it reveals that he is in pain, he is dependent on emotional sustenance, perhaps for the first time in his life. his conversation with Sarek proved the reason for the revelation of THIS relationship -- "I feel anger."
it proves that he is "not himself", as in he is NOT SPOCK PRIME -- the one Spock we do know. it proves that this is a brand Nu Spock. get to know him or not, he is there.
it's more for us than for any character in the movie. it's for the audience -- Trekkies or non-Trekkies.
there've been some things Zach Quinto said that are pertinent to our basic understanding of his Spock. he once said -- "We visit [Spock] at a time when he's not as in control of his balance, and there's a lot of heartbreak in that."
that quote, and this one -- "Uhura is Spock's emotional canvas".
those are two quotes to remember.
if you cannot see the differences in the two timelines, in the two Spocks, in the two situations at all -- it will be very hard for you to see character growth in THIS story. I suggest you sit down and assess what it is exactly you want to see in future Trek. if you cannot leave behind that which has already passed, NuTrek might not be your cup of tea.
And don't forget the two Sareks. The new Sarek admits to Spock that he married for love. That's startling in itself. It practically gives Spock permission to engage his emotions.
The original Sarek never made that admission. Clearly the death of Amanda and the destruction of Vulcan also had a profound, and yes emotional, affect on Sarek.
Sarek is the forgotten one in this discussion of Spock and emotion. Obviously the events of this movie have a dramatic impact on the Vulcans we know. Kudos to the writers for achieving exactly what they sought to. I think it's brilliant. Again, plot holes a tech be damned. It's all about the characters and their relationships. Great stuff!
