A Tribute To Leonard Nimoy

This wonderful Mr. Spock cupcake was made by Cake Central Member Yokko.

If you’ve spent any time on Between the Pages, it is probably pretty obvious that I love Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Star Trek.  I’m addicted to Audible.com’s unabridged Star Wars audiobooks. I’ve seen every episode of new Doctor Who, a bunch of old Doctor Who, and even have a Doctor Who belt.  While I love Star Wars and The Doctor, I am first and foremost a fan of Star Trek. I’ve been to a Star Trek convention.  I have Star Trek t-shirts, a wrist watch, and ThinkGeek’s Next Generation hoodie with a combadge.  Yesterday, I made Star Trek cookies and as soon as I finish writing this I’m heading to a Star Trek themed birthday party.  

I have all of The Original Series on DVD and have seen most episodes a few dozen times.  My favorite episode is probably Devil in the Dark.  I love the idea of a life form that isn’t carbon based and how the episode  turned the whole idea of monsters on its head.  I was surprised to learn that this was also William Shatner’s favorite episode.

Why Star Trek?  Two reasons.  First, it was there before anyone else.  I have an older brother and he is a fan of The Original Series.  When we were kids, we watched Star Trek. I loved the Enterprise, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and all the alien worlds they visited.  As I grew older, I started to discover that Star Trek wasn’t just about action and exploration.  It was really about unity and hope (two things this world really needs).  Underneath the action and funny banter were shows that made people think.  If I had to choose between a ride on the TARDIS, Millennium Falcon, or Enterprise, the Enterprise would edge out the TARDIS because I’ve been dreaming about being a part of its crew for years.  I would love to sit in the center seat.

Second, Star Trek had Leonard Nimoy playing Mr. Spock.  When I was little, aliens were bad guys.  If you’ve ever seen the “movies” at Disney’s wonderful Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Leonard Nimoy forever changed how I looked at aliens, science fiction, and science.  Even when I was little, it was obvious that Mr. Spock was different.  It wasn’t just that he had pointy ears, he acted differently.  He didn’t smile or show emotion, but he was the best friend Kirk and McCoy ever had.  He was loyal and trustworthy. He (and Scotty) made math, computers, and science seem cool.  I love Kirk and McCoy, but Spock was the heart and soul of Star Trek. 

Because of Leonard Nimoy’s Spock, I became a fan of both science fiction and science.  While The Original Series has been off the air for years, I still feel its influence.  I’m a fan of science fiction, studied chemistry and computer science in college, and I write a pop culture blog.  The seeds for each of these were planted when I was a little cross-eyed girl watching Leonard Nimoy.  While I am extremely saddened by Leonard Nimoy’s death, I’m thrilled that his legacy will live on for years.

May You Live Long and Prosper!

Karen Williams

February 27, 2015