Sybok has been a figure of mystery in the Star Trek franchise since his first conception 33 years ago. He was first introduced in the film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Played by Laurence Luckinbill, Sybok was an unusually scruffy Vulcan, and that’s not all that set him apart from his pointy-eared brethren. In his first scene, he helps a random man process his internal trauma before recruiting him to his cause of healing the world.
From the very beginning, he doesn’t act like the typical Vulcan. His encouragement of others to be more emotional than logical makes him stand out. However, aside from his appearance and odd behavior, Star Trek audiences don’t know much about Sybok. They don’t know how he grew up, and they barely know what may have led him to where he is at the start of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. In fact, there’s a lot they don’t know about Sybok. Well, there is one thing they know for sure…
In 1989, William Shatner took his first official turn at directing for the film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. This thrilling adventure follows the Enterprise Crew after they run into a new villain with a shocking past and an even more scandalous connection to one of their crewmates. It would become the not-so-popular follow-up to the Leonard Nimoy-directed hit Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, also known as the One with the Whales. As is obvious even from the nickname, this was a new adventure with a campy but wholesome plot about saving the galaxy.
The film had many things that viewers saw Shatner’s film as lacking: an engaging plot, well-written characters, and effective special effects. It even offered the rare experience of audiences getting to hear Nimoy’s Spock curse – and even that was pretty wholesome. Many other fans accepted Shatner’s work for what it was and had a great time watching it. Dedicated Trekkies even laud it as a chaotically fun take on what it means to boldly go where no one has gone before. Regardless, the jaw-dropping twist of Shatner’s film is making a surprise comeback, and fans are dying to know what that means for the franchise as a whole.
According to John Orquiola, Sybok was based “on 1980s televangelists like Jim…Bakker and Jimmy Swaggert, who made their fortunes conning people into believing they were God's true messenger.” Sybok talks a good game about how he’s connected to a holy universal spirit, but ultimately Captain Kirk (William Shatner) is able to see through his performance and realize he’s being played by the being he calls “God.” A defeated Sybok gives up everything trying to do the right thing, but fans have always wondered about what led him to that point and what made him want to pursue such un-Vulcan goals in life using treacherously underhanded methods. The film reveals that Sybok isn’t just a ne'er-do-well Vulcan, but the long-lost brother of First Officer Spock (Nimoy). He has somehow strayed from the son of an ambassador and a princess, borne of wedlock, to become a world-renowned criminal.
After many years, Trekkies may finally be getting some answers to their curious inquiries. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is no stranger to breaking boundaries and upsetting expectations. Its portrayal of T’Pring (Gia Sandhu), for example, has had many hardcore Spirk shippers as well as supporters of the theory that Spock is gay up in arms. Plus, there’s always a section of fans who are ready and willing to disparage female characters simply for existing too much in their favorite franchises. Yet, the heightened presence of T’Pring has brought an exploration of her career in rehabilitating Vulcans whose rejection of logic has led them down a dangerous path.
Her storyline for season 2 might provide audiences with more backstory on Sybok. What the Paramount Plus series will have to say is anyone’s guess. The streaming channel hasn’t even revealed who will be portraying him. On the one hand, the lack of Sybok in other Star Trek projects leaves room for creative freedom. So much is unknown which means so much can be implemented to make Sybok a fully-realized character. All creators Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet have to do is use Star Trek V: The Final Frontier as a point of reference.
On the other hand, though, there’s still a large room for error. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was a polarizing film. Some viewers loved it, and others thought it was the worst entry into the lexicon of Star Trek films. Ironically enough, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has caused an equal amount of debate. Some fans love its new take on familiar stories & faces. They’ve had fun with the stories it's weaving and can’t wait to see where it’ll boldly go for the next season. Other fans see it as a disrespect to the wonderful storytelling of creator Gene Roddenberry. To them, it’s almost a bastardization of the very franchise they hold dear.
Therefore, it’s fitting that a controversial character from a divisive film would be re-imagined in a fandom-splitting series. It may even gain hard-won favor by exploring the history of Sybok, giving fans a different perspective of his actions, and finally giving Trekkies an understanding of just who Sybok is and why he’s so important. At the very least, it’ll keep Star Trek fans tuned in to see where this adventure in storytelling is headed next.
