Hand

Multiple realities

(covers information from severalalternate timelines)

Captain Jonathan Archer's hand displaying the Vulcan salute

Ahand was ananatomical appendage that had developed on manyhumanoid species, the primary function of which was grasping, holding, typing, etc. The hand played an integral part in the sense of touch, since many humanoid species used their hands for tactile feedback.

Humanoid hands tended to vary with both number of hands and number ofdigits on each hand:Voth and aspecies from Tau Alpha C had three fingers per hand, whileHumans had five; as well,Edosians had three hands, whileTerellians, and apianist onQualor II, namedAmarie, had four hands.

Vulcans seem to place more significance on their hands than Humans, possibly because they use their hands to mind-meld, which is taken very seriously in Vulcan society. Vulcans press their fingers together as a gesture of affection, akin to a kiss (First seen in Journey to Babel).

In2151,Doctor Phlox treatedCrewman Alex, who hadfirst-degree burns on his right hand, from the seal of anitrogen valve having blown when he had been trying to reroute the valve. The hand injury (and a similar burn on Alex'sforehead) was treated withdermaline gel. (ENT: "Dear Doctor")

In the writers' first draft script ofENT: "Dear Doctor", this scene instead involvedTrip Tucker having alaceration on his hand that was initially covered with a rag. Tuker's injured hand was about to bebandaged byDoctor Phlox when the sight ofblood in the wound caused a large, tough-looking engineering officer who was standing nearby to suddenlyfaint, so Phlox then switched his focus to the felled giant.

A force field in the shape of a giant green hand holds the Enterprise captive — A force field in the shape of a giant green hand holds theEnterprise captive

In2267, the being who claimed to be the Greek godApollo captured theUSSEnterprise by generating a powerfulforce field in the shape of a giant green hand. This encounter was one of several witnessed by thetardigrade "Ephraim" during her attempts to be reunited with her eggs. A legend of a similar giant green hand was told in thealternate reality as one of the possible causes of the disappearance of theUSSFranklin. (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?",ST: "Ephraim and Dot",Star Trek Beyond)

Havingtraveled back in time to2268,Jadzia Dax, observingLeonard McCoy on thebridge of the USSEnterprise, recalled meeting him when she wasEmony Dax. She had a feeling at the time that he would become adoctor, as he had the hands of asurgeon. (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")