Mind Melds in the 22nd Century.

The Vulcan mind meld is one of the most iconic elements in the history of Star Trek. Next to the salute, it is probably the most recognized aspect of the Vulcan people. But the mind meld that we came to know through the TOS films, TNG, and beyond was not the mainstay throughout Vulcan history. There was a time when the joining of minds was viewed as a deviant act, something that should be avoided and a way of contracting a lethal disease.

In this episode of Warp Five, Christopher Jones and Norm Lao discuss Vulcan mind melds as they are shown in the time of Archer, when Vulcans had strayed from the teachings of Surak. Was the view of this act as deviant behavior legitimate? Or was the stigmatization of mind melding merely a way for an oppressive government to control the populace? We explore the various aspects of this ancient Vulcan practice and how it changed over the centuries.