Why Are Spocks Siblings So...Dysfunctional?

[Dryson]

First we have Burnham getting a hold of the Red Angel created by her mother who also did things with it that most likely caused issues in the Temporal War for many years.

Then we have Spocks brother, Sybok, going off on a religious romp across the galaxy looking for God who was nothing more than a malevolent being trapped on a planet by others of his own kind.

Mr Spock, what the h*ll is wrong with your family?

 

[Tosk]

It runs in the family.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Spock's a bit dodgy, himself.

 

[fireproof78]

Sarek is a bit dysfunctional himself. He is put in a rather strange position of representing Vulcan to the Federation, specifically Earth, while still adhering to the Vulcan way. Yet, Sarek has a very distinct obsessive style with Earth, giving in to his passion for Amanda, and seeking to take on another responsibility with Michael. I think he cares deeply about all of his kids, yet seeks to have them be fully Vulcan in a way that he honestly feels like he cannot.

Sarek has his own struggles.

 

[Sci]

The entire family is kind of dysfunctional because Sarek has always been an emotionally abusive asshole.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Sarek's parenting has been awful.

 

[at Quark's]

I think the answer would be found along the same lines as the answer to 'why is every "other" of an identical twin (or clone) evil, or at the very least, not to be trusted?

That is, it's the influence of those blasted plottronic particles.

In universe, I'm sure coming from a background being torn between humanity and vulcanity has something to do with it.

 

[Qonundrum]

First we have Burnham getting a hold of the Red Angel created by her mother who also did things with it that most likely caused issues in the Temporal War for many years.

Then we have Spocks brother, Sybok, going off on a religious romp across the galaxy looking for God who was nothing more than a malevolent being trapped on a planet by others of his own kind.

Mr Spock, what the h*ll is wrong with your family?

Cuz... "muh drama"?

In seriousness, it's a bit more interesting as well as being directly related to drama (and falls into the trap early-TNG had):

Short edition: Vulcans were also supposed to be a symbolic foil for other characters and each new dysfunctional character related to Sarek and/or Spock starts to dilute that. Humans were supposed to be evolving and moving forward and not "be perfect" I'll also bring up TNG in...

...In the long, sleepy-time inducing edition:

Burnham is part human and raised on Vulcan, or was a human adopted or whatever, the point for her character is that there would be internal conflict to create a more complex character. In concept, I like that as it's novel and a lot of people can conceivably relate to "inner struggles" or whatever the vernacular is.

Also, remember how in the late-80s everyone said "the most human person in the crew is Data" as a backhanded compliment? Everyone being perfect is not dramatically appealing. This also falls into a number of early-TNG stories where people just didn't care because the whole presentation was flat. (TNG found other ways to induce drama and suspense, but "no conflict among the crew" had some viewers balk. )

Sarek's mother was also a Vulcan, which makes things a tad more difficult. Just why he'd eschew Vulcan teachings, on top of a zillion years of purported evolution... I'd argue that viewers should decide for themselves what might had been since telling a specific answer might be worse than keeping it a mystery.

Another reason is, ever since season 1 TOS, Spock was deemed even more popular than Kirk. Spock is a groovy cash cow, man, don't be such a square! Gag me with a spoon! /crappyslangfromtwooverrateddecades

The worst part is, diminishing returns every time Spock has another cousin wander on in and also happens to be dysfunctional... this falls into "small universe syndrome" too.

 

[1001001]

Sybok never outgrew his adolescent rebellion.

Michael was traumatized by the events of her childhood.

Spock did not develop a healthy attachment to his cold and distant father.

Jeff never recovered from his injuries fully, and fell into self-medication/addiction.

 

[The Wormhole]

Sarek's a crappy dad.

 

[Nyotarules]

Sarek's a crappy husband and Amanda is an enabler, or she loves her husband more than her children.
Earth's social services should be investigated, why put a fully human child in a family that wants to mold her into a Vulcan? That is child abuse right there! You mean none of the Burnham's had relatives?
Interesting that it took the death of young TAS Spock for Amanda to decide 'up with this, I will not put' so she left her husband and was killed for her troubles. Either she took Michael with her, left her behind or the Burnhams lived since they refused to work for dodgy Section 31.
Or TAS Sol social services had more common sense.

 

[Dryson]

Sarek's a crappy husband and Amanda is an enabler, or she loves her husband more than her children.
Earth's social services should be investigated, why put a fully human child in a family that wants to mold her into a Vulcan? That is child abuse right there! You mean none of the Burnham's had relatives?
Interesting that it took the death of young TAS Spock for Amanda to decide 'up with this, I will not put' so she left her husband and was killed for her troubles. Either she took Michael with her, left her behind or the Burnhams lived since they refused to work for dodgy Section 31.
Or TAS Sol social services had more common sense.

The Spock family has been causing a lot of emotionally divergent time line shifts, that much is certain.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Because fucked-up characters make for more drama opportunities.

Also in reality, everybody is fucked up, and anybody who says they are not is REALLY fucked up.

 

[Discofan]

Sarek's a crappy husband and Amanda is an enabler, or she loves her husband more than her children.
Earth's social services should be investigated, why put a fully human child in a family that wants to mold her into a Vulcan? That is child abuse right there! You mean none of the Burnham's had relatives?
Interesting that it took the death of young TAS Spock for Amanda to decide 'up with this, I will not put' so she left her husband and was killed for her troubles. Either she took Michael with her, left her behind or the Burnhams lived since they refused to work for dodgy Section 31.
Or TAS Sol social services had more common sense.

You're forgetting one thing: The Vulcans by and large are a bunch of inveterate unashamed racists!!! So Sarek and Amanda would definitely be crappy in an accepting and multicultural environment but considering where they live they're almost heroically progressive, any more of that and they would likely be shunned by the rest of society.

So their only fault IMNSHO is that they live on Vulcan, they should just move to Earth, the only place in the galaxy (as far as is shown) where a human girl could be raised without incurring prejudice.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Sarek is all about proving humans and Vulcans can get along. That's why he had two human wives and adopted a human child. Sybok tried to win his dad's affection by becoming more human, but it backfired.

 

[Discofan]

Sarek is all about proving humans and Vulcans can get along. That's why he had two human wives and adopted a human child. Sybok tried to win his dad's affection by becoming more human, but it backfired.

I think the main problem with Sybok is that he's full of shit. Let's take a look at his "one pain" theory...

He says everyone has one pain that keeps him... from being happy I guess. But MacCoy's pain happened when he was quite old. So what does that mean? That before that event (IE most of his life) McCoy didn't have any pain but that goes against the one pain theory... Or is it that the last pain somehow "heals" you from the previous one... Or is it that we have multiple pains and only the last one counts!!!

And look at Spock, his pain happened at the moment of his birth, IE something that he can't possibly remember!!! And even if he did, it was back at a time when he didn't Speak Vulcan so he wouldn't have known what was going on...

 

[Nerys Myk]

I think the may problem with Sybok is that he's full of shit. Let's take a look at his "one pain" theory...

He says everyone has one pain that keeps him... from being happy I guess. But MacCoy's pain happened when he was quite old. So what does that mean? That before that event (IE most of his life) McCoy didn't have any pain but that goes against the one pain theory... Or is it that the last pain somehow "heals" you from the previous one... Or is it that we have multiple pains and only the last one counts!!!

And look at Spock, his pain happened at the moment of his birth, IE something that he can't possibly remember!!! And even if he did, it was back at a time when he didn't Speak Vulcan so he wouldn't have known what was going on...

I doubt it's an actual memory. More like how Spock views it in his head. IIRC, McCoy's pain scene was also representational rather than a factual recreation.

 

[Nyotarules]

You're forgetting one thing: The Vulcans by and large are a bunch of inveterate unashamed racists!!! So Sarek and Amanda would definitely be crappy in an accepting and multicultural environment but considering where they live they're almost heroically progressive, any more of that and they would likely be shunned by the rest of society.

So their only fault IMNSHO is that they live on Vulcan, they should just move to Earth, the only place in the galaxy (as far as is shown) where a human girl could be raised without incurring prejudice.

Not sure above that. They would be better off on Risa.

 

[Discofan]

Not sure above that. They would be better off on Risa.

You mean the planet where Quark only has to carry around a wooden statue to get two gorgeous women to sleep with him, possibly at the same time? You really think that's the right place to raise a little girl?

 

[Nyotarules]

You mean the planet where Quark only has to carry around a wooden statue to get two gorgeous women to sleep with him, possibly at the same time? You really think that's the right place to raise a little girl?

I would not assume all Risians, a planet of billions or millions, act like they live on an adults only holiday resort.
If you were to visit a hedonistic, human holiday resort (they exist in real life today) you would find the same behavior. So does this make Earth an unacceptable planet to raise a child?