Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) established a relationship with the Klingons in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds who created Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to broker peace between the Klingons and the United Federation of Planets in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. In Star TrekIn the 23rd century timeline, the Klingons and the Federation have been enemies for decades. However, the destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis in 2293 forced the Klingons to sue for peace, with Spock serving as Federation Ambassador.
Spock is the son of Sarek (Mark Lenard), the Vulcan Ambassador to the Federation. Perhaps Spock’s ability to compromise and negotiate is inherited from his father, while Spock’s empathy comes from the humanity of his mother, Amanda Grayson (Jane Wyatt). However, Ambassador Sarek did not particularly stand out when negotiating with the Klingons. Negotiating with the Federation’s greatest enemies in the 23rd century appears to be a unique skill for Spock, among the cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worldsowns and was created by Spock’s first encounter with the Klingons in Strange New Worlds.
How Strange New Worlds Created Spock and Klingons in Star Trek VI
Spock discovered he has a way with the Klingons
In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 1, ‘The Broken Circle’, Lieutenant Spock hijacked the USS Enterprise to rescue La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) from Cajitar IV. The crew of the Enterprise discovered that a syndicate of Klingons and Federation officials called the Broken Circle planned to use a fake Federation starship to start a second Klingon War. Spock led the Enterprise to stop the Broken Circle, much to the surprise of Klingon Captain D’Chok (Andrew Jackson).
Captain D’Chok was also surprised to learn that the Vulcan in command of the Federation flagship had offered to prove his trustworthiness by drinking blood wine with the Klingons. When D’Chok noted that Spock is not a “typical” Vulcan, he agreed, “No, it looks like I’m not.” In fact, Spock drank blood wine willingly, earning the respect of the Klingons. Most importantly, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds established that Spock has manners that put Klingons at ease, even though he is a Vulcan and a Starfleet officer.
Why the Klingons trust Spock in Star Trek
Spock is “the Vulcan who doesn’t act like a Vulcan”
Of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 2nd season for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, which takes place some 33 years later, Spock has shown an incredible ability to gain the trust and respect of the Klingons. Traditionally, Klingons viewed Vulcans as members of the Federation. “puppies”, and their emotionless logic flies in the face of the bloodthirsty honor the Klingons pride themselves on. Spock becomes identifiable with the Klingons despite his pointy ears and Starfleet uniform. There’s something about Spock that the Klingons seem to genuinely like and respect.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds the season 2 premiere offers the explanation that the Klingons find Spock likable because he is a “Vulcan who doesn’t act like a Vulcan.” But the key is that the Klingons who first liked Spock got to know him during Strange New Worlds. At this point, the younger Spock was not as rigid in his Vulcan logic and experimented with his emotions. Spock choosing to drink bloodwine with the Klingons, when Vulcans traditionally do not drink, surprised the warrior race on Cajitar IV. Spock continued to drink with Klingonsand Star Trek VI It was such an occasion,
Spock made peace between the Federation and the Klingons possible
It is thanks to Spock that the Klingons and the Federation became allies
When the Klingon moon Praxis exploded early in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered CountryThe Klingon Empire was on the brink of financial collapse and simply could not afford to continue hostilities with the Federation. It was Spock who reached across the intergalactic corridor and made the concept of peace with the Federation palatable to the Klingons. Crucially, Spock’s previous dealings with the Klingons, beginning with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds gave Vulcan the necessary insight into how to bring the Klingons to the negotiating table without losing face.
Spock in Star Trek V also established his role as Ambassador to the Klingons in Star Trek VI.
An Off-Screen Moment on William Shatner Star Trek V: The Final Frontier also continued Spock’s ability to influence Klingons. In Sha Ka Ree, Spock convinced General Koord (Charles Cooper) to assert his authority over the Klingon Bird of Prey commanded by Klaa (Todd Bryant). Spock was able to use the Bird of Prey’s phasers against the alien posing as God (George Murdock) to save Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner). Spock enters Star Trek VIt also established his role as Ambassador to the Klingons in Star Trek VI.
Kirk could never negotiate with the Klingons like Spock does
Kirk has never trusted Klingons and never will
Spock’s relationship with the Klingons is something his best friend and commander, Captain Kirk, lacks. In Star Trek: The Original SeriesSpock was at Kirk’s side during the USS Enterprise’s encounters with the Klingon Empire. The Captain of the Enterprise has always seen the Klingons as enemies of the Federation and vice versa. Kirk couldn’t show weakness in front of the Klingons. In turn, tThe Klingons came to regard Kirk as a symbol of what they considered abhorrent in the Federation and Starfleet.t. Spock always deferred to his captain, but it’s now clear that he probably could have negotiated with the Klingons.
Spock was not at Kirk’s side during the atrocity the Klingons inflicted on Kirk in Star Trek III: The Search for Spockwhen Commander Kruge (Christopher Lloyd) ordered the murder of Kirk’s son, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick). After David’s death, Kirk could only consider the Klingons as butchers, which made the Enterprise Captain the perfect scapegoat as Chancellor Gorkon’s (David Warner) fake assassin in Star Trek VI. However, despite being sent to the penal world prison of Rura Penthe, Captain Kirk knew the importance of peace with the Klingons and led the defeat of the conspiracy to prevent the signing of the Khitomer Accords.
It’s easy to trace the beginning of Spock’s relationship with the Klingons to Star Trek: Strange New Worldswhich culminates with Vulcan helping to establish peace between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. Perhaps Spock drinking blood wine on Cajitar IV became something of a Klingon legend, and “the Vulcan who doesn’t act like a Vulcan” gained a reputation among the inhabitants of Qo’noS. Spock began his destiny to change the course of the Alpha Quadrant for the better by drinking blood wine with the Klingons. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.