Despite his famously logical exterior, Spock has had several serious romantic relationships acrossStar Trekcanon. InStar Trek: Strange New Worlds,Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) has a short-lived romance with Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) andSpock’s fraught engagement and divorcewith T’Pring (Gia Sandhu). InStar Trek: The Original Series, Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy) rebuffs lingering romantic overtures from Nurse Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) and is dumped by T’Pring (Arlene Martel).
ThroughStrange New Worlds, audiences have a chance to see Spock’s relationships with both T’Pringand Nurse Chapel at their most healthy, even if the canon established byStar Trek: The Original Seriesmeans that they can only end badly. And indeed, both of Spock’s breakups are messy. In fact,it is arguably the pain that Spock experiences after these breakups that leads to him never marryingafter T’Pring. After all, other logical Vulcans, likeSpock’s own father Sarek, marry multiple times. Spock, on the other hand, is a permanent bachelor by the time ofStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Nurse Chapel Broke Spock’s Heart In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Musical Episode
Their Romance Was Always Doomed By The Original Series
InStar Trek:The Original Series,Commander Spock and Nurse Chapel’s relationshipis portrayed as largely one-sided. For the most part, Nurse Chapel pines for Spock, who at best suggests in “Amok Time” that they might have had something together under other circumstances. InStrange New Worlds, however,Spock and Nurse Chapel have a strong and supportive friendshipthat grows, over time, into romance. The budding romantic feelings that Nurse Chapel experiences in “Spock Amok,” allow a softer aspect of Spock’s character to take center stage.
Spock and Chapel’s relationship comes crashing down inStrange New Worlds' musical episode, “Subspace Rhapsody.“Nurse Chapel ends her relationship with Spock on her own terms.Whereas inStar Trek:The Original SeriesSpock rejects Nurse Chapel, inStrange New Worlds,Nurse Chapel takes the reins. Lieutenant Spock is clearly hurt by this rejection, and that pain might go a long way to explaining why, by the time ofTOS,he is largely closed off to the possibility of romance.
Every Spock Love Interest In Star Trek
As one of the most popular characters in the Star Trek franchise, Spock has had many love interests despite being a supposedly unemotional Vulcan.
Unfortunately for Lieutenant Spock, Nurse Chapel’s rejections are going to keep coming. The timeline ofStrange New Worldskeeps moving closer toStar Trek: The Original Seriesand Nurse Chapel’s engagement with Dr. Roger Korby (Michael Strong). As such,any lingering romantic feelings that Spock might have for Nurse Chapel are doomed byStar Trekcanon.After all, by theend ofStrange New Worldsseason 2, Nurse Chapel is on her way to a fellowship with Dr. Korby. Nurse Chapel and Dr. Korby’s engagement might serve as the ultimate rejection that closes Spock off to romance with humans.
Star Trek: TOS’ “Amok Time” Made Spock Decide To Permanently Remain Single
T’Pring’s Rejection Is The Ultimate Rejection For Spock
Both inStrange New Worldsand inStar Trek:The Original Series, Spock’s primary romantic interest is not Nurse Chapel, but T’Pring. Spock and T’Pring bonded in childhood, and, by the time of bothStrange New WorldsandTOS,they are engaged. InStrange New Worlds, the couple’s relationship starts healthy but quickly devolves. Central to their conflict is the fact thatSpock feels like he is not"Vulcan enough"for T’Pring,whereas T’Pring feels like Spock does not trust her. As with Nurse Chapel, T’Pring rejects Spock inStrange New Worldsseason 2, episode 5, “Charades,” suggesting that they ought to take time apart.
Spock feels like he is not “Vulcan enough” for T’Pring, whereas T’Pring feels like Spock does not trust her.
Star Trekcanon suggest that Spock and T’Pring will reconcile at some point after the end ofStrange New Worldsseason 2. At the start ofStar Trek: The Original Series,the couple are still engaged. Nevertheless, Spock and T’Pring terminate their engagement in “Amok Time,” when T’Pring chooses Stonn (Lawrence Montaign) for her mate.Once again, Spock is rejected by the woman he loved.If the pain of Nurse Chapel’s rejection inStrange New Worldsclosed Spock off from the possibility of romantic love with humans, T’Pring’s rejection inTOSwas the end of Spock’s serious romantic pursuits inStar Trekentirely.
Star Trek: The Original Series
Cast
Star Trek follows the U.S.S. Enterprise on its five-year mission to explore the galaxy, led by Captain James T. Kirk and First Officer Mr. Spock. The crew confronts a variety of challenges, including Klingons, Romulans, and genetic supermen, as they search for new life and civilizations.
