To Boldly Go . . . : At Star Trek Fest, Reports of Captain’s Death Are Greatly Examined

Capt. James T. Kirk has finally shed his mortal coil.

But there were no moments of silence, no prayers, no sympathy cards for the fallen hero at a Star Trek convention Saturday afternoon. Many of the thousands who packed the Anaheim Convention Center eulogized the hammy starship commander, who dies in the current box office hit “Star Trek: Generations,” in their own way.

“It’s about time,” said Brian Schmidt, 26, a computer graphics artist from Huntington Beach. “He’s had a good 30-year run. It had to happen. He’s in a dangerous profession. How could you not die sometime?”

The universe can be a cold place.

One of four major Star Trek conventions in the Los Angeles area each year, Saturday’s gathering attracted the usual assortment of costumed and ardent fans. Series followers, often called “Trekkies” or “Trekkers,” seemed far more concerned with what the convention had to offer.

Many of them dressed as their favorite character, enthusiasts snatched up show memorabilia, waited patiently in line for autographs, and argued over such issues as whether an android character in the current film should retain his “emotion chip.”

The convention marked the first major congregation of Star Trek fans since the death of Kirk, a character whose television and movie exploits have elevated him to a pop cultural icon. Portrayed by actor William Shatner, the captain’s over-the-top antics won him worldwide adoration as an intrepid space pioneer in 79 television episodes and seven movies.

But like Schmidt, few seemed to take pity on the venerable Kirk, whose demise passes the Star Trek torch onto a new generation of space explorers. Heather Wenger, 24, of Mission Viejo actually applauded Kirk’s departure from the series.

“I was cheering,” said Wenger, who dressed as a crew member of television’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” “I’m not a real fan of the original series. I don’t even see why he was in the movie. They didn’t need him.”

Naturally, some Star Trek conventioneers demonstrated more tender feelings for the deceased space pioneer. For 45-year-old history teacher Rudolph Cordero, who wore a Kirk uniform to the convention, the demise of his hero was deeply saddening.

“When I watched him die, I felt like a part of me died too,” said the Eagle Rock high school teacher. “I’ve been with him since 1966. It really hurt.”

Cordero said Kirk symbolized the original television series, which he admired for its progressive and moralistic teachings. The show and Kirk embraced ethnic diversity and promised a better future for Earth, he said.

“They may have killed my captain,” Cordero said. “But his message lives on.”

While somewhat indifferent to Kirk’s downfall, Eva Hirsch of Los Angeles said the current movie could have enhanced the emotional punch for audiences by bringing in Mr. Spock, the character played by actor Leonard Nimoy who was Kirk’s second in command and came from the planet Vulcan. The 44-year-old fan said the new movie should have shown Spock experiencing a “mind-link jolt” at the moment of Kirk’s end.

“It would have been nice to see Mr. Spock shed a tear,” she said. “He has a human half, you know.”

But for other enthusiasts, death, like so many other things in the universe, is negotiable. After all, they remember Spock’s death in the second film installment, only to see the emotionless, green-blooded officer star again in the next three Star Trek films.

“The way they play with time, they could easily resurrect him,” said Bob Lafferty, 46, a computer graphic artist from Anaheim.

Steven Majors, 42, a bookkeeper from North Hollywood, also believed Kirk could cheat death.

“It made me slightly sad that he’s gone,” said Majors, a fan of the original television show since it aired in 1966. “But they can always bring him back. Look at Spock, or it could be another dream sequence-type thing like ‘Dallas.’ ”

Perhaps the most concerned about Kirk’s death at the convention hall was Jeffrey E. Truskolaski, a real estate auctioneer from Irvine. Truskolaski bears an uncanny resemblance to Shatner.

Truskolaski, who passes out business cards that proclaim “William Shatner Look-Alike,” said he has been posing as the space hero for about six months.

“Yeah, I’m worried.” he said. “I hope they bring him back. It will help business.”