It is said that you should never meet your heroes. Who said that is very wrong. I was proud to meet one of me – William Shatner, better known to many like Capt. James T. Kirk from the Starship Enterprise.
Yes, I know, Shatner is just an actor, completed enough to have played in various large TV series, as well as a litany of other shows. For some, he is in charge of the police drama “TJ Hooker” or the quirky and hilarious Denny Crane of both “Boston Legal” and “The Practice”. Or one of the hundreds of other roles.
But for almost a whole planet he is Kirk. The original “Star Trek” or “OG Trek” as fans call it, had an ensemble cast. I don’t have to call them all. Almost 50 years after the first episode they are icons. But nobody defines “Star Trek” like Shatner. No fictional character defines the search of humanity for space such as Kirk.
Leonard Nimoy as First Office Spock and William Shatner as Capt. James T. Kirk on “Star Trek.” (CBS)
In 1966 he stepped on the bridge of the USS company and brought space in American houses in a way that did nothing until Neil Armstrong took those small steps on the moon. Oldsters (Ahem.) Know that it was a version of “Wagon Train” in space, from planet to planet and adventure to adventure. First officer Spock introduced us to another intelligent race – somewhat friendly, brilliant space – elves known as vulcans. And the Federation ship even contained a Russian officer, a dream of global peace at the height of the Cold War that seems just as far away today.
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With those adventures, other new races and new creatures – the warlike and honorable klingons and their cute Nemesis the Tribbles came. Or the violent reptiles Gorn, who brings Kirk to death in a duel, only to shock powerful alien beings by showing grace.
William Shatner, center, with colleague -cast members on the set of the TV series “Star Trek.” (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty images)
Every week the captain and the crew built that very human and American mythology, that humanity could not just reach the stars, but could go over them while we do deserts and oceans on earth. His adventures showed him of bad guys and his way over the Galaxy on classic heroic fashion. An alien princess Ensorceled Kirk with Elasian tears, only to discover that his love for the company was more powerful.
Kirk was partly Horatio Hornblower, share John Paul Jones and 100% American. He refused to believe famous in the “no-win scenario” and was awarded for cheating an academy test to win an uninhibited combat scenario. History lovers could just as easily hear America’s first navy hero explain: “I have not yet started to fight.” In an alternative earth, he read the preamble to the Constitution for alien beings who had dressed its meaning. It was a daring explanation of American values. In another he fought side by side with Abraham Lincoln in a test of good versus evil.
William Shatner was invited by the blue origin of Jeff Bezos to fly to space on October 13, 2021. (Mario Tama/Getty images)
Enthusiast, hunter, leader and adventurer, Kirk became the name brand for Space Science Fiction. He and his crew have cut a path about the galaxy that launched 11 spin -offs and at least 13 films. (That does not count “Galaxy Quest”, which was a loving shipping.) There are fans who love other captains such as Patrick Stewart’s Capt. Jean-Luc Picard from “Next Generation” or Capt. Benjamin Sisko from “Deep Space Nine”, played by Avery Brooks. Nobody inspires decadal dedication as much as Shatner and Kirk. Together they remain united in our vision of the captains.
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I had the pleasure to meet Shatner/Kirk briefly at a huge science fiction/fantasy convention called Dragon Con, which dominates Atlanta until September. Looking at fans young and old line -up and pony up (it wasn’t cheap, but nobody gave it.) It was inspiring to get a photo. The man for me agreed that Shatner’s representation of the American heroism has put millions or billions in an always-home future to dream of the stars.
Almost 50 years after the show was broadcast for the first time, people still want to see the star. That is proof of the show and his captain. You could see the impact he had on the fans because of the enormous smile they had when they left.
Fans sometimes draw on rival franchises against each other – “Star Trek” versus “Star Wars” and the like – but there is no real rivalry. By the time “Star Wars” was released in 1977, there had been two “Star Trek” series. Great Science Fiction authors such as Robert Heinlein or Issac Asimov wrote in deeply about the future of humanity. Kirk and Crew helped to place the vision of the stars in our houses and our hearts.
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William Shatner as ADM. James T. Kirk in the film, “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”, which was released on June 4, 1982. (CBS Via Getty Images)
Shatner just had a short health problem that he ended up in the hospital. At 94 he is still as Shatner as ever and posts his Instagram account: “Rumors about my downfall are extremely exaggerated.” He blamed the issues of his own actions and said, “I surrendered.”
None of us know what the future can entail. “Star Trek” fans are usually optimistic enough to not only see humanity reach Mars, but to become a space trace. And when that happens, when Elon Musk or another mega-dreamer plants our flag on Mars plants, I believe that cities from the Red Mars fabric will rise with names such as Shatner and Kirk, proof of how we can actually change our dreams. When that happens, William Shatner/Capt. James T. Kirk – my captain and our captain – will finally have his name write under the stars. Where it belongs.
He deserved it.
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