What's the deal with Spock being betrothed?

[Malaika]

Re: What the deal with the Spock being betroved

what I don't understand in these discussions is why it's considered weird or impossible for Spock to choose to be with Uhura, assuming he was betrothed to some vulcan lady like any vulcan kid would, when really canon has already proved that sometimes vulcans ditch the whole betrothal thing in favor of choosing someonelse.
I mean, hello T'Pring herself ditched Spock for Stonn and consequently Stonn, a full blooded vulcan unlike Spock, chose to be with a woman that was promised to another vulcan and I don't remember that it was considered scandalous or unvulcan.
Why you act like this is somehow forbidden in their society? It's not.

Probably even if Spock was betrothed maybe it was a no issue for him because he did think he'd get spared of the whole pon farr thing so maybe he simply believed that when the time was right he could delete the contract that his parents had made when he was a kid and make Uhura his bondmate with the vulcan equivalent of a wedding.

Honestly, I think that the whole betrothal thing serves the purpose to have a backup plan for pon farr in case people hadn't found a partner on their own.
From this perspective it makes sense, in a way, and it doesn't go against IDIC and free will because they aways have the option to undo these programmed unions and choose who they want.

 

[Franklin]

Re: What the deal with the Spock being betroved

That might be a fun subplot for the next movie, and another fun way to bring Leonard Nimoy back.

Young Spock goes through Pon Farr.

No. Spock Prime goes through Pon Farr. You bring Nimoy back in a scene where Spock really needs to talk with him again. Spock Prime answers the hail and appears on screen in bed next to T'Pring, who is caressing his chest with one hand and running her fingers through his hair with the other. "You recognize her?" Spock Prime says to Spock as she kisses him on the cheek. "See, I told you there were advantages to there being two of us."

 

[Yeoman Basha]

Re: What the deal with the Spock being betroved

For me, it has nothing to do with what may or may not technically be forbidden about Spock and T'Pring's betrothal. It is all about CHARACTER -- more specifically, character consistency. The Spock I saw in TOS would never in a million years have kicked T'Pring to the curb or just blatantly disregarded what was obviously a very serious Vulcan commitment.

Remember, when T'Pring wanted out of the relationship she told Spock: "By the laws of our people, I could only divorce you by the kalifee" -- a contest where two men are obligated to fight to the death! So if the woman wants out of the relationship, she has to basically kill a man. So I don't believe for one moment this betrothal was supposed to be some sort of "back-up plan" that either party can easily disregard if they feel like it. It's a very serious commitment and IMO it is grossly out of character for Spock to completely disregard it. I know this is a different timeline but BEFORE the destruction of Vulcan I see nothing that would have altered Spock's character so dramatically.

 

[Malaika]

Re: What the deal with the Spock being betroved

but TOS Spock DID disregard it. Hello: Leila Kalomi?
He didn't seem to care so much about T'pring honestly, only reminded of her when he got "sick" and needed her. She wasn't innocent but she wasn't all to blame either, I have to say.

still, we don't know if this Spock is still betrothed to anyone so let's wait for when this plot is developed a bit.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Re: What the deal with the Spock being betroved

For me, it has nothing to do with what may or may not technically be forbidden about Spock and T'Pring's betrothal. It is all about CHARACTER -- more specifically, character consistency. The Spock I saw in TOS would never in a million years have kicked T'Pring to the curb or just blatantly disregarded what was obviously a very serious Vulcan commitment.

Consider this: Dorothy C Fontana was the overseer of most of TOS Vulcanology during the making of TOS. In 1989, she wrote a ST novel called "Vulcan's Glory", set in the Pike era and she has Spock (pre-"Amok Time") in a romantic connection with a Vulcan crewmember, T'Pris.

http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Vulcan%27s_Glory_%28novel%29

Before he gets to know T'Pris...

From the Memory Beta synopsis:

"After coming to an agreement with his father, Spock goes to visit T’Pring, where she expresses her own dissatisfaction with their arrangement. Only after Spock agrees to make a formal announcement of their marriage and pay a bride price to her family for the duration of their 'engagement' is T’Pring satisfied (along with her secret lover, Stonn)."

If it's okay with DC Fontana, who are we to argue?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Re: What the deal with the Spock being betroved

but TOS Spock DID disregard it. Hello: Leila Kalomi?
He didn't seem to care so much about T'pring honestly, only reminded of her when he got "sick" and needed her. She wasn't innocent but she wasn't all to blame either, I have to say.

still, we don't know if this Spock is still betrothed to anyone so let's wait for when this plot is developed a bit.

He didn't care about T'Pring and T'Pol had no interest at all in her betrothed. While many must just marry who they got paired with it seems social expectations don't always match reality.