Star Trek: First Contact gave significance to three iconic Vulcans.
Star Trek: First Contact is iconic, so iconic it’s like we won’t shut up about it. Truthfully, we probably won’t, there’s always something new to talk about with the movie. Like today, we have plenty to dissect about this movie, and plenty to share with you. Like with this tidbit. Did you know that the three Vulcans at the end of the film that land on the planet is pretty important?
To catch you up on the important parts, Zefram Cochrane launched the first light-speed capable vessel on April 5, 2063. It was not long after the Borg popped by for a visit, and just hours before the Vulcans landed to make the official first contact with humanity.
Had the Borg been successful in their time travel shenanigans, things would’ve gone very differently for Earth and probably Vulcan. Thankfully, however, the good guys saved the day, and Cochrane’s flight went on as planned, making the Vulcans take notice. So the film ends with Cochrane hosting three very uneasy Vulcans to a round of drinks and music.
Those three Vulcans, however, weren’t just random characters.
The three Vulcans in Star Trek: First Contact are quite important.
According to the book, Last Full Measure, The three Vulcans that arrived on Earth in Star Trek: First Contact are three of the four most important Vulcans in the history of Trek lore. Those three are T’Pau, Soval and Solkar. Maybe you recognize some of those names, maybe not, so who are these three Vulcans?
T’Pau was the Vulcan diplomat and judge seen in Amok Time, the original Trek series episode. She’d later be seen in Voyager as a hologram and have a small role in the series Enterprise.
The second Vulcan was another character that appeared on Enterprise in Soval. He had a much bigger role on Enterprise, appearing in 11 episodes, and was the main point man between the Enterprise and the Vulcan High Command. He was also T’Pol’s direct supervisor for some time.
Both T’Pau and Soval were the two characters seen in the background of the Vulcan ship as the lead alien got off and shook the hand of Cochrane. So who was that aline?
Solkar. While Solkar never appeared in another series or film, his family is very important to the history of Trek, as he’s the grandfather of Sarek, and the great-grandfather of Spock; the fourth most important Vulcan in Trek lore.