenberry'', on Satu ...
'' episode ''"'' Yesteryear''"'' . Spock was born to the
Vulcan Vulcan may refer to: Mythology * Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...
Sarek Sarek is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He is a Vulcan astrophysicist, the Vulcan ambassador to the United Federation of Planets, and father of Spock. The character was originally played by Mark Lenard in the epi ...
(
Mark Lenard Mark Lenard (born Leonard Rosenson, October 15, 1924 – November 22, 1996) was an American actor, primarily in television. His most famous role was as Sarek, father of Spock, in the science fiction ''Star Trek'' franchise, in both the origina ...
) and the human
Amanda Grayson Amanda is a Latin feminine gerundive (i.e. verbal adjective) name meaning, literally, “she who must (or is fit to) be loved”. Other translations, with similar meaning, could be "deserving to be loved," "worthy of love," or "loved very much b ...
(
Jane Wyatt Jane Waddington Wyatt ( ; August 12, 1910 – October 20, 2006) was an American actress. She starred in a number of Hollywood films, such as Frank Capra's ''Lost Horizon'', but is likely best known for her role as the housewife and mother Marg ...
). Spock had a troubled childhood due to his mixed heritage. Full-blooded Vulcan children repeatedly bullied Spock on their home world to incite the emotions of his human nature. For a time, he grew up alongside his older half-brother Sybok, until the older brother was cast out for rejecting logic. In '' Star Trek: Discovery'', it is revealed that Spock has a human, adopted sister, Michael Burnham. According to the episode "
Amok Time "Amok Time" is the second season premiere episode of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon, scored by Gerald Fried, and directed by Joseph Pevney, it first aired on Se ...
", Spock was betrothed to T'Pring ( Arlene Martel) during his childhood. Sarek supported Spock's scientific learning and application to the Vulcan Science Academy, as mentioned in " Journey to Babel". In the 2009 film ''Star Trek'', Spock rejects his acceptance into the Vulcan Science Academy on the basis that they would never fully accept someone who was only half-Vulcan. Although this film set the Kelvin timeline scene in this and later films, writer Roberto Orci stated that he felt that the actions were unaffected by the changes in this timeline and so would have occurred in the same manner prior to ''The Original Series''. Because Spock did not enter the VSA and sought to join Starfleet instead, he did not speak to his father for the following 18 years.


"The Cage" and the first season

Spock appeared as the science officer on the USS ''Enterprise'' in the first pilot for the series, "
The Cage The Cage may refer to: Sports * West Fourth Street Courts, also known as "The Cage", as of 1978, a public venue for amateur basketball in New York City * Al-Shorta Stadium, 1990-2014, former football stadium of Al-Shorta SC, nicknamed "The Cage ...
". This was not shown on television at the time, but the events of the episode were shown in the two-part episode " The Menagerie" of the first season, and Spock's previous 11 years of service on the ''Enterprise'' were described. Spock was one of the members of the away team who joined Captain Christopher Pike (
Jeffrey Hunter Jeffrey Hunter (born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr.; November 25, 1926 – May 27, 1969) was an American film and television actor and producer known for his roles in films such as ''The Searchers'' and ''King of Kings (1961 film), King of Kin ...
) on a mission to Talos IV in order to investigate a distress call. Spock did appear in the second pilot, " Where No Man Has Gone Before", but this was broadcast initially as the third episode. During the events of that pilot, Spock became concerned at the risk to the ship posed by Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell ( Gary Lockwood) and suggested possible solutions to Captain
James T. Kirk James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as captain. Kirk leads ...
(
William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
). The earliest appearance of Spock in the series as broadcast was " The Man Trap", the first such episode. When he needs to knock out an evil version of Kirk in " The Enemy Within", he uses a
Vulcan nerve pinch In the fictional ''Star Trek'' universe, the Vulcan nerve pinch is a technique used mainly by Vulcans to render unconsciousness by pinching a pressure point at the base of the victim's neck. Origin The script for " The Enemy Within" stated that ...
. Spock and Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott ( James Doohan) work together to rejoin the good and evil versions of the Captain, which had been split following a transporter accident. During " Miri", he finds himself to be the only member of the landing party to be immune to the physical effects of the disease affecting human adults on the planet. However, he realises that he is probably a carrier and could infect the ''Enterprise'' if he were to return. Doctor
Leonard McCoy Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, known as "Bones", is a character in the American science-fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. McCoy was played by actor DeForest Kelley in the original ''Star Trek'' series from 1966 to 1969, and he also appears in the anim ...
(
DeForest Kelley Jackson DeForest Kelley (January 20, 1920 – June 11, 1999), known to colleagues as "Dee", was an American actor, screenwriter, poet, and singer. He was known for his roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy of the in the televisio ...
) manages to devise a cure, allowing the team to return to the ship. When Simon van Gelder enters the bridge armed with a phaser in "
Dagger of the Mind "Dagger of the Mind" is the ninth episode of the Star Trek: The Original Series (season 1), first season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek''. Written by Shimon Wincelberg (under the pen ...
", Spock subdues him with a nerve pinch. He later conducts a
mind meld Vulcans, sometimes referred to as Vulcanians, are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the ''Star Trek'' universe and media franchise. In the various ''Star Trek'' television series and films, they are noted for their attempt to l ...
with van Gelder as part of the investigation into the activities of the nearby colony. After the power to the colony is shut down, and a protective force field drops, Spock leads an away team to rescue Kirk. Spock is reunited with Christopher Pike ( Sean Kenney) in "The Menagerie". Pike had been promoted to Fleet Captain but suffered an accident, resulting in severe burns and confining him to a wheelchair and restricting his communication to yes/no answers via a device connected to his brainwaves. Spock commits
mutiny Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military, of a crew or of a crew of pirates) to oppose, change, or overthrow an organization to which they were previously loyal. The term is commonly used for a rebellion among member ...
and directs the ship to travel to Talos IV, a banned planet. He recounts the events of "The Cage" under a tribunal to Kirk, Pike and Commodore Jose I. Mendez (
Malachi Throne Malachi Throne (December 1, 1928 – March 13, 2013) was an American actor, noted for his guest-starring roles on ''Star Trek'', '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'', ''Lost in Space'', ''Batman'', ''Land ...
). As the ''Enterprise'' arrives at the planet, Mendez is revealed to be a Talosian illusion. At the same time, the real Mendez communicates from Starfleet, giving permission for Pike to be transported to the planet, and all charges against Spock are dropped. While the ''Enterprise'' is under threat in "
Balance of Terror The phrase "balance of terror" is usually, but not invariably,Rich Miller, Simon Kennedy'G-20 Plans to End 'Financial Balance of Terror' After Summit,'Bloomberg 27 February 2009. used in reference to the nuclear arms race between the United State ...
", Spock is accused by Lieutenant Stiles ( Paul Comi) of knowing more about the Romulans than he admits when the alien's similar physical appearance is revealed. Spock hypothesises that they are an offshoot of the Vulcan race. He saves the ''Enterprise'', manning the phaser station and saves the life of Stiles in the process. Spock leads a landing party on the shuttlecraft ''Galileo'' in "
The Galileo Seven "The ''Galileo'' Seven" is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series, '' Star Trek''. Written by Oliver Crawford and directed by Robert Gist, it first aired on January 5, 1967. In the episode, Fi ...
", which is damaged and pulled off course and lands on the planet Taurus II. Lieutenant Boma ( Don Marshall) criticises Spock's fascination with the weaponry of the natives after the death of Lieutenant Latimer (Rees Vaughn) at their hands. After Scotty uses the power packs of the party's phasers to supply enough energy to get the damaged shuttle back into orbit, Spock decides to dump and ignite the remaining fuel to attract the attention of the ''Enterprise''. The procedure is successful and the crew on the shuttle are rescued. Spock is reunited with Leila Kalomi (
Jill Ireland Jill Dorothy Ireland (24 April 1936 – 18 May 1990) was an English actress and singer. She appeared in 16 films with her second husband, Charles Bronson, and was additionally involved in two other of Bronson's films as a producer. Life and ca ...
) in "
This Side of Paradise ''This Side of Paradise'' is the debut novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1920. It examines the lives and morality of carefree American youth at the dawn of the Jazz Age. Its protagonist, Amory Blaine, is an attractive ...
"; after joining an away team to the planet Omicron Ceti III. After being affected by planet spores, Spock begins showing emotion and re-initiates his romantic liaison with Kalomi. The impact of the spores on him is cured after Kirk goads him into anger, and once freed of the effects, Spock is able to initiate a solution which cures the rest of the crew. Spock attempts to mind meld with a non-humanoid Horta in "
The Devil in the Dark "The Devil in the Dark" is the twenty-fifth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek''. Written by Gene L. Coon and directed by Joseph Pevney, the episode first aired on March 9, 1967. In thi ...
", having initially suggested that Kirk should kill the creature. Following a second mind meld, Spock relays the history of the Horta and is able to create peace between the aliens and a nearby colony. Both Spock and Kirk undertake
guerrilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or Irregular military, irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, Raid (military), raids ...
against the occupying
Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids c ...
forces on the planet Organia, prior to the establishment of the Organian Peace Treaty in "
Errand of Mercy "Errand of Mercy" is the twenty-sixth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Gene L. Coon and directed by John Newland, it was first broadcast on March 23, 1967. It was the first ...
". To restore the timeline, he travels with Kirk back to 1930's New York City in " The City on the Edge of Forever". He uses technology of that period to interface with his tricorder over the course of the weeks they spend in the period before witnessing Edith Keeler's (
Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime ...
) death.


Season two and three

In the premiere episode of the second season, "Amok Time", Spock begins to undergo
pon farr ''Pon farr'' is a phenomenon in the fictional ''Star Trek'' universe. A part of the reproductive cycle of Vulcans, ''pon farr'' features in the canonical television series as well as in various spin-offs and fan fiction. An extreme physical and p ...
, the Vulcan blood fever, and must undergo a ritual mating in the next eight days or die. Kirk disobeys Starfleet orders and takes the ''Enterprise'' to the planet Vulcan so that Spock can undergo the mating ritual. When they arrive, he is reunited with T'Pring ( Arlene Martel). She rather wishes to be with Stonn (
Lawrence Montaigne Lawrence Montaigne (February 26, 1931 – March 17, 2017) was an American actor, writer, dancer, and stuntman. As an actor, he was known for his appearances on many 1960s-era television shows. Life and career Born in New York, but later raised ...
), a full-blooded Vulcan. She demands the ritual kal-if-fee fight instead, and selects Kirk as her champion, who unknowingly agrees to a fight to the death with Spock. McCoy persuades T'Pau ( Celia Lovsky) to let him inject Kirk with something to alleviate the issues with Vulcan's thinner atmosphere and make the fight fair. The fight begins, and Spock gains the upper hand, garroting Kirk and killing him. McCoy orders an emergency transport directly to
sickbay A sick bay is a compartment in a ship, or a section of another organisation, such as a school or college, used for medical purposes. The sick bay contains the ship's medicine chest, which may be divided into separate cabinets, such as a refriger ...
, while Spock is told by T'Pring that it was all a game of logic which would let her be with Stonn no matter the outcome. No longer feeling the effects of the pon farr, Spock returns to the ''Enterprise'' where he discovers that McCoy had injected Kirk with a paralyzing agent which merely simulated death and that the Captain was still alive.During the course of the encounter with the ''Nomad''
space probe A space probe is an artificial satellite that travels through space to collect scientific data. A space probe may orbit Earth; approach the Moon; travel through interplanetary space; flyby, orbit, or land or fly on other planetary bodies; or ent ...
in " The Changeling", Spock undertakes a mind meld with the machine. Kirk stops the meld when he realises that Spock's personality starts to be changed by the contact. Following a transporter accident which transports Kirk, McCoy, Uhura and Scotty to a
Mirror Universe The Mirror Universe is the setting of several narratives in the '' Star Trek'' science fiction franchise, a parallel universe existing alongside, but separate from, the fictional universe that is the main setting of ''Star Trek''. It resembles ...
and swaps them with their counterparts in the episode " Mirror, Mirror", they encounter a different version of Spock. Sporting a beard, he grows suspicious of the activities of the suddenly changed personnel and under Starfleet orders, attempts to kill Kirk. Mirror-Spock is knocked unconscious, and is treated by McCoy while the others head to the transporter to attempt to return to their universe. Spock awakes and mind melds with McCoy to discover why Kirk did not have him killed. Discovering what took place, he agrees to help them return and as he mans the transporter controls, Kirk implores him to take control and save not only the ship but his Terran Empire from implosion at the hands of tyrants. The switch is once again successful, and the crew members return to their relevant universes.


''The Motion Picture'' and the film series

At the beginning of '' Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' (1979), Spock is no longer in Starfleet, having resigned and returned home to pursue the Vulcan discipline of
Kolinahr Vulcans, sometimes referred to as Vulcanians, are a fictional Extraterrestrial life, extraterrestrial humanoid species in the ''Star Trek'' universe and media franchise. In the various ''Star Trek'' television series and films, they are noted ...
. Spock is unable to complete the Kolinahr ritual after he senses the coming of V'ger, and rejoins Starfleet to aid the ''Enterprise'' crew in their mission. Spock, promoted to captain, is commanding officer of the ''Enterprise'' at the beginning of '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' (1982). At the film's end, he transfers his " katra" – the sum of his memories and experience – to McCoy, and then sacrifices himself to save the ship and its crew from Khan Noonien Singh ( Ricardo Montalbán). The sequel, '' Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'' (1984), focuses on his crewmates' quest to recover Spock's body, learning upon arrival that he has been resurrected by the Genesis matrix after landing on the planet at the end of the previous film. At the film's conclusion, Spock's revived body is reunited with his katra. Spock is next seen in '' Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'' (1986), which depicts his recovery from the after-effects of his resurrection. In the film's final scene, he joins the crew of the newly commissioned USS ''Enterprise''-A under Kirk's command. In '' Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'' (1989), Spock and the ''Enterprise'' crew confront the renegade Sybok, Spock's half-brother. '' Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' (1991) reunites the ''Enterprise'' crew on a mission to prevent war from erupting between the Federation and
Klingon Empire The Klingons ( ; Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids ch ...
. Spock serves as a special envoy to broker peace with the Klingons after a natural disaster devastates their homeworld.


''Star Trek: The Next Generation''

After a period in which the production team avoided mentioning some aspects of The Original Series, Spock was mentioned by name in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' in the episode "
Sarek Sarek is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He is a Vulcan astrophysicist, the Vulcan ambassador to the United Federation of Planets, and father of Spock. The character was originally played by Mark Lenard in the epi ...
" (1990). Executive producer Michael Piller later described this one act as "the breakthrough which allowed us to open the doors, that allowed us to begin to embrace our past". Spock appears in " Unification" (1991), a two-part episode of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''. Set 75 years after the events of ''The Undiscovered Country'', the episode focuses on Federation Ambassador Spock's attempt to reunite the
Romulan The Romulans () are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They first appeared in the series ''Star Trek'' (1966–1969). They have appeared in most subsequent ''Star Trek'' releases, including '' The A ...
s with their Vulcan brethren. Filming of ''The Undiscovered Country'' overlapped with production of this episode, and the episode references Spock's role in the film. While Spock's initial unification campaign fails, he chooses to remain on Romulus in secret to help the movement.


Reboot films


''Star Trek'' (2009)

Spock's next appearance in the live action ''Star Trek'' franchise is the 2009 ''Star Trek'' film. Nimoy was given approval rights over Spock's casting and supported Quinto being cast as the role. In the film's flashback (set 19 years after the events of " Unification", and as depicted in the comic miniseries ''Star Trek: Countdown''), Ambassador Spock (Nimoy) promises the Romulans he will use Vulcan technology to save them from a rogue supernova that threatens to destroy their Empire. He pilots an advanced starship equipped with red matter, a powerful substance able to create artificial
black hole A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravitation, gravity is so strong that nothing, including light or other Electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic waves, has enough energy to escape it. The theory of general relativity predicts t ...
s. The mission is only partially successful, and in the aftermath Spock is pursued into the past by Nero (
Eric Bana Eric Banadinović, (born 9 August 1968), known professionally as Eric Bana (), is an Australian actor and comedian. He began his career in the sketch comedy series '' Full Frontal'' before gaining notice in the comedy drama '' The Castle'' (19 ...
), a Romulan driven mad by the loss of his homeworld and family, setting into motion the events of the film. In the film's opening act, Nero's ship emerges in the year 2233, and through its interaction with the inhabitants, inadvertently creates an "alternate, parallel 'Star Trek' universe". Twenty-five years later in the new reality, Spock's ship emerges, and Nero captures him and the red matter. Stranded in the alternate past, the prime version of Spock helps the
alternate Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...
, younger version of himself and Kirk ( Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine, respectively) thwart Nero's attempt to destroy the Federation. The film also features
Jacob Kogan Jacob Pavlovich Kogan (born May 28, 1995) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the title role in the 2007 psychological thriller ''Joshua'' and as the young Spock in J. J. Abrams' '' Star Trek''. Life and career Kogan was ...
in several scenes depicting Spock's childhood, including his abuse at the hands of other Vulcan children due to his half-Human heritage, and his relationship with his parents ( Ben Cross and Winona Ryder). The film also depicts Kirk and Spock's initial clashes at Starfleet Academy, and the gradual development of their friendship based on shared mutual respect, what the elder Spock calls "... a friendship that will define them both in ways they cannot yet realize." A major change in characterization from the primary timeline is alternate Spock's involvement with alternate Uhura (
Zoe Saldana Zoe (also ZOE, Zoë, Zoé, etc.) can refer to: *ζωή (''zōḗ''), the Ancient Greek word for "life" People * Zoe (name), including list of persons and fictional characters with the name Film and television * ''Zoe'' (film) * ZOE Broadcast ...
), his former student. At the end of the film, the young Spock opts to remain in Starfleet while his older self stays in the altered universe to aid the few surviving Vulcan refugees, as Nero had destroyed Vulcan, Spock's home planet.


''Star Trek Into Darkness'' (2013)

In '' Star Trek Into Darkness'', Spock Prime is described as living on 'New Vulcan' while the younger Spock remains aboard the ''Enterprise'' struggling with the loss of his homeworld, as well as his relationships with Uhura and
James T. Kirk James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as captain. Kirk leads ...
. Spock nearly dies protecting a planet from an active volcano, but Kirk breaks the Prime Directive and saves him. Spock Prime is contacted by Spock on the ''Enterprise'', to find out details on Khan. Spock Prime initially reminds his alternate self that he will not interfere with the events in the alternate timeline. That being said, he then informs Spock that Khan was a dangerous man, and the greatest threat that the ''Enterprise'' ever faced in his own timeline, and warns that he is likely as dangerous in Spock's alternate timeline as well. When asked whether Khan was defeated, Spock Prime answers that he eventually was defeated, but at great cost (referring to the events of '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''). When Kirk contracts radiation poisoning and dies in front of Spock (a transposed parallel of events in the prime timeline where Spock dies in front of Kirk), an enraged and vengeful Spock attempts to kill Khan to avenge Kirk before Uhura informs him that Khan's regenerative blood can revive Kirk. Nearly a year later, Spock remains as Kirk's chief science officer and executive officer as the ''Enterprise'' departs on its first five-year mission of deep-space exploration. ''Into Darkness'' would be Nimoy's final appearance as Spock Prime, as well as the last role of his career. He died in 2015, shortly before production began on '' Star Trek Beyond.''


''Star Trek Beyond'' (2016)

In '' Star Trek Beyond'', Spock receives word that Ambassador Spock (Spock Prime) has died. Impacted by this, Spock later tells McCoy that he intends to leave Starfleet to continue the ambassador's work on New Vulcan. At the end of the film, Spock receives a box containing some of Ambassador Spock's personal effects, and reflecting on a photograph of the older crew of the ''Enterprise'' from the series' original timeline, he chooses to remain in Starfleet.


''Star Trek: Discovery''

In August 2018 it was announced that
Ethan Peck Ethan Gregory Peck (born March 2, 1986) is an American actor. He is the grandson of actor Gregory Peck and Greta Kukkonen, the elder Peck's first wife. In 2019, he played a young Spock in '' Star Trek: Discovery'' (2019), a role he has reprised fo ...
would join the cast of '' Star Trek: Discovery'' as Spock in the show's second season, portraying a Spock younger than both Nimoy's and Quinto's renditions of the character, as ''Discovery'' is set several years before the Original Series and Kelvin Timeline films. As of his appearances on ''Discovery'', Spock is a Lieutenant, serving under Captain Christopher Pike on the ''
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterprise ...
''. Due to the trauma Spock suffered because of his visions of the "Red Angel", he is on leave from the ''Enterprise'' and under psychiatric care. His adopted sister
Michael Burnham Michael Burnham is the fictional protagonist on '' Star Trek: Discovery'' portrayed by American actress Sonequa Martin-Green. She originally appears as the First Officer of USS ''Shenzhou'' under Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) until she com ...
is attempting to help him recover. The introduction to the second season episode "If Memory Serves" uses archival footage of Nimoy as Spock from the unaired pilot episode "The Cage", and the third season episode "Unification III" uses archival footage of Nimoy again from the ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode " Unification II". The latter appearance is a holographic recording from the records of Jean-Luc Picard, and is shown to Michael Burnham after she travels to the 31st Century, a time in which the Romulan and Vulcan peoples remember Ambassador Spock as the cause of their reunification on the planet Ni'Var, the newly renamed Vulcan.


''Star Trek: Short Treks''

In 2019, it was announced that the character Spock, as played by Peck would appear in two '' Star Trek: Short Treks'', along with Captain Pike. He reprised the role in the episodes "Q&A" and "Ask Not".


''Star Trek: Strange New Worlds''

In May 2020, it was announced that Spock (Ethan Peck) would return in the series '' Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'' alongside Captain Pike ( Anson Mount) and Number One / Una ( Rebecca Romjin).


Development


''The Original Series''

The earliest known mention of Spock was in a conversation between ''Star Trek''s creator
Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter, producer, and creator of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', its sequel spin-off series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series,'' and ''Sta ...
and actor Gary Lockwood, in which Lockwood suggested
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
for the role. The trio had previously worked together on Roddenberry's '' The Lieutenant'' in the episode "In the Highest Tradition". Roddenberry agreed to the idea, but was required to audition other actors for the part. At the time, Roddenberry sought
DeForest Kelley Jackson DeForest Kelley (January 20, 1920 – June 11, 1999), known to colleagues as "Dee", was an American actor, screenwriter, poet, and singer. He was known for his roles in Westerns and as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy of the in the televisio ...
to play the doctor character in the pilot, "The Cage", but both NBC executives and director Robert Butler wanted Kelley to play Spock. Roddenberry offered the part to both Kelley and
Martin Landau Martin James Landau (; June 20, 1928 – July 15, 2017) was an American actor, acting coach, producer, and editorial cartoonist. His career began in the 1950s, with early film appearances including a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's ''North ...
, but they both turned him down. When offered, Nimoy accepted the part but was apprehensive about the make-up which had not been determined at that point. During an interview segment of
TV Land TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division. Originally a spinoff of Nick at Nite consisting exclusively of classic television shows, the channel now airs a combination of recent and cla ...
's 40th Anniversary ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' Marathon on November 12, 2006
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
stated that
Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter, producer, and creator of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', its sequel spin-off series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series,'' and ''Sta ...
's first choice to play Spock was
George Lindsey George Smith Lindsey (December 17, 1928 – May 6, 2012) was an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his role as Goober Pyle on ''The Andy Griffith Show'', ''Mayberry R.F.D.'' and his subsequent tenure on '' Hee-Haw''. Life and ...
. Because of the flippant way Nimoy makes the comment it has been suggested that he was joking. The claim Lindsey was offered the role is given more credibility when Lindsey's close friend Ernest Borgnine writes in his autobiography, "my hand to God – he turned down the part of Mr. Spock on TV's ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'', the role that made Leonard Nimoy famous." The character evolved from having a metal plate in his stomach through which he ingested energy to being a half- Martian in the original 1964 pitch with a "slightly reddish complexion and semi-pointed ears". Due to Roddenberry's concern that a
Mars landing A Mars landing is a landing of a spacecraft on the surface of Mars. Of multiple attempted Mars landings by robotic, uncrewed spacecraft, ten have had successful soft landings. There have also been studies for a possible human mission to Mars, ...
might take place before the end of the series, Spock's home planet was changed. Lee Greenway conducted the initial makeup tests on Nimoy, but after four or five days, Fred Phillips was asked to take over. Phillips in turn asked John Chambers to create Spock's ears, as he was working on getting an appropriate shade of red for Spock's skin; this idea was later abandoned in favor of a yellow hue because of the effects on black and white television. Nimoy hated the ears, and Roddenberry promised him that if he was still unhappy by the 13th episode then they'd find a way to write them out. The NBC executives were also concerned, as they felt it made the character
satan Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
ic. At Roddenberry's insistence, Spock was the only character retained for the second pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before". However, NBC demanded that he be only a background character, and when it went to series, the tips of Spock's ears were airbrushed out on promotional materials. It was during early episodes such as "The Corbomite Maneuver" and "The Naked Time" that Nimoy came to understand the nature of the character. After eight episodes, NBC executives complained to Roddenberry that there was not enough Spock in the series; "Spockmania" had begun. In response, Spock was moved to a more prominent role within the series, such as taking the lead role in "This Side of Paradise" over Sulu. The popularity of the character caused frictions with Shatner, and rumours spread that he was going to be dropped from the show and replaced as the lead by Nimoy as Spock. A drawn out contract renegotiation at the start of
season two Season 2 may refer to: * ''Season 2'' (Infinite album) * ''2econd Season ''2econd Season'' is the second and most recent album by Atlanta-based rapper Unk. Release It was released on November 4, 2008. Guest Performers The album features gu ...
resulted in Roddenberry considering whether or not to replace Nimoy and the character. Both
Mark Lenard Mark Lenard (born Leonard Rosenson, October 15, 1924 – November 22, 1996) was an American actor, primarily in television. His most famous role was as Sarek, father of Spock, in the science fiction ''Star Trek'' franchise, in both the origina ...
and
Lawrence Montaigne Lawrence Montaigne (February 26, 1931 – March 17, 2017) was an American actor, writer, dancer, and stuntman. As an actor, he was known for his appearances on many 1960s-era television shows. Life and career Born in New York, but later raised ...
were seriously considered. The character continued to develop, with Nimoy creating the
Vulcan salute The Vulcan salute ("🖖") is a hand gesture popularized by the 1960s television series ''Star Trek''. It consists of a raised hand with the palm forward and the thumb extended, while the fingers are parted between the middle and ring fing ...
during the filming of "Amok Time". This was based on a
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
Kohen Kohen ( he, , ''kōhēn'', , "priest", pl. , ''kōhănīm'', , "priests") is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. Levitical priests or ''kohanim'' are traditionally b ...
he had seen as a child. During the course of the season, a rift grew between Nimoy and Roddenberry and by the end of the year, they only spoke through formal letters. After the departure of producer
Gene L. Coon Eugene Lee Coon (January 7, 1924 – July 8, 1973) was an American screenwriter, television producer and novelist. He is best remembered for his work on the original ''Star Trek'' as a screenwriter, story editor, and showrunner from the mid ...
and the stepping back of Roddenberry during the third season, Nimoy found that the writing of Spock deteriorated. In particular, he did not like the character being made a fool of during the episode "Spock's Brain". The interracial kiss between Kirk and Uhura in "Plato's Stepchildren" had been intended by the writers to be between Spock and Uhura, but Shatner persuaded them to change it. For his role as Spock, Leonard Nimoy was nominated three times Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and is currently the only Star Trek actor to be nominated for an
Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
.


''Revival attempts'' and the film franchise

Nimoy agreed to return to Spock during one of the early 1970s attempts to create a ''Star Trek'' film, entitled '' Star Trek: The God Thing'', but dropped out after his likeness as Spock was used without permission to advertise Heineken beer. He was persuaded to return to the role of Spock as the lead for the planned ''Trek'' film titled '' Planet of the Titans'' to be directed by
Philip Kaufman Philip Kaufman (born October 23, 1936) is an American film director and screenwriter who has directed fifteen films over a career spanning more than six decades. He has been described as a "maverick" and an "iconoclast," notable for his versati ...
. When this project was killed in favor of a new television series, '' Star Trek: Phase II'', Nimoy was reportedly just offered only a recurring part by Roddenberry, so refused to appear at all. When the decision was made to turn the TV pilot script into '' Star Trek: The Motion Picture'', director Robert Wise insisted Nimoy to return as the character, which was only accomplished by Jeffrey Katzenberg forcing Paramount to settle the dispute with Nimoy over licensing use of his image. As on the series, Nimoy, calling on method acting training, would often not break character between takes. Dissatisfied with the first Trek feature, Nimoy was reluctant to return for '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' but was convinced by the promise of a dramatic death scene. Nimoy enjoyed the production of the film so much that despite his character's on-screen death he wanted to return for a sequel. The film's success allowed Nimoy to successfully negotiate to direct the next installment in addition to briefly appearing as a reanimated Spock. The resulting film, '' Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'' was successful enough that Nimoy was asked to direct once more for '' Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home''. The following film of the series, the William Shatner-directed '' Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'' was initially unacceptable to Nimoy because it called for Spock to betray Kirk and side with his newly introduced half-brother Sybok. Nimoy felt his character had already come to terms with his human-side thus Sybok would have no influence on him, and forced the script to be changed before signing on. Nimoy subsequently organized '' Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'', choosing the director, writers and producers. To hand over to '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' at the time of ''The Undiscovered Country'', Nimoy agreed to appear as Spock in the episode "Unification". Nimoy subsequently turned down the directing role on '' Star Trek Generations'' as he wanted to rework the script, and refused reprising the role of Spock for what was essentially a cameo appearance; and his character's lines were subsequently given to Scotty. When recasting the role for 2009's ''Star Trek'', Nimoy was asked his opinion. He highlighted the work of Zachary Quinto, as he felt he looked similar and could portray the inner thought process of the character. Quinto became the first actor to be cast for the film, and Nimoy agreed to return as the version of the character from the "Prime" universe. Nimoy said that he returned because of the enthusiasm from director
J. J. Abrams Jeffrey Jacob Abrams (born June 27, 1966) is an American filmmaker and composer. He is best known for his works in the genres of action, drama, and science fiction. Abrams wrote and produced such films as ''Regarding Henry'' (1991), '' For ...
and the writers, and because it made him feel appreciated. Nimoy made a final appearance as Spock in ''Star Trek Into Darkness'' as a favor to Abrams. At the time, he did not rule out returning again, but he died prior to the following film. In ''Star Trek Beyond'', Quinto's Spock mourns the loss of Spock Prime, as played by Nimoy.


Reception

"Given the choice", Nimoy said years after the show ended, "if I had to be someone else, I would be Spock." He recalled, more than a decade after the show's cancellation: From early on, the public reacted very positively—even fanatically—to his character, in what ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' in 1967 described as "Spockmania".
Headshot A head shot or headshot is a modern (usually digital) portrait in which the focus is on the person. The term is applied usually for professional profile images on social media, images used on online dating profiles, the 'about us page' of a cor ...
s of Spock became popular souvenirs, with the rare ones of the actor laughing the most valuable. Nimoy reported that "within two weeks after Amok Time" my
mail The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letter (message), letters, and parcel (package), parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid ...
jumped from a few hundred letters to 10,000 a week". When he appeared as Spock as grand marshal of a
Medford, Oregon Medford is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Oregon, in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census on April 1, 2020, the city had a total population of 85,824 and a metropolitan area population of 223,259, making the Me ...
parade in April 1967, thousands gathered to receive autographs: "They surged forward so quickly that I was terrified someone would be crushed to death; and then they started pressing against the bandstand so hard it began to sway beneath my feet!" After being rescued by police, "I made sure never to appear publicly again in Vulcan guise", Nimoy stated. Fans asked Nimoy questions about current events such as the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
and LSD as if he were the Vulcan scientist; one even asked the actor to lay his hands on a friend's eyes to heal them. When a biracial girl wrote asking for advice on how to deal with persecution as "a half-breed", Nimoy responded that young Vulcans had treated Spock similarly and that she should, as he did, "realize the difference between popularity and true greatness". The actor believed that the character appealed to viewers, especially teenagers, because To Nimoy's surprise, Spock became a
sex symbol A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive.Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to ...
;
Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...
described the character as "a security blanket with sexual overtones", and Nimoy reported that "I've never had more female attention on a set before. And get this: they all want to ''touch the ears!''" (When a young woman asked "Are you aware that you are the source of erotic dream material for thousands and thousands of ladies around the world?", he replied "May all your dreams come true".) Nimoy speculated that Spock appealed to women because
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
made Spock an informal mascot. Nimoy was invited to be guest of honor at the March 1967
National Space Club The National Space Club is a non-profit corporation in the US which contains representatives of industry, government, educational institutions and private individuals in order to enhance the exchange of information on astronautics, and to relay th ...
dinner and to take an extensive tour of the
Goddard Space Flight Center The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is a major NASA space research laboratory located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, United States. Established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center, GSFC empl ...
in Greenbelt, MD. The actor concluded from the warm and intense reception he received that astronauts like
John Glenn John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the Earth, circling ...
and aerospace industry engineers, secretaries, and shareholders alike all regarded ''Star Trek'', and especially the character of Spock, as a "dramatization of the future of their space program". An asteroid in the
Eos family The Eos family (''adj. Eoan'' ; ) is a very large asteroid family located in the outer region of the asteroid belt. The family of K-type asteroids is believed to have formed as a result of an ancient catastrophic collision. The family's parent body ...
discovered on August 16, 1971 was named
Mr. Spock Spock is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as science officer and first officer (and Kirk's Second-in-command) and ...
after the discoverer James B. Gibson's cat (which had been named Mr. Spock, who was likewise "imperturbable, logical, intelligent, and had pointed ears"). Spock proved inspirational to many budding scientists and engineers. Nimoy has said that many of them, on meeting him, were eager to show him their work and discuss it with him as if he were a scientific peer, as opposed to an actor, photographer, and poet. His stock response in these situations was "it certainly looks like you're headed in the right direction". In 2004, Spock was ranked number 21 in
Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels *Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 *Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing company ...
's list of The 100 Greatest TV Characters. In 2008,
UGO Ugo is the Italian form of Hugh, a widely used name of Germanic origin. Its diminutive form is Ugolino. It is also a Nigerian Igbo first name. It may refer to: People * Vgo (stonemason), medieval stonemason * Ugo Bassi, a Roman Catholic priest ...
named Spock one of the 50 greatest TV characters. According to Shatner, much of ''Star Trek''s acting praise and media interest went to Nimoy. In 2012,
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
ranked the character Spock, as depicted in the original series and the 2009 film ''Star Trek'', as the second top character of the ''Star Trek'' universe, with Kirk in the top spot. In 2016, Adam Nimoy released his documentary film ''
For the Love of Spock ''For the Love of Spock'' is a 2016 American documentary film about actor Leonard Nimoy produced by 455 Films and directed by his son Adam Nimoy, who started it before his father's death on February 27, 2015. The documentary deals with the story ...
'', about his father and his iconic character. In 2017,
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
ranked Spock the 5th most attractive person in the ''Star Trek'' universe, in between
Michael Burnham Michael Burnham is the fictional protagonist on '' Star Trek: Discovery'' portrayed by American actress Sonequa Martin-Green. She originally appears as the First Officer of USS ''Shenzhou'' under Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) until she com ...
and
Seven of Nine Seven of Nine (born Annika Hansen) is a fictional character introduced in the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Voyager''. Portrayed by Jeri Ryan, she is a former Borg drone who joins the crew of the Federation starship ' ...
. In 2018, they ranked Spock as one of the top 8 most powerful characters of ''Star Trek'' (including later series). In 2018, CBR ranked Spock the 6th best Starfleet character of the ''Star Trek'' franchise.


Reaction to Spock's death

''The Wrath of Khan'' had its first public screening at a science-fiction convention in Overland Park, Kansas on May 8, 1982, almost a month before general release. Although Paramount executives were concerned that Spock's death would set fans against the movie, the audience actually applauded after Spock's death scene. "It was sensational. I hate to be given to superlatives but it absolutely reached everything we wanted it to. I couldn't ask for anything better," said co-producer Robert Sallin of the advance audience's reaction. Critical reaction to Spock's death was mixed. Film critic
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
lauded Spock's death: "He makes a choice in ''Star Trek II'' that would be made only by a hero, a fool, or a Vulcan. And when he makes his decision, the movie rises to one of its best scenes, because the ''Star Trek'' stories have always been best when they centered on their characters." On the other hand, ''The Washington Post''s Gary Arnold stated Spock's death "feels like an unnecessary twist, and the filmmakers are obviously well-prepared to fudge in case the public demands another sequel." Twenty-five years later, Spock's death in ''The Wrath of Khan'' ranks number 2 on Total Film's list of 25 greatest ''Star Trek'' movie moments, and number 1 on IGN Movie's top 10 ''Star Trek'' movie moments.


''Star Trek'' (2009)

Ty Burr of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' described Quinto's performance in the 2009 film as "something special", and stated that Nimoy's appearance "carries much more emotion than you'd expect". ''
Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
'' said Quinto played Spock "with a few degrees more chill" than Nimoy brought to the original character. ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' said that Quinto "... invests Spock with a new layer of chilly-smoldering sex appeal, ndQuinto does a fantastic job of maintaining Spock's calm, no-sweat surface but getting quietly hot and bothered underneath."


Cultural impact

Spock has been parodied by, and has also been the inspiration for, pop culture works in various media. Composer/keyboardist George Duke's ''1976 Solo Keyboard Album'' features two tracks which pay homage to Spock: "Spock Gets Funky" and "Vulcan Mind Probe". Rock guitarist Paul Gilbert wrote the song "Mr. Spock" on his '' Space Ship One'' album. Swedish synthpop band S.P.O.C.K makes music heavily influenced by the ''Star Trek'' universe. Assuming the Spock character, Nimoy recorded a number of novelty songs, the first being "
Highly Illogical ''Highly Illogical'' is an album which contains a collection of songs performed by '' Star Trek'' actor Leonard Nimoy. Most of the songs were originally recorded in the 1960s. The collection includes "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins", which tells th ...
", in which Spock pointed out the foibles of human thought, such as relationships, automobiles, and greed. A second song, "A Visit to a Sad Planet", was darker in tone and told the story of Spock visiting Earth in the future and discovering it had been ruined by war, violence, and environmental irresponsibility. According to comic book writer and editor Bob Budiansky, ''The Transformers'' character
Shockwave In physics, a shock wave (also spelled shockwave), or shock, is a type of propagating disturbance that moves faster than the local speed of sound in the medium. Like an ordinary wave, a shock wave carries energy and can propagate through a me ...
was inspired by Spock. Spock's utilitarian perspective that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" is cited in a legal decision rendered by the
Texas Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Texas (SCOTX) is the supreme court, court of last resort for civil matters (including juvenile delinquency cases, which are categorized as civil under the Texas Family Code) in the U.S. state of Texas. A different court, the ...
.''Robinson v. Crown Cork & Seal''
Supreme Court of Texas No. 06-0714
(2008). online.wsj.com i.e. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2015
Leonard Nimoy's second-season Spock costume shirt was expected to sell at auction for over $75,000. Spock's physical appearance in the ''Original Series'' episode " Mirror, Mirror" (1967) has itself spawned a trope of the " evil twin" archetype found in various fictional genres. In that episode, several members of the ''Enterprise'' travel to a parallel universe inhabited by evil versions of themselves. The parallel universe version of Spock is distinguished physically by his goatee. Science fiction blog io9 said that Spock's beard in the episode introduced "the best shorthand ever for evil parallel universe duplicates". Examples of the evil goatee's appearances in other media include the host segments of episode 611 of the TV series
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...
, Bender's "evil twin" Flexo in ''
Futurama ''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...
'', and a 2009 episode of ''
The Colbert Report ''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show focuse ...
'' featuring Stephen Colbert and
Dan Maffei Daniel Benjamin Maffei ( ; born July 4, 1968) is an American politician and professor who was the United States representative for from 2013 to 2015. Maffei previously represented the district, then numbered as , from 2009 to 2011. He has also ...
wearing fake goatees while pretending to be evil versions of themselves. The name of progressive rock band Spock's Beard is a direct reference to Spock's goatee in this episode.


Fan productions

In addition to television, feature films, books, and parodies, Spock has also been portrayed in
non-canon In fiction, canon is the material accepted as officially part of the story in an individual universe of that story by its fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction. The alternative terms mythology, tim ...
fan fiction Fan fiction or fanfiction (also abbreviated to fan fic, fanfic, fic or FF) is fictional writing written in an amateur capacity by fans, unauthorized by, but based on an existing work of fiction. The author uses copyrighted characters, settin ...
. Since 2004, the online fan production '' Star Trek: New Voyages'' has continued the further voyages of the cancelled initial series. The fan-series' creators feel "Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the rest should be treated as 'classic' characters like Willy Loman from '' Death of a Salesman'', Gandalf from ''
The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's boo ...
'', or even
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
,
Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
, or Romeo. Many actors have and can play the roles, each offering a different interpretation of said character." The fan series '' Star Trek: New Voyages'' has featured three actors in the role of Spock. Spock was portrayed by Jeffrey Quinn for the pilot and first three episodes, by Ben Tolpin in episodes 4 and 5, and by Brandon Stacy in episodes 6 through 11. Stacy also served as a stand-in for Zachary Quinto in the 2009 ''Star Trek'' film. The independent online fan series ''
Star Trek Continues ''Star Trek Continues'' is an American fan-made web series set in the '' Star Trek'' universe. Produced by the nonprofit charity Trek Continues, Inc. and Dracogen, and initially co-produced by Far from Home LLC and Farragut Films, the series con ...
'' featured Todd Haberkorn as Spock in three vignettes and eleven full episodes between 2013 and 2017. In scientific illustrator
Jenny Parks Jey Parks is an American comics artist, fan artist and scientific illustrator. Parks is most known for their fan art pieces ''Doctor Mew'' ('' Doctor Who''s the Doctor as cats) and ''The Catvengers'' ( the Avengers also as cats) and their books ' ...
' 2017 book ''Star Trek Cats'', Spock is depicted as an
Oriental Shorthair The Oriental Shorthair is a breed of domestic cat that is developed from and closely related to the Siamese cat. It maintains the modern Siamese head and body type but appears in a wide range of coat colors and patterns. Like the Siamese, Ori ...
.


"Spocking" Canadian $5 notes

There has been a practice of altering the portrait of
Wilfrid Laurier Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier, ( ; ; November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadian prime minis ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
's prime minister from 1896 to 1911, on
Canadian five-dollar note The Canadian five-dollar note is the lowest denomination and one of the most common banknotes issued by the Bank of Canada. As with all modern Canadian banknotes, all text is in both English and French (see Official bilingualism in Canada). ...
s to look like Spock. After the death of Nimoy in 2015, there was an increase in that practice.Canada: 'Spocking' $5 notes not illegal, but illogical
, usatoday.com, 4 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.


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at
StarTrek.com ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into variou ...
{{#related:Unification (Star Trek: The Next Generation) Crossover characters in television Fictional ambassadors Fictional characters displaced in time Fictional first officers Fictional humanoids Fictional extraterrestrial–human hybrids Fictional scientists Fictional vegan and vegetarian characters Leonard Nimoy Star Trek (film franchise) characters Star Trek hybrids Star Trek: Discovery characters Star Trek: The Animated Series characters Star Trek: The Next Generation characters Star Trek: The Original Series characters Starfleet captains Television characters introduced in 1966 Vulcans