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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.
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. In Spock's case, however, his pon farr condition evaporated after he supposedly killed James T. Kirk and T'Pring announced her intention to wed another man.
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