As 2024 approaches, we will all commemorate the New Year in our own way. Some will attend parties, others will head out to special events, and plenty will ignore the festivities altogether.
Luckily, Star Wars and Star Trek can help us ring in the New Year regardless of whether we’re alone, with friends, or not celebrating at all!
This New Year’s Eve, consider syncing up these sci-fi essentials so that classic moments play out right at midnight. Here are a handful of ideas to inspire you, but you can coordinate your celebration with any cinematic occasion you choose (all times based on streaming Star Wars on Disney+ and Star Trek on Paramount+).
1. Start watching Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back at 10:08:24 PM to hear Luke Skywalker yell "Noooooo!" upon learning his father’s true identity (spoiler alert!).
2. Engage Star Trek: First Contact at 10:39:02 PM so that Captain Jean-Luc Picard will exclaim "The line must be drawn here!" at midnight.
3. Catch Star Wars: The Force Awakens at 10:06:44 PM to see Rey find her path as she ignites the Skywalker lightsaber for the very first time.
4. Press play on Star Trek: Discovery’s “That Hope Is You, Part 2” at 10:59:56 PM to greet the New Year as Captain Michael Burnham proclaims “Let’s fly.”
5. Begin your rebellion with Star Wars: Return of the Jedi at 9:56:54 PM to light up your New Year amid the second Death Star’s destruction.
6. Beam over to the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode “Those Old Scientists” at 11:27:25 PM to experience Ensign Brad Boimler’s characteristic scream at midnight.
7. Hit the hyperspace lanes with Star Wars: The Force Awakens at 11:19:36 PM so that Han Solo can warm your New Year with his unforgettable line "Chewie, we're home."
8. Dive into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s “In The Pale Moonlight” at 11:16:15 PM so that Captain Benjamin Sisko can raise his glass to you as the calendar flips.
9. Chronicle the Republic’s downfall with Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith at 11:02:47 PM to hear Obi-Wan Kenobi deliver his signature "Hello there" greeting at midnight.
10. Speaking of revenge, set course for The Wrath of Khan at 10:49:18 PM to allow James T. Kirk to bellow "Khaaaaaan!" at the stroke of midnight.
Maybe I'll do all ten at the same time! Make 2024 a good one