Editing Galaxy Quest (section)

== Plot ==

The cast of the 1980s space-adventure series ''Galaxy Quest'' attend [[fan convention]]s and make trivial promotional appearances. Though the series' former star, Jason Nesmith, thrives on the attention, his co-stars Gwen DeMarco, Alexander Dane, Fred Kwan, and Tommy Webber resent him and the states of their careers. At a convention, a group calling themselves Thermians approaches Jason for help. Thinking they want him for a promotional appearance, he agrees. The next morning, when they pick him up, a hungover Jason does not grasp that the Thermians are actual aliens who have transported him to a working re-creation of the ''Galaxy Quest'' starship, the NSEA ''Protector''. Jason believes he is on a set, and performs in character as he confronts the Thermians' enemy, Sarris, who demands the "Omega 13", a secret super weapon with unknown capabilities mentioned in the show's finale, but never used on screen. Giving perfunctory orders, Jason manages to temporarily defeat Sarris.

After the grateful Thermians transport him back to Earth, Jason realizes the experience was real and attempts to convince the other cast members. When the Thermian Laliari seeks Jason's help again, the cast joins him, along with the convention [[Master of ceremonies|emcee]], Guy, who had played an [[redshirt (stock character)|ill-fated extra]] in one episode. Aboard the ''Protector'', the cast learn that the Thermians, who possess no concept of fiction, believe the episodes of ''Galaxy Quest'' are true "historical documents". Inspired by the crew's adventures, they have based their society on the virtues espoused by the show.

Sarris returns and demands the "Omega 13" device. He attacks the ''Protector'' again, and the ship barely escapes through a magnetic minefield. However, the ship's power source, a [[beryllium]] sphere, is severely damaged. The humans travel to a nearby planet and take a replacement sphere from ferocious, childlike alien miners. Jason is temporarily left behind and fends off a rock creature until the others rescue him. On their return to the ''Protector'', the crew discovers that Sarris has seized the ship. After Jason confesses they are just actors, Sarris forces him to explain the truth to the disillusioned Thermian leader, Mathesar. Sarris activates the ''Protector'''s [[self-destruct]] mechanism and returns to his ship.

Jason and Gwen manage to abort the self-destruct sequence by following instructions from Brandon, the leader of a group of ''Galaxy Quest'' superfans back on Earth. Meanwhile, Alexander leads a Thermian revolt against Sarris' forces and takes back control of the ''Protector''. With renewed confidence, the crew challenges Sarris and draws his ship into the magnetic minefield, destroying it. As they return to Earth, Sarris, who escaped his ship's destruction, ambushes them on the bridge and fatally wounds several crew members. Jason activates the "Omega 13", which sends everyone 13 seconds back in time and gives Jason and Mathesar a chance to stun and disarm Sarris before the attack.

The ''Protector'''s bridge separates from the main vessel to return the humans to Earth, while the main vessel carries the Thermians into interstellar space. The ''Protector'' bridge crashes into a ''Galaxy Quest'' convention, and the dazed cast emerges to the applause of their fans. Sarris awakens and levels his gun at the cast, but Jason shoots and destroys him. The crowd assumes it was all a display of special effects and cheers wildly, while the crew basks in their newfound glory.

Sometime later, ''Galaxy Quest'' is revived as a sequel series, ''Galaxy Quest: The Journey Continues'', with the cast reprising their roles alongside Guy and Laliari as new cast members.