No Prodigy At Star Trek Day 2024

All of us have dreamt of it, some of us have cosplayed it, but this year, for Star Trek Day on 8 September, fans will be invited to "Take the Chair" and "Make an Impact," all part of an international campaign, according to StarTrek.com, to inspire us to "embrace the optimistic vision of a brighter future and to give back to the inclusive community of fans that Star Trek has fostered over the years". It's no doubt a little trite to say so, but the world could certainly do with a few better captains in all of its chairs!

With the Bell Riots still ringing and Past Tense looking rather more like Present Continuous, it seems only right that the fifth annual celebration of the first airing of The Man Trap (in the US) should be an effort to dislodge us from our collective navel-gazing, to act for (a) change. In that sense, the franchise itself has partnered with three global non-profit organisations: Code.org, whose mission it is to ensure that every K-12 student (in the US and internationally), with a focus on young women and underrepresented groups, receive an education in computer science; DoSomething, which promotes volunteerism and activism among young people; and Outright International, a global LGBTIQ human rights group that advocates for inclusion and equality. Moreover, according to StarTrek.com, "25% of all U.S. sales from select items on the official Star Trek Shop will benefit these three nonprofits".

If you do want to literally 'take the chair,' and you're in the area(s), you can head to one of three "pop-up events," either Taste of Chicago (Chicago), which will have the chair from the USS Enterprise from 6-8 September, the ALEXA Mall in Berlin, or the Richmond Centre Vancouver (both on 8 September). Those last two locations will feature a "modern architectural interpretation of the captain's chair crafted from sustainable materials". At all three, you will be able to take photos, get a "personalised mission" and a "limited edition enamel pin".

For those who can't go to any (most of us), there will be a digital experience (of some sort, we'll find out) at StarTrek.com. Ultimately, along with the direct charitable endeavours, the 'Take the Chair' campaign asks fans to imagine themselves in the world famous seat and wonder, "What would I do if I were setting the course to the future?" Personally, and this is no doubt a truism, I'd say that looking on to tomorrow only has merit provided we're always plotting a heading right back to today (and going fast)!

From 7-13 September, fans can also watch how each of the actual captains 'took [to] the chair,' as all the pilot/debut episodes (except for Star Trek: Prodigy, unfortunately) from The Cage to Strange New Worlds, as well as a selection of Short Treks, will be made available for free across various platforms including Paramount+'s YouTube page, Pluto TV, Amazon, Apple and Roku. And although Star Trek: Prodigy is once again not being featured in the official Star Trek Day events (like last year), fans should watch this space, as there may be PIZZA news to come!