EDITORIAL: THE SPACE BETWEEN THEM

Shane Morehead, Staff Writer

“Star Trek” and “Star Wars” have been the two biggest rival science fiction space franchises since the first “Star Wars” movie released in 1977, ten years after “Star Trek.” “Star Wars” is amazing. I’m not a diehard fan, but the movies are admirable. The story is so complex and large. Various connections through several characters link the story and make it more like several stories, rather than one. The movies switch points of view, giving an understanding of every character. The characters have so many different aspects and seem real. Characters aren’t limited to one thing. The villains are menacing, the heroes are heroic, and C3P0 and Chewbacca are funny. None of them are clichés; they’re completely different. They could be a different race, have a strange past, or they could be from another planet. Darth Vader isn’t just another same old villain born bad; he has a story to how that happened. Since 1977, “Star Wars” has captivated audiences of all ages, and I think it will remain a classic for several more decades. “Star Trek” has more of what space movies and shows should have: exploration. The shows have been more focused on exploration than the recent movies, which incorporate much more battle and destruction. I love the characters. They’re iconic. Spock is a dull emotionless Vulcan, and the movies show him becoming more open and being friendlier with Kirk. Kirk is funny, but he also plays the role of a leader so well. The best part of both characters is the friendship between them, though. My favorite part of any movie I’ve ever watched is in “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” when Kirk is on the other side of a door, dying, and Spock is finally showing true emotions: anger and sadness. He goes out and then hunts Khan down and attempts to kill him. The characters in “Star Trek” have more emotion, and the franchise spends much more time developing them because they’re not always fighting. I hate when a movie only has elements from one genre, it’s boring, and in some cases, ridiculous. “Star Trek” is dramatic and has action. If I’m being completely honest, I like “Star Trek” just a little more than “Star Wars.”