I’m glad the shocking plan for T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) inStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 5 didn’t happen.Star Trek: Enterprisewas canceledjust as it was finding its footing in season 4. The 22nd century-set prequel retconnedCaptain Jonathan Archer’s (Scott Bakula) NX-01 as the first Starship Enterprise. Subcommander T’Pol predated Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) as the first Vulcan Science Officer to serve aboard the Enterprise. Like Spock, T’Pol also doubled as Enterprise’s First Officer.
Star Trek: Enterprise’s controversial series finale, “These Are The Voyages…” left T’Pol’s story open-ended. “These Are The Voyages…” established that, like the rest of Captain Archer’s bridge crew, T’Pol served aboard Enterprise for 10 years.Enterprise’s series finale saw T’Pol endure the death of her former paramour,Commander Trip Tucker(Connor Trinneer). It was the last known tragedy among a series of unfortunate events in T’Pol’s life. HadStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 5 happened,T’Pol would have been faced with an existential crisis.
Star Trek: Enterprise Season 5 Would Have Revealed T’Pol Is Half-Romulan
This Would Have Answered Some Questions But Also Caused Problems
As detailed in a video aboutStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 5’s plansbyBullets & Blockbusterson YouTube,T’Pol would have been revealed to be half-Romulan.Enterprisehad already introduced T’Pol’s mother, T’Les (Joanna Cassidy), and even her second foremother, T’Mir (Jolene Blalock), butEnterpriseseason 5 would have finally introduced T’Pol’s father, who would have been a Romulan. This would canonically establish T’Pol as half-Vulcan and half-Romulan. Check outBullets & Blockbusters' video below:
There is logic toStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 5’s plan to make T’Pol half-Romulan. T’Pol often behaved unlike a typical Vulcan throughoutStar Trek: Enterprise, and she exhibited bursts of emotion numerous times.T’Pol being half-Romulan would have been a handwave explanation for her passionate side. T’Pol’s father revealed to be Romulan would have also deepenedEnterpriseseason 4’s story of the Romulan Star Empire’s attempts to gain control of Vulcan.
T’Pol Didn’t Need This Twist
Although I’d have loved to seeStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 5 and understand what showrunner Manny Coto intended by making T’Pol half-Romulan, I’m ultimately glad it didn’t happen. T’Pol was the unfortunate subject of several lurid storylines that traded on Jolene Blalock’s physical beauty, rendering T’Pol into a sex object.Making T’Pol half-Romulan sounds like a petty justification for the questionable way T’Pol was depicted throughoutEnterprise.
5 Versions Of Enterprise’s T’Pol In Star Trek Explained
Jolene Blalock played Subcommander T’Pol in four seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise but she also portrayed several variants of the Vulcan.
T’Pol already endured tragedy and torment, from being afflicted with Pan’ar Syndrome to being physically and psychically assaulted.Star Trek: Enterpriseheaped misfortune on T’Pol, and revealing that her father was alive and a Romulan working to subjugate Vulcan could have been a bridge too far. It makes sense as a follow-through toEnterprise’s established stories, but it alsostrips T’Pol of her dignity, pride, and sense of self as a Vulcan.
T’Pol Not Becoming Half-Romulan Is Like Saavik In Star Trek II
Neither Plan To Make These Vulcans Half-Romulan Became Canon
Star Trek: Enterpriseseason 5 plan for T’Pol is reminiscent of another Vulcan who was originally intended to be half-Romulan: Lt. Saavik (Kirstie Alley) inStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Saavik as a half-Romulan would have explained her own emotional behavior, likecrying at Captain Spock’s funeral. However,Saavik being half-Romulan was never mentioned on-screen inStar Trek II.Thus, it never became canon.
An alternate universe version of T’Pol, who is evidently fully Vulcan, appeared inStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 and was voiced by Jolene Blalock (credited as “Jolene”).
InStar Trek III: The Search for Spock,Robin Curtis took over the role of Lt. Saavik from Kirstie Alley. Director Leonard Nimoy instructed Curtis to portray Saavik as a full Vulcan, further neutralizing the idea that Saavik was half-Romulan. Like Saavik, T’Pol remains a full Vulcan since the plan to alter her history did not take place. This is probably the only positive ofStar Trek: Enterpriseseason 5’s cancelation.
