Saavik Lieutenant junior grade Saavik was a Vulcan Starfleet officer who , in the mid - 2280s , served aboard both the and the . Of particular note was her involvement with the failed Genesis project . Service record . In of 2285 , Saavik was a Starfleet cadet and , while mentored by Spock at Starfleet Academy , she underwent the " Kobayashi Maru " scenario . Despite an in - depth awareness of Starfleet regulations , she chose – during the test – to violate the Neutral Zone Treaty by venturing across the Klingon Neutral Zone in an attempt to rescue the freighter " Kobayashi Maru " , an action that resulted in the simulated deaths of all other officer s in the bridge simulator . Afterwards , Saavik related to Admiral Kirk that she doubted the non - winnable simulation had been a fair test of her command abilities , though Saavik also conceded that she had not considered how possible such a situation was in reality . Saavik was thereafter assigned aboard the " Enterprise " as navigator under Admiral Kirk , firstly in a training cruise that was then prematurely terminated so that the ship and crew could respond to the Genesis crisis . During these missions , Saavik was the highest - ranking cadet from a training crew on board the vessel . As such , she occasionally occupied the ship ' s command chair and was even permitted to supervise the vessel ' s departure from spacedock , which she had never done before . Saavik struggled to become acquainted with Human personality traits and was inquisitive as to how Kirk had handled the " Kobayashi Maru " scenario . At this stage in her career , she often quoted Starfleet regulations and was surprised by the way Kirk occasionally bent those rules , questioning several of the commands he gave her . Saavik ' s mettle – as a prospective officer - of - the - line – was actually tested when the " Enterprise " was unexpectedly engaged in a drawn - out battle with the commandeered . Though she acquitted herself well under the stress of battle , she was admonished by Admiral Kirk that knowing regulations by heart was not enough and that she still needed to learn " why things work on a starship . " As an away team member on one particular away mission amid the battle , Saavik visited both the " Regula I " space station and the Genesis cave , the latter of which was beneath the surface of Regula . She concluded that – as Kirk ' s method of beating the " Kobayashi Maru " test had been to cheat the system – he had never faced death . Saavik ' s mentor , Spock , was killed during the closing stages of the battle . Despite her Vulcan stoicism , Saavik wept at Spock ' s funeral . ( ) Later that year , Saavik was transferred to the " Grissom " , where she further studied the planet along with Kirk ' s son , David Marcus . There , they found the body of Captain Spock , who was believed lost . When Saavik and David found him , Spock ' s regenerated body was physiologically that of a child , but he aged rapidly . Saavik helped Spock through the agonies of " pon farr " by mating with him . Afterwards , she and her companions were captured by Klingons . Though a " d ' k tahg " - wielding Klingon officer attempted to murder Saavik , her life was saved by David , whose intervention in these circumstances resulted in him being violently killed by the Klingon . Saavik returned to with the " Enterprise " crew , to reintegrate Spock ' s " katra " into his body , in 2285 . ( ) In 2286 , Saavik explained to Kirk how his son had died bravely saving her as well as Spock from the Klingons . She remained on Vulcan with Spock ' s mother , Amanda Grayson , when the " Enterprise " crew – together with Captain Spock – returned home for Earth . ( ) Appendices . Background information . Origins and concept . According to Executive Producer Harve Bennett , the character of Saavik was created by Samuel A . Peeples and was the only element from a script he wrote for " " that was kept in the final film , which was from a story co - written by Bennett and Jack B . Sowards , and a screenplay that was written by Sowards . Recalled Bennett , " " I went right back to Jack ' s script [ and ] inserted Saavik . " " ( " The Star Trek Interview Book " , p . 266 ) According to the William Shatner and Chris Kreski book " Star Trek Movie Memories " ( pp . 111 & 112 ) , however , Saavik was absent from Peeples ' script draft and was instead introduced in a previous draft wherein the young Vulcan began " a rather steamy relationship " with Kirk ' s son , David . The book " Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before " ( p . 74 ) states that Theodore Sturgeon was responsible for contributing the character of Saavik . According to the book " " ( pp . 37 , 38 & 221 ) , a conceptual progenitor of Saavik was a Vulcan male science officer with the name Wicks ( a name differing from those of all previous male Vulcans seen in the original series , who instead had names beginning with " S " ) . Wicks , a science officer aboard the " Enterprise " under Captain Spock as well as an advanced student of Spock ' s , was introduced in a nineteen - page outline that Jack B . Sowards wrote for the second " Star Trek " film . In that version of the story , Wicks gave Admiral Kirk a difficult time when the admiral visited the ship after Spock died , Wicks calling Kirk illogical for expecting a Vulcan to have a sense of humor . It seems clear from " The Making of Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan " ( pp . 38 , 39 , and 40 ) that Mr . Wicks developed into " Savik " in a later , six - page story treatment , in which he was still a male Vulcan aboard the " Enterprise " , with Spock as his commanding officer . However , the character was now referred to as the ship ' s first officer . Savik was also , according to the reference book ( p . 43 ) , included in a script draft titled " Star Trek : The Omega System " , in which it was more than implied that Savik had emotional capabilities and tendencies . Although the book ( pp . 47 , 51 , and 52 ) credits these versions of the character as having been devised by Harve Bennett and Jack Sowards , it states that " an outside writer " was responsible for writing an outline that was dated and featured Savik , for the first time , as a half - Romulan , half - Vulcan woman , though she was also referred to as a doctor in the same outline . As can be seen in the book ( p . 48 ) , the character ' s name was changed to its eventual configuration of Saavik by . It might be postulated ( as it is in ) that it is probable Saavik was initially intended to be a successor of Spock – with her manning the " Enterprise " s science station in the – at a time when Spock actor Leonard Nimoy was reluctant to continue appearing in " Star Trek " , though the reasoning why this option was not taken was likely as a result of Nimoy having a change of heart shortly prior to the making of the third movie . According to Harve Bennett , however , Saavik ' s future was uncertain during the writing of " Star Trek II " . " " I had no idea what the future of Saavik might be , " " he said . ( " The Star Trek Interview Book " , p . 268 ) In the production history of " Star Trek " , Saavik was the first Vulcan female whose name did not begin with the letter " T , " alternate to such characters as T ' Pau and T ' Pring from . Names beginning with an " S " sound had previously been the exclusive domain of Vulcan males , including Spock , Sarek , and Surak . ( text commentary , " " DVD ) ( Later , two more female Vulcans did receive names beginning with " S " : Dr . Selar in TNG and Sakonna in DS9 . ) The for " Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan " notes that , " " Lt . Saavik is young and beautiful . She is half Vulcan and half Romulan . In appearance she is Vulcan with pointed ears , but her skin is fair and she has none of the expressionless facial immobility of a Vulcan . " " ( ) Spock had a line where he stated this fact to Kirk in scene 5 after the " Kobayashi Maru " test , " " She ' s half Romulan , Jim . The admixture makes her more volatile than – me , for example . " " Spock ' s actually filmed line was however trimmed from the scene and not included in either the theatrical version , the 1985 television version or the 2002 " " DVD release , or on any of their home media formats . The line " was " included though , in a contemporary ( prior to the " Wrath of Khan " moniker addition ) promotional short , voiced by William Shatner . In " Star Trek II " , Saavik is commonly referred to as " mister , " a form of respectful military address . Normally applied to subordinates , the title is said in the film by Admiral Kirk and Captain Spock in reference to Saavik . The theorizes that Saavik entered the Academy in 2281 , believing the " Kobayashi Maru " test to be something taken by upperclassmen , though neither has been confirmed . First film appearance . In " Star Trek II " , Saavik was played by Kirstie Alley . Before she was cast in the part , Director Nicholas Meyer had almost made up his mind about another young performer . ( " " , p . 207 ) This alternative actress was Kim Cattrall ( who later appeared as Valeris in ) ; she proved unavailable for the role , which preceded Alley ' s casting . ( " Star Trek Movie Memories " , pp . 123 - 124 ) Nick Meyer said of Alley , " " She auditioned for me , along with many others . " " ( audio commentary , " Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan ( The Director ' s Edition ) " DVD ) A long - time fan of who had spent years of occasionally play - acting that she was Spock ' s daughter , Kirstie Alley was extremely excited when she was told about the Saavik role . " " I went in and acted like Spock , " " remembered the actress , " " then Nick Meyer said , ' Boy , you have him down . Did you know that ? " " ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 170 ) Alley told Meyer about her fixation on Spock . ( " The View from the Bridge - Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood " , hardback ed . , p . 99 ) Meyer recalled , " " I saw her , and I said , ' This is her . This is Saavik . ' And I never thought about it . " " ( audio commentary , " " DVD ) According to Alley , she auditioned four times for " Star Trek II " . She was 117 pounds after her third audition and attended her fourth audition three days after finding out that her mother had just died in a car crash , an experience that had caused the actress ' weight to reduce to 113 pounds . Alley stated , " " Nicholas Meyer told me on the spot that I had the role . I always thought that was very kind of him . " " ( " How to Lose Your Ass and Regain Your Life " , pp . 96 & 100 ) The director particularly liked the way Alley moved and felt that the combination of her together with Leonard Nimoy looked perfect . ( " " , p . 60 ) Harve Bennett remarked , " " Nicholas Meyer saw something in her , and I think he saw it correctly . " " ( " Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before " , p . 75 ) During the making of " Star Trek II " , Saavik ' s pointed ears were often applied to Kirstie Alley in the very early hours of each morning . Noted Uhura actress Nichelle Nichols , " " Being Vulcan , she joined Leonard [ Nimoy ] and me for our predawn makeup calls . " " ( " Beyond Uhura " , p . 248 ) In fact , Alley was so fond of Saavik ' s pointed ears that , allegedly , the actress repeatedly took the ear prosthetics home with her and wore them to sleep at night . Nick Meyer noted , " " She wouldn ' t take them off . " " ( audio commentary , " Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan ( The Director ' s Edition ) " DVD ) " " I always wondered who she slept with , and it turned out it was the ears , " " jested Meyer . ( audio commentary , " / " ) Years later , Meyer theorized that , while this account from Alley may have been true , her reasoning for having told him this might alternatively have been that she had actually wanted a later makeup call . ( " The View from the Bridge - Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood " , interior photographs ) Despite having pointy Vulcan ears , the actress ' eyebrows were not characteristically slanted like other Vulcans seen up to that time . Nick Meyer made a concerted effort to embody realism and avoid overt sexuality in Kirstie Alley ' s depiction of Saavik , which was the actress ' first film role . " " She was getting advice from all sides , and the studio kept trying to make it more of a ' tits and ass ' performance , " " recalled the director . " " I said , ' No , no , no . That ' s real . You ' re in the Navy . You ' re a pro . Just do your job . You ' re good ; you ' re at the top of your class there . " " ( " " , p . 61 ) Kirstie Alley was somewhat uncertain if other fans would accept a Vulcan female and she endeavored not to make the unemotional female character seem too much like " a bitch , " by concentrating on the emotionality of Saavik ' s Romulan heritage , which accounts for her crying on screen at one point . ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 170 ) Nichelle Nichols said about the performance decision to show Saavik shedding tears , " " That was Kirstie ' s idea , a beautiful touch . " " ( " Beyond Uhura " , p . 251 ) However , William Shatner was alarmed by this behavior during filming and asked Meyer if he was going to " let her do that . " ( " The View from the Bridge - Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood " , hardback ed . , p . 118 ) The director related , " " [ Shatner ] said , ' Well , Vulcans can ' t cry . ' I said , ' Yeah , well , that ' s why it ' s going to be so distressing when this one does . " " ( audio commentary , " / " ) Nick Meyer believed Kirstie Alley succeeded in channeling the reserved emotionality of Saavik ' s Vulcan aspect in the film , generally . The director commented , " " She gave a very actor performance , because none of her own , sort of , impish humor is present in this . What you see in " Cheers " and so forth , her comic timing . None of that . She was a Vulcan . " " ( audio commentary , " Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan ( The Director ' s Edition ) " DVD ) Meyer also thought Alley was " very good " at portraying Saavik . ( audio commentary , " Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan ( 2009 DVD / Blu - ray ) " ) He conceded , " " My favorite thing about her was that you had the feeling of the staggering , competent Lt . Saavik , and that was important to me . That was what I wanted to get across . I think the performance is much more interesting for that reason . " " ( " " , p . 61 ) Leonard Nimoy was also impressed with Alley ' s performance as Saavik , believing her inclusion in the production to have been " fortunate . " " " Her performance – or , perhaps more correctly , presence – was simply amazing , " " Nimoy raved . He went on to remark that , even though playing Saavik involved the first work Alley did in front of a camera , " she delivered her lines like a seasoned pro . " ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , pp . 200 & 202 ) On the other hand , Gene Roddenberry purportedly once said that he thought Alley was " too Beverly Hills " for " Star Trek " . ( " " , p . 61 ) When asked if there was any Human in Saavik ' s apparently Vulcan - Romulan background , Roddenberry stated , " " I ' m afraid not . I thought it might be nice if there was but that ' s not their plan . As a matter of fact , my recommendation to them is that they make her even a bit more alien in her dialogue as we did with Mr . Spock . I thought a few times too often she sounded like an American girl who had just laid down her tennis racket , and I think you have to build in those mysteries and those mysterious ways , especially when you have aliens . " " ( " Chapter 8 : " Trek " on the Big Screen " , " " ) Scenes deleted from " Star Trek II " included one wherein Spock made note to Kirk of Saavik ' s half - Romulan heritage and another in which she was introduced to David Marcus , hinting at an unspoken flirtation between them . As scripted in a draft that featured both these scenes and was dated , an extension to a conversation that , in the movie , Spock and Saavik have in the Vulcan language included Spock telling Saavik , " " You must control your prejudices and remember that as a Vulcan as well as a Romulan you are forever a stranger in a strange land . " " The same script draft also incorporated some more ultimately deleted material concerning Saavik ' s connection to David Marcus . ( " " , pp . 53 , 55 & 62 ) It was Nick Meyer who removed the idea of Saavik being half - Romulan . He explained , " " I didn ' t see that it made any difference . There was nothing about her that was Romulan , so let her be Vulcan . " " ( " Enterprise Incidents " , issue # 14 , p . 62 ) Still , the notion of her mixed heritage has lingered on into the script of " The Search for Spock " where a script annotation for stated that " [ e ] ven a half - Vulcan has a breaking point " , though it has remained unspoken in the movie . The excised flirtatious component of Saavik ' s relationship with David was connected to a fascination that Saavik is implied as having with Kirk in the film , such as a suggestion that she made her appearance less formal for Kirk ' s benefit . Producer Robert Sallin confirmed that this was an intentional implication , stating , " " Yes , it was meant to be subtle . Another branch of a story which , if you ' d allowed it to go , would get in the way . " " Sallin also accounted for the decision to insert the beginnings of a romance between Saavik and David Marcus , rather than between her and Kirk . " " As many young women would , " " proposed Sallin , " " she would realize that the older man might not be obtainable , and " look " who ' s here as a very reasonable substitute . " " ( " " , pp . 60 & 61 ) Nick Meyer thought the intrigue involving Saavik was very successful . " " The romance was very , very slight , " " he observed , " " and I liked it . I thought it was funny in the movie because here ' s Saavik , who is half - way in love with Admiral Kirk , and she knows that ' s completely inappropriate . The moment she finds out that Admiral Kirk has a son – it just makes a heck of a lot of sense to her . " " Meyer also noted that the scene deletions ultimately effected the depiction of Saavik ' s connection with David . " " She never learned that he was Kirk ' s son until the end of the movie in the final version , so all that [ earlier ] stuff didn ' t make any sense any more . " " ( " " , p . 60 ) The flirtation was to take place at the start of scene 247 , and the meaningful glances Saavik and David exchange are not lost on a fatherly Kirk , who amusingly remarks , " " Ah , she ' s learning by doing " , " referring to an earlier discussion he had with Saavik in the turbolift on the human condition in scene 52 . This take was slated for replacement with a more businesslike one , with Saavik herself trying her hand at humor , but neither had been included in any of the movie versions ( or their home media format derivatives ) , though the original , actually filmed , take has also been featured in the aforementioned promotional short . That original one went a long way explaining the obvious warm friendly relationship Saavik and David enjoyed in " The Search for Spock " . Loss of actress . By the time " Star Trek III " started to be planned , Paramount Pictures had neglected to negotiate a sequel clause as part of Kirstie Alley ' s contract for the " Star Trek " films . ( ) Leonard Nimoy ( who was assigned to direct the third film ) later explained , " " Frankly , Paramount ' s Business Affairs had dropped the ball on her contract for " Wrath of Khan " . She ' d been a total newcomer then , and Paramount had been within its rights to insert an option clause in her contract that required her to perform in a sequel for a predetermined price . But the company had neglected to do it – so Kirstie was now a free agent ! " " ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , pp . 224 - 225 ) With Leonard Nimoy having been highly impressed by Kirstie Alley ' s portrayal of Saavik in " Star Trek II " , he and Harve Bennett were eager for the third film to feature the actress making a comeback appearance in the role . " " And she was just as eager to return , " " said Nimoy . " " We contacted her while the script was still in the works , and the salary we discussed was reasonable . " " Much to Nimoy and Bennett ' s relief , it seemed as though the contract negotiations would work smoothly . ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , pp . 224 - 225 ) However , Kirstie Alley ' s agent thereafter requested a massive salary increase for the actress to reappear as Saavik in the new film . This option was declined – due to the financial demands – by Harve Bennett and Leonard Nimoy . In numerous statements , Bennett publicly claimed that Alley had demanded an enormous fee . The actress herself later dismissed this notion , also relating that she had felt surprised by the rejection of her reprising the role and that Paramount had never presented a counter offer to her . ( " " , p . 61 ) " " They offered me less money than they did for " Star Trek II , " the actress alleged , " " so I figured they weren ' t very interested in [ keeping ] me for Saavik . " " ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 45 ) Nimoy contended , " " [ Alley ' s agent ] quoted a price that was so far beyond our reach that it left me slack - jawed . I ' m sure neither he nor Kirstie realized it , but the salary he wanted for her second " Star Trek " appearance was higher than what was being paid to De Kelley after seventeen years ! We couldn ' t agree to the price on either budgetary or ethical grounds , but Kirstie and her agent held firm . " " ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , p . 225 ) Nimoy also claimed , " " We just couldn ' t afford her . She ' d been paid a decent sum for " Star Trek II " for a beginner , and I think the studio was prepared to pay her more than twice that much for " III . " ( " Star Trek Movie Memories " , pp . 174 & 176 ) According to Nimoy , the rise in Kirstie Alley ' s requested salary was directly influenced by the amount the character is featured in the movie , which the actress ' agent referred to upon calling the studio back to ask for the increased figure . ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , p . 225 ) The fact that Nimoy and Harve Bennett were plotting the story for " Star Trek III " while these financial negotiations were ongoing continued to have an impact on how Saavik was depicted in the film . " " There were several things we thought about , " " said Bennett . " " One was that Saavik didn ' t have to appear at all ; she could be on leave . But we needed someone in the crew to replace Vulcan knowledge , and that ultimately decided us that she had to be in the story . " " ( ) Bennett continued , " " We didn ' t want to cut [ her ] scenes , so we decided to recast the character and keep the part . " " ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 45 ) This decision was made rapidly after the negotiations with Alley broke down . Nimoy offered , " " I think it was clear to us that we wanted to continue the Saavik idea because of her potential relationship with Spock . I was looking for an actress who could fill this slot [ . . . ] I was sorry that we had lost Kirstie Alley [ though ] , she was valuable . " " ( ) Nimoy also said , " " We had no choice but to search for a new Saavik . " " ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , p . 225 ) Drafts of second appearance . An early story outline that Harve Bennett wrote for " Star Trek III " featured Saavik returning to the Genesis planet as a member of the " Enterprise " crew , abandoning the ship for the safety of the planet due to attacking Romulan miners . During a tender moment on the surface of Genesis , Saavik directly confessed to Kirk her love for him . ( ) The idea of having Saavik bond with a young Spock via " pon farr " was suggested by Gene Roddenberry . ( " " , 3rd ed . , p . 89 ) Both Leonard Nimoy and Harve Bennett agreed with the idea , the latter of whom later recounted , " " I said [ to Nimoy ] , ' Hey man , you do this . Whatever you think is right . ' We knew it had to be simple and restrained . " " ( ) As it had been during the scripting of " Star Trek II " , Saavik ' s ultimate fate was undetermined at the time " Star Trek III " was written . " " I had no idea what the future of Saavik might be , " " noted Bennett . ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 46 ) For this reason , it was decided that Saavik would not die , along with David Marcus , in " Star Trek III " . Bennett stated , " " We were passing the knife over Saavik just like the Klingon in the film . " " ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , p . 234 ) When Saavik is first introduced in the script of " Star Trek III " , it is said she is " " looking radiant , is wearing her hair down these days , but is as intense and efficient as ever . " " The same script simply notes that Saavik is " half - Vulcan , " rather than specifying her other half as Romulan . Casting a new actress . Saavik was played by Robin Curtis in " Star Trek III " and " Star Trek IV " , one of only a few instances where a main character in " Star Trek " was played by a different performer from the one who originated the role . ( text commentary , " " DVD ) " " It was actually a very gentle process , " " Curtis noted about how she came to be cast in the part . Originally , her connection to " Star Trek III " was arranged by Elza Bergeron ( one of three casting directors on " Star Trek III " ) , who had been attempting to find a suitable project for Curtis since the spring of . It was now one year later . ( audio commentary , DVD / ) Curtis recalled , " " I went in and I met the casting people at Paramount , and I had a very nice , congenial meeting , if you will , with the casting people . " " The members of the casting department set up a meeting that Robin Curtis had with Leonard Nimoy , a day or so later . " " This meeting was unusual in many respects , but one in particular was that he met with me one - on - one , " " said Curtis , " " and he engendered a very comfortable meeting , where I felt very forthcoming , you know , and we were able to , I think , accomplish something in the brief time we spent together , and a part of that time was spent reviewing the material . He explained to me who this character was and what the back - story was a little bit , so I would understand what it was I was talking about . " " With permission from Curtis , Nimoy then taped her audition . " " And so there took place a lovely exchange of scenes , " " the actress continued . " " We did the scenes together , he directed me [ and ] he got it all on tape . " " The fact that Nimoy recorded the audition saved Curtis from having to return for any further auditions for the role . ( audio commentary , DVD / ) For his part , Nimoy reminisced , " " I was very pleased to find Robin , who I thought had a sense of containment , but at the same time you could see there was an inner light going on . " " ( ) At this point , Robin Curtis ' casting as Saavik was imminent . She related , " " I don ' t think I met anyone again until I screen - tested almost , maybe , six to eight weeks later . And that almost felt like just a matter of exercise , like , ' Let ' s have fun now . Let ' s see what this character might look like if you were to play her because , you know , we think you ' re going to play her , ' kind of thing , you know , and that ' s what it felt like , that day . And then I was called , I believe the next day , [ with news ] that I ' d got the part and this was absolutely a very thrilling moment . " " ( audio commentary , DVD / ) It was early by the time Curtis was cast as Saavik . ( " Star Trek Movie Memories " , p . 176 ) Debut of second actress . Saavik ' s makeup design was changed , introducing slanted Vulcan eyebrows to the character ' s facial appearance , when Robin Curtis assumed the role for " Star Trek III " . She did not find her prosthetic Vulcan ears uncomfortable . " " Not at all , " " she remarked . " " You could barely tell they were there , once they were glued to you . No , not at all [ . . . ] They were completely . . . you couldn ' t feel them at all once they were on . They were just this weightless , nothing bit of latex stuff . " " Unlike Kirstie Alley , Curtis was not permitted to keep wearing her ears after the end of each day ' s filming . Due to this , Curtis was ultimately slightly envious of Alley , laughing , " " I ' m sorta jealous she got away with it , but I hope she had fun . " " ( audio commentary , " " / DVD ) The daily removal of the prosthetic ears , in Curtis ' case , required a very strong chemical . She was not only instructed that she couldn ' t take the ear prosthetics home with her but was also cautioned to rub Neosporin on her own real ears every night , as the danger of a skin infection might have made the daily application of the faux ears extremely problematic . ( audio commentary , " " / DVD ; ) Some of the production crew approached Curtis very stealthily and confessed that they found the ears particularly appealing . " " Some of the guys implied that they were a little bit of a turn on , " " Curtis noted . ( audio commentary , " " / DVD ) Whereas Nick Meyer had permitted Kirstie Alley to be more emotionally expressive , Leonard Nimoy focused Robin Curtis ' performance on the Vulcan side of Saavik ' s ancestry . ( ) Curtis was eager for such a distinction to be made . She later admitted , " " I did want to keep things fairly separate between myself and Kirstie Alley . " " ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 45 ) To her relief , Curtis found that the transition between Alley and herself was not an awkward changeover , for which she credited Harve Bennett and especially the director . ( audio commentary , " " / DVD ) Curtis opined , " " I think Leonard set an example that everyone followed and that is to say I was never made to feel like I had to fill someone else ' s shoes . Never for a moment was I made to feel like that and I think that was really Leonard ' s approach to the whole thing . " " ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 46 ) In fact , not only was Curtis spared having to emulate the earlier performance , she also didn ' t even need to view it . " " [ Kirstie Alley ' s ] name was never mentioned once to me , " " Curtis recalled . " " In fact , my sense of it was that we were starting new . No one ever said , ' You see , in " Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan " , we established that David and Saavik had a flirtation . " " ( ) Without broaching the characters ' dalliance in the deleted scene from the previous film , the topic of this character dynamic was introduced to Curtis by David Marcus actor Merritt Butrick . Curtis felt that the switch of actress was very important to him , later remarking , " " I think of everyone he had the most invested in the fact that another actress had played the character [ . . . ] He was very forthcoming and generous about what sort of subtle dynamic they might have established between one another , or the characters if you will , and to let me in on that in case there was anything of which I wanted to partake or carry on . You know , he suggested that their characters had a minor flirtation , that kind of thing . " " Adopting the Vulcan role and making it her own was a difficult assignment for Curtis . ( ) Even though she was familiar with Leonard Nimoy ' s depiction of Spock in , Curtis felt that her familiarity with Vulcans generally was " not to the extent that I felt remotely like I could play the part . " " " The whole world was a new one for me , and it was odd to step into it as a Vulcan , " " she clarified . " " The kind of person I am is about the farthest thing from a Vulcan you can get . My family were big expressers of love and celebration , so yes it was very strange to step into this world and step into it as a Vulcan . " " ( ) Curtis also stated , " " It was so hard [ . . . ] I was never quite sure if I was doing it right . It always felt very robotic and unnatural and inhuman , if you will , to try to be a Vulcan . " " ( ) Along with the minimalism of emotion , Curtis additionally appropriated the formality of the character ' s dialogue , another factor that she found to be challenging . She reflected , " " I was so anxious about doing a good job that I wanted to be perceived as someone very serious and all that good stuff . " " To help accommodate Curtis ' transition into the part , some advice was given to the performer from her acting coach at the time , such as instructing her to practice her lines of dialogue in front of a mirror and " don ' t use any aspect of my facial muscles , " Curtis later remembered . " " Like the edge of my eyes , the corners of my lips – all the things that we move involuntarily when we talk . Practice keeping still . " " ( ) Curtis heeded this advice . " " I would look into the mirror and I would try to even express the simplest thing that my character might say without emoting , without moving my face in any way , " " she said . ( " Captain ' s Log " , " " DVD / ) Leonard Nimoy also aided Curtis , for which the actress was thankful . She stated , " " He gave me a lot of input [ . . . ] He guided me every step of the way . " " For instance , the director gave Curtis some helpful notes that influenced her performance , such as saying that Vulcans exhibit a thousand years of wisdom behind the eyes . ( " Captain ' s Log " , " " DVD / ) The actress reckoned , " " Those are things that although , you know – I hate to claim that I have that , or achieved that , those are the things I [ . . . ] strived to do in the project . " " Concerning the director ' s involvement , Curtis elaborated , " " I relied heavily on Leonard Nimoy to guide me through my own discomfort [ . . . ] I only allowed what [ he ] allowed me to leak out . He made a promise to me and kept it : he promised to never take me out to the end of a limb and leave me dangling there . Leonard promised to direct me very closely and he did just that . I have always been grateful to him for that . " " ( ) Curtis invested a great deal of faith in Nimoy , taking seriously the suggestions he made to her . She remarked , " " I was not one of those actors who came to the set and said , ' Well now , you know , I think " this " is the way we should play this character , Mister Nimoy . " " ( " Captain ' s Log " , " " DVD / ) Consequently , Curtis regarded much of her own portrayal of Saavik as having been a collaboration between Nimoy and herself . ( audio commentary , " " / DVD ) The scene in which Saavik has a " pon farr " experience with a young Spock was almost deleted , as Paramount feared that it might draw laughs . However , it remained once Paramount realized that it was not being interpreted as humorous by preview audiences . ( " " , 3rd ed . , p . 89 ) Ultimately , Curtis was proud of her own debut depiction of Saavik . " " I think , somehow , even though I did my best to remain so self - contained , " " she critiqued , " " something was always coming through , anyway . And I think that that ' s what ultimately worked , in some cases . " " ( " Captain ' s Log " , " " DVD / ) She further declared , " " For a gal with ants in her pants , I guess I did pretty well . " " ( ) Leonard Nimoy felt likewise , remarking , " " I thought Robin Curtis did it very well [ . . . ] It worked out quite well . " " ( ) He also enthused , " " [ She ] delivered a lovely , sensitive performance as Saavik . " " ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , p . 226 ) Harve Bennett ' s opinion of the second portrayal of Saavik was more mediocre , rating the production team ' s attempt to follow Kirstie Alley with Robin Curtis as having been " about even . " ( " " , p . 120 ) Kirstie Alley witnessed her successor ' s portrayal of Saavik in " Star Trek III " and revealed thereafter , " " I thought [ Robin Curtis ] was at a real disadvantage playing a role someone else established , especially with " Star Trek " , which has an enormous following . I think she did a fine job . I have no problem with what she was doing except that , when I saw the film , I said , ' She isn ' t Saavik , " I " am . " " ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 45 ) Ronald D . Moore , who later worked on several of the " Star Trek " spin - off series , commented on the contemporaneous fan response to Curtis ' first appearance as Saavik and shared his own related opinions ; " " Kirstie Alley really had owned that role in " Wrath of Khan " , and I think there was a sort of a universal feeling among the fans of , ' Oh , really ? We wanted Kirstie back ' [ . . . ] It ' s too bad [ she didn ' t do " Star Trek III " ] because the role of Saavik is a pretty important one in this film [ . . . ] It would have been great if Kirstie had been able to continue that role [ . . . ] [ Robin Curtis ] " does " play a Vulcan very well . I mean , Robin sells , she ' s got the Vulcan thing down , and not every actor or actress can do that , has sort of been my experience . " " ( audio commentary , " " ) Final film appearance . One reason why Saavik remains on Vulcan in is because writing her into the film ' s Earth - based events proved too difficult . " " The mechanics of IV made it impossible to bring Saavik along , " " asserted Harve Bennett , " " because when we finally evolved the story we had enough bodies , and Saavik in the 20th century [ Earth setting ] would have become yet another ear to hide . That would have become complicated , and if there is anything I like to do in storytelling , I like to keep things simple . . . Too many movies fail because they are complex . " " ( " The Star Trek Interview Book " , p . 270 ) Leonard Nimoy elaborated , " " I can ' t honestly tell you that that was a conscious decision , to get her out of the way or anything like that . It just seemed as though she ' d be extraneous on this trip . " " ( audio commentary , " " / DVD ) Detailing another reason why Saavik stays on Vulcan near the start of " Star Trek IV " , Leonard Nimoy explained that , rather than including her in the majority of the film , it seemed " " more interesting to leave her behind with the potential information that she was expecting Spock ' s child . " " ( audio commentary , " " / DVD ) In fact , the scripts for " Star Trek IV " included more than an implication that the reason Saavik remains on Vulcan is that , while Spock was undergoing " pon farr " on the Genesis planet , he had sexual intercourse with Saavik to eliminate its effects , and in doing so had impregnated her . Peter Krikes , who originally co - wrote the film ' s script with Steve Meerson , offered , " " There was a scene with Kirk on the Bridge of the Bird - of - Prey . They cut out five lines where Kirk says to Saavik , ' Have you told him yet ? ' And she says , ' No . I ' m taking a maternity leave ' [ . . . ] All they did was cut out five lines of dialogue , and you lost that whole thing , which , I believe , will turn up in a Harve Bennett script in a couple of years . " " ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 64 ) Indeed , Harve Bennett adopted this idea , prior to its omission . " " On the Saavik pregnancy I wrote in two scenes , " " Bennett stated . ( " The Star Trek Interview Book " , p . 270 ) As written in the revised shooting script , Kirk first assures Saavik , on the Bird - of - Prey ' s bridge , " " Your leave has been granted for good and proper cause , " " and then asks how she is feeling . After Saavik answers that she is " well , " Kirk replies , " " You will be in good hands here . " " Bennett recalled another scripted exchange of dialogue , which does not appear in the revised shooting script ; " " There ' s another line . ' Does Spock know ? ' ' No . " " ( " The Star Trek Interview Book " , pp . 270 & 271 ) The revised shooting script does , in common with the movie , include a scene where Saavik and Amanda Grayson are standing on Vulcan , watching the Bird - of - Prey leave the planet . " " That ' s the third piece , " " said Bennett , " " and that ' s interesting [ . . . ] I said , ' Put it in . Let people talk about it ' [ . . . ] I threw in everything . . . and I figured maybe , even if we get just one line in , ' Are you all right ? You ' ll be well cared for here , here ' s where you belong . . . ' The combination of the whole scene , and then Spock ' s entrance [ which remains in the film ] , ' Good day to you , sir , ' ' Saavik , ' ' Live long and prosper , ' is powerful because it is . It is , ' I bravely leave you now , to bear your child , and you don ' t know it . ' And then she goes out and we have the third element , ' Mother and daughter - in - law . " " ( " The Star Trek Interview Book " , p . 271 ) As foreseen in the revised shooting script of " Star Trek IV " , Saavik differs from how she is represented in the film in a couple of other ways , too . For instance , Saavik , in the script , is said to be " dressed in Vulcan attire . " However , she is shown wearing a Starfleet uniform in the film . Robin Curtis thought that returning to the role of Saavik for " Star Trek IV " was not as tough as the previous film had been . " " I think it was a little easier because I was a year and a half older and a little more relaxed with everyone and a little more practiced in that style of acting , " " Curtis observed . According to Harve Bennett , the scene in which Saavik discusses her pregnancy with Kirk was filmed but was ultimately deleted because Leonard Nimoy ( who returned as director for " Star Trek IV " ) was , in Bennett ' s words , " always very uncomfortable " about it . Despite agreeing with this deletion for several reasons , Bennett also thought that , without the scene , the footage of Saavik with Amanda , watching the Bird - of - Prey depart , " no longer has the same impact . " Additionally , the scene deletion , in Bennett ' s view , left the question of Saavik ' s pregnancy open to interpretation . " " Those who wish to read it will read it , and those who don ' t see it , won ' t , " " he supposed . ( " The Star Trek Interview Book " , pp . 270 & 271 ) However , Robin Curtis learned indirectly of this story possibility . " " It was never discussed with me , not on any formal or informal basis , " " she related . " " Certainly I was just as much a . . . I don ' t know if I can say participant , but a receiver of the rumor and the scuttlebutt at the time . People really seemed to think Saavik ' s pregnancy was going to be a great idea and I got caught up in it . Not that I expected it to happen , but just that I felt I had so little knowledge of " Star Trek " and the fans seemed to have so much , I thought they must know what they ' re talking about and this is obviously where this is leading . However , that clearly isn ' t where it led and it was a bit of an adjustment for me . Nothing serious in the scheme of life , however I was somewhat disappointed about it . " " Curtis was also regretful that the sexual aspect of Saavik ' s relationship with Spock was not firmly established on - screen , saying , " " I think it would have been interesting to pursue a relationship between Saavik and Spock , and the possibility to have an offspring . That struck me as an interesting thing to play as an actor . " " ( ) After - effects . Robin Curtis wished Saavik had reappeared in canon after the on - screen events of " Star Trek IV " , or that Saavik ' s role in those events had ended differently . " " Saavik could have achieved all kinds of things , " " Curtis speculated . " " It has been very unfortunate that the character just got left in the dust . I wish there would have been a better finality to that character , or at least a more exciting way to leave her . " " ( ) Early drafts of featured Saavik in a traitorous role eventually filled by Valeris . Writer Mark Rosenthal originally wanted Saavik to have a romance with Kirk , leading to them producing a Vulcan - Human hybrid like Spock , a plot point that Rosenthal felt would have brought a satisfying conclusion to the TOS series of films . He reckoned that this dynamic evolved into a romance between Spock and Saavik instead , before their relationship returned to that of mentor and protégée ( à la their connection in " Star Trek II " ) . ( " The Making of the Trek Films " , 3rd ed . , p . 106 ) Gene Roddenberry expressed concerns about turning Saavik into a traitor in " Star Trek VI " , feeling that she had become a " too beloved " character in his universe . When informed of this , Nick Meyer ( who had no love lost for Roddenberry ever since Meyer came aboard for " Star Trek II " , which had been obtusely opposed by the former ) met his concerns with disdain , derisively remarking , " " I wrote the character of Saavik in " STAR TREK II " . That wasn ' t a Gene Roddenberry character . If he doesn ' t like what I ' m doing , maybe he should give the money he ' s [ making off my films ] back . Then maybe I ' ll care what he has to say . " " Without bothering to get back to Roddenberry , Meyer pushed ahead . ( " Cinefantastique " , Vol . 22 , No . 5 , p . 31 ) Not having been fond of Robin Curtis ' performances as Saavik , Nick Meyer wanted Kirstie Alley to reprise the role in " Star Trek VI " . ( " " , p . 61 ) Producers Ralph Winter and Steven - Charles Jaffe , similarly to Meyer , didn ' t consider Curtis for an encore , so Alley seemed like the only suitable alternative ; as Winter has phrased it , " " Why try recasting a third time ? That ' s really stretching it . " " ( " Cinefantastique " , Vol . 22 , No . 5 , p . 31 ) Leonard Nimoy agreed with Meyer on this point , though Alley turned out to be unavailable . " " Unfortunately , the price she now commanded was well beyond the realm of " Star Trek VI " s budgetary possibility , " " Nimoy remembered . ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , p . 319 ) Once again , Alley declined to appear . Meyer explained , " " Absent Kirstie Alley , we decided it would be better to introduce a new character . " " ( " The View from the Bridge - Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood " , pp . 203 & 212 ) Nimoy recollected , " " Once Kirstie proved unavailable , we began to reconsider the plot twist that the heretofore loyal Saavik had betrayed the Federation and engaged in a murder conspiracy . Would " Star Trek " audiences rebel at the notion that Saavik was a traitor ? [ . . . ] We finally decided that the Saavik we knew wouldn ' t be capable of making this switch in loyalties . " " ( " I Am Spock " , hardback ed . , p . 319 ) Hence , the eventual decision to substitute the Saavik character was made for reasons entirely unrelated to Gene Roddenberry ' s earlier concerns , concerning the alteration of making Saavik a traitor to Starfleet . ( " Cinefantastique " , Vol . 22 , No . 5 , p . 31 ) Ultimately , Meyer was regretful that Saavik wasn ' t included in " Star Trek VI " , romantically connected with Spock . Meyer posited , " " [ Saavik ' s ] backstory from the other films would have made this especially poignant [ . . . ] In an ideal world Valeris should have been the stalwart Saavik , a character we had already come to love . And trust . This would have sharpened the pain of her betrayal . " " ( " The View from the Bridge - Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood " , pp . 203 & 212 ) Not even being considered for a possible return of Saavik proved to be painful for Robin Curtis . " " Paramount led me to believe that Saavik was being groomed for more participation , that they were finally trying to include some younger regular characters in the movies . Many fans were excited about the prospects of a romantic pregnancy storyline , " " Curtis stated , adding her feelings about the snubbing ; " " That hurt a little bit . It was a far too emotional situation for me to pursue it , to be aggressive enough to call and question why I wasn ' t considered for the part . " " ( " Cinefantastique " , Vol . 22 , No . 3 , p . 26 ) When she was finally cast for the role of Valeris , Kim Cattrall ( ironically , the same actress who had been considered to play Saavik in " Star Trek II " ) initially refused the role as she was under the false impression that she had to portray yet another incarnation of Saavik , but jumped at the opportunity when she learned that that was not to be the case , as she considered Saavik " just a girl , " whereas she considered Valeris " a woman . " ( " Cinefantastique " , Vol . 22 , No . 5 , p . 31 ; " Star Trek Movie Memories " , 1995 ed . , pp . 374 - 375 ) A particular female bridge officer who is shown standing next to Captain Morgan Bateson on the in was originally intended to be Saavik but , once again , the scheduling couldn ' t be worked out . ( " " 2nd ed . , p . 195 ) Bateson was played by Kelsey Grammer , a co - star of Kirstie Alley ' s while both had been regular actors on the series " Cheers " . One of Robin Curtis ' Saavik costumes from " Star Trek III " was sold off on the " It ' s A Wrap ! " sale and auction on eBay . Apocrypha . Kirstie Alley did play Saavik one other time , in a play set between " Star Trek II " and " Star Trek III " – " The Machiavellian Principle " , written by Walter Koenig for the ambitious " Ultimate Fantasy " convention ( aka " Ultimate Fiasco " , aka " The Con of Wrath " ) . It also starred DeForest Kelley , James Doohan , Walter Koenig , Nichelle Nichols and George Takei , with a walk - on role by William Shatner as " the Admiral " . The script , as published by Creation Conventions in a booklet called " Through the Looking Glass " , misspells the name as " Savik " . Saavik had many non - canon adventures in various licensed comics , novels , and games . She first appeared in novels in " . She was picked up as an ongoing character for the DC Comics series , volume 1 from issue # 1 ( " The Wormhole Connection " ) until # 36 ( " The Apocalypse Scenario ! " ) , which was a tie - in to " " comic special , where Saavik remained behind after Kirk ' s departure from Vulcan . Saavik also appeared in " " comic adaptation , an entry in " Who ' s Who in Star Trek " issue # 2 , and two of the " annuals " : # 1 , " All Those Years Ago . . . " , and # 3 , " Retrospect " . In the second volume DC series , Saavik made a guest appearance in # 25 ( " Class Reunion " ) and then joined the cast , as a bridge officer , starting with # 35 ( " Divide . . . and Conquer " ) , for the remainder of the series , including the associated " Annual " s after that point , as well as " Star Trek Specials " , including one story where Saavik is at odds with Valeris over the former training the latter to take a bridge position . In " Tales of the Dominion War " , Saavik and Spock have married and are still together after Spock has left on his covert mission to Romulus . In " The Lives of Dax " , Saavik assists Tobin Dax in a transwarp experiment , and recommends safety procedures that would have averted his shuttle accident . Saavik ' s history before " Star Trek II " was mentioned in two issues of DC ' s first comic series , # 7 ( " " ) and # 8 ( " " ) , and was expanded upon in Marvel Comics ' " " series , as well as the Pocket Books novels " Dwellers in the Crucible " and " The Pandora Principle " . Details like ages , dates and costumes differ between the three companies ' versions of her story . In the " " novel " Taking Wing " , Tuvok , under the guise of a Romulan , greets Spock and gives him greetings from " his wife , " Captain Saavik , indicating her return to Starfleet after her stay on Vulcan as well as their marriage in the Josepha Sherman / Susan Shwartz novel " Vulcan ' s Heart " . In the novelization of ' by Vonda N . McIntyre , Saavik is described as having a sexual relationship with Kirk ' s son , David Marcus ( a carryover from the abandoned relationship planned for " Wrath of Khan " ) . McIntyre also wrote further subtext into Saavik ' s motivations for staying on Vulcan in the ' novelization . The events following Saavik ' s exile on Vulcan in " Star Trek IV : The Voyage Home " are explained in the novel " Unspoken Truth " by Margaret Wander Bonanno . Despite the fact that Saavik provided the conceptual basis for Valeris , in of , they are two separate characters , having befriended each other on Vulcan . It is said they felt a kinship due to the fact that neither had a " proper " Vulcan name nor had experienced a traditionally Vulcan upbringing , with both having chosen to adopt such Vulcan tradition later in life . According to the video game " " , Saavik ' s parents were named Sivak and T ' Pala .