William Shatner returns alongside another Original Series alum in new Star trek short

When it comes to sci-fi franchises that have stood the test of time, there's little that competes with Star Trek. Star Trek: The Original Series started up back in 1966, and the cast and crew are still celebrated for it all these years later.

The Roddenberry Archive, which is dedicated to preserving the memory of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, has been keeping the hype going by producing a series of short films in conjunction with OTOY. The latest short, titled "Unification," is special, since it features the return of multiple cast members from The Original Series. Watch it above!

"Unification" is an abstract, contemplative short that seems to be about Captain Kirk thinking back on his life. William Shatner, who played Kirk for years, returns for the short, although actor Sam Witwer also stands in for him. The short ends with Kirk and an ailing Spock admiring a sunrise together. Spock is played by Lawrence Selleck, original actor Leonard Nimoy having passed in 2015.

Obviously Shatner doesn't look that young anymore. According to Gizmodo, the short layers archival footage and CGI over the actors' faces to produce this effect. The short is meant to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of Star Trek Generations, the final film to feature Shatner as Kirk. It's mostly silent, save for one Kirk line lifted from 1982's The Wrath of Khan: "There are always possibilities, Spock said. And if Genesis is indeed life from death… I must return to this place, again.”

Shatner isn't the only Original Series cast member to appear in "Unification." The opening features a shot of Gary Mitchell, a helmsman on the Enterprise who develops strange psychic powers in the third-ever episodes of the show, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," after the ship passes through a strange barrier on the edge of the galaxy. As on The Original Series, Gary Mitchell is played by actor Gary Lockwood, returning to the role after nearly 60 years away.

According to Star Trek site Redshirts Always Die, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was an important episode for the show which helped it find its footing early on. No fanbase has a longer memory than Star Trek fans, and it's very cool to get this reference so many years later.

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