Star Trek: United – President Archer’s Adopted Vulcan Child Revealed

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As a long-time Trek fan, I was really intrigued by the pitch for Star Trek: United, a potential continuation set decades after Enterprise. Apparently, creator Michael Sussman envisioned a story where one of Jonathan Archer’s (Scott Bakula) kids has a connection to none other than T’Pol (Jolene Blalock). It’s essentially Scott Bakula’s idea for bringing himself – and the franchise – back to life, and the T’Pol link is a fascinating detail that immediately grabbed my attention.

Star Trek: United is envisioned as a suspenseful political thriller combined with a family drama. The story centers on President Jonathan Archer as he works to prevent the United Federation of Planets from falling apart. Rather than continuing the story of previous series, it would be a fresh start, and would also feature a new generation of characters, including Archer’s four grown children.

Ever since news broke in August that Michael Sussman and Scott Bakula are working on a new show featuring President Archer, Star Trek: United has quickly become a source of excitement for Star Trek fans. The idea of a high-quality TV series with Scott Bakula reprising his role as Jonathan Archer is especially appealing to those eager to see him return to space exploration.

If Paramount Skydance approves Star Trek: United, Michael Sussman would like to feature some familiar faces from Star Trek: Enterprise. However, the show wouldn’t be a direct continuation of the original series; instead, it would center around President Archer and the crew he commanded.

Ronald D. Moore has been sharing hints about the Archer family in his upcoming Star Trek: United series, and his latest reveal is particularly interesting. He says President Archer has an adopted child whose existence explains the long-standing friendship between Jonathan Archer and T’Pol.

One Of President Archer’s Children In Star Trek: United Is Vulcan

Michael Sussman discussed Captain Archer’s development in Star Trek: Enterprise with SciFiPulse, focusing on how his views on Vulcans shifted over the show’s four seasons. He then revealed a surprising plot point: Archer adopted a Vulcan child. Here’s what he said:

Mike Sussman notes that Captain Archer began as a driven, somewhat skeptical leader, particularly when dealing with Vulcans. Over the course of the series, however, he matured, developing humility, empathy, and a strong sense of responsibility. Decades later, these qualities have only grown. He’s built a much stronger relationship with the Vulcans, largely due to his connection with T’Pol. The lessons he learned from her continue to influence his relationships, especially with his adopted Vulcan child and their family.

There’s a lot to consider here. As Mike Sussman explained, Archer and his wife adopted a Vulcan child quite a while before the events of Star Trek: United, which takes place in the late 22nd century. This means a Vulcan child was part of Archer’s family and raised alongside his other children.

There’s confusion about the Vulcan child adopted by Jonathan Archer and his wife – we don’t know if it was a boy or a girl. We also don’t know the identity of Archer’s wife, or if he’s still married in Star Trek: United. However, the author suggests Jonathan was married at some point between the end of Star Trek: Enterprise and the events of Star Trek: United.

It’s interesting that Archer is taking in a Vulcan, especially considering the backstory revealed in Star Trek: Discovery. That show explained how Sarek and Amanda Grayson adopted Michael Burnham when she was a child, raising her with their son, Spock, on Vulcan. This new storyline essentially flips that familiar tale.

President Archer’s 4 Children In Star Trek: United Explained

The new series, Star Trek: United, features a family connection: Jonathan Archer’s four grown children are all working in different jobs across the galaxy.

As a longtime Trek fan, I was delighted to learn more about Jonathan Archer’s family! It turns out one of his sons is actually serving in Starfleet, but he goes by his mother’s last name, Hernandez. Michael Sussman let slip that this is the son of Archer and Erika Hernandez – you might remember her as Jonathan’s love interest from season four of Star Trek: Enterprise. Even cooler, he’s the Captain of the NX-02 Columbia! It’s great to see that legacy continuing, and in such a prominent role.

Sussman isn’t revealing whether Archer and Hernandez were ever married, if Erika was Jonathan’s wife at the time they adopted a Vulcan child, or if Hernandez is the mother of Archer’s other two children.

Like his father, another of Archer’s children is involved with Federation Intelligence, and may be providing him with information about a potential danger to the Federation in Star Trek: United. One child works in diplomacy, and the details of the fourth child’s life are currently unknown.

It’s easy to imagine President Archer having a close-knit family who all support him in defending the Federation in Star Trek: United. However, it’s also possible that one of his children is secretly working against him, or that there’s tension between them – either with Jonathan himself or among the siblings.

A Vulcan Child Completes Archer’s Star Trek Evolution

According to Michael Sussman, a major storyline in Star Trek: United revolves around Jonathan Archer’s evolving feelings toward Vulcans, particularly his relationship with T’Pol, which ultimately leads him to adopt a Vulcan child, as he told SciFiPulse.

At the start of Star Trek: Enterprise, Captain Archer felt frustrated with the Vulcans, believing they were slowing down humanity’s progress in space exploration. He was also initially wary of T’Pol, his Science Officer and First Officer, when she joined the crew of the Enterprise.

Throughout the series Star Trek: Enterprise, T’Pol earned the respect, loyalty, and trust of Captain Archer, and he, in turn, gained hers. Together, they discovered that the Vulcan High Command was secretly being corrupted by spies working for the Romulan Star Empire.

During the fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise, Captain Archer and T’Pol assisted T’Pau in taking charge of the Vulcan High Council and removing those who were secretly working with the Romulans. Archer also became the temporary vessel for the memories and essence – known as a katra – of Surak, the father of Vulcan logic. This experience significantly increased Jonathan Archer’s appreciation and understanding of Vulcan culture.

Jonathan Archer’s experiences with Vulcans during Star Trek: Enterprise, and his growth as a leader, directly influenced his decision to raise a Vulcan child, as seen in Star Trek: United.

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2025-10-30 13:13