The Vulcans are known throughout the Star Trek universe for their commitment to logic, but one comic revealed the dark side of this philosophy. In 2021’s Star Trek: Year Five #20, Mister Spock is thrown backwards through time, to ancient Vulcan, which is in the throes of a civil war between Surak, the founder of the philosophy of logic, and those who resist him. This civil war has been bloody, with many casualties – showing the dark foundation modern Vulcan society is built upon.
Vulcan society is built upon a philosophy of logic and emotional suppression, but it was not always so; in fact, the planet’s ancient history was full of war and bloodshed so bad it almost brought them to extinction. Another, better way was needed, and the planet’s salvation arrived in the form of Surak, a philosopher who believed that the embrace of logic was the only way forward. Under Surak’s regime, the violent emotions the Vulcans were known for were to be suppressed. Surak’s teachings took hold, and the Vulcans at long last achieved peace. Various Star Trek episodes and films have touched on Vulcan’s history, most notably a three-part story in Enterprise’s fourth season, but fans have never seen the planet’s bloody struggle to embrace logic.
The Vulcan Civil War Was a Horrifying Conflict
That is, until this issue, which was written by Brandon Easton and drawn by Silvia Califano. Mister Spock has been sent back in time, to the final days of the Vulcan Civil War. Surak’s forces have made immense gains, and will soon control the planet. Spock meets the rebels who are resisting Surak, and for Spock – who has been raised to believe Surak saved his species – it is a jarring experience. The rebels paint a dire picture of Surak and his philosophy; they fear that if the planet embraces Surak’s beliefs, it will be the end of Vulcan’s culture and art. Furthermore, they reveal to Spock the existence of “re-education camps,” created by Surak to indoctrinate the youth and prisoners into his philosophy. Star Trek fans know how the rest of the story will play out: the rebels will detonate a nuclear weapon in an attempt to kill Surak, but they will fail and ultimately sway the rest of the planet to follow him. These rebels will then leave Vulcan, founding the Romulan Empire.
Star Trek Shows Vulcan History – Warts and All
This issue paints a dark picture of this chapter in Vulcan’s history, and it does not shy away from showing the horrors and the bloodshed that accompanied Surak’s rise to prominence. Spock has described ancient Vulcans as war-like and aggressive, and those tendencies are on display here, from both sides. Surak’s followers are armed, and are actively taking children from their families to be re-educated. All of this shakes Spock to his core, as he learns the bastion of logic was a bloodthirsty tyrant during his own ascension.
Surak Saved Vulcan… At a Price
Spock’s adventure shows how history can simplify complex events. Surak did save Vulcan from near-certain destruction, but he didn’t elevate the Vulcans by rhetoric and good works alone. Death, violence, and kidnaping paved the way to peace and – eventually – the stars, and the rebels had every reason to fight against the planet-wide imposition of repressing emotions – which, as they point out, eradicates their cultural identity and leads to immense psychological harm. Star Trek exposed the dark history of Vulcan logic in Star Trek: Year Five, complicating Surak’s legacy like never before.
