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Published Nov 4, 2022

Vulcans and Romulans: A Primer on Unification

Exploring one of the most crucial schisms in the Star Trek universe.

StarTrek.com

A couple of weeks ago, Jake Black wrote an excellent article about how Spock’s dream of Vulcan and Romulan unification , as shown in The Next Generation episodes “ Unification , Parts I and II,” is incredibly relevant for the divided society we are today. But what, exactly, is unification, and why is it important to the Star Trek universe? I’m going to explore that in this primer on unification between the Romulans and Vulcans .

The Romulans and Vulcans descend from the same ancestor species — specifically, the Romulans are an offshoot of ancient Vulcans. From the Star Trek history we know, it’s unclear when the split between the two occurred, but it was likely during Vulcan’s war-torn period of history. Before they established logic as the foundation for their culture and history, Vulcans were similar to humans — emotional and warlike. They thrived on colonialism and conquest, establishing a large swath of colonies across space. Eventually, their empire fell and their society devolved into chaos.

Few records survive from this unstable time, so it’s unclear how the Romulan species was born, but they likely were established during this period. It’s possible that a faction of warlike Vulcans rejected the idea of peace and left to found their own civilization. It’s also possible that the Romulans are one of Vulcan’s outlying colonies that were abandoned by the homeworld and forgotten in the chaos. Either way, for centuries Vulcans were aware of the Romulans as an alien race, but had no idea that the two species shared an ancestral history.

In The Original Series episode “Balance of Terror,” the Enterprise encounters an unknown vessel (presumed to be Romulan) destroying Federation outposts along the Romulan neutral zone. Humans and Romulans had fought a vicious war in the past, but it was before viewscreens were common on ships and there were no captives taken during the conflict. As a result, no one had seen a Romulan in generations, and it was unclear what they looked like. Spock expressed real surprise that the species looked so similar to Vulcans and posited that the two had split during a violent period of Vulcan history, and that Romulans retained that warlike culture, while Vulcans had turned to logic.

Whenever the schism between the two species happened, it was long enough ago such that significant genetic differences have since evolved between Vulcans and Romulans. So while they have the same ancestors, the differences between them by the 24th Century, when The Next Generation is set, are deeper than just culture.

The pro-unification underground goes much further back in history than The Next Generation episode of the same name, where it was introduced. In Star Trek: Enterprise ’s “Kir’Shara,” which aired after TNG but chronologically took place before The Original Series , a secret Romulan agent posing as a Vulcan mentions the unification movement to a Vulcan collaborator (no Starfleet officers were present at this exchange, hence why their shared past remained a mystery). While its origins are unclear (and we don’t know whether Romulan culture retained the memory of their genetic history), the movement was apparently thriving long before it was first depicted on screen.

In “Unification, Parts I and II,” which brought Spock to The Next Generation , the revered ambassador is spotted on Romulus, and the Federation fears that he defected. The costs of his betrayal would be incalculable, so they send Captain Picard on a mission to uncover what’s happened. After a visit to Sarek, Spock’s ailing father, Picard and Data head to Romulus aboard a cloaked Klingon Bird of Prey .

They discover that Spock has not defected; instead, he’s been working with an underground movement to support the reunification of Romulans and Vulcans. Many members of the group had been declared enemies of the Romulan state because of their adherence to Vulcan philosophy; Spock’s goal was to both help them and also evaluate the greater potential of reunification, though, he admits the possibility may be unlikely.

Over the course of the episode, Spock is betrayed by his closest Romulan ally, Senator Pardek, and he, Picard, and Data are captured by the Romulan government. It turns out that the Romulans are interested in reunification, but one at gunpoint — they want to invade Vulcan and conquer it. (As an aside, the idea of the Romulans being able to successfully invade one of the founding worlds of the Federation with three ships and 2,000 troops is laughably arrogant.)

Spock, Picard, and Data manage to escape, but the ambassador chooses to remain on Romulus. He recognizes that unification won’t happen via political channels, but instead through the will of the Romulan people, and he wants to help shepherd it. He stays on Romulus for at least a few years, as the sixth-season episode “Face of the Enemy” once again confronts unification.

While Spock himself isn’t in this episode, his fingerprints are all over it. Counselor Troi is kidnapped by Romulans and altered to look like one of them. She pretends to be a member of the feared Tal Shiar, the Romulan secret police, and her job is to successfully transport high-ranking members of the Romulan government to the Federation as defectors. Spock and his associates are hoping to open a new path for Romulan dissidents to leave the oppressive Star Empire.

What we know about unification after this point is negligible. In the Kelvin universe, at least, Spock continued working with the Romulans in some capacity, as he was involved in efforts to prevent their sun from going supernova. In the time of Star Trek: Picard , the Romulans are scattered, without a home world. It’s unclear whether the movement continued when so many of their brethren were lost, but unification, and the desire to connect with one another, is an important part of Star Trek history that shouldn’t be forgotten.

A Closer Look at Romulans

This article was originally published on November 24, 2020.

Swapna Krishna (she/her) writes about tech, science, and sci-fi. She’s a contributing editor at SYFY FANGRRLS and has been published at Engadget, Gizmodo, Mental Floss, the Los Angeles Times, and more. You can find her on Twitter @skrishna.

Star Trek: Picard streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and is distributed concurrently by Paramount Global Content Distribution on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories, and in Canada it airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

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IDIC was an acronym for Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations , the basis of Vulcan philosophy , celebrating the vast array of variables in the universe . The philosophy, as well as the Vulcan people, were often represented by a triangle-over-circle insignia , referred to as an "IDIC." ( TOS : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ", DIS : " Will You Take My Hand? ")

• 1.1 As a Philosophy
• 1.2 As an Emblem
• 2.1 References
• 2.2 Background information
• 2.3 External links

History [ ]

The IDIC on Surak's katric ark

In the Vulcan language , the term for "infinite diversity in infinite combinations" was Kol-Ut-Shan . ( VOY : " Gravity ")

IDIC symbols were in use at least as early as the 4th century AD , as one appeared on Surak 's katric ark . According to Syrran , the symbol represented Surak's enlightenment atop Mount Seleya . ( ENT : " The Forge ")

After the reunification of the Vulcans and Romulans , the IDIC was combined with the Romulan logo. This new symbol was worn as a badge on the clothing of the President of Ni'Var , the Peers , and other top officials in Ni'Var society in the 32nd century . ( DIS : " Unification III ")

As a Philosophy [ ]

In 2269 , James T. Kirk reminded a giant clone of Spock of the concept, asking him whether an army of Spocks could defy this concept by attempting to impose peace and Phylosian philosophy on others. ( TAS : " The Infinite Vulcan ")

As an Emblem [ ]

In the 23rd century , the flag of the Vulcan people was an IDIC over a red background. ( DIS : " Will You Take My Hand? ")

When referring to the symbol in the English language , it was pronounced " ih-dihk ". ( TOS : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ")

Vulcan stones with the symbol

The IDIC was featured several times at the Vulcan monastery at P'Jem . It appeared on the wooden arch at the doorway of the monastery and was visible on stones which were used by Jonathan Archer for creating a map of the catacombs . The IDIC symbol was also imprinted on the Stone of J'Kah . ( ENT : " The Andorian Incident ")

Gaby 's drawing " Vulcan " featured a green - skinned Vulcan wearing an IDIC pin. ( ENT : " Breaking the Ice ")

In 2154 , T'Les smuggled a holographic map to her daughter T'Pol inside an IDIC medallion pendant . ( ENT : " The Forge ") On 22 January 2155 , T'Pol hung the same medallion on the side of an incubator containing her baby daughter, Elizabeth . Following the child 's death , T'Pol was holding the medallion close to her in her quarters when the baby's father , Charles Tucker III , arrived. Moments later, they held hands over the medallion. ( ENT : " Terra Prime ")

Michael Burnham and other graduates of the Vulcan Science Academy each wore an IDIC badge on their graduation day on Vulcan . ( DIS : " Lethe ")

Spock's IDIC pin

On formal occasions, Spock wore his IDIC medallion in pin form as part of his Starfleet dress uniform . During a dinner function aboard the USS Enterprise , Doctor Miranda Jones had noticed Spock's Vulcan IDIC pin on his dress uniform. She inquired if it was to serve as a reminder to Jones that, as a Vulcan, Spock could mind link with the Medusans far better than she could. Spock noted, on the contrary, that he donned it to honor Dr. Jones and her achievements. ( TOS : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ")

In 2285 , as captain of the Enterprise , Spock had a large IDIC mosaic on a wall in his quarters, next to his meditation nook. ( Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Star Trek III: The Search for Spock )

The Vulcan ship T'Vran had IDIC emblems on the back wall of the bridge . ( DS9 : " Vortex ")

Solok sporting Logicians teamwear

Vulcan IDIC pins were considered collectible merchandise in the retail markets of the 24th century , not easily acquired in the Bajor sector . In late 2370 , Quark listed Vulcan IDIC pins as plausible items that he could sell over the monitors on board of Deep Space 9 if given permission by Commander Benjamin Sisko . As well as IDIC pins, other collectibles Quark listed that he could sell at a significant discount included Andorian jewelry and Bolian crystalsteel . ( DS9 : " The Jem'Hadar ")

The Logicians , an all-Vulcan baseball team formed from members of the crew of the USS T'Kumbra , featured the IDIC on their baseball caps. ( DS9 : " Take Me Out to the Holosuite ")

While posing as a Vulcan commodore , Oh kept a decorative box with an IDIC on her desk among other Vulcan decorations. ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ")

In preparing a room for the T'Kal-in-ket aboard the USS Discovery , the crew had placed the IDIC symbol on one of the walls , along with other symbols, which represented the three major factions on Ni'Var . ( DIS : " Unification III ")

Appendices [ ]

References [ ].

• TOS : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? "
• TNG : " Unification II "
• " For the Cause "
• " Take Me Out to the Holosuite "
• " Flashback "
• " Hunters "
• " Riddles "
• " Endgame "
• " The Andorian Incident "
• " Breaking the Ice "
• " The Seventh "
• " Future Tense "
• " The Forge "
• " Kir'Shara "
• " Awakening "
• " Terra Prime "
• " The Vulcan Hello "
• " Battle at the Binary Stars "
• " Will You Take My Hand? "
• " Unification III "
• PIC : " Maps and Legends "
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Background information [ ]

The invention of the IDIC by Gene Roddenberry caused friction between him and Leonard Nimoy , who saw it as a cheap ploy to sell replica merchandise to fans. ( I Am Spock , 1st ed., pp. 66-67) The symbol, first introduced in " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ", was designed by William Ware Theiss . [1] Michael and Denise Okuda have credited Roddenberry himself with designing the symbol, though Theiss' design sketches as published in Star Trek: The Original Series Sketchbook and The Art of Star Trek seem to contradict this. ( ENT : " The Forge " text commentary ; ENT Season 4 DVD special feature; Star Trek Encyclopedia  (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 357))

In the IDIC seen from the 4th century, the triangle portion is perfectly vertical and elongated, in contrast to the angle it is displayed at in the 22nd century forward.

The Jellyfish cockpit

In the Vulcan Jellyfish ship from Star Trek , the cockpit appears to form an IDIC with the chair, the controls, and the circular window. The IDIC as a design motif is continued in the Star Trek video game, where it forms the shape of every Vulcan airlock .

A wall decoration displayed in the Vulcan High Command in " Awakening " and " Kir'Shara " was sold on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. The image, resembling a vertical IDIC, had the auction description "the panels form an image of the sun rising over Mount Seleya ". [2]

The Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 357) stated the IDIC emblem had come to be used as a Vulcan national symbol.

External links [ ]

• IDIC at Wikipedia
• IDIC at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Don't Know Much About (Vulcan) Philosophy at Star Trek Fact Check
• 3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

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Vulcans are a humanoid species native to the planet Vulcan . They were one of the founding races which created the United Federation of Planets , along with Humans , Andorians and Tellarites . Vulcans are a playable race in Star Trek Online , and belong to the Federation faction.

• 1 Physical features
• 6 External links

Physical features [ | ]

In appearance, Vulcans are very similar to Humans , except for their pointed ears and upwards pointed thick eyebrows. They are more similar in appearance to Romulans , as both originated from the same species. Vulcan males very rarely have facial hair such as beards. Vulcans tend to have pale skin, sometimes with a slight green tint; however, Vulcans with dark skin are not unheard of, such as Tuvok . A Vulcan lifespan is about two centuries. They are also physically very strong, with natural strength up to three times greater than that of the average human.

Culture [ | ]

Vulcans are very well known for their strict adherence to logic and for their honesty. It is said that Vulcans do not lie, and some say Vulcans are incapable of lying; however, they will should they deem it to be the logical solution to a given situation. Although Vulcans are very logical beings, they still have spiritual beliefs. Some Vulcans still undertake arranged marriages, which are typically arranged by the parents when the child is still of a young age, normally under 10 years old.

Traits [ | ]

T'nae, a Vulcan Starfleet admiral.

The Vulcan IDIC symbol as a comm badge

• On Ground: Click "Mental Discipline" to free yourself from Hold effects. Bonus resistance to Psionic, Placate, and Confuse.
• 15% chance to knock down the target of your melee attacks.

See also [ | ]

• Playable Vulcan Starships
• 23rd Century Vulcan Ambassador Outfit

External links [ | ]

• Vulcan at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
• Vulcans at Starbase UGC , the user-generated-content Wiki for STO.
• 2 Playable starship
• 3 Infinity Prize Pack - T6 Ship

Sorry Spock, Jolene Blalock's T'Pol Is Star Trek's Most Interesting Vulcan

Spock and Tuvok are great, but Star Trek: Enterprise's T'Pol played by Jolene Blalock has the most interesting arc for any Vulcan in the franchise.

Since Leonard Nimoy first donned the pointed ears as Spock in the original Star Trek pilot, Vulcans are Star Trek 's most iconic aliens. However, of the three Vulcan regulars on the shows, Star Trek: Enterprise 's T'Pol, played by Jolene Blalock, is the most interesting one. By appearing on a prequel series, she is why characters Tuvok and Spock have their places on the bridge of Starfleet vessels .

Spock is most fans' favorite of Star Trek 's Vulcans in large part because of Nimoy's performance throughout his life. Zachary Quinto and Ethan Peck have carried on the legacy, keeping Spock alive in films and on TV. Tim Russ, who recently appeared as Tuvok in Picard Season 3, played Tuvok, the security officer for the USS Voyager . Until T'Pol, Tuvok was the only full Vulcan to be a regular on a Star Trek series. Whereas Spock constantly battled his emotions, Tuvok almost always kept his in check, devoted to pure logic. T'Pol did not start out as a member of Starfleet on Enterprise . She was a member of the Vulcan High Command essentially assigned to the ship to babysit the humans on their first voyage. While Spock and Tuvok each have incredible stories, T'Pol's unique position in pre-Federation Starfleet is perhaps the most important.

RELATED: Star Trek: Enterprise Wasn't a Failure, Paramount's Network Was

On Enterprise, the Vulcans Weren't Exactly Friends to Humanity

One of the most controversial decisions on Enterprise , other than the series finale , was the way Vulcans were portrayed a century after First Contact . They wanted to guide humanity to join the galactic community, but they didn't trust the brash, emotional beings to traverse the galaxy unchecked. The inclusion of T'Pol as a science officer was a way for the Vulcan High Command to exert influence over humanity's mission. Yet, as the first Vulcan to spend that long in close quarters with humans, they affected her in unexpected ways. T'Pol believed certain things about the Vulcans as a people, yet her time with the Enterprise showed her they were as flawed as any other species.

In an early episode, Enterprise helps some Andorians uncover that a sacred holy site for Vulcans was being used as a listening post to spy on the blue-skinned aliens. In Season 3, when humanity is attacked, the Vulcans effectively abandon humans in fear of provoking a war between themselves and the antagonistic Xindi species. T'Pol also found that close proximity to humans loosened her control of her suppressed emotions. She felt anger most often, followed by fear and, sometimes, longing. Yet, she remained committed to the way of Vulcan logic, learning to find a new sense of balance.

As T'Pol develops feelings of all sorts for the crew, Enterprise tells a story about how someone like Tuvok could become best friends with Captain Kathryn Janeway . The show also, less deftly, shows how a half-human, half-Vulcan like Spock could come to be. Seeing pre-Federation Vulcan culture through T'Pol's eyes informed Star Trek fans about this familiar species in ways previous shows and films didn't. Again, this is because the series was a prequel, but it only worked because Blalock's T'Pol sold it with every performance.

RELATED: How Star Trek Has Become More Like Star Wars In the 21st Century

Jolene Blalock Played a Perfect Vulcan Even When In 'Crisis'

The folks who made Enterprise had been in the Star Trek game for over a decade at that point. To keep things interesting for themselves, they took big swings with stories. These decisions weren't always so well-received, like T'Pol's intimate relationship with Chief Engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker III, but eventually grew on fans. Others, like giving T'Pol an emotion-related drug addiction during the show's 9/11 arc in Season 3 made less sense.

Nonetheless, Blalock delivered an incredible performance in the limited range available to Vulcans. She also mastered the moments when T'Pol is struggling against feeling the emotions the aforementioned addiction awoke in her. Later in Season 3, thanks to time travel, Blalock has to act against herself, playing an elderly T'Pol in heavy prosthetic makeup to appear ancient. In the hands of a less capable actor, the scene would be laughable. Instead, it's easy for viewers to forget they are watching the same person in two places at once.

T'Pol wasn't the first Vulcan humanity met, in both real life and the Star Trek canon . However, she is the first Vulcan to believe in the goofy, emotional humans when no other Vulcans would. This is what makes the character so interesting. Spock and Tuvok are already sold on humanity's value when viewers meet them. T'Pol had to be convinced. Watching her come to accept humans, flaws and all, helps sell the idea of the Federation in a way no other Star Trek series before or since has done.

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Memory Beta articles sourced from short stories
• Memory Beta articles sourced from RPGs
• Memory Beta articles sourced from games
• Vulcan culture

Clan (Vulcan)

• View history

Vulcan clans were family unit groups into which the people of the Vulcan civilization were organized. These family units were broken into smaller extended clans from tribal lines which were further organised into houses (be they lesser, high, greater, noble or royal).

• 1.1 Clan roles in Vulcan society
• 1.2.1 Subclans
• 1.2.2 Subfamilies
• 1.3.1 Eldest/head of house
• 1.3.2 Clan council
• 1.3.3 Own-children
• 1.3.4 Right-line children
• 1.3.5 House steward
• 1.4.1 Customs relating to birth
• 1.4.2 Customs relating to adoption
• 1.4.3 Customs relating to marriage
• 1.4.4.1 First mind meld
• 1.4.4.2 Kahs-wan
• 1.5.1 Ancient history
• 1.5.2 Age of antiquity
• 1.5.3 Golden age
• 2.1.1.1 Archenida history and specifics
• 2.1.2.1 Clan of the Eye history and specifics
• 2.2.1 Ansa-sen-tar
• 2.2.2.1 Talek-sen-deen history and specifics
• 2.3.1 Clan Ghe'Hara
• 2.3.2 Clan Hgrtcha
• 2.3.3 Clan K'vek
• 2.3.4 Clan Kawarda
• 2.3.5.1 Clan training curricula and rites of passage
• 2.3.6 Clan Phelsht
• 2.3.7 Pain Casters
• 2.3.8.1 Structural membership makeup
• 2.3.8.2 Traditional territory
• 2.3.8.3 Customs and traditions
• 3.1.1 Nashih
• 3.2.1 Thirty Tribes
• 5.1 References

History and specifics [ ]

Clan roles in vulcan society [ ].

As Vulcan itself was governed by an oligarchy of several prominent families, these extremely disciplined, complex and close-knit family units had important roles in Vulcan society, culture and law. ( TOS novel : Yesterday's Son )

Structural makeup of a clan [ ]

Subclans [ ].

A subclan referred to parts of a clan which had been broken down into smaller units of a hundred people, presumably after these groups had been separated from the rest of their clan by either environment or time. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Subfamilies [ ]

Smaller in its membership base than a subclan, a subfamily was a group of individuals within a clan or subclan who were closely related to each other either genetically (like by siblings, parents, or offspring) or legally (like by adoption or marriage). ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

In the age of expansion , when no other ship of Nomikh 's clan was big enough to take all of the original complement of their asteroid-mining ship Gelevesh , whole subfamilies of the subclan were forced to scatter across the planet and find work on the ground or in someone else's ship. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Roles and hierarchies in a clan [ ]

Everyone in a house worked, regardless of an individual's rank or their clan or house's renown. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Eldest/head of house [ ]

Vulcan family units (tribes or clans) of the same House were lead by an individual that held the title of the Eldest of House (also known as the Head of House). Normally a matriarch, the eldest of house was in charge of the affairs of their House and/or one or more of its constituent clans or tribes. ( TOS novel : Sarek )

It had been said that there was no relationship more sacred than that between a Head of House and their house, and that to kill the Head of one's own House was as good as to kill the House itself. Though this sentiment didn't stop some throughout Vulcan history from making attempts on the lives of such individuals anyway. When an individual holding this title died, their successor by default was whoever was the eldest of those closest to them by blood. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Alternatively or even in addition to this, a head of House wishing to qualify a successor of their own choosing could pass on their Katra to their preferred successor, as T'Pau did to Amanda to allow her to qualify as Eldest Mother of the house and serve as joint head alongside Sarek . ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

For official ceremonies such as those held for those who successfully completed their kahs-wan rite of passage, a Head of House would wear a formal austere brown robe bearing bronze symbols to denote their status as Head of House (they could choose to bear modern or archaic forms of the complex glyphs depending on their personal preference). ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Forge )

Examples of individuals who held this title included Elieth (great-aunt to starfleet officer Tuvok ), who held the title of Eldest Mother of her House until her death when it was passed on to Tuvok's mother T'Meni . ( VOY novel : Pathways )

Other examples of such individuals included many legendary figures. In the age of antiquity , Lady Suvin was head of her house before House Velekh was exterminated. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Another example involving an important historical figure was Surak , who was head of his house by the time he'd just begun to draft his revolutionary teachings and philosophies. ( TOS - Vulcan's Soul novel : Exodus ). A more recent such example was T'Pau , who was matriarch (implying she was the head of house) of the Clan Hgrtcha. ( ST - Myriad Universes novella : The Tears of Eridanus )

Clan council [ ]

For the Lyr Zor clan at least, a clan council adept would assist a child of their clan in their meditation at various points as they grew up. More specifically, when the child conducted the first rite of Tal T'Lee (their first meditation), and later again when the child took part in An-Prele (learning pain control meditation) in their mid to late teens. ( TOS - Fortunes of War novel : Battlestations! )

Own-children [ ]

An own-child was more than simple marriage fodder. It presumably meant that such individuals had a relationship to the head of House which was confirmed by binding or other legal instrument. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Right-line children [ ]

A right-line child was just "marriage-fodder" (in other words; a gaming piece). A euphemism meaning these individuals had some relationship to the head of the house, but not one confirmed by binding or other legal instrument. During the age of antiquity , that meant these individuals were by-blows and destined to be married off to some other house in return for some political favour or potential alliance (or, if they were for whatever reason put out of the marriage market, they could end up disowned or sold as a servant). ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

House steward [ ]

The House Steward was a Vulcan individual who was assigned (presumably by a clan or house representative) to serve as a steward of a home or family estate. In the early 23rd century , one had been assigned to Sarek and Amanda's home Keldeen . ( TOS novel : Ghost-Walker )

General clan customs [ ]

The Vulcan rituals and ceremonies surrounding marriage, burial and birth remained intact over the millennia, and not even the logic of Surak managed to strip them away. ( TOS novelization : Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

The following were common customs in Vulcan clans.

Customs relating to birth [ ]

Traditionally, a male Vulcan was not present at the time their mate delivered their child during their pregnancy. ( TOS novelization : Star Trek )

Upon their birth, children were not given a name until their Naming Day . ( TOS novel : Sarek )

Customs relating to adoption [ ]

There were numerous instances throughout Vulcan history of members (usually leaders) of Vulcan Houses adopting orphaned children into their houses and/or clans.

Examples included the engineer Karatek who decided to adopt into his house the freshly-orphaned children Kovar and his sister Tu'Pari (the latter took on the name Sarissa after joining the house) whose parents had been killed in a te-Vikram raid. ( TOS - Vulcan's Soul novel : Exodus )

A clan known for making 'adoption' a regular practice were perhaps the te-Vikram brotherhood - though their methods of acquiring such individuals or recruits tended to more infamously resemble kidnapping and abduction rather than a legal process. ( TOS novels : Exodus , Exiles , Epiphany )

Customs relating to marriage [ ]

As part of typical Vulcan custom, parents arranged for their children to be betrothed at around seven Earth years old. The betrothal involved a Bonding ceremony which telepathically linked the two children so they would later seek each other out during their pon farr cycle. This practice had been in place for thousands of generations, and in ancient times was used to prevent wars and strengthen ties between neighbours by adjoining their ancestral lands. ( TOS novel : Dwellers in the Crucible )

The Clan of the Eye's customs sparked the traditional clan practice of marrying out a clan's children with those of another clan who possessed some desirable trait. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

A betrothal would typically become a marriage when the couple turned 18. A betrothal could go on beyond that time if the delay was due to reasons or honourable commitments which no respectable clan would expect one of the betrothed to break. Despite this, six years was seen by some to be far beyond what any respectable clan would judge to be reasonable. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

Customs relating to rites of passage [ ]

The early education curriculum for Vulcan children ensured they learned the most rudimentary telesper skills necessary to attain better control over their innate telepathic abilities. ( TOS novel : Unspoken Truth )

First mind meld [ ]

On the eve of a Vulcan child's seventh birthday, a than'tha (a Vulcan adult that was usually their parent or the closest available proxy to their parent) would guide a Vulcan child through their first mind meld . ( TOS - Strange New Worlds II short story : " The First Law of Metaphysics ")

Kahs-wan [ ]

As a Vulcan child grew older, they would prepare for and undertake the Kahs-wan maturity test as one of their rights of passage. This was an ancient pre-Surakian survival ritual. Those who survived seven days alone in a harsh environment (usually the Vulcan Forge ) had successfully taken their first step into adulthood. ( TOS novel : Exodus )

In the ceremony for those who successfully completed their Kahs-wan, the eldest of a batch lead their agemates up to a platform where a high priestess and their Head of House would present them with the hereditary (though mostly symbolic by the 22nd century ) weapons of the Great Houses. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Forge )

History [ ]

The oldest Vulcan family lines had ancient roots which went all the way back to the Vulcan people's primitive beginnings. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

Ancient history [ ]

Age of antiquity [ ].

The ancient Vulcan people were divided into tribes consisting of extended clans organised together for protection against the harsh desert environment. These nomadic tribes traveled between different reservoirs of water. Some eventually established permanent settlements in areas that provided adequate food, water and shelter. Thus founding what would later become the first city-states. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

It was believed that certain Vulcans possessed moderate amounts of psionic talents at this time. Vulcans with such abilities were often revered focal points of their tribes and the sources of many alliances between different families, though some acquired such individuals by force. In addition, the vicious competition for natural resources often lead to fierce conflict. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

Golden age [ ]

Known vulcan clans [ ].

In ancient times (at least in the years before Phelsht was taken by the Clan of the Eye), true Vulcan clan names were kept secret among their members and many tribes chose to invent and tell false names to other clans (though the paths of rival clans rarely crossed). ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Great/high clans [ ]

Clan archenida [ ].

Prior to the Reformation , Archenida was one of the old warrior clans of Vulcan . By 2253 , it was described as one of the high clans and high houses of Vulcan. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

Archenida history and specifics [ ]

Clan of the eye [ ].

The Clan of the Eye was the secret name by which its members referred to their own clan (the false name or names which they invented and were likely called by other clans was unknown). They called themselves the Eye because their clan possessed a mutation in the form of an inner eyelid which protected their eyes from the bright Vulcan sun. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Clan of the Eye history and specifics [ ]

This clan used their inner eyelids to their advantage by storming the Phelsht wellspring during the day. They captured the region (which they would later begin to use as their home), and the warrior who'd lead the attack again used the inner eyelid mutation to her advantage by using it to persuade the survivors to put up no resistance and instead form a strategic alliance with the Clan of the Eye. Later, when the mutation and Phelsht's strategic resources caught the attention of other tribes, the Clan of the Eye offered such would-be attackers (or the survivors for those who did attack) this same deal. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Noble clans [ ]

Ansa-sen-tar [ ].

A noble clan of Vulcans , Ansa-sen-tar consisted of members of the house of Sidak. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

The house was as ancient as the house of Surak. T'Pris 's family had an honorable heritage, first as military leaders when Vulcans embraced a more savage civilization, and then as advocates and counselors when Vulcan philosophy turned to logic and peace. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

Talek-sen-deen [ ]

A noble clan of Vulcans , Talek-sen-deen consisted of members of the noble house of Surak. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

Talek-sen-deen history and specifics [ ]

Weaknesses such as being subject to anger, fighting with one's agemates (even when taunted), and giving way to emotional tears were not tolerated in heirs of this noble clan. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

The ranking male family member of at least this clan wore a heavy gold clan ring on his left hand's index finger. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

Clans of unknown renown [ ]

Clan ghe'hara [ ].

A young Surak thought it was quite probable that the warriors who took the Ko N'ya stone from him were of clan Ghe'Hara . ( TNG novel : The Devil's Heart )

Clan Hgrtcha [ ]

Sarek belonged to the Vulcan clan Hgrtcha . ( TOS novel : Ishmael ; ENT - Rise of the Federation novel : Uncertain Logic )

T'Pau was matriarch of this clan. ( ST - Myriad Universes novella : The Tears of Eridanus )

Clan K'vek [ ]

Noted for being the leading merchant family on Vulcan , Clan K'vek was a group present within Vulcan society that traditionally ruled the city of Kir in the Kir Province (the latter area held the estates of several of the Great Houses on the planet in addition numerous individuals with political connections). They had a long history dating back to when the Vulcan people were just becoming a spacefaring race. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans )

Clan Kawarda [ ]

Vulcan's Glory .

The Kawarda was an ancient Vulcan house and clan who once possessed the gemstone later known as Vulcan's Glory until the Battle of Deen T'zal in 1433, when it was taken as a prize of war by warlord Sorrid of clan Archenida . ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

The Vulcan's Glory was the heart of the house of Kawarda, as they believed the spirit of their clan dwelt in the stone, and that to own it was to own the soul—the very being—of the Kawarda. A belief which the rest of Vulcan eventually took to heart when they abandoned the ways of war in favour of the ways of logic . The Vulcan's Glory henceforth became a great cultural artifact for their civilization. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory )

Clan Lyr Zor [ ]

Sarda of the Lyr Zor .

The Lyr Zor were a clan of Vulcans that resided in the more remote parts of the planet Vulcan , namely in the Lyr T'aya region in the Vuldi Gorge . ( TOS - Fortunes of War novel : Battlestations! )

Clan training curricula and rites of passage [ ]

Clan phelsht [ ].

The Phelsht were the clan that occupied and controlled the region of the same name before the Clan of the Eye stormed it and claimed it as their own. They were the first to form a strategic alliance with the Eye. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Pain Casters [ ]

The Pain Casters were an ancient Vulcan clan that were part of Vulcan's occult history. They practiced a form of religion which used rituals similar to Human voodoo . ( TOS   comic : " The Voodoo Planet ")

Te-Vikram Brotherhood [ ]

The Te-Vikram Brotherhood (sometimes simply referred to as the Te-Vikram) were a powerful force that resisted technological changes which, as a traditional group, they viewed as heresy. The te-Vikram brotherhood were hated by the rest of Vulcan, who viewed them as nothing more than a group of nomadic raiders who were prone to violence and posed a constant threat to lone desert travellers. A reputation which was well-earned, as the Brotherhood were as well-known for butchering and robbing innocents as they were for killing their enemies with impunity. ( TOS novels : Exodus , Exiles , Epiphany )

Structural membership makeup [ ]

Their members included acolytes, underpriests, priests, warrior priests and their leaders (usually known as priest-kings, though one respected leader was known as the Old Mother of Fire). ( TOS novels : Exodus , Exiles , Epiphany )

The Brotherhood grew in number by either birthing offspring amongst themselves, capturing and forcibly marrying Vulcan females to unmated males in the tribe, or capturing young Vulcan children and raising them by te-Vikram ideals. ( TOS novels : Exodus , Exiles , Epiphany )

Traditional territory [ ]

The Te-Vikram's territory was located within the Womb of Fire of Vulcan's Forge . A sacred location to the Brotherhood, as their core belief was that they had to face and overcome 'challenges' in order to make themselves stronger. ( TOS novels : Exodus , Exiles , Epiphany )

Customs and traditions [ ]

In order to preserve their Final Honor and that of the Te-Vikram clan, older dying Te-Vikram warriors typically chose to go out into the desert and die, or (when incapable of doing so) commit a form of ritual suicide, or (if incapable of even that) have their closest kinsmen assist them in doing so. ( TOS novels : Exodus , Exiles , Epiphany )

Possible Vulcan clans [ ]

Ancient vulcan [ ].

During the age of expansion , the Nashih were a group of Vulcans that won a five-year war against house Teleiw and took their rival's remaining flagship as a prize of war for their own use as a scoutship or something along those lines. ( TOS novel : Spock's World )

Unknown time periods [ ]

Thirty tribes [ ].

Formed on the planet Vulcan in the Year of Blood , the Thirty Tribes were an association founded by the Vulcan Stur . ( TOS novel : Spock, Messiah! )

See also [ ]

Known Vulcan Houses :

• House Balev
• House Duveh (royal, ancient Vulcan)
• House Galsh
• House Kehievt
• House Lassiriheh (royal, ancient Vulcan)
• House of Sidak (noble)
• House of Surak (noble)
• House Teleiw
• House Velekh (high/great, exterminated sometime after 855 B.C. )
• Old House Yehenik (high)

Possible Vulcan houses:

• House of Kir (due to T'Kir 's hybrid nature, this could be either a Vulcan , Romulan or perhaps even a Human house)

Appendices [ ]

References [ ].

• TOS novel : Spock, Messiah!
• TOS novel : Spock's World
• TOS - Fortunes of War novel : Battlestations!
• TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 Achilles class
• 3 Odyssey class

Star Trek: Discoverys New Vulcan Name NiVar Is A Deep Cut Enterprise Callback

• Star Trek: Discovery reintroduces Vulcan with the new name Ni'Var, uniting Vulcans and Romulans in peace under one planet.
• The name Ni'Var originated in Star Trek fanzines in the 1960s, representing two forms coming together in unity.
• Ni'Var is a deep-cut reference to Star Trek: Enterprise, where it was used as the name of a Vulcan starship in the 22nd century.

Star Trek: Discovery gave the planet Vulcan a new name, Ni'Var, which is a deep-cut reference to Star Trek: Enterprise and goes even further back in Star Trek 's storied history. As the homeworld of Spock (Leonard Nimoy/Zachary Quinto/Ethan Peck), Vulcan is one of the most important worlds in the Star Trek universe . First Contact with Vulcan on April 5, 2063, is what launched the human race to its destiny as a galactic power with the founding of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets.

Star Trek: Discovery season 3, episode 7, "Unification III", reintroduced Vulcan in the 32nd century under its new name, Ni'Var. Along with introducing seminal characters like President T'Rina (Tara Rosling), the future betrothed of Ambassador Saru (Doug Jones), "Unification III" revealed that Ni'Var is now a planet shared by the Vulcans and Romulans , with peace kept by the Qowat Milat sect of Romulan warrior nuns . Star Trek: Discovery 's Ni'Var is the dream of Spock that is realized 800 years after the Vulcan Ambassador attempted to reunite the Vulcan and Romulan people in Star Trek: The Next Generation . But where did the name 'Ni'Var' come from?

The Romulans made their way back to Vulcan, their original homeworld, after a supernova destroyed Romulan in 2387.

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Many of Star Trek's greatest (and most notorious) Vulcan characters are women who made indelible impacts on Federation history.

Star Trek: Discoverys NiVar Calls Back To An Enterprise Vulcan Ship

Ni'var was a 22nd-century vulcan starship.

Ni'Var is a Vulcan word that means “two forms”, or an object that has two different viewpoints or two different natures. It's a perfect word to describe the unified homeworld of the Vulcan and Romulan people. Ni'var is also a callback to a Vulcan ship in Star Trek: Enterpris e season 1, episode 15, "Shadows of P'Jem." The Ni'Var was a Surak Class combat cruiser used by the Vulcan High Command in the mid-22nd century.

Star Trek: Enterprise is the first time the name 'Ni'Var" was used in canon.

Commanded by Sopek (Gregory Itzin), the Ni'Var was ordered to intercept the NX-01 Enterprise and return Subcommander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) to Vulcan , as T'Pol's original service with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the Enterprise was originally supposed to last only 8 days. Star Trek: Enterprise is the first time the name 'Ni'Var" was used in canon, and it predates Star Trek: Discovery in the Star Trek timeline by a thousand years.

Discoverys NiVar Has A Deeper Star Trek Origin & Meaning

Ni'var was coined in the first star trek fanzine.

The word "Ni'Var" in Star Trek originates in ancillary material tying into Star Trek: The Original Series . The word "Ni var" was coined by Dorothy Jones, a linguist who wrote for Star Trek fanzines in the 1960s. Jones wrote “The Territory of Rigel” in Spockanalia , published and edited by Devra Langsam and Sherna Comerford in 1968. “The Territory of Rigel” was a kind of song that Jones imagined Spock sang with another person , with one singing of light and the other of darkness. Jones established 'Ni var' as literally meaning 'two forms.'

The first union of a Vulcan and Kelpien can be considered an all-new version of 'Ni'Var.'

Executive producer and co-creator of Star Trek: Picard , Kirsten Beyer, wrote Star Trek: Discovery 's "Unification III". Beyer adopted 'Ni'Var' as the name of the unified Vulcan and Romulan planet from Dorothy Jones' fanzine work . In StarTrek.com , Beyer said of Ni'Var, "I just thought it was beautiful and captured perfectly what would be happening on Vulcan should they truly attempt reunification with the Romulans.” With Star Trek: Discovery season 5 setting up the wedding of President T'Rina and Ambassador Saru, the first union of a Vulcan and Kelpien can be considered an all-new version of 'Ni'Var.'

Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: The Original Series are streaming on Paramount+

Cast Blu del Barrio, Oded Fehr, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, Eve Harlow, Mary Wiseman, Callum Keith Rennie

Where To Watch Paramount+

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Cast Dominic Keating, Connor Trinneer, Linda Park, John Billingsley, Scott Bakula, Jolene Blalock, Jeffrey Combs, Anthony Montgomery

Cast Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, William Shatner, George Takei, Leonard Nimoy, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan

What Happened To Jolene Blalock After Playing T'Pol On Star Trek: Enterprise?

Easily one of the most prominent Vulcans next to Spock and Tuvok in the "Star Trek" franchise , T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) proved an essential member of Earth's first warp five expedition into space as told on "Star Trek: Enterprise." For the actor behind the complicated Vulcan High Council sub-commander, the role would prove her big break. An international model who appeared in both Playboy and Maxim, Blalock had landed a handful of guest appearances on shows like "Veronica's Closet" and "JAG," but the stoic Vulcan T'Pol was her first major role. It would also turn out to be her only major role, with the actor taking only a small number of TV and film roles until seemingly stepping completely out of the limelight after 2017.

But don't worry about Blalock. She's been plenty busy living her best life with her husband of more than two decades, Michael Rapino — the Live Nation Entertainment CEO with a net worth of at least $410 million. A mother of three, Blalock helped create the Rapino Foundation (which is now known as "R3VOLVE HAITI") with her husband to help address global systemic poverty. But with all that charity work on her plate, devoted T'Pol fans would still love to see Blalock find time to revisit the stars.

Sci-fi fan Blalock could bring T'Pol back

Jolene Blalock's post-"Trek" acting career may be a bit sparse, but considering she's been raising a family and running a charity organization and had no financial pressure to work, the roles she has taken are a sign that she's doing it for the pure love of the job. Blalock was more than happy to ditch the modeling industry when the profession turned out disappointing. As the actor explained in a 2002 interview with The Sun, "I'm jaded by my experiences in the modeling industry. You're never skinny or perfect enough and it was difficult mentally making the transition to acting."

But for her, getting a leading role in the sci-fi genre was a bonus. A lifelong sci-fi and fantasy fan, Blalock recounted her childhood days watching "Star Wars" and the original "Star Trek" series to Trek Today  in 2010. To the actor, science fiction is all about exploring what humanity is capable of. As she told Trek Today, "It makes us think outside of ourselves, it presents the question what if, what if we could jump the timeline, what if we could meet another intelligent species, what if we could colonize on another planet. It deals with very big ideas." After the end of "Enterprise," Blalock's TV appearance would include a few more sci-fi and fantasy franchises including "Stargate: SG-1," Legend of the Seeker," and "Starship Troopers 3: Marauders." She also showed up in shows like "House" and "CSI: Miami" before seemingly dropping out of acting.

But many fans are holding out hope that this break is only temporary. Given the natural longevity of Vulcans — not to mention the infinitely diverse sci-fi possibilities — T'Pol could potentially make an appearance in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" as she was canonically born in 2088 or 2089.

The Emblems of the Federation Founding Members

by Jörg Hillebrand , Brad Wilder and Bernd Schneider

United Earth Emblems Vulcan Emblems Andorian Emblems and Symbols Tellarite Emblem and Script

The United Federation of Planets (UFP) was purportedly founded in 2161 by four planetary civilizations: Earth, Vulcan , Andor(ia) and Tellar. In the TNG era, we customarily see the symbols of the UFP or of Starfleet. The individual emblems of the founding members or of other member planets (150 according to Picard in "Star Trek: First Contact") appear only occasionally.

The idea of a United Earth logo dates back to the first Star Trek pilot episode "The Cage", but it reappeared only infrequently. The more prominent Vulcan IDIC, on the other hand, only gradually earned the status of a symbol to represent the whole Vulcan civilization. Aside from fan designs, an official Andorian emblem was created as late for Star Trek Enterprise, whereas it took until Discovery for the Tellarites to finally get their own emblem.

Our article investigates the evolution of the canon emblems of the four founding member planets of the UFP and identifies all notable variations, as well as related symbols.

United Earth Emblems

United earth - uss enterprise.

The same North and South America logo as in "The Cage" is visible on a paper cup in sickbay in TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before", which will also appear in several regular TOS episodes but probably without the logo. The layout is the same as in the first pilot, only the colors are different. Earth's continents and the lettering are now blue, while the olive branches are golden or orange. Most likely the cups were made for "The Cage" but did not make it into the episode. The clipboard with the logo from "The Cage" also returns, during the crew briefing and on Delta Vega.

The geocentric logo does not appear in further TOS episodes, owing to the fact that the Federation is supposed to be an interplanetary organization. However, the design will be picked up for a UESPA patch in Star Trek Enterprise (see below).

United Earth - Khitomer Conference

CAMERA PANS TO REVEAL POD # 3 with the KLINGON DELEGATION (BROWN?), Lead by their AMBASSADOR and POD # 4 EARTH (GREEN) DELEGATION emerging and taking their places ... the Klingon and UFP PRESIDENTS, complete with ADVISORS, RETINUIES, ENTOURAGES and ATTENDANTS. FLAGS everywhere ...

The second audience area from the left is Klingon, all with red sashes. The middle rank is occupied by the Vulcan delegation (and with the Romulan ambassador, probably as Sarek's guest), who wear yellow sashes. The fourth section from the left is for various alien Federation members, all wearing blue sashes. In the fifth area, finally, there are Starfleet officers and other alien Federation delegates. Again, these wear blue sashes.

Behind the delegates there are large emblems of each delegation on the doors and walls. On the far left, behind the human delegation, we can see a logo on the wooden wall, which is supposed to represent United Earth. Next to it is the Klingon logo , the Vulcan logo (IDIC) and the Federation logo . In addition, we can see several flags with the various logos mentioned above, including two different flags of United Earth.

The big United Earth logo in the background consists of a green circle with a white planet and a sun rising behind it. The planet includes a coordinate grid. The outer edge of the circle and the continents are brown. These do not correspond to actual continents on earth. However, the fact that the logo is behind the human delegation and that the script identifies it as such is clear evidence that this is the United Earth logo in 2293.

In addition to the big logo, there is a flag which was auctioned off a few years ago, so we could have a better look at it on this occasion. In the area next to the flagpole, there is a white triangle in which the aforementioned logo is placed. Here the planet is blue and the continents and coordinate lines are white. The rising sun is yellow and is in front of a light blue sky. The frame of the circular logo is as blue as the oceans of the planet. The rest of the flag is divided into an upper red and lower blue half. Overall, this looks much like the flag of the Philippines, only with the upper and lower half switched. (The war flag of the Philippines actually has red on the top.) In the movie we only see this flag once in an outside shot of Khitomer. It waves at the bottom of the picture in the distance, behind a railing. In the making-of video, however, we can recognize that this flag, just like the other ones in the outdoor shot, also reappears inside the building.

Besides the "Philippines" flag, we can see a banner with the logo inside the conference room, which is more prominent in the film. This banner has a yellow horizontal stripe at the top. Below is a large light green area and then a large dark green area. In the middle of the banner we can see a yellow stripe with narrow black stripes. The logo, which looks the same as on the previously described flag, is centered on this middle vertical stripe at the top of the large green field.

The "planet and sun" logo was only seen in "Star Trek VI" and never reappeared after that.

Fake "President of Earth" emblem

United Earth or UESPA - Friendship One

Actually, as the probe passes by on the screen, while the lettering is the right way, we are shown a mirror image of the emblem, with Asia being left of Africa. (What looks like West Africa is actually Eurasia!) In the same episode, we can also see the logo on a screen aboard USS Voyager where all continents are as they should be. A variation of the UESPA logo in gray can be seen on the hull of Friendship One, on the hull extension below the colorful version. This one too is mirror-inverted. The UESPA was mentioned in TOS and then silently vanished in favor of Starfleet as the Federation's only organization for space exploration. In Voyager, UESPA is retroactively defined as some sort of precursor to Starfleet.

UESPA - 602 Club

A new UESPA symbol that can be seen on a floor in Starfleet Command in ENT: "Demons" does not include an Earth map any longer but is essentially an Earth Starfleet logo, whose text and colors were modified, and the stars in the upper border were removed. The lettering "Starfleet Command - United Earth Space Probe Agency" indicates that Starfleet and the UESPA may be the same organization at that time.

United Earth - since ENT season 4

United Earth Diplomatic Corps

Terra Prime

United Earth - Discovery & Strange New Worlds

We can see the four founding member emblems on decorative flags in SNW: "Ad Astra per Aspera". The same design of the Earth emblem as in Discovery is also used in Strange New Worlds. There may be some small changes, at least in comparison to the production artwork for Discovery. We can see a bit more of Africa and Asia now.

United Earth (and Titan) - Discovery

Human species

Vulcan Emblems

Vulcan idic symbol.

The IDIC symbol does not appear in any later episode of TOS or TAS. In "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" the logo is nowhere to be seen either, neither during the scenes on Vulcan, nor on the hull of the Vulcan warp shuttle. At this time, it seems IDIC symbolizes the logical principle, rather than the planet.

In "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan" and "Star Trek: The Search for Spock" we can see the IDIC in the form of a metallic wall decoration in Spock's quarters on the USS Enterprise.

Although the beginning of "Star Trek: The Voyage Hone" takes place on Vulcan, no IDIC can be seen here either. We can see the symbol again several years later in "Unification II", here on the cover of a Vulcan book. The IDIC also appears on the hull of the starship T'Pau. It is clearly visible on the only known photo of the model in its original configuration, and faintly in the footage since the HD version of TNG is available.

Chronologically, the symbol is seen the next time in the DS9 episode "Vortex". Here it adorns the back wall of the bridge of the Vulcan science ship T'Vran.

In TNG: "Gambit II", we can see the Stone of Gol. According to the sketch by Rick Sternbach, this artifact includes, when fully assembled, the IDIC symbol. Here the IDIC is the "symbol of peace" mentioned in the episode, which is located between the symbols for war and death (both personified by Vulcan gods). In the episode only the lower part of the stone is clearly visible, we can't recognize the IDIC.

The Voyager episode "Meld" shows a large wall decoration with Vulcan writing in Tuvok's office. The central portion of this wall decoration is inspired by the IDIC. In many later Voyager episodes, namely "Death Wish", "Investigations", "Fair Trade", "Hunters" and "Retrospect", Tuvok's office still features this wall decoration.

In VOY: "Flashback" there are Vulcan "building bricks" (called Keethera). Some of these blocks have the IDIC. In "Riddles" such a block is visible again.

Finally, in VOY: "Endgame", we can see some notes of Tuvok, which in addition to Vulcan characters also include the IDIC.

In Enterprise, the IDIC symbol appears in several episodes. For the first time, it shows up in ENT: "The Andorian Incident" in the Vulcan monastery on P'Jem. Here, we can spot it above a large archway in the entrance area of the monastery. Also on tokens, on the stone of J'Kah and on the forehead of a wall relief there are stylized versions of the logo.

In ENT: "Breaking the Ice" (and once again in "The Seventh") the logo appears in the upper left corner of T'Pol's screen when she receives encoded messages.

On the child's drawing of T'Pol in "Breaking the Ice" the IDIC is part of the Vulcan's uniform.

The Vulcan wall decoration from Tuvok's office appears without changes in "Fusion", on the Vulcan ship Vahklas. We can also see the Vulcan wall decoration with the IDIC symbol in "Stigma", but now in at least two versions. There is now at least one variant of the wall decoration, which also acts as a candleholder. In addition, there is a frosted glass with the IDIC in the episode.

In ENT: "Future Tense", the IDIC symbol can be seen as a part of the temporal data in Daniels's quarters.

Surak's "katric ark" from the same episode "The Forge" also features a stylized IDIC in the chest area. In the following two episodes, "Awakening" and "Kir'Shara", the wall decoration, which originally came from Tuvok's office, can be seen again in several versions. Even a mural depicting the sun rising behind Mount Seleya seems to imitate the IDIC (or vice versa, the IDIC might be inspired by a sunrise in the mountains).

We can also see the IDIC placed on the Kir'Shara-like artifcat in Spock's cave in DIS: "Light and Shadows".

In DIS: "Will You Take My Hand?", the emblems of all four founding members of the Federation are on display in front of the UFP Headquarters in Paris. The IDIC symbol is the second on the right. Later in the episode, we can also see the four respective flags. It is easy to see that the brown flag with the orange symbol has to be the Vulcan IDIC flag.

The four founding member emblems appear on decorative flags in a meeting room in SNW: "Ad Astra per Aspera". The Vulcan IDIC is stylized here, consisting only of the rings and a triangle, without a 3D effect.

Ni'Var - Discovery

Vulcan V'Shar logo

Andorian Emblems and Symbols

Andorian emblem.

In "Proving Ground" we can see the Andorian logo for the first time. It consists of circles and crescents. This logo appears as a large wall version in the upper part of the bridge of Shran's ship. A slightly less colorful variation is used as a communication graphic when Shran communicates with Andor. Both variants of the logo have Andorian characters.

In "Kir'Shara" the Andorian logo appears for the second time, on a Vulcan screen next to numerous Andorian characters.

We can see the four founding member emblems on decorative flags in SNW: "Ad Astra per Aspera". The Andorian emblem design is the same as in Discovery, except for the colors.

John Eaves designed an Andorian trophy, featuring the Andorian logo and Andorian writing, for the Quantum Archives scene in PIC: "Remembrance". The award was photographed numerous times when it was on display during the Picard exhibition. In the episode, only a small portion of the award is visible. Its location can be identified a lot better in the accompanying Ready Room episode.

Other Andorian symbols or script

Besides the emblem, Enterprise shows Andorian sets and props on several occasions. But the distinct Andorian script only exists since "Cease Fire".

In the first season we can see several different Andorian consoles. In "The Andorian Incident", for instance, there is an Andorian scanner console. It has blue buttons and a blue display, but there are no symbols or characters except for a few circles. It is obvious that no Andorian script has been developed at this time.

In "Shadows of P'Jem", another console with a slightly more complex design shows up. Just as in "The Andorian Incident", we can see a blue design with dark diagonal and horizontal lines. Instead of the simple few spheres, there are now more complex, differently sized spherical and ring-shaped symbols, some of which are strung together like pearls on a string. However, the characteristic Andorian script is still missing.

"Cease Fire" features a large, flat console, which shows a map. Here we can see Andorian characters for the first time. This prop was sold in two parts by "It's a Wrap". It is easy to see that the design has little in common with the previous Andorian consoles.

In the same episode, however, we can see the boxy console again that was created for "The Andorian Incident". The lower half of the display with the circle, in which there are dark lines and blue fields, seems to be identical. However, the upper part of the display has been changed. It now seems to depict something like a map (similar to the big screen), with Andorian characters. The console was auctioned by Christie's.

Another console seen in the prolific episode "Cease Fire", but without a display, previously appeared in "The Andorian Incident", but as a Vulcan console.

Also in "Cease Fire", a scanner/PADD appears. In the episode itself, the display is not recognizable, but It's a Wrap! has auctioned the prop and we can clearly make out Andorian characters on the photo, plus what looks like an early version of the Andorian logo with circles and crescents. However, it is also possible that this graphic was added to a later re-use.

In "Shadows of P'Jem", we already saw a bottle of Andorian Ale. This one was brown, completely differently shaped and seemed to have no label.

Various static consoles were created for "Proving Ground". These contain design elements from both previous console designs. So they have circles and rings of different sizes, like the console in "Shadows of P'Jem", as well as Andorian characters, like the consoles in "Cease Fire". New are the rows of crescents and circles that line up. These mimic the Andorian logo, which was newly created for the latter episode. So, one can say that the new console designs both pick up the consoles from the previous two episodes and add new details.

"Proving Ground" also shows numerous characteristic wall stickers, which contain Andorian characters, crescents and balls. There are also two bowl-shaped structures bearing stickers with Andorian spherical symbols (as in "Shadows of P'Jem"), on the left and right next to the captain's chair. There are also animated wall displays, but they are never clearly visible. It seems that these are large, animated Andorian crescents.

"Proving Ground" briefly shows an Andorian PADD, similar to one that was auctioned off.

Andorian characters can also be seen in the data about the Xindi weapon that Shran transfers to Archer.

"It's a Wrap" auctioned off an "Andorian banner" from "Proving Ground". However, this banner is almost unrecognizable in the episode, as it is hidden behind a milky plastic cover.

In "Zero Hour" we are shown the bridge of Shran's ship again. The design of the consoles and stickers has not changed. The Andorian logo is not visible this time.

In "Kir'Shara", we can see a large animated display on Shran's ship, which has characteristic Andorian shapes, and a new console, on whose back there is a large sticker with buttons. The displays on this new console show both Andorian characters and the series of crescents imitating the logo.

An Andorian PADD can also be seen in "Kir'Shara" The design is identical to the PADD from "Proving Ground", but the display has been changed.

In "Babel One", the bridge of Shran's ship is destroyed. Several well-known Andorian consoles show up again. One display is shown up close. We can recognize all elements of the characteristic Andorian console design. There is, however, a second, new console on the bridge, which seems little Andorian with its hexagonal control panels and unknown characters. We suspect that another alien console has been reused here. Anyway, this is not the front console for two crew members that we still know from "Proving Ground". Andorian consoles are featured for the last time in this episode.

The bottle of Andorian ale in "Babel One" is the same design as in "Proving Ground".

In "United" we see a close view of an Andorian PADD for the first time. The display is the same as on the last appearance in "Kir'Shara". The back of the PADD has Andorian characters.

Many Andorian characters and symbols resembling the wall stickers are also on the screen on the Enterprise bridge as Hoshi gathers information about the Ushaan.

In "The Aenar" the Andorian scanner shows up again, which already appeared in "Cease Fire". It seems to have the same display as at the "It's a Wrap" auction (see above).

In the last few Enterprise episodes, we can only see the already established Andorian PADD ("Demons", "Terra Prime") and Andorian wall stickers in "These Are The Voyages".

Aenar symbols

The layout of the Aenar city features many circles and crescents, just like on the Aenar and Andorian emblems. The fondness of these symbols may originate in the ringed gas giant, which the actual planet Andoria apparently orbits, as seen in ENT: "The Aenar".

Tellarite Emblem and Script

Tellarite script.

Disregarding the "swan emblem" of 61 Cygni from the Star Fleet Technical Manual because it is never identified as belonging to Tellar , there has never been a Tellarite emblem in classic Star Trek. Even though the Tellarites appeared prominently on Star Trek Enterprise, we could never see anything like an emblem. There is, however, a distinctive Tellarite writing that obviously was the foundation for the logo that finally appeared in Discovery.

Tellarite writing can be seen in ENT: "Bounty" on the ship of the Tellarite bounty hunter. All different characters of Tellarite writing have a diamond-shaped outline, and differ in the indentations. Even the buttons on a console are diamond-shaped (or more precisely, quadratic and turned 45 degrees).

On closer inspection (possible since Blu-ray caps are available), we can recognize that all Tellarite letters consist of small diamonds (not dots) in a 4x4 grid. The individual letters use all fields in this grid, except for the leftmost and the rightmost one.

Tellarite emblem

The letters as reconstructed for Discovery and best recognizable on the Tellarite emblem also use the two outermost diamonds of the 4x4 grid, unlike those on Star Trek Enterprise.

The emblem as well as the script reappear in the Short Treks episode "The Escape Artist". Here, Harry Mudd is kidnapped by a Tellarite bounty hunter, and we can see Tellarite symbols in various places. The Tellarite emblem is visible on one of the pipes behind Harry.

The four founding member emblems appear on decorative flags in a meeting room in SNW: "Ad Astra per Aspera". The Tellartite emblem is hard to recognize because it is out of focus. It is monochrome here, just like the symbols on the other flags.

Possible Tellarite symbol

The Evolution of the Federation Emblem - exhaustive survey of all variants

The Evolution of the Federation Flag - investigation of all familiar and obscure variations

Earth and Federation Emblems Gallery

Alpha and Beta Quadrant Emblems L-Z

Some screen caps from TrekCore . Thanks to Star Trek Auction Listings , from where we took several photos of auctioned items.

https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/fed_member_emblems.htm

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Where’s Saru? Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Sidelined The Kelpien Hero

Star trek: discovery debuts starfleet’s most advanced tricorder ever, star trek: discovery disappointingly avoids homeworld of enterprise’s dr. phlox.

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

• Detmer and Owosekun's absence in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 has been keenly felt by fans and the crew of the USS Discovery.
• Lt. Commanders Detmer and Owosekun have only made brief appearances in two out of the six episodes of season 5 so far.
• Star Trek: Discovery season 5's new bridge characters makes it feel like the USS DIscovery has a new crew.

Lt. Commander Keyla Detmer (Emily Coutts) and Lt. Commander Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) have been conspicuously absent from Star Trek: Discovery season 5. Both Detmer and Owosekun have been serving on the bridge of the USS Discovery since season 1, as the helmsman and the operations officer, respectively. Although they have not been featured as prominently as some of the other characters, Detmer and Owosekun are compelling characters who have always been a welcome presence . More than any other Star Trek show, Discovery focuses on its lead, Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), but Detmer and Owo have been a part of her story since the beginning.

Star Trek: Discovery season 4 expanded the roles of Lt. Commanders Detmer and Owosekun, as they both helped the USS Discovery uncover the truth about the Dark Matter Anomaly. In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 8, "All In," Owosekun accompanied Captain Burnham on a mission to a black-market casino, where her hand-to-hand combat skills proved incredibly useful in earning money in a fighting ring. Detmer, too, was part of an away team a few episodes later, in Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 11,"Rosetta," when Discovery visited the homeworld of Species 10-C. Star Trek : Discovery season 5 is the show's final season, and it's likely Detmer and Owo will return before the end, but their absence throughout much of the season so far has been keenly felt.

Detmer's piloting skills have also come in handy on multiple occasions, and both officers excel when stationed on the bridge.

Despite the potential for a great storyline in season 5, Doug Jones's Saru has been absent for much of Star Trek: Discovery's final season.

Detmer & Owosekun Have Been Noticeably Absent From Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

Detmer and owosekun have only appeared in two out of discovery season 5's six episodes so far..

Detmer and Owosekun have briefly popped up in a couple of episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, but have otherwise been completely absent. Lt. Commander Asha (Christina Dixon) and Lt. Gallo (Natalie Liconti) took over Detmer and Owo's stations on the USS DIscovery's bridge, while Keyla and Joann were only mentioned in dialogue. After the events of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 , "Mirrors," Detmer and Owo were ordered to polit the ISS Enterprise back to Federation Headquarters. This means they will likely remain absent for the rest of Discovery's search for the Progenitors' technology, which is disappointing, as both characters would be fun additions to this intergalactic treasure hunt.

When Captain Burnham brought Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) aboard as the USS Discovery's new First Officer, he did quick meet-and-greets with the ship's crew members. Detmer and Owosekun were conspicuously absent from these scenes as well, again replaced by Asha and Gallo. Despite all their talk of family, Discovery's crew has not fully coalesced into a solid core group the way other Star Trek casts have. As Star Trek: Discovery season 5 was filming, the cast and crew were unaware that it would be the show's last season, making it all the more unfortunate that Detmer and Owosekun do not have more of a presence in what will be Discovery's final episodes.

Star Trek: Discovery Feels Like The Starship Has A New Crew In Season 5

Star trek: discovery changes its dynamic every season..

Since the days of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his Starship Enterprise crew, most Star Trek shows have featured ensemble casts. While the Captains were more or less the main characters, the other senior officers also featured prominently in certain episodes. Star Trek: The Original Series came to focus on the iconic trio of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), while Star Trek: The Next Generation would have episodes that often showcased one character. Star Trek: Discovery has always centered Michael Burnham by design, but that means some of the other characters have been sidelined.

Discovery has struggled to find its identity, experimenting with different kinds of stories and cycling through crew members.

Over the course of its five seasons, Star Trek: Discovery has struggled to find its identity, experimenting with different kinds of stories and cycling through crew members. When Michael Burnham became Captain of Discovery at the end of season 3, it finally felt like the show had found its rhythm. Star Trek: Discovery season 4 still focused on Burnham, but allowed more of the characters to play a larger role. Burnham is a great character, and she will always be Discovery's star, but the crew felt more like a family than ever in season 4, and Star Trek: Discovery season 5 has shifted the dynamics yet again.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery stream Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery