William Shatner talks what it means to 'Go Boldly'

"To boldly go" is a phrase that most Star Trek fans have heard a time or two. It's an oft-repeated phrase that's as synonymous with Star Trek as anything. It's an idea that has been paired with the notion of exploration and discovery, something that became a staple of the very first series the franchise ever produced. The one that introduced the world to William Shatner.

Shatner starred as the iconic James T. Kirk, captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and helped lead the franchise to relevancy for decades to come. If anyone has gone boldly in their career and life, it'd be Shatner, who is the only living member of the crew of Star Trek to go to space.

So when he released the trailer to his long-awaited autobiography "William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill", Shatner tackled the concept of going boldly and what he thought it meant, saying;

"It's an interesting phrase, 'Go boldly.' What is there to boldly go into? Do we ever present ourselves as we really are? To somebody else can we be absolutely honest? As we get older, we ask ourselves questions. Do we really know each other? Do we really know ourselves? Why are we here? Everything's risky, but there's something beautiful about that. I haven't changed the world, but what is a legacy are the good deeds. Go boldly, go with courage, go with commitment. That's what it means. And then, boldly go into the next adventure. That's the story of my life. It's the search for love, symmetry, and passion. That curiosity is what keeps us alive."

It's a phrase that many from Star Trek have embraced over the years. Many of them have done things no one thought possible. Just looking at what Nichelle Nichols did with her during and after the franchise should show you the impact the cast has. Her time as Uhura opened a variety of opportunities and possibilities for thousands of people.

Shatner's take on 'going boldly' isn't too far from what many would consider an accurate definition, and we're very excited to hear more of his musings when his new special drops.