Spock Taught Star Trek Star Secret About Her Character

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In a fascinating connection to Star Trek: The Original Series, Leonard Nimoy’s iconic character Spock played a significant role in helping Sonequa Martin-Green, the lead of Star Trek: Discovery, comprehend her own character. One of the most compelling ties between Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: The Original Series was that Ethan Peck’s portrayal of Spock, who is Michael Burnham’s adoptive brother in Star Trek: Discovery. After Michael Burnham lost her parents to Klingons at age 10, Sarek (James Frain) and Amanda Grayson (Mia Kirshner), the adoptive parents of Spock, took in the orphaned Michael and raised her on Vulcan.

At the Star Trek panel during FanExpo Dallas, actress Sonequa Martin-Green conversed with ScreenRant’s Joe Deckelmeier about her past connection to Star Trek: The Original Series and the role that analyzing Leonard Nimoy’s portrayal of Spock played in her preparation for embodying Michael Burnham, Spock’s human sister, on Star Trek: Discovery. Here is Sonequa’s statement:

“Studying Nimoy’s performance as Spock was instrumental in helping me understand the character and prepare for my role as his human sister.

As a self-proclaimed movie enthusiast, my initial exposure to Star Trek wasn’t a conscious choice; it was more like an unconscious absorption from the environment around me. I remember the iconic character of Uhura and the franchise itself being part of my childhood landscape, but I wouldn’t exactly call myself a die-hard fan. My parents were the ones who tuned in, and I would catch glimpses here and there, finding it entertaining before darting off to climb trees or engage in other kid activities. So, Star Trek was more of a background element in my life, subtly influencing me through osmosis rather than actively capturing my attention. However, the real, immersive experience came with Star Trek: Discovery, which served as my official introduction to this expansive universe.

At first, I merely observed [Discovery], thinking, “What is this universe? Let me explore it.” Then it was Star Trek: The Original Series and Enterprise that captured my attention due to their strong Vulcan influence. I felt compelled to understand, “What does it mean to be Vulcan?” Since the character’s development began with her attempting to embrace Vulcan characteristics at the start.

ScreenRant: Now that you’re watching it as a fan, who is your captain that pulled you in?

Sonequa Martin-Green: When I jumped into it, I only had around five days before I was on the set for Discovery… So, I was consuming it rapidly, asking myself, “What is this world?!” And I was deeply touched by Spock; indeed, he did. He drew me in more than Kirk. However, I’m certain that’s because I thought, “This is my brother, and I need to create this bond.” But let me tell you, his performance was mesmerizing. His performance was legendary, captivating. He attracted me more than any captain.

What Studying Leonard Nimoy’s Spock Meant For Sonequa Martin-Green’s Michael Burnham In Star Trek: Discovery

Sonequa Martin-Green Discovered “What It Means To Be Vulcan” Through Spock

Observing Leonard Nimoy’s portrayal of Spock in Star Trek: The Original Series provided Sonequa Martin-Green with crucial insights about what it means to be Vulcan, enabling her to play Burnham as a human raised among Vulcans. Essentially, understanding the Vulcan perspective towards humans can be inferred from Nimoy’s portrayal of Spock. In TOS, Spock, who is half-human, emphasizes his Vulcan identity and views his own humanity as something to be hidden or suppressed. This human side of Spock isn’t openly acknowledged until Amanda (Jane Wyatt) and Sarek (Mark Lenard) appear on the USS Enterprise in the classic Star Trek episode “Journey to Babel”.

The influence of Leonard Nimoy’s portrayal of Spock is evident in how Sonequa Martin-Green’s character, Michael Burnham, in the series “Star Trek: Discovery,” strives to emulate Vulcan traits. Given that Vulcans believe they are superior to humans, it is fitting that Burnham, in the first two seasons of the show, is depicted as someone who feels out of place and struggles with self-doubt despite her efforts to fit in. The challenges Spock faced as a half-human raised on Vulcan were amplified for Burnham, a human character, as she experienced bullying at the Vulcan Science Academy due to her inherent human traits, and even adopted more Vulcan mannerisms to win over Sarek’s approval.

Our Take On How Spock Helped Sonequa Martin-Green Understand Michael Burnham

Michael’s Sibling Relationship With Spock Was The Start Of Burnham’s Star Trek: Discovery Arc

The character of Sonequa Martin-Green’s Michael Burnham in Star Trek: Discovery was influenced significantly by Leonard Nimoy’s portrayal of Spock in Star Trek: The Original Series, as the foundation for understanding her own character lies in the bond they shared as Vulcan siblings. In other words, Michael Burnham’s Star Trek: Discovery journey is deeply rooted in her relationship with Spock. Their unique identities, being part human and thus deviating from the typical Vulcan norm, required them to hide their true selves to conform.

Growing up to suppress her unique identity served as the foundation for Michael Burnham’s character evolution in “Star Trek: Discovery”. Lacking the innate Vulcan traits that Spock possesses, Burnham initially chose to emulate Vulcans by disregarding her own instincts. However, this changes when the USS Discovery ventures into Star Trek’s 32nd century, distancing Burnham from Sarek’s traditional expectations by approximately 900 years. Eventually, Michael embraces her human empathy, harmonizing it with Vulcan logic – much like Spock does. This transformation in “Star Trek: Discovery” unfolds into a captivating tale of self-discovery, bestowing upon Sonequa Martin-Green a unique Star Trek legacy that future generations can aspire to emulate.

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2025-06-03 00:30