R.I.P. Leonard Nimoy

I discovered Star Trek as a young'un in the late 70s. We had an adult cousin who lived in our basement who watched it every weeknight. It came on late, so I only saw it on Fridays when I would sneak down and hang out with him. On those rare weekends when I got to visit my dad, I also got to see it, since my father was also a a Trekkie. In my mind, there were only two characters that mattered, Cpt. Kirk and Mr. Spock. Kirk was just the coolest dude who ever lived. Spock had the ears.

As I got older, and bedtime eventually became increasingly up to me, I started watching Star Trek every night, myself. I got to know Mr. Spock, the Vulcan, an emotionless being driven completely by logic. Each night during the credits, I saw the name Leonard Nimoy noted as the person playing this most unique character. Somehow, he was able to convey emotion without actually emoting. It's a remarkable feat he pulled off five nights a week during my teenage years. And that's not even counting the ST movies. We in the viewing audience were always able to sense the deep connection between Spock and Kirk. This friendship gave us the most heart-wrenching moment of any of the movies at the end of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan when we thought we'd lost Spock forever. When the rebooted version of the franchise hit theaters, it legitimized itself by including Nimoy in the cast. Perhaps even more than Kirk, Spock and Nimoy, himself have become the quintessential ace of the franchise. The characters trademark pointy ears mark him as different. This differentness is something fans of the show identify with. The "cool kids" make fun of them for being into such a nerdy show.

Personally, I've never considered myself a Trekkie. I did indeed watch the original series and have seen a number of the movies. However, I never collected anything related to the show, not even so much as a poster. I don't think I've ever owned any ST toys and I've never onced dressed up like any of the characters. Of all of the franchise shows that followed, I may have seen a dozen or so episodes combined. Still, my nights spent with Spock all those years ago informed my own thinking. By that, I mean I mostly rely on logic as opposed to emotion. This most clearly manifests itself in conversations about religion and politics. I try not to engage in these discussions at all, but sometimes you can't avoid it. During these I often find myself in a no-win situation because the person or people I'm speaking to cannot see past their own emotions. They see my logic based point of view as a disadvantage. Of course, I'm not a Vulcan and can't always remain devoid of feeling, but I think there is something to be said for being able to weigh the pros and cons of a situation without the heart interfering in the brain's affairs. Sure, my analytical approach to things is probably due in large part to my nature, but it was nurtured every night on WPIX in New York by a pointy eared science officer on board USS Starship Enterprise (NCC-1701). Through the many he touched, Leonard Nimoy will continue to live long and prosper.

My Reviews of Star Trek Movies:

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek Into Darkness