Before there was HAL 9000, Yoda, or R2D2, there was Spock — a character that Gene Roddenberry created in 1964 for Star Trek, one of the longest-running science fiction franchises. Roddenberry chose the name Spock because it sounded like an alien name; there was no intentional reference to the name of Dr. Benjamin Spock, a well-known pediatrician who published the best-selling guide Baby and Child Care in 1946.. Spock was described as half human and half alien: “[Spock] is probably half Martian, he has slightly reddish complexion and semi-pointed ears.” Originally, Roddenberry did not intend Spock to be robotic and logical; the iconic Vulcan attitude and logic developed during the filming of a second pilot in 1965. The emotionally-detached Spock, of course, was the perfect foil for the short-tempered and overly-dramatic Dr. McCoy (“Are you out of your Vulcan mind?”). Their exchanges, like the spark-flying quarrels between Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, were amazingly entertaining. Being half-human and half-alien gave Spock a special advantage over all other characters in the series; indeed, the wisdom of Spock was that he provided an unflinching look at the human condition. Fascinating. Bookshelf honors Leonard Nimoy by presenting the best Spock quotes:
Insufficient facts always invite danger. (S1, E22)
I have never understood the female capacity to avoid a direct answer to any question. (S1, E24)
It is curious how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want. (S1, E26)
Live long and prosper. (S2, E1)
After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but is often true. (S2, E1)
Highly illogical. (S2, E23)
Without followers, evil cannot spread. (S3, E5)
May I say that I have not thoroughly enjoyed serving with humans? I find their illogic and foolish emotions a constant irritant. (S3, E7)
Change is the essential process of all existence. (S3, E15)
Computers make excellent and efficient servants, but I have no wish to serve under them. (S2, E24)
In critical moments, men sometimes see exactly what they wish to see. (S3, E9)
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, 1982)
When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, 1991)
I could not deprive you of the revelation of all that you could accomplish together, of a friendship that will define you both in ways you cannot yet realize. (Star Trek, 2009)
Read related posts: The Wisdom of Yoda
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Easter Eggs in Movies
Famous Love Quotes from Movies
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For further reading: The Star Trek Compendium by Allan Asherman (1981)
The Making of Star Trek by Stephen Whitfield and Gene Roddenberry (1986)
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