I Love The Original Sarek But Spock’s Father Was Portrayed Better In Star Trek: Discovery

Ambassador Sarek's (James Frain) portrayal in Star Trek: Discovery was better than how Spock's (Leonard Nimoy, Ethan Peck) father was presented in Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Sarek (Mark Lenard), along with his human wife, Amanda Grayson (Jane Wyatt), debuted in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2's classic, "Journey to Babel." Sarek made two Star Trek movie appearances, and the aged Vulcan Ambassador returned twice more on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The highly-regarded Vulcan Ambassador to the United Federation of Planets, Sarek was unusual because he was married to a human. Sadly, Sarek was also estranged from his son, Spock. Star Trek: The Original Series established that Spock and Sarek didn't speak for 20 years when the son defied his father's wishes and joined Starfleet. In his handful of appearances, Sarek became a beloved Star Trek legacy character, thanks to the charismatic performance of Mark Lenard. However, Star Trek: Discovery fixed issues with Sarek's previous portrayals.

Sarek Was A Sadder Character In Star Trek: The Original Series & TNG

Ambassador Sarek Was Defined By Illnesses & His Estrangement From Spock

In Star Trek: The Original Series, Ambassador Sarek was revered as a diplomat, but his parental skills are questionable. Vulcan stubbornness led to Sarek and Spock being estranged for two decades, until they reached an accord in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2's "Journey To Babel." However, their reunion doesn't excuse Sarek shunning his own son over Spock's chosen career path. It casts a dark shadow over Sarek, no matter his accomplishments as a Federation ambassador.

The much older Sarek's return in Star Trek: The Next Generation saw him suffering from Bendii Syndrome, which caused his Vulcan telepathy to go haywire and affect the USS Enterprise-D's crew. Despite Sarek's valiant attempt to maintain his dignity, TNG showed Spock's father to be a pathetic soul in his later years, riddled with a lifetime of regret that Sarek passed onto Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) via mind meld. Before Star Trek: Discovery, the final image of Sarek was as a once-great man now worthy of pity.

Star Trek: Discovery Fixed Sarek’s Portrayal

Sarek In Discovery Was A Better Father To Michael Burnham

James Frain's portrayal of Sarek in Star Trek: Discovery was a long-awaited reboot that finally fixed the Vulcan Ambassador's decades-long issues. In Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2, Sarek was in his prime, and he was portrayed as a more attentive and caring foster father to Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) than he was to Spock. Sarek's connection to Burnham was so strong, they could even communicate via mind meld across the vastness of space.

Star Trek: Discovery's more dynamic Ambassador Sarek was an inspiring and motivational figure to Michael Burnham, and Sarek was also a more caring husband to Amanda Grayson (Mia Kirshner). Sarek maintained his stature as a heralded Vulcan Ambassador, but Star Trek: Discovery allowed the Vulcan Ambassador to have more dimensions. Because of his estrangement with Spock, Sarek is unlikely to return in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but Star Trek: Discovery left a more pleasing, lasting impression of Spock's father.