Sarek
Encyclopedia
Sarek (ˈsærɛk) is a fictional character
in the Star Trek media franchise. He is a Vulcan
astrophysicist, the Vulcan ambassador
to the United Federation of Planets
, and father of Spock
. The character was originated by Mark Lenard
in the 1967 episode "Journey To Babel." Lenard previously portrayed a Romulan
Commander in another episode of the original series, 1966's "Balance of Terror."
Actor Jonathan Simpson played a younger Sarek in a brief scene in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
, with voice-over
provided by Lenard. Ben Cross
portrayed Sarek in the 2009 motion picture Star Trek.
The character appears in the original Star Trek
series, the animated series
, four Star Trek movies, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation
, and numerous Star Trek novels and comics.
) Sarek was married twice, and had two sons. Prior to his first marriage, he had a relationship with the Vulcan priestess, T'Rea, which produced Sarek's first son Sybok, a character not developed until the fifth feature film in the late 1980s. Sarek later married Amanda Grayson, a native of the planet Earth. After Amanda's death, Sarek married Perrin, also human, who survived his death. Sarek and Perrin had no children.
Sarek's second son, Spock, entered Starfleet Academy
. Sarek opposed the decision, and the two were estranged for 18 years. Following an Enterprise mission where Spock helped save Sarek's life, father and son reconciled.
Sarek has had many diplomatic successes. Throughout each series and film, Sarek is shown to have great compassion for humanity and Earth. The underlying message of his character is a juxtaposition of deep caring, love and compassion against the steel of pure logic.
In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
, Sarek asks Kirk
to bring Spock's body back along with his katra, or living essence, to Vulcan. Having died heroically in Wrath of Khan
, Spock placed his katra in the mind of his friend Leonard McCoy
for safekeeping. The Genesis Device
had regenerated Spock's body and restored his life, and he is returned to his home planet where Sarek asks the priestess T'Lar to perform a fal-tor-pan, reuniting Spock's mind and body. In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
, when Spock and the rest of Kirk's crew return to Earth and save it from destruction before being largely exonerated at their subsequent trial, Sarek had a private audience with his son. Sarek admitted he was wrong in opposing his son's induction into Starfleet, praising his comrades as people of good character.
episode "Sarek", Lenard made one of his last appearances as the character. Sarek suffers from Bendii Syndrome, an incurable and terminal neurological degenerative illness that makes him lose control of his emotions. Having established a mind-meld with Jean-Luc Picard
, Sarek is able to continue with an important diplomatic mission, but his emotions are expressed privately through Picard, among them his deep love for Amanda, Spock, and Perrin. Sarek finally succumbs to Bendii Syndrome, dying in the TNG episode "Unification, part I", which takes place in the year 2368.
Mark Lenard
's final filmed appearance in the role was in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
. The film was released before his last broadcast appearance. Here the character is once again shown as a diplomat participating in the Khitomer Conference, the first diplomatic meeting between the Klingon
s and the Federation.
The character of Sarek and his relationship with Spock and Amanda have been explored in depth in amateur fiction, several authorized novels, and in the animated episode Yesteryear, written by D. C. Fontana
.
. Though respectful of Spock's ability to make his own choices, Sarek clearly encourages him to maintain his logical Vulcan nature. Sarek maintains that he married Amanda because it was logical to do so - since as the Vulcan ambassador, it would of course fall upon Sarek to observe human behavior. Later, Sarek is on the board of the Vulcan Science Academy, and is surprised to learn that his son has turned down admission in favor of joining Starfleet
. This led Sarek and Spock's relationship with each other, as in the original series, to become estranged.
When the mad Romulan
captain, Nero, makes clear his intention to destroy Vulcan, Spock arrives to transport Sarek, Amanda, and the rest of the Vulcan council to safety; however, Amanda is lost in the attempt. On the Enterprise, Sarek once again tries to help Spock, who is continuing to struggle with his emotions. Sarek advises Spock that if he feels anger (at Vulcan's destruction and Amanda's death), then he should not try to hide it. Sarek also admits to his son: "You once asked me why I married your mother...I married her because I loved her." Sarek affirms to his son that not all Vulcans are as emotionless as they appear to be; even Sarek is painfully grieved over the loss of his beloved wife. At this moment, father and son have reconciled as they grieve together over the losses of their world and loved ones, before Spock leaves to stop Nero from causing any more destruction and to avenge his mother's untimely death.
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek films
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Star Trek media franchise. He is a Vulcan
Vulcan (Star Trek)
Vulcans, or sometimes Vulcanians, are an extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek universe who evolved on the planet Vulcan, and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic with no interference from emotion. They were the first extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek...
astrophysicist, the Vulcan ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United Federation of Planets
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
, and father of Spock
Spock
Spock is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
. The character was originated by Mark Lenard
Mark Lenard
Mark Lenard was an American actor, primarily in television.-Biography:Lenard was born Leonard Rosenson in Chicago, Illinois, the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant, Abraham, and his wife, Bessie...
in the 1967 episode "Journey To Babel." Lenard previously portrayed a Romulan
Romulan
The Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...
Commander in another episode of the original series, 1966's "Balance of Terror."
Actor Jonathan Simpson played a younger Sarek in a brief scene in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a 1989 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the fifth feature in the franchise and the penultimate to star the cast of the original Star Trek science fiction television series...
, with voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
provided by Lenard. Ben Cross
Ben Cross
Ben Cross is a British actor of the stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire.-Early life:...
portrayed Sarek in the 2009 motion picture Star Trek.
The character appears in the original Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
series, the animated series
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...
, four Star Trek movies, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, and numerous Star Trek novels and comics.
Star Trek: The Original Series
Sarek was born in 2165. He is the son of Skon of Vulcan and a never-identified spouse. Solkar, Sarek's grandfather (Skon's father) was the first Vulcan ambassador to Earth, and was the captain of the Vulcan survey ship T'plana'hath which made first contact with Earth. (Star Trek: First ContactStar Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact is the eighth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, released in November 1996, by Paramount Pictures. First Contact is the first film in the franchise to feature no cast members from the original Star Trek television series of the 1960s...
) Sarek was married twice, and had two sons. Prior to his first marriage, he had a relationship with the Vulcan priestess, T'Rea, which produced Sarek's first son Sybok, a character not developed until the fifth feature film in the late 1980s. Sarek later married Amanda Grayson, a native of the planet Earth. After Amanda's death, Sarek married Perrin, also human, who survived his death. Sarek and Perrin had no children.
Sarek's second son, Spock, entered Starfleet Academy
Starfleet Academy
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet Academy is where the future's recruits to Starfleet will be trained. It was created in the year 2161, when the United Federation of Planets was founded...
. Sarek opposed the decision, and the two were estranged for 18 years. Following an Enterprise mission where Spock helped save Sarek's life, father and son reconciled.
Sarek has had many diplomatic successes. Throughout each series and film, Sarek is shown to have great compassion for humanity and Earth. The underlying message of his character is a juxtaposition of deep caring, love and compassion against the steel of pure logic.
In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the center of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV:...
, Sarek asks Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
to bring Spock's body back along with his katra, or living essence, to Vulcan. Having died heroically in Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the second feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The plot features James T...
, Spock placed his katra in the mind of his friend Leonard McCoy
Leonard McCoy
Leonard "Bones" McCoy is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by DeForest Kelley in the original Star Trek series, McCoy also appears in the animated Star Trek series, seven Star Trek movies, the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and in numerous books,...
for safekeeping. The Genesis Device
Genesis Device
Genesis Device is the name for a recently-released game engine created by Luuk van Venrooij, based in the Netherlands. The Genesis Device engine was created in aspiration of games such as Oblivion, Crysis, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R., with a purpose of allowing developers to use...
had regenerated Spock's body and restored his life, and he is returned to his home planet where Sarek asks the priestess T'Lar to perform a fal-tor-pan, reuniting Spock's mind and body. In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a 1986 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the fourth feature film based on the Star Trek science fiction television series and completes the story arc begun in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and continued in Star Trek III: The...
, when Spock and the rest of Kirk's crew return to Earth and save it from destruction before being largely exonerated at their subsequent trial, Sarek had a private audience with his son. Sarek admitted he was wrong in opposing his son's induction into Starfleet, praising his comrades as people of good character.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Spock's ongoing conflict between emotion and logic is countered by his parents, a seemingly loving and devoted couple. In the Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode "Sarek", Lenard made one of his last appearances as the character. Sarek suffers from Bendii Syndrome, an incurable and terminal neurological degenerative illness that makes him lose control of his emotions. Having established a mind-meld with Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
, Sarek is able to continue with an important diplomatic mission, but his emotions are expressed privately through Picard, among them his deep love for Amanda, Spock, and Perrin. Sarek finally succumbs to Bendii Syndrome, dying in the TNG episode "Unification, part I", which takes place in the year 2368.
Mark Lenard
Mark Lenard
Mark Lenard was an American actor, primarily in television.-Biography:Lenard was born Leonard Rosenson in Chicago, Illinois, the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant, Abraham, and his wife, Bessie...
's final filmed appearance in the role was in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and...
. The film was released before his last broadcast appearance. Here the character is once again shown as a diplomat participating in the Khitomer Conference, the first diplomatic meeting between the Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
s and the Federation.
The character of Sarek and his relationship with Spock and Amanda have been explored in depth in amateur fiction, several authorized novels, and in the animated episode Yesteryear, written by D. C. Fontana
D. C. Fontana
Dorothy Catherine "D. C." Fontana is an American television script writer and story editor, best known for her work on the original Star Trek series.-Work with Gene Roddenberry:...
.
Star Trek (2009)
Sarek appears in the 2009 Star Trek film, played by Ben CrossBen Cross
Ben Cross is a British actor of the stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire.-Early life:...
. Though respectful of Spock's ability to make his own choices, Sarek clearly encourages him to maintain his logical Vulcan nature. Sarek maintains that he married Amanda because it was logical to do so - since as the Vulcan ambassador, it would of course fall upon Sarek to observe human behavior. Later, Sarek is on the board of the Vulcan Science Academy, and is surprised to learn that his son has turned down admission in favor of joining Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
. This led Sarek and Spock's relationship with each other, as in the original series, to become estranged.
When the mad Romulan
Romulan
The Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...
captain, Nero, makes clear his intention to destroy Vulcan, Spock arrives to transport Sarek, Amanda, and the rest of the Vulcan council to safety; however, Amanda is lost in the attempt. On the Enterprise, Sarek once again tries to help Spock, who is continuing to struggle with his emotions. Sarek advises Spock that if he feels anger (at Vulcan's destruction and Amanda's death), then he should not try to hide it. Sarek also admits to his son: "You once asked me why I married your mother...I married her because I loved her." Sarek affirms to his son that not all Vulcans are as emotionless as they appear to be; even Sarek is painfully grieved over the loss of his beloved wife. At this moment, father and son have reconciled as they grieve together over the losses of their world and loved ones, before Spock leaves to stop Nero from causing any more destruction and to avenge his mother's untimely death.
Appearances
Sarek appears in the following episodes and films:Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
- "Journey to Babel"
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...
- "Yesteryear"
Star Trek films
- Star Trek III: The Search for SpockStar Trek III: The Search for SpockStar Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the center of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV:...
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage HomeStar Trek IV: The Voyage HomeStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a 1986 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the fourth feature film based on the Star Trek science fiction television series and completes the story arc begun in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and continued in Star Trek III: The...
- Star Trek V: The Final FrontierStar Trek V: The Final FrontierStar Trek V: The Final Frontier is a 1989 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the fifth feature in the franchise and the penultimate to star the cast of the original Star Trek science fiction television series...
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered CountryStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered CountryStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and...
- Star Trek
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
- "Sarek"
- "Unification, Part I"