Star Trek: 9 Times Mr. Spock Got A Power-Up

7. Spock’s Optic Nerve And/Or Inner Eyelid

Spock Mind Meld
CBS

After Spock is blinded by intense light in “Operation: Annihilate!” the script bequeaths him an optic power-up that reset-buttons everything back to normal ... just in time for the end of the season!

MCCOY: The blindness was temporary, Jim. There's something about his optical nerves which aren't the same as a human's.
SPOCK: An hereditary trait, Captain. The brightness of the Vulcan sun has caused the development of an inner eyelid, which acts as a shield against high-intensity light. Totally instinctive, Doctor. We tend to ignore it, as you ignore your own appendix.

So which is it? Spock’s optic nerve or his inner eyelid? The two are wholly different anatomical features, yet the two men act as if they are discussing the same thing. Either way, it’s a power-up two-fer. Not to mention, proof that Bones seriously needs to bone up on Vulcan anatomy.

Contributor
Contributor

Maurice is one of the founders of FACT TREK (www.facttrek.com), a project dedicated to untangling 50+ years of mythology about the original Star Trek and its place in TV history. He's also a screenwriter, writer, and videogame industry vet with scars to show for it. In that latter capacity he game designer/writer on the Sega Genesis/SNES "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — Crossroads of Time" game, as well as Dreamcast "Ecco the Dolphin, Defender of the Future" where Tom Baker performed words he wrote.