#SNW Charades

[anewstartrekfan]

The reason I cannot get behind the new snw episode is from my understanding, Vulcan logic and emotional repression are a nurture thing. It isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you are taught. (Surak fought a god damn war to force Vulcans to accept logic over violent tribalism) We have the Romulans and Spock’s literal half brother Sybok (Sybok to my knowledge I haven’t seen s1 or Star Trek 5 yet so if I’m wrong I apologize) as examples of rejecting logic in favor of emotions despite being the same species.

So the whole premise of Spock becoming completely human and therefore feels emotions now broke the episode beyond repair for me.

And I get TAS doesn’t matter but in yesteryear Sarek, after chastising Spock for displaying his emotions in public and getting into a fight, tells kid Spock he’s going to have to eventually choose to follow either Vulcan or human philosophy.

Oh but you know what does matter? Star Trek the motion picture and Spock’s character arc there flying in the face of this episode’s entire premise.

My point is historically the path of logic has been a choice. Not a DNA thing.

[boardchairman-blog]

**Shots of the Episode**

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)

Season 2, Episode 5: “Charades” (2023) Director: Jordan Canning Cinematographer: Glen Keenan

[fiadorable]

something just like this - a snw double drabble

🦾 Trektober 2023 Day Ten: Diplomacy ❤️ Pikeuna 🌶️ Spicy - go read this one on AO3 🎬 Rated D for diplomatic nightmares, P for pleasant dreams, and H for handsy commanders and captains 📖 Chris can't stop thinking about Spock's disastrous engagement party. Una gives him something else to think about. 🙌 Thanks to @curator-on-ao3 for helping me wedge this scenario into today's prompt

[reasonmustbemytruenorth]

[chp 5 pike/spock fic]

“You’re half human, but your physiology is mostly Vulcan. I guess I’m curious what it was like. How different it really was to be human for a few days, now that you’re back to yourself.”

“Confusing,” Spock replied honestly. “I have always been taught emotions run deeper in Vulcans than in humans. And that difference plays a large role in how we have always explained to our human allies our need for the strict controls offered by the path of pure logic, as well as why we do not expect humans to do the same. But that difference was so negligible as to be absent in my altered state. VSA medical experts opined that the late-onset regressive puberty that was triggered by the change was responsible for my heightened emotions during that time, rather than my humanity itself, but I am not convinced.”

“Wait, the VSA talked to you about this?”

“Yes, after reading Christine’s paper about changing me back using ancient medical arts, they had…questions.”

“That sounds invasive.” 

“Their curiosity was logical. There are no records of any Vulcan experiencing the human condition.”

Chris hummed in understanding. For all that Spock’s tone was exceedingly dry, Chris knew well enough that extra attention from Vulcan doctors wasn’t exactly high on Spock’s list of desirable things. He was sure Nurse Chapel hadn’t predicted her paper would precipitate them going around her back and interrogating the subject patient, whose identity wasn’t rocket science to figure out given the small number of Vulcans serving in Starfleet. Chris wasn’t even sure whether Spock told her the Vulcans had followed up with him about it. 

“So because your hormones were all out of whack, they discarded any challenge to the prevailing theory about the emotional gulf between our peoples.”

“Precisely.” Spock closed his eyes. “And of course my hormone spikes were not the only affliction impeding the baseline of my suppositions.”

Chris sighed. He knew what ‘affliction’ many Vulcans treated Spock as suffering from. “Your human half.”

“Indeed. In any event, it was convenient that my people were not given cause to reassess their superiority in light of my unique condition both before and during the anomalous event.”

“Convenient,” Chris repeated sadly. “And what do you think? Because I think you’re the product of a loving and intentional desire for a bridge between us. And I think you were uniquely situated to offer insightful physiologically-based philosophical commentary. To be blunt, they should care what you think about it. I know I do.”

Spock’s brown eyes held many emotions – an echo of Chris’s sadness, playful amusement at Chris’s steadfast declaration, and maybe a sliver of hope. “I think we have more commonalities than differences. However, the differences in our brain chemistries cannot be denied. Like Vulcans, humans have a war-torn past. But billions of humans, who wholly lack Vulcan physiological controls, are capable of living peacefully under the terms of the Federation. Some of the Vulcans that T’Pring works with have abdicated those controls. The results are never…peaceful. Vulcans who eschew Surak’s path are often irrepressibly violent.” Spock paused. “I have reached no particular conclusion. I do wonder if with more time to acclimate to my humanity, past the settling point, I might have reached a deeper understanding. Still, despite the limitations on my data acquisition, I do not regret Christine’s brave efforts to restore me to my usual if unique state of being.”

“I could give her another valor medal,” Chris offered. 

Read the full chapter on AO3.

[mai-komagata]

more charades meta

i don't think people talk about charades (snw s2e5) being about neurodivergence and masking, and I think that is an interesting angle to think about this episode. I think a lot is made about it being an analogy for culture or race or religion, but I think it fits better as an analogy for neurological difference (and here i mean truly difference without connotation of better or worse). What I see this episode saying is that being vulcan is not just a culture, but it is a different neurology and the culture arose to accommodate different neurological needs. Much like in autism, you react to sensory stimuli differently, you show your emotions differently, you process information differently. Of course there is vulcan culture, but it is a culture that evolved to suit the neurological characteristics of vulcans. they find certain flavors too intense/unpalatable, they tolerate temperature differences (especially heat) more easily, they are more empathetic/emotional thus they see displays of emotional as more uncomfortable/unsettling for social cohesion, and express emotional connections via telepathy. That doesn't mean there isn't individual variation (we get the least cookie cutter vulcan array ever here, from t'pring's mom, t'pring, and her dad, as well as spock), and that people can't be charming or jerks, but that the neurological assumptions are fundamentally different. The thing is, someone with a human neurology can mask and assimilate into vulcan culture. But masking isn't innate. And you don't just "know how to mask" if you have been living in a culture the whole time, because you didn't need to do it if you are neurotypical. I know autistic people that can break down the nuance of a social interaction into a numbered list to explain it to someone (just like an actor can break down an accent they want to affect), while a neurotypical person wouldn't know the first thing about how to express what they do in a social situation -- they just do it. Amanda is the ideal person to teach spock this vs a vulcan because she does this every day. And it is a hard thing for her to do, not because she is a human, but because adapting in this way is draining and painful. There are so many neurodivergent people that live with sensory overload the same way amanda picked up the teapot, without complaint, because yelling in pain from sensory overload was taught to us as rude and punishable. And i love the scenes with Spock and Chapel in this episode (irrespective of the ship) because it shows that "curing" someone's neurology would be undesirable, even if they become more neurotypical to you. They would be a different person. Also that to a certain degree spock is on a spectrum between a human and vulcan neurology. Some things that are vulcan patterns of interaction come naturally to him, but some of his human characteristics he actively has to mask in that society. And same when he is in human society, he affects laughter cues, emotiveness, etc. I do find it interesting with Akiva Goldsman's background (parents being clinical psychologists, him writing A Beautiful mind), this would be a direction he would want to take in looking at characters, and to use storytelling as a way to express their neurology in different ways. I know everyone on tumblr hates this episode, but I do think it is one of the most fascinating ones from a scifi perspective, illustrative of both in universe traits of "what does it mean to be a vulcan", but of real world thought exercises. (also one of the best new aliens in the series, some non-corporeal bureaucratic jerks).

[walkingstackofbooks]

SNW 2x05 Charades thought-stream

[15 July '23]

La'an: "Why aren't you practising with Mr. Spock?" Erica: "Oh, things are kind of weird between them." XD Erica knooows

"Explore new interests such as cooking." Awww

Sam!

Una, Erica, Nyota and La'an all hanging out together - crew!

"It is good to see you Nurse Chapel." So so awkward.

He barely looks different as human, but it's still so strange!

I find it so funny they have 10 minute intros. Just put the titles whenever, y'know?

Spock's face cycling through his emotions so quickly, that's impressive!

Oh no, the second hand embarrassment about Spock interrupting tat meeting. Aghhhh

"Vulcans can be such jerks." *hug* "Did I read the moment wrong?" Oh, that's super sweet!

"Sometimes I don't cry in the shower. Kidding!" What is he like?!

Amanda!!!

HAT! It's now hiding human ears rather than Vulcan ones! I love love love this!

"You aren't a practised liar yet." Oh is this when he learns to lie?

Uhura is the only one who sounds like a Vulcan XD The others are so bad at it!

I thought they were going to do the Illyrian gene thing there, saying their medicine couldn't fix the genes.

Interesting that Amanda hides her ears with her hair

No, Spock, you have to tell T'Pring or you won't be able to hide it if she's not on your side!

The dad! "These are delicious!" Who said Vulcans don't show emotions?

Girls on tour!

"Yeah, I hate analogies." XD

"So what, I gotta be the one to vote against doing the crazy maneuver? Does that sound like me?" ERICA MY BELOVED I'm so happy to see more of you being you :3

Spock's expression while being interrogated - somehow so neutral but you can see him holding back

"The other being diverted shields away from himself to protect you." "(quietly) He what?" Oh. Oh.

"Oh my god. Christine, come on!" "Seriously you do know. Tell them!" It sounds like they've been waiting for this opportunity for too long XD

Ughhhh why does friendship have to not be a convincing enough reason on its own?

"Yes, uh, the very important earth transition of..." "-charades" HAH! I CANNOT, YES! I want to see this so badly. (I love how strained Pike looks. Poor, stressed dear XD)

"I have to tell you-" *stab* oh Christine!!!

Spock not managing to hold the secret in, even as a Vulcan, but he's doing it Vulcanly because Vulcans do have feelings ughh I cannot!

"You refer to my human side as a handicap, yet my mother is the most resilient, compassionate, tolerant person I've known." TOO CUTE. I LOVE THIS

"You can read about it in my paper when it comes out later this year." POWER MOVE GIRLLL

Chris is the most dadliest dad in this episode and I love him for it

When T'Pring said "time apart", I don't think she meant go and kiss someone else straight away! Spock! Seriously?!

Okay, I enjoyed that episode - though I think Spock Amok was better? I am miffed we did not get to see T'Prings dad doing charades though! We were robbed! How can you mention that and then not even show it a little bit? XD

[ovenproofowl]

Spock + Human Emotion

STRANGE NEW WORLDS // 2x05 "Charades"

[purpleenma]

When they do my boy wrong in SNW

[spockvarietyhour]

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds "Charades" & Star Trek (2009) requested by @frontier001

[oldschoolvillageidiot]

ALIEN: "I have fixed your friend." PIKE: "You fucked up a perfectly good Spock is what you did. Look at it, it's got angst."

[elara-world]

[xfilesposterproject]

Here's my poster for today's episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: "Charades". This was a fun one! Find more of my SNW episode posters here and here.

[dearemma]

CHRISTINE CHAPEL Season Two. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

[star-trek-fandom-confessions]

#888

i really hate how snw is doubling down on the whole genes=culture thing. I disliked it when it was a plot device in "Charades" and I hate that they're gonna do it even more next season. Like, wtf. It's been very established in canon that Vulcans have very strong emotions and that they have to actively learn to supress them with a bunch of cultural practices. But also you can inject a human with Vulcan gene juice serum or whatever and they'll have perfect composure and get racist towards the half-Vulcan on board? Is snw saying racism is genetic? Is that the weirdest possible take on racism? wtf?

[chicafinal]

star trek snw was really funny when they tried to to frame spock's willingness to risk his life to save chapel as this big romantic act. real spock fans know that he would NEVER pass on the chance to die on a mission. spock/death the true star trek love story of all time

[seph-on-an-irrational-planet]

The A plot: Spock disappoints his in-laws

The B plot: Nurse Chapel tries to file an insurance claim

Spock getting the ‘Vulcan half of his dna stolen, making him into a human’ is so stupid and so Star Trek I love it