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While a number of longtime fans were miffed about Star Trek: Discovery introducing an adopted sister that Spock has never mentioned, this isn't the first time he's had a sibling he never told people about.

McCoy: Let me get this straight. You and Sybok have the same father but different mothers.

Spock: Exactly. That is correct. Sybok's mother was a Vulcan princess. After her death, Sybok and I were raised as brothers.

Kirk: Why didn't you tell us this before?

Spock: I was not prepared to discuss matters of a personal nature. For that I am sorry.

–Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

We learn a little about Spock's childhood in Star Trek Discovery. Michael notes that her foster mother, Amanda Grayson, read to "me and her son" (Spock), meaning that Sybok wasn't being read to.

When I was a kid, after my parents were killed my foster mother on Vulcan used to read it to me and her son. She and I were the only humans in the house.

–Star Trek Discovery, "Context is For Kings"

Furthermore "Lethe" involves Michael's childhood, in which Sarek and the Director of the Vulcan Expeditionary Fleet discuss the future of his children, but not once is there any reference to Sybok (or any additional children).

Sarek: I have created in her a being of exquisite logic to rival the best of our species.

Director: An accomplishment you have achieved not once but twice. Your ward, Michael, and your son, Spock.

–Star Trek Discovery, "Lethe"

Where is Sybok during these events in Michael and Spock's childhood? His absence seems to be at odds with Spock's statement that they were "raised as brothers".

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    Maybe the Princess is still alive?
    – geewhiz
    Commented Jan 19, 2018 at 1:52
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    Not the first time, just the previous time was widely regarded as the worst thing to happen to the franchise :)
    – hobbs
    Commented Jan 19, 2018 at 5:53
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    @hobbs According to this site, that's only #4. The Romulan ambassador's hairdo, the Row, Row, Row Your Boat singalong, and Uhura’s fan dance are all worse.
    – Thunderforge
    Commented Jan 19, 2018 at 6:09
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    it is also implied that in Sybok's rejection of Vulcan logic, he was likewise rejected by Vulcan society. The Vulcan's may have a logical equivalent of Klingon discomendation and his name is not spoken nor remembered.
    – NKCampbell
    Commented Jan 19, 2018 at 14:17
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    Despite affirmation to the contrary by the producers, it is painfully obvious that Discovery takes place in yet another alternate universe from the Prime one. So, it would seem that, in this version of history, Sybok never existed. Which isn't much of a loss...
    – Sava
    Commented Feb 8, 2019 at 10:47

1 Answer 1

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I believe both the novelization of Star Trek V, and Ann C. Crispin's novel "Sarek" indicated that Sybok being older than Spock had left Vulcan early in Spock's childhood. Spock would have early memories of being Sybok's brother, but only early memories. Sybok would have been long gone before Michael came to the Sarek and Amanda household.

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