Spock and Uhura [SPOILERS]

[seniorsleuth]

... then again, perhaps it was logical to marry her because he loved her?

I had thought the same thing when Sarek made his full admission during the movie - yes, it was logical to have married Amanda - but logical because he loved her (and vice versa - he loved her because it was logical - love and logic can't possibly be that incompatible!). I also had that observation when Sarek and Amanda were in the episode "Journey to Babel" - and I also loved Spock's reaction to Sarek's saying "It was logical..." in that episode!

Former lurker here. I think the idea of love and logic being compatible is one of the points of the whole first scene in the movie. Why does George Kirk do what he did? Because of love, AND because it was logical. I think it helps to lay the groundwork for Spock/Uhura nicely.

I do hope that in the next movie they will let us know how the change in the timeline made Spock cling more to his human side than he had originally, which then caused him to forego the VSA for Starfleet, which then allowed the Spock/Uhura relationship to take hold. It could have been something very subtle--perhaps reading about the Kelvin incident--that produced such a change.

 

[trampledamage]

I do hope that in the next movie they will let us know how the change in the timeline made Spock cling more to his human side than he had originally, which then caused him to forego the VSA for Starfleet, which then allowed the Spock/Uhura relationship to take hold. It could have been something very subtle--perhaps reading about the Kelvin incident--that produced such a change.

That doesn't actually need extra explaining. The original time-line had Spock forgoing the Science Academy for Starfleet. I don't know what explanation is given in the original series for Spock's decision, but I like the way the scene plays in this movie - I think the decision was made when the head of the Academy made the comment about Spock's disadvantages.

 

[seniorsleuth]

I do hope that in the next movie they will let us know how the change in the timeline made Spock cling more to his human side than he had originally, which then caused him to forego the VSA for Starfleet, which then allowed the Spock/Uhura relationship to take hold. It could have been something very subtle--perhaps reading about the Kelvin incident--that produced such a change.

That doesn't actually need extra explaining. The original time-line had Spock forgoing the Science Academy for Starfleet. I don't know what explanation is given in the original series for Spock's decision, but I like the way the scene plays in this movie - I think the decision was made when the head of the Academy made the comment about Spock's disadvantages.

Oh, thanks. I didn't know that he skipped the science academy in the first timeline, but I still think Spock is different in this one in terms of his connection to his human side, and willingness defend humans against Vulcan ethnocentricity. I would like to see something, perhaps just an offhand comment or two, that would fill in the blanks a bit more. I can't imagine the first Spock having had an ongoing relationship with a human, but in the new timeline it seems right, so it would be interesting to know a bit more about how the change in timeline helped to produce the change (however subtle) in Spock.

 

[Hello It's Me!]

Re: Spock and Uhura

Kind of hard to figure out why that was done, but it blended into the movie okay.

It'll be interesting to see where they take the relationship and Spock's character in general if there is a next movie.

It was there way of showing that the timeline was impacted by the rogue romulan...

 

[Anticitizen]

I am surprised how many of you liked the Spock/Uhura matchup. I didn't like it at all, despite that it made for a funny scene on the transporter pad. It just seems VERY out of character for Spock. I think back to The Naked Time, and Spock's reaction to Nurse Chapel's advances (I am sorry... Christine). Or Paradise, before he gets bukkake'd by the spores.

 

[indranee]

ahh but in TOS he often put up with Uhura's flirtations.

 

[Holodoc]

Well, there's rather an important difference between 'put up with' and 'responded to with his tongue.'

 

[Anticitizen]

I've thought about it a little bit more, and I think the point could have been carried across as effectively even if they had eliminated the smooching.

Think back to Journey to Babel, and Sarek's veiled but unmistakeable affection for his wife. The two-fingered Vulcan 'kiss'... Imagine if he had starting making out with Amanda in front of the delegation?

The transporter pad scene could've even been preserved... Kirk witnessing what is obviously an emotional engagement... Spock's use of Uhura's name and the ensuing line could've remained intact. I just don't see Spock playing tonsil hockey, ever. Not Cadet Spock or Older Spock.

 

[vermillion]

Sorry to be a party-pooper but it was just too weird for me.
I had to cringe a bit on the inside. I do however believe that their relationship will provide Spock with more depth and internal conflict in the future movie(s), which in itself is an excellent thing, but I fear that it might come at the price of reducing Uhura's character down to just Spock's chick. So far, the positive things that came out of their relationship outweigh the cringe factor. The very funny transporter pad scene where we find out Uhura's first name (the look on kirk's face was awesome "WTF! Wow! WO-W! That explains it, Uhura's doin' the instructor." LOL) alone is worth it. So in short, I'm not a big fan of Spock/Uhura thing but, I guess, it's done in a way that I think I can live with.
Still, it's very weird and...awkward.

 

[skippyluvs]

Spock is one LUCKY ass mofo. Good for him

 

[skippyluvs]

I am surprised how many of you liked the Spock/Uhura matchup. I didn't like it at all, despite that it made for a funny scene on the transporter pad. It just seems VERY out of character for Spock. I think back to The Naked Time, and Spock's reaction to Nurse Chapel's advances (I am sorry... Christine). Or Paradise, before he gets bukkake'd by the spores.

True but you're forgetting that this movie aimed to target a new audience and I believe that most of the people who have seen/or will see the movie aren't even going to know what is and what isn't considered "VERY out of character" for Spock. Although I'm a big fan of TNG, DS9, Voyager & ENT I must admit I never bothered to watch the old series, it never interested me and as far as I am concerned, having not really been familiar with Spock in the old series makes the new movies relationship between him and Uhura great. With that said I can only imagine the millions of others who saw the new movie and are also not familiar with the old series feel the same way.

Should be interesting to see where they take this though. It reminds me of what SCI FI did with the old BSG, maybe they will have a new series underway. Either way the potential is ridiculously immense.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Still, it's very weird and...awkward.

Vulcan romance is always awkward

 

[vermillion]

Still, it's very weird and...awkward.

Vulcan romance is always awkward

So very true.

 

[maryh]

ahh but in TOS he often put up with Uhura's flirtations.

I must be the only one but I never saw what Uhura did with Spock as flirtatious; rather I saw it as teasing him. One of Trek's recurring themes involved teasing Spock and trying to elicit some kind of emotional reaction from him and knock him off his pedestal of propriety, dignity, aloofness, haughtiness, control and formalness. They ALL did it, Kirk -- "And you find that irritating don't you Spock?", McCoy -- "A Teddy bear?". How about the look Janis Rand gave Uhura before they went over to Spock -- that was pure conspiracy to set up Spock for a knockdown.

All those incidences others claim were Uhura flirting I saw as teasing him -- especially Uhura who was very professional but wasn't intimidated by Spock.

 

[indranee]

Well, there's rather an important difference between 'put up with' and 'responded to with his tongue.'

and if she HAD invited it (as in NuTrek), who's to say he wouldn't respond in the like?

you do know that Gene Roddenberry wanted an Uhura/Spock thing in TOS, don't you?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Having just rewatched those eps in the weeks before the movie I was surprised at how flirtatious it came across. Interesting how Uhura never flirts with any one else.

Your point is well taken though, Spock was the target of a lot of ribbing.

 

[indranee]

ahh but in TOS he often put up with Uhura's flirtations.

I must be the only one but I never saw what Uhura did with Spock as flirtatious; rather I saw it as teasing him. One of Trek's recurring themes involved teasing Spock and trying to elicit some kind of emotional reaction from him and knock him off his pedestal of propriety, dignity, aloofness, haughtiness, control and formalness. They ALL did it, Kirk -- "And you find that irritating don't you Spock?", McCoy -- "A Teddy bear?". How about the look Janis Rand gave Uhura before they went over to Spock -- that was pure conspiracy to set up Spock for a knockdown.

All those incidences others claim were Uhura flirting I saw as teasing him -- especially Uhura who was very professional but wasn't intimidated by Spock.

tomayto,tomahto.

in my book, often teasing = interest.

 

[maryh]

True but you're forgetting that this movie aimed to target a new audience and I believe that most of the people who have seen/or will see the movie aren't even going to know what is and what isn't considered "VERY out of character" for Spock. Although I'm a big fan of TNG, DS9, Voyager & ENT I must admit I never bothered to watch the old series, it never interested me and as far as I am concerned, having not really been familiar with Spock in the old series makes the new movies relationship between him and Uhura great. With that said I can only imagine the millions of others who saw the new movie and are also not familiar with the old series feel the same way.

Should be interesting to see where they take this though. It reminds me of what SCI FI did with the old BSG, maybe they will have a new series underway. Either way the potential is ridiculously immense.

My biggest reservation is that Spock was probably the most popular character in all of Trek. Spock, like he was in TOS lasted 40 years. There was something they must have done right for his popularity to last so long. Now they are taking a core element of his persona away - the battle between emotion and logic and recharacterizing him as a more emotional person. The "romance" is cute and there was chemistry etc but I don't think they can go back to what TOS Spock was like now that they have taken this step. This younger audience who focuses on this hot looking Spock and does a beautiful romantic scene with Uhura is not as enduring a character as the Old Spock was.

Youthful romantic crushes are so fickle and short lived. They were all hot on that "Twilight" romance, before that it was the High School Musical guy, before that it was Bloom/Depp. I wonder if they are ruining a timeless, enduring character - all to attract a young audience, but one that is short lived in its ethusiasm.

 

[indranee]

yes but you're forgetting that they're showing a very young Spock. aka, around the time of the Cage. remember Spock in the Cage? very different from Spock in later episodes.

I'd like to see where they take him from here.

 

[Praetor]

The only thing I really disliked was the transporter pad make-out. That was just... unprofessional? Then again, one might argue that Spock was emotionally affected by the fate of Vulcan and Amanda. (Oh wait, Spock Prime confirmed he was. )

Still. PDA. Too much.

And, I'll say it: we know that the chick from "This Side of Paradise" had romantic designs on Spock, but do we really know concretely they never dated at all? She said that he could never love her, but just what did that mean? Her idea of "love" might be different than his. Spock may have chosen to live the Vulcan way, but if his father, a full Vulcan, married a human woman, why wouldn't Spock, a half-human, be at least interested in trying?

Does the death of Amanda and Spock's admission make Spock now capable of expressing love to Uhura?