LogFAQs > #933369025

22. Tuvok
To be honest, its been hard being the only Vulcan whos not a scientist or a diplomat, but I have to go where my heart takes me.

I just realized that Tuvok is the winner of the dubious easiest name to make fun of award. Boo-vok, Screw-vok, Moo-vok. Has anyone ever made fun of his name before? If not, Im calling the rights.

Tuvok probably does not deserve to be this high. Hes here pretty much entirely because of the rest of Voyagers cast. He and the Doctor are all that hold the first two seasons up. Tuvok is the only person in the entire cast who at any point feels like he could actually be in a military. Hes the only person on the bridge who has even an ounce of professionalism, and for that reason, hes able to buoy a lot of scenes where Janeway, Chakotay, Harry, and Tom Paris act like idiots. I suspect Tuvok manages this feat because its impossible to write a Vulcan wrong without having him or her come off as a smug, condescending jerk. That happens in Enterprise and Discovery, but its not one of Voyagers (many) sins.

I dont want to say that Tuvok is the smartest person on Voyager, because thats obviously Seven, but he comes off as the smartest whos not also an idiot, if you get what I mean. Remember that early episode where Janeway says I wont trade away copies of our Earth literature for a space catapult that will return us to Earth because its against the rules? Tuvok just straight-up makes the exchange behind her back. Thats something Spock would have done.

I think theres just something inherently interesting and cool about someone who tries his best to behave logically and without emotion, but inevitably gets into a situation where his control is tested, because of course he does, thats the drama. Spock does it better, of course, but I think the concept itself is so fundamentally solid that even Voyager couldnt screw it up.

Heres a fun fact: Tuvok and Phlox are the only married characters in any show who have zero marital problems. Phlox is just like lol my species each marries like nine people at a time, so my wife doesnt care if I go adventuring, and Tuvoks wife is like Im a Vulcan, you think I mind waiting seven years for you to return? I wonder if they gave Tuvok a wife planning to make some kind of plot about it later, like hes tempted by a sexy Delta Quadrant woman who loves board games and meditation, then decided not to do it.

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Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005