Leonard Nimoy

Leonard Nimoy became so essential to the Star Trek franchise, that he was ultimately given the opportunity to direct his own death scene in Wrath of Khan. That would come after consistently netting $2.5 million per movie, playing the legendary character of Spock.

What led to Nimoy’s departure came down to a level of ambivalence regarding his own character arc, opting to vie for more interesting roles. The character’s legacy is still very much alive in the heart of Trekkies, as well as any number of spin-off shows and movies. It turns out that the spirit of Spock could never be extinguished, no matter how much time has passed.