Amok Time

Pulling a “The Cage/The Menagerie” play, John and Ken cut the first episode they ever recorded into the 30th episode of Mission Log. Spock’s gotta have it, though what it is he will not say. But he’s gotta get to Vulcan as soon as he can in “Amok Time.” Don’t get the confusion about Spock facing the Death Penalty. Between “Court Martial” and the last TOS episode, “Turnabout Intruder”, the death penalty was forbidden unless one went to the Thellosian planet; “General Order 4” if memory serves. I get that Spock would face legal consequences for his actions on board of the Enterprise, but Kirk willingly participates in the Vulcan ritual after he decides to not correct his second-in-command’s course change. From that point onwards the responsibility for everything that happens on Vulcan lies with him. He even ignores Spock’s pleas. Kirk’s “death” on Vulcan is perfectly legal under Vulcan law and he’s Spock’s superior in Star Fleet’s chain of command. He’s in charge and responsible the entire time. I’m surprised no one mentioned how un-progressive Vulcan apparently is in their gender politics. Battling for possession (their word) of T’Pring? I suppose they wanted to get across the idea of Vulcan society as steeped in ancient tradition (that goes with the whole “been in my family for 2,000 years” bit as well). And at least T’Pring had the right to call for the combat herself. But the word “possession” does leap out today. Did the episode say Ponfar is every seven years or does that come from somewhere else? I thought Ponfar was just about sex. Ponfar in this episode seems more about fulfilling an arranged marriage. Pon farr is the seven year sexual drive mentioned in this episode. The 1st pon farr a Vulcan experiences traditionally is also the impetus for consummating the arranged marriage. It’s strange that I’ve never thought about this before but this episode made me think “how and why does Spock exist”? Spock is a hybrid of two species from different planets. How is that possible? Star Trek constantly hits us over the head with how different from his human shipmates he is. Poisons that kill humans don’t affect him and vice versa, environmental factors that humans can’t function under are no big deal for him and vice versa, his blood is green and copper-based, his inner organs are different, his metabolism is different, he ages differently, on and on… From what I’ve read about mammal hybrids like mules, camas, ligers, zonkeys and especially Motty (the one and only African / Asian elephant hybrid ever) or hypothetical hybrids like humanzees and koolakambas, I find it completely impossible that humans and Vulcans are genetically similar enough to ever produce offspring at all, let alone healthy ones. After all, we’re looking at two species that developed completely separately and independently with no contact. That’s the problem with science fiction, whenever one starts to look at the “science” part, it all falls apart almost immediately. As much as I love the genre, it’s a constant source of frustration for me, too. Spock simply couldn’t exist in reality. Bummer! Also, just as an aside, humans and Vulcans have completely different mating behaviours. Humans have sexual urges all year round while Vulcans are only “interested” once every seven years and show a very different and aggressive behaviour that has nothing to with the way they act most of the time. Which human female would put up with a partner who turns into a sexual werewolf every seven years (I’m using hyperbole) and ignores her needs the rest of the time or lectures her that it’s not logical to have sex outside of his “mating season”? In my social circle, the answer would be… nobody! The show never said Vulcans ONLY have sexual urges during ponn far. After all, T’Pol is not in pon farr when she has sex with Trip in ENT. Then there’s the mating bond, which tells you if your partner/spouse is in the mood. Do I think Vulcans have sex as often as humans? No. But