Star Trek Secretly Threatened Vulcan Extinction Not Once ...

Star Trek Secretly Threatened Vulcan Extinction Not Once But Twice

Zachary Quinto as Spock in Star TrekImage via Paramount

By Shaun Corley Published 26 minutes ago Shaun Corley is a Staff Writer for ScreenRant, a position he has held for five years. While he enjoys many types of comics and graphic novels, he has a particular interest in the licensed Star Trek titles. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Star Trek threatened Vulcan with extinction not once, but twice. 2009’s JJ Abrams-helmed Star Trek charted a new destiny for the franchise, taking some bold creative swings along the way. One of these swings was destroying Spock’s homeworld of Vulcan, and as revealed in Star Trek #55-58, the species was nearly wiped out again.

“The Legacy of Spock,” running in Star Trek #55-58, was written by Mike Johnson and drawn by Tony Shasteen. After Vulcan’s destruction, the survivors search for a new planet to settle on, ultimately deciding on Ceti Alpha V.

Star Trek Kelvin Vulcan

Prime Spock, who has been cast out of Vulcan society, tries to advise them this is a bad idea.

The Vulcans Were Humanity's First Friends After Inventing Warp Drive

Vulcan's Destruction in 2009's Star Trek Movie Came as a Shock to Long-Time Fans

Star Trek First Contact Vulcan salute

The Vulcans are one of Star Trek’s most popular alien races, and were one of the founders of the United Federation of Planets. The Vulcans were the first aliens humans met after developing warp drive, and the two species have had a unique relationship ever since. The Vulcans feel humans are impulsive and emotional.

Needless to say, the Vulcans are a foundational race to the Star Trek franchise, so when the writers of the 2009 reboot, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, wanted to distinguish the newly minted timeline from its predecessor, they decided to take Vulcan off the table. Using “red matter,” the Romulan Nero destroyed Vulcan in a matter of minutes.

Witnessing Vulcan’s destruction was a shock to Star Trek fans in 2009, and it set the tone for the remaining Kelvin adventures. It also set both Kelvin Spock and Prime Spock on the journeys that would define them. For Prime Spock, it became helping the broken survivors find a new place to call home.

Prime Spock Remained in the Kelvin Timeline, But It Was Not Easy For Him

The Kelvin Vulcans Cast Prime Spock Out

Prime Spock, and the Kelvin Vulcans, did not have an easy go of it. An earlier arc in the book showed the lengths desperate Vulcans were going to, including alliances with the Romulans. The Vulcans had suffered an unspeakable tragedy, and the trauma ran deep. Yet Kelvin Spock was able to convince his people to not abandon their ideals.

Yet Prime Spock paid the ultimate price. As revealed in the opening of “Legacy of Spock,” the Kelvin Vulcans partially blamed Prime Spock for their homeworld’s destruction. Thus, they exiled him from their society, declaring him a pariah. Prime Spock seemingly accepted this grim and unfair fate with his usual Stoic dignity.

The Vulcans Nearly Picked a Doomed Star Trek World to Settle

Ceti Alpha V Is an Infamous World in the Star Trek Universe

A planet and a sun in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Exiling Prime Spock could not have come at the worst time, as the Vulcans had chosen their new home planet, and it was one few Star Trek fans could have foreseen: Ceti Alpha V. This planet is infamous, as it was the planet Kirk exiled Khan to at the end of “Space Seed.”

As revealed in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Ceti Alpha VI exploded not long after Khan was exiled there, throwing Ceti Alpha V off its axis, destroying the ecosystem and killing many of his followers. Ceti Alpha VI’s destruction went unnoticed, and Khan swore revenge on Kirk, as seen in that movie.

Prime Spock remembered Ceti Alpha VI’s fate, and did not want a similar fate for his people, even after they exiled him. The Kelvin Vulcans argued that because it exploded in one universe does not mean it would do so here. That is a fair argument, but Spock knew the truth.

Ultimately, it took a mind-meld between Prime Spock, Kelvin Kirk and the Vulcan elders to convince them of the truth. The Vulcans ultimately pick a new world to settle on, and they begin to thrive once again. A coda, set thousands of years, cements Spock’s legacy as a peacemaker and diplomat.

Prime Spock Fulfilled His Goal in Star Trek's Kelvin Universe

Spock is a Star Trek Icon in Any Universe

Kelvin Spock

The Vulcans narrowly avoided extinction a second time in the Star Trek universe. While it is true Ceti Alpha VI may not have exploded in the Kelvin timeline, there was no real way of knowing this. Prime Spock wanted his people to err on the side of caution, and they eventually did.

Prime Spock saving the Kelvin Vulcans, despite being cast out, also speaks volumes to his character. Spock tried to save the Romulans in the 24th, and failed. Spock achieves redemption by saving the Vulcans from a second extinction. It cements Spock’s place as one of Star Trek’s most moral characters.

Comics
Star Trek

Follow Followed Like Share Facebook X WhatsApp Threads Bluesky LinkedIn Reddit Flipboard Copy link Email Close Thread Sign in to your ScreenRant account

We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.

Be the first to post Images Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam.

Your comment has not been saved

Send confirmation email

This thread is open for discussion.

Be the first to post your thoughts.