ed ▁male ▁in ▁a ▁fight ▁to ▁the ▁death . ▁Alternatively , ▁the ▁bond ed ▁male ▁has ▁the ▁option ▁of ▁reject ing ▁his ▁intended ▁b ride ▁and ▁choosing ▁another . ▁It ▁is ▁acceptable ▁for ▁a ▁male ▁to ▁" release " ▁his ▁mate ▁from ▁marriage ▁( effect ively ▁the ▁same ▁as ▁a ▁divor ce ). ▁It ▁is ▁not ▁established ▁whether ▁females ▁have ▁the ▁same ▁option , ▁and ▁T ' Pr ing ▁stated ▁in ▁" Am ok ▁Time " ▁that ▁a ▁ko on - ut - kal - if - fe e ▁challenge ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁way ▁she ▁could ▁leg ally ▁divor ce ▁Spo ck . ▁ ▁Family ▁It ▁is ▁custom ary ▁for ▁V ul can ▁children ▁to ▁undert ake ▁an ▁init iation ▁or de al ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" K ah s - wan " ▁( s ometimes ▁sp elled ▁Kas w ahn ), ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁are ▁left ▁to ▁f end ▁for ▁themselves ▁in ▁the ▁desert ▁for ▁a ▁specific ▁period ▁of ▁time . ▁Not ▁all ▁children ▁surv ive ▁this ▁r ite ▁of ▁passage . ▁T ' Pol ▁under w ent ▁the ▁rit ual , ▁while ▁T uv ok ▁experienced ▁a ▁variation ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" tal ' oth ". ▁The ▁K ah s - wan ▁was ▁first ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁Star ▁Tre k : ▁The ▁Anim ated ▁Series ▁episode ▁" Y est ery ear ", ▁in ▁which ▁Spo ck ' s ▁experience ▁as ▁a ▁child ▁was ▁detailed . ▁ ▁Con tr ary ▁to ▁the ▁V ul can ▁image ▁of ▁express ing ▁no ▁em otion