Ever since Star Trek: Discovery began, fans have had one question on their minds: if Michael Burnham is Spock’s human adoptive sister, why the heck has she never been mentioned before in the past 50 years of the franchise? That mystery’s only even more pressing now that Ethan Peck’s joining the cast as the Vulcan in season 2.
The general theory is that they had some sort of falling out, which is why Spock never talked about her to his friends. In fact, a surprisingly common notion suggests that they had a romance, which complicated their relationship. Sonequa Martin-Green’s not here for that theory, though, and she made sure to quash it outright during an appearance on The View, explaining:
“There is a theory I want to talk to you all about. People are saying that maybe they had a sexual relationship, and that’s why they’re estranged? No true. I’m here to say that’s not true. I saw that, and I saw a few articles about it. I am here today to say no-no.”
Instead, Martin-Green stressed that the pair have a multi-faceted and complex relationship. Presumably, their attempts to patch it up with one another provide one of the backbones of this season of Discovery.
“I will say…that it is not a simple relationship. It is a very complicated relationship. It’s a highly emotional relationship. And it will take some work.”
By the sounds of it, then, Spock and Michael will be on better terms by the end of the run. That just raises more questions for why Burnham’s a no show in every series set after this one, though. As long as it’s not just some sort of memory wipe that erases Spock’s knowledge of his sister – that’d be a little too easy and convenient – it should be interesting to see how Star Trek: Discovery lines up with the established canon and what answers it’ll bring us.
