Star Trek: Discovery had a replacement for Spock (Leonard Nimoy, Ethan Peck) that changed the Vulcans' most memorable trait. The task of reviving the Star Trek television universe was difficult, and Star Trek: Discovery attempted to delicately balance the new and the old. Star Trek: Discovery works as both a prequel and a sequel to Star Trek: The Original Series and introduces new faces while still honoring classic characters. Star Trek: Discovery's characters even traveled through time, ending up in the distant future and setting up a brand new Star Trek adventure where no one had gone before.
A main ship other than another version of the Starship Enterprise gave Star Trek: Discovery an exciting edge, and most of the USS Discovery's crew was introduced for the first time – but Star Trek: Discovery still played homage to its Star Trek predecessors. A new species was quickly introduced called the Kelpiens, represented by Discovery's First Officer, Commander Saru (Doug Jones). The Kelpiens mirror Star Trek's most iconic species, the Vulcans, by inverting their famous suppression of emotions. Saru and Spock (Leonard Nimoy, Ethan Peck) share similar traits but end up serving as fascinating opposites.
Saru & The Kelpiens Are Emotionally Open (Unlike Star Trek's Vulcans)
Star Trek: Discovery Flipped The Original Series' Iconic Vulcan Trope
Saru is the first Kelpien in Star Trek, which is fitting – he's also the first Kelpien to leave his home planet and, naturally, the first Kelpien to join Starfleet. In Star Trek: Discovery season 1, we learn that Kelpiens are an extremely empathetic species with a fine-tuned sense of danger. Saru explains that his people have evolved to sense the coming of death. Although Star Trek: Discovery season 2 would disprove the Kelpien belief that they were born to be prey, their empathy was very real. Their empathy is what makes the Kelpiens the perfect reflection of Vulcans.
Vulcan emotions are actually stronger than human feelings.
Vulcans are popularly viewed as an emotionless species, and indeed, sometimes Vulcans were Star Trek villains. However, Vulcan emotions are actually stronger than human feelings, so they mastered logic and reason and learned to suppress their enormous sensitivities. Kelpiens did something similar, but in the opposite direction – after learning their threat glands could be removed without harm, many Kelpiens, including Saru, developed the freedom to live without constant fear by better feeling other emotions. Feeling these emotions more freely aided Saru in better, and more fairly, serving the USS Discovery in times of trouble.
How Saru & Spock Serve As Parallels In Their Respective Star Trek Shows
Star Trek Finds Balance By Featuring Kelpians and Vulcans
Instead of providing strictly logical – and sometimes cold – assessments like Spock did to his fellow Star Trek: The Original Series characters, Saru gave Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the Star Trek: Discovery crew more emotionally driven advice. As a former Science Officer, Saru became a Spock-like figure on the USS Discovery's bridge, providing expertise in less-known topics without relying too much on rationality. Saru's place as the captain's right-hand makes him even more similar to Spock, who served Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) throughout their iconic Starfleet careers.
In their respective Star Trek TV shows, both Saru and Spock are rule-abiding first officers, always slightly reluctant – but still willing – to do anything for their captains. Their personalities mirror each other perfectly. Saru is an empathetic Kelpien who feels deeply for his crew and others, and he always has a kind word or helpful suggestion for the issue at hand. Spock serves his crew differently by providing them with logical solutions and ensuring they're safe through scientific breakthroughs. Saru and Spock, who later became Starfleet Captains themselves, mirror each other and connect Star Trek: Discovery to Star Trek's original canon.
