| “ | You're re-examining your core beliefs, something most people never do. | „ |
| ~ Phlox to T'Pol |
Phloxx-tunnai-oortann, better known as Phlox, was a Denobulan introduced in the Enterprise episode Broken Bow. He was portrayed by actor John Billingsley.
Biography[]
Phlox was born in the early 2080s. One of his grandmothers was prejudiced against Antarans and filled Phlox's head with stories of how awful Antarans were, however as he grew up he rejected his grandmother's views and tried to take a more enlightened view of Antarans. Taking three wives, as was traditional for Denobulan males Phlox had several children, and he tried to raise them in an environment free of prejudice against others. Phlox's youngest children did not see eye to eye with him, causing a considerable amount of strife in his family. His sons Tullis and Mettus did not speak to him from a number of years.
Becoming a doctor in the early 22nd century, by the 2150s Phlox had been a doctor for over 40 years. He had worked as a medic in the Denobulan infantry, followed by time working in the Interspecies Medical Exchange. In 2151 he was asked by United Earth Starfleet Captain Jonathan Archer to become chief medical officer on the Enterprise.
During his service as CMO he played a vital role in developing a cure for the Klingon created Qu'vat virus. While he was able to cure the infected Klingons millions of Klingons and their descendants were left with a more human appearance by the virus. He would continue serving as CMO throughout the Earth-Romulan War. Phlox would remain on the Enterprise until its decommissioning in 2161 after the end of the war.
After the end of the war, Phlox became the CMO on the Columbia class ship Endeavour (NCC-06), which had been incorporated into the Federation Starfleet following the establishment of the United Federation of Planets.
Tullis, who had been estranged from his father and other family members due to his belief that to leave Denobula was unnatural, eventually reevaluated his beliefs and reconciled with his family. Mettus, whose estrangement was rooted in his hatred of Antarans did not, and later murdered an Antaran politician whose son had married Phlox's daughter Vaneel in 2165. (In addition to an Antaran Vaneel had two other husbands, a Denobulan and a human). Phlox intervened to keep Antaran extremists from murdering his son, taking a blast meant for his son during a rescue attempt. After Mettus was imprisoned by the Antarans Phlox visited him in prison, and the two finally reconciled.
Phlox was still alive in the 23rd century, and in the 2250s was a professor at Starfleet Medical. In the 2260s he helped Dr. Leonard McCoy Dr. Jabilo M'Benga, and Nurse Christine Chapel find a cure to a virus that had infected the Epsilon Zeta Outpost.
Legacy[]
Phlox would continue to influence Federation medicine for years to come. After becoming an MD Chapel later studied Phlox's notes on the Qu'Vat virus to understand the Klingon pirate Qagh's medical issues, and was able to use that to extrapolate where he would strike yet to obtain medical supplies to enable him to treat those conditions. In the 24th century Doctors Beverly Crusher and Julian Bashir were able to use Phlox's work in Vulcan medicine to develop a cure for an artificial virus designed by The Dominion to target and kill Vulcans.
Owing to his past work with Phlox, Admiral McCoy was able to treat a virus that was very similar to the Epsilon Zeta virus that he and Phlox had cured in the 2260s.
The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard[]
Phlox early in his tenure as Enterprise CMO
In the timeline of the novel The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard, Phlox was still alive in the early 24th century. Having returned to Denobula some years prior, he was joined by his family, including his formerly estranged son Mettus. Phlox and his family remained on Denobula as the race activated a subspace device which moved their entire star system out of the universe and away from the conflicts that had cost millions of Denobulans their lives over the past two centuries.
