Despite the fact that I hadn't been born when Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered, the late, great Sir Patrick Stewart became an integral part of my childhood (and adult life) thanks to his incredible portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. While he didn't write the scripts, he brought the words to life in ways only he could. There are countless poignant moments in the Star Trek franchise that will help forever immortalize the beloved British actor.
One such scene came not in The Next Generation itself, but in one of the four movies that followed. 1994's Star Trek Generations is more commonly remembered for bringing together Picard with William Shatner's James T. Kirk — a crossover that hadn't happened before and would never be repeated. That was obviously a great element of the film, but my favorite moment comes near the end. It's a speech that has always moved me, and now does so in an even more profound manner.
Picard's speech about death in Star Trek Generations is surprisingly uplifting
Malcolm McDowell's Dr. Tolian Soran makes several references to death in Generations, likening it to a predator. He claims people often try to outrun it, but the best they can do is delay the inevitable, and that the predator will always catch its prey. It's not an untrue sentiment, but his obsessive fear of death is what defines Soran throughout the movie and explains much of his villainy.
As Generations nears its end, with the Enterprise-D in ruins, Riker (Jonathan Frakes) voices his sadness that the vessel has gone before its time, and that he'll miss it. With his perspective altered due to his time with Soran, Picard echoes the thoughts of McDowell's character with a far more optimistic and soulful spin.
"Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalks us all our lives. But I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey, reminds us to cherish every moment. Because they'll never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived."Captain Picard in Star Trek Generations
I think I was probably just a little too young to fully appreciate this speech when I first watched the movie. I've since come to grasp the meaning behind the words in a much more complete way. After the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart, seeing him on-screen delivering these lines as masterfully as ever puts a lump in my throat that's harder to shift than ever. It's now almost as if it's Patrick Stewart himself, not Picard, who is soothing his countless fans as they mourn the Star Trek legend's loss.
Star Trek Generations is streaming now on Paramount+.
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