I mention this because of the recent Agony Booth review of TFF where the author has a fit about Spock being an only child. Vulcan's are mated at the age of 7. Assuming that Sarek was no different he must have had a wife previous to Amanda who died. Otherwise how would there be an opening for him to take another bride of his choice? Assuming his original betrothal didn't reject him like T'Pring did to Spock. But wouldn't that mean Sarek had a fight to the death and then won the girl? Hmmmm....
Am I the only one who thought Sybok made sense?
- Thread starter Gary Sebben
- Start date
Yes, I think you are either the only one or among the very few who thinks Sybok makes "sense"
.Vulcan children are "bonded" at age 7-8 (establishing a permanent mental link between the pair), but the couple do not consummate the marriage until they are sexually mature (later for Vulcans than humans) and often not until their first pon farr. Bonding is not a universal practice on Vulcam - in some families it is traditional, while in others it is more common for individuals to choose mates as adults.
As for Sarek - no, he never had to fight another male to the death to win any "girl".
In books and canon, evidence is contradictory whether the "Vulcan princess" was Sarek's first actual "wife" or not. In TNG ep "Sarek", it mentions that Sarek's first wife was a human. In TFF and the novel "Sarek" (I know, not canon), Sarek is indeed bonded to the princess (or priestess, as she is in the novel) as a child and conceives a son with her later. Eventually she "divorces" him when she assumes the role of high priestess, and since Sybok is still a youngster, he comes to live with Sarek, Amanda and young Spock. In the novel "Spock's World", there's no Sybok (thank the Elements) and Amanda is his first wife of any sort.
It all sounds painfully dodgy and unlikely for one of Trek's great characters to me, and I revolt at the idea of a Vulcan "princess" at this late date in the planet's history. The "Sarek" novel's solution of a "priestess" makes a bit (though only a bit) more sense. All this story strain is in aid of explaining the existence of Sybok in TFF, a straining that is just too much for me.
IMO there's no way Sarek ever sired anything that looked and spoke as Sybok did in the film. Unbelievable.
Sybok has to one of the most dubiously written characters, one of the worst cast roles, and one of the lamest ideas to drive a plot in Trek history. Personally, I'm with D C Fontanna, who simply chose to pretend he didn't exist. I've met the actor who played him, Laurence Luckinbill, a nice guy and talented performer, but he's simply dismal as a Vulcan.
I find most of TFF to be pretty lame, so my life is happier ignoring it and Sybok.
^That is possible.
It doesn't take a huge amount of imagination to figure this out, folks.
1. Sarek marries Vulcan Princess.
2. Sarek "climbs Mount Seleya", so to speak.
3. Sybok is born to the happy couple.
4. Vulcan Princess dies.
5. Sarek meets Amanda Grayson.
6. Sarek marries Amanda Grayson.
7. Sarek "reclimbs Mount Seleya", so to speak.
8. Spock born.
There's no reason every Vulcan male who ever existed would be challenged at his wedding, just because Spock was.
Joe, logical
1. Sarek marries Vulcan Princess.
2. Sarek "climbs Mount Seleya", so to speak.
3. Sybok is born to the happy couple.
4. Vulcan Princess dies.
5. Sarek meets Amanda Grayson.
6. Sarek marries Amanda Grayson.
7. Sarek "reclimbs Mount Seleya", so to speak.
8. Spock born.
There's no reason every Vulcan male who ever existed would be challenged at his wedding, just because Spock was.
Joe, logical
some vulcans DO go through pon farr as teens, so maybe sarek got lucky 
and kept the kid.
or more plausibly, sarek did have a kid with that princess he married, but considered amanda his first marriage, as he CHOSE HER HIMSELF.
and kept the kid.or more plausibly, sarek did have a kid with that princess he married, but considered amanda his first marriage, as he CHOSE HER HIMSELF.
Shatner seemed to think it made sense.
I wasn't even thinking of Sybok, but based on the novelization of Star Trek V and the backstory given there, Sybok would have been off-planet during the events of Star Trek XI. Perhaps we could see Sybok in a future film in the new timeline. 
I never had a problem with Sybok. Just because Sarek is Vulcan doesn't mean that he's incapable of failed earlier relationships, IMO, and such things usually aren't discussed outside of the family anyway...
Shatner seemed to think it made sense.
Didn't Nimoy think so? Wasn't the story that Nimoy didn't want Spock to do the "betrayal" without good cause, and a brother was the best they could come up with semi-quickly?
There's probably more chance of seeing Luke Skywalker in the new timeline, considering the way most people in Trek and outside it regard V.Perhaps we could see Sybok in a future film in the new timeline.
