A couple of weeks ago, Jake Black wrote an excellent article about how Spock’s dream of Vulcan and Romulan unification, as shown in The Next Generation episodes “Unification, Parts I and II,” is incredibly relevant for the divided society we are today. They discover that Spock has not defected; instead, he’s been working with an underground movement to support the reunification of Romulans and Vulcans. They also appear in variou… Unlike Vulcans, most Romulans have two brow ridges above the bridge of their nose, forming a V-shape on the forehead. As their level of technology improved, the Vulcans' violent nature threatened the species with extinction. By subscribing to the Star Trek newsletter, which may include personalized offers from our advertising partners, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data collection and usage practices outlined in our Privacy Policy. The Romulans, on the other hand, believe Vulcan to be a lost colony of Romulus ? During the early part of the century, the Romulans were involved in the abduction of numerous Vulcans which were part of an ongoing operation for the future. In the various Star Trek television series and movies, they are noted for their attempt to live by logic and reason with as little interference from emotion as possible. The Romulans are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise Star Trek. While its origins are unclear (and we don’t know whether Romulan culture retained the memory of their genetic history), the movement was apparently thriving long before it was first depicted on screen. The pro-unification underground goes much further back in history than The Next Generation episode of the same name, where it was introduced. The Twilight Zone (1985): In "A Message from Charity", the village of Annes Town was renamed Anniston in the late 19th Century. The Vulcans and Romulans may live on a shared homeworld, but they still have major differences. Swapna Krishna (she/her) writes about tech, science, and sci-fi. I’m going to explore that in this primer on unification between the Romulans and Vulcans. CBS. Inspired by Spock's example and his teachings, Vulcan opened its doors to their Romulan cousins, and the Qowat Milat and their philosophy of "absolute candor" were instrumental in smoothing over initial relations between the Romulans and Vulcans. V'Las placed the blame on the Syrrannites, a group of Vulcans dedicated to returning Vulcan to the true teachings of Surak. Unknown to most at the time, V'Las had been working with a Romulan operative, Major Talok, to pave the way for the conquest of Vulcan by the Romulan Star Empire. Like the Vulcans, the Romulans gave up unrestrained violence as a way of life. Few records survive from this unstable time, so it’s unclear how the Romulan species was born, but they likely were established during this period. The Romulans and Vulcans descend from the same ancestor species — specifically, the Romulans are an offshoot of ancient Vulcans. It was determined that V'Las, in an attempt to eliminate the Syrrannites as a political obstacle in his plans to attack Andoria, had one of his aides bomb the embassy and plant evidence implicating them, allowing V'Las to eliminate the Syrrannites without incident or opposition. (ENT: "Kir'Shara"; TNG: "Unification II"). Spock left without notifying the Federation, and in response Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Lieutenant Commander Data of the USS Enterprise were sent to determine what he was doing there and ensure that he had not defected to the Romulan Empire. a theory unsubstantiated by the archeological record. A Romulan female 2. Before they established logic as the foundation for their culture and history, Vulcans were similar to humans — emotional and warlike. The action of this membrane is totally instinctive rather than voluntary. They still shared the same pointed earns and copper based blood that appeared green when oxygenated, but by the 24th century there was enough differences that Vulcans were no lon… His efforts ultimately failed, leading to fall of the Romulan Empire, which led to the rise of the Romulan Free State, and the creation of an alternate reality. I guess earning less than minimal wage and sleeping in the car wasn't enough to support his habits. Around 370 AD, the philosopher Surak led his people in a great reformation to reject their emotions in favor of a philosophy that embraced pure logic. However, a minority of Romulans lack these ridges, making them outwardly indistinguishable from Vulcans. In the time of Star Trek: Picard, the Romulans are scattered, without a home world. They became known as the Freelans who masqueraded as a separate neutral race by hiding their appearance under heavy robes and limited contact with outsiders. Spock's dream of reunifying these two alien societies came … As such, the inner eyelid no longer po… Picard and Data returned to Federation space shortly after, although Spock chose to remain behind and continue his efforts of promoting peaceful reunification of Vulcan and Romulus. In Star Trek Online, set in the year 2409, D'Tan assisted in building a New Romulus after the destruction of the original homeworld twenty-two years prior. Spock met underground Romulans intent on brokering a peace before Jean-Luc Picard and his crew discovered it was all part of an elaborate plot by the Romulans to conquer Vulcan. Spock expressed real surprise that the species looked so similar to Vulcans and posited that the two had split during a violent period of Vulcan history, and that Romulans retained that warlike culture, while Vulcans had turned to logic. Led by S'Task, these militarists defeated an Orion invasion force while the pacifists stood by and did nothing. When the Enterprise moved to intercept the invasion force, a Romulan Warbird decloaked and destroyed the convoy, preventing their capture. Eventually, their empire fell and their society devolved into chaos. Their suspicions proved correct when they were taken into custody by Commander Sela. He stays on Romulus for at least a few years, as the sixth-season episode “Face of the Enemy” once again confronts unification. She’s a contributing editor at SYFY FANGRRLS and has been published at Engadget, Gizmodo, Mental Floss, the Los Angeles Times, and more. That government is made up of Vulcans and Romulans, with a focused purpose of resolving age-old conflicts between the two species, in order to maintain Unification. Despite a promising meeting with Neral, in which he promised public endorsement of reunification with Vulcan, Spock and Picard suspected foul play. Counselor Troi is kidnapped by Romulans and altered to look like one of them. A group of dissenters, known as "those who march beneath the raptor's wings", did not accept Surak's teachings, and left the planet Vulcan at this time. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. The Vulcans won - hence the nowadays Romulans had no choice but to leave. They do good business. Enter the email address associated with your account and we'll send you a link to reset your password. However a minority of Romulans, particularly those in the 23rd century, lack these ridges; making them outwardly indistinguishable from Vulcans. The Romulans' plans for reunification were further delayed by the Empire's isolationist policies following the end of the war in 2160 through the mid-23rd century. A patient and cunning race mostly known for their violence, Romulans have an interesting heritage. Vulcans are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek universe and media franchise. While they don't control their emotions with strict logic individually, they don't destroy themselves by means of a rigid, controlled society. It’s unclear whether the movement continued when so many of their brethren were lost, but unification, and the desire to connect with one another, is an important part of Star Trek history that shouldn’t be forgotten. After a visit to Sarek, Spock’s ailing father, Picard and Data head to Romulus aboard a cloaked Klingon Bird of Prey. What we know about unification after this point is negligible. The Romulans and Vulcans separated their bloodlines sometime before Surak came along during Surak's time known as "The Awakening". Long ago, the Romulans were Vulcans who disagreed when the Vulcan leader Surak started preaching logic and self-control. The Romulans and Vulcans descend from the same ancestor species — specifically, the Romulans are an offshoot of ancient Vulcans. The email will only be created once you click on the "Send Email" button. Due to their shared ancestry, Vulcans and Romulans possess very similar anatomy and physiology. A Romulan male In Rough Beasts of Empire, the Reunification movement becomes legal, although in Plagues of Night Spock comes to see the Romulan people are against reunification and he leaves Romulus. In 2154, the Earth embassy on Vulcan was bombed. The Romulans lacked the rigorous mental disciplines developed by the followers of Surak. He must have been high on crack " robbing the Brother’s Food Market". In 2368, the celebrated Federation ambassador and former Starfleet officer Spock traveled to Romulus at the invitation of Romulan Senator Pardek. Calling themselves the Rihannsu, or "the … Over the centuries the Romulans became a distinct subspecies to the Vulcans, with there being a number of differences between them and their baseline Vulcan cousins. These "browless" Romulans appear to be confined to the 23rd century. Romulan eyes are forward facing and stereoscopic, with a clear inner eyelid (or nictating membrane) that aids in filtering out harmful radiation. His efforts ultimately failed, leading to fall of the Romulan Empire, which led to the rise of the Romulan Free State, and the creation of an alternate reality. Romulans are the descendants of 80,000 Vulcans who rejected the pacific teachings of Surak in favor of a militarist approach to defend the planet from interstellar threats. The Vulcans were once an extremely violent and emotional people, waging almost constant warfare on each other. The Vulcans were placed on an icy world on the border of the Federation and were overseen by Romulan guards. Being descended from Vulcans, Romulans have pointed ears, eyebrows that are arched and upswept, a heart located where a Human liver is present and copper-based green blood. From the Star Trek history we know, it’s unclear when the split between the two occurred, but it was likely during Vulcan’s war-torn period of history. Talok was forced to return to Romulus following these events, telling V'Las that the reunification of the Vulcan and Romulan peoples would have to wait. You can find her on Twitter @skrishna. She pretends to be a member of the feared Tal Shiar, the Romulan secret police, and her job is to successfully transport high-ranking members of the Romulan government to the Federation as defectors. Owing to their heritage as a group of dissident Vulcans who left their homeworld and settled on new worlds, Romulans have a striking resemblance to Vulcans. From the Star Trek history we know, it’s unclear when the split between the two occurred, but it was likely during Vulcan’s war-torn period of history. They have appeared in most subsequent Star Trek releases, including The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise and Picard. (ENT: "The Forge", "Awakening", "Kir'Shara"), Following these events, the Romulans focused their concentration on their campaign to destabilize the Alpha Quadrant's major powers, and later their war with Earth. Most Romulans have two brow ridges above the bridge of their nose, forming a V-shape on the forehead. A brief history of the Vulcan Species, from their origins to the Age of Awakening initiated by Surak up to the formation of the Federation and beyond. The Romulans had left their home planet two millennia prior during a violent war that ended with the remaining Vulcans embracing their logical philosophy. The Romulans, displaced due to the destruction of their homeworld, had finally reunited with their Vulcan cousins. Romulans maintained their security by ensuring division among their potential enemies, but the arrival of Earth as a peacemaker between the Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites. Known for their pronounced eyebrows and pointed ears, they originate from the fictional planet Vulcan. (Star Trek). They … Many members of the group had been declared enemies of the Romulan state because of their adherence to Vulcan philosophy; Spock’s goal was to both help them and also evaluate the greater potential of reunification, though he admits the possibility may be unlikely. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Vulcan-Romulan_history?oldid=2668326. Like Vulcans, Romulans have pointed ears, eyebrows that are arched and upswept, and copper-based blood that is green when oxygenated in the arteries, or copper or rust-colored when deoxygenated in the veins. In “Unification, Parts I and II,” which brought Spock to The Next Generation, the revered ambassador is spotted on Romulus, and the Federation fears that he defected. Spock, Picard, and Data manage to escape, but the ambassador chooses to remain on Romulus. However, in the case of the Romulans, this was replaced with a controlled deviousness: as a species, the Romulans were generally thought of as duplicitous, a reputation reinforced by the actions of their government over time. He recognizes that unification won’t happen via political channels, but instead through the will of the Romulan people, and he wants to help shepherd it. Due to their shared ancestry, Vulcans and Romulans possessed very similar physiology, including varied skin color. The history of the Vulcan and Romulan peoples was a subject of interest on both Vulcan and Romulus. While Spock himself isn’t in this episode, his fingerprints are all over it. CBS Entertainment | This site and its contents ® & © 2021 CBS Studios Inc. © 2021 CBS Television Distribution and CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The costs of his betrayal would be incalculable, so they send Captain Picard on a mission to uncover what’s happened. Romulans have very acute night vision but somewhat decreased vision in extremely bright lig… In the Kelvin universe, at least, Spock continued working with the Romulans in some capacity, as he was involved in efforts to prevent their sun from going supernova. So while they have the same ancestors, the differences between them by the 24th century, when The Next Generation is set, are deeper than just culture. Finding themselves in an overwhelming minority to the pacifists and disagreeing with their enacted reforms, S'Task and his followers left Vulcan in 370 CE to search for a new homeworld. Spock would continue to remain on Romulus for nearly two more decades, when in 2387, at a time when the Romulans and Vulcans were on such terms that when Romulus was threatened by a supernova, Spock offered to use red matter to save the Romulans. As part of rebuilding a new Romulan Republic, he became leader of the Romulan Unification Movement in an attempt to continue Ambassador Spock's work of bringing the Vulcan and Romulan people together. Common belief holds that the Romulans are descendants of Vulcans, the Romulans having left Vulcan over 2000 years before the current Federation. Ousted Administrator V'Las conspiring with Talok, Unfortunately for V'Las, these plans fell through when Archer and T'Pau, the leader of the Syrrannite movement, brought the Kir'Shara before the Vulcan High Command, bringing forth the Vulcan Reformation. In the Star Trek universe, they were the first extraterrestrial species to make contact with humans. (ENT: "Babel One", "United", "The Aenar"; TOS: "Balance of Terror"). It’s also possible that the Romulans are one of Vulcan’s outlying colonies that were abandoned by the homeworld and forgotten in the chaos. (TNG: "Unification I", "Unification II"), Spock remained on Romulus for nearly two more decades, when in 2387, at a time when the Romulans and Vulcans were on such terms that when Romulus was threatened by a supernova, Spock offered to use red matter to save the Romulans. It is eventually revealed that the Romulans evolved after the Vulcans embraced the philosophy of logic millennia ago. Before they established logic as the foundation for their culture and history, Vulcans were similar to humans — … Sometime during the mid-22nd century, Administrator V'Las became the head of the Vulcan High Command. The planet is now known as Ni'var, and it is now home to both Vulcan and Romulans. Spock and his associates are hoping to open a new path for Romulan dissidents to leave the oppressive Star Empire. Romulans are an offshoot of Vulcans When the Enterprise first encounters Romulans, they're the first humans to actually see the race, and their … (As an aside, the idea of the Romulans being able to successfully invade one of the founding worlds of the Federation with three ships and 2,000 troops is laughably arrogant.). Either way, for centuries Vulcans were aware of the Romulans as an alien race, but had no idea that the two species shared an ancestral history. According to old teachings Romulans and Vulcans were once one species existing on the planet Vulcan.They were an extremely violent race until around the 4th Century during the “Time of the Awakening” during which many of the populace began following the teachings of Surak. It turns out that the Romulans are interested in reunification, but one at gunpoint: They want to invade Vulcan and conquer it. 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