Star Trek's Gates McFadden And John De Lancie React To Death Of Patrick Stewart

It's never easy saying goodbye to heroes we grew up adoring, but some deaths take even longer than others to process. The loss of "Star Trek" and "X-Men" legend Patrick Stewart still doesn't feel quite real yet, even as it feels like we've spent every day since celebrating all of his greatest and most memorable moments on the screen. When it comes to the tight-knit bonds formed between members of the "Trek" family, well, they've proven that it really is a family. Some relationships have experienced more friction than others, such as the widely-publicized rift between William Shatner and the late Walter Koenig, but others have gone through the fire and emerged stronger than ever.

That sense of history through the decades is probably why two celebrations of Stewart's life hit harder than the rest. In a pair of separate posts, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" co-stars Gates McFadden and John de Lancie both memorialized their longtime friend and screen partner. Cast as Beverly Crusher and the enigmatic cosmic being Q, respectively, McFadden and de Lancie represent two of Jean-Luc Picard's most popular and well-established character dynamics throughout their collective run on "Trek." Both shared countless memories together with Stewart on- and off-screen, and, fittingly enough, both received satisfying send-offs alongside their captain on "Star Trek: Picard."

For those prone to bursting into tears over such heartbreaking tributes, be warned that this will likely unleash the waterworks.

Jean-Luc Picard meant so much to so many, and Patrick Stewart's portrayal of the venerated captain represented something deeper and more meaningful than a simple "Trek" character. And while fans all over the world have attempted to verbalize just how important he was, the woman behind Dr. Beverly Crusher has now captured it as eloquently as only she can.

Gates McFadden was one of the many Hollywood icons who initially reacted to Stewart's passing. But in a guest article in Variety, she's penned a full-length eulogy for her friend's well-lived life. However, though it's well worth reading in full, one particular passage draws a direct link between the integrity of Stewart's performance as Picard and our desperate need for genuine leadership in real life (a particularly poignant message on the U.S.' Election Day):

"One thing is for certain: Patrick's reach across the continents was massive. After word of his death surfaced, the internet, not surprisingly, was filled with thousands of tributes of admiration and overflowing love for the Yorkshire man. He touched so many people in so many ways. Not only was he the captain of the Enterprise crew, he seems to have been everyone's captain because of how he walked in the world.

What a breath of fresh air to have a leader who cared about the ethics of what he said! The result was eloquence. Seriousness. Intellect. The character of Jean-Luc Picard, which Patrick played brilliantly, was the antithesis of many of our leaders today."

McFadden sums up Stewart's life and his tragic loss thusly: "Jean-Luc Picard embodied that ideal. Patrick's death means the loss of Picard, which for some hurts even more than the loss of Patrick Stewart. Jean-Luc gave us hope." 

Where Dr. Beverly Crusher brought both a platonic and romantic dimension to her relationship with Jean-Luc Picard, Q represents a very different extreme of emotions. Picard's longtime frenemy spent many an episode of "The Next Generation" annoying our good captain to no end, oftentimes outwitting our hero and proving himself an equal match in intellect or philosophy. But their two diametrically opposite perspectives on humanity added so much to their adventures over the years and, ultimately, reached a tearjerking crescendo in the Season 2 finale of "Star Trek: Picard" as they say an emotional goodbye to one another.

Actor John de Lancie struck that exact same tone in a Facebook post over the weekend. It's not easy to encapsulate such a complicated, prickly, but oh-so-entertaining dynamic between two such worthy opponents, but the Q scene-stealer certainly found a way. In a much shorter (though no less sincere) remembrance, he stated:

"For forty years, Q has been a thorn in Jean-Luc Picard's side. And what a pleasure it has been to be that thorn.

Patrick Stewart was a wonderful actor. He brought intelligence and depth to every role he played. It was a privilege to have worked with him.

The universe is a little smaller and a little less bright today with his passing.

Goodbye, Patrick. You touched so many.

See you out there, Mon Capitaine."

We couldn't have said it any better than that. Most Trekkies would put the Q and Picard rivalry up there among the best in the entire franchise — a testament to Stewart and de Lancie's easy chemistry and witty repartee. It's devastating to know we'll never see that on-screen again, yet reassuring to know it'll always stand the test of time.