star trek next generation first duty

'The Next Generation's Wil Wheaton on Returning to 'Star Trek' for 'The First Duty' 30 Years Ago (Flashback)

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Star Trek: The Next Generation checked in with Wesley Crusher at Starfleet Academy in “The First Duty," an apt episode title and moment of symmetry following Wil Wheaton's exit as a full-time cast member in "The Final Mission."

ET spoke with then 19-year-old Wheaton behind the scenes of the season 5 episode, which originally aired 30 years ago this week. In this on-set interview, the former child star opened up about his decision to leave TNG and what it was like to return to his roots. 

“It's weird coming back and being a 'guest star.' Look at this chair. It has no name on it,” Wheaton told ET in 1992, gesturing in amazement at his unlabeled chair on set at Paramount Studios. The studio lot was a second home for the actor starting with TNG 's debut in 1987 through his 1990 departure (he previously returned to the Enterprise in “The Game” earlier in that same season). 

“The First Duty” catches the 1701-D's former acting ensign mid-scandal, following a training accident that led to the death of one of his fellow cadets. Wesley is put at the center of a formal inquiry, along with the rest of his team members that make up Nova Squad, an elite group of student pilots. Captain Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) gets involved and soon discovers there's more to the story than what's been offered. As it turns out, the cadet died while attempting a dangerous flying stunt. Not only that, he had been peer-pressured by the flight squadron after initially voicing his concerns about pulling it off.

Picard implores him to reveal the truth -- "the truth" also being revealed as the titular "first duty" of Starfleet -- at the academy tribunal, along with sharing his disappointment in Wesley's actions. It was a shocking development for the character. First introduced as the Enterprise's boy genius, Wesley was all but destined to become an exemplary Starfleet officer under the mentorship from a legendary captain like Jean-Luc.

While Star Trek had already seen its fair share of trial-centric plots (see “The Menagerie,” “The Measure of a Man,” “The Drumhead” and many others), Wheaton recognized “The First Duty” was throwing a layer of ABC Afterschool Special into the mix. “The [problem is] between Wesley's loyalties to the principles of Starfleet and his loyalty to his friends,” he teased at the time.

As he reflected on his decision to depart the series nearly two years earlier, the Stand by Me star said it was a choice that reflected his age.

“I left to go off to do films and try to expand my career. And sort of stretch my limits,” Wheaton recalled. “It's a time of transition. A time of change. That's where I am and that goes through everything. It transcends acting.”

"This is like coming home for me,” he added. “I always have a terrific time here. I adore the cast.” 

After roles in movies like Toy Soldiers and December , Wheaton's later appearances on TNG weren’t the result of a “formal agreement" with the production. Rather, it was simply when producers “have a good script” and he’s “got the time.”

Despite the episode’s serious tone, Wheaton praised the other actors who made up Nova Squad for creating a fun week of filming. “I have had such a wonderful time with the three other actors that are playing the other people who are on my team at Starfleet Academy. I've had more fun with them in two days than I've had with just about every cast I've worked with in years,” Wheaton said. “If they would do a show with us again, then I would be here in a second.”

While Nova Squad did later pop up on Deep Space Nine , the group had found new members and Wheaton’s impromptu pitch never came to be. But it wasn’t the last time his co-stars found themselves in  Star Trek . Shannon Fill, who played cadet Sito Jaxa, reprised her role in TNG 's “Lower Decks,” the episode that in part led to Mike McMahan’s comedic take on Gene Roddenberry’s universe . Meanwhile, Robert Duncan McNeill, who played ringleader Nicholas Locarno, was later cast as pilot Tom Paris on  Voyager  (Paris was actually inspired by McNeill's performance as Locarno but producers ultimately decided early on to make them separate characters).

As for Wheaton, he returned as Wesley for two more episodes before the series ended in 1994. Following his last appearance in “Journey’s End,” where Wesley decides to leave Starfleet and follow a more spiritual path with The Traveler, the character’s canonical whereabouts remain up in the air today. But Wheaton himself can be found whenever a new Star Tre k episode debuts as host of Paramount+’s after-show,  The Ready Room . 

Back on the set in 1992, Wheaton noted a change in the on-screen texture of TNG  because “there’s no kid on it anymore.” Indeed, having a young character within the main ensemble became a Star Trek trademark following Wesley’s presence. DS9 had Commander Sisko’s son, Jake (Cirroc Lofton), and Voyager saw more than a few kiddos crawling in their Jeffries tubes (of course, today there’s a whole crew of youthful voices on Nickelodeon’s Star Trek: Prodigy ) .

In the time since he left TNG ’s orbit, Wheaton learned how important teenage representation had been for the franchise’s passionate fanbase. 

“I've been getting a lot of letters from kids, from early teenagers, to 5 to 10-year-olds, saying they miss Wesley. And letters from their parents saying he was such a positive role model,” Wheaton explained. “They say that they miss that.”

Star Trek: The Next Generation , along with every Star Trek series, streams on Paramount+. The Ready Room also streams on Paramount+ and YouTube.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 5, Episode 19

The first duty, where to watch, star trek: the next generation — season 5, episode 19.

Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation — Season 5, Episode 19 with a subscription on Paramount+, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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Patrick Stewart

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

Cmdr. William Riker

LeVar Burton

Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge

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Dr. Beverly Crusher

Marina Sirtis

Counselor Deanna Troi

Episode Info

Star Trek: The Next Generation

The First Duty

Cast & crew.

Wil Wheaton

Wesley Crusher

Ray Walston

Robert Duncan McNeill

Cadet First Class Nicholas Locarno

Lt. Cmdr. Albert

Jacqueline Brookes

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E19TheFirstDuty

Recap / Star Trek: The Next Generation S5E19 "The First Duty"

Edit locked.

Original air date: March 30, 1992

The Enterprise returns to Earth for Starfleet's commencement ceremony, where Picard is scheduled to give the address, only to learn that Cadet Wesley Crusher has been involved in a tragic incident; he is not seriously harmed, but his friend, classmate, and fellow member of Nova Squadron Joshua Albert has died in a flight accident. When Picard tries to learn more about what happened from Wesley, the young cadet is evasive about the subject. The discussion is interrupted by Nicholas Locarno, a classmate and Wesley's leader in Nova Squadron, who is just as saddened over Albert's death as everyone. When Picard leaves, however, Locarno tells Wesley not to worry about the inquiries; they have nothing to fear, so long as they stick together...

When Locarno, Wesley, and their squadmates are called in for the inquiry, Locarno recounts how Nova Squadron was attempting a Yeager loop near Saturn 's moon of Titan in the diamond slot formation, but Albert's shuttle collided with another, causing a chain reaction that lead to all five ships in the squadron being destroyed. Everyone except for Albert were able to transport to safety. Jean Hajar, the squadron's navigator, reluctantly admits that she had changed their flight plan. Sito Jaxa, who was flying in the rear, claims to not be aware of how the accident occurred exactly due to flying by sensors alone—not a recommended procedure for the maneuvers they were attempting. Locarno manages to defuse the situation by placing blame on Albert, who he claims panicked while flying and caused the accident.

The proceedings are dismissed afterwards while data from Wesley's flight recorder is examined. Locarno reminds Wesley to trust in him.

While the proceedings are in recess, Picard and La Forge look into the accident themselves. Meanwhile, Wesley and the other members of Nova Squadron are stressed over the investigation, but Locarno warns them that they must stay together. He tells Wesley that his flight recorder was damaged in the accident and only has data on what happened before the crash, so Wesley doesn't need to testify to anything his recorder doesn't prove. Wesley doesn't feel comfortable lying, but Sito suggests not to lie, but simply to not volunteer any more information.

After meeting with Albert's father and realizing that even he blames his son for the accident, Wesley tells the inquiry board what Locarno coached him to say. However, a satellite had recorded their ships in a very different formation than the one he describes, for which Wesley has no explanation...

Even in spite of contradicting evidence from the satellite, everyone, especially Beverly, believes Wesley's story and plans to try to delay the inquiry, distressing Wesley. All the while, Picard continues to investigate the accident on his own. He learns from Boothby, the kindly old groundskeeper, that after winning the Rigel Cup, Wesley and the other members of Nova Squadron became highly popular among fellow cadets, and that the entire squadron were loyal to Locarno. La Forge can't find any evidence as to what exactly caused the accident, but does find one peculiar detail regarding Wesley's shuttle: its plasma interlock was open, when it was supposed to be closed to prevent the shuttle's plasma from igniting. This leads Picard to a harrowing realization...

Picard orders Wesley to his ready room, where he reveals to the young cadet that he knows exactly what happened: Nova Squadron was attempting a Kolvoord Starburst maneuver, in which five shuttles cross each other in formation while emptying their plasma exhaust and igniting it, creating a spectacular starburst pattern. The Kolvoord Starburst maneuver was banned by Starfleet Academy over a hundred years ago after the last attempt by cadets resulted in the deaths of all involved. Picard believes Locarno wanted to leave the Academy in a blaze of glory, and manipulated Wesley and the others into performing the maneuver. Wesley tries to feign ignorance and claim that he told the truth at the inquiry, but Picard knows that Wesley only told a half-truth, which he considers the same as a lie. He recounts how, when he let Wesley onto his bridge and saw how the prodigious young man knew every control in his captain's chair, he saw great potential in him, promoting him to acting ensign and later helping him enter Starfleet Academy. Now worrying that he made these decisions in error, he gives Wesley an ultimatum: if Wesley will not tell the truth to the inquiry board, Picard will.

When Wesley returns to Earth, he recounts his discussion with Picard to Locarno. Locarno tells Wesley he only needs to dispute Picard's claims at the inquiry, but Wesley no longer feels comfortable lying and plans to tell the whole truth. Locarno accuses Wesley of betraying the team, and suggests that Wesley should instead resign his commission to save the team. After all, Locarno would do the same for them...

When the inquiry resumes, the members of Nova Squadron have their flight privileges revoked and a reprimand placed on their permanent records. Just as the proceedings are adjourned, however, Wesley speaks up and confesses that Albert died after being pressured into attempting the Kolvoord Starburst maneuver. In the face of the truth coming to light, Locarno remains silent.

Tropes featured in this episode include:

• While chewing Wesley out, Picard mentions his first meeting with Wesley on the Enterprise , how he was annoyed at how a child was sitting in his command chair, but how he was wowed at how Wesley knew how the chair worked after seeing it for the first time. He also mentions when he made Wesley an acting ensign , a decision he was proud of... until now .
• In " Final Mission ", Picard reminisces to Wesley about his days at the Academy, including a man named Boothby who was a mentor of sorts. A year later, in " The Game ", Wesley mentions having met Boothby and hearing him tell a story about Picard. Here, Boothby is fleshed out into an actual character.
• The Chains of Commanding : Upon meeting Picard, Locarno admits he's saddened at losing someone under his command. The Captain replies that it doesn't get easier.
• Colonized Solar System : Nova Squadron's emergency transporters took them to evac stations on Saturn's moon, Mimas.
• Ever wonder how, in an era of sliding doors, it was possible for Finnegan to pull a Bucket Booby-Trap on Kirk? Well, it turns out that the Academy still uses good old-fashioned hinged doors.
• Picard recalls how Wesley invaded the bridge and sat down in Picard's chair on their first meeting.
• Dangerous Forbidden Technique : The Kolvoord Starburst. It involves five ships flying in close formation and then venting the drive plasma so their engines will ignite it, creating a star-like explosion in their wake. While the effect may be impressive, it's forbidden because the maneuver is just as likely to get the participants killed as it is to produce the intended effect. The last time it was attempted a century earlier, all five cadets were killed .
• Death Glare : When Wesley goes into Picard's ready room, Picard practically says " What the Hell, Hero? " with his eyes alone. We even get a close-up of Picard's piercing, unflinching glare as he puts his monitor to one side, getting ready to lower the boom. Hope and pray that you are never as screwed as Wesley is here.
• Deceased Fall-Guy Gambit : When Sito is being grilled by the Admiral running the investigation over the obvious holes in her testimony, Locarno immediately steps in to metaphorically throw the deceased Albert under the bus, saying he had been having "problems" lately and blame him solely for the crash, by saying that Albert's flying was erratic and he was prone to pulling away suddenly while in close formation. A later scene confirms that this is exactly what Locarno is doing when his teammates point out he purposely blamed Albert.
• Didn't Think This Through : Locarno attempting to perform the Kolvoord Starburst was bad enough, but he thought he could hide the truth from the crew of the starship Enterprise — aka the Federation's flagship— and they expose him shortly after joining the investigation. He might have gotten away with it if not for a passing satellite catching them in a lie, but insisting on maintaining it when the story was called into question was pure ego.
• Disappointed in You : Picard puts it in no uncertain terms that he's quite displeased with Wesley covering up the truth about what really happened with the flight accident, and that now he's questioning whether or not he was right to let Wesley become an officer in the first place. Wesley tries to reason with Picard about what happened, but the Captain isn't hearing it.
• Early-Installment Weirdness : Sito's make-up looks a little different to most other Bajorans seen in the franchise (and even her own later appearance in Season 7), giving her bushy eyebrows and more pronounced nose ridges.
• "Eureka!" Moment : La Forge noting Wesley's plasma interlocks were open, which he explains could ignite the warp plasma. This leads to Picard's realization. Picard: Ignite the plasma... that's what they were trying to do.
• Get Out! : Wesley looks like he wants to reason with Picard after he gets chewed out. Picard cuts him off with a loud, booming, "Dismissed!!"
• Glory Seeker : Locarno wanted to prove Nova Squadron was the best, by mastering the Kolvoord Starburst and putting on the greatest flight demonstration the Academy had ever seen.
• Good Cop/Bad Cop : Picard manages to pull both of these off when he brings Wesley to his ready room. He first speaks to him in a calm and gentle tone, like a concerned parent who's worried that their child has done something terribly wrong. Once Wesley hesitates to answer, Picard snaps at him and pulls rank, showing that he's done playing games.
• Honesty Aesop : The main theme to the episode.
• Hypocrite : When Wesley tells Locarno that they have a duty to tell the truth, Locarno responds that Wesley also has a duty to his friends, conveniently forgetting the fact that one of their own friends got killed because of Locarno's recklessness and arrogance.
• I Gave My Word : It happens offscreen, but in the end, it turns out Locarno took the blame and got expelled. The rest of the team got a lighter (though still pretty bad) punishment, but as Wesley notes, Locarno did exactly what he said he'd do—he looked out for his team.
• If You Won't, I Will : Picard uses this ultimatum on Wesley when he finds out that Wesley and the rest of Nova Squadron have been lying about a training accident that got one of them killed.
• Sito Jaxa is held back for a year on account of her role in the cover up, and becomes a pariah on campus as a result. When she's finally able to graduate, she's assigned to the Enterprise as an Ensign, but dies during a spy mission to Cardassia.
• It eventually turns out that Sito had a major admirer: Beckett Mariner , who was so devastated by her friend's death and traumatized by having to fight in the Dominion War, she deliberately stunted her career with multiple acts of self-sabotage in order to keep herself from having to be in a position to send others to their deaths. Consequently, most of her crewmates see her as an undisciplined maverick whose career in Starfleet is hanging by a thread, even though she loves being a part of something bigger than herself despite Starfleet's bureaucracy and hypocrisy being an annoyance to her. It takes three seasons of Character Development for her to get her head on straight, and another season for her to accept a promotion.
• Wesley's role in the affair burns out his desire to be in Starfleet, and he returns to the Enterprise in great distress and annoyance about what he really wants to do. He winds up becoming a Traveler , which is later revealed to be the very beings that protect the fabric of history itself, allowing him to mature into the man he wants to be.
• Nova Squad is implied to have been the biggest name on campus until Locarno torched their reputation. In their place comes Red Squad, who wind up falling into their own legacy of shame and disgrace in the run-up to and during the Dominion War. First, Admiral Leyton uses them as part of a coup attempt to take a more aggressive approach against the Dominion. Then, the squad's members end up stranded away from the Federation and try fighting the Dominion by themselves, but their leader proves no better than Locarno and drags his squad into a suicide mission that gets all but one of them killed.
• As for Locarno himself, his ego takes a massive blow and he convinces himself that the squad would've pulled it off if they'd been allowed to practice, causing him to stop accepting responsibility for his role in the affair . Disgraced, he forms his own Nova Fleet by bribing the crews of other ships to overthrow their captains and join him in creating an alternative to Starfleet that isn't bound by the same rules, though his entire plan is foiled by Mariner when he kidnaps her, thinking she shares his point of view. Instead, she denounces him on a quadrant-wide broadcast, flees with his black market Genesis Device in hand, and exposes that his plan was nothing more than a means to prop up his own ego, which winds up leading to his death in a Genesis Wave.
• Laser-Guided Karma : After Wesley exposes what really happened with the flight accident, Locarno is expelled from Starfleet Academy. The rest of Nova Squad is punished for partaking in the coverup by having their academic credits for the year revoked, and must repeat them. It's later revealed they were treated like pariahs at the school for what they did, and nobody wanted anything to do with them.
• Legacy Seeker : Cadet Nicholas Locarno is the captain of famed flight team Nova Squadron. He's about to graduate and become an ordinary ensign, so he decides to do something that will ensure his immortality on campus. He convinces the rest of the Squadron into performing a dangerous but spectacular flying maneuver that was banned for killing five cadets; unfortunately, he fails, and one of his teammates is killed... so now his legacy is being the guy who led his teammate to his death.
• Lying by Omission : Turns out Wesley testified with this. When Picard finds out what really happened, he lets Wesley know that he sees right through his little charade. Picard: Cadet, I asked you a question. Am I correct? Wesley: I choose not to answer, sir. Picard: [enraged] ...you choose not to answer? But you've already given an answer to the inquiry. That answer was a lie! Wesley: I said the accident occurred after the loop! It did! Picard: What you neglected to mention is that following the loop, your team attempted a maneuver that was the direct cause of the crash. You told the truth, up to a point. But a lie of omission is still a lie !
• Meaningful Echo : When Picard returns to Starfleet Academy and runs into Boothby, he thanks the old groundskeeper for helping him straighten out his life. Boothby tells Picard that all he did was give him advice; Picard was the one who put in the work to become a better man. When Picard leaves the Academy, Wesley thanks him for convincing him to tell the truth. Picard repeats Boothby's words to the young man before departing.
• Whatever Boothby did to save Picard's bacon years earlier.
• Also, about that time you were sent to the superintendent's office, Picard...
• And the celebration after the Paresees Squares victory against Minsk.
• And there is also the first (and possibly only ) time somebody tried to perform the Kolvoord Starburst.
• Oblivious Guilt Slinging : Dr. Crusher assuring Wesley that she knows he's telling the truth, even though he and the rest of Nova Squadron have been lying. Also a doozy from Albert's father, who details how much Albert looked up to the other cadets, and how sorry his father is for Albert 'letting them down' and almost getting the squad killed.
• The look on Wesley's face (along with the rest of Nova Squadron) when an image of their flight formation contradicts the cadets' stories.
• Wesley also gets quite alert when his mother tells him that Geordi and Data are investigating his flight recorder.
• That said, it's Picard's legendary " What the Hell, Hero? " speech where Wesley really knows the jig is up.
• Outrun the Fireball : The Kolvoord Starburst involves five ships flying in close formation to intentionally ignite their plasma exhaust and then outrunning the resulting explosion. It looks like a star pattern if done right, hence the name, but if done wrong the fireball catches the pilots and everyone dies. It was banned because the last five cadets to attempt it got themselves killed, and Locarno's group doesn't fare much better on their attempt.
• Parental Substitute : Riker says that the superintendent during his academy days was a Vulcan, who memorized the personnel files of every cadet. "It was like having your parents around all the time."
• Posthumous Character : Joshua Albert, who dies before the Enterprise gets to Earth. He wouldn't actually be seen in the flesh until a flashback sequence on Star Trek: Lower Decks .
• Revealing Cover Up : There are too many small inconsistencies with the cadets' testimonies for it to have played out the way they described, especially since there's photographic evidence from a nearby satellite showing that they misled the board. Then Geordi and Data examine a flight recorder that helps Picard figure out what they were really doing.
• Shout-Out : The Starfleet Academy motto, Ex Astris Scientia ("From the stars, knowledge") is derived from Apollo 13 's mission motto Ex Luna Scientia ("From the moon, knowledge"), which, in turn, was derived from the United States Naval Academy's motto Ex Scientia Tridens ("From knowledge, sea power").
• Space Fighter : The ships that Nova Squadron did their maneuvers in were single-person fighters.
• Spanner in the Works : Locarno's entire plan to get Nova Squadron off the hook is foiled because a passing satellite happened to grab an image of the cadets in a different formation than the one they claimed, at which point Picard and his people step in to figure out the truth themselves once the story is called into question.
• Taking the Heat : Locarno accepts full responsibility to prevent the rest of Nova Squadron from being expelled along with him.
• Teleportation Rescue : Nova Squadron, with the exception of Joshua, survived the explosion thanks to emergency transporters that beamed them to the nearest station.
• Think Nothing of It : When Picard offers a belated, stammering apology/thank-you to Boothby for whatever happened years ago , Boothby shrugs it off, saying that it's enough that Picard has done so well in life.
• Title Drop : "The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth !"
• A rather epic one from Picard. Picard: Do you remember the day you first came aboard this ship ? Your mother brought you on the Bridge. Wesley: [defeated] Yes, sir. Picard: You even sat in my chair. I was annoyed - presumptuous child playing on my ship?! But I never forgot how you already knew every control, every display. You behaved as though you belonged on the Bridge. And then later when I decided to make you an acting ensign , I was convinced you could be an outstanding officer. And I've never questioned that conviction... until now. The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth ! Whether it's scientific truth, or historical truth, or personal truth! It is the guiding principle upon which Starfleet is based! If you can't find it within yourself to stand up and tell the truth about what happened you don't deserve to wear that uniform . I'm going to make this simple for you, Mister Crusher. Either you come forward and tell Admiral Brand what really took place, or I will. Wesley: Captain— Picard: Dismissed!
• Locarno then gives Wesley one to try to keep him from ratting everyone out. Doesn't work so well.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S5E18 "Cause and Effect"
• Recap/Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: The Next Generation S5E20 "Cost of Living"

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Ensign Sito Jaxa was a 24th century Bajoran Starfleet officer . She was reported as having been killed in the line of duty in 2370 , while on a secret mission as a member of the USS Enterprise -D crew .

• 1 Starfleet Academy
• 2.1 Covert assignment
• 3.1 Appearances
• 3.2 Background information
• 3.3 Apocrypha
• 3.4 External link

Starfleet Academy [ ]

While in Starfleet Academy in 2368 , Sito Jaxa was a member of Nova Squadron , along with Wesley Crusher , Joshua Albert and Jean Hajar . Under the direction of Cadet Nicholas Locarno , Nova Squadron attempted the dangerous Kolvoord Starburst maneuver during a flight exercise – an action that resulted in a collision and Albert's death . Sito and her fellow cadets lied about their flying of the illegal maneuver to a board of inquiry led by Rear Admiral Brand and Captain Satelk .

When the crew of the Enterprise -D discovered inconsistencies in the report, Captain Jean-Luc Picard reprimanded Cadet Crusher and threatened to go to the board of inquiry himself, but Crusher eventually decided to reveal the true cause of the accident. Locarno took the blame and was expelled from the Academy, while Crusher had his academic credits from the past year canceled. ( TNG : " The First Duty "). It was not specified if Sito or Hajar suffered the same punishment as Crusher.

Sito remained at Starfleet Academy, despite the stigma attached to the cadets involved in the cover-up. She had to take her flight test with the instructor because no other cadet wanted to be her partner. ( TNG : " Lower Decks ")

Sito was good friends with and a mentor to first-year Beckett Mariner , who aspired to be like her. Sito recommended Mariner to sign up for xeno-history , feeling she would enjoy it. Mariner apparently accepted that Sito had made a mistake, and would later relate that Sito rallied back from it and continued on to graduate ahead of her. ( LD : " The Inner Fight ")

Career on board the Enterprise -D [ ]

Training with Lieutenant Worf. " It's not a fair test. "

After graduating the Academy, Sito was assigned to the Enterprise -D at the request of Captain Picard because he wanted to make sure she had a fair chance to redeem herself, although she did not realize that at the time.

Sito worked in the security department under Lieutenant Worf , and developed close friendships with fellow junior officers Sam Lavelle , Nurse Alyssa Ogawa , Taurik , and Ten Forward waiter Ben . She found a mentor in Worf, who suggested her for promotion to the night duty operations officer position, which placed her in competition with Sam Lavelle. She was also a student in Worf's mok'bara class. ( TNG : " Lower Decks ")

Covert assignment [ ]

Ensign Sito before her final mission

Seven months after her assignment to the Enterprise -D, Picard called Sito to his ready room , knowing that she was a certified pilot , and chastised her for involvement with the cover-up at the Academy. He said she demonstrated a lack of character and that he was surprised she had been able to acquire a posting on the Enterprise -D. Sito tried to defend herself, but did not feel confident enough to express her opinion to the captain. She left his ready room upset and doubtful of her abilities.

Later, Worf informed Sito that he wanted to recruit her for an advanced mok'bara class, which required her to pass the " gik'tal challenge", an unfair test which required a student to defend him or herself while blindfolded . The test was actually made up by Worf, who wanted to teach Sito to stand up for herself. Sito returned to Picard and told him that it was not his place to punish her for her past mistakes, and that she would work to be the best officer possible in the future. Picard then revealed to her that his harshness was actually designed to test her ability to carry out an important mission in Cardassian space. Picard also revealed his requesting her assignment to the Enterprise -D under his command and his reasons for doing so.

Sito was to assist a Cardassian defector, Joret Dal , return to Cardassia Prime by posing as a Bajoran prisoner captured as part of a bounty hunt , which would allow Joret to cross the border without difficulty. She would then be returned to Federation space in an escape pod , after Joret reached Cardassian territory. Sito freely volunteered for the mission, and was surgically altered to appear as if Joret had abused her. Joret was shocked that she was so young, but was grateful that she risked her life in order for the mission to succeed.

The Enterprise -D waited thirty-two hours for her to return, but only detected debris consistent with that of a destroyed escape pod. Eventually, a Cardassian communique was intercepted indicating that the escape pod was detected and destroyed after escaping. The pain over her loss was felt by both her friends and her superiors. Picard noted that she was the finest example of a Starfleet officer and a young woman of remarkable courage and strength of character. ( TNG : " Lower Decks ")

Cadets Sito and Mariner

Sito's life and death would have greater consequences beyond the crew of the Enterprise . Her death 'destroyed' Mariner, and Mariner's subsequent experiences in the Dominion War caused this to develop into survivor guilt , leading to her decision to stay an ensign as it had been "good enough" for Sito, not wanting to be a general who sent her friends to their deaths. To that end, Mariner reflexively engaged in erratic and self-destructive behavior in her period of service that led to recurring demotions to the point where her facing court martial was a real risk. When she recounted this to Ma'ah while stranded on Sherbal V in 2381 , he told her that this decision dishonored Sito's memory, and that Sito would never have approved of her behavior. ( LD : " The Inner Fight ")

Shortly afterwards, Locarno tried to manipulate Mariner into returning a Genesis Device he had intended to use as a deterrent against enemies of Nova Fleet by telling her that Sito had died for no reason. This proved fruitless, as Mariner had just come to terms with Sito's death and did not trust Locarno due to the Kolvoord Starburst scandal. ( LD : " Old Friends, New Planets ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The First Duty "
• " Lower Decks "
• LD : " Old Friends, New Planets "

Background information [ ]

Sito Jaxa was played by Shannon Fill , who auditioned for the part on the suggestion of a friend. Fill was very surprised when she won the role, which marked her professional acting debut. In retrospect, she said, " It was a small role and, having it be my first professional experience, there was so much to learn from it. I had no idea how complex it was. I had never, for example, had to be on a mark [....] It was really exciting and who could have asked for a better place for a first experience. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 25/26, No. 6/1, p. 79)

Following Sito's debut in "The First Duty", the writing staff of Star Trek: The Next Generation spent years wanting to bring her back to TNG. ("Lower Decks" audio commentary , TNG Season 7 Blu-ray special features) It was Jeri Taylor who suggested reusing the character of Sito Jaxa in "Lower Decks", which established Sito's first name, but Ron Wilkerson and Jean Louise Matthias , who wrote the episode's story together, also wanted to use Sito for the installment. Killing off a much-liked character, initially unspecified during the development process, was one of the writing duo's primary objectives for the outing, inspired by the death of Robert Tomlinson in TOS : " Balance of Terror ". ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 25/26, No. 6/1, pp. 78 & 79) René Echevarria , who scripted the episode, likewise approved of Sito returning and being killed off. " It was nice [...] to give her another story, " he commented. Considering Sito's death, Echevarria observed, " This is, of course, occasionally the price that gets paid. " ("Lower Decks" audio commentary , TNG Season 7 Blu-ray special features)

While "Lower Decks" was being written, Sito Jaxa's death underwent revision. " In the early drafts of the script, " remembered Jeri Taylor, " we left her death somewhat ambiguous because we thought we might pull her back in to help us out in some stories that were happening further on down the road. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 298) Taylor specifically wanted Sito Jaxa to return in later TNG Season 7 stories, at the end of the year. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 25/26, No. 6/1, p. 80) " When I mentioned that to Michael [Piller] , " continued Taylor, " he said, 'Absolutely not, she's dead. She stays dead. That would undermine the whole episode.' So I said, 'Fine.' " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 298)

The final draft script for "Lower Decks" described Sito as being in her early to mid-twenties at the time of the episode's setting. The same teleplay additionally commented, " As we'll see, the Nova Squadron incident has left Sito a little unsure of herself; determined to get her career back on track but desperate to avoid making another mistake, she's become very cautious, very by-the-book. "

Sito actress Shannon Fill performing martial arts for TNG : " Lower Decks "

Shannon Fill was even more surprised to be asked to reprise the role of Sito Jaxa in "Lower Decks" than she had been upon initially being offered the part. " I couldn't believe this character who had just been introduced was going to be developed and I was the one who could develop it. When I received the script, I had to pinch myself, realizing this was a significant role for this episode. " Performing alongside Picard actor Patrick Stewart had an effect on how Fill portrayed her scenes as Sito, two of which were one-on-one scenes with Picard. " To be able to speak with him on camera, to actually have dialogue and a relationship with Captain Picard, was extremely intense […] I'd been rehearsing alone, knowing these were major chunks of speech and I could blow it really easily. " Fill was consequently not satisfied (at least, not immediately) with her filmed performances in the two scenes. " Inside, I'm dying, saying, 'Please let me do it over again. I can do a better job. I'm certain of it.' " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 25/26, No. 6/1, pp. 79 & 80) However, Visual Effects Producer and martial arts consultant Dan Curry was impressed with how Fill, a trained dancer and acrobat who was new to martial arts, managed to pick up the Klingon moves for Sito's combat with Worf. " I've never seen anybody learn it that quickly and so convincing, " Curry said of the actress. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (3rd ed., p. 282))

Following the initial broadcast of "Lower Decks", plans were made to reuse the Sito Jaxa character once again. Recollected Jeri Taylor, " The morning after Michael [Piller] saw the episode, he came in and said, 'We can't let her stay dead. We've got to bring her back. She was wonderful.' " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 298) René Echevarria explained, " There was a lot of talk about bringing her back, but we never got around to it. " Though there was no time to have Sito rescued on TNG, there may have been on spinoff Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 337) Almost immediately after the first airing of "Lower Decks", Piller arranged to have Sito turn up alive in an ultimately undeveloped premise for DS9 . His intention to return the character to Star Trek was partly influenced by fan mail which lamented Sito's death. Shortly after devising the plan to reuse the character on DS9, Piller remarked, " I think that the character was so good, and Jeri in her wisdom allowed there to be a loophole, and we got some very good ideas of why it will be successful to bring her back. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 298) Subsequently, Ronald D. Moore stated, " We talked about this for quite awhile, but then decided that bringing Sito back would rob 'Lower Decks' of a great ending. " ( AOL chat , 1997 ) The proposed story would have found Sito in a Cardassian prison and would climax with her killing her own cellmate. Elements of the story were ultimately adapted into the DS9 episode " Hard Time ". ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion  (p. 326))

Steven Scott Ripley , who wrote the short story "Change of Heart" for Strange New Worlds II , nominated Sito Jaxa as his favorite Star Trek character. He noted, " Her character was unforgettable. " ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 123 , p. 68)

Sito Jaxa's uniform from the fifth season episode "The First Duty" was later sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [1]

Star Trek: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan discussed locating Fill to reprise her role in " Old Friends, New Planets " on The 7th Rule podcast, saying " Shannon Fill, we had to track down… That’s a whole other podcast. The nicest person I’ve ever met. My line producer Brad still texts with her. We love her. We’ve gotta get her to a convention. I don’t think she’d performed for like 30-something years. We were like, “Come back. We’ll pay your SAG dues. Come on to Lower Decks.” And she brought her daughter to Lower Decks. She brought her to the record. We had a blast. " [2]

Apocrypha [ ]

Sito also appears in the Star Trek: Terok Nor novel Dawn of the Eagles , which mentions that Sito's father was a cousin of Mora Pol .

Her biography in Star Trek: Starship Creator (written by Mike Okuda and Denise Okuda ) states that she was rescued.

In Saturn's Children , her mirror universe counterpart ( β ) was depicted as a Klingon-Cardassian Alliance spy who was infiltrating the Terran Rebellion in 2375 . Her true loyalties were discovered by Miles O'Brien and she was killed by Keiko O'Brien 's counterpart Keiko Ishikawa.

In the story "Brave New World" in Star Trek: Myriad Universes #2, Echoes and Refractions , Lt. Sito is alpha shift Ops officer on the Enterprise , serving under Captain Picard and his first officer, Commander Geordi La Forge . She briefly dated Lt. Sam Lavelle (the current helmsman) and is Chief Engineer Lt. Wesley Crusher 's confidante in matters of romance (she teased Wes mercilessly about his lack of a love life). She also struck up a friendship with her fellow Bajoran Commander Ro Laren (tactical officer/security chief).

External link [ ]

• Sito Jaxa at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 3 Erigah (episode)

• Web Channels
• Star Trek: The Next Generation

The First Duty

When Wesley Crusher's team suffers an accident at Starfleet Academy, Picard helps investigate its cause, and believes a cover-up is taking place.

Jacqueline Brookes

Wil Wheaton

Robert Duncan McNeill

Ray Walston

Richard Fancy

Shannon Fill

Walker Brandt

Richard Rothenberg

Cast appearances.

Patrick Stewart

Jonathan Frakes

LeVar Burton

Michael Dorn

Gates McFadden

Marina Sirtis

Brent Spiner

Episode discussion.

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Episode Preview: The First Duty

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 5, Episode 19

The First Duty Stardate: 45703.9 Original Airdate: 30 Mar, 1992

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Star Trek: The Next Generation : "The First Duty"/"Cost Of Living"

"The First Duty"

Or  The One Where Wesley Stands Up

It's difficult being the best. Because when you're a kid and you're smarter than most other kids around… well, sure, it has its moments. Your parents are probably going to be super proud of you, and school work won't ever pose much of a challenge, at least not for a while, and you get to read the really good books sooner than anybody else. On the down side, being smart also means you tend to be more self-conscious from an early age, because you think before you act, which is a sort of social death. Children your age at best won't understand you, and at worst will punish you for standing out of from the crowd. So you work harder, and you get used to being lonely, because hey, this is your gift and your privilege, and you're  special , right, you're some kind of genius or something. And if you don't go through the regular motions of hanging out and if you have a hard time meeting people, that's just the price you pay for your talent. You're going to make everyone proud someday. You're going to show all them and then that will make up for a lot.

Related Content

Everyone knows this part of the arc. It's very sad. But there's more! As you get older, the work gets harder, and maybe you didn't learn the right lessons when you were young: how to study when the lessons weren't immediately obvious, how to pace yourself, how it's okay if you don't get it all on the first try. Or hey, maybe you did learn these lessons. But even still, the work gets harder, and it becomes more and more important for you to be the best, the golden boy. So much is riding on your shoulders. Everyone has put their expectations on you, and you've been perfect so long, so you can't fail now. Worse, the same old successes aren't quite cutting it the way they once did. Just getting perfect grades? Eh, we've seen it. Tops in all your classes? Filling your plate with extra-curriculars? Getting into the best college, making the best friends, joining the best teams? Not bad, right, but what have you done for me  lately .

Wesley Crusher returns in "The First Duty," and while his situation isn't quite as dire as all that, he's clearly struggling with some of that golden boy pressure. He's doing well at Starfleet Academy, and Picard has been invited to give the commencement address for this year's class. (Which would be remarkable, wouldn't it? I don't even remember the name of the guy who gave my commencement address. He was a business mogul and terribly bland, although that may just be my goofy ass liberal arts major brain talking.) Before the  Enterprise  arrives at Earth, however, there's a grave accident: Wesley, although with the four other cadets that make up the "Nova Squadron," is involved in the accident while training for a planned maneuver around Saturn for graduation ceremonies. One cadet, Joshua Albert, is killed when five single-pilot ships collide mid-flight, and now, Wesley and the others will be called on by the head of the Academy, Admiral Brand, to explain the circumstances that lead to the accident.

"Duty" is a fine episode, probably the best Wesley-centric episode I've seen, in no small part due to the fact that it never really  feels  like a Wesley-centric episode. His dramatic arc from guilt to lying to questioning to confession and repentance is the spine of the story, but much of the episode is built on the mystery surrounding exactly what happened out there around Saturn, so much of the episode, the Boy Blunder is held at arm's length. Instead, we see events unfolding largely from Picard's perspective, and that is never a bad thing. It seems like ages since we've had Picard as the central figure of a storyline (he was the hero of "Power Play," but that was more ensemble driven; the last time we got some real Patrick Stewart greatness was, what, his argument with Matt Frewer in "Matter of Time"?), and it's great to see him do more here than simply sit on the sidelines, handing down vaguely paternal advice. Oh sure, he does that, but this isn't some mildly pleasant, live-and-let-live captaining; when Picard realizes what Wesley and the others have done, he goes into full on Old Testament God mode, and it's terrific.

This episode also marks the first appearance of Boothby, the groundskeeper whom Picard recommended Wesley seek out and befriend back in "Final Mission." Ray Walston plays Boothby, and while the character skirts up against cliche, Walston's performance is low-key enough to make it largely work. He and Stewart play off each other well in their scenes together, which is good, since Boothby only ever appears on screen with Picard. Despite Picard's recommendation, there's never any real sense that Wesley has connected with the groundskeeper; Boothby knows his name and knows a fair bit about the Nova Squadron (including the highly motivated Nicholas Locarno, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, who would later go on to play Tom Paris on  Voyager ), but we never see Wesley going to Boothby for advice, nor do we ever get a sense that Wesley has done so in the past. Which means that when a moral crisis arrives, Wesley doesn't have a gruff, stern paternal figure on hand to come in and point him in the right direction, so Picard has to step in.

While Picard is using Data and Geordi to determine what caused the accident and reminiscing with Boothby over his own mistakes, Wesley is slowly panicking. He's doing it in a controlled fashion, which is just what you'd expect from someone whose spent his whole life on the straight and narrow, but he's not happy with what's going down, and it takes repeated reassurances from squad leader Locarno to keep him believing that silence is the best way to go. See, it wasn't just an accident that took Josh's life. The Nova squadron are school champions, and as befits champions (as is  required  of them, even, to keep impressing everyone), they decide to bust out a flight routine that's been forbidden at the Academy for over a hundred years, the Kolvoord Starburst. It's a showy, incredibly risky move, and when they tried to rehearse it, they screwed up. So now, Locarno is pushing for everyone to lay the blame on Josh's door. He's dead, he won't care, so say he was getting nervous and twitchy at the controls, and no one has to know about the real mistake.

The episode does a great job of making Wesley's situation as ambiguous as possible. What happened was awful, but it's over now, and this isn't the sort of crime that would automatically lead to other crimes. Yes, Josh's good name is getting dragged through the mud, which would be miserable for his parents (all we ever see is his father; Ed Lauter appears to have been driven mad by grief, as his eyes spend most of their time on screen trying to push out of the actor's skull, but he does apologize to Wesley for Josh's "failure," which is pretty brutal), but it's easy to see how quickly rationalization of the cover-up would take hold. Josh is dead, and he was a good friend, but a dead friend is still dead, and he doesn't have a career to worry about anymore. And he'll be dead even if they confess and put their own careers in jeopardy. It's not exactly a victim-less crime, but it's hard to see what good stepping forward and confessing will do anyone at this point. No one's ever going to know. There will be some reprimands for improper procedure and maybe a little suspicion, but who cares?

But of course Picard cares, and of course Data and Geordi are able to piece together just enough information for Picard to figure out what went wrong. He confronts Wesley with this knowledge in his ready room, and Picard's anger throughout this scene is remarkable; I can't remember ever seeing him this angry at Wesley before (well, apart from that first Lore episode, but that was back in season one, when Picard was  always  pissed off), and while we in the audience can understand that this is all for Wesley's own good, that he needs someone to stop him in his tracks before he starts down the wrong path… well, it's still thrilling to see. And I don't even say this from an anti-Wesley perspective. I've taken my fair share of pot-shots at the character before, and he was never as compelling as his position on the series would seem to indicate. The precocious wonder boy never quite fit in with  TNG 's aesthetic, as it felt too much like a series of children's books grafted on to a (generally) adult drama. But he had his moments, and of all the Wesley episodes, this one is the most successful at making you feel for the guy. He's in an impossible situation. He's over-reached, and now, in order to listen to the dictates of his conscience, he'll have to betray his friends and admit to the people whose respect matters most to him that he failed and that he is partly responsible for a friend's death.

So the excitement of watching Picard read him the riot act near the end of the episode isn't because of sublimated desire in my heart to see Wesley suffer. It's partly because Patrick Stewart is a tremendous actor, and he's mesmerizing to watch. But it's also because this needed to happen, because after so many years of being praised and petted by a world of adulatory adults, Wesley needs to be treated like an adult who is both capable of moral decision and culpable if he fails to make those decisions well. Stepping forward and telling the truth isn't an easy decision, and it certainly won't immediately improve his life or bring Josh back from the dead. And yet, for all his brilliance and his prodigious ability, this is the one decision Wesley needs to make that can truly define his character. Everything else was a game of some form or another. Now it's time for him to take responsibility for his actions, because if he doesn't, even if there are no immediate consequences, he'll be compromised, and the next time a situation arises where the right course is a little too difficult, who knows what could happen.

In the end, Wesley stands up and does the right thing, in front of everyone. He gets held back a year at the Academy, and Locarno gets expelled. Actually, in a nice twist, Locarno makes sure Wesley and others aren't expelled as well, by taking full responsibility for what happened; he may have been lying, but he wasn't a complete jerk. (Which adds to the ambiguity, too, because if Picard hadn't investigated further, what might have happened if Wesley had kept his mouth shut? Maybe Locarno would've turned out okay. Maybe Wesley wouldn't have gone insane with grief. Who knows?) "Duty" is the first time we've seen any of Starfleet Academy on any  Trek  series, and while the school isn't really a traditional setting for a space-faring sci-fi series, the lesson here is the same as it is all over the galaxy, for geniuses and fools and anybody: You make your choices, and you pay the consequences.

Stray Observations:

• If I had any nitpicks for this episode, it would be that Picard's threat to go public with his conclusions if Wesley stayed silent makes Wesley's choice a little less than a choice. It makes sense, in that Wesley's still fairly young, and maybe he needs this one last shove, but it might have worked better if Picard had simply said, "Look, I can't prove this, so I won't say anything if you don't. But don't expect me to give a damn about you from here on."
• "The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth." That whole speech was aces.
• According to Memory Alpha, Robert Duncan was supposed to reprise his role as Locarno for  Voyager , until somebody realized that, if he did, they'd have to pay royalties to the original writers of "The First Duty" for the entire run of the show. Thus, Tom Paris was born.

"Cost of Living"

Or  The One Where Lwaxana Meets Alexander And I Die A Little Inside

This is an episode which stars Alexander, Worf's son, and Lwaxana Troi. Y'all are lucky I made it past the half-hour mark without clawing my eyes out. I'm going to try a slightly different format than usual here, and just give you my notes from the episode as it was happening (with, of course, some adjustments and additional notes for clarity).

Blowing up an asteroid, Tessen III, Dangerous core is still around

Whenever I review an episode, I try and write down as many new proper nouns I can. This is where closed captioning comes in super helpful. I doubt many people come here for hard facts about  TNG , but it does help make the writing easier if I don't have to keep referring to everything as "that planet over there" and "some star system or something." It's not always useful, though, as in this case; Tessen III never really comes up again. The important bit to remember here is that the  Enterprise  destroys an asteroid before it hits a planet, and when the core of the asteroid blows up, it releases a dust cloud that infects the  Enterprise and makes a much more interesting story than the drama we spend most of the hour suffering through.

Troi, Alexander, Worf in counseling

Alexander is still insanely annoying here. He shouts  all the time . I think we're supposed to find Worf unreasonable, but I think he honestly deserves some sort of medal for not punting the little brat out the nearest airlock.

Lwaxana is getting married, wants to hold the ceremony in Ten Forward, the groom is Campio, third minster to the conference of judges Kostolain

And here is where the true horror of this episode becomes clear. It's not just Alexander; it's also Lwaxana, and she's just bringing the crazy like nobody's business. Also, here's another example of "recording names of places that no one really gives a damn about." I mean, it's not like Kostolain is ever going to be in a trivia quiz. Unless you're writing fan fiction (maybe Campio was actually an assassin who married Lwaxana as a cover so he could murder Picard!), who cares?

They haven't met yet

Sigh.  Classic  Lwaxana.

Worf and Alexander are drawing up contracts. KILL ME. I'm with Worf. This is hell

Already, my mind is starting to slip. Troi suggests Worf and Alexander make up contracts of their obligations, and Worf isn't a huge fan. Alexander immediately starts whining about how Worf won't follow through on anything, and it's all intended to drive the brat towards Lwaxana, so they can be friends or something. But you know what? I don't watch this show for parenting tips or for tepid family dramas. The more time I spend with Alexander, the more infuriated I am that Worf, of all the characters on the show, has been saddled with this irritating lump of tedium.

"Nothing would please me more than to give away Mrs. Troi."

I may just be imagining this, but it seems like Picard has gone from "trying to hide a possible attraction to Lwaxana" to "pure, unfettered irritation." I find this latter reaction far more believable.

Colony of Free Spirits This is terrifying. Holodeck

And here's were we go from bad to nauseating. I'm sure some people would find Lwaxana's idyllic artist's retreat to be a whimsical place full of enchantment and, uh, whimsy. To me, it's a lot of good old-fashioned nightmare fuel, made all the worse because everyone involved seems to think they're utterly wonderful. There's a multi-colored head floating in a bubble; a juggler who juggles edible "worlds" (and buddy, nobody's impressed that you can manage three balls at once); a pair of Suessian exiles who argue constantly; and a pontificating blowhard with a beard. It's supposed to be charming, and that's the worst kind of awful, I think. The forced chumminess and unfunny jokes make me gag.

"The higher the fewer."

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" (In context, this bit makes absolutely no sense. I guess Alexander's habit of quoting it is supposed to be a indication of his childlike childishness, but, as with nearly everything else in this episode, it's pretty dumb.)

Looking for Alexander. Mud bath. Ugh

All right, just to catch you up: Lwaxana has taken Alexander into the holodeck so he can enjoy all the horrors of the Colony of Free Spirits. They're doing a full spa treatment, and Worf is upset because Alexander is missing his scheduled therapy time with Deanna. Eventually, Deanna realizes what's going on and zzzzzzzzz sorry, what?

SO FUCKING IRRITATING

No comment.

Whoa. Naked chick dancing!

Yeah, so this happened. A dancer does a number while Alexander and Lwaxana are in the mud, and the dancer is covered in body paint and a few strategically placed bits of… moss? Mud? Anyway, she's mostly nude. Given Lwaxana's attitude towards nakedness, this isn't that surprising, but then again, it sort of is.

"You're telling me you're not going to be naked at your own wedding?" Oh thank god

Oh, past Zack. You really are charmingly naive sometimes.

The computer is having problems. Creates sausage instead of tea. Thank god, a plot that I can sort of give a shit about

I'm clearly turning bitter at this point in the note-taking process, but the episode's secondary plot (which, come to think of it, never really ties into the main story) isn't bad. The dust from the asteroid is a parasite eating all the nitrium in the  Enterprise 's engines and leaving behind a sort of fecal goo. ("A Sort of Fecal Goo" would've made a better title for this episode, actually.)

Alexander and Lwaxana talking about marriage. She admits to him she's settling To dial down the sarcasm just a tad, I did appreciate "Cost"'s attempts to once again remind us of the real sadness that lies behind all of Lwaxana's antics. She's alone, she's getting older, and as much as she might put on a good show, the odds of her finding someone she actually might want to spend the rest of her life with are distressingly low. There are aspects of this episode that I wanted to enjoy, and not just the sci-fi plot; while Lwaxana isn't exactly appealing, her potential groom, Campio, is a stuffed shirt ass, and her eventual refusal to compromise her principles in order to find a mate should be triumphant. But it's just too much. She spends roughly 80 percent of her time on the show being forceful, obnoxious, and disrespectful of others. Making her depressed every now and again isn't going to make up for hours of anti-entertainment.

Laughing Hour: worst thing ever?

HA! and yes. (The Colony has a "Laughing Hour," which in practical terms, means that at random intervals for the rest of the episode, Alexander will start to go "HA! HA!" Remarkably, this is even more irritating than it sounds.)

Running into problems with Campio. KILL ME

My notes become something of a broken record at this point. But yes, there's a scene with everyone shouting, because Lwaxana and Alexander want to spend time together, and Campio and Worf and Deanna are not happy with this.

Yes, because we can't possible chase them into the holodeck

I sometimes think the writers believe that just because the holodeck can create spaces that appear bigger than the 'deck actually is, then people can hide inside the program. Surely Worf would have the clearance to simply turn off whatever program Lwaxana and Alexander were engaged in. As escape plans go, this is like running out of the bedroom to hide under the kitchen table.

The holodeck program is disrupted by the parasite. The turbolift starts fucking up. Whoa, life support slipping, Data has to follow through if everyone passes out.

Oh thank god, the other plot kicks in. Briefly, we're led to believe that the parasite that has been slowly infiltrating the rest of the ship might actually be relevant to all this Alexander/Lwaxana foolishness when the holodeck starts acting up. Such is not the case, however, as Lwaxana and the others (apart from Worf) largely disappear through the rest of this crisis. Geordi and Data determine that the best way to get rid of the evil space dust is by returning it to the asteroid field from whence it came, which is what they do; except that, given the low power levels through the ship, everyone on board passes out except for Data. But hey, it's Data, so he gets the job done and saves the day and doesn't even ask for a raise.

Oh great the wedding. Troi's hair is kinda hilarious

Yes, it's wedding time. And yes, Troi's hair  is  hilarious. She looks like she should be on stage singing back-up at a Prince concert.

Lwaxana is late, and when she shows up, she's naked. Heh. That's cute. Still. KILL ME

And thus does Lwaxana once again show she's a free spirit, and thus does Majel Barett reveal far more skin than I'm entirely comfortable with seeing. I dunno. This could've been tolerable in theory, if Campio wasn't played as such an obvious tool. He has a protocol minister with him, for god's sake. How did Lwaxana possibly think this could work? And how would someone this obsessed with protocol ever consider marrying someone of a completely different race? I wish I could find something beautiful in her commitment to her ideals, but, as is so often the case with Lwaxana plots, this just seems like a selfish, immature twit forcing others to once again bow to her shallow whims. I also don't find it particularly life-affirming that she and Alexander bonded. Like attracts like, after all.

"You're just supposed to sit here?"

And thus we end in the only possible way an episode like this could've ended, with Worf forced to kowtow to a psychotic harridan and his ungrateful gnat of a son. I suppose if there's any consolation here, it's the knowledge that we got a Lwaxana episode and an Alexander episode out of the way at the same time, and hopefully, we'll have the rest of the season to enjoy trying to forget they exist. And that does it for this week. No worries if this format didn't work for you. I should have picked up sufficient pieces of my brain to go back the usual house style in time for next week. Ciao!

Next week:  We try not to hit on "The Perfect Mate," who in all probability is almost certainly just an "Imaginary Friend."

Star Trek The Next Generation: The First Duty

3 comments:

Very good episode and review. I loved Wesley is this. He has gotten out of so many scrapes aboard the Enterprise, that he must feel like he is invincible a lot of the time. He wasn't able to solve the problem of a weaker teammate this time, he just went ahead to disaster. After being the golden boy for so long, this lesson was a really bitter one for him to learn. I vaguely remember that Tom Paris was the same character for Voyager, but I had forgotten most of that lore, so thanks for reminding me. It'll help the next time that I watch Voyager. I remember being confused why Paris was aboard Voyager if he was such a disgrace.

Unofficially, if they used Locarno they would've needed to pay royalties to this episode's writer for Voyager's entire run. So, new character Tom Paris was born. Paris was on board because Janeway sprung him from prison. He'd briefly worked with Chachotay's group before getting caught and had some valuable intel. Then half the crew died and they needed a helmsman.

"How important is it to tell the truth? The episode clearly thinks Wesley did the right thing in the end, but he has basically told tales on his friends - was he right to do so? If the only person suffering from the lie has already died, is there any harm in it? This being the case, why allow themselves to suffer to protect the reputation of a dead comrade?" Yikes, this take is not it! Given the facts in the real world the four of them could quite likely have been charged with negligent manslaughter of some sort, acting like telling the truth in this instance is just some school yard snitches get stitches situation blindly overlooks the fact that their acts lead to the death of a person. The truth was absolutely owed to the world, and they frankly showed themselves to be terrible people by trying to lie their way out of being punished (because it was clearly about not getting in trouble themselves, not some phony higher ideal about "protecting the team" and Locarno's gaslighting attempt to bully Wesley into not confessing was appalling).

We love comments! We moderate because of spam and trolls, but don't let that stop you! It’s never too late to comment on an old show, but please don’t spoil future episodes for newbies.

Who Is Nhan? Star Trek: Discoverys Barzan Character Return Explained

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7 - "Erigah"

• Commander Nhan returns to USS Discovery as lead security officer.
• Nhan oversees apprehending Moll and L'ak, later discovering Progenitors' technology.
• Barzans, Nhan's home species, join the Federation and value duty, making them excellent Starfleet officers.

Commander D. Nhan (Rachael Ancheril) returned to the USS Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery season 5. In Star Trek: Discovery season 2, Nhan joined Discovery's crew after she transferred from the USS Enterprise. When Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) took temporary command of Discovery, Nhan was one of the officers who accompanied him. Although she had served as an engineer on the Enterprise, Nhan eventually became Discovery's Chief of Security. Nhan briefly returned to her home planet of Barzan II in the 32nd century but later accepted a position with Federation Security.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7 , "Erigah," written by M. Raven Metzner and directed by Jon Dudkowski, Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery's crew continue their pursuit of the Progenitors' technology. As they work to decipher the final clue, Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr) notifies Burnham that Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) have been apprehended. Discovery heads to Federation Headquarters, where Moll and a very injured L'ak are transferred to Discovery from the USS Locherer, accompanied by a security team led by Commander Nhan. Before long, the Breen arrive demanding the return of L'ak, who is actually the last living descendant of the late Breen emperor's bloodline.

Yes, THAT Character Death In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episode 7 Really Happened

In a big twist, a major character death in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, sets up the endgame for the hunt for the Progenitors' treasure.

Commander Nhan Returns In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7

"erigah" is the fifteenth discovery episode in which nhan has appeared..

In Star Trek: Discovery season 3, the titular starship encountered the USS Tikhov, a seed vault ship commanded by a crew of Barzans. Having been away from her people since joining Starfleet, Nhan volunteered to take the Tikhov to her homeworld, which had become a member of the Federation by the 32nd century. Once reaching Barzan, however, Nhan didn't remain there long before she joined Federation Security. She led teams to apprehend any remaining members of the Emerald Chain before Nhan was sent back to Discovery by Admiral Vance to oversee the pursuit of wanted fugitives Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) and Dr. Ruon Tarka (Shawn Doyle).

Nhan returned to Discovery again as the lead security officer in charge of Moll and L'ak.

After the conclusion of the USS Discovery's mission to make First Contact with the Dark Matter Anomaly's creators, Species 10-C, Nhan continued working in Federation Security. In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, Nhan returned to Discovery again as the lead security officer in charge of Moll and L'ak , and she briefs Captain Burnham about how they found the former couriers, refusing to let Book join the debriefing. When L'ak helps Moll escape their containment field, she takes on Nhan and the security guards, eventually escaping into the ship with Nhan in pursuit. Book eventually helps Nhan catch up to Moll, marking an important step in his redemption arc, as Nhan reluctantly admits she may have misjudged him.​

After apprehending Moll and L'ak, Nhan found Velleks original diary about the Progenitors in their position and handed it over to Captain Burnham.

Star Treks Barzan Race Explained

The barzans were first mentioned in star trek: the next generation..

The Barzans were first introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 8, "The Price," when they discover a supposedly stable wormhole and wish to sell the rights to it. The Barzans did not have access to many natural resources and depended on others for their survival. The Barzans hoped that this wormhole would usher in a new era of prosperity, but the other end of the wormhole was not fixed, rendering it basically useless. They only had moderately advanced technology, and Nhan was one of the only Barzans who served in Starfleet as of the 23rd century.

Rachael Ancheril's Nhan has always been a welcome presence on Star Trek: Discovery.

Due to the toxic atmosphere on Barzan, members of the species required a special breathing apparatus when visiting other worlds. The Barzans joined the United Federation of Planets in the 25th century and remained members by the 32nd century. Barzans placed a high value on duty, which made them exemplary Starfleet security officers . Nhan's no-nonsense attitude and ability to remain calm in a crisis combined with her Barzan view of duty made her a particularly good candidate for Federation Security. Rachael Ancheril's Nhan has always been a welcome presence on Star Trek: Discovery , and it was great to see her again before the series comes to an end.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery stream Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Cast Blu del Barrio, Oded Fehr, Anthony Rapp, Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Wilson Cruz, Eve Harlow, Mary Wiseman, Callum Keith Rennie

Release Date September 24, 2017

Showrunner Alex Kurtzman

Where To Watch Paramount+

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.

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Star trek's biggest year what discovery's callback to 2371 in tng's era means.

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

5 star trek: discovery characters who left burnham’s ship (& who came back), star trek: discovery’s breen go too far beyond other enemy alien ships.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7 - "Erigah"

• Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Episode 7, "Erigah," references the monumental year 2371 of the Star Trek universe.
• The year 2371 featured significant expansions in the Star Trek franchise with multiple TV series and a movie.
• References to Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager enrich the storytelling in Discovery season 5.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, "Erigah" calls back to the year 2371, which is one of the most monumental time periods of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's 24th century era. Written by M. Raven Metzner and directed by Jon Dudkowski, "Erigah" sees Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp), Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio), and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) team up to determine the location of the fifth and final clue to the Progenitors' ancient treasure: a novel titled "Labyrinths of the Mind" written by Betazoid scientist Dr. Marina Derex in 2371.

2371 is a milestone year that marked a major expansion of the Star Trek franchise. In the real world, the events of 2371 in Star Trek equate to the years 1994 and 1995, which saw Star Trek Generations , the first Star Trek: The Next Generation movie, arrive in theaters in November 1994. At the same time, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was in its third season, while Star Trek: Voyager launched in January 1995. For the first time, two Star Trek TV series were on the air while there was a Star Trek movie in theaters. Star Trek 's year 2371 encompasses 50 combined episodes of DS9 and Voyager as well as Star Trek Generations . And now, Star Trek: Discovery 's final clue to the Progenitors' treasure points to a book written during that fateful year of 2371.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is a sequel to Star Trek: The Next Generation 's season 6 episode, "The Chase," and contains more references to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager than ever before.

As Burnham seeks the universe's greatest treasure in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, she'll need help from a host of new and returning characters.

What Happened In Star Trek Generations In 2371

The first star trek: the next generation movie saw captain kirk meet captain picard.

Star Trek Generations is set in 2371, months after the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation . In Star Trek Generations, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) discovered Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), who was believed to have died in 2293, was alive in the interdimensional reality called the Nexus. Kirk joined Picard in returning to 2371 to stop Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell) from destroying the Veridian sun. Tragically, Kirk died in the effort to stop Soran and was buried by Picard on Veridan III.

Captain Kirk's remains were moved into storage at Section 31's black site, Daystrom Station, as seen in Star Trek: Picard season 3.

Another significant event in Star Trek Generations was the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D. The Galaxy Class flagship of the United Federation of Planets saw its stardrive section destroyed by a Klingon attack, and its separated saucer section crash-landed on Veridian III. In addition, Worf (Michael Dorn) was promoted to Lieutenant Commander while Data (Brent Spiner) activated his emotion chip and struggled with his rampant feelings. Captain Picard also learned his family in La Barre, France, died in a house fire.

The USS Enterprise-D was restored by Commodore Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) and saved the galaxy one last time in Star Trek: Picard season 3.

What Happened On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine In 2371

The seeds of the dominion war were planted on ds9.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3 took place in 2371, and it set the stage for the Dominion War that would alter the fate of the galaxy as the Federation becomes aware of the authoritarian threat coming from the Gamma Quadrant. Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and members of Deep Space Nine's crew time-travel to the 21st century where Sisko took the place of Gabriel Bell in the infamous San Francisco Bell Riots. Lt. Thomas Riker (Jonathan Frakes), joined the Maquis and posed as Commander William Riker to steal the USS Defiant, which led to his imprisonment on Cardassia.

The Federation learns that the Dominion's shapeshifting Founders have infiltrated the Alpha Quadrant.

Later in 2371, Benjamin Sisko is promoted to Captain, and he and his son, Jake (Cirroc Lofton), sail to Cardassia on a solar ship like ancient Bajorans did. The Bajoran-Cardassia Peace Treaty is signed as Shakaar Edon (Duncan Regehr) becomes First Minister of Bajor. The female Changeling (Salome Jens) sets a trap to force Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) admit his love for Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor). By the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3 , the Federation learns that the Dominion's shapeshifting Founders have infiltrated the Alpha Quadrant, and the Cardassian Obsidian Order and Romulan Tal Shiar are severely crippled after a failed attack on the Dominion.

What Happened On Star Trek: Voyager In 2371

Year one of the uss voyager's journey home from the delta quadrant.

Star Trek: Voyager season 1 and the first episode of season 2, "The 37s" (which was originally intended as Voyager season 1's finale) take place in 2371. Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) assembles the crew of the USS Voyager to find the Maquis ship Val Jean in the Badlands, but both starships are transported 75,000 lightyears into the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker. Joined by the Talaxian Neelix (Ethan Phillips) and the Ocampan Kes (Jennifer Lien), the USS Voyager absorbs the Maquis into its Starfleet crew as a measure of survival, and the Intrepid Class starship begins a long journey home to Earth.

The USS Voyager's first year in the Delta Quadrant saw them encounter the villainous Kazon. Ensign Seska (Martha Hackett) reveals herself as a Cardassian spy and joins the Kazon, while Ensign Samantha Wildman (Nancy Hower) learns she is pregnant with her daughter, Naomi Wildman (Scarlett Pomers). To kick off Star Trek: Voyager season 2, the USS Voyager discovers the missing 20th century pilot Amelia Earhart (Sharon Lawrence), who was abducted and brought to the Delta Quadrant by the Briori. But while all that and more happened in Star Trek in 2371, Dr. Marina Derex published "Labyrinths of the Mind" , and she would hide her clue to the Progenitors' treasure in her original manuscript stored in the Eternal Gallery and Archive for Star Trek: Discovery to find.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager are streaming on Paramount+

Star Trek Generations is streaming on Max

• Star Trek: Generations

93-Year-Old William Shatner ‘Might Consider’ Returning as Captain Kirk in New ‘Star Trek’ Project Through De-Aging: ‘It Takes Years Off of Your Face’

By Zack Sharf

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William Shatner recently told Canadian Press that he wouldn’t rule out returning as Captain Kirk in a new “ Star Trek ” project if the script impressed him. While the actor’s age might pose an issue as Shatner turned 93 years old in March, that’s nothing a bit of de-aging technology couldn’t fix.

“It’s an intriguing idea,” Shatner said about returning as Kirk. “It’s almost impossible. But if was a great role and so well-written and if there were a reason to be there not just to make a cameo appearance, but if there were a genuine reason for the character appearing, I might consider it.”

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“[It] takes years off of your face, so that in a film you can look 10, 20, 30, 50 years younger than you are,” Shatner said.

Another issue around Shatner’s “Star Trek” return is Kirk’s death in the 1994 film “Star Trek Generations,” which is the last time Shatner appeared in the iconic franchise. He’s already brainstormed a plot device that could serve as a workaround and have his version of Kirk come back to life.

“A company that wants to freeze my body and my brain for the future might be a way of going about it,” Shatner said. “‘We’ve got Captain Kirk’s brain frozen here.’ There’s a scenario. ‘Let’s see if we can bring back a little bit of this, a little salt, a little pepper. Oh, look at that. Here comes Captain Kirk!’”

Variety exclusively reported in March that Steve Yockey, creator of the Max series “The Flight Attendant,” had signed on to write the script for “Star Trek 4.” The movie is being designed as the final installment for Pine and the cast. Several attempts to get a fourth “Star Trek” movie off the ground with this cast have failed over the years. One version of the project was to be directed by Matt Shakman (“WandaVision”) and written by Lindsey Beer (“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser”) and Geneva Robertson-Dworet (“Captain Marvel”). Shakman left the project to direct Marvel’s “The Fantastic Four” instead.

Other “Star Trek” projects remain in development at Paramount as well. The studio is working with screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith (“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”) and director by Toby Haynes (“Black Mirror: USS Callister”) on an origin story movie, while a project with screenwriter Kalinda Vazquez (“Fear the Walking Dead”) that was first announced in 2021 also remains in development.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)

The first duty (1992), ray walston: boothby, photos .

Quotes 

Capt. Picard : I would never have graduated if you...

Boothby : You made a mistake. There isn't anybody among us who hasn't been young enough to make at least one.

Capt. Picard : Nevertheless...

Boothby : You did what you had to do, what you thought was best. I just made sure that you listened to yourself. You needed to get your bearings; I knew that. The important thing is what you did with your life afterwards; seems you did okay. That's enough thanks for me.

Boothby : [on seeing Picard for the first time since his Academy years]  What happened to your hair?

Capt. Picard : You could use a good herbicide instead of pulling the weeds with your bare hands.

Boothby : M-hm... And you could explore space on a holodeck instead of a starship.

Boothby : [on Nova Squadron]  To the other cadets, the members of that team are gods; and that's a hard image to live up to. But Nick Locarno, he watches out for them. He keeps them together. Nick is what makes that team special. He's their coach, surrogate father and best friend, all in one - a natural leader. The members of that team love him. If he asks them to do something, they do it - even if it means going right over a cliff.

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