The Silver Petticoat Review

Romantic Moment of the Week: Spock and Uhura – “What Do You Need?

star trek uhura love interest

Romantic Moment of the Week: Spock and Uhura – “What Do You Need?

THE MOVIE: Star Trek (2009)

THE PAIRING: Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Uhura (Zoe Saldana)

THE MOMENT: Uhura comforts Spock after a tragedy

Most people are familiar with this classic, influential science fiction TV show which featured the adventures of Captain Kirk and his crew as they traveled the universe in the Starship Enterprise. The 2009 film adaptation of the show featured new actors in the iconic roles with some truly inspired casting. This and the new adventure, with some delightful surprises, inject a freshness to this modern mythology which delighted old and new fans.  

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This is one of my favourite Star Trek movies. The relationship between Spock and Uhura and their interactions were a big part of my enjoyment. Zoe Saldana and Zachary Quinto do marvelous jobs in their respective roles, and they have wonderful chemistry. In particular, Quinto is astonishingly good in his portrayal, hinting at the strong emotions of a character whose main philosophy is not to disclose them.

As the film opens, Commander Spock and Cadet Uhura are secretly in a relationship. Spock is particularly concerned that there are no complaints about favouritism since he is Uhura’s superior.

I don’t know how I managed to avoid this spoiler, but I knew nothing about them being together when I first went to see the film. Nothing! And for want of a better word… I freaked out in astonishment and delight when this scene took place. I was shocked and enraptured at the same time.

THE LEAD IN

In this adventure, the crew faces one of their greatest threats. In an act of revenge, a villain named Nero sets off several cataclysmic events which start the process of destroying the planet Vulcan.

Spock, who is in command of the ship at the time, beams down to the doomed planet to rescue some of the revered elders including his mother, Amanda. As the planet collapses around them, they are about to be beamed to safety. The ground gives way under Amanda, and she falls to her death before Spock’s eyes. He is beamed back onto the Enterprise, and the planet Vulcan is annihilated taking millions of Vulcans with it as well.

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As a Vulcan, of course, Spock adheres to the philosophy of controlling emotions and not revealing how he feels, always maintaining calm. Spock is half human and has often been scrutinized by other Vulcans who think he is inferior to them because of his human heritage. Spock, therefore, feels particular that he must maintain his Vulcan reserve. As this romantic moment develops, he has experienced one of the most devastating moments in his life. He has lost his home planet and witnessed the death of millions of Vulcans including his mother who he loved almost more than anyone else.

He returns to the bridge where he updates the Captain’s Log. As he ends his reflections, he says, “While the essence of our culture has been saved in the elders who now reside upon this ship, I estimate no more than 10,000 have survived. I am now a member of an endangered species. ” His voice is steady, embodying Vulcan calm, but we all know he is hurting. We the audience knows that deep inside Spock is passionately emotional. The minuscule pauses in his speech also suggest his inner turmoil.

Abruptly as if he cannot bear it any longer, he gets up and heads toward the lift to leave the bridge.

As he gets up, the camera shows Uhura sitting away to one side of his chair. Clearly, she’s been watching him with deep concern as he makes his log recording. As he heads for the lift, she follows him in and the door closes behind them.

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The romantic moment.

star trek uhura love interest

Spock’s expression is forbidding and cold as he looks at Uhura, but she is not someone who is easily intimidated. She knows him well and suspects his pain. She presses the lift button to stop it from moving, looking up into his face all the time. She’s studying his expression, something she probably has to do a lot to try to read such a stoic person.

star trek uhura love interest

While Spock is expressionless, Uhura is deeply moved and anxious to give him some comfort. “I’m sorry,’ she whispers over and over, as she kisses his lips then his cheek and then hugs him. (Probably standing on her toes to do so as he’s so much taller. I love their height difference!) Clearly, she hopes that her loving touch might bring him comfort. 

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star trek uhura love interest

Her embrace is strong and ardent. “What do you need?” she murmurs. “Tell me.” She pulls away though she still holds his head in her hands. “Tell me.”

Spock looks at her and then presses the button to unlock the lift. It begins moving again. Uhura never takes her eyes off his face.

star trek uhura love interest

“I need everyone to continue performing admirably,” he says. With a character like Spock, we need to be observant of every detail as Uhura is. Spock’s voice lacks his usual firmness. That and the pauses between his words, illustrates the feelings he is trying not to reveal.

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star trek uhura love interest

She searches for words. Realizing that there is nothing further she can do for him, she nods, on the verge of tears. “Ok,” she says.

star trek uhura love interest

She kisses him again, and from this angle, we can see that he is kissing her back. He is not just tolerating her affection as one might expect but reciprocating, but now the lift is slowing to a halt and his gaze moves away from her. He’s retreating from her emotionally again.

star trek uhura love interest

The moment it stops, he immediately walks away without looking back, a lonely figure, leaving Uhura looking after him.

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Unlike most of my favourite romantic moments, this is a scene of deep sadness – not joy. It’s not only because of the terrible tragedy that occurred. While his reserve has many advantages for Spock, it can also isolate him from others – even from the woman he loves. So much is going on under the surface during this short moment when so little is said; it’s oddly one of the most emotional and powerful moments in the movie.

What did everyone think of this scene? Were you as astonished at this Spock/Uhura relationship as I was? I’d love to hear the thoughts of Star Trek fans as well.

 Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures

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I’m from a Caribbean island you should definitely consider visiting (Hint: Trinidad and Tobago). I have a BSc in Mass Communications and an MA in English Literature. I’m a lifelong reader, and I love the classics, fantasy, urban fantasy, YA, historical novels and various combinations of these which might explain why I believe that in some alternate universe, I am The Last Unicorn. When I’m not reading, procrastinating online or watching television and movies in this universe, I’m working as a freelance writer, proof reader and editor. Sometimes I also write about creative things that inspire me on my blog Crossroads of Imagination

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Nyota Uhura

  • View history

Nyota Uhura was a female Human Starfleet officer who served from the mid- 23rd through the early 24th century . Uhura had a distinguished career as a communications officer aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise -A and was later given command of the USS Leondegrance until her retirement . ( Star Trek: The Original Series ; Star Trek: The Animated Series ; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ; Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ; PIC : " The Star Gazer " commemorative plaque )

  • 1 Childhood
  • 2.1 USS Gallant
  • 2.2.1 Captaincy of Christopher Pike
  • 2.2.2.1 2266
  • 2.2.2.2 2267
  • 2.2.2.3 2268
  • 2.2.2.4 2269
  • 2.2.2.5 2270
  • 2.2.3 Captaincy of Will Decker
  • 2.2.4 Captaincy of Spock
  • 2.3 USS Enterprise -A
  • 2.4 USS Leondegrance
  • 3.1 First Contact Day Party
  • 3.2 Malfunctioning holoprogram
  • 3.3 Jam session on the bridge
  • 4.1 Interests
  • 4.2 Talents
  • 4.3.1 Dal R'El's Kobayashi Maru
  • 5.2 Montgomery Scott
  • 6.1 Romulans revealed in 2266
  • 6.2 UEF Enterprise
  • 7 Key dates
  • 8.1 Appearances
  • 8.2.1 Identifying appearances
  • 8.2.2 Name and heritage
  • 8.2.3 Establishing the role
  • 8.2.4 Legacy
  • 8.3 Apocrypha
  • 8.4 Sources
  • 8.5 External links

Childhood [ ]

Sarah April and Uhura, young

Uhura appearing as she would as a child

Nyota Uhura was born in 2237 in Kenya on the continent of Africa on Earth , where she grew up in a village near Lake Simbi Nyaima . ( TOS : " The Savage Curtain "; SNW : " Children of the Comet ", " Those Old Scientists ") She had an aptitude for mathematics and languages. By 2259 , Uhura was fluent in 37 languages, including Andorian , Vulcan , and Swahili as well as 21 other languages spoken in Kenya. ( TOS : " The Man Trap ", " The Changeling ", " Spectre of the Gun "; SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

During her youth, she was able to run the hundred meter dash in record time . ( TAS : " The Slaver Weapon ")

Uhura family photo

Uhura's family photo

Uhura originally intended to attend the University of Nairobi , where both her parents were teachers . However, shortly before the beginning of her studies, her parents and brother were killed in a shuttle accident . She abandoned her original plans as attending the campus was too painful for her. Uhura went to live with her grandmother – who had herself served in Starfleet during her youth – and later followed in her grandmother's footsteps by attending Starfleet Academy . ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ", " Lost in Translation ")

Starfleet career [ ]

While at the Academy, Uhura wrote three papers about famed linguist Hoshi Sato of the Enterprise NX-01 . ( SNW : " Those Old Scientists ")

USS Gallant [ ]

Uhura would serve aboard the USS Gallant prior to her assignment to the USS Enterprise as a cadet . For Starfleet Remembrance Day in 2259 , she wore a pin memorializing the crewmates she had lost from this ship. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")

USS Enterprise [ ]

Captaincy of christopher pike [ ].

Cadet Uhura's first Starfleet assignment on space duty began in 2259 when she was assigned to the USS Enterprise on communications rotation duty under Captain Christopher Pike , who described her as a " prodigy ". ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ") In spite of this, she was concerned about whether Starfleet was the right choice for her and if she could handle the duties required of her. ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

Her first away mission occurred shortly thereafter, when she landed on the comet C/2260-Quentin along with Spock , La'an Noonien-Singh , and George Samuel Kirk , in an effort to prevent the comet's collision with the planet Persephone III . She was assigned to the away team due to the discovery of an artificial structure within the comet; it was hoped that her knowledge of linguistics , like Kirk's expertise in xenoanthropology , would assist in understanding its nature and averting the threat. After Kirk was severely injured and the away team was trapped, Uhura was called upon to decipher the markings on the surface of an egg-like object within the structure. Despite her misgivings and insecurity in the dangerous situation, she was inspired by a pep talk from Spock to rise to the occasion. When she hummed the Kenyan traditional song Vamuvamba as she worked, the away team realized that the structure was responding to her music . She then used her musical talent to attempt to communicate with it. After the mission, she analyzed the structure's musical response and discovered that it had precognitive ability. ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

The Enterprise 's chief engineer, Hemmer , would take Uhura under his wing and question her about her path in life – a question she didn't have an answer for. He reminded her of his late father, who had also pushed her to see things differently. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ", " All Those Who Wander ")

While assigned to Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh she impressed the strict chief of security with her diligence and ingenuity. ( SNW : , " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach ")

When an alien consciousness from the Jonisian Nebula brought the fairy tale The Kingdom of Elysian to life on the Enterprise , Uhura was used for the character of Queen Neve . Uhura didn't remember the events after the ship was returned to normal. ( SNW : " The Elysian Kingdom ")

When Uhura's assignment on the Enterprise was nearing its end, she was still unsure if she should remain in Starfleet or not. She was then part of a mission to the USS Peregrine , which had made a crash landing on Valeo Beta V and was confronted by young Gorn who hunted the landing party. When Hemmer was infected by Gorn eggs and sacrificed himself for his comrades, he encouraged Uhura to open herself up to others and remain in Starfleet.

At his funeral, she acknowledged how much Hemmer meant to her and by guiding her, he had succeeded in his life goal of "fixing what was broken". ( SNW : " All Those Who Wander ")

Nyota Uhura, 2259

Ensign Uhura

In the months that followed, Uhura graduated from the Academy and was commissioned as an ensign and continued to serve aboard the Enterprise . ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ")

During the Enterprise mission to the Brannon's Nebula , Uhura was contacted by a newly discovered species of extragalactic lifeform that lived there. ( SNW : " Lost in Translation ")

Sometime early in her career she once performed the delicate work of rigging a subspace bypass circuit , a fact she noted years later when she attempted to perform such a task aboard the Enterprise . ( TOS : " Who Mourns for Adonais? ")

Captaincy of James Kirk [ ]

After Pike's promotion to fleet captain , Captain James T. Kirk assumed command of the Enterprise in 2265 , with Uhura remaining for the transition. In the years that followed, she proved to be a proficient technician and was considered by Captain Kirk to be a capable and reliable bridge officer , manning the helm , navigation , and main science station when the need arose. ( TOS : " The Man Trap ", " The Naked Time ", " Balance of Terror ", " The Galileo Seven ", " Whom Gods Destroy ")

Nyota Uhura, 2266 (command)

Lieutenant Uhura in 2266

In 2266 , Lieutenant Uhura was a command division staff officer aboard the USS Enterprise . She was the department head of the communications section . ( TOS : " The Corbomite Maneuver ", " Mudd's Women ")

Later that year, Uhura permanently transferred to the operations division .

On stardate 1672.1, before taking a brief on-board ship sabbatical, Uhura's voice was heard ship wide reminding her fellow crew members to file their accurate " time sheets via the communications department." ( TOS : " The Enemy Within ")

Sulu confronts Richelieu

Uhura taken under the "protection" of Sulu in 2266

On stardate 1704.2, Enterprise navigator Lieutenant Kevin Riley , while under the influence of the Psi 2000 polywater intoxication , left his post at navigation and Commander Spock assigned her to the station until Lieutenant Brent relieved her from that duty later the same day.

On stardate 1704.3, Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu , also under the influence of the polywater intoxication, fantasizing himself a musketeer, took Uhura under his "protection" before first officer Spock subdued him with a Vulcan nerve pinch . ( TOS : " The Naked Time ")

Uhura loses her singing voice

Uhura loses her singing voice

On stardate 1533.7, Uhura was singing in the crew lounge with Spock's Vulcan lyre accompanying her for a song she made up about Charlie Evans , " Oh, On the Starship Enterprise ", when Charlie suddenly decided to literally take away Uhura's voice and stop Spock from playing the Vulcan lyre, because he wanted undivided attention from his love interest, Yeoman Janice Rand . Uhura then nearly choked on her own voice.

Uhura's communication console explodes

Uhura's communication console explodes

On stardate 1535.8, to keep Uhura from opening hailing frequencies to Starfleet Command to warn them about Charlie, Charlie caused electrical sparks to emit from the communications console, giving her second degree burns on her hands and causing her fall to the floor near her station. Fortunately, Dr. McCoy came with a medical bag and ointment for her hands. Charlie was ultimately taken from the Enterprise by the Thasians, who returned him to their homeworld. ( TOS : " Charlie X ")

On stardate 1709.1, Uhura also took over the navigation post when Lieutenant Stiles was needed elsewhere on the ship during the confrontation with the Romulans near the Neutral Zone . ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

Uhura informs Kirk and Ferris of habitable planet

Uhura, as acting science officer, discovers a Class M planet

In 2267 , from stardate 2821.5 to 2823.1, while the Enterprise shuttlecraft Galileo was studying the Murasaki 312 quasar , it was lost and then crashed on an uncharted planet . Because Spock was the commander of that mission and was not on the Enterprise , Uhura took lead in the search for the missing Galileo and took over at the bridge 's science station, as well as still helping at communications relieving Lieutenant Brent at sciences. Uhura discovered the planet Taurus II that the Galileo had crashed on. After Spock and the four other surviving crew members were found and rescued, Uhura was happy to allow Spock the science station back under his command. ( TOS : " The Galileo Seven ")

She was one of a few officers privileged to dine at a banquet arranged at the request of Lieutenant Marla McGivers for Khan Noonien Singh on stardate 3141.9.

When Khan later cut life support to the bridge, Kirk listed the names of bridge personnel to be recorded for commendations . Before Kirk ran out of air, he was able to include Uhura in that list.

Afterwards, Uhura was assembled along with several officers in the briefing room , when one of Khan's henchmen forcefully grabbed Uhura by the arm and shoved her into a chair located in front of a computer terminal. When Uhura resisted obeying Khan's orders, the henchman slapped Uhura across the face. ( TOS : " Space Seed ")

On stardate 3417.4, Uhura, under the influence of pod plant spores from the planet Omicron Ceti III , disobeyed direct orders from Captain Kirk, for the first and only time, and disabled the communications console aboard the Enterprise to only allow communications between the ship and the planet. She then left her post and her ship, to join other crew members on Omicron Ceti III. When Uhura was freed of the influence of the spores, she re-enabled the communications console to normal. ( TOS : " This Side of Paradise ")

Crew observes the american revolution

Uhura as part of landing party that discovered the Guardian of Forever

Later that year, Uhura was part of the landing party that beamed down to the Guardian of Forever planet to find Dr. Leonard McCoy , who was in a wild state of mind due to an accidental overdose of cordrazine . Uhura was the first one of the landing party to notice that they had lost contact with the Enterprise . This was due to the fact that Dr. McCoy had run into the Guardian of Forever altering the timeline and erasing the Enterprise and everything the landing party knew becoming nonexistent. This was the only time where Uhura actually admitted to someone, specifically Captain Kirk, that she was truly frightened (without being under an influence of an alien force taking control of her mind). Fortunately after Kirk and Spock went through the Guardian of Forever and then came back from the past with Dr. McCoy they restored the time line and the existence of the Enterprise . ( TOS : " The City on the Edge of Forever ")

Uhura rewiring the communication circuits

Uhura rewiring the communication circuits

Following a communications blackout caused by Apollo , jamming all communication frequencies between the Enterprise and her landing party on stardate 3468.1, Uhura attempted the delicate task of rewiring the entire communications system in an attempt to break through the interference. In conjunction with Sulu's rigging of all transmission circuits for maximum power generation, Uhura successfully connected the bypass circuit, a task she had not done in several years. Spock praised her work and could think of "no one better equipped" to handle the necessary repairs. ( TOS : " Who Mourns for Adonais? ")

Nomad wipes Uhuras memory

Uhura having her memories erased by the probe Nomad

Perhaps Uhura's most traumatic experience during her time aboard the Enterprise occurred on stardate 3541.9. On this date, Uhura had her memory wiped out by the space probe Nomad , which misinterpreted her singing of " Beyond Antares " as a biological malfunction. This assault required Dr. McCoy to use advanced medical and educational techniques to restore her memories. ( TOS : " The Changeling ")

Uhura distracts Hikaru Sulu (mirror)

Uhura distracts the mirror universe Sulu

Later, Kirk, McCoy, and Montgomery Scott relied heavily on Uhura to help them after a transporter accident caused the four of them to be trapped in a violent and ruthless mirror universe run by the Terran Empire . They relied heavily on Uhura for her skills at communications and to distract the parallel universe's Lieutenant Sulu , the head of security on the ISS Enterprise , by spurning him, flirting with him and then spurning him, again, so he would not see what the four of them were doing to get back to their universe, which successfully they did. ( TOS : " Mirror, Mirror ")

Near the end of 2267, Uhura was reluctant to testify against Kirk, at an on-board hearing in the briefing room , but was forced to do so and could unfortunately only agree with Commodore Stocker that when Kirk was suffering from the rapid aging he was not anywhere near his best. This unfortunate incident for Uhura started on stardate 3479.4 when Kirk ordered Uhura to send a coded message to Starfleet and to use code 2 since the Enterprise in orbit around Gamma Hydra IV was close to the Romulan Neutral Zone. When Uhura reminded Kirk that the Romulans had already broken code 2, a befuddled Kirk ordered her to use code 3 and to relay the information about the rogue comet that Spock (also suffering the rapid aging) had discovered earlier and that was strongly suspected may have spread the radiation that started the rapid aging. Luckily for Uhura, the rest of the crew, and the Enterprise , McCoy (also suffering from the rapid aging) discovered an adrenaline based cure for the rapid aging before Stocker nearly got the ship destroyed by the Romulans. ( TOS : " The Deadly Years ")

Uhura and Harry Mudd

Uhura with Harcourt Fenton Mudd

In 2268 , on stardate 4513.3, the ship was hijacked by Norman to a previously undiscovered planet, the Enterprise 's crew discovered that Harcourt Fenton Mudd had crashed on the planet. The planet was populated by androids , from the Andromeda Galaxy , who wished to use the Enterprise to visit other planets and strand the Enterprise crew there. The androids tempted Uhura with long life and to never grow old by having her consciousness transferred to an android body, offering her virtual immortality. In the end, the crew banded together and escaped the planet, leaving Mudd with five hundred android replicas of his overbearing wife, Stella . ( TOS : " I, Mudd ")

Uhura giving away tribbles

Uhura giving away tribbles

On stardate 4523.3, while on shore leave aboard Deep Space Station K-7 , Uhura met a dealer named Cyrano Jones , who tried to sell rare galactic items, among them, furry little creatures Jones called tribbles . In hopes of more sales, Jones gave one to Uhura, which subsequently, due to their high reproduction rate, threatened to overrun the Enterprise when Uhura took the creature with her on board. Fortunately, the crew was able to find a way to dispose of the tribbles in a humane way. ( TOS : " The Trouble with Tribbles "; DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations ")

From stardate 4040.7 to 4041.7, during the Enterprise 's mission to Planet 892-IV , Uhura monitored the radio broadcasts , she explained to Kirk and Spock what they had misheard as " sun worship " was actually "son worship", as in the " Son of God ", and what they were witnessing was the equivalent of that planet's birth of Christianity . ( TOS : " Bread and Circuses ")

On stardate 3211.8, Uhura was the victim of an attempted sexual assault . When she, Kirk, and Chekov were kidnapped and imprisoned by the Providers of the planet Triskelion , Uhura fought off the advances of the drill thrall Lars with a water pitcher. ( TOS : " The Gamesters of Triskelion ")

When the Enterprise encountered a giant space amoeba in 2268, Lt. Uhura was one of the officers named by Captain Kirk as deserving of "special citation", along with Cmdr. Spock, Montgomery Scott, Dr. Leonard McCoy, Pavel Chekov, and Lt. Kyle . ( TOS : " The Immunity Syndrome ")

Uhura neutralized into an inert solid

In 2268 on stardate 4657.5, Uhura was on the bridge when the Kelvan Hanar suddenly transported himself on to the bridge. Uhura, along with the rest of the bridge crew, was put into temporary stasis by Hanar. This was when the Kelvan Milky Way Expedition attempted to hijack the Enterprise to return to their homeworld in the Andromeda Galaxy. On stardate 4658.9, Kelvan leader Rojan neutralized and reduced Uhura into a dehydrated porous cuboctahedron solid , the size of a Human fist, composed of Uhura's base minerals which represented the "distilled" essence of her being. Uhura was considered by the Kelvans as one of many non-essential members of personnel. Uhura was reconstituted after Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty, the only four crew members not neutralized, regained control of the Enterprise . ( TOS : " By Any Other Name ")

On stardate 4770.3, the essence of the alien Henoch , in possession of Spock's body, terrorized the whole bridge crew, inflicting tremendous pain on Uhura with a flick of Spock's hand. Uhura managed to survive and rose above the pain inflicted by Henoch. ( TOS : " Return to Tomorrow ")

When the Enterprise was temporarily placed under the control of the M-5 multitronic unit as part of an experiment by Doctor Richard Daystrom on stardate 4729.4, Uhura was one of twenty officers selected by the computer to operate the starship during the series of M-5 drills . Most of her duties were accomplished by M-5, and when its became clear that the unit was becoming increasingly dangerous, she was unable to override the interference it caused, but was able to tap into the communiques between Starfleet Command and the USS Lexington . ( TOS : " The Ultimate Computer ")

On stardate 4372.5, the Enterprise was assigned to transport Elaan , Dohlman of Elas to the planet Troyius , Uhura offered Elaan her quarters to stay in while traveling on board the Enterprise . While the Dohlman was dissatisfied with them, Kirk appreciated her sacrifice in offering them. When Kirk confronted the Dohlman about her complaints, he explained that " my communications officer generously vacated the rooms hoping you would find it satisfactory, " which she did not, primarily due to it being too plush. After Kirk denied Elaan request for better quarters, noting that none better existed, he offered to "arrange to have the whole room filled from floor to ceiling with breakable objects ," as a means of getting her the gratification she sought. ( TOS : " Elaan of Troyius ")

Uhura's fear of being old

An image planted by the Starnes Exploration Party children in Uhura's mind, of her seeing her own worst fear of being an old woman

On stardate 5029.5, the Starnes Exploration Party children, under the influence of Gorgan , terrorized the whole bridge crew with their telekinetic powers, including creating an illusion of Uhura's worst fear: a reflection of herself as a disfigured, diseased, dying, old woman. The illusion made it impossible for Uhura to perform her duties as communications officer. Once the children were freed of the influence of Gorgan, the image planted in her brain, making her see an illusion on the communications console, disappeared, freeing Uhura. ( TOS : " And the Children Shall Lead ")

Later in 2268, on stardate 5431.4, Uhura was rendered unconscious by the Eymorg Kara when she boarded the Enterprise and used her control bracelet in order to steal Spock's brain. Later, following her recovery, Kirk trusted Uhura's finding large, regular energy pulsations on the otherwise glaciated and pre-industrial Sigma Draconis VI as to the planet in that system to find Spock's missing brain over Sulu's and Ensign Pavel Chekov 's suggestions of which planet to search for Spock's brain. Uhura's guess proved to be the correct one. ( TOS : " Spock's Brain ")

Kirk's memorial service

Uhura ( first row, third from left ) attends Kirk's memorial service

Again in 2268, Uhura, after attending Kirk's memorial service , was the first one of the crew to see the ghost-like image of Kirk in a mirror in her quarters. Kirk was trapped in the interphase Tholian space aboard the USS Defiant . For a short time after, Uhura thought she might be suffering from the ill mental effects of the interphase as many of her fellow crew members were. But after Scotty, McCoy, Brent, and Spock saw the ghost-like image of the interphase trapped Kirk, McCoy determined that Uhura was completely sane. ( TOS : " The Tholian Web ")

Uhura and Kirk kiss

Kirk and Uhura about to kiss

On stardate 5784.2, under the influence of powerful telepaths, Uhura was forced to kiss Captain Kirk; Kirk stopped the aliens from forcing him to torture Uhura. ( TOS : " Plato's Stepchildren ")

On stardate 5710.6, Uhura was the first one on the bridge to notice the "disappearance" of Kirk after he sipped some of the Scalosian water spiked coffee , courtesy of Deela , while hyper-accelerated Kirk up to the Scalosians speed. Later, she accidentally touched the tape button from the previous Scalosian distress call , which called up an image of Deela on the viewscreen , but Kirk inquired if it was indeed not a malfunction, which Uhura comfirmed. ( TOS : " Wink of an Eye ")

Also in 2268, Uhura had trouble making Spock comprehend that she was inquiring about what happened to the Enterprise from the turbulence caused by the image of Losira appearing in the transporter room to protect the Kalandan outpost planet. She had to laugh at Spock commenting about his head hitting the captain's chair when she made the inquiry and then she had to rephrase the question. ( TOS : " That Which Survives ")

Near the end of 2268, Uhura immediately ran to the bridge's main science station after an explosion on the far side of planet Elba II had Scotty and Sulu registering it as a 9.5 earthquake . Just as with Scotty and McCoy, Uhura was as concerned about whether life still remained on Elba II as Kirk and Spock were at the Elba II asylum penal colony. Fortunately Uhura, McCoy, and Scotty's fears about Kirk and Spock being dead turned out to be unfounded. ( TOS : " Whom Gods Destroy ")

On stardate 5423.6, Uhura agreed with McCoy and Scotty that Spock should stand his ground – with Spock starting to concur with them – that he wouldn't let the evasive answers of or behavior from Ambassador Hodin , of the planet Gideon 's Council , about what happened to the missing Kirk or Admiral Fitzgerald 's trying to get Spock from insisting on getting true answers about the whereabouts of Kirk . ( TOS : " The Mark of Gideon ")

On stardate 5725.3, Uhura temporarily lost her ability to move her hands and could not open hailing frequencies to contact the Memory Alpha library when the Enterprise encountered the "lights of Zetar " beings. ( TOS : " The Lights of Zetar ")

Later in 2269, on stardate 5843.8, Uhura was miniaturized and placed into temporary stasis by Flint . After Kirk's successful plea, she was restored to normal. ( TOS : " Requiem for Methuselah ")

On stardate 5221.3, Uhura picked up a strange radio signal from a long-abandoned insectoid race's ship orbiting the dead star Questar M-17 . After Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Scotty beamed back aboard the Enterprise from investigating the abandoned ship, the crew discovered they had also beamed aboard the same malevolent entity that had caused the insectoids' ship's abandonment. The crew, including Uhura, were temporarily taken hostage by the entity, until Kirk managed to trick it into leaving the ship and go live around Questar M-17's orbit. Scotty then used a slingshot effect to break the Enterprise free from Questar M-17's orbit. As they were leaving the stellar cluster that Questar M-17 was located in, Uhura, on stardate 5221.8, picked up one last signal from the entity, announcing it was "lonely, very lonely...." ( TAS : " Beyond the Farthest Star ")

Uhura threatens Dara

Uhura takes charge on the planet

In 2269 on stardate 5483.7, the male Enterprise crew was incapacitated by the "siren's song" of the second planet of the Taurean system 's female population , necessitating Uhura to take command of the ship. She and Nurse Christine Chapel led an all female landing party to rescue Captain Kirk, first officer Spock and Dr. McCoy. ( TAS : " The Lorelei Signal ")

On stardate 1254.4, as the Enterprise was exploring the galactic core , the ship and its crew became caught in a matter-energy whirlwind and were thrown into an alternate universe . In that universe, the crew met a being who called himself " Lucien ". Lucien claimed that he had, at one-time, been on Earth and had met Humans before. Lucien also claimed that the Enterprise crew could perform magic in the alternate universe, with the crew being very surprised when they could. Unfortunately, Lucien's fellow Megans were not thrilled to discover that the Enterprise crew was doing just that. The Megans transported the whole crew to planet Megas-Tu and promptly put all of them, including Uhura, into 17th century style pillories, as punishment. The crew, including Uhura, were in the Megans' interpretation of 1691 Salem and were put on a similar Salem witch trial , nearly put to death courtesy of Megan Asmodeus ' prosecuting legal tactics. Fortunately, Spock, as a Vulcan defense counselor, pleaded successfully for the crew's release in that Humanity had grown away from the hatred, fear and bigotry of 1691. ( TAS : " The Magicks of Megas-Tu ")

Uhura held hostage by the Shore Leave's Planet's master computer

Uhura held hostage by the Shore Leave Planet's master computer

On stardate 5591.2, Uhura suffered the first of two assaults by a computer. Kirk took the Enterprise and its crew to the " Shore Leave Planet " in the Omicron Delta region for much-needed rest and relaxation. But unaware to the crew, the planet's Keeper had died since their last visit and the planet's master computer suffered from what amounted to its version of a mental breakdown. One of the many violations of its original protocol the planet's master computer did was to kidnap Uhura. While being held hostage in the planet's computer core, Uhura found out that the master computer decided it was time to free the individuals on the fellow computer, the Enterprise , from their being a slave to their master. Uhura reasoned with the computer and convinced the master computer that the Humans on board the Enterprise did not have that kind of relationship and, with the Humans on board needing rest and relaxation, the planet's computer itself was not being taken advantage of – but that was useful and needed purpose for it. That worked, eventually, to get the master computer to go back to its protocols, and to cease its hostile actions against the Enterprise crew. That talk also made much easier Spock's later work with the master computer to make sure something like that did not happen again, on the "Shore Leave Planet". ( TAS : " Once Upon a Planet ")

On stardate 5577.7, Uhura and the rest of the Enterprise crew were paralyzed from a flash of light coming from a planet in the Cepheus star system, after Uhura received a distress signal using a 21st century intersat code with the word " terratin " attached. The flash of light ended up shrinking Uhura and the rest of the crew to fingernail length, at one-sixteenth of an inch high. Uhura and the rest of the crew were restored to normal size via the transporter as the mutated descendants of the lost Terra 10 colony were rescued and relocated from the unstable planet. ( TAS : " The Terratin Incident ")

On stardate 5267.2, when the Enterprise went through the " Delta Triangle " space-time warp, Uhura, along with the rest of the crew, suffered from temporary vertigo . ( TAS : " The Time Trap ")

In 2269, on stardate 4187.3, Uhura was on the Enterprise shuttlecraft Copernicus , traveling with Spock and Sulu, when the Slaver stasis box they had on-board indicated the existence of another stasis box on an uncharted icy planet in the Beta Lyrae system. Uhura, Spock and Sulu discovered, in the second box, a weapon of great power. When the Kzinti traveling on the Traitor's Claw found out that the three Enterprise crew members were on the planet with such a newly discovered Slaver stasis box, they twice kidnapped Uhura and the Chuft-Captain held her hostage . Spock and Sulu were able to free Uhura by discovering new settings on the weapon, settings that tricked the Kzinti. ( TAS : " The Slaver Weapon ")

In 2270 , Uhura was again temporarily in command of the bridge when the Enterprise lost contact with Kirk and Spock, half of the ships' contact party , while exploring the surface of Delta Theta III . Per Kirk's orders of avoiding unnecessary risks, she ordered Scotty and Sulu, the other half of the contact party, to re-board the ship, contrary to their attempt to locate Spock and the captain. ( TAS : " Bem ")

Rec Room - The Blizzard

Uhura, McCoy, and Sulu caught in a vicious blizzard

In 2270, on stardate 3183.3, Uhura dealt with the second assault by a computer. This time, the assault came from the Enterprise computer. Captain Kirk, to hide the ship from an attacking Romulan ship, took the Enterprise into a space cloud, not realizing that this would turn the ship's computer into a practical joker, and there were several jokes played on many crew members. To get away from the practical jokes, not realizing that the computer was the cause of the jokes, Uhura, McCoy, and Sulu decided to get themselves away from the practical jokes in the holographic recreation room . The computer first played a "practical joke" on the three of them by trapping them in a deep hole in a forest. When a security search party could not find them, the Enterprise computer's practical joker went further and trapped Uhura, McCoy, and Sulu in a raging blizzard that none of the three asked for. Fortunately, all three were found and saved, before they froze to death, by a second successful security search party. Another trip through the cloud rid the Enterprise computer of the practical joker. ( TAS : " The Practical Joker ")

Later in 2270, on stardate 5275.6, Uhura collapsed on the bridge due to the effect of the Dramia II plague . Fortunately, Dr. McCoy was able to find a cure to rescue her and the rest of the infected crew. This was the final illness Uhura suffered from during the Enterprise 's historic five-year mission. ( TAS : " Albatross ")

On stardate 6770.3, upon entering an anti-matter universe , the Enterprise crew experienced the effects of accelerated reverse aging and Uhura also was reduced to infancy. After returning the ship to normal space, the crew was able to return to their normal age by using the transporters. ( TAS : " The Counter-Clock Incident ")

Captaincy of Will Decker [ ]

Nyota Uhura, 2270s

Lt. Commander Uhura in the 2270s

In the mid- 2270s , Lieutenant Commander Uhura served aboard the refitted Enterprise under the command of Captain Will Decker , and later during the V'ger crisis under the command of Rear Admiral Kirk. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Captaincy of Spock [ ]

During the mid- 2280s , Uhura remained aboard the Enterprise , which was then attached to Starfleet Training Command , where it served as a training vessel under the commander of Captain Spock.

In March 2285 , Uhura, who was by that time promoted to commander , was a participant in Saavik 's Kobayashi Maru scenario at Starfleet Training Command . After the scenario, she served aboard the Enterprise under the command of Captain Spock.

Later, she was one of the ship's communications officers for a three week training cruise. Upon receiving a call for help from Regula I , Starfleet Command ordered an investigation by the Enterprise . With Rear Admiral Kirk assuming command, the cruise was cut short. The Enterprise became involved with Project Genesis and Khan Noonien Singh's attempt to steal the Genesis Device . Eventually, Kirk was able to stop Khan, but not before the latter had wrought extensive damage upon the Enterprise , requiring Captain Spock to sacrifice his life to save the ship. Uhura attended the funeral of Spock. ( Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

Uhura with phaser, 2285

Uhura performs her part in Kirk's theft of the Enterprise

Following the return of the Enterprise to Spacedock, Uhura had requested an assignment to the Old City Station transporter room . During the planned rescue attempt of Spock from the Genesis Planet , Uhura played an instrumental role of illegally transporting Admiral Kirk and company to the Enterprise prior to its theft. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock )

Kirk and his senior staff succeeded in saving Spock, and Uhura met up with her crewmates on Vulcan . Along with the rest of the crew she traveled back to the year 1986 aboard a Klingon Bird-of-Prey – which they named the HMS Bounty – to retrieve two humpback whales to save the planet Earth from an alien probe .

Uhura Chekov collector

Uhura and Chekov extracting protons from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise

After arriving in the 20th century , Uhura quickly located whale song coming from San Francisco .

Upon landing, she and Chekov were assigned with resolving "the uranium problem" that impeded their return to the own time. From San Francisco the two questioned a number of passersby on how to find the naval base in Alameda . That night they beamed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise stationed there and acquired the required high-energy photons from its reactor core . Uhura narrowly escaped with the collector in hand, but Chekov was captured.

Uhura monitored the local comm channels, but displayed regret for leaving Chekov behind; Kirk assured her that she did what was necessary. She eventually located him at Mercy Hospital , and following his rescue and their departure, she directed the Bird-of-Prey towards George and Gracie , after locating their signal in the Bering Sea .

Upon their return to the 23rd century, she was among the crew charged with her involvement – specifically conspiracy – in the theft of the Enterprise . However, all charges against them were dropped because they had saved the planet. She and her crew were subsequently reassigned to the USS Enterprise -A . ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

USS Enterprise -A [ ]

Nyota Uhura performs on Nimbus III

Uhura seduces the Paradise City Guards in the desert on Nimbus III

In 2287 , the Enterprise was dispatched to resolve a hostage situation on Nimbus III , the Planet of Galactic Peace. Under the influence of the rebel leader Sybok , Uhura, and many other crew members cooperated to divert the Enterprise to the galactic core where Sybok convinced them they would find the mythical Sha Ka Ree . In an initial attack on the rebel-held Paradise City , Uhura played a vital part by performing an erotic, moonlit fan dance on a sand dune to distract a lookout party of rebels. Her dance seduced the entire party and they were captured by Kirk and his team in order to steal their horses which they used to enter Paradise City. ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

Pavel Chekov and Nyota Uhura, 2293

Uhura with Chekov in 2293

In 2293 , Uhura was three months from standing down as the communications officer of the Enterprise-A . Before the Camp Khitomer crisis, she had expected to chair a seminar at Starfleet Academy . During the crisis, Uhura served as communications officer of the Enterprise -A. The Enterprise crew played a vital role in the success of the Khitomer Conference by exposing a conspiracy that sought to sabotage the peace process. ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )

USS Leondegrance [ ]

Sometime after the Enterprise -A was decommissioned, Uhura was promoted to Captain and given command of the USS Leondegrance . From 2301 to 2305 , Uhura and the Leondegrance carried out a five-year mission to the Lesser Magellanic Cloud , and participated in over one hundred first contact missions with the civilizations encountered there. Following the five-year mission, the Leondegrance became an Academy training ship in 2317 , with Uhura retaining command until her retirement in 2333 . During that time, many Academy cadets experienced faster-than-light travel for the first time under Uhura's command; one of these was a young Jean-Luc Picard . ( PIC : " Remembrance " Speed of Light Club certificate ; PIC : " The Star Gazer " commemorative plaque )

By the 25th century , Uhura would be honored by having a ship named after her, the USS Uhura . ( PIC : " The Star Gazer ")

Anything but canon scenarios [ ]

First contact day party.

Nyota Uhura (Holiday Party)

Uhura at the First Contact Day party

According to an anything but canon account, Uhura was present along with Hemmer , Spock , Una Chin-Riley , Christine Chapel and others at a First Contact Day celebration on the Enterprise.

Although the captain originally assigned Hemmer to emcee this event, he turned it over to Spock , who might have a better idea of what to do since he's technically both Human and Vulcan . After all, First Contact day was all about first contact between those two species .

Spock then begins by playing a variety of bloopers from a blooper reel that he compiled together. These bloopers were very much offensive, since they resulted in the deaths of various Starfleet officers . This was upsetting to the other crewmembers . Uhura even told him that bloopers shouldn't have an in memoriam .

She goes onto explain that a blooper should be about a person walking into a door and slamming into it because it failed to open automatically like it's designed to do, or someone accidentally mispronouncing " Spock " as " Spork ." Inspired by her words , he decides to try one last clip, which featured an ensign who had space diarrhea running through the corridor along a freshly mopped floor . He slips and and rams his genitals into the mop and then farts . Uhura then tells Spock that this clip was perfect. ( VST : " Holiday Party ")

Malfunctioning holoprogram

Nyota Uhura (Holograms All the Way Down)

Uhura hologram 1

Nyota Uhura (Holograms All the Way Down) 2

Uhura hologram 2

According to an unreliable and unverified account, two different holograms of Uhura were present in the narrative of a nonsensical or malfunctioning holoprogram .

The first version of Nyota Uhura to appear in this program appeared alongside her fellow crewmate , Hikaru Sulu . They were shown to be in the rec room in Area 39 of the USS Enterprise . They were running a program about Gwyndala , Zero and Rok-Tahk . Sulu was annoyed with the nonsensical nature of the program, and he stopped the program, saying that he was sick of the nonsense. He and Uhura then began to leave the rec room, but the were frozen in place when Saru called out to the computer , saying: "Computer, end simulation ."

Uhura appeared in the same malfunctioning holoprogram later on during the program. This time it began on as a scene on the USS Voyager , where Neelix was watching a holonovel on his PADD . He finally decides that he's seen enough silly stories for one night , and so he puts his PADD down, and lies down, going to sleep . The scene turns quiet for a second, until the voice of Charles Tucker III could be heard trying to pause the playback .

Then the shocking reveal, was that he wasn't really Tucker at all, but just a head on a holographic five-headed monster . The other four heads were holographic images of the heads of William T. Riker , T'Pol and Spock . Uhura's head was likewise part of the holo-monster. This time the computer itself calls out to pause the program, and the holographic monster was frozen in place. ( VST : " Holograms All the Way Down ")

Jam session on the bridge

Nyota Uhura on the viewscreen

Uhura on the viewscreen

In another anything but canon account, there was a party on the bridge of the Enterprise in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the TOS era crew 's cartoon show .

To celebrate, William T. Riker brought his trombone and Hikaru Sulu brought his keyboard , so that they could play some Post Mainframe Acid-Cardassian Ten Forwardcore music . As they began their song , other band members joined in. Scotty played the drums , Arex was on the double guitar , M'Ress played the tambourine and D'Vana Tendi provided backup vocals .

Clips from the animated series were shown on screen during their song . Uhura could be seen at her communications station at one point. Eventually, the song ends when a fleet of D7 class Klingon battle cruisers attack the ship , causing an explosion on the bridge . ( VST : " Walk, Don't Run ")

Personal life [ ]

Interests [ ].

Uhura, off-duty in her quarters

Uhura off-duty in her quarters

Uhura was proud of her African heritage. In fact, she decorated her personal living quarters aboard the Enterprise with a zebra -skin bedspread, some African sculptures and masks, and wall panels containing African images. ( TOS : " The Tholian Web ")

After Uhura offered her quarters for Elaan in 2268, the offended Dohlman referenced her treatment by being placed in Uhura's quarters, complaining " am I a soft Troyian fawn to need pillows to sit on? " Her review of Uhura's decor was, " and these ridiculous female trappings. They are an offense to my eyes . " When Elaan later questioned if Kirk was going to fulfill her request for new quarters, Kirk replied, " There are none better. I suggest you make do with these. " ( TOS : " Elaan of Troyius ")

Talents [ ]

Uhura was also talented in music , and had a " bad habit " of humming . In 2259 , however, her humming of the Kenyan folk song " Vamuvamba " led to the serendipitous discovery that the M'hanit communicated through music. On this occasion she also used her knowledge of musical theory to benefit the mission. ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

She was well-known among her fellow Enterprise colleagues for entertaining them with her singing talent, including her own renditions of songs, such as " Oh, On the Starship Enterprise ". ( TOS : " Charlie X ")

One of Uhura's favorite love songs to sing was the song " Beyond Antares ". She chose the song in response to a request made by Kevin Riley, who was on duty alone in engineering , and who wanted to be reassured that he was not the only living thing left in the universe. ( TOS : " The Conscience of the King ") She also sang it while on bridge duty the following year. Her performance led to the incident that triggering Nomad 's assault on her. ( TOS : " The Changeling ")

She also hummed a tune while she relaxed planet-side during the Enterprise ' second visit to the Shore Leave Planet. ( TAS : " Once Upon a Planet ")

Holograms [ ]

Dal r'el's kobayashi maru [ ].

Nyota Uhura (Kobayashi Maru hologram)

A holographic Uhura

During Dal 's setup of the Kobayashi Maru scenario aboard the USS Protostar in 2383 , he requested that the computer select the best officers on his behalf, which included a holographic version of Communications Officer Uhura, from the TOS era , as a member of his command crew. ( PRO : " Kobayashi ")

Relationships [ ]

Spock brought back to life

Spock reunited with his shipmates

Throughout their years of serving together, Uhura developed a strong friendship with the other members of the Enterprise senior staff. In 2285 , she helped Kirk without hesitation in his quest to find peace for Spock 's katra . When the other crew members had recovered Spock's body from the Genesis Planet, Uhura had been waiting for them on Vulcan and witnessed the fal-tor-pan ritual being performed on Spock. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock )

Spock and Uhura make music

Spock and Uhura make music together in the recreation room

Near the beginning of her service aboard the Enterprise , Uhura attempted to reach the Human side of Spock.

On stardate 1513.1, she tried to start a conversation with a sardonic Spock and asked him how Vulcan looked when its moon was full. When Spock mentioned to her that Vulcan has no moon, she expressed little surprise at his lack of romanticism. She was also amazed that Spock lacked any curiosity with regard to the identity of a dead officer on planet M-113 . ( TOS : " The Man Trap ")

Soon afterward, when Charles Evans was aboard the Enterprise , Uhura and Spock entertained the crew together in the recreation room on stardate 1533.6. With Spock on the Vulcan harp , Uhura sang two versions of the improvised song Oh, On the Starship Enterprise , one about Spock, the second about Evans (which caused Evans to make her temporarily lose her voice). ( TOS : " Charlie X ")

In the alternate reality , Uhura and Spock became romantically involved. ( Star Trek )

Montgomery Scott [ ]

Montgomery Scott and Nyota Uhura, 2267

Scotty and Uhura (2267)

In 2287 , Uhura and Montgomery Scott were to take shore leave together. As Scott was unable to leave the Enterprise -A, she brought him dinner . Later, she began to show some romantic interest in Scott while being under the influence of Sybok. Scott, nevertheless, politely declined the advance, mindful of her "condition" and realizing that she was in fact a "convert". ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier )

Scott and Uhura

Uhura and Scott (2287)

Scott helped Uhura and Chekov look up Klingon phrases in antique books in 2293 while trying to cross the border into Klingon space to rescue their jailed colleagues. ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )

Alternate timelines [ ]

Romulans revealed in 2266 [ ].

Nyota Uhura (alternate timeline), 2266

Lt. Uhura in an alternate 2266

In an alternate 2266 where Captain Pike prevented his exposure to delta radiation and saved the lives of several cadets that were due to die during that accident, Nyota Uhura had reached the rank of lieutenant and was still serving as communications officer aboard the Enterprise under Pike. ( SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ")

UEF Enterprise [ ]

Nyota Uhura, alternate 2259

Nyota Uhura aboard the UEF Enterprise in alternate 2259

In an alternate timeline created where Khan Noonien Singh was killed by the Romulan Sera and United Earth was at war with the Romulan Star Empire , Uhura joined the United Earth Fleet and by 2259 was assigned as communications officer aboard the UEF Enterprise under the command of Captain James T. Kirk . ( SNW : " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow ")

Key dates [ ]

  • Assigned to the USS Enterprise
  • Graduates from Starfleet Academy and commissioned as an Ensign
  • Between 2259 and 2266 : Promoted to Lieutenant
  • 2270s : Promoted to lieutenant commander
  • 2285 : As a commander , whilst remaining attached to the Enterprise , is assigned to Starfleet Training Command
  • 2285: Requested assignment at Old City Station
  • 2287 – 2293 : Communications officer of the USS Enterprise -A
  • Between 2293 and 2301 : Promoted to Captain
  • 2301– 2333 : Commanding officer of the USS Leondegrance
  • 2301– 2305 : Explores the Lesser Magellanic Cloud and participates in over one hundred first contact missions
  • 2333: Retires from Starfleet

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

  • " The Corbomite Maneuver "
  • " Mudd's Women "
  • " The Enemy Within " (voice only)
  • " The Man Trap "
  • " The Naked Time "
  • " Charlie X "
  • " Balance of Terror "
  • " What Are Little Girls Made Of? "
  • " Dagger of the Mind "
  • " The Conscience of the King "
  • " The Galileo Seven "
  • " Court Martial "
  • " The Menagerie, Part I "
  • " The Menagerie, Part II " (voice only)
  • " Shore Leave "
  • " The Squire of Gothos "
  • " The Alternative Factor "
  • " Tomorrow is Yesterday "
  • " The Return of the Archons "
  • " A Taste of Armageddon "
  • " Space Seed "
  • " This Side of Paradise "
  • " Errand of Mercy "
  • " The City on the Edge of Forever "
  • " Operation -- Annihilate! "
  • " Catspaw "
  • " Metamorphosis "
  • " Friday's Child "
  • " Who Mourns for Adonais? "
  • " Amok Time "
  • " The Changeling "
  • " Mirror, Mirror "
  • " The Deadly Years "
  • " I, Mudd "
  • " The Trouble with Tribbles "
  • " Bread and Circuses "
  • " Journey to Babel "
  • " A Private Little War "
  • " The Gamesters of Triskelion "
  • " Obsession "
  • " The Immunity Syndrome "
  • " A Piece of the Action "
  • " By Any Other Name "
  • " Return to Tomorrow "
  • " Patterns of Force "
  • " The Ultimate Computer "
  • " The Omega Glory "
  • " Assignment: Earth "
  • " Spectre of the Gun "
  • " Elaan of Troyius "
  • " The Enterprise Incident "
  • " And the Children Shall Lead "
  • " Spock's Brain "
  • " Is There in Truth No Beauty? "
  • " The Empath "
  • " The Tholian Web "
  • " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky "
  • " Day of the Dove "
  • " Plato's Stepchildren "
  • " Wink of an Eye "
  • " That Which Survives "
  • " Let That Be Your Last Battlefield "
  • " Whom Gods Destroy "
  • " The Mark of Gideon "
  • " The Lights of Zetar "
  • " The Cloud Minders "
  • " Requiem for Methuselah "
  • " The Savage Curtain "
  • " Beyond the Farthest Star "
  • " One of Our Planets Is Missing "
  • " The Lorelei Signal "
  • " More Tribbles, More Troubles "
  • " The Infinite Vulcan "
  • " The Magicks of Megas-Tu "
  • " Once Upon a Planet "
  • " The Terratin Incident "
  • " The Time Trap "
  • " The Slaver Weapon "
  • " The Pirates of Orion "
  • " The Practical Joker "
  • " Albatross "
  • " How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth "
  • " The Counter-Clock Incident "
  • Star Trek: The Motion Picture
  • Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
  • Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
  • Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
  • Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
  • Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
  • Star Trek Generations (picture only)
  • Star Trek Beyond (picture only)
  • DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations " (archive footage)
  • PRO : " Kobayashi " ( hologram ; archive audio)
  • " Strange New Worlds "
  • " Children of the Comet "
  • " Ghosts of Illyria "
  • " Memento Mori "
  • " Spock Amok "
  • " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach "
  • " The Elysian Kingdom "
  • " All Those Who Wander "
  • " A Quality of Mercy "
  • " The Broken Circle "
  • " Ad Astra per Aspera "
  • " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow "
  • " Among the Lotus Eaters "
  • " Charades "
  • " Lost in Translation "
  • " Those Old Scientists "
  • " Under the Cloak of War "
  • " Subspace Rhapsody "
  • " Hegemony "
  • " Holiday Party "
  • " Holograms All the Way Down " (background hologram)
  • " Walk, Don't Run " (archive footage)

Background information [ ]

Identifying appearances [ ].

Uhura was played by Nichelle Nichols , who appeared in sixty-six episodes. The character was voiced by her in two additional episodes, "The Enemy Within" and "The Menagerie, Part II", and appeared in stock footage in "The Paradise Syndrome". [3] For Star Trek 's 30th anniversary , Uhura reappeared in archive footage from "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Mirror, Mirror" that was used in the Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations". Twenty-six year later, Uhura was portrayed by Celia Rose Gooding for her inclusion in the TOS prequel, Strange New Worlds .

In addition to her physical appearances, Nichols also provided Uhura's voice for The Animated Series , in which Uhura appears in all but three episodes . Forty-eight years later, archive audio of Uhura from in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , "The Gamesters of Triskelion", "The Enterprise Incident", "The Mark of Gideon", "Space Seed", and "The Trouble with Tribbles" were later used for her appearance in the Prodigy episode "Kobayashi".

Name and heritage [ ]

According to an anecdote told by Nichelle Nichols at Shore Leave 29 , she and Gene Roddenberry decided on the name "Uhura" because, before Nichols' audition, she and several others involved in casting had been reading the 1962 novel Uhuru by American author Robert Ruark. The story was verified by Robert H. Justman and Herb Solow in Inside Star Trek: The Real Story .

"Uhuru" is the Swahili word for "freedom". Spock, after making a mind meld with Kollos in " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ", says that Uhura's name means "freedom" and recites a line of poetry about beauty from Lord Byron . In Star Trek VI , her name is misspelled "Uhuru" in the credits.

In the non- canon Star Trek RPG published by FASA in the 1980s, the full name given for the character was "Samara Uhura". In the RPG adaptation, the USS Samara Uhura was included as one of several Decker -class starships that were named for the Enterprise crew. Another first name suggested by a non-canon source was included in a character index in an issue of the fan publication Trek (later included in an edition of The Best of Trek published by Signet Books): Penda Uhura.

Nichelle Nichols herself has said that an author writing about the history of Star Trek had asked Gene Roddenberry what Uhura's first name was and was told that one had never been decided. The author then recommended the name "Nyota". Roddenberry liked it, but said to ask Nichols before he allowed the name to be used. Nichols thought the name was perfect. ( TOS Season 2 DVD commentary) Alternatively, in the video William Shatner's Star Trek Memories , Nichols also said that she and Roddenberry came up with the name in initial discussions about the character, just after her casting.

The name Nyota ("star" in Swahili) was first publicly used for the character by William Rotsler , in his 1982 book Star Trek II: Biographies . ( Enterprise NX-01 communications officer Hoshi Sato 's given name, "Hoshi", also means "Star", in Japanese.) Uhura's given name was finally canonically established as Nyota in the 2009 film Star Trek . (In the movie, the revelation playfully paralleled the long-time real-life ambiguity; starting with their first meeting in an Iowa bar , for three years Kirk tries unsuccessfully to learn her first name, only to learn it when her lover – Spock – assures her that he will return alive from a particular mission he and Kirk are about to embark on.)

Uhura's date and location of birth were also never established on screen. Her date of birth ( 2239 ) was derived from the Star Trek Chronology and the Star Trek Encyclopedia . The original Star Trek writer's guide and the Star Trek Concordance established that she was born in the United States of Africa . Her familiarity with the Swahili language implied – but did not require – an East African origin or heritage. The Concordance also states the intended information from deleted material regarding her mother, M'Umbha .

Establishing the role [ ]

Uhura was the last main character to be cast for the Original Series (except Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov , since that character didn't debut until the second season of the show ). The casting of Uhura took place only a few weeks before production began on " The Corbomite Maneuver ", the first regular episode. In the original script of that installment, the communications officer was named " Dave Bailey ". When Nichelle Nichols (a former lover of Gene Roddenberry) was cast as the new comm officer, Bailey (played by Anthony Call ) was "transferred" to navigation. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , pp. 153–154) Other than Nichelle Nichols, three additional candidates for the role were Ena Hartman , Mittie Lawrence and Gloria Calomee . ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One )

Uhura was included in the final draft script of " Miri ", given multiple lines of dialogue. Her part in the story, however, was ultimately rewritten for relief communications officer John Farrell .

Nichelle Nichols has stated on many occasions during the years (including in the video William Shatner's Star Trek Memories ) that, during the first year of the series, she was tempted to leave the show as she felt her role lacked significance, but a conversation with Martin Luther King, Jr. changed her mind. King personally encouraged her to stay on the show, telling her that he was a big fan of the series and told her she "could not give up" as she was playing a vital role model for young black children and women across the country. After the first season, Uhura's role on the series was expanded beyond merely manning her console.

The 1967 Writers' Guide for Star Trek 's second season described the character thus:

Communications officer Uhura was born in the United States of Africa. Quick and intelligent, she is a highly efficient officer and expert in all ships' systems related to communications. Uhura is also a warm, highly female female off duty. She is something of a favorite in the Recreation Room during off-duty hours too, because she sings – old ballads as well as the newer space ballads – and she can do an impersonation at the drop of a communicator.

Uhura was to have appeared in Star Trek: Phase II , an aborted second Star Trek series. A character description of her was included in a 1977 Writers'/Directors' Guide for that series, a document written by Gene Roddenberry and Jon Povill . Uhura's description was as follows:

Rank of Lieutenant Commander, Communications Officer, played by attractive young actress Nichelle Nichols. Uhura was born in the African Confederacy. Quick and intelligent, she is a highly efficient officer. Her understanding of the ship's computer systems is second only to the Vulcan Science Officer , and expert in all ships systems relating to communications. Uhura is also a warm, highly female female off duty. She is a favorite in the Recreation Room during off duty hours, too, because she sings – old ballads as well as the newer space ballads – and she can do impersonations at the drop of a communicator.

Nichelle Nichols was slated to make a cameo as Uhura in the Star Trek: Voyager episode " Flashback ", but was cut from that episode after requesting more lines for her role. ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 108 )

Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison has cited Nichols' role of Uhura as her inspiration for wanting to become an astronaut. [4]

Whoopi Goldberg also found Nichols's portrayal of Uhura inspiring as a child. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 64)) Goldberg recalled that when she saw Uhura on-screen for the first time, she ran out of the room, telling everyone in her house, " I just saw a black woman on television; and she ain't no maid! " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 56 )

Deanna Troi actress Marina Sirtis has stated about Uhura, " It was great that a black woman was on the bridge, but she really wasn't involved in many storylines. She was just there and that was enough for the times, it seems. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 27 , p. 18)

The idea that a young Jean-Luc Picard served under Captain Uhura has its roots in a story proposed for Star Trek: Short Treks , in which a young Picard would have been mentored by an elderly Uhura. Although the proposed Short Treks episode never came to fruition, two pieces of set dressing for Star Trek: Picard (the Speed of Light Club certificate in Picard's quantum archive, seen in " Remembrance ", and the commemorative plaque for the USS Leondegrance seen in " The Star Gazer ") establish the relationship canonically. [5]

Apocrypha [ ]

In the novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (p. 49), Uhura was described as having a "fine-boned Bantu face". Likewise, in the novelization of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , Pavel Chekov said Uhura was from the Bantu Nation. James Blish referred to Uhura as "a beautiful Bantu girl" in his adaptations of the original Star Trek episodes.

According to Star Trek II: Biographies , Uhura was born on October 24th, 2240 in Nairobi , United States of Africa to parents Damu Pua and M'Umbha Makia. She has two siblings named Malcolm Marien Uhura and Uaekundu Uhura.

According to the novel Living Memory , Uhura's father was named Alhamisi (Damu Pua was a childhood nickname meaning " bloody nose "). She has a brother named Malcolm and a younger sister named Samara, as well as an uncle Raheem.

In the novel The Fire and the Rose , set shortly after "Mudd's Women", Uhura went to Captain Kirk and requested to be reassigned from the command division to the engineering and services division. Kirk was not happy with this decision and grilled her about throwing away her command abilities and leadership potential, however, despite his disappointment, he approved her transfer and explaining why she switched from a red uniform to a gold uniform.

In the novel Vulcan's Forge , Commander Uhura served as first officer of the USS Intrepid II under Captain Spock. She and Dr. McCoy were the only members of Captain Kirk's bridge crew to join Spock in his new command (Captain Sulu commanded the Excelsior and took Commander Chekov along as his first officer, and Captain Scott retired and headed off to the Norpin colony ). Uhura turned down a captaincy before becoming Spock's first officer, commenting that she'd never married or had children, and didn't want to take on the similar commitment to a ship that a promotion to captain would entail. This story took place a year after Captain Kirk was lost to the Nexus . Following a mission to the planet Obsidian, Spock resigned his Starfleet commission, and Uhura was promoted to captain and given command of the Intrepid II .

Uhura was depicted in the novels The Art of the Impossible , Catalyst of Sorrows , and Vulcan's Soul : Exodus as later going on to achieve the rank of admiral and becoming the head of Starfleet Intelligence in the 24th century , serving into 2377 .

According to The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard , Uhura was the President of the United Federation of Planets in the year 2327.

The Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual mentions a ship named the USS Samara Uhura , which is presumably named after Uhura, as her first name "Nyota" didn't become canon until Star Trek .

In Star Trek Cats , Uhura is depicted as a Burmese cat .

Sources [ ]

  • Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens ; Star Trek: Phase II - The Making of the Lost Series ; Pocket Books , ISBN 0671568396 (softcover, 1997)
  • Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens ; Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission ; Pocket Books, ISBN 0671025597 (softcover 1998)

External links [ ]

  • Nyota Uhura at StarTrek.com
  • Nyota Uhura at Wikipedia
  • Nyota Uhura at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • Nyota Uhura at the Star Trek Online Wiki
  • 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

An archive of Star Trek News

Saldana On Spock-Uhura Relationship

  • Cast & Crew
  • Star Trek Beyond

star trek uhura love interest

Star Trek Beyond ‘s Zoë Saldana explained how the Enterprise crew felt at the beginning of the movie and where they ultimately ended up, and also what was happening in the Spock-Uhura relationship.

At the beginning of Star Trek Beyond, Uhura, like the other crewmembers, was a bit unhappy. “She’s tired,” said Saldana. “I think she’s homesick, and I felt that – that’s the one thing that I appreciated the most about what Simon and Doug did for this installment. They made us human and homesick and sad, and how being overly worked and away from home, and all the things that keep you grounded, can put a strain not just on the intimate relationships that you may have, but also the professional ones. I thought I would never see the day where I would walk into the Enterprise and we’re kind of like, not rolling our eyes at each other, but we’re not that excited to see each other. And I thought, ‘Okay, well, this is a great place to start because I can only imagine where we’re going to end up.’

“And we literally end up in the opposite direction. We’re dying to be close to each other. We’re dying to save each other and get back together. I guess that relationship with Spock and Uhura felt so normal and human to me that it’s sort of the consequences that may occur when you decide to love your co-worker in a lovey-dovey way. It’s just sometimes the professionalism can get in the way of the spirituality and I feel like that’s what happened between both of them.”

Saldana believed that Uhura would feel that she was holding back Spock whose goals had changed since the loss of Vulcan in Star Trek (2009) . “I think what she finds most challenging is that maybe in her mind, she is starting to feel like he needs to fulfill a bigger purpose,” said Saldana. “And I think she’s super afraid of weighing him down. I think it’s much more selfless than what anybody thinks. I think they have an amazing friendship, very respectful of each other, but maybe she’s beginning to understand that with all that has happened before, that at some point it’s going to have to go in this direction, and maybe she just wants to get herself out of his way. To never run the chance of him not fulfilling it. She understands that it’s bigger. That’s sort of like the unspoken word between Uhura and Spock.

“I feel that this break-up that Uhura and Spock have is amazing because she fell in love with her teacher. So he came as this figure that represented responsibility and safety and maturity and wisdom. There is a parallel universe situation that’s going in here with Uhura and women these days. In that, there’s no longer this animosity or this resentment to sort of prove who you are. You just want to be left alone to sort of find out who you are because you’re interested and you’re curious. I like this autonomy that’s happening with women right now.”

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 30: Celia Rose Gooding attends the New York premiere of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on April 30, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Hatnim Lee/WireImage)

A Short History Of Spock's Love Life: T'Pring Explained

Ethan Peck and Gia Sandhu in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

It seems like " Star Trek: Strange New Worlds " is boldly going where few "Trek" voyages have gone before. The new series has pulled the curtain back on an exciting era in "Star Trek" history , which means that some of the fandom's most pressing questions will finally be answered. What was the U.S.S. Enterprise like before Kirk stepped onto the bridge, and what was up with its former captain, Christopher Pike ? How did the Enterprise crew really come to meet? And, more importantly: will the enigmatic Mr. Spock ever ... you know ... get down?

Vulcan romance has been used as a conceit in "Star Trek" stories here and there, but "Strange New Worlds" will see the human-Vulcan Spock navigating a serious relationship for the very first time. Granted, Spock has been pursued by women before. He's even pursued them back now and again, but usually while under the influence of sci-fi psychedelics or strange Vulcan mating rituals. Now, he's doing so of his own volition, and with an old flame previously introduced in "The Original Series." That's right: T'Pring is back — and for the long haul, it would seem.

Even if the name T'Pring doesn't immediately ring any bells, it's likely that her introduction in the original series episode "Amok Time" jogs a particular memory. It's a pretty zany episode, one made all the zanier by its introduction of pon farr, the Vulcan tradition that sends Spock into lust-fueled fever.

Let's T'Pring you up to speed

Pon farr visits Vulcans (typically the males) once every seven years. "It strips our minds from us," Spock explains to Kirk in "Amok Time." "It brings a madness which rips away our veneer of civilization." This bout of extreme horniness also forces male Vulcans to return to their home planet in order to mate, usually with a betrothed — and they've only got so long to do so. Apparently, if Spock's needs are not addressed within eight days, he'll likely die.

Kirk gets Spock to Vulcan just in time for his koon-ut-kal-if-fee ceremony, which can take the form of either a wedding or a gladiator-like fight to the death. And unfortunately for Spock, his is the latter. Though he was promised to T'Pring when they were children, Spock has been gone long enough for his betrothed to fall in love with somebody else. In an effort to annul their engagement, T'Pring claims kal-if-fee, forcing Spock and Kirk to duel for her hand in marriage. 

Spock's romance with T'Pring — if you can call it a romance at all — doesn't exactly end well, but it certainly wasn't his last. There was also Nurse Christine Chapel , whose crush on Spock came to a head in several episodes, "Amok Time" included. Unfortunately, her confessions (and Spock's subsequent rejections) get increasingly awkward as time goes by. But it's hard not to sympathize with her plight: Spock is weirdly irresistible. Haven't we all swooned a bit at his flawless intellect, or even his uncharacteristic outbursts? He might be prone to a rational approach in all his endeavors, but all that pent-up energy is bound to escape at some point. And when it does, it's kind of hot.

If we've learned anything from the "Twilight" saga, it's that restraint is inherently sexy. Such a phenomenon didn't begin on the pages of a Stephanie Meyer supernatural romance, but the Team Edward mania was certainly an example of the movement at its peak. Leonard Nimoy's Spock enjoyed similar infamy back in the days of "The Original Series," and it's not hard to see why. That Spock is so tightly wound really adds to his appeal as a sex symbol, in part because "Star Trek" writers know how gratifying it can be to watch him unravel. 

Take his run-in with Leila Kalomi, an ex-girlfriend of sorts, in "This Side of Paradise." Like Chapel, Leila once confessed her feelings for Spock before the events of the original series. Of course Spock couldn't reciprocate then, but when they reunite on an alien planet years later, Leila goes to interesting lengths to win his affections. Her tactics involve the use of a spore-spewing plant that "infects" its hosts with lowered inhibitions. Once Spock is exposed, he's finally able to admit that he loves Leila — but it's not clear how much of his confession is genuine, and how much is influenced by those pesky spores.

With most of these interactions taking place more or less against Spock's will, it's easy to feel icky about the whole affair. Fortunately, there's always the Kelvin timeline, which began with J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot in 2009. There, Spock enjoys a longterm relationship with Lt. Uhura. Though it's not without its ups and downs (Spock choses self-sacrifice and logic over Uhura's feelings more than once) it's one of the healthiest relationships he's ever had. It also informed Spock's battle between his human and Vulcan sides in a fresh and interesting way.

A logical appeal

Now, "Strange New Worlds" is taking that battle in a new direction. By reintroducing T'Pring (now played by Gia Sandhu), this time at the beginning of her long engagement to Spock, fans will finally get to see what he's like in a committed relationship with another Vulcan. We've seen him struggle against his more "human" inclinations in ill-fated flings with human women and we've even seen him forge connections with Romulans and Vulcans , but each was either born out of necessity or some weird extenuating circumstance. Spock's relationship with T'Pring is on an entirely different level from those in past installments. It will allow Spock to explore love and attachment through the lens of logic and tradition, and we can probably thank Ethan Peck — AKA "Hot Spock" — for this new and interesting development. 

Peck turned a lot of heads with his disheveled (and bearded!) Spock in "Star Trek: Discovery." His take on the character is younger and moodier than the Spock he'd grow to become, which means that his emotions — and his sensuality — could be played up a bit more throughout the series. It also doesn't hurt that he really is just plain hot, even when deferring to logic. Despite the obvious appeal of his more primal qualities, Spock's practical side is also a big part of his charm. It takes a certain kind of person to observe their emotions in a way that they can clearly articulate. Plus, his naïveté concerning human inclinations can be really endearing, and Peck plays into that innocence brilliantly.

Though he's clean-shaven and ready for duty aboard the Enterprise once more, Spock's latent sensuality hasn't gone anywhere. With T'Pring, Nurse Chapel, and even Uhura appearing  in "Strange New Worlds," who knows what situations Spock will find himself in this time around?

Episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" hit Paramount+ each Thursday.

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57 Years Later, One Underserved Star Trek Character Finally Gets Justice

In Strange New Worlds, Uhura has become the person Nichelle Nichols always wanted her to be.

Uhura, frustrated with Spock in the 1966 'Star Trek' episode "The Man Trap."

In the very first Star Trek episode ever, “The Map Trap,” Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) says, “Mr. Spock, sometimes I think if I hear that word ‘frequency’ once more, I’ll cry.” Right from the beginning, The Original Series floated the idea that the Enterprise’s communications officer was a little overworked and more than a little underappreciated.

Now, in Strange New Worlds nearly six decades later, Uhura isn’t just getting her due but actually expressing herself, which is a powerful commentary on the character’s history. Nichelle Nichols’ Uhura was a huge step forward for Black representation in TV, but the character was never really given the spotlight.

In Star Trek’s big musical episode, “Subspace Rhapsody,” Uhura ( Celia Rose Godding) is the driving force that saves the Enterprise, while in her big solo song, “Keep Us Connected,” she reveals her inner frustrations about being alone and unseen. It’s a powerful moment that honors the journey of Uhura, and Nichelle Nichols.

Celia Rose Gooding as Uhura

Uhura in “Subspace Rhapsody.”

As Uhura realizes the subspace fold and the ensuing improbability field have the power to drive the crew apart, she wonders why she always ends up alone, working to fix the ship behind the scenes. “My whole life it’s been ‘do this,’ and save you,” she sings.

In a sense, this could refer to the character’s innermost feelings throughout the franchise. Nichelle Nichols nearly quit The Original Series because she was tired of scripts being rewritten to give Uhura fewer and fewer lines. In her memoir, Beyond Uhura , Nichols wrote, “But even in the fictional, enlightened twenty-third century of Gene’s [Roddenberry] imagination, a strong, independent Black woman was not welcome as equal.” She was on the team, but she wasn’t trusted to carry stories. Nichols recognized early that “Uhura’s role was constantly being diminished.”

That’s obviously not the case today. Strange New Worlds isn’t just an Original Series prequel story, but a series that does what TOS couldn’t or wouldn’t do in the 1960s. “We try to imagine what The Original Series would do today,” co-showrunner Henry Alonso Myers tells Inverse . “The way the original show approached female characters, for example, we do differently.”

For Star Trek fans, the power of Uhura was often symbolic. Nichelle Nichols used her influence in politics and science fiction circles to recruit some of the first women and people of color to NASA . The importance of Uhura to the real world cannot be understated. Even Martin Luther King was a fan of Star Trek and Uhura.

Celia Rose Gooding as Uhura, singing in 'Strange New Worlds'

Celia Rose Gooding singing “Keep Us Connected” in “Subspace Rhapsody.”

But within the Trek canon itself, we’ve rarely had a sense of how Uhura feels about her role as a communications officer, the person tasked with keeping everyone together. Celia Rose Gooding is a fantastic singer, and “Keep Us Connected” is almost certainly the breakout hit from the musical episode. It honors the character, and how the way we think about her has evolved.

“Nichelle’s inspiration is always something we’ve used as fuel,” co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman tells Inverse . “But this is about character. And these are heart songs. These are the things the character couldn’t say in words, so they say in song. And for Uhura, that means you’re seeing something essential about her character. And, I guess, that’s what you’re seeing; our Uhura has some Nichelle in her. And nobody does that better than Celia.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 9, “Subspace Rhapsody” streams on Paramount+. The album itself is now on Apple and Spotify.

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Star Trek’s Most Romantic Moments

| February 14, 2010 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 52 comments so far

So below are our picks for the most romantic moments from each of the series (and the movies).

The Original Series – Kirk and Edith Keeler take a walk “ City on the Edge of Forever ”

Jim Kirk tells Edith about how the words “Let Me Help” were proposed to be more important than “I Love You,” but you know what he is really thinking.

star trek uhura love interest

Honorable Mention: Spock wooing the Romulan Commander in “ The Enterprise Incident ”

star trek uhura love interest

Next Generation – Picard and Beverly have a campfire “ Attached ”

Picard admits he had feelings for Beverly, but had to keep his distance after the death of her husband under his command.

star trek uhura love interest

Honorable Mention: Final Casablanca -like scene between Riker and Soren in “ Outcast ”

star trek uhura love interest

Deep Space Nine – Odo and Kira have a date “ His Way ”

Odo finally confesses his love to Kira, but thinks he is confessing to a hologram…but that cunning Vic Fontaine has got him telling the real thing.

star trek uhura love interest

Honorable Mention: Even though it breaks taboos, Dax cannot help but fall for her ex in “ Rejoined ”

star trek uhura love interest

Voyager – B’Elanna and Tom almost die “ Day of Honor ”

Thinking she is about to die, B’Elanna finally ‘lowers her shields and tells Tom how she really feels (then gets rescued and three seasons later they get married).

star trek uhura love interest

Honorable Mention: The Doctor shows the Vidiian Denara Pel that he loves her for who she is on the inside in “ Lifesigns ”

star trek uhura love interest

Enterprise – T’Pol gives Trip a peck at her wedding to another man “ Home ”

Shortly before T’Pol goes through with an arranged marriage she gives Trip a peck on the cheek and in that subtle moment you know that there is fire that still burns within.

star trek uhura love interest

Honorable Mention: Archer has to say goodbye to Riann in “ Civilization ”

star trek uhura love interest

Movies – Uhura comforts Spock "Star Trek 2009"

One of the shocker elements for the new Star Trek movie is romance between Spock and Uhura, including the very emotionally charged scene when Uhura stops Spock in the turbolift to comfort him after the loss of his mother (and home planet).

Honorable Mention: Decker, Ilia and V’Ger get together “ Star Trek The Motion Picture ”

star trek uhura love interest

Last Minute Valentine’s day ideas

Need to send a Valentine E-dard? You still have time and you can add a little Trek too. Lemondrop has cool ecard with a Trek flavor (or Lord of the Rings or Avatar). Go to http://www.lemondrop.com/ecard and fill one out.

If you are in a more literary mood, the Times in the UK has a page where you can send a personalized love poem, with a wide selection of famous actors reading them, including Patrick Stewart reading "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell. Go to entertainment.timesonline.co.uk to send yours.

Happy Valentine’s Day from TrekMovie.com

So what are some of your favorite romantic Trek moments?

Decker & Ileaa, sitting in a tree, K-i-s-s-i-n-g!!!!

Nothing about Kirk and the Enterprise?

“I’ll never lose you, never!”

Picard and his “wife” from the Inner Light. What an amazingingly rich relationship we see unfold in the course of 44 minutes.

Great moments in Trek history!

Love is so amazing…………. especially in Star Trek.

Wow! What a list! I like the Spock/Uhura angle.

They should have more of that, and Kirk’s interest in Uhura forming a basis of tension, in the next movie.

Agree with #4 that “The Inner Light” was not only a great episode, but had a great relationship within it.

What about Picard and Nella Daren? That was such a great love story

That whole list is perfect, every moment… except the Spock/Uhura thing. And I thought I hated Picard/Crusher!

Happy VD, everyone. No, not venereal disease!

TOS: I get that one

TNG: Good choice

DS9: How about Odo telling Kira he loves her when she’s been eaten by rocks? How about when Worf leaves Jadzia who is bleeding out to complete a mission? Miles telling Keiko he’ll leave the station for her?

MILES AND JULIAN!!! THEY WERE PIONEERS FOR BROMANCES!!!

VOY: How about Janeway and Paris when they evolve into fish?

Enterprise: How about Porthos and cheese?

(BEST EVER) Movies: U.S.S. Kelvin? I cried. The most I’ve ever been emotionally moved in a Star Trek movie

Is that what a Klingon woman would say? Wouldn’t it go more like, “Hug me, Kiss me, Bite me!”

“The Inner Light” is a total classic. Unique storytelling that explored another culture that was long gone. Kamin was a kind of “avatar” through which Picard was able to live a lifetime in a matter of hours. Very original.

I also liked the Troi/Riker romance. Hopefully we’ll get to see some Titan adventures either as a dvd or comic.

#10 Paris and Janeway “changed” into salamander-like creatures. Terrible concept. Terrible episode.

The opening scenes featuring the Kelvin was classic Trek. They really nailed it there. I hope that Bob and co. bring back Winona Kirk for the sequel, even if it is just for a minute or two.

Yes, I agree — “TIL” was excellent on so many levels.

Love is what actually makes the world go ’round, momentum be darned!

And Trek as a whole realizes that. It’s not just “pew, pew” phaser fights that gets the blood going, but the idea that there’s so much to live (and sometimes, to die) for in the Trekverse, in the future, in the possible worlds depicted in the various series.

The next movie should be about grand battles and starship strategies, and cloak-and-dagger and wanderlust. All those things are important to a good movie. But to be a great movie, there must be something more — a love so rare, so important, so overarching, that it brings in the womenfolk into the theaters. And makes a GREAT movie, besides. :-)

It’s not a great episode by any means … but I find the final moments of “The Paradise Syndrome” to be very touching. Kirk watches his Native American wife die, and with her his unborn child. The look on his face–love, grief, loss of a happiness he’d never known before–is heart-rending.

‘Let me help’…….”silly question. Wanna hear a silly answer? …That far left star in Orion’s belt….a hundred years or so from now…. someone will write a book with those three words…..recommending them even over ….. I love you”.

That’s my vote for best moment.

Agree RTC. I’ve always thought that episode for that scene is highly over looked. There was no happy, slap everyone on the back ending. One of the few sad ending TOS’s.

#10: “VOY: How about Janeway and Paris when they evolve into [salamanders]?” Valentine’s Day is all about romance, though. That was more of a “bow chicka wow-wow” moment for them, considering there was no lingering attachment after that episode.

“Movies: U.S.S. Kelvin? I cried. The most I’ve ever been emotionally moved in a Star Trek movie” No question that that scene was moving, but it was about heroism, sacrifice and familial love, not romance.

I liked the scene where Picard and Darren perform a duet for the first time.

I believe it was the episode “The Mark of Gideon” where Kirk, in his quarters with Spock and McCoy, says “I wish I could forget her,” and he just happens to fall asleep at his desk. McCoy says, “I wish he could forget her.” After McCoy leaves, Spock performs a mind meld, telling Kirk to “Forget.” What was Spock’s motive? :-D nyuck nyuck

I honestly never felt the whole Spock/Uhura thing in the new movie, felt forced to me. And it wasn’t because he’s Vulcan, either, because for me the T’Pol/Tripp thing worked and she was full Vulcan. I doubt many will agree, but yeah, it just felt thrown in there.

hey anthony, i think you should add under movies, the perfect moment garden scene of Picard and Anij in ST-Insurrection.

Happy Valentines Day and Kung Hei Fat Choi (Happy Chinese New Year) to everyone!

#20.. That scene happened in “Requiem for Methuselah” Great episode and great ending.

What about in VOY when Janeway and Chakotay are stranded on the planet because they have a contagious disease?

Ben Sisko and Kassidy Yates. He had her arrested for trafficking Maquis supplies, she went to prison, comes back to DS9, and they eventually get married. I’ve always enjoyed the scene where they’re lying next to each other, she gets up to leave and Ben grabs her pillow for his own. Very real and very cool.

@ #1 –

I’m sure that most everyone hates VD. VD is not a good thing to have.

You see what I did there?

#16 We reach, bro. :)

#10 I concur.

Happy Valentines Day to everyone.

I always thought it was really sweet when Spock helped Kirk forget about the android chick….

And I agree with #3, Kirk’s relationship with the Enterprise should be on here.

I don’t know if I’ll feel a Trek-style love like that….

Where are Riker/Troi??? Second Chances???

I hate valentine’s day, its so depressing.

But all great scenes that have been mentoned for great romatic moments in all the shows.

However, I don’t agree that the Spock and Uhura get it off in turbolift as most romatic moment in the movies. I still think that was wrong what they did in the film.

In Star Trek 12, James Kirk should have several human love interests just like James Bond and should be played by Hollywood’s most stunningly beautiful young actresses.

Four gorgeous and talented actresses were wasted in ST09 and should have had more screentime. Jennifer Morrison only appeared at the beginning and we don’t find out what happened to her, Rachel Nichols was only in it for three minutes and we don’t find out what happened to her, Winona Ryder was in it for nearly ten minutes and was needlessly killed off and Diora Baird was nowhere to be found (except in a brief cut scene).

I think Lady Gaga will have a cameo in the sequel. Midway through Star Trek 12, I’d like to see Kirk, Spock and McCoy go undercover to a concert of hers on a distant planet like with Diva Plavalaguna in The Fifth Element (1997). Her character (the most famous and successful singer in the Alpha Quadrant) could have dark connections to the Orion Syndicate. An explosively intense, thunderous phaser fight could erupt interrupting the show when she sings Bad Romance, Paparazzi, Poker Face or Just Dance between Kirk, Spock and McCoy and some Orion Syndicate henchmen.

What about the, “This simple feeling…” moment from TMP? Maybe not “romantic” in the conventional sense, but in my mind more romantic than kissing someone because you want to comfort them after their whole planet has just been destroyed and their mother killed…

Oh, what about that moment in “The Tholian Web” when Uhura sees floaty-Kirk in the mirror while she’s doing her hair? Very touching.

IMO, Spock and Leila or Zarabeth was far more romantic than the Romulan Commander.

Spock and Zarabeth were also quite lusty based solely on the setting. :-) If they were to make an R-rated version of any Trek episode, that one would seem to be a candidate.

Actually, this gives me an idea: Which Trek episode would be a candidate for an R-rated remake?

Oddly enough, it’s one of the first episodes of Trek that occurs to me: “The Menagerie, Pt. II,” for obvious reasons.

O/K had some amazing moments. I’m crazy ’cause Odo and Kira are eeeeeasily my favourite ‘Trek couple, but I love almost all of the legit ones, haha. When they said goodbye in WYLB, I was sitting in front of the computer bawling . ;-;

#36 :: That was a beautiful moment. I am not by any means a K/S shipper, ’cause I like those two better as friends/brothers/whatever, but that was my favourite moment from all of TMP.

I guess I loved DS9 so immensely because of all the (tragic) romances. Mwah!

“That’s real now……Soonest like he said…”

You’re one of the good ones Iowagirl.

Wow, so many TREK moments left out (this will be far from a complete list).

Cmdr. Scott and Lt. Mira Romaine Lt. Chekov and Irina Galliulin Adm. Kirk and Carol Marcus Capt. Kirk and Miramanee (or pick any other episode)

Capt. Picard and Anij Riker and Troi (finally married) Data and the Borg Queen (okay, Robot Love may not count) Chief O’Brien and Keiko

Miles and Keiko (carried over from ST TNG) Worf and Dax Cmdr./Capt. Sisko and Jennifer Sisko (killed at the attack on Wolf 359) Major Kira and Bareil Antos Quark and gold pressed latinum

ST: Voyager

Capt. Janeway and Michael Sullivan (holodeck character) Neelix and Kess Chakotay and Seven of Nine (implied)

ST: Enterprise

Captain Archer and T’Pol (in one Enterprise’s alternate futures)

Like I said, I am sure there are tons more, these were the most memorable to me that were not mentioned in earlier posts.

There wasn’t anything romantic about Spock and Uhura kissing. In other bits of the movie they worked way better, but that nonsense in the elevator??? “Oh your planet is burning, I’m gonna lay a big wet one on you!”.

Yea it was like sorry abut your planet but I so want to hold you right now.

Agree – the Spock/Uhura thing is Star trek 2009 wasn’t the slightest bit romantic. It came out of nowhere, went nowhere and contributed absolutely nothing to the movie.

well its no suprise that a scene from the abrams movie gets most romantic moment of all the movies on this site.

But to each his own.

#12–There is a good series of books based on Titan. A lot of good character development and heartbreak for Troi and Riker as they try to have a baby. As far as any on-screen shows or movies based on any other of the series, I think that ship has sailed. Books are about as good as you are going to get for those.

With the exception of the first one with Kirk and Keeler, these are all terrible.

Pretty representative of romance in Trek though. It almost never worked. :)

The Spock/Uhura moment is the best! Very sweet interaction, and well acted by Zach and Zoe. Definitely want to see more of that.

GAHH death to Spock/Uhura. I might have accepted it in TOS, but the new movie killed it. It was very well acted, but it was really out of place. Most romantic scene for me would have to have either been when Kira and Odo kissed for the first time (or when future!Odo admitted he loved her) or when Spock realized Kirk wasn’t dead in Amok Time and had that huge smile.

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Published Feb 13, 2012

One Trek Mind #15: Kirk's (Many) Lady Loves

star trek uhura love interest

James T. Kirk – he's not just the Captain of the Enterprise, he's a thief of hearts - charming, witty and handsome. Sure, put him in a one-on-one scenario with a giant lizard monster and he'll attack with a cannon made of rocks and dirt, but one-on-one with a lady? Let's just say the codes of 1960s television demand we “fade out.”

Since today is Valentine's Day and we can always use a little extra game, let's take a moment to salute our Captain. Here, then, are Captain Kirk's 10 best girlfriends.

star trek uhura love interest

10 – Dr. Gillian Taylor

A marine biologist during the peak of the late 20th century's “Save the Whales” movement, Dr. Taylor never expected that she and two humpbacks named George and Gracie would be the ones to save the humans.

Captain Kirk used his interplanetary charm to get the info he needed out Gillian, but her inquisitive spirit won her a ticket to the 23rd century. In addition to bringing her firsthand knowledge of probe-responding whales, she also brought an advanced palette for elaborate pizza.

star trek uhura love interest

A “Drill Thrall” who wore a “collar of obedience.” Yeah, this was definitely one of the feistier ones.

The leading lady from “ The Gamesters of Triskelion ” is best remembered for her shocking green hair and an outfit one would consider revealing no matter what side of the galaxy you're from. While Shahna may have been athletic enough to train space gladiators, she wasn't exactly the sharpest crystal in the dilithium matrix. After Kirk shows her “what beauty is,” she helps liberate him, Chekov and Uhura from the grip of the Providers . When she hopes Kirk will take her with him to the “lights in the sky,” he uses some excuse about her needing to stay behind and advance the society of her emerging people. Somehow when Kirk says it, it sounds legit.

star trek uhura love interest

Sometimes when you are with a beautiful woman it is as if time stands still. That's especially the case if that woman is a Scalosian.

“ Wink of an Eye 's” Deela , a regal blond whose presence at first may just seem like a buzz in your ear, took a real liking to Captain Kirk. So much so she wanted him to help repopulate her planet. But despite her smile and proclivity to be photographed at Dutch angles, Kirk's relationship with her didn't last long – and that's in either time phase.

star trek uhura love interest

Another amorous partner who teetered on the edge of villainy, Marta the Orion wasn't the first “green woman” to appear on Star Trek , but she's the only one caught smoochin' Captain Kirk. In the episode “ Whom Gods Destroy ” she is Garth of Izar 's asylum-bound “kept woman,” ready to do her consort's bidding even if it means putting the moves on a Starfleet captain.

Played by Yvonne Craig (yes, Batgirl, making this one of the first of many DC/ Trek connections), Marta proved that even in the future, there's something incredibly enticing about women who are a little bit loopy.

star trek uhura love interest

Even when facing the business end of a life sentence on a frozen penal colony, Kirk can't help but score with the ladies.

Despite sharing a prison bunk with Dr. McCoy on Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country 's Rura Penthe, there's a moment of intimacy between Kirk and fellow prisoner (and possible escape aide) Martia . First seen as African supermodel Iman , it was later discovered that she (he?) was actually a shapeshifter. Before dying at the hand of a Klingon disruptor, the final form the creature took was that of Captain Kirk himself. So, in a way, this was one of Kirk's most narcissistic love interests.

star trek uhura love interest

5 – Rayna Kapec

Not just humanoids fall under the spell of James T. Kirk – even artificial intelligence gets its microchips all a-flutter around the Captain, as seen in “ Requiem for Methuselah .”

The android companion to the great immortal Flint (whose resume includes being a Macedonian conquerer, Renaissance painter and Romantic composer), Rayna soon grew to have tremendous feelings toward Kirk.

As is so often the case around William Shatner , however, these feelings caused her to literally short circuit.

Rayna the Robot marked an important step for Kirk in his relationship with women. He found it difficult to just shake her off as the Enterprise sailed off to their next star, so much so that Spock had to give him something of an emotional memory wipe – an ambiguous procedure still causing debate among Trek fans today.

star trek uhura love interest

4 – Miramanee

Here's a tip. Want women to fall at your feet? Come to them as a weather-controlling god.

“ The Paradise Syndrome ” is one of the more tender TOS episodes; indeed, it forms a nice opening bookend with TNG 's “ The Inner Light .” Kirk gets bonked on the head and finds himself living among Space Native Americans. He's forgotten everything, including how to pronounce his name (Kirok is close), but he hasn't forgotten how to love.

He marries the lovely Miramanee and impregnates her, but she and fetus die when Kirk's lack of divinity is exposed. It is one of the few episodes of original Trek where, yes, the status quo is restored, but it doesn't end “all right.”

star trek uhura love interest

3 – Dr. Carol Marcus

While Kirk was shacked up with Miramanee , however, we now know that, halfway across the galaxy, a previous love affair of his had indeed sired him a son.

Carol Marcus , first introduced to us in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (though perhaps referenced in “ Where No Man Has Gone Before ,” according to some) was no mere floozy. An equal to Kirk in almost every way, Dr. Marcus was an intellectual giant whose devotion to her career (molecular biology) matched Kirk's enthusiasm for command. Amicably, the couple split, knowing neither could step away from their career to commit to a relationship. Their child David reunited with his father, just in time to get killed by Klingons in the next movie.

star trek uhura love interest

2 – Edith Keeler

Of all of Kirk's girlfriends, no one shattered his heart quite like “ The City on the Edge of Forever 's” Edith Keeler , and that's because, let's face it, he killed her. Oh, sure, it's not like he picked up a phaser and fired. Rather, preventing Dr. McCoy from whisking her away from that oncoming vehicle did the trick. Yeah, he protected the timeline and kept the 20th century safe from fascism, but try telling that to a man who’s lost a companion as warm, caring and beautiful as Edith Keeler. All you'll get back is the refrain “he knows.”

1 – The USS Enterprise

star trek uhura love interest

At the end of the day, Captain Kirk has but one true love: the Constitution-class heavy cruiser designation NCC-1701.

Just look at the joy in his eyes when he sees her from Scotty 's shuttle in Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Or the pain at her destruction in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .

Perhaps so many of Kirk's entanglements with women were so, how shall we say, ephemeral, because he knew that there'd never be a place in his heart for two lovers. As he puts it to Bones in “ The Corbomite Maneuver :” I've already got a female to worry about. Her name is Enterprise .

Now, I know I've left off a bunch of good ones, but hopefully not your favorite. But if that is the case, please, let me have it in the comments. And may your Valentine's Day take you boldly to wherever it is you want to go.

Jordan Hoffman was the movies editor at UGO.com for more than four years. He has produced two independent films (look 'em up!) and is a member of the New York Film Critics Online. In 2005, he was named the Ultimate Film Fanatic of the NorthEast by IFC. Jordan fell in love with Star Trek through TOS reruns just as TNG was getting ready to launch. On his BLOG , Jordan has reviewed all 727 Trek episodes and films, most of the comics and some of the novels. He has a funny story about the one time he met Leonard Nimoy.

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NCIS May Have Set Parker Up With A New Love Interest, But I’m Annoyed By How The New Episode Wasted A Star Trek Actor

Talk about mixed feelings.

Warning: SPOILERS for the NCIS episode “Heartless” are ahead!

Gary Cole’s Alden Parker was introduced early in NCIS Season 19 as an FBI agent on who briefly worked with and then was ordered to apprehend Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but then he took Gibbs’ spot as team leader following Mark Harmon’s departure . Although viewers have met both Parker’s ex-wife Vivian Kolchak and former flame Joy Sullivan Aaronson, the show hasn’t really explored any current romances with him, but the latest NCIS episode to premiere on the 2024 TV schedule , titled “Heartless,” may have finally given a love interest. But before we get into that, I want to talk about how annoyed I am at how this episode wasted a Star Trek actor.

At the beginning of this episode, actor Tim Russ appears as Commander Eric Harper, a heart surgeon stationed at Navy Medical Center Portsmouth. Russ is arguably best known for playing Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager , and he reprised the role last year for a couple Star Trek: Picard episodes. So when I saw Russ early on, I assumed that he’d have a prominent role in “Heartless,” but after the scene where he’s testing medical students on a simulation with his partner, Dr. Clara Logan, Harper is kidnapped by unknown assailants, and minutes later, Parker and the team are tasked with investigating his murder.

Tim Russ as deceased Dr. Eric Harper on NCIS

Now, considering this episode’s storyline, I understand why Eric Harper was killed. We go on to learn that he was kidnapped to perform a complicated surgery on Carlos Sevina, a.k.a. El Viento, head of the Cali Cartel who Leon Vance had been determined to apprehend following a failed raid with the DEA that ended with two NCIS agents being killed. Unfortunately, it’s also revealed that Harper had a tremor in his hands, forcing him to give up surgery and dedicate himself to teaching full time. But Savina had his men didn’t know this, and when Harper screwed up during the procedure, they killed him

My problem is that if NCIS wanted to use Tim Russ, because there wasn’t another role he could have performed during the entire episode, the show simply should have saved him for another episode where he could have had a meaningful presence for the entire story, rather than only receive a few minutes of screen time. Meanwhile, Eric Harper could have easily been played by a lesser-known actor. And yes, I am aware that Russ previously appeared in the NCIS episode “ Jeopardy ” from 2006, but even so, he should have been given more to do this time around. Even pushing aside his time in the Star Trek franchise, just last year, I saw him play an important supporting role in Poker Face , and his other notable credits include Samantha Who? and iCarly . He deserved to a meaty guest role, not just the murder victim.

gary cole alden parker ncis

NCIS' Gary Cole Totally Gets What Makes Parker Tick, But Reveals What They Definitely Don't Have In Common

The NCIS Franchise's 1,000th Episode Featured Some Solid Cameos, But I'm Really Impressed By How It Connected To The Main Show's First Episode

So with gripe of mine that out of the way, the love interest now potentially on the table for Alden Parker is none other than Dr. Clara Logan. To make a long story short, the same men who kidnapped Eric Harper and then killed him later kidnap Clara, as they need her to do the surgery that Harper messed up on. Parker was already visiting Clara, so he pretended to be a fellow doctor and convinced Savina’s men that they need him to complete the surgery. Needless to say this is a recipe for disaster, because in addition to not being a trained medical professional, Parker has a fear of needles and was suffering from a stiff neck this episode. Fortunately, Torres, Knight and McGee manage to find Parker and Clara before the ruse is discovered, and after the latter removed Savina’s tumor, he was moved to a medical center and placed under arrest.

Clara was at the same medical center being treated for a distal radius fracture she suffered during her ordeal, so Parker went to check on her. Calling him “one hell of an agent” and thankful for the role he played in helping keep her alive, she insisted that Parker called her Clara rather than Dr. Logan, and when he said she was also welcome to call him by his first name, she said she liked saying “Alden.” The way she said “Thank you” before Parker left was also tinged with emotion.

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Now to be clear, there hasn’t been any announcement that Christina Kirk, who plays Dr. Logan will return to NCIS later this season or in the recently-announced Season 22. So it’s entirely possible the NCIS writers just wanted to give Parker and Clara a nice moment together before the episode ended. However, if they’re looking to give Gary Cole’s character a romance subplot, and considering that Kirk has had multi-episode stints on shows like A to Z , Powerless and Goliath , I wouldn’t be surprised if Clara’s brought back as someone Parker begins dating or even becomes his girlfriend. We’ll just have to wait and see!

There are now just two episode left in NCIS Season 21, but as mentioned, Season 22 is on the way, so you can count on CinemaBlend continuing to cover the popular CBS show for the foreseeable future. If you’d like to revisit any past episodes, it can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription .

Adam Holmes

Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore, Adam is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He started working for the site back in late 2014 writing exclusively comic book movie and TV-related articles, and along with branching out into other genres, he also made the jump to editing. Along with his writing and editing duties, as well as interviewing creative talent from time to time, he also oversees the assignment of movie-related features. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Journalism, and he’s been sourced numerous times on Wikipedia. He's aware he looks like Harry Potter and Clark Kent.

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star trek uhura love interest

Screen Rant

Will trent season 3 desperately needs to give ramón rodríguez's character a new love interest.

Will Trent's eponymous character has had bad luck regarding love, and instead of going back to Angie again, Will needs a new romance in season 3.

Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers from Will Trent season 2, episode 7.

  • Will and Angie's romance in "Will Trent" is toxic due to their trauma bond, and it needs to end.
  • Will and Angie keep rekindling their relationship after experiencing traumatic events.
  • Will should seek a healthy relationship in "Will Trent" season 3 and move on from his romance with Angie.

The eponymous character of Will Trent has sadly been through an excessive number of devastating events throughout his life, and he deserves a healthy relationship in season 3 that isn't built on a trauma bond. The ABC crime drama, created by Liz Heldens, Karin Slaughter, and Daniel T. Thomsen, is based on Slaughter's book series of the same name and revolves around Will Trent, a highly observant Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agent who grew up in foster care. Angie Polaski was also placed in the Atlanta foster care system, where she and Will met and formed a deep connection.

New episodes of Will Trent season 2 air on Tuesdays at 8 pm ET on ABC.

Will and Angie (a detective with the Atlanta Police Department) have been friends since they were children and underwent tremendous hardships together throughout their formative years. Their friendship turned romantic when they became teenagers, but given they both have extreme trauma, it has been far from healthy. Since then, Will and Angie have had an on-and-off-again relationship. Toward the end of season 1, the two seemingly broke off their relationship for good. One might think Will Trent season 2 would introduce a new love interest for Ramón Rodríguez's character. Instead, it has disappointingly brought Will and Angie back together.

Will & Angie Kissed In Will Trent Season 2, Episode 7

Will & angie previously broke up in will trent season 1.

Unfortunately, Will Trent season 2 didn't break Will and Angie up for good , since they kissed at the end of episode 7, "Have You Never Been to a Wedding?" and seemingly rekindled their romance. The two were going strong and hadn't retreated into their old habits for several episodes, but following the hostage situation at the wedding, Will was vulnerable and Angie was ready to be his escape. They gave into temptation, and even Will's dog Betty judged the couple while they kissed.

Will and Angie understand each other on a level many can't comprehend, but being more than friends is a bad idea.

Given their history and strong connection, some may have been rooting for Will and Angie to get back together. However, the on-and-off nature of their relationship isn't healthy, and their being together has proven to be a detriment to their mental health. The foundation of Will and Angie's bond was built on their shared experiences of abuse. Consequently, they both serve as a reminder of one another's traumatic past, and Angie has a tendency to push Will away. Yes, Will and Angie understand each other on a level many can't comprehend, but being more than friends is a bad idea.

Will Trent Must End Will & Angie's Toxic Relationship

The childhood friends shouldn't end up together.

Will and Angie's relationship in Will Trent can be described as a trauma bond. While some couples with a trauma bond can work through their issues and build a healthy relationship, Will and Angie have proven (time and time again) that their romantic dynamic is toxic, and it will likely always be that way. If they haven't worked out the chinks by now (when they are in their 30s), a strong romance is improbable. It seems as though they have yet to recognize that hard truth in Will Trent season 2 , so, season 3 must set them straight.

At this point, it's clear that Will and Angie only fall back together after one of them experiences a traumatic event.

Instead of working on themselves (and Will addressing his season-long flashes of a blocked memory from his childhood), Will and Angie continue attempting to escape their trauma by resuming their affair. However, while everything may seem great at first, their romance always ends in fighting and breaking up. Assumingly, this will be how Will and Angie's latest tryst will conclude by the end of Will Trent season 2, but Ramón Rodríguez, who plays Will, teased that it could work out for the couple. While speaking with TVLine , Rodríguez said:

"We're going to see that relationship continue to build. But the big question is: Can it build in a healthy way? ... It's feeling hopeful. Maybe there is a way to work this, and maybe there is a way that we can commit to this. I think there is trepidation on both parts, and I think for anything to really work in a healthy manner, both need to be fully committed. They find themselves in a place where they'd at least like to attempt that commitment and make it work."

Will Trent Season 2's Mark-Paul Gosselaar Update Leaves Me Really Disappointed

Ramón rodríguez's character deserves a better love interest in will trent season 3, will needs a win after two seasons of trauma.

Perhaps Will and Angie can turn their trauma bond into a healthy relationship in the ABC series. However, the odds are stacked against them, and Will and Angie deserve someone who doesn't remind them of their horrific past. The writers must keep Will and Angie broken up and find him a new love interest for the recently renewed Will Trent season 3 .

It's clear that Will and Angie only fall back together after one of them experiences a traumatic event. As a result, Will needs to look elsewhere for love, and the writers have a handful of characters from the book series to choose from. Or, they can establish a new character (one that hopefully doesn't die in the same episode they're introduced). Nevertheless, Will and Angie will attempt a real relationship again as Will Trent season 2 nears its end.

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Source: TVLine

IMAGES

  1. Lieutenant Uhura, the original face of fierce-ness

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  2. Uhura by ChristinZakh.deviantart.com on @deviantART Star Trek Tv, Star Wars, Star Trek Ships

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  3. Uhura from Star Trek 4, The Voyage Home. She is so awesome.

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  4. Zoë Saldana as Uhura in Star Trek

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  6. Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Star Trek

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  6. Star Trek Sundays! Uhura Playmates 12" action figure

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  5. Nyota Uhura

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    Fortunately, there's always the Kelvin timeline, which began with J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot in 2009. There, Spock enjoys a longterm relationship with Lt. Uhura. There, Spock enjoys a ...

  10. Kirk and Uhura's kiss

    In the episode of Star Trek: The Original Series titled " Plato's Stepchildren ", season 3 episode 10, first broadcast November 22, 1968, Uhura (played by black actress Nichelle Nichols) and Captain Kirk (played by white actor William Shatner) kiss. The episode is often cited as the first example of an interracial kiss on television.

  11. Nichelle Nichols

    Nichelle Nichols (/ n ɪ ˈ ʃ ɛ l / nish-EL; born Grace Dell Nichols; December 28, 1932 - July 30, 2022) was an American actress, singer and dancer whose portrayal of Uhura in Star Trek and its film sequels was groundbreaking for African American actresses on American television. From 1977 to 2015, she volunteered her time to promote NASA's programs and recruit diverse astronauts ...

  12. When Spock Met Uhura

    Star Trek screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci sure don't seem to mind talking about their movie, or the sequel that they're gearing up to start writing soon. We seem to get an update from ...

  13. Star Trek: 10 Greatest Uhura Moments

    With the passing of Nichelle Nichols, we examine her greatest Uhura moments in Star Trek.Read the article here: https://whatculture.com/film/star-trek-10-bes...

  14. Star Trek: 10 Best Uhura Quotes From The Original Series

    On the 30th of July 2022, beloved Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols passed away at the age of 89. She was famous for playing Nyota Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series from 1966-1969 and its subsequent film series. In TOS, Uhura was the only constant female actress on the Enterprise's bridge as the crew's translator and communications officer specializing in linguistics, cryptography, and ...

  15. Will We See More of Uhura's Relationship with Spock

    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds chats Celia Rose Gooding with io9 on the shipping of Spock and Uhura.

  16. 57 Years Later, One Underserved Star Trek Character Finally Gets Justice

    In Star Trek's big musical episode, "Subspace Rhapsody," Uhura ( Celia Rose Godding) is the driving force that saves the Enterprise, while in her big solo song, "Keep Us Connected," she ...

  17. Star Trek's Most Romantic Moments

    In Star Trek 12, James Kirk should have several human love interests just like James Bond and should be played by Hollywood's most stunningly beautiful young actresses. Sean Dignam February 15 ...

  18. Strange New Worlds Made Spock & Uhura Close Without Abrams' Mistake

    By John Orquiola. Published Dec 21, 2022. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds set up Spock's friendship with Uhura to leads into TOS without falling into the romance mistake of J.J. Abrams' movies. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) have a friendship in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds that won't duplicate the mistake J.J. Abrams made in ...

  19. One Trek Mind #15: Kirk's (Many) Lady Loves

    7 - Marta. Another amorous partner who teetered on the edge of villainy, Marta the Orion wasn't the first "green woman" to appear on Star Trek, but she's the only one caught smoochin' Captain Kirk.In the episode "Whom Gods Destroy" she is Garth of Izar's asylum-bound "kept woman," ready to do her consort's bidding even if it means putting the moves on a Starfleet captain.

  20. NCIS May Have Set Parker Up With A New Love Interest, But I'm Annoyed

    Russ is arguably best known for playing Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager, and he reprised the role last year for a couple Star Trek: Picard episodes. So when I saw Russ early on, I assumed that he'd ...

  21. Will Trent Season 3 Desperately Needs To Give Ramón Rodríguez's

    Ramón Rodríguez's Character Deserves A Better Love Interest In Will Trent Season 3 Will Needs A Win After Two Seasons Of Trauma Perhaps Will and Angie can turn their trauma bond into a healthy relationship in the ABC series. ... Star Trek: Discovery brought back the ISS Enterprise, revealing that the Mirror Universe ship set a new Star Trek ...