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[[File:spockredglasses.jpg|link=Star Trek: The Original Series|frame|"Captain, the [[Goggles Do Nothing]]. Your frame is still as wide as it was before."]]
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▲{{quote| ''"[[The Kirk|Captain]], the logical course of action in this situation is to let the inhabitants of [[Sugar Bowl|Pupolon]] fend for themselves. We need the [[MacGuffin|device]] keeping the planet's orbit stable, or risk endangering the very existence of [[The Federation]]. I am aware of [[The End of the World as We Know It|the consequences]] for the local population, [[The McCoy|Doctor]], but simply rushing in to '[[Save the Princess|save the]] [[The High Queen|high priestess]]' will leave us open to a [[Proud Warrior Race Guy|Klingon]] [[Inescapable Ambush|ambush]] with a [[Ludicrous Precision|78.52% probability]] of [[Total Party Kill|outright destruction]].''}}
A character who will always think before acting,
▲{{quote| ''"I realize [[Sadistic Choice|this is a hard choice]], [[The Captain|Captain]], but [[The Needs of the Many|the needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few.]]"''}}
The Spock's relationship with his crewmates/[[
▲A character who will always think before acting, [[The Spock]] is an archetype that can be loosely summed up as the tendency to apply rules, reason and the greater good to all of his/her decisions. This character can exist by themselves, but more often, they will have [[The McCoy|a more emotional and humanistic counterpart]] to contrast his/her decisions. The main difference between the two archetypes is that while [[The McCoy]] will leap before looking, [[The Spock]]'s solution to problems will have a balanced and well-thought out approach.
The Spock maintains audience sympathy by being willing to [[Take a Third Option]] and also by being as ruthless about his own life as the lives of his crewmates, if not more so. Even better, he is [[Stiff Upper Lip|utterly unflappable]] in the face of serious problems or danger; his friends know that no matter how terrifying or hopeless things get, he will [[Nerves of Steel|never lose his cool]] and will not stop working on a solution to save everyone.
▲The Spock's relationship with his crewmates/[[Nakama|comrades]] is often tense, because this character type is willing and able to ruthlessly consider ethically troubling situations without batting an eye -- especially situations where [[We Have Reserves|people might be ordered to die]]. While his counterpart ''[[The McCoy]]'' is interested in doing the right thing regardless of cost to one's self, The Spock is only interested in the end result. For Him, everyone is expendable and he has no problem treating people as such.
When put in a [[Power Trio]] with [[The Kirk]] and [[The McCoy]], he becomes the superego in [[Id, Superego and Ego]].
▲The Spock maintains audience sympathy by being willing to [[Take a Third Option]] and also by being as ruthless about his own life as the lives of his crewmates, if not more so. Even better, he is [[Stiff Upper Lip|utterly unflappable]] in the face of serious problems or danger; his friends know that no matter how terrifying or hopeless things get, he will [[Nerves of Steel|never lose his cool]] and will not stop working on a solution to save everyone.
Closely related to [[The Stoic]], [[Agent Scully]], [[Emotionless Girl]], and [[Little Miss Snarker]]. Often becomes a [[Straw Vulcan]], but occasionally ends up on the winning side of [[Emotions vs. Stoicism]]. Probably sides with the Enlightenment in [[Romanticism Versus Enlightenment]]. [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|Well Intentioned Extremists]] often come across similarly when they believe they're working for the greater good. See also [[Spock Speak]].
▲When put in a [[Power Trio]] with [[The Kirk]] and [[The McCoy]], he becomes the superego in [[Id Superego and Ego]]. [[The Spock]] will at times become a [[Tin Man]], though this varies with the writing, and will often have [[No Sense of Humor]]. When he has emotion, he may sometimes express it with a [[Fascinating Eyebrow]] and nothing more. Since [[Smart People Play Chess]], if [[The Spock]] plays a game, it will invariably be [[Variant Chess|a variant of chess]].
Named (obviously) for Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]''. Compare with their eternal opposite, [[The McCoy]].▼
▲Closely related to [[The Stoic]], [[Agent Scully]], [[Emotionless Girl]], and [[Little Miss Snarker]]. Often becomes a [[Straw Vulcan]], but occasionally ends up on the winning side of [[Emotions vs. Stoicism]]. Probably sides with the Enlightenment in [[Romanticism Versus Enlightenment]]. [[Well-Intentioned Extremist|Well Intentioned Extremists]] often come across similarly when they believe they're working for the greater good. See also [[Spock Speak]].
▲Named (obviously) for Spock from ''[[Star Trek]]''. Compare with their eternal opposite, [[The McCoy]].
{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
* "D" from ''[[Parallel Trouble Adventure Dual]]''.
* Hoshino Ruri from ''[[Martian Successor Nadesico]]'' is both
* Nagato Yuki from ''[[Suzumiya Haruhi]]''.
* Keith Anyan from ''[[Toward the Terra]]''.
* Lumiere from ''[[Kiddy Grade]]''.
* All Contractors in ''[[Darker
* Inspector Lunge from ''[[Monster (manga)|Monster]]''.
** He ''acts'' like
* Exedore/Exsedol from the ''[[Macross]]'' and ''[[Robotech]]'' universes, though he has his emotional moments, too.
* Fate from ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' is a villainous version of this.
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* [[Emotionless Girl|Rei Ayanami]] and [[Hot Scientist|Ritsuko Akagi]] of ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''.
* Seto Kaiba from ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]''.
* Piccolo of ''[[Dragon Ball|Dragon Ball Z]]''…sometimes. He first appears as a raving, cackling lunatic hell-bent on killing Goku (justified, as he has all his [[Big Bad|father]]'s memories, and is only [[Psychopathic Manchild|a few years old.]]) Then he mellows, is shown meditating in a lotus position, becomes an [[Anti-Hero]], and voila. Also, he's arguably the most intelligent character on the show. Sometimes, though, he gets angry. Like if [[Morality Pet|Gohan]] [[Berserk Button|gets hurt.]] Then he goes from being
== Comic Books ==
* Brainiac 5 of DC's ''[[Legion of Super-Heroes (comics)|Legion of Super-Heroes]]''.
* Metron of the [[New Gods]] who was explicitly based on Spock.
* The Vision of Marvel's ''[[The Avengers]]''. No wonder, he's a robot after all. Partially averted on times, [[Depending on the Writer]]: he may show human emotions to a high or low extension, or lack them completely.
* Dr. Manhattan of ''[[Watchmen]]''. Who is referred to as "goddamn Mr Spock there" by a minor character at a cocktail party.
* Taken to epic levels in ''[[Final Crisis]]: Superman Beyond'' with the [[Composite Character]] Captain Allen Adam, A.K.A. the Quantum Superman of Earth 4, who is a meshing of the Good Doctor with the original [[Captain Atom]]. Even when on heavy drugs to keep his quantum senses in check he's capable of feats of extreme mental prowess, and after his drugs fade off he attains a state of nigh-omniscience and arranges the activation of the Cosmic Armor that saves all of reality from an [[Eldritch Abomination]] that eats stories. Only
* Prowl in the original ''[[Transformers]]'' series, more so in the comic (which is why it's here). Shockwave, too, though he's a villain.
* Skalman in ''[[Bamse]]'' is almost an example, but he is usually even less likely to suggest a course of action that seems unethical - in fact, it is sometimes shown that being logical and thinking things through allows him to do the opposite.
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== Film ==
* ''[[Reservoir Dogs]]'' - Mr Pink is the most logical of all the crew, especially when he acts as the [[Foil]] to [[The McCoy|Mr White]]. The first scene shows him refusing to throw in money to tip the waitress, giving his ([[Your Mileage May Vary|logical]]) reason as to why. He is later distrustful of everyone, and disgusted that Mr White gave Mr Orange his real name and hometown, considering anybody, even the dying Mr Orange, could be the rat. {{spoiler|Not only is he right about everything, but he is the only character to survive the film.}} Subverted in that Mr. Pink is anything but
▲* ''[[Reservoir Dogs]]'' - Mr Pink is the most logical of all the crew, especially when he acts as the [[Foil]] to [[The McCoy|Mr White]]. The first scene shows him refusing to throw in money to tip the waitress, giving his ([[Your Mileage May Vary|logical]]) reason as to why. He is later distrustful of everyone, and disgusted that Mr White gave Mr Orange his real name and hometown, considering anybody, even the dying Mr Orange, could be the rat. {{spoiler|Not only is he right about everything, but he is the only character to survive the film.}} Subverted in that Mr. Pink is anything but cool--he's both logical and wildly neurotic.
* Dr. Egon Spengler from ''[[Ghostbusters]]''. In the sequel, he says that his parents did not believe in toys and he seems to be nigh-immune to the mood slime which makes the two most "positive" Ghostbusters try to kill each other. In the commentary for the original film, [[Word of God|Harold Ramis]] notes that he deliberately played Egon as a Spock-like character. He also notes that there is only one scene where he actually shows emotion, when Walter Peck tries to have the Ghostbusters arrested for an explosion that he caused himself.
* Juror #4 (the stockbroker with wire rim glasses) from ''12 Angry Men''.
* ''[[Sunshine (film)|Sunshine]]''. When the crew out to save the sun (and the world) are down to five members and their oxygen supply is cut, they realize they only have enough oxygen for four people to make a return trip. Michelle Yeoh doesn't bat an eyelid in suggesting they murder one of their own (whom happened to be already wracked with guilt for a mistake that led them into this predicament in the first place) instead of all five of them dying from lack of oxygen, and it didn't take much convincing for two other crew members to accept the idea.
* ''[[Michael Clayton]]''.
== Literature ==
* Ivan of ''[[The Brothers Karamazov]]''.
* Elinor Dashwood, the protagonist of ''[[Sense and Sensibility (novel)|Sense and Sensibility]]'', in contrast to her sister [[The McCoy|Marianne]]. Possibly the [[Trope Maker]], considering this is one of the first known intentional uses of it (Austen intended the sisters' [[Emotions Versus Stoicism]] to be a metaphor for [[Romanticism Versus Enlightenment]]). Also one of the few examples where
* Death in the ''[[Discworld]]'' series. Is attempting to understand the human race, but is finding it...difficult. At times he seems to know a bit more about human nature than he lets on though, so maybe it's just an act.
* Voort "Piggy" saBinring from ''[[X Wing Series|Wraith Squadron]]''. He's a [[Pig Man]] from a species more known for violent aggression and stupidity, but brain tampering made him into a [[Genius Bruiser]], [[Good with Numbers]] and tending to be logical and calm. We see a bestial side exactly once, and it takes getting gut-shot to bring it out. Sort of similar to Vulcans, who practice emotional suppression precisely because their emotions are so violent and difficult to control compared with other species.
* The Mentats in the ''[[Dune]]'' series.
* Michael Valentine Smith from [[Robert Heinlein]]'s ''[[Stranger in
* C.S Forester is fond of this. The captains in ''The Good Shepherd'' and ''The Captain from Connecticut'' were very extreme Spocks. [[Horatio Hornblower]] was a slightly more mild version but still something of a Spock.
* Asher in ''[[Someone Else's
== Live Action TV ==▼
* [[Trope Namer|Spock]] from ''[[Star Trek: The
* Like [[The Kirk]] and [[The McCoy]], there's some [[Generation Xerox]] between the different series. Consider:
** Data from ''[[Star Trek: The
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** Seven of Nine from ''[[Star Trek:
* Cristina Yang from ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]''.
* Temperance "Bones" Brennan from ''[[Bones]]''. This becomes funny given that "Bones" from Star Trek is the original [[The McCoy|McCoy]]. Also, Zack Addy.
* Teal'c of ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' is sometimes
* Ficus in ''[[Quark]]'' is a parody of
* Aeryn Sun of ''[[Farscape]]'' is a minor tactical genius and ''never'' loses her cool...perhaps to her detriment, as the path of her [[Official Couple|relationship with Crichton]] is rocky and convoluted. She becomes more [[The Kirk]] as she goes along.
** Sikozu and, after his [[Heel Face Turn]], {{spoiler|Scorpius}} are perhaps the purest Spock members of the crew,having a tendency to be coldly pragmatic about problems.
** Rygel is a slight subversion, as he has a tendency to on occasion claim his actions are for the best of the crew as a whole, but more often than not he's just being a greedy self-interested [[Jerkass]]. He has his moments, however.
* Sheldon in ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]''. Lampshaded, as Sheldon considers his circle of friends one doctor short of a landing party, and has proclaimed himself the Spock. Sheldon might not be a full-fledged example of this trope, though. He's too [[It's All About Me|self-centered]] to be detached from the situation, so to speak - but Leonard's mother, Beverly, fits this trope very well.
* Freddie on ''[[iCarly]]'', opposite to Carly ([[The Kirk]]) and Sam ([[The McCoy]]).
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* House in ''[[House (TV series)|House]]''.
* Cameron in ''[[The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]''.
* Jor-El in ''[[Smallville]]''. He often cooks up options for Clark to beat the bad guy that involve sacrificing his friends. He is however, prone to getting royally pissed at Clark for refusing to listen to him.
* Dr. Moira Isles from ''[[Rizzoli and Isles]]''.
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* Hauser in ''[[Alcatraz (TV series)|Alcatraz]]'' is a rather unpleasant version of this trope.
* Jack Harkness from ''[[Torchwood]]''. Interesting, in that he was [[The Kirk]] to the Doctor, originally.
* Walter O'Brian from ''Scorpion'' is an extreme Spock. Paradoxically he has [[Chronic Hero Syndrome]] and a crush on [[The Heart|Paige]]. Not that he would ever admit either as those things are irrational.
**He is so cold-blooded that he seems sometimes to regard human life in almost mercantile terms. But he is forgivable because he also [[The Needs of the Many|regards risking his own life flagrantly as "investment" and saving other people's lives as "profit."]]
==
* A rare main character example: Brutus from Shakespeare's ''[[Julius Caesar]]'', with either Cassius or Antony as [[The McCoy]]. A quiet, (literally) stoic, cool-headed intellectual who is a friend of Caesar's but is willing to do him in since, to quote the [[Trope Namer]], the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. ("Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more!")
* In Shakespeare's ''[[Troilus and Cressida]]'': Ulysses on the Greek side, with Agamemnon as [[The Kirk]] and Ajax as a fairly thickheaded variation on [[The McCoy]]. On the Trojan side, Hector fills this role, to Priam as Kirk and Troilus as [[The McCoy]]
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== Toys ==
* [[An Ice Person|Kopaka,]] the resident [[The Stoic|Stoic]] in ''[[Bionicle]]''.
== Video Games ==
* Sasha Nein of ''[[Psychonauts]]''.
* Gale, in ''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]: [[Digital Devil Saga]]''.
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* ''[[Mass Effect 2]]'':
** Mordin Solus, though [[Hidden Depths]] reveal that he's way more compassionate than he lets on and feels incredible regret for his [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]] moment (though he feels it's still the right choice).
** The [[Multiple Choice Past|Ruthless background]] [[Player Character|Shepard]] also qualifies, doing whatever it takes to get the job done, no matter how horrific, and usually in the middle of the action
* Squall of ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]'' is a rare main character version. [[Raised by Wolves|Raised as a mercenary]], holds a cynical world over how the world works and doesn't allow his emotions to dictate his actions, strictly going by his duties. He doesn't even bat an eyelash after learning that one of his comrades, who he knew since he was child, was executed by the government. To say the least, most of the game he's at odds with the rest of his teammates because he's basically a lone Spock in a team full of [[The McCoy|McCoys]].
* Stern, the Material of Wisdom in the ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
== Webcomics ==▼
* Chou Yaru in ''[[Unicorn Jelly]]''.
* Vaarsuvius from ''[[The Order of the Stick]]'' ''tries'' to be this in order to become more effective and overcome a great obstacle, but seeing as how the elf is anything but emotionless and is in fact haunted by the memory of a great failure, the result is disastrous.
* Theo from ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20171212154432/http://www.goldcoincomics.com/ Gold Coin Comics]'' is like this...usually.
* Zombie/Narrator/.../whatever you want to call him plays this pretty straight in ''[[Hanna Is Not a Boy's Name]]''
* Quinn-Tain in ''[[Harkovast]]'' bases his decision only on what he thinks is necessary to win the war. Emotional concerns are always [http://www.drunkduck.com/Harkovast/index.php?p=702277 secondary]{{Dead link}}.
* Mr. Raven in ''[[El Goonish Shive]]''.
== Web Original ==
* The AI Delta from ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'' is logic personified. [[Literal Split Personality|Literally]]. Ironically, Delta is probably the most humane of the various Freelancer AIs, despite his noticeably incomplete understanding of human nature.
* In the ''[[Global Guardians PBEM Universe
* Lady Ink from [[The Book of Stories
== Western Animation ==
* Wind Whistler of ''[[My Little Pony]]''
* In ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]], Twilight'' Sparkle takes this role in the first two episodes, not caring about "pointless" things like friends or fun. [[Character Development|She ends up coming around at the end of the second episode]], and the rest of the season documents her learning about just how kick ass friends are. She occasionally lapses into this when academic subjects are mentioned, especially magic. She has a very logical, scientific view of the world and though her excellent education means that she's often right, it does leave her rather inflexible. Her tendency to dismiss information that she finds illogical in particular has been called on more than once.
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* Marsala from ''Exosquad'', even though others of his species are generally much more emotional than he. I guess he's just weird.
* Sokka from ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'', so much so that he comes into conflict with the rest of the group.
** Similarly, Mako from ''[[The Legend of Korra]]''. Especially in comparison to Korra who's [[The McCoy]], and never thinks things through.
* Braniac 5 from the ''[[Legion of Super-Heroes (TV series)|Legion of Super Heroes]]'' usually fits this trope. As does the Martian Manhunter.
== Real Life ==
* Dr. Herman Khan. His works in the 1950s on nuclear war examine the aftermath in extremely dry terms. He was considered a sort of monster by some to actually argue that, while extremely horrible, a nuclear holocaust would not be the end of humanity.
* Within the [[Power Trio]] of the Allied leadership of [[World War II]], [[Josef Stalin]] played
* Admiral Raymond Spruance
**Spruance had an icy personality of the sort that was not unlikable by accounts but was an acquired taste. He was well known for his careful considerations of plans and unlike his partner and friendly rival [[Opposing Combat Philosophies|Halsey]] who was more intuitive, Spruance was precise and economical in all things. This sometimes put him under criticism as when he prioritized the Saipan landing over the Battle of the Phillipine Sea. With all that he was a definite [[Four-Star Badass]] and unlike generals could and often did go where there was a good chance of being under fire personally. At one time off Okinawa after a Kamikaze hit he was seen manhandling a firehose. But then at the time Damage Control needed a lot of redshirts to hold firehoses and definitely did not need an Admiral getting in it's way so Spruance was of course being '''logical'''. As always.
* [[Myers-Briggs|INTPs]] are stereotypically like this. [[Myers-Briggs|INTJs]], too. "Does it work?"
* Has a pretty firm footing in [[wikipedia:Alexithymia|alexithymia]].
* By his own admission, [[Israel]]'s current Defense Minister and former Prime Minister Ehud Barak. He and everyone around him quite frankly states that Barak's mind is like a steel trap: remorselessly methodical and logical, remembering everything, and expecting everyone to be just as logical as he. Barak, however, does have the humanity to admit that this is something of a double-edged sword: his logical method blinded him to the emotions of others, particularly the Palestinian and Syrian diplomats he tried to negotiate with at Camp David in 2000. This
* According to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathising%E2%80%93systemising_theory Systemizing-Empathizing theory of Simon Baron-Cohen], Extreme Type S individuals are this, while Extreme Type E individuals are [[The McCoy]] and Type B individuals are [[The Kirk]]. However, one must say that many people identified as Type S / Extreme Type S (like, most individuals with [[Asperger Syndrome]] register as one of these) are not as cold, ruthless and [[Shoot the Dog]]-ish than this trope in fiction.
** Talking about Asperger Syndrome, [[Science Marches On]]: Many Aspies who have special interests in social fields (e.g. psychology) don't fit well into Baron Cohen's theory and may register as Type B or even E. This is more common in women, and since high-functioning/Asperger autism in women has long been mostly overlooked, it hasn't come into attention until the late 2010s.
** And as said, also "classical" Aspies who are Extreme Type S often [[Subverted Trope|subvert this trope]] by showing far more emotional concern and [[Share the Male Pain|pain empathy]] than expected for The Spock.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Characters As Device]]
[[Category:Logic Tropes]]
[[Category:Romanticism Versus Enlightenment]]
[[Category:Intelligence Tropes]]
[[Category:Seekers]]
[[Category:Emotion Tropes]]
[[Category:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spock, The}}
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