This past weekend sci-fi fans mourned the loss of actor Lenard Nimoy, known for his role of Mr. Spock
I’m not sure when I first began watching Star Trek. It was probably when Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home first aired on Television. My dad was always kind of interested in space movies and mother was not a Star Trek fan per says, but she had watched it growing up in the 60’s so when it aired on TV we ended up watching it.
Introduction to Star Trek
I was probably eight or nine at the time and had already seen Star Wars, by chance one day on television and thought it was the most amazing story ever! The thought of space travel, inter galactic battles and life beyond our own solar system was amazing. Not to mention I had already been a bit of a science space nerd, reading as much as I could about each planet and how the solar system worked.
Watching Star Trek was very different from Star Wars. The crew of the U.S.S Enterprise had a very defined structure and mission to seek out and explore. It was an amazing thought to me, that perhaps someday our society would put aside their differences and work to together to expand our knowledge and understanding of the universe far beyond our own galaxy.
Mr. Spock
Early on Mr. Spock became my favorite character with Dr. McCoy as my second favorite. What did I like about Mr. Spock, for one he was the science officer, which meant he was intelligent and that was something everyone on the Enterprise seemed to value. Grade school children were not always kind to those of us who seemed to excel academically if you know what I mean. In other words I was a bit of a nerdy outcast.
However, it didn’t seem to mater to me, I loved science maybe just as much as Mr. Spock. I also loved the way he used logic to explain his decisions and the world around him. In fact there is a Vulcan proverb that says “Logic is the cement of our civilization, with which we ascend from chaos, using reason as our guide.”
Lenard Nimoy
While the character of Mr. Spock might have been the idea of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and his personality made up by good writing, I think it was the acting of Lenard Nimoy himself that made the character believable.
Mr. Spock was part Human part Vulcan and Nimoy had a quality about him that made the character rigid and logical of a Vulcan, but also at times showing human emotions with his friendship to Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy.
While Nimoy’s acting career has taken him into many renowned roles I think the majority of us will always remember him as Mr. Spock.
Nimoy last tweet on Twitter was bitter-sweet, as it implied that he knew the end was coming.
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP
— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015
While we do mourn the loss of this talented actor I recall yet another Vulcan proverb that says “In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace.” I would like to think that Nimoy has had long life and now rests in peace.
Thank you Mr. Nimoy for becoming Mr. Spock and portraying a character that sci-fi fans have fallen in love with and will continue to love for generations.
