When Patrick Stewart sadly passed away at the end of October, the great actor was already on our minds. Because Team Empire was planning our act on the next one Avengers: Apocalypsein which Stewart will appear once again – and now, for the last time – as Professor Charles Xavier, a role he originated more than a quarter of a century ago. The loyal and wise leader of the X-Men is a role he will always be remembered for, and seeing him bring all that gravitas again in doomsday will be something truly special.
As the world learned of Stewart’s death and we wrapped up the issue, we decided to honor his life, his legacy and the cinematic icons he played with a special cover for subscribers. Illustrated exclusively for Empire by Thomas Walker, it features new artwork of Stewart as Xavier, as he will always be remembered, as well as one of the character’s great quotes: “We’re not as alone as you think.” And since Stewart was also, of course, the legendary Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Picardand several Star Trek In the feature films, he was drawn looking towards space – the final frontier.
Empire Editor Nick de Semlyen says: “Whether he’s teaching mutants, negotiating with rogue aliens, or appearing in something more down-to-earth, Patrick Stewart has always brought warmth and wisdom to the screen. The cinema is poorer for his absence, but he will forever be remembered through his iconic performances – notably Professor X, depicted on our new subscriber cover communing with the great unknown. Farewell to the actor who made it that way.”
In this issue, we also pay tribute to Stewart by looking back at the impact of Xavier and Picard, with EmpireChris Hewitt and Helen O’Hara write the memories of two characters who shaped and defined the world of science fiction for several decades, and to whom Stewart returned again and again throughout his life.
Although we will miss Stewart dearly, we are grateful to have the X-Men movies, sound Star Trek adventures, and other gems from his filmography (Green room! That of David Lynch Dune!) to come back to him – and what a gift it will be to see him again in Avengers: Apocalypse. Thanks for everything, professor.
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