Why I Disagree With Spock/Uhura
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The Girlfriend: An Analysis of Why Spock/Uhura is a Very Bad Idea
Introduction: Why?
I do not like Spock/Uhura. I will never like Spock/Uhura, especially if the new writers of Star Trek continue to put no effort into developing their relationship beyond, “Spock needs a hug.”[i] My dislike for this pairing does not stem from any Uhura-hatred; in fact, I quite like Uhura. And although I am a hardcore Kirk/Spock shipper, it is not the main reason for my opposition to Spock/Uhura (though it factors in). I do not like Spock/Uhura because it feels awkward at best and forced at worst. It holds little bearing on the main plot of ST:XI; if it was altered to be a platonic relationship or removed altogether, the story wouldn’t change much, if at all. Spock and Uhura’s relationship also changes the nature of both of their characters, especially Uhura’s, and it does not change them for the better. Their relationship also causes complications for other character relationships, most notably the relationships between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.
Lieutenant Nyota Uhura
Lieutenant Uhura is an amazing character both in The Original Series and the TOS films, and she was an excellent role model for women of every color. She was smart, professional, and a more than competent officer. Interestingly, she does not form any romantic relationships with anyone in TOS. This may in part be due to the fact that she is black. At the time TOS aired, black women were not seen as viable love interests[ii], especially for white men (who, unsurprisingly, comprise most of the cast of recurring male characters). However, she does show some interest in Spock, and later, Scotty.
In the first episode to air, “The Man Trap,” she blatantly flirts with Spock, though he is obviously oblivious to her affections. It doesn’t seem like she’s serious about him, though. In fact, she seems to just be passing the time while she flirts with him, for soon after her flirting she criticizes him for his lack of response to dire news. In another episode, “Charlie X,” she and Spock put on a impromptu performance in the recreation room for the rest of the crew. Spock plays his Vulcan lyre while she sings a song about a certain space-faring, pointy-eared alien who breaks the hearts of women all throughout the galaxy. Spock looks fondly exasperated and Uhura is as amused as all get-out. Aside from these two interactions, Spock and Uhura have very little to do with one another. Their other interactions are mostly professional in nature (Nichelle Nichols has stated that she always felt that the relationship between Uhura and Spock resembled a student/mentor type of relationship[iii]). For whatever reason, they do not form a romantic connection, either in the show or in the first six films.
From Communications Officer to Spock’s Girlfriend
Typically in action films and summer blockbusters, female characters are defined by their relationships to male characters, while the male characters are allowed to act and develop separately from their love interests. This is true in ST:XI. The female characters who hold any amount of importance in the film are as follows: Winona Kirk, Amanda Grayson, Gaila, and Uhura. The important male characters? Too many to list. Winona is defined by her position as Kirk’s mother, Amanda by her position as Spock’s mother, Gaila by her position as Kirk’s “cuddle buddy,” and Uhura by her position as Spock’s “emotional crutch” (although she does contribute to the main plot through the use of her skills in communications, it is Kirk who puts these skills to use). Also, in TOS, Spock already has a love interest: Nurse Christine Chapel. She is briefly mentioned in ST:XI, when McCoy orders her to retrieve something for him, but she is not an onscreen character. I submit that having Uhura be in a relationship with Spock rather than Chapel is another way for the writers of ST:XI to avoid including more female characters in the film.
As previously stated, in TOS Uhura does not form a relationship with any of the male characters in the show (though she does have a slight romance with Scotty in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier). While it is appalling that she was not seen as a potential love interest due to her race, the fact that she does not have a blatant romance with anyone puts her on the same level of independence and autonomy as her male colleagues, if not on a higher level (the rest of the core crew have clear love interests at various points in the show and films). This independence allows her character to grow and develop on its own without the added burden of being someone’s love interest.
In ST:XI, Uhura is immediately defined by her relationships to the male characters in the film. The first scene in which we see her is in the bar in Iowa, where Kirk unsuccessfully tries to woo her. They talk about her major in communications, though her skills and intelligence are sexualized by Kirk’s “talented tongue” comment. She humors him for a bit, but soon her classmates come to her “rescue.” She is not allowed to be a character who happens to be female; from the beginning we see her as Kirk and the others see her: a sexy potential mate who needs to be “protected” from amorous farm boys. In the fight that follows, Kirk stumbles and catches himself from falling by grabbing Uhura’s breasts. It’s an accident, and it is supposed to be humorous, but I cannot help but cringe when I watch this scene. The writers of this film clearly do not know how humiliating a situation that can be for a woman, nor do they seem to understand how potentially painful it is (imagine, a full grow man stopping himself from falling by grabbing your breasts. Ouch.). She shoves him away, of course, a look of disgust on her face while Kirk grins at her.
The next scene Uhura’s in is when she comes back to her dorm room after Kirk’s love scene with Gaila. She talks to Gaila about an interesting signal she picked up, showcasing her intelligence and skill…while stripping off her clothing. Sure, Kirk and Gaila are nearly-naked in the scene, too, but they were just about to have sex (in a deleted scene, we find out that Kirk seduces Gaila in order to hack into the Kobayashi Maru simulation, so their state of dress would have related to the plot, had the entire scene been kept in). Other than to titillate the (presumably) straight male audience, Uhura’s little skin show serves no purpose to the plot. Or does it? In this scene Uhura is portraying the main aspect of her character: communications expert. This is the aspect that defined her in TOS, what made her more than just another pretty woman on the Enterprise. By making her undress until she’s only wearing her underwear (which is a bright white, further emphasizing her purity and vulnerability, particularly when juxtaposed with Gaila’s flamboyant under things), her intelligence is once again overshadowed by her sexuality.
The first sign we receive that hints at Spock and Uhura’s romance is when the cadets are being assigned to the various starships. Uhura is assigned to the Farragut, which she decidedly does not want to be on, so she searches for Spock to get him to assign her to the Enterprise. At first, the scene plays out as a student telling her professor that she deserves to be assigned to Starfleet’s flagship because of her intelligence and skill. An officer with her qualifications has most certainly earned her place on a ship of such high caliber. What reason could Spock possibly have for not assigning her to the ship she deserves, and desires, to be stationed on? He wishes to “avoid an appearance of favoritism.” Now, if you squint a little, this comment can seem as though Spock does not want people to think he is treating Uhura as his “teacher’s pet.” However, it is clear that the writers meant this scene to be taken as Spock wanting to avoid “outing” his relationship with (or at least his interest in) Uhura, which is romantic in nature. She gets her way in the end, for Spock really has no logical reason for keeping her off the Enterprise.
This is my main point of contention with the Spock/Uhura relationship. If they were classmates, that would be one thing. But not only is Spock Uhura’s superior officer, he is her professor. He clearly has reservations about this relationship if he would go so far as to make sure she was assigned to a different starship as him. So, why would they enter into a relationship with so much baggage? It goes against both of their characters. I know that ST:XI is set in an alternate timeline from TOS, but Spock and Uhura, at this point in their lives, should not be so vastly different from their TOS counterparts.
If Spock’s life in the ST:XI timeline has not diverged so distinctly from his life in TOS, then I have no reason to believe that he would act any differently. In fact, Spock did have a female love interest during his time on Earth: Leila Kalomi (introduced in the episode “This Side of Paradise”). She loved him, and told him as much, but he could not and did not return the feelings. She met him in 2261, a couple of years after the events in ST:XI. Spock, although defying his father and turning his back on the Vulcan Science Academy to serve in Starfleet, takes great pride in his Vulcan heritage (though it is unlikely he would admit to such a thing). If the events of his life are supposed to be similar in the new timeline and the original, then he would still be bonded/betrothed to T’Pring. Why would he enter into another relationship while he still has this bond, especially if he tries so hard to live up to Vulcan expectations? But the main problem with the plausibility of Spock being in a romantic relationship with his student is the fact that this type of relationship is most likely frowned upon by Starfleet Academy. If anyone knows this, it would be Spock, and if anyone is a stickler for regulations, it would also be Spock.
Their romantic relationship also leads me to question why exactly Uhura wants to be on the Enterprise. I would very much like to believe that her desire to serve aboard the ship is borne out of the confidence that she has in her own abilities and the pride she has in her achievements. However, I can’t help but suspect that part of her desire is due to her feelings for Spock and a wish to serve with him. Again, this undermines her intelligence and further defines her according to her relationships with male characters.
Spock “Needs” a Hug:
Spock and Uhura’s kiss in the turbolift surely made many-a-heart flutter (in either delight or panic). After the destruction of his planet, Spock takes a moment to compose himself by going into the turbolift. Uhura follows him, and she attempts to comfort him with a kiss and a hug, asking him if there’s anything he needs. He responds with, “I need everyone to continue performing admirably.” This is a lie. Spock may think that this is what he needs, but he is mistaken. If everyone had continued to perform as he wanted, Earth would’ve been destroyed. Fortunately, Kirk appears at just the right moment to throw a wrench into Spock’s logical, by-the-book plan. In doing so, Kirk gives Spock what he really needs: emotional release. Spock takes out all of his anger, frustration, and sorrow on Kirk (and Kirk’s tender throat), eventually cooling off before he actually kills Kirk.
The truth is that Spock needs Kirk in this film more than he needs Uhura. Sure, Uhura offers him comfort, but she doesn’t offer him anything that has any real effect on the situation. If she hadn’t comforted him in the turbolift, Spock would have felt the same. He would have still taken some time to get himself together before continuing his work. It is also my belief that Uhura knew Spock was lying to her after she asked him what he needed. Not wanting to step on his toes, she just accepts his explanation with no further questions. Now, not only is she the “girlfriend” in the film, she’s passive and deferential, as well. Later, right before Kirk and Spock beam aboard the Narada, Uhura reassures Spock that she will be “monitoring their frequencies.” However, we never see her “monitor” anything, nor is there any need for her to do so: we can infer that Scotty is monitoring them from the transporter room, which is what allows him to beam them back aboard. This is another example of how her main role in the film is supporting Spock (and the other male characters) rather than acting on her own and having a more prominent effect on the plot.
McCoy: Key Member of the Triumvirate or Third Wheel?
Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, cranky CMO of the USS Enterprise, is the third member of the Kirk-Spock-McCoy triad that stands at the center of Star Trek. However, in ST:XI, he is relegated to a role almost as bad as “the girlfriend;” he is “the best friend.” His moment of glory in the film is when he manages to get Kirk aboard the Enterprise, and that’s it. Like Uhura’s discovery of the Romulan signal, this is the only action of his that directly impacts the plot (and, also like Uhura’s, this action is inextricably tied to Kirk). He offers advice to both Kirk and Spock but it is ignored by both men. In TOS, he also offers advice to both Kirk and Spock, and even if they don’t listen to him, what he says is still[HRS1] relevant and important. In ST:XI, he’s a type of comic relief more than anything. Why does McCoy occupy this position? Because Uhura is Spock’s girlfriend.
If you look at some of the movie posters for ST:XI, McCoy isn’t even on them. One features Kirk, Spock, and Uhura; another shows those three and Nero. As I’ve proved previously in this essay, I don’t have anything against Uhura. I love her character in TOS, and I’m disappointed that I can’t bring myself to feel the same way about her in ST:XI. That being said, when I think Star Trek, I do not think, “Kirk, Spock, and Uhura.” I think, “Kirk and Spock,” followed closely by, “Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.” To put it bluntly, Uhura is not as important a character as McCoy, nor do I think she should be. Kirk and Spock are the main characters, followed by McCoy, then Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov. She is one of the supporting cast, and she can do much more in that role than she can shoved into the position of Spock’s girlfriend.
Epic Romance?
Spock is not a good boyfriend. In the majority of his scenes with Uhura, he ends up physically walking away from her. The only time he doesn’t is during the transporter room scene where she walks away from him; however, had she stayed in the room he still would have left her by beaming into the Narada. The other scenes where Spock and Uhura interact one-on-one are the shuttle bay scene (he walks away after reassigning her to the Enterprise), the turbolift scene (he walks away after she comforts him), and the short instance after he chokes Kirk on the bridge (she approaches him as he walks out, apparently to offer him comfort, and he briefly looks at her before walking away).
Spock attempts to leave Uhura three times during this movie, whether with the intent to actually leave her or not. The first time is the aforementioned shuttle bay scene. It appears as though Spock had something to do with Uhura being assigned to the Farragut, since she seeks him out in order to change her assignment. He knows that she is good enough to be on the Enterprise, but he places her on the Farragut for no other reason than to distance himself from her. Stationed on two different starships, it would be incredibly difficult for them to maintain a romantic relationship. Does this scream “true love?” No, it does not.
The second time he leaves her is when he beams aboard the Narada with Kirk. Now, this is not a direct attempt on Spock’s part to leave Uhura, but he does tell her he’ll come back. So, what does he do in order to come back? He sets the Jellyfish (Spock Prime’s ship) on a collision course with the (much, much larger) Narada (a move interestingly reminiscent of George Kirk’s actions on the Kelvin). If Scotty hadn’t beamed Spock back aboard the Enterprise when he did, would Spock have been able to keep his promise to Uhura? No, he would not have.
The third time he leaves her it is far more subtle, but he leaves her nonetheless. It is at the end of the film when Spock has decided to leave Starfleet and go to the new Vulcan colony to help rebuild. Uhura remains on the Enterprise (which is a good and somewhat surprising occurrence, considering how much of her character is devoted to supporting Spock). Is this indicative of a lasting relationship, Uhura staying on a starship for at least five years and Spock helping to rebuild Vulcan society for an indeterminate amount of time? No, it is not. Spock does return to the Enterprise. However, he does not return for Uhura. He returns for Kirk.
Kirk and Spock, Together At Last
I won’t go into my entire K/S interpretation for ST:XI here (feel free to look at this essay for some of my thoughts on the slash potential of the film), but I will briefly compare and contrast Spock’s interactions with Uhura and his interactions with Kirk. When talking with Kirk, Spock always looks at him. His eyes may wander from Kirk’s face every now and then, but they almost always return. With Uhura, Spock does look at her, but he also deliberately looks away after a time. For example, watch Kirk and Spock’s conversation on the bridge when they decide to beam aboard the Narada together. They look at each other: Kirk keeps eye contact with Spock, and Spock, though he does not keep eye contact, keeps his eyes trained on Kirk’s face. In the transporter room when Uhura kisses Spock (I believe it is worth noting that she follows him into the room in order to kiss him and wish him luck; he does not ask for these things from her), they do look at one another, but after the kiss Spock looks down. Only when she walks away does he look up, and now there is a good chance that he is looking at her.
Like I point out in my previous essay, there are two times where Kirk walks away from Spock and Spock watches him leave. These scenes directly parallel the scenes where Spock walks away from Uhura, both because of the fact that Spock watches Kirk much like Uhura watches Spock, and because of the content of the conversation before Kirk walks off. Kirk offers Spock words of comfort and reassurance both during the bridge conversation and the conversation in the Jellyfish (and look very carefully at how Spock watches Kirk leave there).
Spock Prime essentially plays matchmaker to Kirk and Spock in ST:XI. When his younger counterpart confronts him and asks him why he sent Kirk to explain the situation rather than relay the information himself, the older Vulcan tells Spock that he and Kirk “needed each other.” He goes on to explain that he did not want to deprive the pair of them the chance at forming a life-defining friendship, nor the chance to accomplish all that Spock Prime and his Kirk accomplished. Think about it, though. If Spock Prime had beamed aboard the Enterprise with Kirk and Scotty, he could have easily explained the situation with Nero and the Narada, saving everyone a lot of time and reducing the risk factor. In order to get Kirk and Spock working together, however, he keeps his silence (aside from melding with Kirk and letting him know the facts). Also, not once does Spock Prime mention Uhura when he tells Spock to return to the Enterprise (though, to be fair, he probably doesn’t know that they are in a relationship).
When Spock returns to the ship, he offers to be Kirk’s first officer and Kirk gladly accepts. There is a point where Spock walks past Uhura on his way to the science station, and the first few times I watched the scene I thought he looked at her. She gives a great big smile after this “look,” which was part of the reason I assumed the look was directed towards her. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something “off” about the look, though. It just doesn’t seem like the type of look one would give his girlfriend after surprising her with his appearance. Upon further review, I’ve discovered that this is because he’s not looking at Uhura; he’s glancing back at Kirk. 1bill_sookie in this post pointed it out, and I didn’t believe it at first; however, watching the scene over shows that this is the case. For one thing, Uhura is quite a bit shorter than Spock, and his gaze goes right over her head. Also, like I said, the look in his eyes is just not the kind of look a boyfriend gives his girlfriend.
Conclusion: Where is the Real Love Story?
Producer Damon Lindelof states that Kirk and Spock “fall in love” in ST:XI (in a completely platonic, heterosexual way, of course).[iv] In an interview, Chris Pine says that the closest Kirk comes to having a romance in the film is with Spock (what about Gaila?), and that he content with that.[v] Do I personally believe that Kirk and Spock fall in love in ST:XI, or that Kirk has a “romance” with him? No, I don’t. I see them go from hating/strongly disliking each other to forming a comfortable professional relationship bordering on friendship. However, Spock has far more chemistry with Kirk than he does with Uhura, which makes it easy for me to see the slash potential in ST:XI and to be critical of Spock and Uhura’s relationship.
Spock and Uhura’s relationship is not believable or fleshed out enough for me to even tolerate it. This “romance” denigrates Uhura’s character, McCoy’s place in the Kirk-Spock-McCoy triad, and it is a bad example of a healthy relationship. The relationship is very one-sided: Uhura spends most of her time supporting and comforting Spock, but what does he do for her (besides leave her time and time again)? A healthy relationship does not have one person constantly trying to please the other. It has two people who love each other living their lives together, each with his or her own interests and goals. Spock and Uhura do not have that kind of relationship.
If I am to ever buy into Spock/Uhura, Spock needs to be a better boyfriend, and Uhura needs a better sense of self.
[i] http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/05/14/star-trek-writers-reveal-their-most-controversial-script-decisions-and-why-they-made-them/
[ii] http://fanlore.org/wiki/Star_trek_2009
[iii] http://trekmovie.com/2008/02/14/trek-celebwatch-takei-on-treks-vision-stewart-on-shakespearean-trekkies-more/
[iv] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTK9_MAtJK0
[v] http://videos.zach-quinto.com/play.php?vid=123
[HRS1]