There are several reasons why people flocked to watch "Star Trek Beyond". Some wanted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of "Star Trek" while others were planning to see how many Easter Eggs would appear in the sequel. Perhaps there are fans who wanted to watch the late Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin as their beloved characters for the last time.
"Star Trek Beyond" did not disappoint in any of these aspects. There were so many references to TOS scattered throughout the film. However, some of the best things that a true fan would see in the sequel are the touching tributes to Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin.
In "Star Trek Beyond", Zachary Quinto's Spock is informed that the future Spock has died. In the end, the younger Spock receives some of his future stuff and comes across a photo of Leonard Nimoy as Spock.
"Star Trek Beyond" was prepared to honor Nimoy. However, the tragic death of Anton Yelchin happened just a few weeks before the premiere. Nevertheless, the film managed to squeeze in a subtle tribute to the late actor.
Early in the film, Bones McCoy finds Jim Kirk drinking Saurian brandy (no surprise here) during his birthday. He reveals that he has stolen a bottle of whiskey from Pavel Chekov's locker and pours three drinks. Before they drink, the two characters clink their glasses on the third glass.
Director Justin Lin has confirmed that the third glass was set out in honor of Anton Yelchin (via Empire). Although it was a subtle tribute that may have gone unnoticed, it was a fitting tribute nonetheless.
Overall, "Star Trek Beyond" tried it best to meet the fans' expectations while delivering a completely new film that highlighted the supporting cast. It might not be "Wrath of Khan", but it honors TOS so reverently that people can't help but enjoy it.