Spock Laughing In Star Trek IV Wasn't Out Of Character, It Completed The Vulcan's Resurrection Story

Spock (Leonard Nimoy) laughs at the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, but it's a crucial moment that completes the Vulcan's resurrection. Directed by Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek IV was the highest-grossing Star Trek movie until J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009) reboot. A true mainstream crossover hit, Star Trek IV was also the conclusion of the unofficial "Genesis Trilogy" that began with Spock's death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and continued in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home picks up months after Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the former crew of the USS Enterprise rescued Spock from the doomed Genesis Planet and reunited the Vulcan with his katra (soul). Star Trek IV is primarily a fish-out-of-water time travel romp where Kirk and his friends travel back to the 20th century to bring two humpback whales back to the future. But throughout Star Trek IV, there is the ongoing subplot of Spock gradually coming to terms with his human side.

Spock’s Laughter In Star Trek IV Completed His Resurrection Story

Spock Feels Fine

At the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Admiral Kirk's stolen Klingon Bird-of-Prey makes a successful time warp back to the 23rd century and crashes in San Francisco Bay. Kirk and his crew release their humpback whales, George and Gracie, into the wild and watch them swim away as they communicate with the Whale Probe threatening Earth. The Enterprise's heroes then frolic in the water, splashing around, with Kirk pulling a laughing Spock into the drink.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home concluded the "Genesis Trilogy," but what happened to Captain Kirk and the whales he time-traveled from 1986?

Spock is clearly laughing and enjoying himself, but rather than being out of character for the stoic Vulcan, his emotional display pays off Spock's reassessment of his humanity. When Star Trek IV begins, Spock undergoes an intensive Vulcan test but is stymied by the question prepared by Spock's human mother, Amanda Grayson (Jane Wyatt). "How do you feel?" Amanda urged Spock not to neglect his human side as he reclaims his true self.

Spock's breakthrough was when it was time to calculate time travel back to the 24th century. Spock decided to guess, which astonished Admiral Kirk and was encouraged by Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley). Trusting his human instincts instead of his strict Vulcan logic, Spock's guess proved correct. It's understandable, then, that Spock was overcome with joy along with his friends when they splashed down in San Francisco Bay. Thus, Spock earned the right to request his father, Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard), report to Amanda, "Tell her I feel fine."

Why Spock Laughing At The End Of Star Trek IV Wasn’t Out Of Character

Leonard Nimoy Would Know If Spock Was Breaking Character

Spock earned the right to laugh and come to terms with his human emotions at the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and it completes the Vulcan's story that started in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Spock is central to the first Star Trek movie, starting with his attempt to purge all of his emotions through the Vulcan ritual of kolinahr. Instead, Spock chose to return to Starfleet after mind-melding with V'Ger and relating to the sentient machine's quest for greater meaning. Spock sacrificing his life in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was the ultimate expression of the Vulcan's love for his friends.

In turn, Admiral Kirk and the USS Enterprise crew risking their Starfleet careers to bring Spock back showed how they feel towards their Vulcan friend. Upon realization of this, Spock had a great deal to process beyond reassessing his Vulcan sense of self, which his mother, Amanda, understood before Spock did. After Spock and his friends saved Earth and shared their joy of splashing around in San Francisco Bay, Spock's resurrection was finally complete. Spock had come to peace with his human and Vulcan sides, and he was whole again.

Spock is pivotal in his 9 Star Trek movie appearances, where the Vulcan is played by Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto.

As the director of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Leonard Nimoy not only had control over the movie, but Nimoy was also the final say over how Spock is portrayed. Of course, Nimoy saw the footage of his performance as Spock laughing and playing in the water. While the scene could not have been reshot, Leonard could have edited out Spock's emotional display. Nimoy keeping the footage of Spock laughing in the film indicates that he felt it was appropriate, and perhaps even reinforces the logic of Spock completing his resurrection by embracing his human side.

Spock Has Shown His Human Side Many Times In Star Trek

Emotion & Spock Are Old Friends

Spock laughing at the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, but the Vulcan has outwardly displayed emotion throughout Star Trek. Spock began with a more emotional portrayal in Star Trek's original pilot, "The Cage," before the character and the Vulcans' logic were established. Spock experienced bursts of emotion throughout Star Trek: The Original Series, like when he was struck by the Psi 2000 virus in "The Naked Time." Of course, Spock was overcome with joy that he didn't kill Captain Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2's premiere, "Amok Time."

From Star Trek: The Original Series to modern Star Trek, Spock has done quite a bit of time-traveling throughout his impressive Trek career.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country displayed a startling burst of anger from Spock when he slapped a phaser from Lt. Valeris' (Kim Cattrall) hand when he uncovered her as a traitor. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has explored the younger Lieutenant Spock's (Ethan Peck) humanity even further, including Spock experiencing the emotional highs and lows of being completely human in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5, "Charades." Spock laughing at the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home couldn't be more in-character for the Vulcan, and it's proof that Spock did, indeed, feel fine.