Vulcans

The Vulcans are a species that feature in Star Trek.

History

The Vulcans were a telepathic humanoid species that were native to the planet Vulcan located in the Milky Way Galaxy. One account held that they were among several races whose homeworld was seeded by an ancient humanoid race around 4.5 billion years ago. (TNG: The Chase) It was theorised that their race may have been descendants of a Sargon's people. (TOS: Return to Tomorrow) Despite these accounts, it was held that the Vulcans had evolved on their homeworld of Vulcan. (ENT: The Forge)

At some point, the Vulcans and the Romulans were engaged in a century long war against one another with this having been instigated by a member of the Q Continuum. (VOY: Death Wish)

They were noted to had created the Interspecies Medical Exchange as a means of sharing medical knowledge amongst various races. (ENT: Broken Bow)

For many years, the Vulcans were known to had been involved in conflict with the neighbouring Andorians. (ENT: The Andorian Incident) The two were noted to had signed the Tau Ceti Accords that sought to prevent open warfare between the two civilisations. (ENT: Shadows of P'Jem)

At some point, the Vulcan High Command was noted to had created a large hidden sensor array located underneath the monastery on P'Jem which was used on the Andorians. (ENT: The Andorian Incident) In this time, the Vulcan High Command was noted to had come into an arrangement with the government of the planet Coridan in exchange for mining rights with them keeping the ruling Chancellor in power. (ENT: Shadows of P'Jem)

Vulcans had conducted a number of survey missions that brought them to the Sol system in 1957. (ENT: Carbon Creek) In the late 21st century, a Vulcan survey ship was travelling near the Sol system when it detected a warp signature from the planet. This was the maiden voyage of the Phoenix that was built by Zefram Cochrane and allowed mankind to develop warp travel. As a result, the Vulcan ship travelled to Earth leading to first contact with humanity on April 5, 2063. (Movie: Star Trek: First Contact)

Thus, they remained for the next 90 years on the planet as they sought to aid in the development of the human race. (ENT: Dear Doctor)

By 2151, humanity looked to create the first warp five capable ship that was to explore space. However, the Vulcans did not believe mankind was ready to explore space and withheld the knowledge to create such an engine. Thus, human engineer Henry Archer made many attempts but failed in creating the engine during his life time. Eventually, the Vulcan High Command had to intervene in a diplomatic incident on Earth when a Klingon courier named Klaang crashed on the planet after being pursued by assassins. Klaang was badly wounded by a human farmers plasma rifle with the Vulcans suggesting that they terminate his life support as his injuries could be seen as dishonorable to his people. Initially, the Vulcans suggested that mankind postpone the launch of the NX class vessel U.S.S. Enterprise. However, Admiral Forrest at the suggestion of Captain Jonathan Archer decided to instead launch the ship with the mission being to return Klaang to his homeworld. Though unhappy at this decision, the Vulcans decided to assist the mission by assigning Sub-Commander T'Pol as the science officer for the human vessel. (ENT: Broken Bow)

In the same year, the monastery on P'Jem was attacked by the Andorian Imperial Guard under the commands of Shran where they wanted to expose the presence of the sensor array. At this time, the crew of the NX Enterprise had arrived to explore the monastery where they were drawn into the conflict. Initially, they believed the Andorians to had been paranoid and that the Vulcans were the victims in the incident. However, the human crew came to unwittingly discover the sensory array and shared the imaging data with Andorian Commander Shran as a peaceful gesture thus exposing the Vulcan High Command's covert efforts. (ENT: The Andorian Incident) In response, the Andorians decided to destroy the sanctuary but allowed the monks to evacuate before attacking the site. The destruction of the revered site was considered a damaging blow to the Vulcan people. Hostilities between the Vulcans and the Andorians increased as a result with this destablising the entire sector as a result. The Vulcan High Command came to end joint operations between them and Starfleet where they attempted to recall Subcommander T'Pol who was to be punished for the P'Jem incident though Captain Archer managed to convince Captain Sopek to speak on her behalf to their superiors. (ENT: Shadows of P'Jem)

By the 30th century, the Vulcans and Romulans had achieved the long-standing goals of Spock namely the Reunification of the two branches of the species. This saw Vulcan being renamed as Ni'Var with both races occupying the planet. Around this time, there were shortages of dilithium reserves in the galaxy across the galaxy which would affect interstellar travel. Thus, the Federation looked for alternative means of FTL technology with the people of Ni'Var being in charge of the SB-19 project. Their findings though were that SB-19 was too dangerous and recommended the project be shut down but the desperate Federation forced the people of Ni'Var to activate the SB-19. Shortly afterwards, the events of the Burn occurred that caused every warp capable ship to explode across the galaxy and brought about the near end of space travel across the galaxy. The people of Ni'Var believed the SB-19 was responsible for this and blamed the Federation for forcing them to initialise the project. It was this chain of events that led to Ni'Var leaving the Federation around a century ago. (DIS: Unification III)

Overview

Biology

Their digestive tract was known to be highly adaptable though certain alien foods could disagree with them but in time their bodies were able to adapt. (ENT: Unexpected)

Female Vulcans had heightened sense of smell though they were able to train themselves to tolerate what they considered offensive odours. (ENT: Broken Bow)

Vulcan body chemistry used little sodium chloride when compared to humans. (TOS: The Man Trap) Caffeine was said to hold little impact on Vulcan physiology. (ENT: Breaking The Ice)

Certain Vulcans were known to suffer from a condition called L'tak Terai that was a type of spatial and order dysphasia that was rare among their kind. It was considered a temporary condition that was similar to dyslexia with them believing it was corrected in Learning Centres. (DIS: Light and Shadows)

The Vulcans telepathic nature meant that their souls were considered their living spirits which they called a katra. Through mind melds, they were able to move their essence into the minds of another and prior to death they entrusted a piece of themselves to others. (Movie: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Society

Their children were noted to play with sophisticated toys. (ENT: Broken Bow)

They were said that they had a code of conduct which they attempted to follow. (ENT: Fight or Flight) Vulcan families were known to engage in arranged marriages with these being set up from childhood with the prospective bride and groom only meeting each other a number of times as it was expected that the two would gain affection for one another after becoming married. It was traditional for the newly weds to reside on Vulcan for one year with the families being invested in the engagement. (ENT: Breaking The Ice) A food eaten by the Vulcans was Pok Tar and it was said that they did not drink wine. (ENT: Breaking The Ice) Plomeek broth was noted for being a traditional morning meal on Vulcan. (ENT: Unexpected) Vulcan custom held that guest in the home were expected to prepare meals for their hosts. (ENT: Home) It was said that they did not touch food with their hands. (ENT: Broken Bow) Discussion of mating rituals were not discussed by the Vulcans and though they could dance it was usually part of some ceremony. (ENT: Fusion)

Vulcans were said to not believe in responding violence with violence though this was not universal. (ENT: The Andorian Incident) It was said that Vulcans had no desire for exploration. (ENT: Fight or Flight) They were known to follow a number of protocols when encountering a new world particularly those of Minshara-class designation that was suitable for humanoid life. Vulcan ships began by sending automated probes down to collect more detailed scans and if they proved to be Minshara-class then they conducted a geophysical survey from orbit. (ENT: Strange New World) Another designation made by their people were J'ral class supernova remnants. (ENT: Civilizations) Their exploration protocols led to them not making contact with other worlds unless they developed warp technology as they felt it would interfere in the natural development and evolution of a species. (ENT: Civilization)

A deeply spiritual practice by the Vulcans was the Tal-Shanar that they rarely showed to outsiders. (ENT: Cold Front) An obsolete ritual was the Fullara that was used to repress memories and emotions associated with a memory. (ENT: The Seventh) A meditative practice conducted by Vulcans was tok'mar which ancient Vulcans believed could bring back lost souls and calling them home. (DIS: Light and Shadows) One discipline their race practiced was the Kolinahr whereby a Vulcan renounced and shed all emotion. (Movie: Star Trek: The Motion Picture) Meditations were made by monks who conducted a communal kolinahr at a monastery where visitors were offered a Stone of J'Kah as a gesture of salutation. (ENT: The Andorian Incident)

The mind meld technique was said to had been abandoned centuries before the 22nd century. (ENT: Fusion) A figure within Vulcan society was the pyllora that was a title given to those of their people who initiated a mind meld with a relative. These individuals acted as a guide or counsellor within a memory experienced by the Vulcan where they assisted the subject from repressing the memory. (VOY: Flashback)

Vulcans were known to practice tarul-etek that was when they showed a person horrifying images in order to provoke an emotional response to test how well the individual was capable of suppressing their emotions. (Episode: Horizon)

Suus Mahna was a martial art developed by the Vulcans that took many years to learn. (ENT: Marauders) Vulcans were aware of the existence of focal points in the bioelectric field of humanoids especially those in the brain. These were known as Qui'lari and were the equivalent of chakras from ancient India on Earth. (DS9: The Muse)

The Rite of Tal'oth was a ritual practiced by Vulcans whereby a young adult was required to survive for four months in the desert with only their ritual blade. (VOY: Displaced)

One practice in their civilization was Rumarie that was a pagan festival practiced in the 14th century. (VOY: Meld) A further event was the Kal Rekk that was a holiday that was a day of atonement to Vulcans where they engaged in solitude and silence with no season leading up to the time. (VOY: Meld)

A rite that could be invoked by Vulcan citizens was the T'Kal-in-ket that was a philosophical process designed to unearth deep truths with it being based on logic and scientific inquiry. It dated back to the time of Surak and was credited as one of the engines of early Vulcan scientific achievement. After being called on, it could not be denied and required a party to defend their claims before a quorum of peers whilst a sha-set (Translation: Advocate) stood as arbiter of the process. (DIS: Unification III)

On Vulcan, there were a number of sacred crypts where the remains of dead members of their kind resided with these areas adorned with katra stones which could block telepathic links. (DIS: Light and Shadows)

Despite the changes in their civilization, not all Vulcans embraced the concept of logic alone and some retained the idea of experiencing emotions. Such members of their kind were referred to as v'tosh ka'tur" or "Vulcans without logic." (ENT: Fusion) There were also logic extremists who were Vulcans that believed only in logic and did not agree with their worlds interaction with more illogical emotional races such as humans. These extremists were shown to engage in terrorist acts and often targeted aliens or even threatened families of Vulcans that associated with outsiders. (DIS: Point of Light) These Vulcans were noted to value logic above all else and were capable of even conducting suicide bombings to achieve their objectives. (DIS: Lethe)

A leading organization within their society was Vulcan High Command. (ENT: Broken Bow) One body within their society was the Vulcan Science Directorate who looked into a variety of factors. (ENT: Cold Front)

Vulcans were said to not negotiate with terrorists. (ENT: Shadows of P'Jem)

Early Vulcan society was noted to had believed in a variety of gods that included war, peace and death. (TNG: Gambit, Part II)

Technology

They were known to produce a nasal numbing agent that allowed them to dampen the effects of offensive odours that bothered their sensitive noses. (ENT: The Andorian Incident)

Vulcan chemists were noted to had only obtained small amounts of eisilium that was an extremely rare mineral. (ENT: Breaking The Ice)

Their EV suits were said to be akin to being their own starship. (ENT: Breaking The Ice)

Vulcan starship classes included:

• Suurok-class : a vessel used in the 22nd century where they were capable of warp 6.5 and possessed a tractor beam. (ENT: Breaking the Ice)
• Maymora-class : a type of vessel used by the Vulcans during the 22nd century. (ENT: Breaking The Ice)

Certain Vulcan vessels were known to make use of translinear sensors. (ENT: Fusion) Their ships during the 22nd century were known to make use of sophisticated tractor beams. (ENT: Breaking The Ice)

The Vulcan Science Directorate by the 22nd century had studied the concept of time travel and had found no proof of its existence. (ENT: Cold Front) The concept of microsingularities were considered a myth by the Vulcans until confirmed in the mid-22nd century. (ENT: Shuttlepod One)

Members

• Surak :
• Spock :
• Sarek :
• Tuvok :
• Soval : a male Vulcan who served as ambassador to Earth by 2151. (ENT: Broken Bow)
• T'Pol : a female Vulcan who served under ambassador Soval by 2151 where she came to be assigned to the NX Enterprise as science officer. (ENT: Broken Bow)
• Syrran :
• T'Pau :
• Velik : a male Vulcan who was a scientist who came to Earth to serve as a biology teacher and taught lessons to tenth grade human children about life on other worlds. (ENT: Strange New Worlds)
• Haadok : a male Vulcan Master who was one of the founders of the monastery at P'Jem where his mummified remains were located within the underground catacombs at the site. (ENT: The Andorian Incident)
• Vanik : a male Vulcan Captain in 2151 who had been in the Vulcan space programme for 76 years with fifteen of them being commanding the Ti'Mur. (ENT: Breaking The Ice)
• Koss : a male Vulcan in the 22nd century whose family arranged a marriage between him and T'Pol with this facing being annulled in 2151 due to her wanting to be stationed on the Enterprise. (ENT: Breaking The Ice)
• Tok : a Vulcan Captain of a Maymora-class ship named the Yarahla with Jonathan Archer briefly being stationed on it. (ENT: Breaking the Ice)
• Sopek : a male Vulcan Captain who was a senior figure in the 22nd century where he commanded the Ni'Var. (ENT: Shadows of P'Jem)
• Tavin : a male Vulcan who commanded the civilian ship Vahklas that departed Vulcan 8 years ago with a crew of v'tosh ka'tur who wanted to indulge in feeling emotions where they encountered the human ship Enterprise in 2151. (ENT: Fusion)
• Tolaris : a male Vulcan who was v'tosh ka'tur who was formerly an instructor at the ShiKahr Academy before joining the crew of the Vahklas. In 2151, his crew encountered the human vessel Enterprise who they asked for assistance to repair their vessel where he became acquainted with Subcommander T'Pol. He attempted to force her to experience emotions and engaged in a non-consensual mind meld leaving her in a lot of pain forcing Captain Archer to end work with the Vulcan ship. (ENT: Fusion)
• Kov : a male Vulcan who as v'tosh ka'tur who over 8 years ago left his peoples society to join the crew aboard the Vahklas by the 22nd century with him serving as the ships engineer. This act caused a rift between him and his father who felt that he had brought disgrace to the family leading to Kov not speaking to him for years. In 2151, their vessel encountered the human ship Enterprise where the Vulcan became friends with Charles Tucker III. (ENT: Fusion)
• T'Rina : a dark haired female from the 32nd century where she was the President of Ni'Var after the unification of the Vulcan and Romulan people. (DIS: Unification III)
• V'Kir : a black Vulcan male from the 32nd century who was the youthful leader of a sect of Vulcan purists on Ni'Var in the time after the unification of the Vulcan and Romulan peopel. (DIS: Unification III)

Notes

• The Vulcans featured in the setting of the Star Trek universe.

Alternate Versions

• In the Mirror Universe, the Vulcans had a similar history as the mainstream universe that included making first contact with Earth. However, the humans killed the Vulcans ad stole their vessel which they used to form the Terran Empire with the Vulcans becoming a slave species.
• In Star Trek, the Vulcans appeared in the alternate timeline created as a result of the actions of Nero which formed when he travelled to the 23rd century and destroyed the U.S.S. Kelvin.

In other media

Television

• In Star Trek: Lower Decks, Vulcans appeared in the setting of the animated comedy television series.

Video games

• In Star Trek: Away Team, Vulcans appeared in the setting of the tactical video game with several officers could join the ships crew. It was shown that the Vulcan government had been infested by Borg nanites that were being studied upon by their scientists. The nanites became sentient and took over their hosts creating a hive mind that infiltrated Vulcan society to create a hidden threat to the Federation that was known as the Wardens.
• In Star Trek: Legacy, a Vulcan antagonist appeared in the real-time tactical video game named Commander T'Uerell who was a foe in the multiple era story mode.
• In Star Trek Online, Vulcans were a playable race in the MMORPG and featured in the setting.
• In Star Trek, Vulcans appeared in the setting of the 2013 video game set in the Kelvin timeline. It was shown that by this point their civilization had settled on a new planet that they named New Vulcan with a prominent Vulcan scientist creating the Helios Device to aid in its terraforming.

Appearances

• Star Trek: The Original Series:
• Star Trek: The Next Generation:
• Star Trek: Deep Space 9:
• Star Trek: Voyager:
• Star Trek: Enterprise:
• Star Trek: Discovery:
• Star Trek: Lower Decks:

External Links

• Star Trek Database Entry
• Memory Alpha Wiki Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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