Taipei:Hundreds of cosplayers, fantasy fans, and science fiction enthusiasts gathered at the Taipei Dome on Saturday for a Halloween celebration featuring lightsabers, elaborate costumes, and tributes to the late "Star Trek" actor Sir Patrick Stewart.
According to Focus Taiwan, organizer Makoto Tsai, a Taiwanese maker of handcrafted lightsabers, chose the Taipei Dome for this year's gathering because of its resemblance to the Death Star from the "Star Wars" film franchise.
Among those attending was cosplayer Bryan, who dressed as Baylan Skoll, a former Jedi turned mercenary in the "Star Wars" television series "Ahsoka." Bryan expressed his attraction to the character's imposing appearance and medieval-inspired costume. Other attendees dressed as characters from "Star Wars" and the "Predator" franchise, while a live-action role-player known as Haplo appeared as his original character, the Skull Death Knight.
Cosplayer Moon took a more unconventional approach, wearing a vintage television set fitted with LED animations as an original costume. The festivities also featured a dance routine set to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," performed by attendees, including a young student wearing the red jacket made famous by the song's 1983 music video.
A tribute to Stewart, best known for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek The Next Generation," who died on Oct. 28 at the age of 86, was a highlight of the event. One fan, identified as Commodore Chia, displayed a commemorative photo plaque signed by Stewart, noting that only 995 copies of the item were produced. Chia and other fans reminisced about meeting Stewart during his 2017 visit to Taiwan to promote "Logan."
Fans also spoke about the impact of Stewart's portrayal of Picard, with one fan, Charlie, describing the character's logical approach to leadership as an inspiration. Another fan, known as Q, brought a homemade alcohol-free version of Romulan Ale to share with fellow fans. The celebration concluded with a parade around the Taipei Dome, allowing cosplayers to pose for photographs and interact with passersby.
