Spock affected my life. I was 12 when the series came out. The summer previews of the brand new Sci Fi show were tantalizingly exciting. I couldn’t wait for the autumn show line up to begin after Labor Day. When the first show ran, I saw him. I freaked out. I got scared! I don’t know why!!! All I remember was that I saw the devilish ears and I felt suspicion of the character. I turned off the show and didn’t watch the entire series until February.
When I dealt with my fear and tried watching the new Star Trek again, no fear remained. Spock and I healed our wounds.
Another writer, besides Roddenberry, wrote about beings who emerge at the close of the first stage of humankind: Arthur C. Clark. In his “Childhood’s End“, the pointed eared characters were the fallen angels of Biblical legend but with the twist. His story had a kickback subtle memory feature so that humans instinctively had a fear of those angels because they assisted with the end of humanity’s first stage. Too complex now to discuss. But I think that’s something of what happened to me…I felt a kickback fear when first viewing Mr. Spock.
After that, it was Love. For all of Captain Kirk’s handsome brawn and mischievousness, I favored Mr. Spock. I loved that he was cool tempered and brainy. I loved that he had deep wisdom. His struggles felt real. When I was about 14, someone sent me a poster of Mr. Spock with the Enterprise image behind him. I asked my friends who sent this to me and no one fessed up to it. Not ever! So I was free to imagine that Mr. Spock sent it to me from the Enterprise.
As for the actor, Leonard Nimoy, I appreciated the depth of character he brought to Mr. Spock. I admired him. I always will. Thank you, Mr. Nimoy for enriching my life forever.