Vulcan (Star Trek)
In the fictional Star Trek universe created by Gene Roddenberry, the Vulcan race originate on planet Vulcan which orbits 40 Eridani, or Epsilon Eridani. The Vulcans are most noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic and to suppress all emotional influence by living lives of rigid emotional self-control through meditative techniques and training of mental discipline. The main external characteristics which distinguish Vulcans from humans are arched eyebrows and pointed ears, along with a slight greenish skin tint due to their copper-based blood.
Abilities
Vulcans are contact telepaths. By means of a procedure known as mind-meld, which involves physical contact with a subject, it is possible for them to share all their thoughts, experience, memories and knowledge with another individual. Vulcans can perform a mind-meld with members of most other races, most notably humans; one well-known example of a race immune against the mind-meld are the Ferengi.
Many Vulcans are skilled in a self-defense move known as the Vulcan neck pinch or nerve pinch, which targets a precise location at the base of the humanoid neck, instantly rendering the victim unconscious. While practiced mainly by Vulcans, it is not exclusive to their race.
In addition, Vulcans tend to be stronger and longer-lived than humans. The former of these qualities is often attributed to Vulcan's gravity being significantly greater than Earth's.
History
The Vulcan race discovered space travel long before humans did.
The Vulcan race used to be a race of violent warriors and fought many wars among themselves. The end of this time was marked by an event in Vulcan history known as the Great Awakening. Surak, a Vulcan philosopher of that time, spread the idea of living by the rules of logic and reasoning. Most Vulcans, in hopes of a better future with less violence and wars, adopted his teachings and attempted to suppress all their emotions. Almost all of present-day Vulcan philosophy emerged from this.
A small proportion of the Vulcan population, who did not agree to following the new philosophy and thus, in the view of the majority of the population, proved to be obstacles for the future development of the Vulcan race, were expelled from the Vulcan home planet. These people travelled through space in the search of a new home, eventually settling on Romulus and forming the Romulan race.
First contact between Vulcans and humans was on April 5, 2063 shortly after Zephram Cochrane's first warp (faster-than-light) flight. On August 12, 2161, the two races collaborated to found the basis of the United Federation of Planets.
Famous Vulcans
- Although only half-Vulcan, half-human, Mr. Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy) is probably the most famous representative of the Vulcan race.
- Sarek (played by Mark Lenard), Spock's father
- Saavik (played by Kirstie Alley in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), cadet navigator aboard USS Enterprise NCC-1701
- Sybok (played by Laurence Luckinbill in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier), Spock's rebellious half-brother
- Valeris (played by Kim Cattrall in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), navigational officer of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A
- Tuvok (played by Tim Russ in Star Trek: Voyager), security officer on board the USS Voyager
- T'Pol (played by Jolene Blalock in Enterprise), first officer and science officer of USS Enterprise NX-01