The Good Trip Nostalgia

 Spoilers for the recent episode of Picard, so if you haven't seen it, and don't want to be spoiled about what happened, this is your one and ONLY warning! Please don't read beyond my opening paragraph! Okay?! Alright, good. Glad we got that out of the way. Now to get on topic. And the Picard spoilers will be further down in case you cheat, so again, don't blame me!!

Nostalgia can be a good thing. When I do Kenner reviews, I go back to being a 5-6 year old and how I reacted when I saw, or better yet was able to get a Star Wars toy. I have other toy lines I enjoyed as a kid (Masters of the Universe, Super Powers, Secret Wars) and today as a collector (Star Wars, MOTU Origins). For me anyway, nostalgia is why I collect. Sure, the old figures are great, but the new figures from the Star Wars Vintage Collection and Masters of the Universe Origins give us the classic sizes of those older figures, but with better sculpting and articulation! Having Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader with elbow, knee and waist articulation to recreate lightsaber battles is something I didn't have as a kid. Same with He-Man and Skeletor, who had epic battles in my childhood stories can now have REALLY cool sword fights (now with full Power Swords instead of the half swords their vintage line had)!!

But nostalgia also plays a part in our entertainment franchises today. Marvel movies (up until Endgame) cashed in on our nostalgia. I grew up reading Spider-Man and Secret Wars comics, so seeing Iron Man, Hulk, and Captian America (definitely the best trilogy of Marvel movies) was cool. I even remember the NBC Incredible Hulk movies that guest starred Thor, and one with Daredevil that had the great John Rhys-Davies playing Kingpin! The stories helped with later Marvel movies, and built up to an incredible (although tragic) ending. Now, only the Spider-Man movies are what interest me, the new Marvel stuff has been disappointing to say the least. Only now does Marvel have the ability to put the Fantastic Four, X-Men and other heroes and villains who played big parts in the Secret Wars and Infinity Gauntlet comic series.  Nostalgia, whether you want to admit it or not, is what gets your rear end in movie theaters to see (or on your couch or chair at home) Marvel, Star Wars, and yes, Star Trek. I'm not dissing Star Trek, I like it as much as I do Star Wars.

Nostalgic was how I felt after watching Episode 7 in theaters. Next to Independence Day in 1996 it is one of my most thrilling movie theater experience, with Attack of the Clones a very close third place, due to the audience's reaction to Yoda vs Dooku. The way we reacted to seeing the "junk can fly" as Rey and Finn took the Millennium Falcon to fight off First Order TIE Fighters was fun. The applause when Han said "Chewie? We're home!" Chills! And the final scene when Rey takes out the lightsaber that once belonged to Luke Skywalker upon first seeing him was epic. What came next, well, stunk. But nostalgia was well done for Episode 7. But the next 2 movies just didn't deliver that, and that is one reason they just didn't connect to me.

It wasn't until I saw reactions to the new episode of Picard titled "Vox" that I saw how nostalgia done right can hook you back in. The first season of Picard, much like Discovery was disappointing. It just didn't feel like Star Trek to me. I had forgotten about new episodes, although I admit Strange New Worlds is intriguing and I have yet to see an episode, but I'll possibly get it on home media. I'm no Bob Iger fan, but he's right when he says abandoning physical media was a big mistake. Honestly, I think Star Trek Prodigy is the best modern Star Trek out there, but I'm getting off topic. So, in Picard the Borg planted something in Picard after his assimilation that has now spread to all of Starfleet, including the children of Picard, Crusher and LaForge. All Starfleet ships are run by Borg controlled personnel thanks to the use of transporters, proving Dr McCoy and Dr Pulaski right about their hate for beaming to planets or other ships. An actual good plan by the Borg. Makes me wish that Picard hadn't been soft on Hugh in the episode "I, Borg". But the nostalgic thrill came with the entire surviving TNG crew (minus Wesley Crusher) doing the impossible. Only one starship isn't Borg controlled, the Enterprise D, which was recovered by Geordi LaForge (the saucer was removed ro not violate the Prime Directive) and the star drive section rebuilt. Watching the scene where they all step onto the bridge, and take their positions like they did in Season 1 with LaForge at the Conn and Crusher taking Tasha Yar's post next to Worf and seeing Riker, Picard in the center seat and Troi to his left, it was amazing!! This is the scene I will constantly go back to watch just like I do with Luke's rescue of Grogu in The Mandalorian. Next week, Picard wraps up the series, and this will definitely be the last time the TNG cast (yes, Data is back, and I learned Picard is dead yet is somehow also back) will EVER be onscreen together. For the original crew that was Star Trek V as in Star Trek VI Sulu had his own ship, and only had a moment on the view screen with his former bridge crew.

Now, we really have a treat with this. The original series cast lost their first member in 1999 in DeForest Kelley. A few years later James Doohan, and in 2015 Leonard Nimoy. Last year the angelic Nichelle Nichols passed away. Star Trek The Next Generation debuted almost 36 years ago, and the entire main cast (I include Denise Crosby who left the show and is still very much alive) is still here. We have all of DS9, Voyager and Enterprise actors still here. But Babylon 5 and Star Wars have lost vital cast members. I have no idea how Picard will end. That they stop the Borg is no doubt in my mind. Do Picard and Beverly sacrifice themselves for their son, Jack?! Does Geordi die to save his daughters? I don't know. I hope not! I mean, I cannot watch Generations because they killed off James T Kirk. And while I'm on this I am disappointed the Shatnerverse isn't official Trek Canon! But, with Picard, we see our heroes going on a final adventure. As Riker said "We're family."

Now, this isn't a Disney bashing post. Well, not entirely. But one HUGE reason why Star Wars has dropped off is....we didn't get our nostalgia fix. We never got to see Luke, Han and Leia share a scene together in the sequels. Instead we got Han as a deadbeat dad and husband, Leia just...being a general and then dying for no reason (Carrie Fisher passing away before Episode 8 complicated things for Episode 9 as Leia was the one original character Disney kind of had plans for. With Jake Skywalker or what Luke Skywalker became in the sequels was COMPLETELY UNFORGIVABLE!! With Picard, we have the opportunity to see the old generation save the new generation, and they aren't being pushed to the side, or being used as after thoughts so that the "new" characters can shine. Kobra Kai has successfully done this, allowing not only the new characters to step forward, but let the original characters still shine and still matter. Star Wars fans wanted to see Han, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian onscreen together once again. Not getting that, it just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I know I'm not the only one who thinks this way. Just as I'm aware there are others who don't think this way.

The bottom line is you can't slap Star Trek and Star Wars on any project and expect fans to like it simply because it has those words in the title. Now there are some who do love anything with the words "Star Trek" and "Star Wars", and there is nothing wrong with that. Just like there is nothing wrong with saying new Star Trek and new Star Wars projects suck. And to those that liked the sequels, how would you feel if Rey, Finn and Poe don't share screen time together in the follow up film to Episode 9?! Yeah, if that happens you might be able to understand how we as OT fans feel. Picard is finally doing it right. Kobra Kai has had it right from the start. Same with Ghostbusters Afterlife. Those "old" characters are those of us in their 40's and 50's. We may be older, but there are still adventures ahead of us, and helping a younger generation meet their full potential is possible. That's what we want for our children, nephews, nieces, etc. With all the craziness going on today, the one thing that helps us cope and escape is nostalgia. And sadly, most modern entertainment has forgotten this. It's our job as fans to remind these companies of the responsibility they have to make the best product possible.