On Alan Rickman’s birthday, I’ll say that I imagine in Galaxy Quest fandom, there’s a rift that’ll never be fixed.
Half the fandom thinks it’s the “sons of Warvan”, as though Warvan was a patriarch. The other half thinks it’s the “suns of Warvan”, like Warvan is a planet.
I think it’s suns of Warvan, for two reasons. One, since Grabthar’s hammer is a lifeless object, why not point the other half of the oath in a similar direction. Two, we don’t know anything about Warvan, or his sons. Even though Dr. Lazarus is one of the greatest characters ever imagined — and we’d like to think anyone to whom he swears the oath is worthy — for all we know, the sons of Warvan might be Don Jr. and Eric. Suns of Warvan, please.
Galaxy Quest was the best movie of its kind. (Maybe the only one, so lucky us that they nailed it.) Galaxy Quest the movie makes fun of everybody in the real world. Everyone — even the two dipshits in the convention center restroom who ridicule Jason Nesmith. Those two nitwits bought a con badge so they could rag on people at the con?!
Everybody in the real world is subject to ribbing, but the Thermians and Sarris’ crew are played earnestly straight. So when Alexander Dane says Dr. Lazarus’ oath with sincerity for the first time, it’s a huge moment for Quellek the dying Thermian, and for us.
At the start of that movie, we the fans are scum — Dane wants the kids wearing his makeup to frag off, and Nesmith isn’t looking at us by the end of the day. But at the end of the movie, it’s fans who guide Nesmith and Gwen DeMarco through the (*so* dumb that it’s awesome) bowels of the ship.
By Grabthar’s hammer, I will watch Galaxy Quest again tonight. (If Grabthar and Thor whacked each other with hammers, who’d win?)
