Why Archer Hated The Vulcans

Star Trek 101 serves two functions: succinctly introduce Star Trek newcomers to the basic foundations and elements of the franchise and refresh the memories of longtime Trek fans. We're pulling our entries from the book Star Trek 101: A Practical Guide to Who, What, Where, And Why, written by Terry J. Erdmann & Paula M. Block and published in 2008 by Pocket Books. An invaluable resource, it encompasses The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise, as well as the first 10 Trek feature films.

Today, we share Star Trek 101's file examining why Archer hates the Vulcans.

The Vulcans have been hanging out on Earth ever since pioneer Zefram Cochrane made his first trip into space in a warp-powered vessel. Yet, they still haven't shared their advanced technology with us because they say that humans aren't ready. Jonathan Archer believes those delaying tactics prevented his father -- who worked on warp engines for more than 30 years -- from seeing his own engines fly. This, understandably, ticked Archer off. His subsequent friendship with T'Pol, and a "meeting of the minds" with Surak, the father of Vulcan philosophy, helped rid Archer of the chip on his shoulder.

Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann are coauthors of numerous books about the entertainment industry, including Star Trek 101; Star Trek Costumes: Fifty Years of Fashion from the Final Frontier; Star Trek: The Original Series 365; and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion. They currently are writing the latest in their series of Ferengi novellas, which (so far) includes Lust’s Latinum Lost (and Found); and Rules of Accusation. Their most recent non-Star Trek book is Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History.