Was it always the intention, do we know, for the Romulans to be linked to the Vulcans? I.e. did this aspect come first, or were the Romulans conceived by the writers, and then the Vulcan connection added after?
Romulan Origins
- Thread starter Methuselah Flint
- Start date
Since the Romulans were introduced in an episode where a major plot element was to be distrust and suspicion that Spock was aiding the enemy, the connection supposedly was there from the get-go. Although which specific stage of the writing process of "Balance of Terror" introduced this idea of Spock being a potential traitor, I don't know - it wasn't lifted directly from the inspiratory "Enemy Below", which had no German character aboard the destroyer escort that was chasing the submarine (and of course no chance of a surprise revelation that the Nazis would be "the same species" with anybody!).
Would "Balance of Terror" have worked with a generic enemy, or with the Klingons as the enemy? At least half the fun came from the enemy being invisible, and what fun is an invisible enemy whose looks you know in advance?
Timo Saloniemi
Would "Balance of Terror" have worked with a generic enemy, or with the Klingons as the enemy? At least half the fun came from the enemy being invisible, and what fun is an invisible enemy whose looks you know in advance?
Timo Saloniemi
Yes the Romulan-Vulcan connection was definitely there from the beginning. In "Balance of Terror" Spock immediately postulates that they might be related to primative Vulcans. Check out these lines from the Briefing Room scene"
He's suggesting right off the bat that Romulans are an off-shoot of Vulcans who had retained the ancient martial philosophy.
So, yes, that was there from the very beginning.
--Alex
He's suggesting right off the bat that Romulans are an off-shoot of Vulcans who had retained the ancient martial philosophy.
So, yes, that was there from the very beginning.
--Alex
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Paul Schneider created The Romulans and based them on The Roman Empire because his son was studying them at school in history lessons! Spock didn't seem to be aware of The Romulans connection to his own race here and for once Kirk and crew were more on the ball with them because of their conflict a century or so earlier on! Spock must have read his Vulcan history files in between this episode and The Enterprise Incident because the next time they meet he knows quite a bit about them!
JB
JB
And they know quite a bit about him! Or ... at least she does. I will never understand Spock's rubbing on her spikey finger ring, though. I guess anything just to make them weirder and more alien - like touching the spikes was uniquely stimulating. somehow. I always kind of hated that sequence, anyway. With Spock waving his fingers back and forth, under her nostrils ... between that and the ring thing, it's an awkward scene, to say the least.
They cut the scene showing just where Spock's fingers were before he rubbed them under her nostrils.
Sometimes, you have to thank Providence for Sixties censorship!
Never understood Stiles prejudicial attitude to Spock since most of the aliens they met could pass as his cousin
Stiles had a long grudge against The Romulans due to an ancestor being killed in the conflict and when he realised that Spock could be one of their race as well he sort of didn't like or trust him anymore! Simple really!
JB
JB
In TOS the many alien races that The Enterprise encountered were primarily humanoid in appearance unlike the 'human' aliens in the later shows with strange eyes, nasal bumps or outlandish foreheads!
JB
JB
Maybe Dr M'Benga and Uhura hated Stiles guts since he was the descendant of a colonial power.. I'm surprised they managed to work with good ole boy McCoy! (Ok I'm being cheeky now)
Indeed you are Nyota! 
JB
JB
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