# Were there any references to Vulcans having green blood after Star Trek: TOS? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, star-trek-paramount\ **Created:** [May 19, 2023, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293 "2023-05-19T19:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2023, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/21 "2023-05-20T16:16:31Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > > [@WildaBeast](#): > > > > in Vulcan physiology, the blood uses copper as it’s oxygen carrying medium (as opposed to iron in humans), which is what makes it green > > I bet the horseshoe crabs of Earth will be surprised at this news. Yep, McCoy should have been calling Spock an inhuman _ **blue-blooded** _ so-and-so all that time… > **[Battle for the Blue Bloods](https://defenders.org/magazine/fall-2021/battle-blue-bloods)** > > At the height of the full moon, during the highest tides of the lunar cycle, American horseshoe crabs rise from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean to spawn on the sandy shores of South Carolina’s Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberfloyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5e9695/32.png) [@Cyberfloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberfloyd)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/22 "2024-07-05T06:16:48Z")
In addition to what Waldo said, theres Green blood in Enterprise too. Not just in s4e7 The Forge but also in s4e8 Awakening. Ambassador sovaal has green blood visible in his face wounds following the explosion. I wouldnt be surprised if you see green blood elsewhere in enterprise too ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/23 "2024-07-05T09:53:31Z")
Speaking of green blood v. red blood, I wonder if anyone thought to study the placenta after Spock was born. And would Spock be able to withstand a plasma transfusion from a human? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/24 "2024-07-05T13:26:55Z")
According to Gene Roddenberry, Spock was something of a test-tube baby. The pregnancy had to be managed by the “highly advanced” Vulcan school of medicine. So there may not even have been a placenta to study. The above makes me think interspecies reproduction was not uncommon in Vulcan society. I would imagine there was some sort of artificial blood that could be used for universal transfusions. Like dilithium crystals, it was just in short supply on board the _Enterprise_ whenever it was needed (e.g., in “Journey to Babel”). ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/25 "2024-07-05T15:04:31Z")
Monkey Wrench: In _ST V: My Director is Incompetent_, Amanda is shown having what looks like a typical, human-type delivery — we can only hope a placenta was involved. If you wish to jettison ST 5 from canon, you have my full support. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/26 "2024-07-05T15:21:35Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > If you wish to jettison ST 5 from canon, you have my full support. If you’re contemplating jettisoning anything from canon, it has to be the entire reboot. James Kirk MET the healthy Amanda Grayson face to face, in Commander Spock’s presence. THAT’s canon! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/27 "2024-07-05T15:40:45Z")
Reboot is another timeline. I don’t love the concept, but it means no direct paradox. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/28 "2024-07-05T15:44:42Z")
“Hey, Spock, your mom’s a real hottie; reminds me of Winona Ryder.” “Jim, _your_ mother was named Winona.” “What are the odds of _that_… _ **LOOK OUT! LENS FLARE!** _” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/29 "2024-07-05T15:47:42Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Reboot is another timeline. I don’t love the concept, but it means no direct paradox. Meh. I don’t dig "another timeline"s, and I will not tolerate them. Just another iteration of the fact that I’m SHARING the universe with people who are wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/30 "2024-07-05T16:00:15Z")
Not to get too far OT, but I think Nimoy summed up ST5’s shortcomings best. Shatner, he felt, was a competent director: he chose interesting camera shots, good casting, and did any number of other things directors do right, he just made the cardinal sin of picking a BAD SCRIPT. There’s no way to direct around that one central fact. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/31 "2024-07-05T16:10:53Z")
I’m curious how much Harve Bennett contributed to the script. ST 2, 3 (yes, 3) and 4 were very good stories, thanks to Bennett. Maybe we can blame that David Loughery dude. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/32 "2024-07-05T16:13:12Z")
Having just read the Wikipedia entry on that movie, it sounds like: - Shatner, himself, had the original story idea - Bennett did considerable work on massaging the idea to make it more suitable for a film - Loughery wrote the actual script, though was delayed in completing it due to a WGA strike, and it wound up being rushed I had not realized that it was Shatner’s story idea, so he still has to get part of the blame. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/33 "2024-07-05T16:25:57Z")
Please tell me Amanda Grayson is not related to Dick Grayson. I don’t think I could handle that right now. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/34 "2024-07-05T16:29:30Z")
Ummmm… Didn’t Cecil address this issue years ago? I seem to remember something along those lines in a column once. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/35 "2024-07-05T16:34:34Z")
Well, if there was a placenta, it would probably have been heavily bioengineered, which would no doubt make it worthy of study. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/36 "2024-07-05T23:43:47Z")
I’m really glad you’re not _my_ OB/GYN. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293/37 "2024-07-06T00:03:10Z")
If Vulcans really did have green blood, a human/vulcan cross would be normally impossible. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-there-any-references-to-vulcans-having-green-blood-after-star-trek-tos/984293.md?page=1)