Star Trek fans have gathered in the video game Star Trek Online to pay tribute to Sir Patrick Stewart, who died this week aged 86. The game’s community held a virtual memorial service for the star of stage of screen, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as multiple movies and a spinoff series.
Star Trek Online players came together in various locations around the game’s map to raise torches for the beloved actor, while others formed special Guards of Honor in their spaceships, letting off fireworks as tribute.
“Like so many others, absolutely devastated to hear about the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart, to lose the Captain who defined Star Trek for my generation,” reddit user ‘wskelding’ wrote in a post on the Star Trek Online subreddit (thanks, IGN).
“One of the amazing things to see after the announcement was the spontaneous reactions and gatherings of so many people who wanted to express their grief. From the mass gatherings at ESD, Academy and even Qo’noS to my personal favourite, the mass gathering of Galaxy Class ships outside ESD to form an Honor Guard. About 40/50 ships just started appearing at ESD, and without a word everyone just gathered into formation and let fly the fireworks. There’s something beautiful about that to me, to see so many people just come together without any prompting to just be there for each other, to show their love and respect for this incredible person.”
“I sincerely hope that Sir Patrick knew just how many people that he (and the characters he played) inspired over the years, and how much of an example both Jean-Luc and Patrick as a person set to try and be a better person and to be there to help and support others.
“To borrow a line from Nemesis that felt fitting: ‘That is what it is to be human: To make yourself more than you are.’
The tragic news was revealed of Stewart’s passing was first posted on social media, where it was confirmed the actor passed away “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.”
Players of Star Trek Online are now campaigning for a more permanent tribute to the man who brought Picard to life. The game’s developer, Cryptic Studios, is being asked to recreate Château Picard, Jean-Luc Picard’s family vineyard in La Barre, France as an in-game location players can visit to pay their respects. Cryptic has yet to respond to the request, but it’s already winning a lot of support from players.
“That would be great,” writes one fan. “And I think dev’s should add a statue of Picard to Starfleet Academy with the memorial plaque.”
While Cryptic hasn’t directly acknowledged these ideas (yet), the studio did share its own tribute to Stewart. “In an era where no one was sure whether Star Trek HAD a future, your warmth and your sturdiness gave us hope,” the developer wrote. “For seven years, you were the Captain of the Enterprise, and you held yourself with that dignity in all walks of life. A knight in the truest sense of the word, and a man who will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace, Sir Patrick Stewart.”
Star Trek Online
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