10 Star Trek Moments You Never Knew Were Improvised

10. The Vulcan Neck Pinch - The Enemy Within

The original script written by Richard Matheson directed that Spock 'kayoed' the evil Kirk, which effectively meant that the Vulcan had to punch the man so hard he fell unconscious. While Vulcan strength had clearly been depicted and Spock would have been well capable of doing so, Leonard Nimoy objected to the scene. He felt that a Vulcan of such restraint and calibre would find a more dignified way to incapacitate Kirk.

He devised the neck pinch and worked with William Shatner to perfect it before they brought it to director Leo Penn. All agreed that it was a better fit for the episode, and another Vulcan tradition was born at that moment.

Since this moment, the neck pinch has appeared many times in Star Trek, performed by several different characters. Data performs it on Commander Sela, while Picard performs it on a space pirate - one who happens to be played by future Tuvok actor Tim Russ. It is now almost as iconic as the Vulcan salute itself, which has its own creation owed to a certain Mr. Nimoy as well.