Summary
Warning: This Article Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2I never thought a Vulcan would be my favoriteStar Trekcharacter, butStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2 made a Vulcan climb to the top of my list. This is surprising because whileI think Vulcans are fascinating, they’ve continued to be a bit stuffyover the years. I love that they explore humanity by contrast. There’s pressure in theStar Trekuniverse to enjoy Vulcans because of their position as icons in popular media, but sometimes they don’t hit the mark for me. Nevertheless, I’ve remained excited about the introduction of newStar TrekVulcansin recent TV shows.
Among theStar Trek: The Original Seriescharacterswas Leonard Nimoy’s Spock, who introduced Vulcans as a species that doesn’t feel emotions like humans. Since then, plenty of Vulcans have become popular despite the franchise’s use of the same tropes related to the pointy-eared species, such as being emotionless, humorless, and intelligent. Sub-Commander T’Pol (Jolene Blalock), Lieutenant Tuvok (Tim Russ), and T’Pring (Gia Sandhu) inStar Trek: Strange New Worldshave all gained popularity by depicting varying levels of these tropes. I’m thrilled thatStar Trekis redirecting canon Vulcans by introducing a teenage Vulcanto add complexity to the iconic species.
Star Trek’s New Vulcan Related To Classic TOS Character Confirmed By Showrunners
Star Trek: Prodigy introduced a young Vulcan hero named Maj’el, and Prodigy’s showrunners confirmed she is descended from a Vulcan icon.
Maj’el Perfectly Balances Vulcan Logic and Emotion In Star Trek: Prodigy
Maj’el proves that a good Vulcan doesn’t have to be a bad person
Maj’el, voiced by Michaela Dietz, is introduced inStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2’s premiere “Into The Breach, Part I,” written by Kevin & Dan Hageman and directed by Ben Hibon. Maj’el is a member of the elite squad ofStarfleet Cadets called Nova Squadron, indicating her impressive intelligence and leadership skills. At this point,I was sure Maj’el would become another Vulcan trope: extremely smart but rough around the edges and unwilling to forgo Vulcan heritage to make friends.
As a way to honor Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, who is considered to be “the First Lady ofStar Trek,” the showrunners ofStar Trek: Prodigygave Maj’el a Vulcan version of her name.
I’m glad I was wrong. Maj’el breaks free of Vulcan stereotypes and becomes a hero in her own right throughout the second season ofProdigy, and she makes the season even better. InStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2’s, “Imposter Syndrome,“Maj’el defies Vulcan traditionand lies toThe Doctor (Robert Picardo)about loving opera music to allow Dal R’El (Brett Gray) and the former crew of the USS Protostar to escape. As in this scene, the young Vulcan is funny without just being comic relief. Maj’el expertly balances logic and empathy, especially considering how young she is.
Maj’el’s Youth Makes Her An Even More Fascinating Star Trek: Prodigy Character
A young Vulcan is a first for Star Trek, and it was a gamble that paid off
Vulcans inStar Trekhave traditionally been wise, learned, and highly experienced, often taking on mentor roles. J.J. Abrams’Star Trekreboot trilogy introducedZachary Quinto as a younger Spock, but the Kelvin Timeline-set films still featured Leonard Nimoy as the old and wise Vulcan figurehead. Since age is a huge factor when it comes to Vulcans being respected inStar Trekcanon,I’m glad to see how a young Maj’el can spin that narrativefor both young and old audiences.
Star Trek:Prodigyhas often focused on the struggles of being young and wanting to have fun with being tasked with such important missions.
Like the rest of the maincharacters inStar Trek: Prodigy, Maj’el is a teenager faced with world-ending dilemmas.Star Trek:Prodigyhas often focused on the struggles of being young and wanting to have fun with being tasked with such important missions. Being a teenager comes with fluctuating emotions and complex feelings, even for Vulcans, soI think it’s impressive that the young Nova Squadron member can balance being young and inexperiencedwith the confidence, bravery, and empathy it takes to be an impressive leader—and a good friend.
For decades,Star Trek’s Vulcans have been boxed in by their species' stereotypes, including being emotionless, hard to befriend, and sometimes acting downright cruel, even if they don’t mean to. These tropes have become synonymous with Vulcans, so the franchise seems to have leaned into them to increase recognizability. I think this trend has led to Vulcans becoming predictable and sometimes even unlikable.Star Trek: Prodigy’s Maj’el has become my favorite character by reinventing those stereotypes and depicting a young Vulcan capable of everything an older Vulcan can do—and more.
Star Trek: Prodigy
Cast
Star Trek: Prodigy is the first TV series in the Star Trek franchise marketed toward children, and one of the few animated series in the franchise. The story follows a group of young aliens who find a stolen Starfleet ship and use it to escape from the Tars Lamora prison colony where they are all held captive. Working together with the help of a holographic Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the new crew of the USS Protostar must find their way back to the Alpha Quadrant to warn the Federation of the deadly threat that is pursuing them.
