Professor Hazard's Terrible Blog

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Do I Need a Star Trek Fan Character?

As a Trekkie, I feel a little sad that I don't have a fan-made ship or whatever like a lot of the Trekkies do. I had invented one, years ago, but unsurprisingly it was very self-referential and I was the captain of it. And it was some kind of exploratory special forces so of course I'd be an even better captain than any other captain and they'd see me as their equal and invite me to parties. Forget that noise! I want a fan character base of operations I can be proud of, and I bet the new Star Trek online game doesn't even offer it as an option, instead saddling you with a ship and a crew so you can be a captain among a million captains.

No, if I had it all to do again - and I do, every day! - I'd choose a stationary locale as my base of operations, either a Deep Space station or a planetary research station. I probably wouldn't choose to be Starfleet, either, which speaks more to my own personal development as someone whose style stands on its own. In fact I have trouble seeing myself as anything other than myself - black and yellow accented coat with wild hair and beard. I love who I am nowadays. My wife loves who I am nowadays. I'm beginning to think that fan characters are an escapist habit of people who can't tolerate their own reflections - or are afraid to forge their reflection into what they want it to look like.

FINAL VERDICT: No. I do not need a Star Trek fan character. Long story short, I'm happy enough watching the exploits of the Star Trek universe from a viewer's perspective. I can go to conventions in my regular outfit, which is so unique that people stare at me all the day long. This was a completely pointless blog post; I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Which was VERY LITTLE INDEED.

1 comment:

Hollie said...

I, like you, have a problem with the Captain-amongst-a-universe-of-captain problem of the Star Trek MMO. And I'm quite sure that, were I actually in the Star Trek universe, I'd be no one of significance. However, since my imagination is my own personal universe where no one can tell me what to do, I'd set up my Star Trek verse with me as Vulcan philosopher. That would be super sweet.

As an aside, I like you just as you are, as well :)

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