Star Trek: Discoveryhad a replacement for Spock (Leonard Nimoy, Ethan Peck) that changed the Vulcans' most memorable trait. The task of reviving theStar Trektelevision universe was difficult, andStar Trek: Discoveryattempted to delicately balance the new and the old.Star Trek: Discoveryworks as both a prequel and a sequel toStar Trek: The Original Seriesand introduces new faces while still honoring classic characters.Star Trek: Discovery’s characterseven traveled through time, ending up in the distant future and setting up a brand newStar Trekadventure where no one had gone before.
A main ship other than anotherversion of the Starship EnterprisegaveStar Trek: Discoveryan exciting edge, and most of the USS Discovery’s crew was introduced for the first time – butStar Trek: Discoverystill played homage to itsStar Trekpredecessors.A new species was quickly introduced called the Kelpiens, represented by Discovery’s First Officer, Commander Saru (Doug Jones). The Kelpiens mirrorStar Trek’s most iconic species, the Vulcans, by inverting their famous suppression of emotions. Saru and Spock (Leonard Nimoy, Ethan Peck) share similar traits but end up serving as fascinating opposites.
Saru & The Kelpiens Are Emotionally Open (Unlike Star Trek’s Vulcans)
Star Trek: Discovery Flipped The Original Series' Iconic Vulcan Trope
Saru is the first Kelpien inStar Trek, which is fitting – he’s also the first Kelpien to leave his home planet and, naturally, the first Kelpien to join Starfleet. InStar Trek: Discoveryseason 1, we learn that Kelpiens are an extremely empathetic species with a fine-tuned sense of danger.Saru explains that his people have evolved to sense the coming of death.AlthoughStar Trek: Discoveryseason 2would disprove the Kelpien belief that they were born to be prey, their empathy was very real. Their empathy is what makes the Kelpiens the perfect reflection of Vulcans.
Vulcan emotions are actually stronger than human feelings.
Vulcans are popularly viewed as an emotionless species, and indeed, sometimesVulcans wereStar Trekvillains. However, Vulcan emotions are actually stronger than human feelings, so they mastered logic and reason and learned to suppress their enormous sensitivities. Kelpiens did something similar, but in the opposite direction – after learning their threat glands could be removed without harm,many Kelpiens, including Saru, developed the freedom to live without constant fear by better feeling other emotions. Feeling these emotions more freely aided Saru in better, and more fairly, serving the USS Discovery in times of trouble.
How Saru & Spock Serve As Parallels In Their Respective Star Trek Shows
Star Trek Finds Balance By Featuring Kelpians and Vulcans
Instead of providing strictly logical – and sometimes cold – assessments like Spock did to his fellowStar Trek: The Original Seriescharacters, Saru gave Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and theStar Trek: Discoverycrew more emotionally driven advice. As a former Science Officer,Saru became a Spock-like figure on the USS Discovery’s bridge, providing expertise in less-known topics without relying too much on rationality. Saru’s place as the captain’s right-hand makes him even more similar to Spock, who served Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) throughout their iconic Starfleet careers.
Saru’s Star Trek: Discovery Promotion Makes Him Even More Like Spock
Saru has always been the Spock to Burnham’s Kirk, and his promotion in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 makes him even more like TOS' beloved Vulcan.
In their respectiveStar TrekTV shows, both Saru and Spock are rule-abiding first officers, always slightly reluctant – but still willing – to do anything for their captains. Their personalities mirror each other perfectly.Saru is an empathetic Kelpien who feels deeply for his crew and others, and he always has a kind word or helpful suggestion for the issue at hand. Spock serves his crew differently by providing them with logical solutions and ensuring they’re safe through scientific breakthroughs. Saru and Spock, who later became Starfleet Captains themselves, mirror each other and connectStar Trek: DiscoverytoStar Trek’s original canon.
