Pon farr

Pon farr is a condition in the fictional Star Trek universe that induces the desire to mate in an adult Vulcan. The concept debuted in the 1967 episode "Amok Time", written by Theodore Sturgeon.

Although Vulcans live strictly by the dictates of logic, their veneer of civilization is ripped away from them during pon farr, every seven years (for males; an undisclosed interval for females) of their adult life. Once triggered, Vulcans must have sexual contact with someone, preferably their mate, or else face insanity and death. Vulcans are capable of engaging in sexual relations outside of pon farr.

Symptoms

During Pon Farr, the brain is thrown into a neurochemical imbalance and loss of logic and emotional control. The individual may stop eating and sleeping. During this time, there is an overpowering urge to return to their homeworld to find a mate. It has been suggested that bonding triggers the Pon Farr cycle. It is possible that some bondings are more powerful than others, allowing for no substitution.

Pon Farr can be also triggered by infection, as seen in the Season Two Enterprise episode, "Bounty" (2.25).

Treatment

The Vulcan telepathic mating bond draws mated couples irresistibly together. Besides taking a mate one may challenge to a fight for death. When he experienced pon farr in the Delta Quadrant, Tuvok of Voyager made use of a holodeck simulation of his wife to relieve his condition.

Cases

T'Pol

When Vulcans first experience pon farr has not been revealed; T'Pol, who was in her 60s when she experienced her premature pon farr, told Dr. Phlox that "it wasn't time", but it is not known if this means she had never experienced it previously.

Spock

Spock underwent Pon Farr in 2267, when he returned to Vulcan, only to be spurned by his betrothed, T'Pring. Spock again experienced pon farr when his regenerated body was undergoing hyperaccelerated growth on the Genesis Planet in 2285. He endured the condition through the presence of Saavik, a Vulcan female.

When Spock experienced pon farr, it was made clear that only contact with his mate, T'Pring, would be sufficient for him to survive the condition. However, soon after returning to Vulcan, T'Pring insisted (under the ancient rite of kunat kalifee) that Spock fight his old friend James T. Kirk for the privilege of winning T'Pring. Spock's pon farr condition evaporated after he supposedly killed Kirk, and T'Pring announced her intention to wed another man. The emotional shock which Spock underwent, upon thinking that he had killed his captain, was sufficient to end Spock's pon farr.

Vorik

Ensign Vorik, another Vulcan crewmember on the starship Voyager, also experienced pon farr some time into the ship's mission. Vorik selected B'Elanna Torres as his mate, and gave her the kunat so'lik – the ritual Vulcan marriage proposal. When B'Elanna rejected Vorik, he became unstable; Vorik fought her in ritual combat and lost (thus ending his pon farr). However, B'Elanna – due to her brief telepathic contact with Vorik – experienced a version of pon farr herself, which was sated when she fought another crewmember – Tom Paris – in ritual combat.