Spock’s Last Convention: LLAP

I love Spock. He is my favorite Star Trek character ever. Across every series, every movie, every everything, he is my favorite. I had a ridiculous crush on Wesley Crusher and swoon every time I see Wil Wheaton at a con, but it’s not the same thing because, well, Wesley was a bit annoying. Even the cuteness of Wheaton could not overcome that hurdle. Spock, on the other hand, was wonderful. The one raised eyebrow. The pointy ears. The Vulcan greeting. And of course, the words that belong to him more than any other Vulcan, “Live long and prosper.” Sadly, Leonard Nimoy is retiring and made his final convention appearance last weekend in Rosemont, Illinois.

He has been attending conventions for nearly fifty years, so he is more than entitled to take a break.  Nimoy has always embraced and respected Spock rather than looking back and cringing at the character that made him famous. It always saddens me when actors write off the characters that made them, treating them with disdain as they reflect on their thriving careers, but not Nimoy. He has always had an appreciation for Star Trek, for Spock, and for his fans.

I never had the chance to meet him in person despite how frequently Star Trek conventions came my way at one time.  They were constantly advertised on TV and although I had the best intentions, I never made it to the convention floor. I guess I always thought there would be a next time.  Even though it’s likely that next time will never come now, I am happily falling in love with Spock all over again thanks to my kids and Netflix.

We’ve been making our way through from the beginning, just like I made my way through reruns of the original series with my Dad. We’d just gotten into The Next Generation and I asked my daughters how they liked it compared to the original series. They said it was fine, but I could tell they weren’t as excited. I mentioned this, and the littlest asked “Where’s Spock?” so I told her he wasn’t in this one.  She gave me a little pouty face and said “Oh, I wanted Spock.”  I couldn’t agree with her more. Even the youngest among us know a good thing when they see it.  Thank you for bringing Spock to life, Mr. Nimoy, and enjoy your much deserved retirement. LLAP