Shatner wanted to ‘bring a message of lightness’ with historic space flight

William Shatner (Star Trek’s original captain, James T. Kirk) made history by becoming the oldest person to fly to space at age 90, aboard the Blue Origin sub-orbital capsule this week. When he landed back on earth, he was overwhelmed by the experience and his emotionally honest reaction went viral. For me, Shatner’s profound reaction was deeply moving.

“What you have given me is the most profound experience I can imagine. I’m so filled with emotion about what just happened … it’s extraordinary,” Shatner said while talking to Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, who had also been on board the flight, according to space.com.

“I hope I never recover, that I can maintain what I feel now,” Shatner continued. “I don’t want to lose it. It’s so much larger than me and life.”

The emotionally raw reaction by Shatner touched many people, but like anything nowadays, brought its fair share of critics as well, including his own Star Trek co-star, George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), who belittled the space trip in his Broadway play, Thoughts of a Colored Man with the following comments:

"“He’s boldly going where other people have gone before.“He’s a guinea pig, 90 years old and it’s important to find out what happens.“So 90 years old is going to show a great deal more on the wear and tear on the human body, so he’ll be a good specimen to study. Although he’s not the fittest specimen of 90 years old, so he’ll be a specimen that’s unfit!”"

The feud between Takei and Shatner is now decades old, with the Japanese-American actor having distanced himself for years from the franchise that made him a household name, while Shatner has embraced the Trek community. Takei of course has also used his fame to shed light on activist causes in recent years. But in all honesty, it’s sad to see new fuel inserted into an already disappointing dispute for Trekkies.

Prince William joined the critics as well, by emphasizing the needs of planet earth over space travel.

The TJ Hooker actor addressed these snarky comments in an interview on Cuomo Prime Time, where he also reflected on the awe-inspiring once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"“I wish I had better news and more entertainment and jokes to tell you, but I was moved to tears by what I saw,” Shatner told Chris Cuomo, via Yahoo! Entertainment. “And I come back filled with… overwhelmed by sadness and empathy for this beautiful thing we call Earth.”"

William Shatner also reflected on the problems that the future King of England mentioned.

“We’re at the tipping point, we haven’t got time to wait 30 years and argue about a few billion dollars. Burying your head in the sand another instant about global warming and the destruction of the planet is suicide for all of us.”

Despite the criticisms, Shatner urged everyone, “we have to unite.” Reflecting on his space flight and the sad critical aftermath, he wanted to emphasize the positive.

"“I wish I could bring a message of lightness to this terrible news… because it is terrible news, the way the country’s being torn asunder.”"

And we could all use a message of lightness in this world.