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Wesley Crusher

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Lieutenant junior grade Wesley R. Crusher was the gifted son of Starfleet officers Lieutenant Commander Jack R. Crusher and Doctor Beverly Crusher and half-brother of Jack Crusher . He spent several years aboard the USS Enterprise -D and three years at Starfleet Academy . His Starfleet career, already turned sour by a scandal at the Academy, was cut short when he renounced ties with the UFP and became a protégé of the transdimensional Tau Alphan known as The Traveler . ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", " Final Mission ", " The First Duty ", " Rascals ", " Journey's End ")

Crusher apparently eventually returned to Starfleet and, by 2379 , may have become a full-fledged officer, holding the rank of lieutenant junior grade. ( Star Trek Nemesis ) If so, he eventually resumed his travels by 2401 , though he no longer used the name Wesley Crusher. ( PIC : " Farewell ").

1 Early life
2.1 The Traveler
2.2 Acting ensign
3 Starfleet Academy
4 Later career
5.1.1 Jean-Luc Picard
5.1.2 William T. Riker
5.1.3 Geordi La Forge
5.1.5 Guinan
5.1.6 The Traveler
5.2.1 Salia
5.2.2 Annette
5.2.3 Robin Lefler
6.1 Holograms
6.2 Alternate realities and timelines
7 Service record
8.1 Appearances
8.2 Background information
8.3 Apocrypha
8.4 External links

Early life [ ]

Even as early as ten weeks old, baby Wesley resembled his mother and his father's parents , at least in Jack's opinion. ( TNG : " Family ")

When Wesley was five years old in 2353 , his father, Jack R. Crusher, was killed during an away mission while serving on board the USS Stargazer under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard . Picard was forced to choose between saving another team member or Crusher, his personal friend, and Crusher ended up losing his life. Wesley would remember the look in the captain's eyes when he broke the news to Wesley and his mother. For some time, Wesley would remain angry at Picard for surviving when his father did not, although this faded as he got older. ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", " The Bonding ", " True Q ", " Attached ") In time he came to understand the situation that Picard and his father were in, but unknowingly developed a fear of being faced with the same dilemma that Picard had to deal with. ( TNG : " Coming of Age ")

The Enterprise -D [ ]

Ten years later, fifteen-year-old Wesley found himself living aboard the starship USS Enterprise -D when his mother, Doctor Beverly Crusher became Captain Picard's chief medical officer aboard the ship. ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ")

Wesley often was a challenge and sore sight in the captain's eyes, even if he was the son of a good friend, because of the captain's disdain for children, although Wesley's astuteness and knowledge of engineering , as well as top grades on scientific examinations continuously impressed Picard. These same characteristics were, in part, the cause of Wesley suffering from loneliness early on, as his peers were intimidated by his bright mind – he also showed a tendency to take his duties almost too seriously.

Wesley excelled at his studies aboard the vessel and, through primary school , found himself participating in work-study programs alongside many of the Enterprise 's senior officers .

When in 2364 the crew of the Enterprise became intoxicated with polywater and exhibited unusual manic behavior, Wesley, who had also became intoxicated, took control of engineering , appointing himself acting captain Wesley Crusher and barricading himself in engineering, watching as Jim Shimoda pulled out most of the isolinear chips that controlled the navigational system of the ship. This put the Enterprise in danger when a stellar core fragment was hurtling in their direction. However, the incident did allow Wesley to display his genius, having him save the ship by solving a problem in his head that would take anyone else weeks to figure out, including the Chief Engineer, by proposing that they turn the starship's tractor beam into a repulsor beam to push away the Enterprise . This move gave the Enterprise the extra time needed for Data to finish the repairs so the ship could move to safety. ( TNG : " The Naked Now ")

During a visit to the planet Rubicun III , Wesley accidentally disturbed the plants while playing--and, as punishment, was sentenced to death. Even though Picard was shocked at the sentence the inhabitants of the planet, the Edo , had imposed on Wesley, he nonetheless decided to respect their laws by not immediately beaming away "the Wesley boy". Picard discovered that the Edo were provided for by a mysterious object in their planet's orbit . After much inner struggle and extensive negotiations with the Edo that proved unfruitful, Picard decided that in this case he had no choice but to violate the Prime Directive to save Wesley's life. Prepared to battle the entity in space if necessary and over the Edo's objection, he attempted to beam Wesley to safety to find the Edo God was preventing it. However knowing they could hear him, Picard successfully argued that the sentence was unjust and laws with no leeway or exceptions was an injustice in itself. The entities accepted the argument by allowing the beam-out. ( TNG : " Justice ")

Wesley as he would appear at age 25, according to Riker with the power of Q

Later that year, Wesley was given his wish of being an adult who was taken seriously after Commander William T. Riker was given the power of the Q , but he rejected the change, stating that he wanted to get there on his own. ( TNG : " Hide And Q ")

In the attempt by Lore to hijack the Enterprise , it was Wesley who discovered that Lore was impersonating Data. In the beginning no one believed Wesley and he was sent off the bridge for making the accusation, but it turned out that Wesley had been in fact correct about Lore all along. ( TNG : " Datalore ")

When the Aldeans kidnapped the children on the Enterprise as they were unable to procreate, Wesley led the children in an act of defiance, encouraging them to not cooperate with the Aldeans so they would be forced to let them go back. After the Enterprise offered to cure the Aldeans, the children were released. ( TNG : " When The Bough Breaks ")

The Traveler [ ]

Crusher as an acting ensign

In 2364 , Wesley befriended The Traveler when he accompanied Kosinski aboard the Enterprise -D to assist with warp drive efficiency upgrade experiments. When the ship was transported millions of light years to the galaxy known as M-33 , Wesley assisted The Traveler in returning the ship to their own galaxy . It was just before the Enterprise 's return to its original position that The Traveler informed Captain Picard of Wesley's prodigious abilities, telling him that Wesley was a genius with the intricacies of time, energy and propulsion and that those talents needed to be encouraged. However, he emphasized that neither Wesley nor his mother should ever be told any of this, as it was important that the boy cultivate those abilities naturally without interference.

Captain Picard, who was also very impressed with Wesley's contributions during that mission, granted him the field commission of acting ensign "for outstanding performance in the best Starfleet tradition" on stardate 41263.4. He told Wesley that whether that rank became permanent depended on him. He also instructed Commander William T. Riker to create a duty schedule that was heavy on study in order for him to learn the ship – every operation, every function – so he would be ready for the Starfleet Academy entrance exam . ( TNG : " Where No One Has Gone Before ")

Acting ensign [ ]

Crusher in 2365

Late in 2364, Wesley took the entrance exam, but did not pass. However, his spirits were lifted when Picard told him that he too had failed the exam the first time. ( TNG : " Datalore ", " Coming of Age ")

In 2365 , Crusher met Salia , a young girl who was to be the ruler of Daled IV . Salia was tended to by Anya , an allasomorph who could change shapes. She threatened Wesley but was stopped by Salia. Although she, too, was smitten with Wesley, she chose to do her duty and left the Enterprise . ( TNG : " The Dauphin ")

In 2365 , William Riker assigned Wesley command of a science team with the mission of investigating Selcundi Drema . Wesley chose Prixus , Alans , Hildebrant , and Davies to serve on his team. ( TNG : " Pen Pals ")

One of Wesley's experiments went wrong and almost destroyed the Enterprise . He had allowed nanites , small robots , to work together in an attempt to improve their efficiency, but they later accidentally escaped containment and were replicating and becoming sentient . After a visiting scientist on board Enterprise , Dr. Paul Stubbs , tried to kill them because they had interfered with an experiment that was his life's work, they attacked the ship. Data allowed them to enter his body in order to speak through him, and a solution was found. ( TNG : " Evolution ")

Promoted to full ensign

Wesley successfully completed his written exams for Starfleet Academy in 2366 but did not complete his oral exams that year when he failed to board the USS Bradbury for the journey to Earth . When reviewing his service record, Captain Picard felt that Wesley's service made him an acting ensign in name only, and promoted him to full ensign , with all responsibilities and privileges – including the right to wear a Starfleet uniform . Wesley served as ensign aboard the Enterprise for the next year before leaving to become a cadet . ( TNG : " Ménage à Troi ", " Final Mission ")

Starfleet Academy [ ]

A second-year cadet

After being accepted to Starfleet Academy, Picard offered to accompany Wesley to Earth, but first had to stop on Pentarus to mediate a dispute. The two were to travel with a representative of the planet named Dirgo . Their shuttle crashed and they were stranded on a desert planet. They found a water fountain in a cave but it was guarded by a force field . When Dirgo fired on the field, an electrical pulse discharged, causing a rock slide that seriously injured Picard. Later Dirgo, ignoring Wesley's advice, was killed by the same pulse. Wesley was able to disengage the force field and get water, saving Picard. They were rescued by the Enterprise shortly after. ( TNG : " Final Mission ")

A year later, Wesley boarded the Oberth -class USS Cochrane to visit his mother on the Enterprise while on break from the Academy. Over the course of his visit, he developed an attraction to Ensign Robin Lefler . During his visit, both he and Lefler discovered that the crew was acting strangely by obsessively playing a game . The game turned out to be a mind control device; it had been given to Riker on Risa in an attempt to capture the Enterprise . With the help of Lefler, Wesley and Data were able to disable the devices and restore the crew to normal. Before he left, Lefler gave Wesley a copy of " Robin's Laws " as a memento. ( TNG : " The Game ")

At the Academy, Wesley had become a member of the elite Nova Squadron . His Academy career in 2368 was troubled, however, when a deadly accident with his Nova Squadron comrades precipitated a cover-up. During the ceremony, Wesley and his comrades had engaged in a dangerous and prohibited flight maneuver known as the Kolvoord Starburst which caused the death of cadet Joshua Albert . Wesley, led by his well-spoken squadron leader Nicholas Locarno lied at the hearing, trying to blame the accident on Albert. But Picard eventually found out and confronted Wesley about it. He was angered but also disappointed in him, telling him that regardless of the loyalty he felt towards Locarno and his other comrades, his number one duty as a Starfleet officer was always to the truth. Picard threatened to come forward with his evidence unless Wesley did. Hesitantly, Wesley came forward with the truth and barely escaped expulsion.

All of Wesley's grades and work for that academic year were voided as punishment, and he was required to repeat the courses. He was crushed, having disappointed and let down everybody: his friends, his instructors, his family, and even himself. It was hardly a consolation when Picard commented that Wesley knew all along what was the right thing to do… and that, despite everything, it took the captain's ultimatum before Wes could bring himself to follow through. Although Wesley carried on with his studies after being left back, he never recaptured the self-respect and sense of belonging which the Nova Squadron scandal had cost him; these were replaced with deep-rooted shame and cynicism. Being surrounded by people who refused to forget or let him forget the scandal didn't help either. ( TNG : " The First Duty " ( citation needed • edit ) )

Wesley as a civilian

In 2370 , cadet Crusher resigned from Starfleet Academy after The Traveler – posing as a villager on Dorvan V – guided him through a vision of his deceased father who told him that his destiny lay somewhere other than with Starfleet and that he should not follow in his footsteps. Much to his mother's and Picard's disappointment yet with their support, Wesley heeded the advice after which The Traveler revealed his true identity and promised to mentor the young man on his new journey, presumably to other planes of existence. ( TNG : " Journey's End ")

Later career [ ]

Crusher in 2379

Despite the words of The Traveler, Wesley attended the marriage of William Riker and Deanna Troi in a lieutenant junior grade dress uniform in 2379 , strongly suggesting that he had indeed become a Starfleet officer at some point. ( Star Trek Nemesis )

In the years that followed, Crusher rejoined with the Travelers, and at one point, during a visitation with the past, Wesley had made a joke that had inadvertently changed a century's worth of history. Following that incident, he endeavored to never be misunderstood again. Wesley and the other Travelers were also responsible for dispatching the various supervisors responsible for ensuring the proper flow of time.

Following the success of the Europa Mission and the foiling of Adam Soong 's plot to create the Confederation of Earth timeline, Wesley approached Kore Soong and offered her a choice: she could continue to lead an ordinary life, or she could take a different path that would lead to "everything else", though Wesley could not guarantee Kore's safety. Conceding that she had never been safe, Kore accepted Wesley's offer and they were teleported away. ( PIC : " Farewell ")

Following his return to The Travelers, his mother considered herself as having had lost a son. A fact pointed out to her by Vadic in 2401 . ( PIC : " Seventeen Seconds ", " Dominion ", " Võx ")

Personal relationships [ ]

Friendships [ ], jean-luc picard [ ].

Wesley, Picard and Beverly Crusher, 2364

Picard showing Wesley his chair

Wesley's relationship with the Enterprise 's commanding officer , Jean-Luc Picard began when he brought his father Jack R. Crusher's body back to him and his mother Beverly after Jack was killed on an away mission while serving on the USS Stargazer . ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", " Coming of Age ", " The Bonding ", " Violations ", " Attached ") Picard eventually became a father figure to Wesley. He later told Picard how angry he was that his father had met his end and not Picard, although he forgave the captain years later. ( TNG : " The Bonding ")

Picard and Wesley did not meet again until ten years later , when he and his mother were assigned to the Enterprise . After getting a brief tour of the bridge, Picard threw both Crushers off when Wesley announced a perimeter alert while sitting in his chair but later allowed him back on the bridge and had him control the operations station when he negotiated for a vaccine from Ligon II . ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", " Code of Honor ")

Wesley and Picard on the shuttlecraft Einstein

Picard reluctantly gave Wesley credit for saving the Enterprise from a stellar core fragment by forcing a repulsor beam against the SS Tsiolkovsky and later gave him the rank of acting ensign when he assisted The Traveler in returning the Enterprise back to the Milky Way Galaxy from the end of the universe . ( TNG : " The Naked Now ", " Where No One Has Gone Before ")

Picard violated the Prime Directive to save Wesley from capital punishment on Rubicun III after he unintentionally violated their laws by trespassing in a restricted zone on their world. ( TNG : " Justice ")

Later in 2364, Wesley repeatedly tried to tell Picard his misgivings about Data (which was actually Lore impersonating him). Picard then uttered " Shut up, Wesley. " Wesley's mother, although dismayed by Picard's choice of words, repeated his phrase to her son moments later when he would not be silent. ( TNG : " Datalore ")

Picard later consoled Wesley after he failed his Starfleet Academy entrance exam on Relva VII by telling him that he too had failed on his first attempt. Picard told Wesley that he was not to tell anyone about that, however. ( TNG : " Coming of Age ")

Picard shares some life wisdom with Wesley in 2365

A year later, in 2365 , Picard allowed Wesley to stay on board the Enterprise when his mother left for Starfleet Medical and later tried to offer him some words of comfort after he witnessed the destruction of the USS Yamato . ( TNG : " The Child ", " Contagion ")

Picard and Wesley took the shuttlecraft Einstein to Starbase 515 together where on the way they learned many things about each other. Picard offered him some words of advice, saying that he should read literature, philosophy and history as well as subjects not required reading, so one day everything in the universe might mean something to him. ( TNG : " Samaritan Snare ")

In 2366 , Wesley assisted Picard and the Enterprise in rescuing Riker and Troi from DaiMon Tog but missed his transport to Earth on the USS Bradbury to begin his Starfleet Academy training. In light of these efforts, Picard gave Wesley a field promotion to a full ensign. ( TNG : " Ménage à Troi ")

Picard and Wesley were stranded when Dirgo 's shuttle, the Nenebek crashed on Lambda Paz in 2367 . With no food, water or shelter, Picard, Wesley, and Dirgo found refuge in a cave . Picard pushed Wesley out of the way of large falling rocks, which fell on top of Picard, seriously injuring him. Wesley kept Picard alive long enough for help to arrive after deactivating a force field surrounding water they had detected inside the cave with their tricorders . Wesley and Picard had a heartfelt goodbye during which Picard told him " Wesley… you will be missed. " ( TNG : " Final Mission ")

Wesley says goodbye to Picard

When the Enterprise crew were brainwashed by the Ktarian game in 2368 , Wesley, visiting the Enterprise from the Academy, informed Picard first about his and Robin Lefler's findings on the game ( TNG : " The Game ") and later Picard had a heated discussion with Wesley after he lied about his team, the Nova Squadron performing a dangerous and illegal maneuver called the Kolvoord Starburst which killed a fellow cadet. Picard told him " the first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth; whether it is scientific truth or historical truth or personal truth! It is the guiding principle on which Starfleet is based! " After admitting to Admiral Brand his and the team's deceit, Picard commended him for telling the truth and doing the right thing. ( TNG : " The First Duty ")

In 2370 , fed up with Starfleet, Wesley joined forces with the colonists of Dorvan V to protest the removal from their home by the Cardassians . Picard called his actions "inexcusable" and not those of a Starfleet officer. Wesley then personally gave Picard his resignation from Starfleet and ultimately decided to join with The Traveler to explore new planes of existence. Picard said his farewell to Wesley in the Enterprise 's transporter room, calling him by his name rather than "Mr. Crusher." ( TNG : " Journey's End ")

William T. Riker [ ]

Wesley talking to Riker

Wesley had great respect for the Enterprise 's first officer , William T. Riker , even during their first meeting in the mall at Farpoint Station . Riker looked forward to getting to know Wesley, telling him " Wes… see you on board. " ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ") Shortly after the Farpoint Mission while the Enterprise was en route to Quadra Sigma III , Riker was temporarily granted the powers of the Q . After saving Wesley's life with his newfound powers, Riker, sensing Wesley's greatest desire, transformed him into a twenty-five-year-old man. Wesley declined Riker's "gift" and told the commander he'd rather get to that age himself. ( TNG : " Hide And Q ")

Riker enjoyed assigning Wesley duties on the bridge of the Enterprise several times and on Picard's orders, assigned him the duties on acting ensign with heavy study on the ship's specifications. ( TNG : " Code of Honor ", " Where No One Has Gone Before ", " Lonely Among Us ") Despite his general liking of Wesley, Riker was still stern to him on a number of occasions. ( TNG : " The Naked Now ", " Code of Honor ", " Where No One Has Gone Before ", " The Battle ", " Datalore ")

On Rubicun III , Riker knocked an Edo guard to the ground after he intended to kill Wesley with a lethal injection. ( TNG : " Justice ")

Riker asking Wesley to observe the Bynars

Riker displayed great trust in Wesley, such as assigning him the responsibility of overlooking the Bynars work on upgrading the Enterprise 's computers on the bridge ( TNG : " 11001001 ") repairing a serious holodeck malfunction that could have killed four Enterprise crewmembers ( TNG : " The Big Goodbye ") as well as discreetly looking over Lore 's actions. ( TNG : " Datalore ")

A year later, Riker jokingly expressed concern on who would tuck Wesley in at night after his mother had departed the Enterprise for Starfleet Medical. ( TNG : " The Child ") Later in the year, Riker (with a little help from Guinan) assisted Wesley on how to properly speak to a woman. ( TNG : " The Dauphin ") As well, Riker provided some command advice to Wesley when he was put in charge of the geology team studying Drema IV . ( TNG : " Pen Pals ")

After hearing Jeremy Aster 's mother Marla had died, Wesley became upset for Jeremy, as his father had also been killed while on duty during an away mission. Riker attempted to console him and Wesley asked him how he got used to telling family members that a relative had been killed. Riker replied " You hope you never do. " ( TNG : " The Bonding ") After Wesley departed the Enterprise for Starfleet Academy in 2367 and returned the following year, Riker put Wesley back to work in helping the crew analyze the Phoenix Cluster . ( TNG : " Final Mission ", " The Game ")

Geordi La Forge [ ]

Wesley shows Geordi La Forge his miniature tractor beam

Wesley had a friendly relationship with the Enterprise 's original helmsman and later chief engineer, Geordi La Forge . In 2364 , La Forge viewed Wesley's model of the Enterprise 's tractor beam and told him he was "really something." ( TNG : " The Naked Now ")

In 2365 , La Forge relieved Wesley of his duties in engineering when he could see he was love struck by Salia . ( TNG : " The Dauphin ")

Wesley and La Forge worked closely together on preparing the eighty year-old USS Hathaway for a war game exercise against the Enterprise during Operation Lovely Angel . ( TNG : " Peak Performance ") The next year, Wesley helped La Forge escape Galorndon Core by sending a probe to the surface with a neutrino pulse that would be detectable by La Forge's VISOR . ( TNG : " The Enemy ")

In 2366 , while under the influence of Bendii Syndrome , La Forge and Wesley nearly came to blows after he mentioned Wesley's relationship with Suzanne Dumont . ( TNG : " Sarek ")

La Forge greeted Wesley warmly when he briefly returned to the Enterprise in 2368 ( TNG : " The Game ") and later assisted in the investigation of the accident that involved Wesley and Nova Squadron in the same year. ( TNG : " The First Duty ")

La Forge was offended by Wesley's behavior when he returned to the Enterprise in 2370. La Forge showed Wesley modifications he had made to the Enterprise by adding only one microfusion interrelay to improve quantum efficiency. Wesley snidely told him that Dr. Vassbinder would call his work obsolete. La Forge then promptly dismissed him. ( TNG : " Journey's End ")

Data and Wesley

Wesley met the Enterprise -D's android operations officer Data upon joining the crew at Farpoint. The two became friends as they both possessed highly analytical minds. ( TNG : " The Battle ", " The Offspring ") Data respected Wesley and along with the senior staff, recognized he was only a child but came to regard him as much more, although his "brother" Lore called him a " troublesome little man-child. " ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ", " Datalore ")

Wesley and Data enjoyed doing recreational activities together during their time on the Enterprise , such as three-dimensional chess or comparing theories on expanding the Enterprise 's sensors . ( TNG : " Booby Trap ", " The Battle ") Wesley also shared sympathy for Data in 2368 when he learned they both attended the " Sadie Hawkins Dance " at the Academy together. ( TNG : " The Game ")

Wesley requested that Data fill him in on who Salia of Daled IV was when he encountered her outside the transporter room . ( TNG : " The Dauphin ")

After Dr. Ira Graves secretly downloaded his "consciousness" into Data's neural net , Wesley expressed concern about Data, particularly during his eulogy to Graves when he said " to know him was to love him and to love him was to know him. " ( TNG : " The Schizoid Man ")

When Wesley returned to the Enterprise in 2370, Data expressed confusion over Wesley's moody behavior when he did not respond to one of his "jokes" involving security. ( TNG : " Journey's End ")

Wesley met Guinan , the Enterprise 's wise and mysterious bartender in Ten Forward shortly after she arrived aboard the ship in 2365. ( TNG : " The Child ")

Wesley was considering leaving to join his mother at Starfleet Medical and stared out the windows of Ten Forward while considering his future. Guinan came up to him and asked him several times if he wanted anything. Wesley wondered why she had asked him three times if wanted something when he said no. Guinan said she was just doing what she was expected to do. She asked him if he always did what was expected of him. Mostly because of this conversation, Wesley decided to remain on board. ( TNG : " The Child ")

When Wesley accidentally released nanites on the Enterprise , he encountered Guinan in Ten Forward while he was setting traps for them in the bar. Wesley confessed to her that he likely caused the various computer problems on the ship. Wesley assured her that the nanites were just a science project, to which Guinan said " you know, a doctor friend once said the same thing to me. Frankenstein was his name. " ( TNG : " Evolution ")

Wesley with The Traveler in 2370

Wesley met The Traveler when he arrived on the Enterprise with Kosinski after the ship rendezvoused with the USS Fearless in 2364. The Traveler was immediately fascinated with Wesley's mind, as well as his solutions to complex problems. While in sickbay, The Traveler told Picard that Wesley was very special, in that he saw time and space not as the separate things they appeared to be. After The Traveler took the Enterprise to the end of the universe, Wesley helped him return the ship back to its original heading before he faded away. ( TNG : " Where No One Has Gone Before ")

Three years later, The Traveler reappeared on the Enterprise to assist Wesley in helping his mother Beverly escape from a warp bubble he had created before it collapsed. ( TNG : " Remember Me ")

In 2370, The Traveler entered Wesley's life once again, disguised as Lakanta , a colonist on Dorvan V. Wesley, at this point in his life had become sullen and rude as a result of his displeasure with his Starfleet career. The Traveler, after revealing his true identity to Wesley, encouraged him to explore places where thought and energy combine in ways he could not possibly imagine. Wesley then left Starfleet to explore new planes of existence with The Traveler as his guide. ( TNG : " Journey's End ") Nine years later , Wesley was seen at the wedding of Riker and Troi wearing a Starfleet uniform with the rank of lieutenant junior grade. ( Star Trek Nemesis ) However, he would later rejoin the Traveler fully, though he no longer went by the name Wesley Crusher. He said that his identity was "a long and complicated story". ( PIC : " Farewell ")

Romance [ ]

Wesley's first kiss

Wesley met an allasomorph named Salia on her journey to Daled IV , the planet that she was to rule. However, she deceived him about how she truly appeared and he was understandably upset when it was revealed to him in the manner that it was. He was able to reconcile with Salia before she left Enterprise . ( TNG : " The Dauphin ")

Annette [ ]

Wesley briefly became involved with Annette , a young woman who lived on the Enterprise in 2366 . His mother Beverly asked Guinan what she knew about her. ( TNG : " Evolution ")

Robin Lefler [ ]

Wesley met Ensign Robin Lefler when he visited the Enterprise while on a break from the Academy in 2368 . The two became close during their brief time together, which included having dinner in Ten Forward . The two were later instrumental in rescuing the Enterprise crew from the Ktarian game introduced by Etana . Wesley later gave Lefler a kiss when they parted ways; she in turn gave him a copy of her "Laws". ( TNG : " The Game ")

Alternate Wesley Crushers [ ]

Holograms [ ].

A holographic Wesley with some pie

Wesley was holographically duplicated at least twice.

Lt. Reginald Barclay in 2366 recreated Wesley at least twice when he was suffering from holo-addiction . In one of his holo-fantasies , Wesley was an ill-mannered slob and his mother had to chide him, saying that "Master Barclay" would spank him if he misbehaved. In another, the entire crew of the Enterprise -D was recreated, and this Wesley was present when Barclay said goodbye to his fantasies and deleted the programs. ( TNG : " Hollow Pursuits ")

Alternate realities and timelines [ ]

In an alternate timeline , Wesley was a commissioned officer during the Federation's war with the Klingons in 2366. He observed the USS Enterprise -C emerge from a temporal anomaly and piloted the Enterprise -D during its battle with three Klingon K'Vort -class cruisers. ( TNG : " Yesterday's Enterprise ")

Wesley was a tactical officer in a parallel universe

In one quantum reality , Wesley Crusher served as a full lieutenant on the USS Enterprise -D under the command of Captain Riker with the positions of security chief and tactical officer in 2370 . ( TNG : " Parallels ")

Service record [ ]

2364 : USS Enterprise -D , acting ensign
2364 - 2366 : USS Enterprise -D, Conn officer , acting ensign
2366 - 2367 : USS Enterprise -D, Conn officer, ensign
2367 - 2370 : Starfleet Academy 's Nova Squadron , cadet
2379 : Starfleet lieutenant junior grade

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

" Encounter at Farpoint " ( Season 1 )
" The Naked Now "
" Code of Honor "
" Where No One Has Gone Before "
" Lonely Among Us "
" Justice "
" The Battle "
" Hide And Q "
" The Big Goodbye "
" Datalore "
" Angel One "
" 11001001 "
" When The Bough Breaks "
" Home Soil "
" Coming of Age "
" Symbiosis "
" Skin Of Evil "
" The Child " ( Season 2 )
" Where Silence Has Lease "
" The Outrageous Okona "
" Loud As A Whisper "
" The Schizoid Man "
" Unnatural Selection "
" A Matter Of Honor "
" The Measure Of A Man "
" The Dauphin "
" Contagion "
" The Royale "
" The Icarus Factor "
" Pen Pals "
" Samaritan Snare "
" Manhunt "
" Peak Performance "
" Shades of Gray "
" Evolution " ( Season 3 )
" The Ensigns of Command "
" The Survivors "
" The Bonding "
" Booby Trap "
" The Enemy "
" The Price "
" The Vengeance Factor "
" The Hunted "
" The High Ground "
" A Matter of Perspective "
" Yesterday's Enterprise "
" The Offspring "
" Sins of The Father "
" Allegiance "
" Tin Man "
" Hollow Pursuits "
" The Most Toys "
" Ménage à Troi "
" Transfigurations "
" The Best of Both Worlds "
" The Best of Both Worlds, Part II " ( Season 4 )
" Brothers "
" Suddenly Human "
" Remember Me "
" Reunion "
" Final Mission "
" The Game " ( Season 5 )
" The First Duty "
" Parallels " ( Season 7 )
" Journey's End "
Star Trek Nemesis
" Farewell " ( Season 2 )
" Disengage " (photo only) ( Season 3 )
LD : " Old Friends, New Planets " (flashback)

Background information [ ]

Wesley Crusher was played by Wil Wheaton . William A. Wallace played 25-year-old Wesley in " Hide And Q ".

" Final Mission " marked Wesley Crusher's final regular appearance on TNG .

Wesley's middle initial "R" appeared in his mother's personnel file seen in " Conundrum ".

According to StarTrek.com , Wesley Crusher was born on July 29, 2349, and his full name was Wesley Robert Crusher. [2]

On the special The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation To The Next , in an interview with Gene Roddenberry , he says that Wesley was built a little bit after himself at the age of 14, although Roddenberry admits he was never the genius that Wesley was (Roddenberry's middle name was Wesley).

An early wardrobe and makeup test

During the early development of the series, Robert H. Justman convinced Roddenberry to change the character into a female, with the name "Leslie Crusher". As Justman told him, " Geez, everybody has boy teenagers; let's do a girl. Let's explore the problems that female adolescents go through, you know, because that's never done. " However, the character was later turned back into a boy, as in the original concept. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 14); [3] )

The 10 December 1986 casting call (featured in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 13)) described the (then female) character as:

The 23 March 1987 Writers' Bible described the character as:

Relaxing between takes

Wesley Crusher also has the distinction of being one of sci-fi's most hated characters. In a poll done by Maxim magazine, only Star Wars ' Jar Jar Binks topped Crusher's level of annoyance. Additionally, statistical analysis done by Datascope Analytics shows that episodes with Wesley tend to have significantly lower ratings than those without. [4] Fans expressed annoyance that Wesley always seemed to be the one to save the Enterprise, however, during an interview on DVD special features, Wheaton claimed that Wesley only saved the ship 'one and a half times'. Nevertheless, in his online reviews of early TNG episodes, Wheaton admits that he understands where the fans' hatred comes from and lays the blame firmly at the feet of the writers for making the character seem pretentious, through dialogue and through their tendency to have Wesley deduce answers too easily, as in the episode TNG : " The Battle "' when Wesley made everyone else (including, in Wheaton's own words, "the hypersmart robot") look ridiculous by too easily solving the problem from just "glancing" at sensor readings that no one else could solve. According to Wheaton, even he hated Wesley after these kinds of scenes. Other complaints include the costume department's selection of sweaters for him and the treatment he received by most of the directors. In his words, only one treated him as a person instead of a living prop. [5]

In a deleted scene from the Special Edition DVD of Star Trek Nemesis , Wesley explains at the wedding scene that he was being assigned to the USS Titan under Captain William Riker as part of the Engineering team. No explanation for his return from his journey with The Traveler was given. This scene is also featured in the novelization of Star Trek Nemesis .

Crusher as assistant chief engineer of the USS Titan

As part of Star Trek The Exhibition , Wesley appears as a Lieutenant Commander and assistant chief engineer on the USS Titan . This was first reported in January 2008 on Wil Wheaton's blog. [6]

Ronald D. Moore commented:

In April 2002 , ZENtertainment (X) (a now-defunct Hollywood news source) reported, " Ashley Judd was on Letterman the other night to promote her new movie, High Crimes . Letterman surprised her with a clip of her appearance on TNG, where she went on a date with Wesley Crusher. Judd mentioned that she was reprising the role [of Robin Lefler] in Star Trek Nemesis as Wesley's wife. " [7] [8] This never happened, however.

This was also reported by About Sci-Fi , which added to the report " …Wil Wheaton, however, says he's heard nothing about that. Somehow, I'm not surprised Wesley doesn't know he's married. " [9]

Later on, " Judd's spokesperson denied this cameo appearance. " [10]

In August 2002 , Wil Wheaton found out and reported that his scene had been cut from Star Trek Nemesis . There was no mention (by him) about Judd or Lefler. [11]

Apocrypha [ ]

According to the video game Star Trek: Starship Creator , Wesley was born in San Francisco .

In the A Time for War, A Time for Peace novel series, Wesley's uniform is explained by him showing up to Riker's and Troi's wedding naked, having expected a Betazoid wedding , and the uniform was lent to him. In this continuity, Wesley was still a Traveler and had not returned to Starfleet. Also, according to this novel, his full name is Wesley Eugene Crusher.

In the Voyager novel Enemy of My Enemy , Wesley appeared during Chakotay 's spirit walk .

Wesley's mirror universe counterpart appears in Star Trek Online , with Wil Wheaton returning to voice him. The episode "The Eye of the Storm", released in September 2022, reveals that the mirror Wesley is the Emperor of the Terran Empire , who possesses incredible "personal power", including the ability to freeze entire fleets in a "time bubble". He plans to merge with "the Other", the mirror counterpart of V'ger , to become a god and destroy all who oppose him in every universe, starting with the prime universe. The mission "The Fujiwhara Effect", released in January 2023, shows flashbacks of his early life, having to hide his true potential until he took the power of the Traveler and seized the Terran throne. He is deposed and separated from "the Other" by the efforts of his mother, and taken in by V'ger to discover his true potential. Two different versions of his mirror universe counterpart had previously appeared in the novel Dark Mirror and the novella The Worst of Both Worlds .

In the comic story "A Matter of Choice" from Star Trek, Issue 400 written by Wil Wheaton, Wesley reunited with Picard following his return from 2024. He explains that he came to Picard to ask his advice on choosing whether or not to bring in a special individual to be his replacement. Remembering advice given to him by Picard and the crew of the Enterprise , Wesley makes his decision and says goodbye to Picard and returns to Los Angeles 2024 to recruit Kore into the Travelers.

External links [ ]

Wesley Crusher at StarTrek.com
Wesley Crusher at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
Wesley Crusher at Wikipedia

Why Wesley Crusher Left Star Trek, and Why He Came Back

Wil Wheaton's Wesley Crusher disappeared from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but he came back for select episodes, movies, and Picard. Here's why.

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Wesley crusher went from boy genius to star trek time-travel god, wil wheaton was the 'big name' on star trek: tng, wesley crusher returned to star trek twice after leaving with the traveler, would wil wheaton return to star trek.

Despite running for seven seasons and keeping a grueling filming schedule, the central cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation didn't experience much turnover. In fact, of the regular cast who appeared in the series premiere and the series finale, only one character was absent. Wesley Crusher (played by Wil Wheaton) left Star Trek: The Next Generation early in the fourth season for a mix of personal and professional reasons. Still, Wesley returned a handful of times, and Wil Wheaton is still an active participant in Gene Roddenberry's universe. Despite Wheaton's unbridled enthusiasm for all things Star Trek and his experiences as part of The Next Generation family, his time playing the character wasn't the nerd's dream everyone thought it was.

The fans were harshly critical of Wesley Crusher , and the line "Shut up, Wesley!" from Season 1, Episode 13 became an early internet meme. In a promotional special, The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next , Roddenberry said the genesis of the character was himself at age 14, and "Wesley" was his middle name. Though, the Great Bird of the Galaxy admitted he was never the genius the eventual Starfleet cadet was in the series. Despite these struggles with Wesley Crusher's character, it was behind-the-scenes problems that inspired Wheaton to leave Star Trek: The Next Generation .

REVIEW: Star Trek: Picard: The Art & Making of the Series Tells the Story Behind the Story

Wesley was the only son of Doctor Beverly Crusher and her late husband Jack, the best friend of Captain Picard. He was a deeply curious boy, but he was often treated harshly by the crew and its captain. In the sixth episode of Season 1, "Where No Man Has Gone Before," Wesley befriends and impresses the mysterious Traveler, an alien with strange abilities. At the end of that episode, despite his disdain for children, Captain Picard promotes Wesley to "Acting Ensign" allowing him to serve on the bridge in advance of his application to Starfleet Academy.

Wesley's time in Starfleet Academy was tumultuous despite his genius and experience serving on the Enterprise. He failed the entrance exam the first time he took it, though so did Captain Picard. Once he was accepted, he left the ship and only appeared in a few episodes. While at the Academy, he joined Nova Squadron led by Nick Locarno . He was part of a cover-up with the squad, hiding the death of a classmate while performing a forbidden flight maneuver. After admitting the truth, he had to repeat that year at the Academy.

In Star Trek: TNG's final season , Wesley Crusher returned to the Enterprise on leave from the Academy. His grades were dropping, and he was in danger of failing out of the program. He challenged Starfleet's and the captain's orders in order to stand up for a colony of Native Americans being forcibly removed from their home to appease the Cardassians. He experienced a vision of his father, Jack, telling him Starfleet wasn't his path. Instead, Wesley joined the Traveler to ascend to "another plane of existence" paying off the arc that began in the first season. What that meant, however, remained a mystery .

How Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Connects to TNG's Biggest Open Mystery

The youngest TNG character went through some changes in development. Legendary Star Trek producer Robert H. Justman lobbied to make "Wesley" into "Leslie," according to Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion by Larry Nemecek, but Roddenberry eventually overruled the decision. They also struggled to come up with a justification for why this young man was so special, earning a coveted position on the bridge. In a memo, Justman wrote that Wesley's youth gave him a brash, assertive nature the adults on the crew lacked, making him "a one-man 'think tank' without pre-conditioned limitations.'"

Despite LeVar Burton's iconic role in Roots and the popularity of Reading Rainbow , it was Wil Wheaton who was the "big name" in the cast . Best known as Gordie in Stand By Me , the burgeoning movie star jumped at the chance to be in The Next Generation . "I was a Trekkie," Wheaton said in The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman. However, Wheaton said that even he was annoyed by how Wesley was written, calling him "pretentious." When he was offered a role in a film directed by Milos Forman, The Next Generation producers wouldn't let him do it. They told him he was going to be in a "really important to the series" episode during the filming window, but Wheaton said the producer "just lied to me." Wheaton also revealed that "years later," Deanna Troi actor Marina Sirtis told him she'd heard the producers were worried the film would make him an even bigger star.

If Wheaton's star rose, "it would have been harder for them to deal with me. I felt so betrayed by that," he said in The Fifty-Year Mission . Despite his love of Star Trek , this slight made Wheaton desperate to leave the series . However, in his memoir, Still Just a Geek , Wheaton detailed how his parents pushed him into acting in the first place, when he wanted "to just be a kid." This neglect, plus instances of abuse on various sets, particularly The Curse , soured him on the profession for many years. Still, Wheaton also maintains his fellow cast on The Next Generation are like family to him. Their love and support helped him and helps explain why he returned to the show for guest-spots. Returning was "like coming home for me," he told Entertainment Tonight in 1992. "I always have a terrific time [on set.] I adore the cast."

How Star Trek: The Next Generation Disserviced This Fan-Favorite Character

Despite leaving Starfleet and going off with the Traveler in "Journey's End," Wesley Crusher almost returned. Wheaton filmed scenes for Star Trek: Nemesis at the wedding of Riker and Troi. Wesley was again a Starfleet officer and slated for duty aboard Riker's ship, the USS Titan. However, the scene was cut from the film . In Still Just A Geek , Wheaton wrote about the experience. Even though it ignored Wesley's final episode on The Next Generation , Wheaton enjoyed the experience working with the cast as an adult. While it might have seemed like another slight by Star Trek producers, cutting the scene worked to the advantage of the character.

In Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Wesley Crusher appeared in the 21st Century to Isa Briones's character Kore Soong. He explained that he was part of a group called "the Travelers" who worked to protect the universe, all of reality from "annihilation." It's a difficult job apparently, since the last time Wesley made a joke he apparently changed a century of history. While the Travelers mostly observe, knowing when to act is a crucial part of their task. He recruited Kore into the group, and when she accepted, they both beamed away. The beaming effect was not like those audiences have seen from Starfleet or other species and organizations in the galaxy.

It seems Wesley Crusher and the Travelers were connected to Talinn, played by Orla Brady, in Picard Season 2 . She watched over Reneé Picard whose destiny was even more important than her famous starship captain ancestor. The group can also trace itself back to the Season 2 episode of Star Trek: The Original Series "Assignment: Earth" that introduced Gary Seven . An attempt at a spinoff series by Gene Roddenberry, Gary was a not-so-ordinary human tasked with protecting the 20th Century, specifically the space program.

Star Trek The Next Generation: When Does TNG Get Good?

Outside of this brief appearance on Picard , Wil Wheaton's involvement with the Star Trek universe has been as a professional fan . As the host of The Ready Room he talks to the actors, producers and others about making this third wave of series. His charm and grace put his guests at ease, because while he's still very much a fan of Star Trek , he's also been where they were. His time on the set and playing Wesley Crusher was both joyous and troubling. Ironically, the character that adult fans hated the most when he debuted is now the best ambassador to the Star Trek fanbase they have.

While Wheaton still does some on-camera work, he's mostly done voice acting of late. Still, Picard Season 3 introduced his half-brother Jack Crusher. Wheaton seemed enthused by the idea of teaming up with actor Ed Speelers for a "Crusher brothers" adventure , either a series or feature. Wesley Crusher's appearance at the end of Season 2 was a lovely coda for a character who deserved better . If that's all fans get, it might be enough. But after all these years, fans would likely be very excited to see Wesley again, especially if he's teaming up with Jack.

Star Trek series are available to stream on Paramount+, and The Ready Room can be found on YouTube.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

'Star Trek: Picard' Season 2 Finale: Wesley Crusher's Surprise Cameo, Explained

Geek culture's most notorious nerd is back!

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Season 2. Star Trek: Picard has pulled off an impressive feat not just once, but twice, by keeping a huge spoiler under wraps. First, the show was able to keep the Season 3 The Next Generation reunion a secret, announcing the massive event on their own schedule. The show also was able to keep Wil Wheaton 's Wesley Crusher/Traveler hush-hush, surprising viewers upon his appearance in the Season 2 finale, "Farewell." This is an even more impressive achievement, considering fans' understandably upset reaction to the Season 3 announcement when Wheaton's name wasn't included. But with his last major appearance in the Star Trek universe happening some 28 years ago, audiences may struggle to remember exactly how he got into this position, and exactly what he is. Some Star Trek fans weren't even alive in 1994. (I wasn't!)

RELATED: Isa Briones Exits 'Star Trek: Picard' Becoming Fourth Actor Not Returning for Season 3

Supervisors

Gary Seven ( Robert Lansing ) was the first supervisor seen in the Star Trek universe, appearing in the 1968 Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "Assignment: Earth." When the USS Enterprise moves back in time to conduct historical research, they intercept Seven beaming onto Earth. Gary's mission is to prevent a nuclear missile launch. He is successful by the end of the episode and remains in place on Earth for future missions that will help keep the flow of time intact. Although Seven only appears in one episode in The Original Series , this would be the main piece of lore that Wesley's Traveler arc would rely on.

Supervisors, themselves, aren't seen again in Star Trek until Picard when Tallinn ( Orla Brady ) is introduced as an ancestor to the already-featured Laris, also portrayed by Brady. Her mission is to watch over and protect Renee Picard so she may make the discovery on the 2024 Europa Mission of a microorganism capable of helping solve climate change. Whereas Seven was taken by the Travelers millennium before the present day, Tallinn is a disguised Romulan working on Earth. The two agents show that Supervisors can have a multitude of missions, from preventing violence to protecting influential lives. This is the role that Crusher recruits Kore ( Isa Briones ) to in his surprise appearance on "Farewell."

The Traveler

Travelers weren't introduced until a 3-episode series-spanning arc on The Next Generation . The Traveler ( Eric Menyuk ) first appeared in the Season 1 episode, "Where No One has Gone Before." The Traveler possesses a swath of abilities, many of which can alter reality, time, and space. To study humanity, they used their abilities to act as a Starfleet propulsion expert's assistant, the secret driving force behind the propulsion expert's new revolutionary theory. While on the Enterprise, The Traveler accidentally sends them to a new galaxy, to the end of the universe, and back to the Milky Way. They notice Wesley while onboard, secretly prompting Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) to promote Wesley to an acting ensign, ultimately already helping to shape Wesley's life.

The second time The Traveler appears is in the Season 4 episode, "Remember Me." Wesley, having matured and begun developing his Traveler abilities, accidentally traps his mother, Beverly Crusher ( Gates McFadden ), in a warp bubble during an experiment, leaving her trapped in a parallel reality. The abilities draw The Traveler back to the Enterprise when they sense the situation and are able to help return her to safety but to do so, he has to convince Wesley of his own ability.

Season 7 Episode 20, "Journey's End" not only marks The Traveler's last appearance, but also Wesley's last appearance until his brief cameo in Star Trek: Nemesis , even briefer than his scene in Picard , as most of his appearance was cut from the scene that made it to the movie. In this episode, The Traveler appears incognito as a villager to Crusher, leading him to experience a vision of his father. He advises Wesley, who was already unsure of his Starfleet future, to follow his true journey outside Starfleet. Listening to the advice, Wesley resigns. Later, during a riot on a planet, he disassociates from time and The Traveler reveals their true form, for Wesley is ready to begin his new journey.

Wesley's Future

The younger Crusher's cameo doesn't just further solidify the connection between the Travelers and their chosen Supervisors, but it also cleans up the very different The Next Generation ending for Wesley and his appearance at Deanna Troi ( Marina Sirtis ) and William Riker's ( Jonathan Frakes ) wedding in Nemesis. While he attends the ceremony in Starfleet uniform, it's likely that this is just an appearance he projects as The Traveler did similarly in "Journey's End." From Wesley's comedic exposition in his recruitment speech to Kore, it's clear that he has spent plenty of time traveling and maintaining the flow of time. While his days as Wesley Crusher are far behind him, this new Traveler can still recall back to his days as the young Ensign on the USS Enterprise and use the totality of his experiences to bring other lost souls into the fold.

Wil Wheaton Explains How His Star Trek: The Next Generation Exit Helped Him Appreciate Wesley Crusher’s Return To The Franchise

The actor talks about his past stint with the franchise.

Star Trek: Picard shocked fans when Wil Wheaton’s Wesley Crusher re-emerged in the franchise at the end of the streaming show's most recent season. Now he’s back and with the possibility of more Wesley adventures across all the new seasons of other Star Trek shows coming down the stretch , Wheaton is feeling grateful that things worked out for him the way they did.

Surprisingly, Wil Wheaton revealed to me in our conversation ahead of Star Trek: Picard’ s Season 2 finale that had he not left The Next Generation to pursue other things, he might not be in the position he’s in now. Wheaton explained that because of how things worked out then, he can better appreciate this new chapter of Wesley Crusher's life on screen:

If I had remained on Next Generation – which is a thing I lamented a lot for years, leaving the show – I would have been part of it, but I would have been part of only The Next Generation. In my role now as the host of The Ready Room, I have this opportunity of a member of legacy Star Trek, as a lifelong fan of Star Trek, as the guy who played Wesley Crusher who is now an adult to sit in a place where I get to touch every single Star Trek series. I get to interact with everybody in the universe.

Wil Wheaton touched on the most exciting part of Wesley Crusher's return: that he's capable of traversing space and time. It's a super cool role with a lot of potential in the Star Trek franchise, and one Wheaton indicated he might not have seen the value in decades earlier:

If Wesley Crusher, through his abilities as a Time Lord, were given the opportunity, he could kind of go anywhere and go into any of those places. I never would have been ready for that when I was younger, and I wouldn’t have known what to do with it. I wouldn’t have known how to appreciate the opportunity and the privilege of being a small part of every show instead of a slightly larger part of a single show. I am in a place now where I can appreciate this, and I can love it, and I can extract maximum value from it and get the most amazing experience out of the entire thing.

Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s Wil Wheaton wouldn’t have been able to see the potential he now has in 2022 as a Traveler. While Crusher’s cameo in Picard was small, his abilities as a Traveler allow him to traverse time and space at will. This essentially means he can appear on any currently airing Trek series at any time, which is a massive and rare perk for a Trek actor. Wheaton appreciates that role and the fact that Paramount+ subscribers can still check him out in The Ready Room , where he breaks down the biggest goings-on in the franchise following episodes.

Star Trek fans are well-aware that Wil Wheaton went through hard times during his first stint as Wesley Crusher. Wheaton faced criticism from fans for his character, and even popular stars of the franchise had critical things to say . Decades later, he’s grown a lot and confirmed that he is thrilled to return as Wesley Crusher:

It feels really good. There’s a lot of parallels in my life and Wesley’s story in that we both have been placed on paths that we did not expect to be on. That we didn’t choose, right? Everyone in Wesley’s life expected him to be a Starfleet Captain, and then this creature came along and said he’s actually destined for more than that… and the people in Wesley’s life, his mother and his father figures, they listened to that person. They listened to and respected Wesley when he was like, 'I gotta go do this thing on my own. I gotta go explore the universe.' I did that kind of metaphorically. Quitting acting and going to school, and working for technology, and becoming a writer and both of our paths led us off on these journeys that come back to Star Trek at this moment in interesting ways that very much parallel each other.

We don’t know if or when Wil Wheaton will re-appear in Star Trek , but it seems logical he’d re-appear with some of his old co-stars when The Next Generation cast appears in Picard Season 3 . Wheaton only gave the smallest of detail when asked about it , but reassured TNG fans they’re in for a treat. Here’s hoping he’ll be back there, and in many other Star Trek shows for years to come.

Wil Wheaton’s latest appearance in Star Trek: Picard can be found by checking the Season 2 finale out on Paramount+ . With Wheaton’s return, the floor is open for the franchise to blow minds with more surprising cameos, and we can only guess who will show up next.

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Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation — Wesley Crusher Comes Face-to-Face With His Late Father, Jack

"Family," Season 4, Episode 2

Wesley Crusher, who will be turning 18 soon, finally comes face-to-face with his late father, Jack.

The Real Reason Wil Wheaton Left Star Trek: The Next Generation

Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation

Stardate: 1987. Little did the science fiction world know it, but the folks at (the now-defunct) Paramount Domestic Television were about to boldly go where few folks ever thought a TV series would go again — back into the world of Star Trek . The new iteration of the franchise first created in 1965 by Gene Roddenberry was returning to the final frontier with a clear and present mission: to bring Star Trek to a new generation of small-screen fans.

This was clearly reflected in the series' title, Star Trek: The Next Generation , and the fact that not a single member of the original show's cast was involved in the project as series regulars. (A few familiar faces, like Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy actor DeForest Kelley and Montgomery "Scotty" Scott actor James Doohan, appeared on The Next Generation , but weren't by any means permanent fixtures.)

As such, The Next Generation was set several decades after the adventures of Kirk and Spock, and saw Capt. Jean-Luc Picard leading a slew of new Starfleet stalwarts. Among the new faces in The Next Generation 's inaugural season were lauded UK thespian Patrick Stewart, a rash of virtual unknowns, and a fresh-faced, up-and-coming teen actor named Wil Wheaton, who was cast as a brilliant young Starfleet Ensign named Wesley Crusher.

Wheaton won the coveted role on the strength of his prior work in several film and television projects, including a starring turn in Rob Reiner's beloved coming-of-age drama Stand By Me . For The Next Generation 's first three seasons, the young actor featured prominently in the series' storylines, more than holding his own opposite his older co-stars. Then, at the end of TNG 's third season, Wesley Crusher was unexpectedly written out of the show, which left many fans wondering what might have led to the decision.

Here's the real reason Wil Wheaton left Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Wil Wheaton was eyeing greener pastures when he left Star Trek: The Next Generation

Despite persistent rumors that Star Trek: The Next Generation 's creative team forced Wheaton off the show because fans didn't like his precocious character, it's become quite clear that the decision to leave TNG was Wheaton's own. Wheaton himself has been quite candid about that fact over the years, admitting as much to Entertainment Weekly as early as 1996. EW reported that the actor claimed he was frustrated with the character's limitations, and was genuinely afraid he'd spend the rest of his career recalling his glory days on Star Trek .

Given the general track record of Star Trek alums' post- Trek career trajectories (Sir Patrick Stewart being the rare exception), it's hard to argue with that. And given Wheaton's age (he was just 18 when he left the series), one could hardly blame him for wanting to find out what else show business had in store for him. Though the actor has been earning raves in recent years (particularly for a recurring role as his evil self on The Big Bang Theory ), it's safe to say Wheaton's post- Trek career didn't pan out quite the way he'd hoped.

Still, Wheaton has kept himself gainfully employed on he fringes of Hollywood over the years, and we can only assume his high profile work on The Big Bang Theory has opened a few more doors to him. Though he doubts it'll happen, Wheaton would love for the future to include an appearance as Wesley Crusher opposite Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard in the CBS All Access series Star Trek: Picard . "I think it is very unlikely they will ask me to participate in it," Wheaton deadpanned in a recent interview. "I mean, I think it is just extraordinarily unlikely that will happen. If they did, I would say 'yes,' of course" (via CinemaBlend ).

Wil Wheaton takes a very adult tone about his Star Trek: The Next Generation departure

Even if that Star Trek: Picard appearance never comes to fruition, it appears that Wheaton has finally made peace with his departure from the TNG , and more importantly, with his co-stars. When asked about both during a 2012 convention appearance, Wheaton had nothing but kind words for his TNG experience (via Trek News ).

"I left Star Trek: The Next Generation when I was 18 years old, and initially I thought it was a really smart business career move," he explained. "In some ways it was, and in more ways it wasn't. What I wasn't prepared for was how much I was going to miss [my cast mates] and how much I was going to miss the spacesuit that I hated wearing and the helmet hair, that I couldn't stand putting on. After I left the show... I just sort of [said], 'I'm going to go out into the world and do my own thing,' and I didn't see anybody. That went on for awhile."

Wheaton went on to say, "After that ended, I just felt really ashamed of myself. I felt like I just couldn't go to the set — I felt like I couldn't look them in the eye, and that I couldn't invite them to my wedding. Years after that, I sort of saw them at a few conventions and I just, you know, I just sort of [said], 'I apologize for being a kid'... [and] everyone said, 'Yeah, you were just a kid, you were always welcome, you're always part of us.'"

Call us crazy, but it certainly sounds like our little Ensign Crusher is finally all grown up.

Star Trek: Exploring The Wesley Crusher Problem

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Planet Of The Apes: 9 Strongest Apes In The Movies, Ranked

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Over the years, Star Trek has featured a magnitude of diverse and intricate alien lifeforms and civilizations. It has brought a staggering array of futuristic technology ( some so influential real life technology is being based upon it ) and beloved characters to the small screen. With all these great heroes of space, pioneers of the utopian vision of humanity's future, there are bound to be some characters who were intended to be fan favorites, but unfortunately were met with annoyance. None exemplifies this so much as Wesley Crusher.

Wesley, young son of the ship's chief of medicine Beverly Crusher , has borne the brunt of much criticism of The Next Generation. Many fans find him spoiled, annoying, and awkward. The problem with his character was not specifically found within the universe, as he never really did anything wrong, at least no more wrong than other characters. Many people cite the poor reception to the character as a reaction to the poor acting skills of Wil Wheaton . While he was great in other roles, such as Stand By Me, Wheaton was not best suited for TNG’ s fast-paced, intense filming schedule.

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The problem mainly came down to the writers. There were plenty of chances for Wesley to have been a great character, Wheaton acting and all, which comes through occasionally. The episode “The First Duty” has some of the best Wesley Crusher moments. Pockets of greatness shine through throughout his many appearances. However, these are often overshadowed by the terrible writing on display for most of Wesley Crusher's tenure on the show.

The writers of the show, primarily during the first few seasons under the guidance of Gene Roddenberry, kept pushing for a utopian future narrative , and kept pushing for Wesley to embody a Wunderkind narrative. In this vision, he would not only be outstandingly smart for someone his age, but would repeatedly outsmart the majority of highly trained and skilled adults around him. Of course, this just does not make sense in the context of the USS Enterprise . Fans kept finding his presence annoying, as he would repeatedly show up his mother, other adults, and even experts with a certain smarmy and arrogant aura.

While it's fair to say the writers didn’t do the character justice, there were also some external, out-of-universe factors that derailed Wesley's potential. During the first season, there was a strike in the writers' guild. This meant that the first season of TNG was much worse than the ones that followed . The producers had to recycle old material; for example, they took what was supposed to be just one episode where Wesley saves the ship, and forced it into a staggering 6 episodes. It started as a bit of fan service for all the younger fans watching the show, seeing a kid their age save all the adults. But it was stretched out, and gave the character his undesirable title of arrogant ship saver. While this likely would have been great for a single episode, repeatedly showing a Federation flagship getting saved by a child was too much.

Wesley also highlights a massive issue with TNG. This issue was set up in the first season and somehow managed to remain a large part of it, even when everything else about it improved. Part of the utopian vision for the show was that this was a time of long-lasting peace. Rather than Starfleet being a military force, and the USS Enterprise being a military vessel, they were all now peaceful explorers. The Enterprise itself, destined to be the pinnacle of Starfleet ingenuity and force, was more akin to a luxury yacht, with all the comforts of home aboard, including family. The Federation believed that the space was now safe, despite a staggeringly high number of incidents and death happenings constantly. As such, was deemed acceptable that the officers would be allowed to take their family with them, including children . This was an incredibly dangerous idea, but it was constantly glossed over during the show — how a ship that nearly gets destroyed and attacked almost weekly can have children onboard. Wesley got the brunt of all the hatred over this strange decision, as he was the only recurring child character. Every time he was on the bridge, he reminded audiences that these kids should not be allowed in such a dangerous situation.

For all these reasons, Wesley's character always felt out of place. When coming up with him, the writers and producers wanted a blank slate child character that would appeal to all the children that would tune into the show. They hoped young audiences would identify with him more than a bunch of stuffy old adults. He was the Will Robinson of the show. However, the problem was that this archetype character had already fallen out of fashion by the time the show aired. All the characteristics that were designed to make him more appearing and relatable for children, made him insufferable for adults. This only got worse as the show drifted away from its roots and became much darker. In these scenarios, Wesley and his young boy enthusiasm grew more and more ridiculous when compared to things like the body horror Borg.

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How Dr. Crusher's Star Trek Return Ruined The Character According To Gates McFadden

D r. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is absent from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Season 2 due to a behind-the-scenes dispute with a creator. However, she returns for the third installment and remains part of the adventure until "Star Trek: TNG" ended after Season 7 . Despite being a long-tenured member of the Star Trek family, McFadden believes that her character was ruined following her big comeback, as she explained in an interview for "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to JJ Abrams: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek."

McFadden noted that Dr. Crusher lost all her best qualities in Season 3, and she doesn't like how the show portrays the character's relationship with her son, Wesley (Wil Wheaton). "Every time Wesley was in trouble or needed guidance, he went to a male figure, which I found a bit insulting, considering how many single parents there are in the world. When I came back I thought it would be just as it was, which is part of why I came back. I was disappointed to see it wasn't that way."

The performer believes that "Star Trek: The Next Generation" became more male-centric during the year she was gone, so the changes made to her character could have spawned from that creative shift. That said, some of McFadden's post-return issues are reminiscent of her reasons for temporarily leaving the show.

Read more: Star Trek Stories That Are Actually Horrifying

Gates McFadden Was Fired From Star Trek: The Next Generation

Gates McFadden cites sexism as the main reason for her leaving "Star Trek: The Next Generation." She said Hollywood was only interested in women's looks back then, and some people were against actors speaking up on the set. McFadden raised concerns about one "Star Trek: TNG" episode that features a planet full of women having the hots for William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) simply because he is a man. However, it wasn't the only storyline she felt projected dated ideas about gender.

While speaking to SBS Australia , McFadden said she was fired as writer-producer Maurice Hurley didn't like her speaking up. "What I've heard is that he said, 'Either she goes or I go.' I was shocked that they let me go because I knew my character was really popular. But he was going to be writing more and more and didn't want to have to deal with me. What was great was they got rid of him and asked me to come back."

Ultimately, McFadden returned to the series after a conversation with Patrick Stewart and the appointment of Rick Berman as showrunner. The actor has appeared in several "Star Trek" projects since then, even though she hasn't always been a fan of the way Dr. Crusher has been written. Despite this, the character has always been a fan-favorite, thanks to McFadden's performances.

Read the original article on Looper

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Star Trek: DS9 Almost Gave TNG’s Guinan A Son

Captain sisko wasn't the first star trek character who loved baseball, 25 years after the phantom menace, star wars is finally explaining why the jedi thought anakin was "too old".

Guinan's mysterious past includes having "a lot" of children, with one son who took "several hundred years" to come around.
Guinan's species, the El-Aurians, were not named onscreen until Star Trek Generations, adding to her enigmatic nature.
In Star Trek: Picard season 2, Guinan makes a return, showcasing her unique ability to summon a Q and adding more layers to her character.

The mysterious Ten Forward bartender Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) revealed that she had "a lot" of children in Star Trek: The Next Generation . Guinan joined the cast of TNG in season 2 after lifelong Star Trek fan Whoopi Goldberg asked for a role on the show. Goldberg was particularly inspired by Nichelle Nichols' Lt. Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series. Guinan remained an enigma for much of TNG's run, with the show only revealing small tidbits of information about her past.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 1, "Evolution," Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) seeks advice from Guinan about her own son, Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton). When Dr. Crusher asks Guinan whether she has any children, Guinan simply replies: "a lot." Guinan then reveals that she only had difficulty relating to one of her sons because he "wouldn't listen to anybody." Dr. Crusher points out that all kids go through this phase, but Guinan says: "Not in a species of listeners." She goes on to say that it took "several hundred years" for her son to come around, which hints at Guinan's lengthy Star Trek timeline .

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine almost featured a story about one of Guinan's sons, but the plan was changed because Whoopi Goldberg was unavailable.

Whoopi Goldberg's Guinan is Star Trek: TNG's most enigmatic character, but one episode of Deep Space Nine would have changed this by giving her a son!

Star Trek Should Tell The Story Of Guinan's Children

One of guinan's children should join the other tng legacy kids..

Star Trek: Picard season 3 reunited the crew of the USS Enterprise-D and revealed that Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Beverly Crusher had a son named Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers). Picard season 3 also introduced Sidney (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) and Alandra (Mica Burton) La Forge, the daughters of Commodore Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), and focused a great deal on family and legacy. After Star Trek : Picard season 3 became a resounding success, fans clamored for a spin-off featuring the newly rechristened USS Enterprise-G and Star Trek' s legacy characters.

Guinan's species were not officially named El-Aurians onscreen until Star Trek Generations.

Although the long-rumored Star Trek: Legacy remains little more than a hope, this story would provide the perfect opportunity to introduce Guinan's children. Considering the extremely long lifespans of El-Aurians, Guinan's children could pop up anywhere in the galaxy in any number of Star Trek shows. Guinan and Picard have always been close, so it would be fun to see one of Guinan's children interact with Picard's son, Jack. Much about Guinan remains a mystery, and introducing one or more of her children would allow Star Trek to explore more about El-Aurians as a species.

Star Trek: TNG's "Evolution" Sets Up Guinan From "A Species of Listeners"

Star trek: picard season 2 revisits this idea..

After appearing in 28 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and two feature films, Guinan returned in Star Trek: Picard season 2, which revisited the concept of the El Aurians as "a species of listeners." In Picard season 2, Q (John de Lancie) also returned and altered the past, plunging Admiral Picard and his friends into a dark, dystopian future. Picard then had to travel back in time to repair what Q had broken. Not only did Picard meet with Guinan in the present, but he also encountered the younger Guinan in the past, played by Ito Aghayere.

As she helped Admiral Picard, Aghayere's Guinan also revealed a heretofore unseen ability — El-Aurians could summon a Q and the Q had to answer. Guinan does so with John de Lancie's Q, but his powers are on the fritz, rendering him unable to comply quickly. Much about Guinan's connection to Q still remains a mystery, but Star Trek: Picard season 2 added more layers to the El-Aurians. Whether or not Star Trek ever reveals more information about Guinan or her children, she remains one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's most compelling secondary characters.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.