The Trekkie Newbie: An Adventure with Star Trek

Before I became a Trekkie newbie and when I first heard of Star Trek, there was a feeling of daunting fear of the amount of material to go through just to catch up. Then the reboot happened and I found a starting point for me to watch. I rather did enjoy the reboot, but I was not completely satisfied with what I expected to be filled with science or more likely pseudo-science. I decided to explore the original show and base my judgement on the franchise on that. I was blown away by not only the type of action and exploration presented, but by the methodological way they approached new technologies and scientific discovery and many of their problems is due to those kinds of adventures. I felt being a fan of the reboot requires that I deal with the lack of the things I loved through the comics or fanfiction. The most recent movie, Star Trek Beyond, wasn’t as climactic as the other two movies. However, I felt a connection between the characters and a sense of wonder that was missing in the action based stories presented by the reboot. Through this exploration I became a Trekkie, yet I am still a Trekkie newbie.

Beyond the canonical material, the beauty of Star Trek existed with the enthusiasm of the fans and the sense of curiosity and wonder that exudes from them.

Talking to other Trekkies was easy and most were well versed. Being new to the universe and slightly clueless at times, many people have opinions and ideas about how I should go about watching and whether I should attempt certain shows/movies/comics or should I avoid them completely. However, my favourite moment was when I was chatted up with an older couple on a train after Fan Expo in Toronto. The gentleman was asking me about the expo and whether he should go and I exclaimed about the many Star Trek attractions and those are definitely worth seeing. He proceeded to tell me about his experience with the original series, about meeting Shatner as a young man, and about his relationship with the reboot. The couple ended the conversation with wanting to adopt me, which made me very happy because they wanted more time to explore the world of Star Trek and help me become more engaged with this universe.

Having that conversation about a fandom that I am falling more and more in love with made me realize that this amazing universe is welcoming to every person whether no matter who they are. This acceptance has been integrated into the fandom. They are more than happy to introduce their fandom to a Trekkie newbie.

Being a Trekkie newbie means that I had not realized how inclusive this fandom is. Yes, there may have been some controversies around certain characters. No, the changes did not cause the fandom to into rages like many other changes have in other fandoms. The beauty of this fandom is that there is an active part of it that wants to be more inclusive and more well-rounded. The stories have encouraged me to believe in the constant expansion of scientific discovery, of technological advancements, and of human’s ability to be tolerant. Maybe, not all of these ideas are realistic, but they encourage people to be hopeful and to be curious. The stories are also a refreshing take on the human and “alien” relationship, which is peaceful.

I have not seen, read, or experienced all the different aspects of Star Trek, yet I already feel how influential this show is and how important that the newbie Trekkies see the original series and the other stories to understand the science and not depend on epics that are depended on instant gratification that movies have to produce.

So if you are just starting Star Trek, I recommend starting with the reboot then watching the classic show and the animated series. Read the comics in between and then tackle the Next Generation. At least that is what I’m doing to experience the fandom completely.