On The Passing Of Sir Patrick Stewart

I teared up when I heard. And I think it's clearly time to binge TNG again. A couple of days after I heard the news, I stumbled across the movie Excalibur on my media server and watched it on fast forward to see Sir Patrick's scenes. The scene where he throws in his lot with the boy King after Arthur draws the sword from the stone brought me a smile, so I share it here (with my internal monologue additions in brackets). Sir Patrick plays Leondegrance. King Lot: Aye Leondegrance! Join us against the boy! Leondegrance: I saw what I saw! [There...are...four...lights!]. If a boy has been chosen, a boy shall be king! Uryenes: (to Leondegrance) Are you with us, or against us? Leondegrance: Against you! [Make it so!]

Great video. You put into words perfectly what it’s like to grieve the loss of an artist you didn’t personally know. Picard was a larger than life figure. The character in many ways I think is actually hyper real, more real in some ways than Patrick Stewart himself. He represented something in the popular consciousness that was grand. That’s why we look back so fondly, he was a vision of humanity at its best and Stewart brought him to life masterfully. I’m so grateful to have this in my life. Art matters, it isn’t trivial. We need it to understand ourselves and the world around us.

To say that I grew up on Star Trek is like saying that I grew up breathing air. When we lost Nimoy, it was as if a voice I could always hear in my head suddenly sounded like an echo. I grew up with Kirk of course, sitting in front of a big color tube console tv, eating tv dinners on “tv dinner trays” and we watched Star Trek throughout the 70s. But later on, it was Picard who was my Captain. and coming from a household without much parenting, he was a father figure to aspire towards. He was competent and direct, but also compassionate and thoughtful. He was driven by a passion to explore, but the crew always came first. The same of course with Professor Xavier just as much as Jean-Luc. And now his voice is an echo too, in recent company with Walter Koenig, and Nichelle Nichols. So many more voices are just echoes now. Thank you Patrick Stewart , May you always shine brightly. Ad astra.

This is wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Uniquely insightful

This is the only video about Sir Patrick that I was waiting for. I knew it was going to be thoughtful and beautifully expressed, that it was something worthy to hear. Thank you for that.

A beautiful and insightful tribute - thank you

I didn't realize until recently how much the character of Jean-Luc Picard established and reinforced the development of my moral compass growing up. Learning about Patrick Stewart over time and seeing his other works, interviews, etc. made it really clear how much he drove what Picard meant to me. His passing has affected me more than any other celebrity death has and probably will. As a technologist, there's one quote that I don't often hear others mention, but has always stayed with me, the ramifications and implications of which are frequently relevant: Picard: How do I explain my refusing to obey their laws down there, not permitting the Crusher boy... to be executed? And by so doing, do I endanger this vessel and more than a thousand other lives? Data: Would you choose one life over one thousand, sir? Picard: I refuse to let arithmetic decide questions like that. Thank you for the great tribute, Andrew. RIP Sir Patrick Stewart

I'm gonna add on that of all the tributes I've seen now, this is the strongest one. The one that speaks the most resonating feeling I have about his life.

I was waiting for this video. Captain Picard was a role model to me in a time when I needed role models. With all due respect to Patrick Stewart, when I heard of his death, my thought was Captain Picard has died. That’s what hit me. Bless the man behind the character, who sat in the captain’s chair, and squeezed that flute. Thinking of him, I’m squeezing mine now. Thanks for making this video.

I was hoping you'd make this video 🙏❤️‍🩹

I was sad when I heard of his passing but didn't cry until listening to your eulogy. Thank you for helping me navigate my grief.

Well said. It occurred to me that Patrick Stewart is one of two celebrities this year, the other being Dolly Parton, whose loss was and is so deeply felt by legions of fans globally that transcended celebrity. They both came across so genuinely in personal appearances and interviews that reinforced their image well beyond their work as an artist. Often the passing of a popular artist, performer, athlete, hero, whom we've admired and formed a nostalgic connection, the loss is more... intellectual. With these two it is personal. The news a gut punch. I dare say, when the day news comes of the passing of the preeminent original Captain of the Starship Enterprise, the sense of personal loss, while profound, will not be so deeply felt.

Thank you, Andrew. Well said. Been waiting for your post. I think it's very telling, in lieu of recent news, that he had touched people we can't imagine as being touched by him. It speaks of the personal greatness of the soul that Sir Patrick Stewart brought forth, and how he developed Jean-Luc in that image. We're going to miss him.

Thank you Andrew.❤️

Thank you for putting into words what I think many of us have felt since his loss. For me, his portrayal of Jean-Luc was a moral North Star... a good (and flawed) man striving for wisdom to be a better man. A role model for us all.

I was in middle- and high- school when TNG was on the air. It took until I was in my fifties to realize what a profound influence that show, and Captain Picard in particular, has had on my life. I feel deep gratitude to Sir Patrick Stewart and the creators of Star Trek for the gift of that character, and gratitude to you, Andrew, for your focus on the wisdom and artistic power of that program, and its many fascinating characters and creative visionaries.

Beautifully expressed Andrew. Thank you.

I had to watch a few episodes of TNG over the weekend, rest in peace Sir Patrick :(