(no subject)
c o n t a c t
name: lena
contact: plurk-> starboardside & aim-> fealty sworn
located: pst
ALSO THIS IS MY DISCLAIMER
i am so many kinds of not as serious as spock is. i'm actually a huge derp, i promise. and i'm sorry he comes off as an uppity know it all. he's not actually trying to be, it's just a byproduct of his upbringing and career choice. he knows he doesn't know everything. that verbose and uppity conversation he's having with you is actually his way of expressing curiosity and trying to learn things. he's got the emotional understanding of algae.
that said, also don't hesitate to talk to me???
i'm not a jerk, even if this guy totally looks like one D:
i n f o r m a t i o n
Name: Spock
Canon: Star Trek 2009
Canon Point: The launch of the Enterprise's five year mission; end of movie
Inventory: phaser, communicator, both inoperative and hooked to a utility belt. as well as an earpiece worn by members of the bridge crew to exchange conversation and listen to hailing frequencies/computer reports; also inoperative.
Appearance: just over six feet, he's a slender, long limbed guy would could probably pass as human from behind, even with the really unfortunate, severe bowl cut he's rocking. at least until you take the unnaturally pale skin, pointed ears, green blood, and satanic looking eyebrows into account. he's here on the left
Age: 27
Number: --- » 001 » 200
Setting: link
History: First things first. If the green blood, funny eyebrows, and pointed ears didn't give it away already, Spock is an alien. In part anyway. His mother Amanda Grayson, was a human, something that being raised on Vulcan, was scandalous at best. In his youth, Spock had witnessed his father referred to as a traitor and had been told that being neither human nor Vulcan, he had no place in the universe. Upon his admittance to the equivalent of socially-acceptable-stereotypical-vulcan-university Spock's own existence had been referred to as a great disadvantage to his person. From what we glean of his childhood, he had experienced no shortage of conflict regarding his own identity, often exacerbated by both peers and respected elders- ranging from an interest in illiciting and exploiting his foreign emotional nature and anticipating such illogical displays with no small amount of disdain.
Either based upon an emotional desire to flip standards the bird or genuinely undecided to begin with, Spock does progress with his studies up until he is granted admittance to the Vulcan Science Academy. Where he promptly turns around with an ambiguous 'live long and screwyouprosper' before going to Earth. He went on to join Starfleet; a galactic armada that focused on peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, where Spock graduated with a great deal of acclaim. As essentially one of the most accomplished members the academy has ever had, he was made a commander, serving beneath the esteemed Captain Pike- simultaneously he accepted a teaching position at Starfleet Academy and continued to be the chief programmer of the required Kobayashi Maru (a legendary, unbeatable simulation designed to teach all students what it means to experience a situation where they and their crew would face certain death and be expected to perform to the best of their abilities without devolving into chaos and fear).
The day that changed everything however, began the same as any other. For the most part. There had been something of an altercation with a cadet, one James Kirk, who had managed to cheat his way through his third attempt at the aforementioned unbeatable exam. A school hearing had been called to resolve the matter and were in the midst of a debate regarding academic suspension for the cadet, when the counsel was alerted to an urgent matter in space. Starfleet had received a distress signal from the planet Vulcan and as a result, the counsel disbanded, it's attendees suiting up to depart immediately.
Spock himself reported for duty as first officer to the starship Enterprise's maiden voyage, and it was during their warp to Vulcan that Kirk appeared. The fact that he'd snuck aboard was eclipsed utterly when Kirk argued against the Federation's decision, stating that the lightning storm outside of Vulcan's atmosphere was in fact, caused by Romulans. A direct parallel to a mysterious and unsolved attack on the federation vessel USS Kelvin twenty three years prior. The warning came just soon enough for Captain Pike to raise their shields as they reached the planet, and discovered that Kirk was correct. The starships that had reached the planet ahead of them had all been attacked and destroyed by a single Romulan vessel, at it's head, was a man calling himself Captain Nero. They were contacted by the Romulan captain directly, who stated that he would spare the lives of the Enterprise's crew, alluded to a necessity to show Spock something, and also demanded that Captain Pike come aboard the Narada.
With no other alternative, Pike agreed, and on departing gave orders that left Spock as the Enterprise's captain, and Kirk as first officer. After abducting Pike, Nero's attentions returned to Vulcan. His intention was to use a massive drill to reach the planet's core, after which he would insert red matter, a substance that upon ignition, would create a black hole at the center of Vulcan. Kirk and Sulu were able to destroy the drill, but the core had already been reached. The Enterprise issued a warning to have the planet evacuate, but with no other option, Spock beamed to the planet's surface to locate both his parents, and the Vulcan Counsel. As they prepared to beam to the ship however, the instability of the planet's surface gave way and Amanda fell. She was one of the estimated six billion lives to be lost that day, and Spock, back aboard the Enterprise, was at a loss. Uhura was there to comfort him, though he managed to keep his composure- and issued the order that they would reunite with the rest of Starfleet in the Laurentian System.
To absolutely no one's surprise, Kirk was unwilling to agree to the plan. Their conflict erupted into a furious argument over the issue and when Kirk lashed into violence Spock had enough. One nerve pinch later, Kirk was incapacitated and Spock gave the order to get him off the ship- marooning the first officer on planet Delta Vega. Out of nowhere however, while they'd been traveling at warp no less, Kirk reappeared, this time with one Montgomery Scott- and Spock was baffled. He questioned their arrival with the intent to discover how they had managed it, but Kirk had another agenda. Provoking him in every way he could manage, he at last accused Spock of never loving his mother- as he'd shown no emotional response to her death. It was more than he could bear. The Vulcan snapped and attacked Kirk with the full bearing of both his pain and rage. Emotionally compromised and thus incapable of maintaining control of the ship, he stepped down from his position as acting captain and Kirk, as first officer, took his place.
Unbeknownst to him, Kirk's arrival on the ship was due essentially, to himself. While marooned on Delta Vega, Kirk had encountered a Spock from 136 years into the future. In that timeline, a star exploded, and it's effects traveled so far that the inhabitants of Romulus were in danger. Spock, then an Ambassador, promised to help the planet- with plans to use the red matter on the exploding star. It was in the end, too late, and the planet along with all of it's inhabitants, were destroyed. Spock was then confronted by Nero, who had been out on a mining job, and witnessed the loss of his home. He held the Ambassador personally responsible, but their confrontation was interrupted by the ignition of the red matter, which pulled both vessels into a black hole. Nero arrived first, and set the entire chain of events for the movie's timeline into motion- before Ambassador Spock could arrive. He was captured by Nero and left on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan be destroyed just as Nero had watched Romulus. It was on that planet that the Ambassador had found and assisted Kirk- who, now captain of the Enterprise, had changed their course.
The new plan was to pursue Nero, who had his sights set on Earth- and Spock at last, agreed. He offered himself up for the mission, citing that it would be easier for him to beam aboard Nero's ship, as Vulcans and Romulans share more similarities than a human could hope to. In the end he was permitted to go, but not without Kirk's accompaniment- and together the pair of them infiltrated the ship. Spock located a smaller ship, one that unknown to him, had belonged to the Ambassador- and aboard it, he also found the red matter. He escaped Nero's vessel with it while Kirk remained aboard the Narada- to locate Captain Pike, and the Enterprise destroyed the drill that was burrowing to Earth's core. Warping further into the galaxy with Nero on his tail, Spock set his vessel on a collision course with Nero's ship, saved at the last moment when he was beamed back aboard the Enterprise. The red matter ignited, opening a black hole in the core of Nero's ship, and with the Nerada destroyed the Enterprise and her crew narrowly escaped the gravitational pull.
Back on Earth, Spock was able to meet with his aged, alternate self, and the Ambassador explained that he'd kept his presence a secret so as not to rob Spock and Kirk of forging the friendship that he'd counted on for so many years of his life. The Ambassador then explained that he intended return with the rest of the refugees from their planet to form a Vulcan colony and advised Spock to put aside his logic for the benefit of acknowledging his own desires. In the aftermath, Pike was promoted to Admiral, Kirk was assigned Captain of the Enterprise as Pike's relief, and Spock offered himself as first officer- an offer Kirk accepted. The movie then ends with the ship jumping into warp drive, at the start of the Enterprise's legendary five year mission; to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations and of course, boldly go.
Vulcans are essentially a humanoid species of touch telepaths who like to be smart and ignore their feelings. But I figure I should break this down a little because hey, that's all pretty vague.
While not a superpower, Vulcans are notorious smarty pants- all of which is is based on a cultural commitment. They were once a polytheistic, emotionally charged, technologically advanced and incredibly violent race that was at war with itself so constantly their extinction was immanent. One Vulcan in particular, Surak, founded principles that lead to a reform called the Time of Awakening. What's significant about this cultural revolution is that Vulcans as a whole came to the unanimous decision to ignore everything emotional and focus only on fact, logic, and the rational. This is a concept instilled in Vulcan children incredibly early on, and all are expected to work towards voiding themselves of the influence of emotion. Emotion in Vulcans is said to run more deeply and be more passionate than that which exists in humans, and in controlling it, they ensure that they remain unbiased and unattached. Without emotional investment they are able to see things in very black and white terms, sort of like living breathing computers- able to advance without hesitation. Their race, for example, had figured out interstellar travel when it was like, 9BC here on Earth.
Spock is no exemption, and his upbringing has allowed him to absorb and question the world around him in ways that simultaneously isolate him from and enlighten the humans with which he interacts.
Vulcan physiology however is it's own bag, which often gives the appearance of Spock seeming super human. In reality he is just as mortal as any other individual aboard the Enterprise- it's simply that his organization is different. For example, he can be shot in the chest and the risk of fatality is low- because his heart is located where his liver should be. Vulcan also has higher atmospheric pressure and gravity, which makes Spock and all other Vulcans appear three times stronger than the average human. He isn't winded as easily by running because Vulcan lungs are accustomed to very thin air. His blood is copper based, green in appearance, and it's temperature likened to ice water- which makes Vulcans most comfortable in incredibly hot environments and quite vulnerable to cold. Vulcans are vegetarians but their digestive tracts are adjustable to alien food, neither of which they require much of. Spock is able to go several days without water or sleep- instead requiring only a handful of hours spent in meditation as a means of resting his body. The meditation however, is absolutely necessary to his wellbeing- emotionally, intellectually, and physically. They have sensitive hearing, secondary eyelids (presumably an adaptation for all the sand on Vulcan) and superb reflexes. They also have crazy effective metabolisms so things like sapotoxins and caffeine don't really effect them, while nitrous oxide will knock them out like a light. They have 200+ year lifespans and enter healing trances (similar to neuropressure)to help their bodies recover from injury.
All in all, these are physical differences that have resulted from evolution on their planet- which make them look like super efficient, streamlined humans designed for survival. Things don't really wander into strange and alien until we get to the brain.
Oh the Vulcan brain.
Okay.
While ignoring their own emotions, they are able to pick them up in others as well as also capable of psychically influencing the minds of others (power of suggestion, etc)- and Vulcans as a whole have also been shown occasionally capable of telekinesis. Most famous. however, is their telepathy, which is also inherent to their species. They sense thoughts in each other and others, much like a surface scan, when they physically touch. While a great deal of concentration and training are required to develop these abilities to their full potential, the tendency to reach psychically outward is still natural to them. Basic connections (childlike curiosity) are, however, able to be formed with neither intent or even awareness thereof. Stronger minds are capable of reaching another's consciousness without touch at all, and it is that category into which Spock himself is grouped. His mental capabilities are unnaturally strong, even among Vulcans (in his prime universe, many many years into his life, he's shown to be able to hear Kirk's thoughts, from across a galaxy). His potential is great, and it's implied in the original series that he will go on to be incredibly talented in this regard, but also significant to note is that Spock at the moment and from this canon point, has not yet developed or leaned towards said potential.
All of this sounds like really crazy god modding ability, I know. But that said, Vulcans are incredibly strict regarding their boundaries and influence. Spock is no different, regardless of his talent. Much of Vulcan abilities are a double edged sword sort of deal- because they certainly have immensely frightening capabilities, but really, they nearly wiped out their own race once before. The phrase once bitten twice shy is alarmingly accurate. The race as a whole keeps all of these things on a very tight leash, and abandoning that would be a taboo so great that it'd result in, essentially, an ejection from Vulcan society.
Alright, so let's talk about these weaknesses.
Strength; they have a great capacity for it, but Vulcans are pacifists. Conflict as a whole is a messy and emotionally steeped affair, they don't even lie for crying out loud. They are staunchly nonviolent and find death appalling- even if the continued existence of whatever they aren't killing will likely come back to bite them in the ass. Phasers are pretty much always set to stun, not kill and given the option between shooting someone who's about to take their life, and getting their life taken, well. Vulcans tend to choose to bite the big one.
Telepathy; to invade the thoughts of another, especially of a psi-null species (humans) is a massive massive massive taboo. It is considered the utmost disrespect they can offer, it makes them look like hideous beings, and just- it's a big glaring no. On the whole, Spock's aversion to avoiding physical contact with others as a whole is more than just a societal and cultural preference. Given his life choices (he's one of very very few Vulcans that choose to live among a group that is not also predominately Vulcan) he's become incredibly adept at throwing up mental shields by necessity. Living so close to loud, touchy, noisy, emotional humans has made it imperative that he keep himself under control. He's more or less placed mental blinders on himself, effectively shutting out all incoming thoughts, impressions and emotions he might glean through proximity or accidental contact. While he is capable, his telepathy is not something Spock uses save for extreme life or death situations, or when in the presence of another Vulcan where their physic greeting would be culturally expected.
Emotion; repressed, remember? Feelings as a whole are so frightening and intense for Vulcans, that if their minds are faced with something that threatens to overwhelm their psyches, their minds are capable of lobotomizing themselves. Their minds are as much an asset as they are entirely self operating machines focused on efficiency. If they can't cope, they will simply shut out, and that will be the end of it. They also experience a terror entirely their own every seven years- a madness that overcomes their senses and forces Vulcans to go home and find a mate. For being as emotionally controlled as they are, this period is one of great shame and fear for them, and though they face the possibility of death should this need go unmet, it is not something a Vulcan would speak of to outworlders. Instead they just abandon all logic and go crazy, which doesn't actually sound logical at all.
Now, this strictly Vulcan talk aside there is one thing in particular that needs to be addressed. Spock is not Vulcan. Spock is half Vulcan.
This means that all of his Vulcan abilities are tempered by less control than his peers are able to maintain. Spock has breaking points that other Vulcans do not. He is vulnerable, physically, in ways that can't be avoided. His physiology is unlike anyone else's in the universe- doctors even in his own timeline have no idea how to treat the illnesses and injuries of a body that doesn't respond to strictly human or Vulcan remedy. He's incredibly sensitive to medicines and has been shown to be violently ill as a result. God forbid he needs a blood transfusion, because there isn't anyone else with his unique blood type laying around. As far as his mentality is concerned, we've seen that he's very good at shutting thoughts out and keeping others at arms length- but it also makes the humanity in him suffer. He has human needs, and zero understanding of them.
name: lena
contact: plurk-> starboardside & aim-> fealty sworn
located: pst
ALSO THIS IS MY DISCLAIMER
i am so many kinds of not as serious as spock is. i'm actually a huge derp, i promise. and i'm sorry he comes off as an uppity know it all. he's not actually trying to be, it's just a byproduct of his upbringing and career choice. he knows he doesn't know everything. that verbose and uppity conversation he's having with you is actually his way of expressing curiosity and trying to learn things. he's got the emotional understanding of algae.
that said, also don't hesitate to talk to me???
i'm not a jerk, even if this guy totally looks like one D:
i n f o r m a t i o n
Name: Spock
Canon: Star Trek 2009
Canon Point: The launch of the Enterprise's five year mission; end of movie
Inventory: phaser, communicator, both inoperative and hooked to a utility belt. as well as an earpiece worn by members of the bridge crew to exchange conversation and listen to hailing frequencies/computer reports; also inoperative.
Appearance: just over six feet, he's a slender, long limbed guy would could probably pass as human from behind, even with the really unfortunate, severe bowl cut he's rocking. at least until you take the unnaturally pale skin, pointed ears, green blood, and satanic looking eyebrows into account. he's here on the left
Age: 27
Number: --- » 001 » 200
Setting: link
History: First things first. If the green blood, funny eyebrows, and pointed ears didn't give it away already, Spock is an alien. In part anyway. His mother Amanda Grayson, was a human, something that being raised on Vulcan, was scandalous at best. In his youth, Spock had witnessed his father referred to as a traitor and had been told that being neither human nor Vulcan, he had no place in the universe. Upon his admittance to the equivalent of socially-acceptable-stereotypical-vulcan-university Spock's own existence had been referred to as a great disadvantage to his person. From what we glean of his childhood, he had experienced no shortage of conflict regarding his own identity, often exacerbated by both peers and respected elders- ranging from an interest in illiciting and exploiting his foreign emotional nature and anticipating such illogical displays with no small amount of disdain.
Either based upon an emotional desire to flip standards the bird or genuinely undecided to begin with, Spock does progress with his studies up until he is granted admittance to the Vulcan Science Academy. Where he promptly turns around with an ambiguous 'live long and screwyouprosper' before going to Earth. He went on to join Starfleet; a galactic armada that focused on peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, where Spock graduated with a great deal of acclaim. As essentially one of the most accomplished members the academy has ever had, he was made a commander, serving beneath the esteemed Captain Pike- simultaneously he accepted a teaching position at Starfleet Academy and continued to be the chief programmer of the required Kobayashi Maru (a legendary, unbeatable simulation designed to teach all students what it means to experience a situation where they and their crew would face certain death and be expected to perform to the best of their abilities without devolving into chaos and fear).
The day that changed everything however, began the same as any other. For the most part. There had been something of an altercation with a cadet, one James Kirk, who had managed to cheat his way through his third attempt at the aforementioned unbeatable exam. A school hearing had been called to resolve the matter and were in the midst of a debate regarding academic suspension for the cadet, when the counsel was alerted to an urgent matter in space. Starfleet had received a distress signal from the planet Vulcan and as a result, the counsel disbanded, it's attendees suiting up to depart immediately.
Spock himself reported for duty as first officer to the starship Enterprise's maiden voyage, and it was during their warp to Vulcan that Kirk appeared. The fact that he'd snuck aboard was eclipsed utterly when Kirk argued against the Federation's decision, stating that the lightning storm outside of Vulcan's atmosphere was in fact, caused by Romulans. A direct parallel to a mysterious and unsolved attack on the federation vessel USS Kelvin twenty three years prior. The warning came just soon enough for Captain Pike to raise their shields as they reached the planet, and discovered that Kirk was correct. The starships that had reached the planet ahead of them had all been attacked and destroyed by a single Romulan vessel, at it's head, was a man calling himself Captain Nero. They were contacted by the Romulan captain directly, who stated that he would spare the lives of the Enterprise's crew, alluded to a necessity to show Spock something, and also demanded that Captain Pike come aboard the Narada.
With no other alternative, Pike agreed, and on departing gave orders that left Spock as the Enterprise's captain, and Kirk as first officer. After abducting Pike, Nero's attentions returned to Vulcan. His intention was to use a massive drill to reach the planet's core, after which he would insert red matter, a substance that upon ignition, would create a black hole at the center of Vulcan. Kirk and Sulu were able to destroy the drill, but the core had already been reached. The Enterprise issued a warning to have the planet evacuate, but with no other option, Spock beamed to the planet's surface to locate both his parents, and the Vulcan Counsel. As they prepared to beam to the ship however, the instability of the planet's surface gave way and Amanda fell. She was one of the estimated six billion lives to be lost that day, and Spock, back aboard the Enterprise, was at a loss. Uhura was there to comfort him, though he managed to keep his composure- and issued the order that they would reunite with the rest of Starfleet in the Laurentian System.
To absolutely no one's surprise, Kirk was unwilling to agree to the plan. Their conflict erupted into a furious argument over the issue and when Kirk lashed into violence Spock had enough. One nerve pinch later, Kirk was incapacitated and Spock gave the order to get him off the ship- marooning the first officer on planet Delta Vega. Out of nowhere however, while they'd been traveling at warp no less, Kirk reappeared, this time with one Montgomery Scott- and Spock was baffled. He questioned their arrival with the intent to discover how they had managed it, but Kirk had another agenda. Provoking him in every way he could manage, he at last accused Spock of never loving his mother- as he'd shown no emotional response to her death. It was more than he could bear. The Vulcan snapped and attacked Kirk with the full bearing of both his pain and rage. Emotionally compromised and thus incapable of maintaining control of the ship, he stepped down from his position as acting captain and Kirk, as first officer, took his place.
Unbeknownst to him, Kirk's arrival on the ship was due essentially, to himself. While marooned on Delta Vega, Kirk had encountered a Spock from 136 years into the future. In that timeline, a star exploded, and it's effects traveled so far that the inhabitants of Romulus were in danger. Spock, then an Ambassador, promised to help the planet- with plans to use the red matter on the exploding star. It was in the end, too late, and the planet along with all of it's inhabitants, were destroyed. Spock was then confronted by Nero, who had been out on a mining job, and witnessed the loss of his home. He held the Ambassador personally responsible, but their confrontation was interrupted by the ignition of the red matter, which pulled both vessels into a black hole. Nero arrived first, and set the entire chain of events for the movie's timeline into motion- before Ambassador Spock could arrive. He was captured by Nero and left on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan be destroyed just as Nero had watched Romulus. It was on that planet that the Ambassador had found and assisted Kirk- who, now captain of the Enterprise, had changed their course.
The new plan was to pursue Nero, who had his sights set on Earth- and Spock at last, agreed. He offered himself up for the mission, citing that it would be easier for him to beam aboard Nero's ship, as Vulcans and Romulans share more similarities than a human could hope to. In the end he was permitted to go, but not without Kirk's accompaniment- and together the pair of them infiltrated the ship. Spock located a smaller ship, one that unknown to him, had belonged to the Ambassador- and aboard it, he also found the red matter. He escaped Nero's vessel with it while Kirk remained aboard the Narada- to locate Captain Pike, and the Enterprise destroyed the drill that was burrowing to Earth's core. Warping further into the galaxy with Nero on his tail, Spock set his vessel on a collision course with Nero's ship, saved at the last moment when he was beamed back aboard the Enterprise. The red matter ignited, opening a black hole in the core of Nero's ship, and with the Nerada destroyed the Enterprise and her crew narrowly escaped the gravitational pull.
Back on Earth, Spock was able to meet with his aged, alternate self, and the Ambassador explained that he'd kept his presence a secret so as not to rob Spock and Kirk of forging the friendship that he'd counted on for so many years of his life. The Ambassador then explained that he intended return with the rest of the refugees from their planet to form a Vulcan colony and advised Spock to put aside his logic for the benefit of acknowledging his own desires. In the aftermath, Pike was promoted to Admiral, Kirk was assigned Captain of the Enterprise as Pike's relief, and Spock offered himself as first officer- an offer Kirk accepted. The movie then ends with the ship jumping into warp drive, at the start of the Enterprise's legendary five year mission; to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations and of course, boldly go.
Vulcans are essentially a humanoid species of touch telepaths who like to be smart and ignore their feelings. But I figure I should break this down a little because hey, that's all pretty vague.
While not a superpower, Vulcans are notorious smarty pants- all of which is is based on a cultural commitment. They were once a polytheistic, emotionally charged, technologically advanced and incredibly violent race that was at war with itself so constantly their extinction was immanent. One Vulcan in particular, Surak, founded principles that lead to a reform called the Time of Awakening. What's significant about this cultural revolution is that Vulcans as a whole came to the unanimous decision to ignore everything emotional and focus only on fact, logic, and the rational. This is a concept instilled in Vulcan children incredibly early on, and all are expected to work towards voiding themselves of the influence of emotion. Emotion in Vulcans is said to run more deeply and be more passionate than that which exists in humans, and in controlling it, they ensure that they remain unbiased and unattached. Without emotional investment they are able to see things in very black and white terms, sort of like living breathing computers- able to advance without hesitation. Their race, for example, had figured out interstellar travel when it was like, 9BC here on Earth.
Spock is no exemption, and his upbringing has allowed him to absorb and question the world around him in ways that simultaneously isolate him from and enlighten the humans with which he interacts.
Vulcan physiology however is it's own bag, which often gives the appearance of Spock seeming super human. In reality he is just as mortal as any other individual aboard the Enterprise- it's simply that his organization is different. For example, he can be shot in the chest and the risk of fatality is low- because his heart is located where his liver should be. Vulcan also has higher atmospheric pressure and gravity, which makes Spock and all other Vulcans appear three times stronger than the average human. He isn't winded as easily by running because Vulcan lungs are accustomed to very thin air. His blood is copper based, green in appearance, and it's temperature likened to ice water- which makes Vulcans most comfortable in incredibly hot environments and quite vulnerable to cold. Vulcans are vegetarians but their digestive tracts are adjustable to alien food, neither of which they require much of. Spock is able to go several days without water or sleep- instead requiring only a handful of hours spent in meditation as a means of resting his body. The meditation however, is absolutely necessary to his wellbeing- emotionally, intellectually, and physically. They have sensitive hearing, secondary eyelids (presumably an adaptation for all the sand on Vulcan) and superb reflexes. They also have crazy effective metabolisms so things like sapotoxins and caffeine don't really effect them, while nitrous oxide will knock them out like a light. They have 200+ year lifespans and enter healing trances (similar to neuropressure)to help their bodies recover from injury.
All in all, these are physical differences that have resulted from evolution on their planet- which make them look like super efficient, streamlined humans designed for survival. Things don't really wander into strange and alien until we get to the brain.
Oh the Vulcan brain.
Okay.
While ignoring their own emotions, they are able to pick them up in others as well as also capable of psychically influencing the minds of others (power of suggestion, etc)- and Vulcans as a whole have also been shown occasionally capable of telekinesis. Most famous. however, is their telepathy, which is also inherent to their species. They sense thoughts in each other and others, much like a surface scan, when they physically touch. While a great deal of concentration and training are required to develop these abilities to their full potential, the tendency to reach psychically outward is still natural to them. Basic connections (childlike curiosity) are, however, able to be formed with neither intent or even awareness thereof. Stronger minds are capable of reaching another's consciousness without touch at all, and it is that category into which Spock himself is grouped. His mental capabilities are unnaturally strong, even among Vulcans (in his prime universe, many many years into his life, he's shown to be able to hear Kirk's thoughts, from across a galaxy). His potential is great, and it's implied in the original series that he will go on to be incredibly talented in this regard, but also significant to note is that Spock at the moment and from this canon point, has not yet developed or leaned towards said potential.
All of this sounds like really crazy god modding ability, I know. But that said, Vulcans are incredibly strict regarding their boundaries and influence. Spock is no different, regardless of his talent. Much of Vulcan abilities are a double edged sword sort of deal- because they certainly have immensely frightening capabilities, but really, they nearly wiped out their own race once before. The phrase once bitten twice shy is alarmingly accurate. The race as a whole keeps all of these things on a very tight leash, and abandoning that would be a taboo so great that it'd result in, essentially, an ejection from Vulcan society.
Alright, so let's talk about these weaknesses.
Strength; they have a great capacity for it, but Vulcans are pacifists. Conflict as a whole is a messy and emotionally steeped affair, they don't even lie for crying out loud. They are staunchly nonviolent and find death appalling- even if the continued existence of whatever they aren't killing will likely come back to bite them in the ass. Phasers are pretty much always set to stun, not kill and given the option between shooting someone who's about to take their life, and getting their life taken, well. Vulcans tend to choose to bite the big one.
Telepathy; to invade the thoughts of another, especially of a psi-null species (humans) is a massive massive massive taboo. It is considered the utmost disrespect they can offer, it makes them look like hideous beings, and just- it's a big glaring no. On the whole, Spock's aversion to avoiding physical contact with others as a whole is more than just a societal and cultural preference. Given his life choices (he's one of very very few Vulcans that choose to live among a group that is not also predominately Vulcan) he's become incredibly adept at throwing up mental shields by necessity. Living so close to loud, touchy, noisy, emotional humans has made it imperative that he keep himself under control. He's more or less placed mental blinders on himself, effectively shutting out all incoming thoughts, impressions and emotions he might glean through proximity or accidental contact. While he is capable, his telepathy is not something Spock uses save for extreme life or death situations, or when in the presence of another Vulcan where their physic greeting would be culturally expected.
Emotion; repressed, remember? Feelings as a whole are so frightening and intense for Vulcans, that if their minds are faced with something that threatens to overwhelm their psyches, their minds are capable of lobotomizing themselves. Their minds are as much an asset as they are entirely self operating machines focused on efficiency. If they can't cope, they will simply shut out, and that will be the end of it. They also experience a terror entirely their own every seven years- a madness that overcomes their senses and forces Vulcans to go home and find a mate. For being as emotionally controlled as they are, this period is one of great shame and fear for them, and though they face the possibility of death should this need go unmet, it is not something a Vulcan would speak of to outworlders. Instead they just abandon all logic and go crazy, which doesn't actually sound logical at all.
Now, this strictly Vulcan talk aside there is one thing in particular that needs to be addressed. Spock is not Vulcan. Spock is half Vulcan.
This means that all of his Vulcan abilities are tempered by less control than his peers are able to maintain. Spock has breaking points that other Vulcans do not. He is vulnerable, physically, in ways that can't be avoided. His physiology is unlike anyone else's in the universe- doctors even in his own timeline have no idea how to treat the illnesses and injuries of a body that doesn't respond to strictly human or Vulcan remedy. He's incredibly sensitive to medicines and has been shown to be violently ill as a result. God forbid he needs a blood transfusion, because there isn't anyone else with his unique blood type laying around. As far as his mentality is concerned, we've seen that he's very good at shutting thoughts out and keeping others at arms length- but it also makes the humanity in him suffer. He has human needs, and zero understanding of them.