By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Many casual Star Trek fans think that Vulcans don't feel any emotions. That is not true at all: in reality, these immigrants are experiencing a storm of emotional torture just like humans. They simply choose to suppress these feelings, organizing their lives rationally instead of passionately. However, those feelings are always there, just waiting to come out. This was clear from the start Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Naked Time.” In this story, a triple space virus makes everyone drunk; for example, Sulu wears a robe and starts carrying a sword. Spock, on the other hand, is emotionally disturbed, crying about not being able to express his feelings.
It's arguably the most emotional scene in Star Trek history, all thanks to one character who almost never expresses emotion. However, in a truly shocking way, this emotional situation is almost completely absent from the episode. Originally, this was going to be the scene for a joke where someone painted a mustache on Spock. The only reason for the change is that Leonard Nimoy spoke up, wanting a deeper scene for his character. The result is an unforgettable moment with the franchise's most (to use popular words) interesting character!
Spock Loses His Cool
The plot of “Naked Time” is that the members of the Starship Enterprise continue to be infected by this strange virus. It basically simulates the effects of being drunk, making the crew act out in unexpected ways. Most memorably Sulu shows off his hot moves and hot pecs as he drunkenly slashes his sword at the ship. Oh, and Kirk babbles like a wife, only he's married to the Enterprise. In the midst of all this, Spock has an unusual reaction: an emotional breakdown. When Kirk finds him, the Vulcan cries and cries about everything from his friendship with the captain to his relationship with his mother.
With Kirk's help, Spock snaps out of it and helps save the day. However, this incident is a powerful example that the water is still deep with this pointed-eared alien. Sure, he can act cool and rational and mistreat everyone's emotional reactions, but Spock is just as emotional (if not more so) than his human counterparts. In Leonard Nimoy's biography, I am Spockrevealed that “The Naked Time” writer John DF Black originally wrote the goofy scene where someone paints a mustache on Spock. The actor did not like this scene, preferring something that preserved Spock's dignity.
You Know Why The Caged 'Stache Weeps
According to Nimoy, when he went to talk to Black, the writer ignored him because he was already working on another script. Therefore, the actor went over the writer's head and talked to the creator of the franchise, Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry agreed with Nimoy and asked Black to write a new scene. When the writer asked what Nimoy wanted, the actor replied, “It's about emotion versus logic, love versus math, grief versus pi-r-squared.” Although good, this definition is not very clear. Fortunately, it was enough for Black, who went on to write the most touching scene in Star Trek history.
There was only one problem: given the tight production schedule of this episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, there was only time for one take. Fortunately, Leonard Nimoy only needed one take to bring this scene to sad, sad life. It was an event that forever changed our understanding of the character and the franchise as a whole, one that made us consider the relationship between our emotions and our sense of humanity. Now, however, you know the amazing secret behind Trek's most emotional scene: it only exists because Nimoy didn't want Spock to have a small mustache, not even for one scene!
