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Simple question (pardon my ignorance)
scruffyvulcan
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Has there ever been an in-continuity explanation for why Romulans developed those strange foreheads in just two generations?
Post edited by scruffyvulcan on
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Genetics.
Some have 'em, some don't.
"These "browless" Romulans were predominant in the 23rd century, (TOS; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) but were not seen in the 24th century en masse until Nero and his crew in Star Trek. No in-universe explanation has ever been given for the difference in appearance. StarTrek.com suggested that the ridged majority of Romulans were a different race that evolved on Vulcan simultaneously with them. [X]wbm In an interview, Neville Page, the head art designer for 2009's Star Trek had a different explanation. During his work on the movie, he first created a back-story to justify the change their faces had undergone, explaining that as a result of their grief, anger, and general bad-TRIBBLE persona, the Romulans chose to cut and scar themselves, leaving behind such significant keloids on their foreheads that it eventually wended its way into the gene pool over many years, eventually becoming a natural characteristic of all Romulans and thus creating the distinct difference between them and their Vulcan cousins."
TL;DR:
There's never been a satisfying answer, but the two main theories I'm aware of are that the Romulans were actually a different race than the Vulcans and just shared a planet. Also, some say those Vulcans who became Romulans practiced ritual cutting and it became a part of their genetic code.
Heh. Yeah. You guys know your Trek.
Since I think ENT's whole "augment virus" explanation is a bit weak really.
Except you're not. Worf's refusal to explain in DS9's tribble episode makes sure of that.
It gives a plausible reasoning for something that, up until that point, was completely glossed over.
I always thought that was more the writers saying "We know we can't come up with an explanation that'll satisfy everyone, so..."
That was my reaction as well. It felt more like a wink to the audience than any attempt to say there's a real reason.
Refusing to explain something in no way means that the thing you're refusing to explain didn't occur.
"It's just a show; I should really just relax."
in canon reason
same as some humans have a more defined jaw
the ridge is there on all vulcans and romulans but only prominent on some
Parallels: my second mission for Fed aligned Romulans.
My personal explanation? "We don't discuss it with outsiders." I kind of wish the Klingon thing had been left at that, as well.