Flirty Spock Is a Tragically Addictive Aspect of ‘Strange New Worlds’
If you told me when I was younger that in 2023, I’d be head over heels in love with Ethan Peck as Mr. Spock, I’d probably say “yeah that checks out,” But boy oh boy has this been a journey for me, a lifelong fan of Star Trek. To be fair, I never really had a choice in the matter as my older brother calls this franchise his “unconditional love” but still, my relationship with the world that Gene Roddenberry built has been with me for as long as I can remember. And Spock has always been hot.
The problem I currently have with Peck’s take on Spock is that his more human side has consumed my ever-waking thoughts, mainly in how he goes about flirting with Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush). At the start of this season, it’s clear that Spock’s relationship with T’Pring (Gia Sandhu) wasn’t going to work out. He begins showing his feelings for Chapel and when he is accidentally turned into a human, we really get to see him show how much he likes her. And throughout the season, we’ve seen what his idea of flirting is.
Maybe it is just that this universe won’t let men show they care but there is really something to be said about how absolutely unhinged I became when human Spock simply asked Chapel how she was doing and checked in on her emotional state. And then he went and did it again when he was back to regular Spock. His flirting or, I guess, his love language seems to be checking in on those he cares about and that is definitely something that is going to fully break me as a person.
A cute little couple
Spock has had multiple romantic relationships in Star Trek history. He’s not the ladies’ man that Kirk is but he does know a thing or two. The progression of said relationships has never been as obvious and explored in the way his dynamic with Chapel is on Strange New Worlds. It really is though as simple as him just asking her how she feels about a situation.
Yes, this is the bare minimum for men and all of that but seeing Spock, who is rarely in tune with human emotions, seem to be overly aware of Christine’s feelings? End me! Often, we see the still-too-common trope of men who think the romantic gesture is to ignore a woman until she finally snaps and then they kiss in some big emotional moment. For Spock and Chapel, the two are more grounded in their relationship and how they approach their feelings.
That, for me, is what has made this entire journey so special: Spock’s feelings.
Oh no, I love him
It’s easy to see Spock as a romance-less being, mainly because Vulcans don’t experience emotions in the way that humans do. As I stated before though, Strange New Worlds has been giving us a much more human take on the half-Vulcan and we get to see him falling for Nurse Chapel and showing what that flirtation is like.
Even when Spock was in a relationship in previous Star Trek stories, he hasn’t really been this man who checks in the way that Peck’s Spock does. Zachary Quinto’s Spock in the Kelvin verse was with Uhura (Zoe Saldaña) and a point of contention in their relationship was the lack of communication. Spock and Chapel’s relationship seems to be a bit more grounded in Spock’s human emotions, which has made for a journey my Trek-loving heart wasn’t prepared for.
Growing up with my specific sibling dynamic, Trek has always been hard to talk about because my older brother obviously knows more than I do. It has made me second guess just how much I do know about these characters and how they function in the world of Starfleet. What makes Strange New Worlds so special for me is that this is a show I feel very comfortable with. I know and understand these characters and what their motivations are and how they feel things while aboard the Enterprise. In a lot of ways (much like the Kelvin verse), this show has felt like mine, which makes my love for Peck’s Spock that much deeper.
Flirty Spock might be the end of me but I do hope we get even more of Peck’s adventures as Mr. Spock—if only to see how they continue to show his emotions with Nurse Chapel.
(featured image: Michael Gibson/Paramount+)
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