Spock's ESP didn't trigger an effect in WNMHGB

[JimZipCode]

In "Where No Man Has Gone Before", they search for a common link between Gary Mitchell & Elizabeth Dehner & the nine killed crew members, who all collapsed when the ship encountered the energy barrier. We are told that every crew member who had above-normal ESP scores was effected. Mitchell & Dehner had the highest scores.

Of course, Spock has greater telepathic ability than either Mitchell or Dehner did (before the barrier). He should have been effected.

This is just a plot hole, right? Spock didn't have his telepathic abilities "yet" because they hadn't written them in yet. That came later with "Dagger of the Mind". And a show that didn't overly concern itself with continuity never provided an explanation for why Spock was uneffected by the energy barrier in the pilot.

 

[feek61]

He wasn't effected I'm sure because Vulcans react differenct from Humans . . . that seems to be the case in many circumstances.

 

[Spock's Barber]

Maybe Spock had a tin foil hat on.

 

[MarsWeeps]

He had an "inner mind eyelid" that protected him from it.

 

[The Old Mixer]

The easiest answer (elaborating on the same point made by @feek61) is that the barrier effect triggered something specific in human brain capacity that allowed for ESPer ability...whereas Spock's telepathic abilities came from his Vulcan side, and in general his brain was likely more Vulcan than human.

 

[Timo]

Spock didn't have any ESP abilities that we'd know of. After all, the E there stands for "extra", "outside", and Spock merely had "sensory perception" with zero supernatural aspect to it.

In the pilot, ESP was described just like it was perceived in the 1960s: as magical, unexplained and unexplainable abilities such as seeing the future (without using a time machine), reading the backs of (unmarked) playing cards, having flashes of insight, seeing through solid objects, igniting fires... Amusingly, telepathy isn't even mentioned. And Vulcan telepathy in the 2260s would be a known quantity, because every single Vulcan would be a test subject for thorough studies.

On the other hand, why would Spock's abilities be on record? They are secret to Leonard H. McCoy himself until Spock first uses them in "Dagger". And nothing about the episode necessitates every telepath being affected by the Barrier. Spock just got lucky.

Notice, though, how Spock makes snide remarks about "normal ESP powers". We could just as well interpret that as fooooreshadowing.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Nerys Myk]

I'm more amused by Spock's "kill the ESPers" attitude. He seems to have a real hate on for them.

 

[Spock's Barber]

I'm more amused by Spock's "kill the ESPers" attitude. He seems to have a real hate on for them.

Spock was funny in this episode...the eyebrows, the bangs, the shouting of "THE WOMEN!!!"

 

[Nerys Myk]

Spock was funny in this episode...the eyebrows, the bangs, the shouting of "THE WOMEN!!!"

"The Women" is from The Cage.

 

[Spock's Barber]

"The Women" is from The Cage.

You are correct. It's still hilarious. "THE WOMEN!!!"

 

[Nerys Myk]

Spock's evolution as a character is....fascinating

 

[Spock's Barber]

Spock's evolution as a character is....fascinating

Yes. I'm glad that the makeup and hairstyle departments created a better look, and that the writers, directors and producers helped Nimoy to mold his cool character.

 

[erastus25]

Spock's evolution as a character is....fascinating

I'm actually impressed by how quickly Nimoy put the character and his relationship with Kirk/McCoy together. There are a few odd bits in the first couple episodes, but he's still 90%+ of the final character, and by The Man Trap he's already smoothed out to being the Spock we all know and love.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I like the theory that John Byrne came up with in his first New Visions project: The barrier increased Spock's mental abilities to what we saw in the series.

 

[FormerLurker]

If so, then they only brought him up to what we know full Vulcans are capable of. What Spock has done with his telepathy, we've seen every other Vulcan who we've seen use it do the same thing. Differing circumstances aside, Spock's telepathic abilities are no greater than any full Vulcan, and no different.

 

[The Old Mixer]

the eyebrows, the bangs, the shouting of

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

FTFY.

 

[Spock's Barber]

^50 years later and it's still funny....

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

On the other hand, why would Spock's abilities be on record? They are secret to Leonard H. McCoy himself until Spock first uses them in "Dagger". And nothing about the episode necessitates every telepath being affected by the Barrier.
Timo Saloniemi

Or, as it the series evidence of the Valiant's crewman, along with Mitchell & Dehner strongly suggests, only full humans are subject to transformation / influence of the barrier, so Spock would not be at risk.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

If so, then they only brought him up to what we know full Vulcans are capable of. What Spock has done with his telepathy, we've seen every other Vulcan who we've seen use it do the same thing. Differing circumstances aside, Spock's telepathic abilities are no greater than any full Vulcan, and no different.

His half-human blood could've very easily reduced his capabilities.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Terrible, having bad blood like that.