Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Spock

In some ways, Spock could be considered a co-protagonist with Kirk, which is kind of the role he always played in the original series. Here, though, he serves as a teacher, instructing not only the new crew of the Enterprise in the wisdom of the universe, but even showing his old pal Kirk a thing or two about the nature of loss and sacrifice.

Like Obi-Wan and all those other great guide/mentors, Spock dies to clear the way for other heroes to follow in his footsteps, which is implied both by his mentorship over Saavik and in the way he admonishes Kirk to continue soldiering on after he's gone.