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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has proven itself at incorporating new stories with clever nods to veteran audience members, and at one point recently may have brought back one of the most famous Vulcan "insults" ever performed, first heard on Enterprise.
According to ScreenRant, Captain Christopher Pike glibly employs a remark that human beings have an aroma that is "very unpleasant to Vulcans," and instantly pricked up the ears of viewers who recall previous Trek tradition. For Enterprise enthusiasts, this is not a throwaway quote. It's a nod to an ongoing gag where Vulcans teased humans about stinking so relentlessly that T'Pol required nasal suppressants to be able to tolerate life on the NX-01.
In making this implicit nod, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ties itself to a string of one hundred years standing, guaranteeing audiences that even the smallest cultural quirks can have the ability to endure across generations in the Trek universe.
Vulcans and humans in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Enterprise, when it was originally broadcast on television in the year 2001, addressed the early years of humankind venturing into space. Vulcans were also depicted as human critics and friends, arguing against human impulsiveness and lack of control. One of the most unexpected cultural variations demonstrated was Vulcan sensitivity to human body odor.
Science officer T'Pol admitted that she found human body odor distracting and obnoxious. At one point, she even had to take medication to deal with the experience of working with them. This was not meant in sarcasm but rather as a way of illustrating the challenges of early interspecies collaboration.
The return of the idea in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Cut to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and the reference to human smell again crops up, this time from Captain Pike's perspective. The line is delivered matter-of-factly; he simply states the smell is one Vulcans do not approve of. By doing so, the writers are performing a subtle but intentional nod to Enterprise.
The wording drifts too near the original definition to be a coincidence, and it was probably an intentional wink to those who remember the detail.
A matter of continuity in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, not of comedy
Where others will see the reference as being humorous, the reference in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is something of a continuity issue and not of humor. In the Star Trek world, Vulcans have more sensitive senses than humans, including a sense of smell.
Having the ability to label human scent as foul is consistent with that biology and upholds the idea that Vulcans and humans are fundamentally different in some manner other than emotion and reason. By bringing this notion back, the show respects the existing canon without having to overindulge in it.
Why this little detail matters in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
It's brief, but this wink is a way to confirm the manner in which Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is meticulous, even with the tiniest piece of lore. Continuity is one that is a keystone of the franchise, and even casual mentions such as this are a way of helping ensure that the universe actually does hold together.
Fans of the audience who get the reference from Enterprise will appreciate the wink, while new viewers will just find it an interesting character tic. Both benefit from the multi-layered storytelling approach.
The Vulcan-human dynamic throughout Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Vulcans have always been depicted as condescending toward humans throughout Star Trek. In The Original Series, Spock was constantly chiding human nature, though his comments were more about emotion and less about stink. In contrast, Enterprise depended too heavily on the biological dissimilarities, demonstrating how difficult it was for Vulcans and humans to live together in cramped spaces.
With Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, this trope comes back around to remind us that these differences did not magically disappear over a split second. Instead, they continued to be part of Vulcan-human dynamics, even if handled more informally in the following centuries.
Fan reaction and discussion about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
The action has created a great deal of excitement among web-based fans. Some find it to be a great Easter egg for Enterprise's sake, a show that sometimes doesn't get the respect some other Star Trek shows do. Others simply appreciate that Strange New Worlds isn't afraid to leave the strange details rather than glossing them.
To loyal fans of the franchise, continuity like this is a wink that everything is significant regardless of size.
The broad sweep of Trek storytelling
By calling upon the human body odor issue, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds solidified its place as a bridge between the franchise's eras. The show does not simply create new history for Captain Pike and his officers; however, it also pays homage to the foundation laid in earlier shows.
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This integration of new storytelling with established continuity is one reason the show resonates with new fans as well as hardcore fans. The reference to Enterprise is slight, but it says something about the overall storytelling approach that allows Star Trek to stay connected over decades of television.
Also read: 10 Star Trek episodes that defined the franchise
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