Summary
The firstStar Trekepisodes aired in 1966, and Spock was there from the very beginning. Spock was one of the few characters that survived the transition from pilot to regular show when the entire cast was either rotated into another role or cut out completely for the official start of Season One.
Repository of Vulcan wisdom, theme character, and best friend to James Kirk, Spock has been memed, parodied, and quoted at various times. There are whole pages of his memorable lines throughout the decades and the actors who have played him, and every single one of them are fascinating.
“I Have Been And Always Shall Be Your Friend.”
Star Trek 2: The Wrath Of Khan (1982)
Lest it be forgotten that some of the earliest examples of “shipping,” now a common practice, took place between the two main characters of the classicStar Trekshow. This emotional scene at the end ofThe Wrath Of Khanat least confirmed that the two were very close friends.
This line returns in the next movie, not only when Sarek joins minds with Kirk in an early scene but also at the end, repeated by Spock upon his return. It wasn’t just the repetition that fused this quote into the minds of the movie-going public but also its tear-jerking sincerity.
“We Have Only Now.”
Star Trek: Discovery Season 2, Episode 11 “Perpetual Infinity” (2019)
When modern shows include Spock as a character, it’s often as his younger self, partly because that was a time in his life when the movies or vintage shows never addressed in detail. His adventures with Michael Burnham remain classified in later years, a neat explanation as to why they were never discussed during his years on the Enterprise.
This quote is memorable because of how ironic it is to appear in an episode entitled “Perpetual Infinity.” It’s a spin on the axiom “no time like the present” in a situation where nothing exists but the present, forever. In a show that includes spore drives, wormholes, and red angels from the future,Spock grounds the action and adventurewith this simple truth.
“Logic Is The Beginning Of Wisdom…Not The End.”
Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Countrywas the last feature film to include the cast fromThe Original Series. The plot ofStar Trek 6is more about political intrigue than fighting, and reflects some of the real-world events of the early 1990s, primarily the fall of the Soviet Union.
The plot of the movie starts with the impending destruction of the Klingon homeworld. In this scene, Spock is conversingwith a fellow Vulcanand his favorite student, Valeris, and they seem to be on opposing sides of the important political issue of the day. Should Klingons be allowed to settle among the same races that they were trying to conquer only months ago? Valeris suggests the solution should be determined by logical means alone and Spock politely disagrees with this quote.
“Council, Ministers, I Must Decline.”
Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek(2009) wasa new takeon the younger days of theTOScharacters, but this time in an alternate reality, although some of the canon events are the same. The moment when Spock refuses admission to the Vulcan Science Academy and opts to join Starfleet instead is one of the pivotal moments of the movie, and it was the first time this moment appeared on film after being referenced on several occasions.
The incident was serious enough to estrange Spock from his father for several years, according to the lore of the vintage series, and the way it’s played out in the Kelvin Universe, it’s easy to see why. Zachary Quinto expresses Spock’s defiance by keeping it all inside, but at the same time expresses exactly how he feels, and caps it off with a sarcastic farewell - “Live long and prosper.”
