" Journey to Babel " is the tenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek . Written by D. C. Fontana and directed by Joseph Pevney , it was first broadcast on November 17, 1967.
125-614: 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 later as commanding officer of the vessel. Spock's mixed human– Vulcan heritage serves as an important plot element in many of the character's appearances. Along with Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy ( DeForest Kelley ), he
250-413: 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 (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
375-404: A Jewish Kohen 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 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
500-580: A Mirror Universe 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
625-744: A 1990 series of short stories about the Vietnam War . Fictional works that explicitly involve supernatural, magical, or scientifically impossible elements are often classified under the genre of fantasy , including Lewis Carroll 's 1865 novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , J. R. R. Tolkien 's The Lord of the Rings , and J. K. Rowling 's Harry Potter series. Creators of fantasy sometimes introduce imaginary creatures and beings such as dragons and fairies. Types of written fiction in prose are distinguished by relative length and include: Fiction writing
750-404: A certain point of view. The distinction between the two may be best defined from the viewpoint of the audience, according to whom a work is non-fiction if its people, settings, and plot are perceived entirely as historically or factually real, while a work is regarded as fiction if it deviates from reality in any of those areas. The distinction is further obscured by a philosophical understanding, on
875-447: A completely imaginary way or been followed by major new events that are completely imaginary (the genre of alternative history ). Or, it depicts impossible technology or technology that defies current scientific understandings or capabilities (the genre of science fiction ). Contrarily, realistic fiction involves a story whose basic setting (time and location in the world) is, in fact, real and whose events could believably happen in
1000-482: A conversation between Star Trek ' s creator, Gene Roddenberry , and actor Gary Lockwood , in which Lockwood suggested Leonard Nimoy 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 to play
1125-466: 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 ", Spock subdues him with a nerve pinch. He later conducts a mind meld with van Gelder as part of the investigation into the activities of the nearby colony. After power to the colony is shut down, and a protective force field drops, Spock leads an away team to rescue Kirk. Spock
1250-424: A fast-moving vessel at the extreme edge of sensor range. Shortly afterward, Ambassador Gav is found murdered, his neck broken by what Spock describes as an ancient Vulcan method of execution called Tal-Shaya , casting suspicion on Sarek. During questioning, Sarek suffers a cardiovascular event, and is rushed to the sickbay, where Chief Medical Officer McCoy determines that he requires immediate surgery. Because there
1375-471: A figure from history, Bonnie Prince Charlie , and takes part in the Battle of Prestonpans . Some works of fiction are slightly or greatly re-imagined based on some originally true story, or a reconstructed biography. Often, even when the fictional story is based on fact, there may be additions and subtractions from the true story to make it more interesting. An example is Tim O'Brien 's The Things They Carried ,
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#17328476525971500-475: 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 . Nimoy agreed to return to Spock during one of
1625-411: A kind of cool. To Nimoy's surprise, Spock became a sex symbol ; Isaac Asimov described the character as "a security blanket with sexual overtones" and Nimoy reported, "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
1750-695: A major impact on the creation and distribution of fiction, calling into question the feasibility of copyright as a means to ensure royalties are paid to copyright holders. Also, digital libraries such as Project Gutenberg make public domain texts more readily available. The combination of inexpensive home computers, the Internet, and the creativity of its users has also led to new forms of fiction, such as interactive computer games or computer-generated comics. Countless forums for fan fiction can be found online, where loyal followers of specific fictional realms create and distribute derivative stories. The Internet
1875-410: 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 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
2000-499: A paralyzing agent which merely simulated death and that the Captain was still alive. Over the course of the encounter with the Nomad space probe in " The Changeling ", Spock undertakes a mind meld with the machine. Kirk stops the meld when he realizes that Spock's personality starts to be changed by the contact. Following a transporter accident which transports Kirk, McCoy, Uhura and Scotty to
2125-696: A photograph of the older crew of the Enterprise from the series' original timeline, he chooses to remain in Starfleet. In August 2018, it was announced that Ethan Peck 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
2250-501: A powerful substance able to create artificial black holes . The mission is only partially successful, and in the aftermath, Spock is pursued into the past by Nero ( Eric Bana ), 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
2375-577: A reception for the passengers, the Tellarite ambassador, Gav, demands to know Sarek's position on Coridan. Pushed for a response, Sarek refers to the need to protect Coridan from unauthorized mining operations, with which Tellarite ships have been involved. Gav takes offense at the allegation and the confrontation briefly becomes physical before Kirk intervenes, warning all parties to keep order on his ship. Meanwhile, Communications Officer Lt. Uhura has detected an encoded transmission beamed from Enterprise to
2500-498: 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 's list of The 100 Greatest TV Characters. In 2008, UGO 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 ranked
2625-570: A subset (written fiction that aligns to a particular genre ), or its opposite: an evaluative label for written fiction that comprises popular culture , as artistically or intellectually inferior to high culture . Regardless, fiction is commonly broken down into a variety of genres: categories of fiction, each differentiated by a particular unifying tone or style ; set of narrative techniques , archetypes , or other tropes; media content ; or other popularly defined criterion. Science fiction predicts or supposes technologies that are not realities at
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#17328476525972750-400: A surprise phaser attack. The disabled ship self-destructs. Thelev reveals that both he and the ship were on suicide missions; he then collapses and dies from a delayed-action poison. Kirk returns to Sickbay for further care and finds Spock and Sarek both alert, the surgery an apparent success. Spock speculates that Thelev and the attacking ship were of Orion origin, and the speed and power of
2875-430: A traditional narrow sense, "fiction" refers to written narratives in prose – often referring specifically to novels , novellas , and short stories . More broadly, however, fiction encompasses imaginary narratives expressed in any medium , including not just writings but also live theatrical performances , films , television programs , radio dramas , comics , role-playing games , and video games . Typically,
3000-401: A tribunal to Kirk, Pike and Commodore Jose I. Mendez ( Malachi Throne ). 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 ", Spock
3125-501: A university or a similar institution, and with the continuation of such positions determined not by book sales but by critical acclaim by other established literary authors and critics. On the other hand, he suggests, genre fiction writers tend to support themselves by book sales. However, in an interview, John Updike lamented that "the category of 'literary fiction' has sprung up recently to torment people like me who just set out to write books, and if anybody wanted to read them, terrific,
3250-434: A written work of fiction that: Literary fiction is often used as a synonym for literature , in the narrow sense of writings specifically considered to be an art form. While literary fiction is sometimes regarded as superior to genre fiction, the two are not mutually exclusive, and major literary figures have employed the genres of science fiction, crime fiction , romance , etc., to create works of literature. Furthermore,
3375-516: Is a Lieutenant, serving under Captain Christopher Pike on the 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 is attempting to help him recover. The introduction to the second-season episode, "If Memory Serves", uses archival footage of Nimoy as Spock from
3500-508: Is a part of media studies. Examples of prominent fictionalization in the creative arts include those in the general context of World War II in popular culture and specifically Nazi German leaders such as Adolf Hitler in popular culture and Reinhard Heydrich in popular culture . For instance, American actor and comedian Charlie Chaplin portrayed the eccentric despot Adenoid Hynkel in the 1940 satirical film The Great Dictator . The unhinged, unintelligent figure fictionalized real events from
3625-591: Is a shortage of his rare T-negative-type blood, Spock volunteers to donate some of his own blood for the operation, using an experimental stimulant for increased blood production. Plans for the procedure come to a halt when Thelev, a member of the Andorian delegation, stabs Captain Kirk. Kirk subdues Thelev but is seriously wounded and taken to Sickbay, while Thelev is imprisoned in the brig. In accordance with regulations, and despite Amanda's emotional plea, Spock refuses to serve as
3750-509: 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 hypothesizes 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. In " The Galileo Seven ", Spock leads a landing party on the shuttlecraft Galileo , which
3875-446: Is also used for the development of blog fiction , where a story is delivered through a blog either as flash fiction or serial blog, and collaborative fiction , where a story is written sequentially by different authors, or the entire text can be revised by anyone using a wiki . The definition of literary fiction is controversial. It may refer to any work of fiction in a written form. However, various other definitions exist, including
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4000-439: Is characterized by a lesser degree of adherence to realistic or plausible individuals, events, or places, while the umbrella genre of realistic fiction is characterized by a greater degree. For instance, speculative fiction may depict an entirely imaginary universe or one in which the laws of nature do not strictly apply (often, the sub-genre of fantasy ). Or, it depicts true historical moments, except that they have concluded in
4125-399: Is damaged and pulled off its course before landing on the planet Taurus II. Lieutenant Boma ( Don Marshall ) criticizes 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
4250-490: Is known as fictionalization . The opposite circumstance, in which the physical world or a real turn of events seem influenced by past fiction, is commonly described by the phrase " life imitating art ". The latter phrase is popularity associated with the Anglo-Irish fiction writer Oscar Wilde . The alteration of actual happenings into a fictional format, with this involving a dramatic representation of real events or people,
4375-446: Is known as both fictionalization , or, more narrowly for visual performance works like in theatre and film, dramatization . According to the academic publication Oxford Reference , a work set up this way will have a "narrative based partly or wholly on fact but written as if it were fiction" such that "[f]ilms and broadcast dramas of this kind often bear the label 'based on a true story'." In intellectual research, evaluating this process
4500-492: Is most long-established in the realm of literature (written narrative fiction), the broad study of the nature, function, and meaning of fiction is called literary theory , and the narrower interpretation of specific fictional texts is called literary criticism (with subsets like film criticism and theatre criticism also now long-established). Aside from real-world connections, some fictional works may depict characters and events within their own context, entirely separate from
4625-528: Is next seen in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), which depicts his recovery from the after-effects of his resurrection. After saving planet Earth with his comrades, Spock reconciles with his father who has reconsidered his opinion regarding Spock's life choices and his friends. 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
4750-427: Is often described as "elegantly written, lyrical, and ... layered". The tone of literary fiction can be darker than genre fiction, while the pacing of literary fiction may be slower than popular fiction. As Terrence Rafferty notes, "literary fiction, by its nature, allows itself to dawdle, to linger on stray beauties even at the risk of losing its way". Based on how literary fiction is defined, genre fiction may be
4875-513: 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 ambassador , and later became involved in the ill-fated attempt to save Romulus from a supernova , leading him to live out the rest of his life in a parallel universe. Spock was played by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Animated Series , eight of
5000-418: 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 and directs the ship to travel to Talos IV, a banned planet. He recounts the events of "The Cage" under
5125-531: Is the 2009 Star Trek film. Nimoy was given approval rights over Spock's casting and supported Quinto being cast as the role. During 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,
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5250-407: Is the process by which an author or creator produces a fictional work. Some elements of the writing process may be planned in advance, while others may come about spontaneously. Fiction writers use different writing styles and have distinct writers' voices when writing fictional stories. The use of real events or real individuals as direct inspiration for imaginary events or imaginary individuals
5375-543: Is underpopulated and unprotected, a situation some would prefer to maintain by keeping Coridan out of the Federation. Sarek, who is a Vulcan ambassador, boards the ship with his human wife Amanda, ignoring Spock's greeting. Captain Kirk learns that Sarek is in fact Spock's father, now estranged because he had disapproved of his son's decision to join Starfleet rather than attend the Vulcan Science Academy. During
5500-524: 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 . Spock serves as a special envoy to broker peace with the Klingons after a natural disaster devastates their homeworld. After a period during which the production team avoided mentioning some aspects of The Original Series, Spock
5625-611: 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 , who played Spock as a recurring character in the second season of Star Trek: Discovery and in Star Trek: Short Treks , and as a main character in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (both
5750-574: The Star Trek franchise aliens, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites in additions to humans going to a space conference. They note the episode is a sort of teaching moment, about the Federation, politics, and Spock's relationship with his parents. In 2016, Vox rated this one of the top 25 essential episodes of all Star Trek . In 2017, Inverse recommended "Journey to Babel" as "essential watching" for Star Trek: Discovery . In 2019, Nerdist included this episode on their "Best of Spock" binge-watching guide. In 2020, ScreenRant ranked this
5875-444: 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 ) on a mission to Talos IV 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
6000-422: The human condition . In general, it focuses on "introspective, in-depth character studies" of "interesting, complex and developed" characters. This contrasts with genre fiction where plot is the central concern. Usually in literary fiction the focus is on the "inner story" of the characters who drive the plot, with detailed motivations to elicit "emotional involvement" in the reader. The style of literary fiction
6125-495: The 10 best Star Trek episodes. Io9 's 2014 listing of the top 100 Star Trek episodes placed "Journey to Babel" as the 39th best episode of all series up to that time, out of over 700 episodes; they noted this episode introduces Spock's parents and has a focus on diplomacy. In 2015, SyFy ranked this episode as one of the top ten essential Star Trek original series Spock episodes. The next year, they also ranked guest stars Mark Lenard, as Sarek, and Jane Wyatt, as Amanda, as
6250-521: The 18th and 19th centuries. They were often associated with Enlightenment ideas such as empiricism and agnosticism . Realism developed as a literary style at this time. New forms of mass media developed in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, including popular-fiction magazines and early film. Interactive fiction was developed in the late-20th century through video games. Certain basic elements define all works of narrative , including all works of narrative fiction. Namely, all narratives include
6375-441: The 1950s sitcom Father Knows Best , where she played Elinor Donahue 's mother. The episode which first aired the week prior to this episode, " Metamorphosis ", featured Donahue as a guest actor, playing Commissioner Nancy Hedford, who became Zefram Cochrane 's "Companion." This episode introduced the Andorian and Tellarite species. John Wheeler , the actor who played the Tellarite ambassador, Gav, had difficulty seeing through
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#17328476525976500-428: The 8th best episode of the original series (TOS), praising it for having "a bit of everything that makes TOS great. Creative and interesting aliens, political tension and resolution, personal drama, and high-stakes adventure." In 2021, CBR said that "Journey to Babel" was an "essential episode" of the original series, stating, " ' Journey to Babel' brings the action, drama and fun in an excellent showcase of what
6625-456: The Kolinahr ritual after he senses the coming of V'ger , he 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
6750-498: 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
6875-522: The aliens and a nearby colony. Both Spock and Kirk undertake guerrilla warfare against the occupying Klingon forces on the planet Organia, prior to the establishment of the Organian Peace Treaty in " Errand of Mercy ". 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
7000-400: The attacking vessel. McCoy begins the operation on Sarek, who is receiving blood directly from Spock. Kirk orders Thelev brought to the bridge and questions him about himself and the attacking ship; Thelev is unresponsive. Kirk decides on a ruse, shutting down internal power to make Enterprise appear crippled. The attacker approaches and drops to sublight speed, and Enterprise damages it with
7125-604: The audience's willing suspension of disbelief . The effects of experiencing fiction, and the way the audience is changed by the new information they discover, has been studied for centuries. Also, infinite fictional possibilities themselves signal the impossibility of fully knowing reality, provocatively demonstrating philosophical notions, such as there potentially being no criterion to measure constructs of reality. In contrast to fiction, creators of non-fiction assume responsibility for presenting information (and sometimes opinion) based only in historical and factual reality. Despite
7250-415: The audience, including elements such as romance , piracy , and religious ceremonies . Heroic romance was developed in medieval Europe , incorporating elements associated with fantasy , including supernatural elements and chivalry . The structure of the modern novel was developed by Miguel de Cervantes with Don Quixote in the early-17th century. The novel became a primary medium of fiction in
7375-562: 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 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
7500-440: The blood donor and turn command of Enterprise over to another officer, as the situation is too critical and command regulations are silent on the matter of personal privilege. Hearing of Spock's refusal to relinquish command, and having recovered sufficiently to be able to walk, Kirk returns to the bridge to relieve Spock and order him to Sickbay, intending to turn command over to Mr. Scott and then hide out in his quarters until
7625-587: The cause of their reunification on the planet Ni'Var, the newly renamed Vulcan. 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". 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 Romijn ). The earliest known mention of Spock occurred during
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#17328476525977750-421: The character satanic . 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
7875-611: 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 , about his father and his iconic character. Fiction Fiction is any creative work , chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals , events, or places that are imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history , fact , or plausibility. In
8000-564: The character of Spock, as a "dramatization of the future of their space program". An asteroid in the Eos family discovered on August 16, 1971, was named Mr. Spock 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
8125-563: The character. Born to the Vulcan Sarek ( Mark Lenard ) and the human Amanda Grayson ( Jane Wyatt ), Spock's backstory has been addressed during several episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series , the 2009 film Star Trek and the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode, " Yesteryear " . His mixed heritage led to a troubled childhood; full-blooded Vulcan children repeatedly bullied him on their home world to incite
8250-581: The context of the real world. One realistic fiction sub-genre is historical fiction , centered around true major events and time periods in the past. The attempt to make stories feel faithful to reality or to more objectively describe details, and the 19th-century artistic movement that began to vigorously promote this approach, is called literary realism , which incorporates some works of both fiction and non-fiction. Storytelling has existed in all human cultures, and each culture incorporates different elements of truth and fiction into storytelling. Early fiction
8375-400: The course of the weeks they spend in the period before witnessing Edith Keeler's ( Joan Collins ) death. During the premiere episode of the second season, "Amok Time", Spock begins to undergo pon farr , 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
8500-692: The deepest needs and longings of the Earth female. NASA made Spock an informal mascot. Nimoy was invited to be guest of honor at the March 1967 National Space Club dinner and to take an extensive tour of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD . The actor concluded from the warm and intense reception he received that astronauts like John Glenn and aerospace industry engineers, secretaries, and shareholders alike all regarded Star Trek , and especially
8625-464: The difference between popularity and true greatness". The actor believed that the character appealed to viewers, especially teenagers, because Spock understands the trauma of human existence, for he is not home with earthmen or Vulcan; he can function only in the fabricated and neatly ordered society of the Enterprise. There, he knows who he is; he relates to his role very specifically, and this gives him
8750-570: 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 , but they both turned him down. When offered, Nimoy accepted the part, but was apprehensive about the make-up, which had not yet been determined. During an interview segment of TV Land 's 40th anniversary Star Trek marathon on November 12, 2006, Leonard Nimoy stated that Gene Roddenberry 's first choice to play Spock
8875-497: 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 . When this project was killed in favor of a new television series, Star Trek: Phase II , Nimoy
9000-442: The elements of character , conflict , narrative mode , plot , setting , and theme . Characters are individuals inside a work of story, conflicts are the tension or problem that drives characters' thoughts and actions, narrative modes are the ways in which a story is communicated, plots are the sequence of events in a story, settings are the story's locations in time and space, and themes are deeper messages or interpretations about
9125-431: 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 ", Spock was betrothed to T'Pring ( Arlene Martel ) during his childhood. Sarek supported Spock's scientific learning and application to
9250-430: The episode focuses on Federation Ambassador Spock's attempt to reunite the Romulans 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. Spock's next appearance in the live action Star Trek franchise
9375-591: 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
9500-476: The eye holes in his prosthetic makeup and was forced to raise his head in a seemingly arrogant manner in order to see the other actors. The Andorian antennae (sprouting out of the back of the head in this and other episodes of the original series) were depicted in the later Star Trek: Enterprise series as coming out of the forehead and capable of movement. In 1996, for the franchise's 30th anniversary, TV Guide ranked "Journey to Babel" No. 5 on its list of
9625-474: The fictionality of a work is publicly expressed, so the audience expects the work to deviate to a greater or lesser degree from the real world rather than presenting, for instance, only factually accurate portrayals or characters who are actual people. Because fiction is generally understood as not adhering to the real world, the themes and context of a work, such as if and how it relates to real-world issues or events, are open to interpretation . Since fiction
9750-528: 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 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
9875-630: The first appearance of Sarek ( Mark Lenard ) and Amanda ( Jane Wyatt ), the parents of Spock , and also introduces two new species, the Andorians and the Tellarites . Enterprise , under the command of Captain Kirk , is transporting Federation ambassadors to a conference on the planet Babel to discuss the admission of the Coridan system into the Federation. The system is a prime source of dilithium crystals, but
10000-434: 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 realizes that he is probably a carrier and could infect the Enterprise if he were to return. Doctor Leonard McCoy ( DeForest Kelley ) manages to devise
10125-448: 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
10250-567: The imperial period. Plasmatic narrative, following entirely invented characters and events, was developed through ancient drama and New Comedy . One common structure among early fiction is a series of strange and fantastic adventures as early writers test the limits of fiction writing. Milesian tales were an early example of fiction writing in Ancient Greece and Italy. As fiction writing developed in Ancient Greece, relatable characters and plausible scenarios were emphasized to better connect with
10375-463: 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 , 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
10500-441: The known physical universe: an independent fictional universe . The creative art of constructing such an imaginary world is known as worldbuilding . Literary critic James Wood argues that "fiction is both artifice and verisimilitude ", meaning that it requires both creative inventions as well as some acceptable degree of believability among its audience, a notion often encapsulated in the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge 's idea of
10625-440: The last role of his career. He died in 2015, shortly before production began on Star Trek Beyond . 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
10750-468: The latter were consistent with a suicide mission, with all energy dedicated to attack. Thelev's mission aboard Enterprise , Kirk and Spock presume, was to sow distrust among the Federation members and weaken Enterprise prior to the attack. In support of this theory is the fact that Orion has been raiding Coridan, and would profit by selling dilithium to both sides in a war. Amanda asks Sarek to thank Spock for saving his life, but Sarek shrugs and says that it
10875-405: The loss of Spock Prime, as played by Nimoy. "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: The "Star Trek" phenomenon continues to amaze and confound me. It was incredible, and it still is, although it is gentler now than it used to be. For a time, it was hysterical – it
11000-399: The mating ritual. When they arrive, he is reunited with T'Pring ( Arlene Martel ). She rather wishes to be with Stonn ( Lawrence Montaigne ), 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
11125-508: The more the merrier. ... I'm a genre writer of a sort. I write literary fiction, which is like spy fiction or chick lit". Likewise, on The Charlie Rose Show , he argued that this term, when applied to his work, greatly limited him and his expectations of what might come of his writing, so he does not really like it. He suggested that all his works are literary, simply because "they are written in words". Literary fiction often involves social commentary , political criticism , or reflection on
11250-420: 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 rumors spread that he was going to be dropped from
11375-407: 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 , 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 in several scenes depicting Spock's childhood, including his abuse at
11500-695: 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
11625-415: The ninth best live-action episode of the Star Trek franchise, citing "the tricky politics" of Spock's family, the Federation politics, and Mark Lenard's performance as Sarek. In 2016, Business Insider ranked "Journey to Babel" the 7th best episode of the original series. In 2016, Newsweek ranked "Journey to Babel" as one of the best episodes of the original series. They note the episode features
11750-493: The one hand, that the truth can be presented through imaginary channels and constructions, while, on the other hand, works of the imagination can just as well bring about significant new perspectives on, or conclusions about, truth and reality. All types of fiction invite their audience to explore real ideas, issues, or possibilities using an otherwise imaginary setting or using something similar to reality, though still distinct from it. The umbrella genre of speculative fiction
11875-424: The operation is completed. When Uhura picks up another encoded transmission from inside Enterprise and traces the source to the brig, Kirk decides to stay on the bridge. When Thelev is searched, it is discovered that one of his antennae is fake and conceals a small transceiver. The unidentified vessel closes in and attacks, moving too quickly for Enterprise to lock on with phasers. The ship takes several hits from
12000-416: The primary timeline is alternate Spock's involvement with alternate Uhura ( Zoe Saldana ), 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. In Star Trek Into Darkness , Spock Prime is described as living on 'New Vulcan' while
12125-448: 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
12250-484: The rare ones of the actor laughing the most valuable. Nimoy reported that "within two weeks after ["Amok Time"], my mail jumped from a few hundred letters to 10,000 a week". When he appeared as Spock as grand marshal of a Medford, Oregon , 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
12375-409: 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 ) in " This Side of Paradise " 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
12500-476: The risk to the ship posed by Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell ( Gary Lockwood ) and suggested possible solutions to Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ). The earliest appearance of Spock in the series as broadcast was in " 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 . Spock and Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott ( James Doohan ) work together to rejoin
12625-531: 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. Spock appeared as the science officer on the USS Enterprise in the first pilot for the series, " 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
12750-420: 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
12875-415: 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
13000-414: The series and films in the Star Trek franchise, Spock has also appeared in numerous novels , comics , and video games . Nimoy's portrayal of Spock made a significant cultural impact and earned him three Emmy Award nominations. His public profile as Spock was so strong that both his autobiographies, I Am Not Spock (1975) and I Am Spock (1995), were written from the viewpoint of coexistence with
13125-473: 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
13250-452: 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
13375-507: The show and replaced as the lead by Nimoy as Spock. A drawn out contract renegotiation at the start of season two resulted in Roddenberry considering whether or not to replace Nimoy and the character. Both Mark Lenard and Lawrence Montaigne were seriously considered. The character continued to develop, with Nimoy creating the Vulcan salute during the filming of "Amok Time". This was based on
13500-507: 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 ", 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
13625-541: The story that its audience is left to discuss and reflect upon. Traditionally, fiction includes novels, short stories, fables , legends , myths , fairy tales , epic and narrative poetry , plays (including operas , musicals , dramas, puppet plays , and various kinds of theatrical dances ). However, fiction may also encompass comic books , and many animated cartoons , stop motions , anime , manga , films , video games , radio programs , television programs ( comedies and dramas ), etc. The Internet has had
13750-448: The study of genre fiction has developed within academia in recent decades. The term is sometimes used such as to equate literary fiction to literature. The accuracy of this is debated. Neal Stephenson has suggested that, while any definition will be simplistic, there is today a general cultural difference between literary and genre fiction. On the one hand literary authors nowadays are frequently supported by patronage, with employment at
13875-407: The then ongoing Second World War in a way that presented fascist individuals as humorously irrational and pathetic. Many other villains take direct inspiration from real people while having fictional accents, appearances, backgrounds, names, and so on. Journey to Babel In the episode, Enterprise is tasked with transporting dignitaries to a diplomatic conference. The episode features
14000-719: The third best guest stars on the original series. In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter rated "Journey to Babel" as the 15th best episode of the original series. The episode introduced Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, who never again appeared in the series, but became major characters across the Star Trek franchise. Sarek is the father of Spock's half-brother Sybok (introduced in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ), and both adopted Michael Burnham (introduced in Star Trek: Discovery ) as an older sister to Spock. In 2016, The Washington Post ranked this episode
14125-453: The time of the work's creation: Jules Verne 's novel From the Earth to the Moon was published in 1865, but only in 1969 did astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to land on the Moon. Historical fiction places imaginary characters into real historical events. In the 1814 historical novel Waverley , Sir Walter Scott 's fictional character Edward Waverley meets
14250-535: The traditional view that fiction and non-fiction are opposites, some works (particularly in the modern era) blur this boundary, particularly works that fall under certain experimental storytelling genres—including some postmodern fiction , autofiction , or creative nonfiction like non-fiction novels and docudramas —as well as the deliberate literary fraud of falsely marketing fiction as nonfiction. Furthermore, even most works of fiction usually have elements of, or grounding in, truth of some kind, or truth from
14375-447: 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. At the beginning of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), Spock is no longer serving in Starfleet, having resigned and returned home to pursue the Vulcan discipline of Kolinahr . Unable to complete
14500-546: 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
14625-447: The world?", he replied "May all your dreams come true".) Nimoy speculated that Spock appealed to women because Down comes a stranger—tall, dark, thoughtful, alien and exotic. Somewhat devilish in appearance. He has a brilliant mind, the wisdom of a patriarch and is oh, so cool. With one raised eyebrow, he suggests he is above game-playing and role-playing—which are just hangovers from Earth's Victorian Age —that he and he alone understands
14750-493: The younger Spock remains aboard the Enterprise , struggling with the loss of his home world, as well as his relationships with Uhura and James T. Kirk . 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
14875-412: Was George Lindsey . 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 , the role that made Leonard Nimoy famous." The character evolved from having
15000-473: 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
15125-465: Was closely associated with history and myth . Greek poets such as Homer , Hesiod , and Aesop developed fictional stories that were told first through oral storytelling and then in writing. Prose fiction was developed in Ancient Greece , influenced by the storytelling traditions of Asia and Egypt. Distinctly fictional work was not recognized as separate from historical or mythological stories until
15250-492: Was mentioned by name in Star Trek: The Next Generation in the episode " Sarek " (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 ,
15375-401: Was only logical. Amanda expresses anger at this harping on logic, and Spock, noting his mother's exasperation, asks Sarek why he married her. Sarek replies, "At the time, it seemed the logical thing to do," and offers Amanda his hand in a ritual gesture of affection. McCoy then firmly orders Kirk and Spock to remain quietly in bed, finally getting the last word. Wyatt had been widely known for
15500-444: 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
15625-479: Was so wild I had to be very careful where I went. If I went to a restaurant, I had to plan my entrances and my exits so I wouldn't be mobbed and hurt. Same thing in hotels and airports – any public place. It isn't that hysterical any more, but it is still a potent force. From early on, the public reacted very positively—even fanatically—to his character, in what The Boston Globe in 1967 described as "Spockmania". Headshots of Spock became popular souvenirs, with
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