On October 28th, 2026, Sir Patrick Stewart left this world for the Undiscovered Country. While his illustrious career included the highest profile Shakespearian stage performances and myriad roles on the big and small screens, his performance as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation holds a special place for Trekkies.
With that in mind, Comics Beat’s Star Trek team gathered in Ten Forward to pay our respects to the man who played mon capitaine. Please feel free to share your own answers in the comment section, or over on our social media page.
Cover image credit: Sarah Coulter/Paramount+. © 2023 CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Do you have a favorite memory of Jean-Luc Picard?
DEAN SIMONS: The episode called “The Inner Light,” where Picard lives an entire other life was fantastic and heartbreaking, giving Stewart a chance to stretch his legs within the role.
CHRISTOPHER CHIU-TABET: Gosh, there are so many, how do you pick just one? From his relationship with Q, to his history with the Borg, and all those moments where he was funny, romantic, or an action hero, it’s hard to pick a favorite. But I’m going to pick an unusual one, which is when he finally drops the f-bomb in the Star Trek: Picard episode “No Win Scenario” (season 3, episode 4).
People have described Picard as being our “Space Dad,” and it felt apt, because you eventually hear your parents and grandparents using coarser language than when you were a child, and it felt like Stewart was acknowledging just how long his presence in our lives has been.
Z. RICE: Stewart genuinely elevated every Jean-Luc Picard moment—his talent was a marvel (no pun intended). Every Next Generation fan knows with 100% certainty that there are four lights.
But Season 2 episode 2, “Family,” uncovered layers we didn’t even know we were longing for. After losing his humanity to the Borg, we get Picard’s most human episode. We watch him finally break down and unleash his despair, guilt, and PTSD. For the first time, our stalwart captain admits he needs help.
OLLIE KAPLAN: You’re making me laugh in an obit piece with that pun, Z. But that also brings me to my favorite Picard moment, Planet X by Michael Jan Friedman, where Picard meets Professor X. While we never see that moment on screen, the idea of it lives rent-free in a Hampton-sized estate in my head—and I’m lovin’ it.
GEORGE CARMONA: I know folks will cite The Measure of a Man or Family, but for my money, Sir Patrick made Jean-Luc his in Yesterday’s Enterprise. In this third season episode, the Enterprise-C is accidentally brought forward in time, altering the timeline to a universe where the Federation is in a losing battle with the Klingon Empire. Picard is informed that this timeline is corrupted and the Enterprise-C must go back and face her destiny in order to restore things to their proper place. Watching Picard wrestle with his crew and the decision of having to send the Enterprise-C crew back to die, bolstered by his pivotal speech before the battle with the Klingons, with the hardest line in Trek history, “Let’s make sure history never forgets the name Enterprise.” And in the heat of battle, he jumps over the tactical station to take over firing at the Klingons, badass.
TAIMUR DAR: I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m somewhat late to the Star Trek game. Many of the go-to Picard moments have already been mentioned. So I’m going to cheat a bit and say TNG cutaway gags in Family Guy. In particular this clip of the crew making fun of Worf’s head. I was tempted to say the Family Guy episode “Not All Dogs Go to Heaven” episode. Though technically a TNG reunion, not quite fair game since the actors are playing themselves and not their characters.
AVERY KAPLAN: In terms of an episode, I want to mention “Darmok.” A parable about the power of shared storytelling, it includes a scene in which Picard summarizes the Epic of Gilgamesh.
But I also want to mention a line delivered by Stewart in The Next Generation pilot, “Encounter at Farpoint.” Picard says, “If we are going to be damned, let us be damned for what we really are.” It hasn’t always been easy for me to live authentically, and it isn’t a stretch to say that lines like this have been a big part of what has enabled me to do so.
Do you have a favorite non-Picard performance by Stewart?
DEAN: During the peak of Covid, I remember enjoying his daily reading/renditions of the Sonnets of Shakespeare. Sharing his passion for the bard during such a bleak, scary (and at times dull) time.
CHRISTOPHER: Besides Professor X (who, for what it’s worth, I feel he gave his best performance as in Days of Future Past), there are just so many. I really enjoyed the version of A Christmas Carol he did as a kid, and he lent his wonderful voice to The Simpsons, The Pagemaster, The Prince of Egypt, Jimmy Neutron, and many more childhood favorites. More recently, he was a lot of fun as the older Merlin in The Kid Who Would Be King, although the younger version (Angus Imrie) has much more screentime.
I think Stewart had the most fun playing himself in recent years, subverting the stoic expectations he set in so many of his roles, by just being really goofy on late-night shows like Kimmel and Colbert, or that Paramount+ commercial with Arnold from Hey Arnold!, as well as being Ian McKellen’s partner-in-crime. On that note, I’ve never seen the film, but the scene in Safe House where he screams, “You motherf***ers are gonna kill all my lillies!” is absolute comedy gold. And who could forget the way he introduced Salt-N-Pepa on Saturday Night Live with such gusto!?
AVERY: It’s really hard to beat Professor X. And while he wasn’t directly involved, I really adore the moment in Planet X, previously mentioned by my husband Ollie, where Picard meets Charles (via the holodeck).
But aside from many of the roles already mentioned by my friends Dean and Christopher, I want to mention his guest starring role on Futurama, in the episode “31st Century Fox.” At the end, it is revealed Stewart’s character, the Master of the Hunt, is actually a robot rather than a human. While the episode was released in 2012, this now feels like a reference to Picard Season 1 to me, which makes it extra hilarious.
Z.: Shocking to no one, Professor X, but especially in Logan. No one else (except perhaps Stewart’s bestie McKellan) could better play this all-powerful X-Man turned vulnerable invalid, losing control of his powers and his mind. But still badass as hell. —Z. Rice
OLLIE: Not to be cheesy, but my favorite “other” role from Sir P. Stew is all of his activism. The man really earned that knighthood, with all the work he did for others. Domestic violence activism. Check. LGBTQIA+ activism. Check. COVID-19 safety activism. Check. Animal rights activism. Check. And in his final hour, he even requested that fans donate “memorial contributions may be made to Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources,” according to an Instagram post reported on by Trash Kitty Comics.
GEORGE: Besides the franchise work with Star Trek and the X-Men, Sir Patrick is also known for his Shakespearean work, but he quietly built a reputation for being funny. And for me, his run as Walter Blunt in the Starz channel sitcom Blunt Talk. Sir Patrick plays an overbearing cable news personality with major issues, like being unable to go in a public bathroom with other people around, and watching Captain Picard struggle with a toilet seat cover, priceless.
TAIMUR: Numerous that’s it’s hard to choose. In terms of animation, I have a soft spot for his role as CIA Deputy Director Avery Bullock in American Dad. Besides a great showcase of his comedic skills, I also find it really endearing that self-professed Trekkie Seth MacFarlane developed a deep professional and personal relationship throughout the years.
But I’m sure the most obvious is Professor Xavier in the X-Men film franchise. It’s one of those no-brainer casting decisions fans knew would be perfect from the get-go. And sure enough. There is certainly some overlap not just between Picard and Xavier as characters but also Star Trek and X-Men as franchises.
Stewart never phoned it in or looked down upon the material in any way. In fact, his involvement elevated the material. I know it’s easy to joke about how often he’s been killed off playing Professor X. I think it’s safe to assume that’s the case for Avengers: Doomsday, so I’m hoping it will be a fitting and touching swan song.
Do you have any other reflections on Stewart to share on the occasion of his passing?
DEAN: I loved how he was able to evoke a sense of calm in his many more well-known roles. And his deep sense of empathy he displayed in his public life.
TAIMUR: Even being highly educated and classically educated, I love that Stewart was never elitist or looked down upon popular entertainment. In fact, he wasn’t shy about enjoying it for himself. I vaguely recall years back that Stewart was a fan of Beavis & Butt-Head. I wasn’t entirely sure If it was something I misremembered, but quick search on the internet confirmed that it was indeed the case.
For me, the most telling thing about Stewart is the fact that I haven’t heard a single bad word said about him. That’s not always the case when entertainers pass away. So that speaks volumes.
CHRISTOPHER: It feels so strange to grieve someone I never even saw on stage, but such was his presence in my life. I used to be late for school, or stay up just to hear him talk about X-Men on TV, for goodness’ sake. He would’ve been the first to admit he wasn’t perfect, but he was an ideal father figure, especially for those of us with less than great parents, and cool nerd representation too (let’s not forget how contentious the idea of a bald leading man was when TNG premiered). That extended into real life, with the way he opened up about domestic violence during his childhood, and spoke out on Brexit and other political issues. And even though he was 86, he still had such a lust for life (he still wanted to keep playing Picard, and presumably Xavier if Marvel asked), that his death from Alzheimer’s and Lewy body dementia feels especially cruel.
I think Stewart should be an example to us all to continue to always be open-minded and curious, to be playful and joyful, and to speak out about what matters, even into old age. I struggle to think of how many younger prominent actors can fulfill the similar role of an older role model someday, and that also saddens me. Even now, something like his love for his local football team (Huddersfield Town) is making me consider if I should remain as antipathetic towards sports as I am. As the saying on his signature series goes, he lived long and prospered, and I only wish he’d been with us for even longer.
GEORGE: I had always hoped I would run into him one day so I could thank him for being the catalyst for my wife and me connecting. Thank you Sir Patrick.
Z.: If you haven’t seen photos and videos of Patrick Stewart with rescue pit bulls, stop reading and go do that now. He seemed to be a man of both gravitas and lightness, wisdom and silliness. And each new layer he revealed touched me in some way. He was my captain.
OLLIE: Everyone else has something deep to say — and I second all of it. I will add that if you didn’t think this man would become a major sex symbol, then you’ve never seen the photo below of him in Shakespeare.
AVERY: The final scenes of Picard show the titular character playing cards in Ten Forward alongside the cast of The Next Generation. My understanding is that Terry Matalas simply filmed the actors enjoying each other’s company, allowing their real-life chemistry to shine through. Considering this is the last time they’ll all appear on screen together, I’m glad its a fitting send-off, and I’m glad we got to see Stewart return to the role for thirty episodes before he passed away.
Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
