Warning: This article contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 5, "Charades" of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Amanda Grayson's (Mia Kirshner) return in this episode ensures the adherence to canon regarding the parentage of Spock (Ethan Peck) in the original Star Trek series. In "Charades," Spock's mother boards the USS Enterprise after he sustains injuries in a shuttle accident. This unfortunate event causes a delay in the important pre-wedding V'Shal ritual with T'Pring's (Gia Sandhu) parents. Despite the significance of the ritual, Ambassador Sarek (James Frain) does not accompany Amanda, which might appear peculiar. However, Sarek's absence aligns perfectly with the established Star Trek canon.
The relationship between Spock and Sarek was extraordinarily intricate, spanning from Spock's childhood to Sarek's demise in 2368 during Star Trek: The Next Generation. Spock's choice to join Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Expeditionary Group created a divide between father and son, a divide that was eventually reconciled. However, they consistently clashed over political matters, such as the Federation-Cardassian Border War in the 24th century. At the time of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Spock and Sarek find themselves embroiled in another crisis, which explains why only Amanda pays a visit to the Enterprise, thus maintaining the integrity of the Star Trek: The Original Series canon.
Spock’s Mother Amanda Saved Star Trek: TOS Canon
In the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Journey to Babel", Spock, portrayed by Leonard Nimoy, reunites with his long-estranged father Sarek, played by Mark Lennard. Their relationship had been severed since 2250 when Spock made the decision to join Starfleet Academy. However, after 18 years, they resolve their issues when Spock saves Sarek's life through a successful blood transfusion. Given this history, it is unlikely that father and son will be reunited in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, set in the late 2250s.
To explore both sides of the union between Spock and T'Pring's families without complicating TOS canon, Mia Kirshner returns as Amanda Grayson in Strange New Worlds. This allows the focus to remain on Spock embracing his human roots, without the inclusion of his disapproving Vulcan father. Instead, Ellora Patnaik portrays T'Pring's mother, T'Pril, excellently embodying the role of a disapproving Vulcan parent with humor. Amanda is the ideal parent to feature in the episode "Charades," as Spock's accidental transformation into a Human provides an opportunity for mother and son to form a bond that Vulcan repression typically wouldn't allow.
Strange New Worlds Makes Amanda Spock’s Most Important Family Member
Being coerced to impersonate a Vulcan during his betrothal ceremony, Spock, now a human, gains a profound comprehension of his mother's experiences and the discrimination she faced to be with Sarek. In a deeply affecting moment, Spock pays homage to his mother's resilience and "authentic strength," drawing parallels between Amanda and himself. Spock's tribute to Amanda's humanity calls to mind the wise words of Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, where he declares that, among all the souls he encountered, Spock's was the most human.
Amanda is the catalyst for this, as her emotional fortitude in the face of judgment from Vulcan society continually inspires him. Throughout Star Trek: The Original Series, Spock consistently demonstrates his loyalty and affection for his fellow crew members, whether it's escorting Captain Pike to Talos IV or defying Starfleet's orders to prove Kirk's innocence. The upcoming series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, unveils that Amanda Grayson's exceptional parenting instilled in Spock a deep capacity for love, loyalty, and a unique perspective on Vulcan logic.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
