Star Trek: Discoveryshowed the opposite of J.J. Abrams' destruction of both Vulcan and Romulus inStar Trek(2009). InStar Trek’s 2009 reboot, Vulcan is destroyed byRomulan time traveler Nero(Eric Bana), whose home planet of Romulus was annihilated when its star went supernova in 2387. Nero mistakenly blames Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) for the loss of Romulus, soNero goes back in time to make a younger Spock (Zachary Quinto) witness the destruction of Spock’s own home planet Vulcan.Star Trek(2009) shows Romulus' destruction inStar Trek’s Prime Timeline and makes a major plot point of Nero’s red matter attack blowing up Vulcan in J.J. Abrams' alternate Kelvin Timeline.
Star Trek on Paramount+ series incorporate J.J. Abrams' invention of the Romulan supernova in the Prime Timeline. WhenStar Trekwas released in 2009, Nero’s point of origin in 2387 was past the “present” point of theStar Trektimeline:Star Trek: Nemesis,taking place in 2379.Star Trek: Picardpicks up post-Nemesis, and incorporates the Romulan supernova into flashbacks, with Starfleet trying to help the Romulans before it’s too late.Star Trek: Discovery’s 32nd century shows Romulus' destruction as a pivotal historical eventthat, centuries after the fact, fundamentally changes the Vulcans' relationship to their Romulan cousins.
Star Trek: Discovery’s Ni’Var Is The Opposite Of What J.J. Abrams’ Movies Did To Vulcan & Romulus
Both Romulans And Vulcans Thrive In Star Trek’s Prime Timeline
InStar Trek: Discovery, the planet Ni’Var is the shared homeworld of 32nd century Vulcans and Romulans alike, making it the opposite of what J.J. Abrams’Star Trekmovies did to Vulcan and Romulus. Instead of showing the destruction of two planets in as many timelines,Star Trek: Discoveryshows Romulans and Vulcans co-existing,albeit with some struggles, on the planet formerly known as Vulcan. After the Vulcans welcomed their Romulan cousins, who were left without a home after the 24th-century supernova, Vulcan was renamed Ni’Var. The nameNi’Var is referenced inStar Trek: Enterprise,and appropriately describes a whole thing made of two different parts.
Ni’Var rejoins the United Federation of Planets.
Vulcans and Romulans retain a sense of individual cultural identity as citizens of Ni’Var, sinceRomulans and Vulcans are both represented in Ni’Var’s culture and unified government.Ni’Var’s President T’Rina (Tara Rosling) is opposed by a faction of Vulcan Purists, who take issue with T’Rina’s marriage to Kelpien Ambassador Saru (Doug Jones). TheRomulan Qowat Milat warrior nunshave a strong presence on Ni’Var, especially after their philosophy of"absolute candor"was instrumental in reconciling the differences between Vulcans and Romulans. Becoming an independent world after the Burn, Ni’Var rejoins the United Federation of Planets, thanks to Commander Michael Burnham’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) unique perspective as Spock’s (Ethan Peck) adopted sister.
Star Trek: Discovery’s Vulcan & Romulan Unification Is Spock’s Dream
Michael Burnham Learns About Spock’s Success In Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek: Discovery’s unification of Vulcans and Romulans on the planet Ni’Var is the realization of a dream that Ambassador Spock worked for later in his life.Star Trek: The Next Generationseason 5, episodes 7 & 8, “Unification I” and “Unification II”, show thatLeonard Nimoy’s Spock has been covertly working towards bringing Vulcans and Romulans together as one people.In honor of Spock’s 24th-century mission inTNG,Star Trek: Discoveryseason 3, episode 7, is titled “Unification III” since it reveals that Ni’Var owes its existence to Spock’s lifelong work of encouraging Romulans and Vulcans to embrace their common origin.
Nero’s successful mission to destroy Vulcan inStar Trek(2009) may have inadvertently condemned the Romulans of the Kelvin Timeline in the long term. There’s no reason to think the Romulan Supernova of 2387 won’t also happen in the Kelvin Timeline, and destroy its Romulus just like the supernova did in the Prime Timeline. When that happens,Kelvin Romulans will become as rare as their Vulcan cousins,and the Vulcan homeworld won’t be around to become Ni’Var. It’s a sobering thought to realize that the Kelvin Timeline will lose both iconicStar Trekspecies, whileStar Trek: Discoveryallows both Romulans and Vulcans to thrive on Ni’Var.
