Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Tuvok

9. Of Rites And Pets

Though much of Tuvok's younger years are shrouded in mystery (or privacy, as he might better put it), he does share similarities with other Vulcans the audience has encountered. As a young man, he underwent the Rite of Tal'oth.

This was an endurance test that adolescent Vulcans often challenged themselves with, similar in many ways to the Kahs-wan. The main difference between the two challenges is the time frame. Both require young Vulcans to survive with next to no additional resources in the Vulcan desert. The Kahs-wan is a ten-day trial, whereas the Rite of Tal'oth is a four-month ordeal.

As a teenager, Tuvok, armed only with a ritual blade, engaged in the Tal'oth. With this behind him, Tuvok would later tell Chakotay that he found Starfleet Academy far less of a challenge. 

Tuvok's journey mirrors that of another famous Vulcan - Spock. Like Spock, Tuvok took on a challenge accompanied, according to Mike and Denise Okuda on the text commentary for Yesteryear, by his very own sehlat pet. 

We'll just hope that Tuvok's sehlat had a happier fate.