And it's over. Creation Entertainment's Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas spanned four days and featured more than 100 guests, not to mention a slew of parties, tons of photo and autograph opportunities, and much, much more. StarTrek.com has been reporting back with tweets and recaps, and we'll close out our coverage now with one final recap.
Let's start with events in the main room. Jeri Ryan brought down the house as guest number one. A male fan asked , "Why do you not age?" Ryan responded, "You're hired!." The actress admitted she was not a sci-fi growing up, but now, with Voyager under her belt and her son turning her daughter on to the genre... "I'm suddenly turning into a huge geek."
Next up was George Takei, who remains fit and ageless. He talked Trek, gay rights and more. That more included Howard Stern. "He's given me my brand," Takei explained. It started when, in the Stern studio, Takei noted a buxom woman Howard had brought in. George uttered, "Ohhh, myyy," an audio clip Stern has replayed relentlessly ever since, whether Takei was in the studio or not. Now, Takei points out, "when you see a wonderful sunrise you say, 'Ohhh, myyyy!' It's been a gift, an irritant and a joy."
Before lunch, Star Trek Into Darkness star, Karl Urban, took to the stage in his first Star Trek convention appearance asking fans "are you out of your Vulcan mind?" A long-time Star Trek fan, Urban talked about his love of Trek. "About two years before they made the 2009 film, I bought the boxed set of The Original Series to watch with my son. I just wanted to be a part of it. It was about time they were bringing Star Trek back."
Showing his knowledge of TOS lore, "I would love to meet all of you and take a DNA sample, because I AM A DOCTOR!" Later, a fan asked what he would do if he had met DeForest Kelly. Urban said, "I wouldn't have talked much, I would've just listened." Before leaving the stage, he looked ahead to the next movie. "I would really like us to strive to do something original, and that's no disrespect to anything we've done."
Post-lunch, Kate Mulgrew and Robert Beltran shared the stage. Mulgrew said she'd reprise Janeway any time: "I would LOVE to do it again." Mulgrew challenged Beltran as to why the Voyager boys never invite the Voyager gals to their annual get together. His reply: "None of you ever slept with us." The crowd roared with laughter.
Later on, arguably the cornerstone event of the weekend occurred -- a Deep Space Nine Reunion Panel with Avery Brooks, Terry Farrell, Nana Visitor, Michael Dorn, Rene Auberjonois, James Darren, Nicole de Boer, Armin Shimerman and Cirroc Lofton.
Dorn discussed the Worf-Dax romance, surmising that "I don't think they had an idea that it was going to take off until Terry and I started working together. Then it really took off." Brooks shared that Sisko's journey was all about his son. Sisko becoming a god only took him away from his son. However, he added, "the journey is eternal." Shimerman, speaking of Quark, stated that he "always felt Quark was the most human character on the show. Most of humanity is closer to Quark than to Kira or anyone else." Discussing Odo, Auberjonois explained, "I felt like I was an instrument. It never occurred to me to say I want this or that to happen to my character." Darren paid tribute to his co-stars: "I had a ball doing it. I would do it forever if I could. I was honored to work with these wonderful people. I came in late and they made me feel like I'd been there from the start." Farrell talked about her famous girl on girl kiss: "The kiss was amazing." Long pause. "But it didn't change my mind about anything." The session ended first with Brooks and Darren crooning together for a couple of minutes and then with a group bow and photo op.
However, making the most of a great opportunity, Creation co-CEO Adam Malin welcomed to the stage Aron Eisenberg, Max Grodenchik, Casey Biggs, Marc Alaimo, Jeffrey Combs, Andy Robinson and Chase Masterson, as well as a reluctant Ira Steven Behr.
And so fans were presented with a truly momentous bit of history. Malin handed Behr a mike and implored him to say a few words. "I wish Michael Piller were here to share this experience," he noted. He looked at everyone around him and smiled, noting that they and so many other people made DS9 what it was -- and is. "I love them," he said. "I love the show. They can't take that away from us. Thank you." Once the "first team" departed, the popular supporting players got their moment to shine, as they shared memories and anecdotes.
And there was more: A genre star panel featuring Adrienne Barbeau, Michael Berryman, Fred Williamson and Heather Langenkamp. Did you know that the Nightmare on Elm Street star was in Star Trek Into Darkness? Look for full StarTrek.com interviews soon with Langenkamp, Berryman and Barbeau.
Before we recount events in the secondary theater, let's devote a few minutes to other things we saw and heard. Jacob, a fan from a small town in Idaho, was thrilled to meet a certain Voyager star. "Oh my God," he enthused, "I put my arm around Jeri Ryan!" Karl Urban probably signed 1500 or more autographs between last night and tonight. We asked if his hand was tired. "Not yet," he admitted, "but talk to me later."
OK, and now let's beam to the DeForest Kelley Theatre. First up was One Trek Mind LIVE, presented by StarTrek.com, with Jordan Hoffman leading the effort to choose the best sci-fi franchise... after Star Trek, of course. In order, fans chose...
Later in the day, StarTrek.com presented a fun Star Trek Craft Workshop with Glue Guns & Phasers host Mary Czerwinski where fans could create their own Star Trek luggage tags.
Paul Lynch took the stage next. He directed 10 episodes of TNG and DS9, as well as many other shows and films (including the original Prom Night). "TNG came from Gene's heart," Lynch opined. "DS9 was manufactured. Other people were running it. I'm not sure Gene would have done it if he was around. They sticky-taped it together at the beginning. It took its time to become the entity it became, a show unto itself."
And that, friends, is all she -- and we -- wrote. Click HERE, HERE and HERE for recaps of Day 1,2 and 3, respectively.
