| Nyota Uhura | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek character | |
 Nichelle Nichols as Uhura on the set ofStar Trek: The Original Series | |
| First appearance |
|
| Created by | Gene Roddenberry |
| Portrayed by |
|
| Voiced by | Nichelle Nichols (The Animated Series) Celia Rose Gooding ("Those Old Scientists") |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Female |
| Title | |
| Occupation | |
| Affiliation | United Federation of Planets Starfleet |
| Significantother | Spock (reboot films) |
Nyota Uhura (/niˈoʊtəʊˈhʊrə/), or simplyUhura, is a fictional character in theStar Trek franchise. In theoriginal television series, the character was portrayed byNichelle Nichols, who reprised the role for the first sixStar Trek feature films. A younger Uhura is portrayed byCelia Rose Gooding in the 2022prequel seriesStar Trek: Strange New Worlds, while an alternate timeline version of Uhura has been portrayed by actressZoe Saldaña in the feature filmsStar Trek (2009),Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), andStar Trek Beyond (2016).
Uhura is apolyglot, translator andcommunications officer who specializes inlinguistics,cryptography, andphilology. She was an important part of the original series'multicultural crew and one of the firstBlack characters to be portrayed in a non-menial role on an American television series.
Gene Roddenberry had intended his new female communications officer to be called "Lieutenant Sulu".[1]Herb Solow pointed out how similar this was to "Zulu" and thought it might act against the plan for racial diversity in the show, so the nameSulu remained withGeorge Takei's character.[2] "Uhura" comes from theSwahili worduhuru, meaning "freedom". Nichols states in her 1994 bookBeyond Uhura that the name was inspired byRobert Ruark's 1962 bookUhuru, which she had with her on the day she read for the part. When producerRobert Justman explained to Roddenberry what the worduhuru meant, he changed it to Uhura and adopted that as the character's name.[2] Coincidentally, the end credits of the filmStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country incorrectly refer to Uhura as "Uhuru".
Uhura's first name was not used inStar Trek canon untilAbrams's 2009 film. The mystery regarding Uhura's first name is the subject of arunning joke in the film, asCaptain Kirk repeatedly tries to find out what it is, before finally hearingSpock call her "Nyota" in a moment of intimacy.[3]
Although other non-canon names had previously existed, "Nyota" had been the most common. Two other proposed names were "Penda" and "Samara". TheFASA producedStar Trek: The Role Playing Game (1982) gave Uhura's first name as "Samara" while the fanzine collectionThe Best of Trek (18 volumes, 1978–1996) suggests that Uhura's first name is "Penda", coined when a group offanzine authors suggested it to Nichols at an early convention.
AuthorWilliam Rotsler created the name "Nyota" for his 1982 licensed tie-in book,Star Trek II Biographies published by Wanderer (Pocket) Books. Seeking approval for the name he contacted Gene Roddenberry and Nichelle Nichols. Roddenberry approved of the name. Nichols also approved and was very excited when Rotsler informed her that Nyota means "star" in Swahili.[4] After originating inStar Trek II Biographies "Nyota" started appearing inStar Trek novels, such asUhura's Song (1985) byJanet Kagan. While guest-starring on the game showSuper Password on January 7, 1987, Nichols stated that Uhura's first name was "Nyota".[5]
Soon after the first scripts forStar Trek were being written, Roddenberry spoke of a new character, a female communications officer and introduced Herb Solow and Robert Justman to Nichols, who had worked for him onThe Lieutenant.[1] Although "The Cage" (the first pilot episode ofStar Trek, featuring a female first officer,Number One) was rejected, Roddenberry continued to seek diversity in his casting for the series, including a greater emphasis on racial diversity, with Nichols as Uhura and George Takei as Sulu.[6] Uhura's role of "answering the phone" has been described as gender normative for the era.[7]
Nichols planned to leaveStar Trek in 1967 afterits first season, wanting to return tomusical theater.[8] She changed her mind after talking toMartin Luther King Jr.[9] who was a fan of the show. King explained that her character signified a future of greater racial harmony and cooperation.[10] King told Nichols, "You are our image of where we're going, you're 300 years from now, and that means that's where we are and it takes place now. Keep doing what you're doing, you are our inspiration."[11] As Nichols recounted, "Star Trek was one of the only shows that [King] and his wifeCoretta would allow their little children to watch. And I thanked him and I told him I was leaving the show. All the smile came off his face. And he said, 'Don't you understand for the first time we're seen as we should be seen. You don't have a black role. You have an equal role.'"[8]
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Uhura, from the United States of Africa, speaksSwahili[12] and was born on January 19, 2233.[13]James Blish'snon-canon novels identify her asBantu, as does Gene Roddenberry's novelization ofStar Trek: The Motion Picture.
Uhura first appears in the episode "The Man Trap", joining the crew of theUSSEnterprise as a lieutenant, and serves as chief communications officer under Captain Kirk. She is depicted as a capable bridge officer and readily assumed control of the helm, navigation and science stations on the bridge when the need arose. Uhura was also a talented singer, and enjoyed serenading her shipmates when off-duty; Spock occasionally accompanied her on the Vulcan lyre in episodes "Charlie X" and "The Conscience of the King".
In "The Lorelei Signal", a 1973 episode ofStar Trek: The Animated Series, Uhura assumes command of the Enterprise when the male officers fall victim to a species of sirens and leads an all-female rescue party. After the sirens are defeated, the Enterprise crew help the sirens, and Uhura bonds with the sirens, who are happy at the thought that they might meet men and have children.[14]
She is later promoted to lieutenant commander inStar Trek: The Motion Picture, and to full commander inStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock sees Uhura take an assignment in the Space Docktransporter room as part of a plot to steal theEnterprise. After locking a colleague in a closet, Uhura uses the transporter station to beam Kirk,Leonard McCoy andHikaru Sulu to theEnterprise so they can use it to rescueSpock from the Genesis Planet. As planned, Uhura later meets up with her crewmates on Vulcan and witnesses Spock's successful renewal.
Uhura has a smaller role in the first, second and third films.Uhura's Song, a novel published in 1985, developed her character further, placing her at the center of the action and introducing Uhura's interest in alien languages. Elements from this novel influenced her depiction in later films and novels.[15]
Following these events and the destruction of theEnterprise, Uhura joins her crewmates on a stolenKlingon ship amid a crisis onEarth inStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Traveling to the 20th century, they attempt to save a pair ofhumpback whales in order to repopulate the species. During a trip toSan Francisco, Uhura andPavel Chekov infiltrate theaircraft carrierUSSEnterprise and use emissions from the carrier's nuclear reactor to recharge the Klingon vessel's power supply. Kirk and Spock then procure the whales so the crew can return to the 23rd century and save Earth.
In light of their heroics, Starfleet Command exonerates Uhura and the rest of Kirk's crew for their illegal activities. Kirk is demoted to the rank of captain after a prior promotion to admiral, but is assigned to command theUSSEnterprise-A. Uhura joins Kirk's crew, and once again serves as chief communications officer throughout the events ofStar Trek V: The Final Frontier andStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. InThe Final Frontier, a romantic interest between Uhura andMontgomery Scott is briefly implied while Uhura seemingly is under the influence ofSybok, but the subplot is never fully developed in the following movies, leading the viewer to assume that the pair continues as friends.
A hiddenStar Trek: Picard season 2 Easter egg reveals Nichelle Nichols’ Uhura became a starship captain afterThe Undiscovered Country,[16] where CadetJean-Luc Picard first experienced lightspeed travel.
In the 2009 filmStar Trek,Zoe Saldaña plays a young Uhura who is introduced as a cadet at the academy, but is promoted to a communications officer as the movie unfolds. The film is also notable for officially establishing the character's given name, Nyota. This Uhura is initially cold towards Kirk (and is verbally more than a match for him) after he attempts to flirt with her while intoxicated. However, by the end of film, she comes to respect Kirk as captain of theEnterprise. Although Nichols was not consulted over the character's casting, Saldaña personally reached out to Nichols, who in turn helped her prepare for the role.
A former student of Spock's, Uhura is also romantically involved with him. InStar Trek, the ongoing comic book series byIDW Publishing, they are shown going on a date during her studies at the Academy.[17] When Uhura is initially assigned to the USSFarragut in an attempt by Spock to avoid the appearance of favoritism, she demands that he assign her to theEnterprise, arguing she would have been assigned there had they not been involved. She persists in her complaints until Spock relents. Had she remained on theFarragut, she would have been killed, as that vessel is subsequently destroyed by the villain Nero. Uhura quickly receives afield promotion due to her skill with the Romulan language and remains on the bridge for most of the film.
The 2009 depiction of Nyota Uhura generated much online debate, with some fans praising her portrayal, while other fans disapproved of her romantic relationship with Spock, or suggested that her expanded role in the film was evidence that she had become a "Mary Sue" character. Other fans suggested that a romance with Spock was hinted inTOS, but could not be followed up on due to racism at the time, and that it would have been impossible at the time to depict Uhura in a romantic relationship.[18] When discussing her response to the 2009 film, Nichelle Nichols confirmed that "there was always a connection between Uhura and Spock" and that the times did not allow for anything more than "hints". Nichols also discussed meeting with Saldaña to discuss Uhura, and praised Saldaña's portrayal.[19] One writer said theintersectionality of Uhura as a Black woman was important when discussing her romance with Spock, because romances between Black women and white men were largely portrayed as cautionary tales in Hollywood films.[18]
In the first sequel,Star Trek Into Darkness, Uhura has been serving on theEnterprise for a year and is still romantically involved with Spock. She and Kirk have a good working relationship and share their frustrations with Spock's emotional unavailability (Uhura as his lover, Kirk as his best friend). Uhura is called upon several times to act as a field officer, attempting to use her fluency in Klingon to assist in the hunt for the fugitive John Harrison. She later contacts Spock Prime (at her Spock's request) to consult him over Harrison's identity, and at the climax of the film, helps Spock defeat and capture Harrison after a long chase and fierce hand-to-hand combat. In the second sequel,Star Trek Beyond, her exceptional hearing, first referenced in the 2009 film, reveals the identity of the main antagonist. Spock and Uhura amicably discuss ending their relationship and have some tension over Spock's intention to leaveStarfleet to help the Vulcan survivors, in the wake of the death of Spock Prime. Spock later instead chooses to remain in Starfleet, and begins to renew his relationship with Uhura.
In a 2012 poll conducted bySFX Magazine to find the 100 sexiest female characters in science fiction and fantasy, Uhura, as portrayed by Saldaña in the 2009 film, was voted number one.[20]
InStar Trek: Strange New Worlds, the character is played byCelia Rose Gooding as acadet serving on theEnterprise as part of an advanced placement. The series reveals Uhura's backstory: she is fromKenya and her parents, both university professors, and older brother died when she was younger – possibly in an explosion or shuttle crash ("Subspace Rhapsody"). At a dinner in Captain Pike's quarters, Uhura admits that she joined Starfleet as a way of honoring her grandmother, who was a Starfleet officer who raised her when her parents died, but is unsure about continuing in the service. This draws negative reactions from other members of the crew, including Spock. However, after her exemplary performance on her first away mission, Spock softens his tone and tells her that she will make an excellent officer if she decides to stay.Season 2, she returns to the Enterprise as an Ensign and the Enterprise's communications officer.
When Nichols considered quitting the show in the late 1960s, she was told someone wanted to meet her, claiming to be her biggest fan. By her account the fan wasMartin Luther King Jr., who convinced her not to leave the show by stating: "You cannot do that. ... For the first time, we are being seen the world over as we should be seen."[21] Nichols decided to stay on the show,[21] explaining her reasons to Roddenberry, who replied "finally, someone gets it."[citation needed]
Whoopi Goldberg describes Uhura as an inspiration for her acting career and status as aStar Trek fan. Goldberg later recalled watchingStar Trek as a teenager and telling family members: "I just saw a Black woman on television; and she ain't no maid!"[9][22] Goldberg later playedGuinan onStar Trek: The Next Generation.
NASA employed Nichols in a campaign to encourage women and African-Americans to join the organization. In 1978NASA Astronaut Group 8 yielded the first recruits composed of women and ethnic minorities in the United States. Three were Black (Guion Bluford,Ronald McNair and Dr.Frederick D. Gregory).Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to fly aboard theSpace Shuttle, citedStar Trek as an influence in her decision to join. Jemison herself had a minor role on an episode ofThe Next Generation called "Second Chances", playing a transporter operator named Lieutenant Palmer. Jemison was the first of several real-life astronauts to appear onStar Trek.[23][24]
On February 29, 2012, Nichols met withPresident Obama in the White House Oval Office. She later Tweeted about the meeting, ""Months ago Pres Obama was quoted as saying that he'd had a crush on me when he was younger." Nichols also wrote, "I asked about that & he proudly confirmed it! President Obama also confirmed for me that he was definitely a Trekker! How wonderful is that?!"[25]
In the 1968 episode "Plato's Stepchildren", Uhura andCaptain Kirk kiss. For many years this was claimed to be the first example of a scripted inter-racial kiss on United States television, although other examples have come to light.[26][27][28] Originally, the scene was to be filmed both with the kiss, and without it so that the network could later decide to either air the kiss, or exclude it. However, Shatner and Nichols deliberately flubbed every take without the kiss, rendering them useless so that the kiss had to be included.[29]
In 2013, Uhura was ranked among the top 50 sexiest characters of the science-fiction genre.[30] They note the character is "a whipsmart wise-ass who can hold her own against the guys" of theEnterprise.[30]
In 2016,Screen Rant rated Uhura as the 16th best character inStar Trek overall as presented in television and film up to that time, highlighting the character as a "lingual expert who could handle herself on away missions".[31] In 2018,Comic Book Resources ranked Uhura as the 23rd bestStarfleet character ofStar Trek.[32] In 2018,The Wrap placed Uhura as 20th out 39 in a ranking of main cast characters of theStar Trek franchise.[33]
In 2016, Uhura was ranked as the 14th most important character of Starfleet within theStar Trek science fiction universe byWired magazine.[34]
In 2017, Screen Rant ranked Uhura the second most attractive person in theStar Trek universe, in betweenBenjamin Sisko andJean-Luc Picard.[35]
In 2017, Comic Book Resources ranked the performance of Mirror Uhura the 14th "fiercest" female character of theStar Trek universe.[36]
In 2018, Comic Book Resources ranked Uhura the 23rd best member of Starfleet.[37]
In 2019, Uhura was ranked the fifth sexiestStar Trek character bySyFy.[38]
