wesley crusher – Trekking with Dennis

Rating Your “Unpopular” Star Trek Opinions!

Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for practically the entire Star Trek franchise, including recent seasons of Discovery, Picard, Strange New Worlds, and Starfleet Academy.

Later this year, Star Trek will celebrate its sixtieth anniversary – that’s six decades of sci-fi adventures, space exploration, and a wonderful fan community that I absolutely adore! Today, I thought it could be a bit of fun to look at some of the Trekkie community’s so-called “unpopular opinions” about Star Trek. If you read my piece about fan theories a few weeks back, I’m going to do something similar this time around: I’ve compiled a bunch of “unpopular opinions” from across social media, and I’m going to dissect them!

I went to Tumblr, Facebook, Reddit, TikTok, and other social media pages, scanning posts and comments sections, and I pulled out twenty-five “unpopular opinions” for this piece. And rather than just state them and share my opinion, I thought it could be interesting to try to answer two questions! Firstly, I’ll share whether I agree or disagree. And secondly, I’ll try to gauge whether the opinion in question could fairly be described as “unpopular.”

Still frame from The Enterprise Incident showing Spock and the scanner — I scanned social media to detect your most controversial opinions…

Here’s a couple of examples so we’re all on the same page!

Example #1: “Khan sucks as a villain because he’s lame and boring, and his evil scheme makes no sense.”

I would say I disagree (vehemently) with this opinion! But I would concede that it is a genuinely *unpopular* opinion within the fan community and with a wider audience. In fact, it’s such an unpopular opinion that I’ve never seen anyone genuinely express it!

Still frame from Star Trek II showing Khan — Khaaaaaan!

Example #2: “Captain Picard is the best Enterprise captain, better than Kirk or Archer or anyone else by miles.”

This one’s a toughie on the “agree/disagree” bit, because Kirk, Archer, and really every Star Trek captain across the franchise have plenty of their own strengths. But if I had to come down on one side or the other, I’d say I agree; Picard is a great captain. However, this is clearly not an “unpopular” opinion within the fandom – ask any group of Trekkies who their favourite captain is, and it won’t be long before you hear multiple people say “Picard!”

So… does that cover everything in terms of the format?

Still frame from Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 (Q Who) showing Q materialising next to Picard. — Who’s the best Enterprise captain?

It should go without saying, but everything we’re going to talk about today is *entirely subjective, not objective* – and it’s just one old Trekkie’s take, at the end of the day. If you hate my opinions, think I’ve got it completely wrong, or if I criticise a show or character you adore, please try to keep that in mind! There are a variety of opinions out there about this wonderful franchise, and I share mine with the Trekkie community in the spirit of light-hearted celebration in this landmark anniversary year.

Some of these “unpopular opinions” have clearly been shared in a tongue-in-cheek way (at least, I hope they have!) and I’m not planning on taking any of this too seriously. This also shouldn’t be interpreted as an “attack” or “hate” for any folks in the fandom who genuinely hold any of these opinions. This is meant to be a bit of fun, partly at Star Trek’s expense, as we move closer to the 60th anniversary.

With all of that out of the way, this is your final chance to nope out if you don’t want to get into some potentially controversial Star Trek opinions!

“Unpopular” Opinion #1:
Threshold is a great body horror episode.

Still frame from Threshold showing (mutating) Paris and Janeway

“Threshold” and “great” in the same sentence, eh? We’re starting off strong! I can see where this is coming from; Tom Paris’ gradual mutation into a salamander-like “hyper-evolved human” does have some genuinely disturbing moments, brought to life by some solid prosthetics during the sequences in sickbay. The idea of mutating in real-time, and not being able to do anything to stop it… that’s the same kind of idea behind classic body horror films like The Fly, only with a Star Trek flavour in this case.

I would say, though, that for whatever successes Threshold might have on the body horror front in the middle of the story, the ending really nullifies all of it. The CGI salamanders weren’t great to look at, nor were they frightening or disturbing in any way, and the typical episodic TV “reset” of Paris and Janeway back to their normal selves meant there were no lasting consequences for either of them. This comment is clearly a response to Threshold’s meme status, and I’m glad that Trekkies are willing to re-examine even the most disliked episodes! But for me, Threshold is still a weak story, and while there is some creative body horror-adjacent storytelling in the middle, it’s completely negated by the way the episode wraps up.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #2:
Spock and Chapel’s romance is too big a part of Strange New Worlds – and it sucks.

Still frame from Charades showing Spock and Chapel kissing

100% agree on this one – no notes! Chapel’s “crush” on Spock in The Original Series was cute. But it wasn’t a huge part of the show for either of them, and it didn’t need this kind of on-again, off-again storyline in Strange New Worlds to make sense. In my opinion, Strange New Worlds has been way too focused on Spock and putting him in situations which, frankly, are toe-curlingly cringeworthy. The Chapel-Spock romance is part of that. I had hoped that, with the addition of Chapel’s fiancé, we’d have seen the back of this storyline – but alas.

I think I could’ve stomached an episode or two in which this relationship existed and ran its course. But I agree with the original poster, here: it’s become way too big a part of the show. When combined with other “Spock comedy” storylines (which seem to be the only Spock storylines the producers are interested in or know how to write), it quickly became too much. Cringeworthy, unnecessary, and arguably treading on the toes of The Original Series, too. A bad combination all around! And, based on the number of likes and comments on posts like this, I think it’s a fairly common take among Trekkies, too.

Unpopular? 🛑No!🛑
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #3:
T’Rul should’ve become a recurring character on Deep Space Nine.

Still frame from The Search Part I showing T'Rul

In The Search, which kicked off DS9′s third season, we’re introduced to the USS Defiant for the first time: the first Federation starship (officially) able to cloak. The cloaking device was loaned to Starfleet by the Romulans, and Sub-Commander T’Rul was the officer assigned to oversee it, and make sure it wasn’t being used in a way that violated Federation-Romulan treaties. However, after her first appearance, T’Rul disappeared from Deep Space Nine. Martha Hackett, who played the character, would go on to have a recurring role on Voyager as Seska.

I quite like this idea, to be honest. T’Rul would’ve added something different to DS9 during some of the episodes set aboard the Defiant, and it could’ve been fun to see a Romulan getting to know the crew and learning how to live with the Federation. There wasn’t a Romulan character like that through the entire TNG era, and it wouldn’t be until we met Elnor decades later that we’d get to spend more time with a Romulan. I can see plenty of stories where T’Rul could’ve played a role, and I especially like the idea of her trying to socialise with members of the crew, perhaps teaching us a bit about Romulan culture and customs along the way. Definitely a niche idea, though!

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #4:
The first few episodes of Lower Decks were too “horny,” and this turned off potential viewers.

Still frame from Second Contact showing Boimler in an alien's mouth

Assuming the original poster meant “horny” as in “overly sexualised,” I have to say I don’t agree. Not that the first episodes of Lower Decks had a lot more sexual imagery and language than TNG-era Star Trek – they absolutely did! But I disagree that the early episodes are unique in that regard! I’ve only seen up to the first part of Season 3; Lower Decks is still a show I need to catch up on and finish watching. But I didn’t feel the tone changed or softened very much across the first two-and-a-bit seasons – which is basically half of the show.

In the run-up to Lower Decks’ premiere, I was a firm advocate for the fact that Star Trek can be funny, that Star Trek has always been funny, and that being an animated comedy shouldn’t matter as long as the show is good. I think the general response from Trekkies has been that Lower Decks is a solid addition to the franchise, even recapturing that episodic, TNG style which Discovery and Picard had moved away from. But did some of its crude humour or over-the-top moments mean some Trekkies switched off? Probably. In fact, almost certainly. Not every Star Trek show is right for every viewer, so folks who want to take the franchise seriously, and who don’t want a Rick and Morty-inspired take on Star Trek were probably never going to enjoy what Lower Decks had to offer.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #5:
Chekov was “useless” in The Original Series.

Still frame from The Trouble with Tribbles showing Chekov

I think I can see where this one is coming from… but I really don’t agree. Chekov was a late addition to TOS, joining in from Season 2. He only appeared in 36 episodes in total – less than half of The Original Series. But… none of that makes him “useless.” In fact, I’d argue very passionately that Chekov’s presence on the bridge alongside Sulu, Kirk, Uhura, and the others was a very powerful and symbolic statement: at the height of the Cold War, a mere five years after the world almost blew itself up over the Cuban Missile Crisis, here was a vision of the future in which Russians, Americans, and humans from all over the world were living and working together in harmony.

Like most of the cast of The Original Series outside of “the big three” of Kirk, Spock, and Dr McCoy, Chekov got fewer moments in the spotlight and fewer lines, and because he joined the show later, I guess that shows up even more. He was also absent from The Animated Series, due to the show’s tight budget. But he does get storylines and interesting moments across practically all of his episodes, and he stands in for Sulu at points in Season 2, as well. Not useless at all!

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #6:
Discovery is overrated.

Behind-the-scenes cast photo from Discovery S5

I had to do a double-take when I saw this. “Surely,” I thought, “the original poster must’ve meant underrated, or maybe over-*hated*?” But no, this is their unpopular opinion! To be blunt, I don’t think Discovery is rated particularly highly by a large swathe of the fan community. It has its fans, of course – myself included for the most part. But “overrated” suggests that the show is held in high esteem when it shouldn’t be, when really I’d be arguing the opposite: that too many Trekkies wrote off Discovery without giving it a fair shake, and that Season 2, and parts of Seasons 3 through 5 all had good episodes, interesting moments, and more.

For something to be “overrated,” it has to have that acclaim within the fan community, and I just don’t see Discovery having that kind of reputation for the most part. I think it’s absolutely fair to criticise Discovery, as I’ve done on many occasions here on the website. And if the original commenter dislikes some or all of the show, then that’s okay. But I couldn’t say Discovery is overrated… because I just don’t think the fan community at large rates it very highly to begin with!

Unpopular? 🛑No!🛑
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #7:
Captain Janeway did the right thing with Tuvix.

Cropped screenshot from Across the Unknown showing art of Tuvix

Tuvix’s controversial status lives on! One of the best things about Star Trek is that many episodes make you stop and think. They present complex issues with moral quandaries, and they don’t shy away from reckoning with them. And Tuvix is one such example. Do you kill a man you barely know while he’s pleading for his life in order to save two of your friends? Captain Janeway believed she had to, and even stepped in to do it herself when the Doctor refused.

I can understand her point of view. The mitigating circumstances are the unique perils of the Delta Quadrant, and Tuvok and Neelix’s skills in navigating it. But was it the “right” thing to do? The episode pulls no punches, and I’ve even heard some fans say it’s the worst thing Janeway ever did. I don’t agree on that front – wiping out an entire timeline and the lives of everyone in it has to take that prize! But yeah, it was a shitty thing to do. It was a tough situation, and Janeway made the call that she felt gave her ship and crew the best chance of making it home. And hey, if you disagree… play the new video game Across the Unknown and make a different choice!

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #8:
Wesley Crusher is fine/underappreciated/good.

Still frame from The Dauphin showing Wesley

Things have changed a lot for Wesley over the years, I think in large part due to actor Wil Wheaton’s incredibly positive attitude and the great way he’s advocated for and represented the Trekkie community. But there was a time when Wesley was wildly unpopular; in the early days of Star Trek fansites, back when I was first getting started with the internet in the ’90s, hating on Wesley was one of the most common things you’d see. I never felt Wesley deserved all the hate he got; some of it crossed a line, really, into something a bit unpleasant or even sinister. We’re talking about a child, after all, or a teenager, and attacking a performer because you don’t like their character is just stupid.

However… I get where the original dislike stemmed from, especially in stories where Wesley could seemingly do no wrong, or was better and more competent than the trained officers around him. Partly, this came from Gene Roddenberry – Wesley was a bit of a self-insert character for Gene, even being named for Roddenberry’s own middle name. But Wesley did have weaknesses and flaws, even in The Next Generation’s first season. His inability to get accepted to the Academy being just one example. And when Wesley did make it to the Academy, the accident he was caught up in tested his loyalties and morality to the limit. Is he the best character in Star Trek? Arguably not. Is he better than folks give him credit for? I’ve gotta say yes.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #9:
The reboot/Kelvin timeline Enterprise is a beautiful ship.

Still frame from Star Trek 2009 showing the Enterprise

To this day, I know Trekkies who point-blank refuse to watch the Kelvin films. But… I think the out-and-out hate for the reboot has begun to fade, thanks to the passage of time. Practically everything about the 2009 reboot was controversial in some quarters of the fan community when the film was released, including the redesign of the USS Enterprise. The design took the original Constitution-class from TOS and changed a lot of things, with a different colour scheme, bulkier nacelles, a lit-up main deflector, and more. It’s certainly a different interpretation of the classic ship from four decades earlier.

I’m actually pleased to see opinions like this. There will always be holdouts – people who can’t get over the changes and who only want to stick to a certain design philosophy or a particular era of Star Trek. But as time passes and puts distance between us and the premiere of these designs, I think it’s nice to see more Trekkies revising their opinions, revisiting some of these elements of the reboot films, and coming away with a more positive impression. It gives me hope, quite honestly, for the future of the fan community in the years to come, and that some of today’s controversies may also be forgiven over time!

Unpopular? 🛑No!🛑
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #10:
“Faith of the Heart” was a good song for Enterprise’s title sequence.

Still frame from the Star Trek Enterprise title sequence showing the show's title

This is another example of the passage of time smoothing things out, I think! I remember hopping online, circa 2001, to try to download Faith of the Heart – and then burning it onto a CD and a MiniDisc (remember those?) so I could listen to it on the go! Sure, it was different – the whole sequence, really, is a very “2000s” way to open a show, and it feels a bit dated today. But I’ve always enjoyed the song, and I certainly never agreed with folks who said it “ruined Enterprise,” or turned them off so completely that they wouldn’t even watch the show!

“Archer’s Theme,” the music heard during Enterprise’s end credits, is the track some folks argue the show should’ve used instead. And I get wanting Star Trek to revert to type; to have the ship warping over a starry background while an orchestra plays a piece of music. But did “Faith of the Heart” really change much about the series? It’s still Star Trek. And if you hate it… well, it’s never been easier, thanks to DVDs and streaming, to skip it! That being said, I think this is still a minority position within the wider fan community, even if the song’s reputation has recovered somewhat over the years.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #11:
Neelix and Kes were a good couple.

Promo photo for Star Trek: Voyager showing Neelix and Kes kissing

This one has to be trolling, right? I’d go so far as to say that, if Neelix’s relationship with Kes had been in focus in Voyager much more than it was, it could’ve been genuinely detrimental to both characters and even the entire series. As the setup for getting Neelix to help Janeway and ultimately join the crew, it tracks. But what it says about Neelix – a man in the Talaxian equivalent of middle age – falling in love with a girl who’s… one year old, and the Ocampan equivalent of, what? Seventeen or eighteen? It’s… really, truly icky.

Moreover, the relationship exaggerated some of Neelix’s worst qualities. In episodes like Parturition, we’d see him getting jealous and possessive over Kes in a way that, frankly, felt uncomfortable. A man who seems positive and happy-go-lucky on the outside seemed to have a dark, possessive, almost abusive streak, and if that had been brought up even once or twice more, it would make Neelix truly difficult to root for. Fortunately, this isn’t an opinion I’ve ever seen another Trekkie endorse, though!

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #12:
Sybok was a fun and deep villain in Star Trek V.

Still frame from Star Trek V showing Sybok.

The Final Frontier has its issues. But is Sybok one of them? This commenter argues he isn’t, and that a religious zealot who belatedly realises that he’s wrong and he’s been lied to or manipulated gave Sybok a lot of depth. I’d add to that that the idea of exploring a Vulcan offshoot – someone who doesn’t care to suppress his emotions – was also something different. It was certainly unique at this point in the franchise, coming before the Vulcans got more development in episodes like TNG’s Sarek, and of course, through storylines in Enterprise.

The problem I have with this, really, is not so much in concept – I think the original poster is right about that – but in execution. Sybok’s best moment is arguably his final one, when he sacrificed himself to help his brother and the Enterprise escape. Prior to that… Sybok wasn’t *outstanding*, really. There is more to The Final Frontier than some fans give it credit for. And like most Star Trek characters, really, there are elements to Sybok, to the way he’s written, and to the portrayal on screen that worked or that hold some interest. And I will say, to the original comment’s credit, it’s not an argument I’ve seen before.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #13:
All of “Kurtzman Trek” sucks and should be considered a failure.

Behind-the-scenes photo from Star Trek SFA S1 showing Kurtzman directing

In the time Alex Kurtzman has been in charge of Star Trek for CBS, then Paramount, and now Skydance, there have been more than 200 episodes (and a TV movie) produced and broadcast. Are you telling me, original commenter, that there’s absolutely no merit to *any* of it? Because I find that hard to believe! Even Trekkies who’ve hated most of modern Star Trek have enjoyed some projects – Picard’s third season, or perhaps Strange New Worlds. Alex Kurtzman was in charge of the franchise for that, and was executive producer on both shows.

I don’t think you can write off an entire era of the franchise, any more than you could say “Berman Trek” was bad, or “Roddenberry Trek” sucked. But even if someone is of the opinion that *all* of modern Star Trek is atrocious and without merit… we can agree to disagree without getting into personal attacks. I hope! Has Alex Kurtzman got everything right? No – and I think he’d admit that. But has there been some fantastic Star Trek on our screens since he’s been helming the franchise? I believe there has been.

Unpopular? 🛑No!🛑
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #14:
Voyager focused too much on Janeway, the Doctor, and Seven of Nine from Season 4 onwards.

Composite of promo photos for Star Trek Voyager showing Janeway, Seven, and the Doctor

I was surprised to see this on one of the “unpopular opinion” posts – not because I disagree (I don’t), but because I’ve never seen anyone else share this opinion online before! For me, the back half of Voyager’s run felt swamped by one character: Seven of Nine. Seven would apparently “learn” some lesson in how to be human one week, only to seemingly forget it all in time for the next story. This led to several Seven/Janeway and Seven/Doctor episodes being so awfully repetitive that I sometimes mix them up. Voyager’s still a great show, don’t get me wrong, but taking some spotlight episodes away from Seven and redistributing them to neglected characters like Chakotay, Tuvok, or B’Elanna wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Picard rehabilitated Seven of Nine for me, though – I even went so far as to say that that series made Seven into an interesting character for the very first time! So this aspect of Voyager, while admittedly not great, doesn’t feel so bad in hindsight, I guess. And the issue isn’t really that most of these episodes are “bad,” but rather that they’re too narrow in their focus on one or two characters at the expense of other members of the cast. When I used to use Twitter and I shared a similar opinion about Seven of Nine being repetitive and boring, though, I got a fair bit of pushback! So I think this opinion can truly be said to be “unpopular” within the fan community.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #15:
The Maquis were right to leave the Federation.

Photo of the Maquis Raider filming model

This comment went on to lay out that, in the writer’s opinion, the Maquis had every right to reject the Federation and want to leave, regardless of whether they wanted to fight the Cardassians or not. This seems to come from a place of “popular sovereignty;” the political philosophy which states that people should be free to choose how they are governed – and whether they want to remain as part of an institution like the Federation. The right to secession, by definition, exists if popular sovereignty exists within the Federation – something we’ve seen a lot more of in Discovery and Starfleet Academy, to be fair.

So should the Maquis have been allowed to leave? I would say yes… in principle. But it also isn’t quite so straightforward. The Federation had to balance the rights of its citizens along the Cardassian border with the need to avoid war with the Cardassians – something that would have impacted Maquis colonists *and* the rest of the Federation. Sometimes, as Spock would say, “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” If you’re one of the few, in that case… that kinda sucks, especially if it means you have to abandon your home. So it’s not quite as cut-and-dry as presented. But as a general rule, if Federation member worlds want to leave, even if they began life as colonies… they should surely be allowed to do so.

Unpopular? 🛑No!🛑
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #16:
The Tellarites and Andorians deserve more screen time.

Still frame from Lower Decks Mining the Mind's Mines showing Jennifer

The four original founding members of the United Federation of Planets were humans, Vulcans, Tellarites, and Andorians – yet only Vulcans have really been explored across Star Trek’s nearly six decades of history. Enterprise told more stories with the Andorians, sure, and we’ve seen Tellarites (and half-Tellarites) in Prodigy and Starfleet Academy. But these two races still feel underrepresented across the franchise as a whole. Partly, it must be said, that’s because of their almost complete absence from all three shows of The Next Generation era.

Since the turn of the millennium, Star Trek has made moves to address this. But it would still be neat to get a major Andorian or Tellarite character in the next live-action film or series. These two races are important to the Federation within Star Trek’s fictional history, so it is kind of odd, when you think about it, that they haven’t been seen more often. I would suggest, perhaps, that the more complex prosthetic makeup – when compared to the likes of the Vulcans, Bajorans, and so on – may have made it a bit more difficult or expensive in years gone by. Less of an issue today, though! It’s not an argument I’ve seen very often, and I think that, especially prior to Enterprise, a lot of Trekkies had more or less forgotten about both of these races, and didn’t seem to care much about them.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #17:
Jack Crusher was an especially bad character in Picard Season 3 because of what his existence says about Beverly.

Still frame from No Win Scenario showing Jack

This post argued that Jack Crusher’s “secret birth” storyline actively harms his mother’s characterisation. By essentially hiding Picard’s son from him, concealing the birth, and disappearing for decades, Dr Crusher – in this person’s opinion – committed an unforgivable sin, and it was also something that she wouldn’t have done based on the way she was in TNG.

For my two cents, I didn’t think Jack was the best part of Season 3. The storyline he was wrapped up in, while not his fault on his own, wasn’t all that great, and I found it hard to buy into the idea that the character was only twenty-one years old (since the actor who played him was in his mid-thirties). Further, giving this version of Picard a storyline about discovering he had a long-lost son didn’t feel right, either – it felt like a story better-suited to someone younger, which seemed to go against other themes in the season. However, on the specific criticism of Jack “harming” Dr Crusher’s character… I don’t think I agree. It was explained in the show why she did it – to keep Jack safe from the shenanigans that constantly swirl around Picard – and I actually felt that this version of Dr Crusher had a bit more personality than she did in most of TNG. It wasn’t a random thing; Dr Crusher didn’t decide to leave for no reason. And her reasoning made sense in the context of the show.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #18:
Strange New Worlds’ Gorn arc is good, and the Gorn make for entertaining villains.

Still frame from Hegemony Part 2 showing a Gorn

I didn’t really realise that this one was quite so controversial until I saw some of the comments under posts expressing this opinion! Personally, I’ve really enjoyed Strange New Worlds’ take on the Gorn – transforming them into almost Xenomorph-inspired “monsters” has definitely shaken things up. At the same time, though, leaning too heavily on the monstrous angle does raise questions about the Gorn’s sentience and ability to be a spacefaring race, so there probably are moments where it went a little too far in one direction.

Strange New Worlds had a bit of a challenge, I suppose, when it came to villains. Most Star Trek villainous factions are off the table: Discovery had recently done the Klingon war, DS9 has already done a big Cardassian war, there can’t be the Romulans in a big way due to the timeline, and returning to the likes of the Xindi from Enterprise wouldn’t have worked very well, either. So to pick a race like the Gorn – who have run-ins with Starfleet in this era – wasn’t a bad idea. And giving them a new, more frightening presentation has – in my view – worked pretty well.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #19:
It’s hard to get used to the way Avery Brooks delivers his lines.

Still frame from In The Pale Moonlight showing Sisko

This one’s a toughie for me, because I first watched Deep Space Nine in the mid-1990s when I was a wee bairn. I can’t remember ever thinking that the way Sisko speaks is weird or offputting, as this commenter suggests. In fact, all of my DS9 memories are positive from that period, and Sisko quickly became one of my favourite parts of the entire Star Trek franchise. His vocal delivery, cadence, and manner of speaking weren’t things I’d considered at all until I read this post.

I suppose, to be fair to the commenter, Avery Brooks might come across as a bit of a thespian; the way he speaks and emotes is at least partially inspired by acting in the theatre for a live audience. But the same is definitely true of Sir Patrick Stewart, in that case – and other Star Trek regulars, too. Many actors get their start in stage productions, and that’s not a negative thing at all. Obviously, the way any of us feel about an actor and a performance is going to vary, and I would never say that everyone “must” like Captain Sisko or the way Avery Brooks portrayed the character. But for me… this just isn’t something I ever remember feeling when DS9 was new, and I haven’t heard this argument before.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #20:
Bending the rules of “canon” is okay.

Every time a new Star Trek story touches on a character, alien, faction, or even an aesthetic or design we’ve seen before, some folks crawl out of the woodwork to moan about “violating the integrity of canon!” I’ve actually written about this subject before, and I tried to lay out that my position is a bit more nuanced than the black-or-white, “respect all canon” versus “I don’t care” debate that flares up, from time to time, within the Trekkie community! In short, I’d argue that the foundational building blocks of a fictional world and its key characters should be kept the same, but the minutiae can be changed.

As an example: warp drive works using dilithium, so future Star Trek stories need to keep that in mind. But if one episode says warp seven takes a week to reach Romulus and another episode says it takes three days… that kind of thing doesn’t matter. Nor does the fact that uniform designs look different from one show to another. So, yes, canon matters because basic internal consistency within Star Trek’s fictional setting is important if I’m to maintain my suspension of disbelief. But it isn’t the only thing that matters, and we needn’t sacrifice interesting narrative ideas at the altar of “canon purity” if there’s a fun story to be told.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #21:
A crossover between Star Trek and Star Wars is a great idea.

Still frame from Return of the Jedi showing Vader and Luke on Endor

As a kid playing with action figures, I already achieved this goal thirty-five years ago! Jokes aside, fans of both Star Trek *and* Star Wars have speculated about what a crossover might look like for decades. And who knows… with Paramount buying up everything in Hollywood, maybe it’s no longer the impossible dream that it once appeared to be!

There are some pretty big hurdles, though, just from a practical point of view. Both franchises are owned by competing companies, and both have decades’ worth of complicated lore and history. Then there’s the question of time and place – Star Wars famously takes place “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” whereas Star Trek takes place in a vision of our future. Which characters would be involved? And how would Star Trek’s technology co-exist with hyperdrives, lightsabres, and the Force? As tempting as it might sound on some level, I don’t think I’d go for it if I were in charge!

Unpopular? 🛑No!🛑
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #22:
The Prime Directive is unethical.

Still frame from Star Trek Insurrection showing the duck blind

Several commenters argued that the Federation’s Prime Directive is a fundamentally unethical policy, because it condemns whole civilisations to extinction just because they haven’t developed one specific technology. And, on the surface, that seems to track – stories like Pen Pals, Dear Doctor, and the beginning of Into Darkness quite clearly show Starfleet has the ability to intervene, but chooses not to, even when there’s an existential risk to an entire race of sentient beings.

The Prime Directive, fundamentally, is about not interfering with or altering the trajectory of societies that haven’t yet discovered alien life. And it makes sense, right? Think of the chaos it would cause to our own society if aliens descended from the skies – even if they had the best of intentions. We aren’t ready for that, and maybe we won’t be for a long time. The rigidity of the Prime Directive throws up some strange situations, though – but we often see our heroes finding ways around it, and the fact that they never seem to get in trouble suggests that Starfleet is okay with rule-bending, sometimes!

Unpopular? 🛑No!🛑
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #23:
Too many people are related to Spock, best friends with Spock, falling in love with Spock, or revere Spock.

Still from YesterYear (Star Trek TAS) showing Spock

Spock has become a larger and larger part of Star Trek, over the years, even as we’ve moved further away from The Original Series. He and his father appeared in The Next Generation, Spock crossed over to the Kelvin timeline where he met his younger self, and Spock has had two long-lost siblings that he never mentioned: Sybok and Michael Burnham. Chapel falls in love with Spock, La’an falls in love with Spock, and all the while, Spock is betrothed to T’Pring. Characters like Boimler talk about Spock with reverence, too. Yeah… it’s kind of a lot, huh?

It can feel, sometimes, like Spock is too present and too big a part of the storylines he’s included in. I’d be totally fine with stepping back from Spock, for a while, and giving other characters a chance to be in the spotlight. The Burnham connection has been established at this point, and there won’t be any retconning or removal of that. But going forward… if we’re lucky enough to see more Star Trek entering production, setting Spock aside would probably be for the best – at least for a while.

Unpopular? 🛑No!🛑
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

“Unpopular” Opinion #24:
René Auberjonois should’ve played Odo with an exaggerated French accent.

Still frame from What We Left Behind showing Odo

This one… I think it was entirely tongue-in-cheek! But I thought it was funny, and it’s my list so I’m including it. René Auberjonois played the French chef in The Little Mermaid, and his French accent is pretty iconic! It would’ve certainly shaken things up, with Odo becoming much more of a comic relief character, especially if Auberjonois really hammed it up. Would it have made DS9 *better*? Uh, probably not. Would some of his conflicts with Quark have been a lot funnier, though? Yes.

Look, this was just a bit of silly fun. I’m pretty sure no one’s out there seriously suggesting that giving *any* Star Trek character a comedy accent would’ve improved the show. But it’s fun, as fans, to think about these things sometimes. How different would episodes like The Die Is Cast have been if Odo were hamming it up, sounding like the French chef from The Little Mermaid? And, to the credit of the original commenter, it’s not an opinion I have *ever* heard expressed before!

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? 🛑No!🛑

“Unpopular” Opinion #25:
Star Trek *should* change over time, and not simply re-make TOS or TNG for every new series.

Still frame from Vox in Excelso showing the cadets

As early as the ’70s, when The Animated Series entered production, Star Trek was changing. When Phase II was reimagined as The Motion Picture, and Star Trek went to the cinema for the first time, the franchise changed. Star Trek, like any long-running franchise, moves with the times. That means the way shows look and feel changes, it means the way characters are cast and handled changes, and it means the nature of storytelling changes, too. The entertainment industry is not a static, stagnant thing, and if the higher-ups at Star Trek tried to recreate The Original Series every time… well, the franchise probably would have died out a long time ago.

That being said, some experiments and changes work better than others. I’m firmly of the opinion, having seen multiple seasons of modern Star Trek, that the franchise *needs* the freedom episodic television brings, and that serialised stories need to be a much smaller part of Star Trek in the future… assuming there will be a future. It seems that Skydance, Star Trek’s new corporate overlords, are more interested in films than streaming TV, so that could be another change coming down the pipeline. But the original poster is correct – Star Trek can’t afford to be left behind as the entertainment industry shifts around it. Figuring out what to change, how far to take those changes, and what fundamentals need to be left in place, though… that’s a tougher set of questions, and modern Star Trek hasn’t always stuck the landing, unfortunately.

Unpopular? ✅Yes.✅
Agree? ✅Yes.✅

So that’s it… for now!

Concept art of the USS Enterprise in Spacedock for The Search for Spock — Concept art of the USS Enterprise in Spacedock.

Stay tuned, because I have *at least* another twenty-five of these “unpopular” opinions that I’d love to write up one day.

I hope this has been a bit of fun. If I tore a hole in an opinion you agree with… please try not to take it personally! This is meant to be a bit of light-hearted fun, joining in with the Star Trek fan community in my own way, and not something to get too upset about or offended by. I tried to pick a mix of different opinions from across social media, touching on different parts of the franchise, including things I agreed with and didn’t agree with.

If you missed it, I have a two-part review of Starfleet Academy’s first season, which is now live on the website. You can find part one by clicking or tapping here, and the follow-up by clicking or tapping here. And there’s more Star Trek content to come as the 60th anniversary nears! I’ve got plans for re-watches, theories, and more, so I hope you’ll check back from time to time. Thanks for joining me to dissect these “unpopular opinions,” and Live Long and Prosper!

Most Star Trek films and TV shows discussed above can be streamed now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the service is available. The Star Trek franchise – including all films, TV programmes, and other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance/Paramount. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Episode Re-Watch – Season 5, Episode 19: The First Duty

Sun 01.03.26Dennis

Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 5, and minor spoilers for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1.

With Starfleet Academy’s first season currently on the air, I got thinking about the institution. Although we caught a glimpse of the Academy in The Wrath of Khan, its first major on-screen appearance came a decade later in Season 5 of The Next Generation. I thought it could be interesting to return to that episode today, in light of the different approach taken by the new young adult-focused series, and re-watch The First Duty.

I was surprised, when I looked into it, by two things: firstly, how Starfleet Academy only appeared relatively late into The Next Generation’s run. By the time we made our first visit to the Academy, DS9 was already in production, less than a year away from launch, and The Next Generation was well past its halfway point. And secondly, I was surprised at how few appearances the Academy itself actually made during The Next Generation era. Starfleet Academy only appeared twice in The Next Generation and once in Voyager – in simulated form – though the same filming location was re-used as Starfleet Headquarters in Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise, which is probably where my confusion stemmed from.

Photo of the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Los Angeles. — The Tillman Water Reclamation Plant and Japanese Garden was the filming location for parts of *The First Duty*.
*Photo: City of Los Angeles/L.A. Times*

Still, it’s interesting, isn’t it? The Academy feels like an iconic institution within the broader lore of Star Trek, yet it made relatively few on-screen appearances in The Next Generation era – and none at all in The Original Series.

The First Duty is one of a few episodes that I managed to watch *before* its terrestrial broadcast here in the UK – because I rented it on VHS! I couldn’t tell you exactly when; I’d guess sometime in 1993 or 1994. Star Trek video cassettes were a rarity in rental shops in the small towns around where I grew up, so I’d usually jump at the chance to grab a pair of episodes to watch! I’m almost positive I also caught the episode’s first broadcast on the BBC, too, which would’ve been in 1995. After acquiring The Next Generation on DVD, I watched the episode again multiple times, and I’ve since re-watched it on streaming, too.

Who else remembers watching *The Next Generation* on VHS?

What’s the point of explaining all of that? Well… my occasional “episode re-watch” series isn’t a “review.” It’s way too late for me to write anything like an “episode review” for a series I adore and for an episode I first watched more than three decades ago! This is going to be my thoughts on the story, but some of how I feel about The First Duty has probably shifted with the benefit of hindsight, with ageing, and after having viewed literally hundreds more Star Trek episodes that have premiered in the intervening years. It should also go without saying that everything we’re going to get into today is the *subjective, not objective* take of just one person. If you hate The First Duty, love it more than I do, disagree with my take, or think I’ve completely missed the point… that’s okay! We’re all here to just geek out about Star Trek, at the end of the day, and I share my take on this classic episode with the Trekkie community in that spirit.

The First Duty has a couple of interesting characters and narrative elements when considering the broader Star Trek franchise, and I’d like to begin there. This episode was only the sixth appearance of a Bajoran character, with the Bajorans having debuted earlier in Season 5. With Deep Space Nine in early production, the Bajorans (and the Cardassians, too) were being set up in The Next Generation ahead of their prominent role in the upcoming series. The character of Sito Jaxa was, after Ro Laren, the second Bajoran to be seen on screen serving in Starfleet. Sito would re-appear in the episode Lower Decks in Season 7.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Sito — Cadet Sito.

We talked about Nick Locarno recently – click or tap here for more on that! But Locarno is an interesting character, as it’s pretty clear he was, at the very least, a partial inspiration for the character of Tom Paris in Voyager, which would premiere less than three years after The First Duty aired. Paris and Locarno share an actor in Robert Duncan McNeill, but they also share a piloting career and a lax approach to Starfleet regulations. I’m not fully caught up on Lower Decks yet, but I understand Locarno appeared in that series, too.

I just find it interesting that, in a single episode, we have elements from all three shows of The Next Generation era. In addition to characters from TNG itself, we have a Bajoran, whose home planet and people would be massively important in Deep Space Nine, and Nick Locarno, played by a future Voyager star, and who’s arguably a prototype or inspiration for one of that show’s main characters. It makes The First Duty feel – in hindsight – almost like a crossover! At the very least, it’s an episode that has those different components – even if, at the time, no one watching could’ve known!

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing four cadets — The cadets bring together all three shows of *The Next Generation* era.

And this is what I mean about the benefit of hindsight. Watching The First Duty more than thirty years after its original broadcast means we can see how Star Trek’s production team were already laying the groundwork for their new spin-off. And we can see how Robert Duncan McNeill basically talked himself into getting the role of Tom Paris some three years before Tom Paris ever existed! It makes returning to the story a completely different experience than it was on that first viewing in the first half of the ’90s; nothing about the episode or its narrative has changed, but the way we interpret it arguably has.

At the core of the episode, we have two key character pairings: Wesley Crusher and Nick Locarno on one side, and Captain Picard and Boothby on the other. The First Duty follows Wesley, Nick, and the other members of Nova Squadron as they try to cover up the events leading to a fatal accident. Picard reconnects with Boothby – apparently for the first time since being promoted to the rank of captain, at least – and also relies on the Academy’s groundskeeper for advice as the inquest into Cadet Albert’s death unfolds.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Boothby — Boothby’s reunion with Picard.

Wil Wheaton returns to The Next Generation for the second time since departing the series midway through the previous season. Wesley’s departure was written in such a way as to allow the character to return, and The First Duty was one of four episodes in which Wheaton reprised the role.

I don’t know if you were around while The Next Generation was airing, or during those early years of Star Trek fan forums on the interweb, but Wesley was often a controversial character, even for big fans of the series! A “Mary Sue,” according to some, Gene Roddenberry’s “self-insert” according to others, Wesley was perceived as being annoying, too smart or too skilful for his lack of training, and worse, by some viewers. I wouldn’t say that The First Duty was Wesley’s first defeat – see episodes like Justice, Coming of Age, or The Dauphin – but it certainly represents one of Wesley’s low points as a person – and, ironically, one of his most *human* moments, too.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Wesley — *The First Duty* shows Wesley at his most human.

I’m personally of the opinion that Wesley is unfairly disliked by viewers of The Next Generation, and while I get some of the criticism – particularly surrounding his near-perfect skills – I generally enjoy his characterisation in the show. The First Duty, though, shows us a much more vulnerable, weak, and human side to Wesley, showing us that, whatever intelligence and skill he may have, he can still make mistakes, he can still be caught up in the wake of someone more charismatic, and he’s still learning. Wesley is a kid – a university student or military college cadet, as of The First Duty. And… he acts like it.

We’ve seen this side of Wesley before, but in a relatively limited number of stories. And, I would argue, never to this extent. Despite the heavy adult themes of death, conspiracies, duty, and conflicted loyalties, this is a version of Wesley that feels *young* in a way that the character didn’t always manage to when he sat on the bridge of the Enterprise-D. And this is a story that looks at how a young person can feel peer pressure, can be pushed into doing something they know to be wrong, and how easily a charismatic friend can influence their life. Wesley slips into this role effortlessly, and Wil Wheaton puts in a fantastic performance, showing us how torn Wesley feels between his friendships with Nick and the rest of Nova Squadron and his desire to do the right thing by telling the truth.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Nick and Wesley — Nick Locarno with Wesley.

Although never to such an extreme degree, I think a lot of us can relate to getting in trouble at school, or not wanting to “grass up” a friend. I certainly found myself in detention or sent to the headmaster’s office on more than one occasion when I was at school, and I can vividly remember how that felt – that fear of getting in trouble, and how serious it all seemed to be at the time. And I can recall occasions where friends at school would do something stupid – sneaking alcohol on a school trip, smoking behind the woodworking classroom, or cutting class to sneak into town. I covered for them when they misbehaved, and they probably did the same for me!

My point is that a big part of what makes The First Duty work is that, despite its heavy subject matter, it’s an incredibly relatable feeling. I’ve been in a position not unlike Wesley’s – where my schoolfriends expected me to cover for them while teachers demanded the truth. And it’s that near-universal feeling, something a huge number of folks in the audience will have experienced at least once in their lives, that makes Wesley feel so relatable and so human within the story.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Nick Locarno — Nick Locarno put a lot of pressure on Wesley and the other cadets.

One thing that I think is a bit of a shame when it comes to The First Duty is that the episode didn’t have enough time to really flesh out Captain Picard’s backstory. We glimpsed, through his chat with Boothby, that Picard had made a mistake of some kind during his own Academy days, and that Boothby helped him understand what he’d done. Picard says that, without Boothby’s advice, he might not have been allowed to graduate – combined with his earlier recollection of being summoned to the Superintendent’s office, we can assume it was something pretty serious. We know Picard had a rebellious streak in his youth – something that the episode Tapestry would hammer home in Season 6. But what this incident was… it was never followed up on in the remainder of the show, unfortunately.

Picard and Boothby’s conversations were interesting, but they also leave me wanting more! I wish we could’ve got a flashback to Picard’s Academy days, perhaps, or even just a bit more of an explanation from one of the characters about what Picard did. The chat had a “we both know what this is, so there’s no need to go into detail” thing going on, which makes sense in-universe – both characters know what they’re referring to – but it’s a tiny bit frustrating as a viewer!

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Picard with Boothby — What did Boothby do for Picard all those years ago?

Given the importance of this conversation to Picard, as he pursues the investigation into what happened with Wesley and Nova Squadron, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want to know more about this mysterious event in Picard’s past. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say that Picard broke a rule that resulted in endangerment or injury, perhaps, and Boothby was the one to convince him that he needed to come clean. It’s clearly something at least somewhat comparable to Wesley’s situation – but I doubt Picard would’ve done anything as severe as covering up someone’s death.

I kind of feel that Dr Crusher is a bit flat, especially at the beginning of the story. She’s learning for the first time that her son has been injured in an accident that killed one of his friends, but her reaction throws me off just a little. A lot of people don’t have big, over-the-top emotional reactions to events, but even by that standard, Dr Crusher just seems a little bit underwhelmed by what should be such a seismic and shocking event. Subsequent scenes show her a bit more animated when coming to Wesley’s defence, but that moment in her office at the beginning of the episode just… I’m not convinced it was played right, considering the seriousness of the accident.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Dr Crusher — Dr Crusher felt a bit flat to me, especially at the start of the story.

What I adored about Dr Crusher in The First Duty, though, was how she leapt to the conclusion that the sensor data had to be wrong – because, in her mind, there’s absolutely no way that Wesley could’ve been lying. It piled pressure on Wesley, of course, which is something we saw building up over the course of the episode, eating away at his conscience and making him feel ever more guilty. But I like what it says about Dr Crusher, and how she’s so willing to believe her son – even when it seems obvious to everyone else that he’s not being honest.

The downside to this, unfortunately, is that we never got any resolution to this mother-and-son story. Dr Crusher arrives on Earth to see Wesley, goes through the inquest with him, supports him even when he’s lying, but by the time his lie is exposed and he’s pushed into making a confession, she’s gone from the story. Picard is the one to deliver the news to Wesley about his academic punishment, and we never get to see whether Dr Crusher is upset, angry, disappointed, or some combination thereof. It’s not something that feels like a glaring omission until you stop to think about it – but as Wesley’s biggest supporter, Dr Crusher is yet another person that Wesley let down by his actions in The First Duty. And there’s no resolution to that story thread.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Cdr Albert — Commander Albert.

Obviously, a forty-five-minute episode can’t do everything. And given the characters and storylines in play, it was probably the right call for the writers to focus where they did. I just think that, if I had to pick on one thing that I’d say is missing from The First Duty, it would be some kind of closing scene between Dr Crusher and Wesley – some way for her to express her disappointment, perhaps even feeling like he’d broken her trust.

Maybe we should infer from Dr Crusher’s absence that she was so *livid* with Wesley in that moment that she couldn’t even look at him! That could be why Picard had to be the one to deliver the news, to express his own conflicted feelings – pride that Wesley eventually did what was right, understanding that it was difficult, but anger, frustration, and disappointment that the situation occurred in the first place. I don’t believe that was the writers’ intention, but that interpretation of Dr Crusher’s absence is there, if you want to read between the lines, and if you desperately need a way to resolve her arc in the episode.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Wesley and Beverly Crusher — Where was Dr Crusher in the episode’s final act?

And I happen to really like Picard’s closing scene with Wesley as the episode concludes. Picard went from sympathy to suspicion to righteous anger as he uncovered the truth about the accident, resulting in an incredibly impressive scene in his ready-room aboard the Enterprise-D in which he absolutely tore into Wesley. But the closing scene, after Wesley confessed, showed that Picard recognised how difficult the whole situation was, perhaps sympathised to an extent based on the mysterious event from his own Academy days, and even showed some measure of respect for Wesley’s ability to do the right thing in light of the pressure he felt.

Though they contrast in tone, both scenes between Picard and Wesley – in the ready-room and after the inquest – were played incredibly well. It’s performances like that from the venerable Sir Patrick Stewart that led to the character being so beloved by Trekkies… and eventually returning, some three decades later, for his own spin-off series!

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Picard — Picard was furious.

Though they aren’t in focus for a lot of time, I enjoyed the moments we got with Data and Geordi in this episode. Working in main engineering, they analysed the sensor data that poked holes in Nova Squadron’s story, setting the stage for Picard to understand what really happened. The slow reveal of discrepancies or oddities in the recovered Data from Wesley’s ship was a really well-paced scene, and Geordi and Data both had roles to play in explaining (or technobabbling) parts of that.

Starfleet ships of The Next Generation era are almost always my favourites in terms of design. But I gotta be honest: the Nova Squadron ships… they don’t really do much for me. Nothing about the design screams “Star Trek” at all, and they feel almost like single-pilot fighter ships from a franchise like Star Wars. Nothing about the design is *bad* per se, and I don’t dislike the way these ships looked. But in a franchise where there are so many fun and interesting designs, they’re nothing special.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing the training ships — The Academy ships as they appeared on the inquest viewscreen.

Perhaps this is because these ships were mainly seen as CGI models, with a physical prop only appearing very briefly. The ’90s was a weird time for CGI – with the technology pretty limited. Given that Nova Squadron’s ships were all destroyed prior to the events of the episode, only depicted in logs and sensor data, I guess you could say that it’s fair enough that we didn’t get a more detailed look at them. But still… I just don’t feel like the aesthetic of the ships, the way they look, was particularly strong.

But your mileage may vary! Aesthetics and designs are very much a matter of personal taste. And I would say, having seen a photo of the original model of the Nova Squadron ships, up close, I don’t think it looks that bad. But the way it came across on screen, particularly in those CGI-heavy scenes, just didn’t leave a strong impression. The Next Generation era has way better shuttlecraft, shuttlepods, and smaller vessels.

The filming model (or a replica) of Nova Squadron’s ships.
*Photo: StarTrek.com*

Sticking with the look of the episode, one thing I found particularly interesting was the design of Starfleet Academy itself. Remember, this is our first real look at the campus anywhere in Star Trek, and obviously, there’s a lot of time spent both on the grounds – which were filmed at the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Los Angeles – and the room where the inquest took place. The gardens are an iconic part of Star Trek, I would argue, having been seen as both the Academy and Starfleet HQ. But I want to focus on a different space for a moment: Wesley’s dorm room.

This is going to sound like a totally minor thing to focus on, but why do the doors on Starfleet Academy’s campus have… handles? Surely the Federation has moved beyond such things, right?! I don’t remember it being something I paid much attention to until this re-watch of the episode, but I found that, once I started to think about it, it stuck out like a sore thumb every time Wesley opened the door to his dorm. It’s not *totally* out-of-place in Star Trek, but for a location on Earth like the Academy? I dunno… you’d think they’d have sliding doors like on the Enterprise!

In light of Robert Duncan McNeill’s role in Voyager, I can’t help but wonder how similarly (or differently) we might’ve received his performance if a decision had been made to bring the character of Nick Locarno into that series. Would a similar “redemption arc” story have been possible for Locarno in the way it was for Tom Paris? I think it would have been interesting, and could’ve added another layer to this character, to say that Locarno joined the Maquis after being expelled from the Academy, only to be captured, imprisoned, and really hit rock bottom.

We still got a lot of that with Tom, something that the revelation about his father being an admiral certainly compounded, but part of me will always wonder how differently we might’ve received the character had Nick Locarno been the one assigned to Voyager. It would’ve been another connection point, a through line from The Next Generation to its sister show. I haven’t seen Locarno’s arc in Lower Decks yet, and perhaps I should’ve delayed this re-watch until I have! But maybe that will also change the way I look at the character in The First Duty.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Locarno — Nick Locarno.

Star Trek has done courtroom drama going all the way back to the first season of The Original Series, and within The Next Generation, we have several other examples, too. I wouldn’t necessarily rank The First Duty’s inquest sequences as being among the best or most compelling courtroom-esque that the franchise has to offer, but they get the job done, and they’re sufficiently tense. When the cadets are caught in their lies, especially by the Vulcan captain, there are some moments of real jeopardy, moments that really captured that feeling of being a kid and getting in trouble that I talked about earlier.

Admiral Brand – the Superintendent of Starfleet Academy – is a fun character. I liked Picard’s description of her at the beginning of the story; it set her up pretty well as a “no-nonsense” type of educator. I think we all came across teachers like that when we were at school! Brand is the first one to question the cadets’ version of events, and her presence adds a lot to this side of the story.

Admiral Brand and Captain Satelk.

In The Measure of a Man – another classic courtroom story from The Next Generation – it never made a lot of sense to me that Starfleet would pick Picard and Riker to argue the case. So I like how, in The First Duty, we don’t get the contrivance of having Picard or another Enterprise officer serving on the inquest panel. The inquest works better for having Admiral Brand and Captain Satelk as its members.

If I were to nitpick – and you know I must – it never felt realistic to me that Starfleet Academy would be content to basically say “a student died, we know you’re lying about what happened, but there’s nothing more we can do, so nevermind.” Which is, in effect, what Admiral Brand was going to do until Picard pushed Wesley into making a confession. It just doesn’t seem to gel with what we know of Starfleet that they’d give up on the investigation so easily when someone – a student, no less – had actually died. And while this works in the context of the episode as a way to raise the stakes for Wesley, part of me has always felt that Starfleet wouldn’t have been content to let it lie.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing a courtroom — The inquest.

Narratively, The First Duty does an exceptional job of building up the pressure Wesley feels. There’s his initial guilt at Cadet Albert’s death, which is swiftly compounded by his mother fussing over him and his reunion with Captain Picard. Then there’s Nick, insisting that they all collude to cover up what really happened to save their own skins – even if that means Joshua’s reputation gets dragged through the mud. Commander Albert then comes into the story, apologising to Wesley for Joshua “letting Nova Squadron down,” and really just making Wesley feel awful. Next, as the inquest rolls on, the evidence from the satellite shows the team out of formation. Again, Dr Crusher compounds this by insisting that Wesley must be right and the data wrong. And finally, we come to the confrontation with Picard – after we’ve seen this slow buildup of various factors all combining to really weigh on Wesley’s conscience.

Picard’s blow-up would have had an impact regardless, but when you watch that scene after seeing all of those other moments of guilt and pressure… it works a whole lot better. Picard’s harsh words to Wesley come after we’ve already seen the cover-up slowly unravel, and they hit so much harder because we know that Picard is 100% in the right. And for Wesley, this is the final straw: the moment where he has to choose between his loyalty to Nick and his friends… and doing the right thing. The titular first duty.

I think if you forced me to choose my favourite season of The Next Generation, Season 5 would be my pick. It has so many fantastic episodes: Disaster, Unification, Cause and Effect, The Next Phase, and fan-favourites like Darmok and The Inner Light, too. So The First Duty has some tough competition, but I think it fits in pretty well with many of those outstanding stories. It’s an episode that does a lot for Picard and his sense of duty, pushing Wesley to do the right thing. And it’s also an episode that takes the “impossibly perfect” Wesley Crusher and brings him down to earth, really humanising him and showing us that he can make mistakes, too.

I had fun returning to The First Duty, and I think it makes for an interesting point of comparison to the new Starfleet Academy series, too. Starfleet Academy has picked up criticism in some quarters for its tone and some of its stories – and there will always be folks both inside and outside of the fan community who aren’t happy when Star Trek doesn’t give them *exactly* what they want! For my money, I think you can see a through line from The First Duty to Starfleet Academy, even if some of that comes in exposition and dialogue! Boothby, for instance, talks about how the cadets’ celebrations in Picard’s day and for Wesley’s Nova Squadron caused a lot of damage to the grounds – something we see firsthand when the Academy cadets get into a “prank war” in the new series. That’s just one example, but I think it shows that, despite some changes in approach, Star Trek is still Star Trek even all these years later.

Still frame from Star Trek TNG S5 showing Wesley and Picard — The final shot of the episode.

So that’s all for today. I wanted to step back to the Academy’s first big appearance now that we have the new Starfleet Academy show – more out of curiosity, really, than for any other reason. When I write up my thoughts on Starfleet Academy’s first season later this month, I’m sure I’ll have more to say about how the show fits in with the wider Star Trek franchise, and this re-watch has certainly given me a lot to think about in that regard!

If you missed it, I reviewed Starfleet Academy’s two-part premiere: you can find that review by clicking or tapping here. And I also shared my thoughts on one storyline from the show’s fifth episode, so if you don’t mind spoilers, you can find that piece by clicking or tapping here.

Thanks for tuning in for this episode re-watch. I had a lot of fun revisiting The Next Generation and catching up with Picard, Wesley, Dr Crusher, and the rest of the crew. The First Duty is a fun episode, and one that feels, with the benefit of hindsight, like it brings together all three shows of The Next Generation era in a pretty fun way. I’m not sure which episode will be getting a full write-up next, but in this milestone 60th anniversary year, I’d love to do more to celebrate. Have fun out there… and Live Long and Prosper!

Star Trek: The Next Generation is available to stream now on Paramount+ in countries and territories where the service is available, and is also available to buy on DVD/Blu-ray. The Star Trek franchise – including The Next Generation and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Skydance/Paramount. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.

Star Trek: Picard bonus Season 3 theory: The “Prodigal Crewman”

Tue 14.03.23Tue 14.03.23Dennis

Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Picard Seasons 1-3, including the trailers, teasers, and marketing material for upcoming episodes. Spoilers are also present for the following Star Trek productions: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Discovery.

For some utterly inexplicable reason, Paramount doesn’t make all of its marketing material available to viewers outside of the United States. Trailers, teasers, clips, posters, and even Paramount’s own press website are geo-blocked, meaning fans and viewers who aren’t American can’t access them – at least, not officially. This is just another example of Paramount’s stupid, dangerous, and obviously damaging “America First” fetish that we’ve talked about here on the website on more than one occasion in the last few years.

But we’ll have to give Paramount another stern talking-to, clearly.

Because I don’t have access to that, I missed something potentially huge about the upcoming fifth episode of Star Trek: Picard Season 3 that was revealed in the episode’s official press release. Here’s the full blurb so you can read it for yourself:

“Caught by Starfleet and facing court martial, paranoia grows as Picard struggles to uncover whether a prodigal crewman from his past has returned as an ally – or an enemy hellbent on destroying them all.”

One part of this in particular jumped out at me: the “prodigal crewman.” Who could this character be? And more importantly: might it be someone we’ve met before; a returning legacy character?

There are quite a lot of characters who could potentially return!

I would have included this as part of my theory list if I’d spotted it in time! I don’t like going back to posts I’ve already published and adding whole paragraphs and chunks of text, so instead of doing that, I’ve decided to write this one up as a standalone theory.

The use of the word “prodigal” is very interesting here, as it could absolutely be argued to imply that we’re dealing with a character we’ve already met. A “prodigal” son or daughter is someone who returns home, so I think we’ve got a case – albeit not a watertight one – to make in favour of this character being someone we’ve already met. And you better believe that I have a few ideas for who they could be!

Prodigal Crewman #1:
Tasha Yar

Denise Crosby, who originated the role of Tasha Yar in The Next Generation’s first season, has been heavily rumoured to be involved with Picard Season 3 for months, and it’s primarily for that reason that she’s in contention here. Yar was, of course, famously killed off toward the end of The Next Generation Season 1, but that didn’t stop Crosby from making occasional returns to Star Trek – either as Tasha Yar herself or as her half-Romulan daughter Sela.

Perhaps part of what Picard will have to figure out is whether Tasha Yar survived her injuries at the hands of Armus, or whether this version of Tasha Yar might be the mother of Sela – someone detained and imprisoned for years by the Romulans. Such a storyline could even cross over with a potential Section 31 series; Tasha’s survival may have been hushed up by the shadowy black-ops organisation.

Tasha Yar was killed off early in *The Next Generation’*s run.

Most fans of The Next Generation would instantly assume that Tasha Yar couldn’t possibly be real – because we know that she died a long time ago. That would potentially set up a kind of double-bluff, where the show leans into the idea that Tasha Yar is a changeling… only to perhaps rip that away at the last moment and say that she’s actually for real.

A good rule in Star Trek (and fiction in general!) is that if you haven’t seen the corpse, a character may not be truly dead. But we did see Tasha’s body, we watched her die, and we even saw her friends attend her memorial service. It would be difficult, narratively speaking, to find a way around that… and I don’t think it’s something that can just be hand-waved away or ignored. So there’s a potential pitfall here, I fear.

Prodigal Crewman #2:
Sito Jaxa

Ensign Sito Jaxa made two appearances in The Next Generation. She debuted in the episode The First Duty, where, as a cadet at Starfleet Academy, she played a role in covering up the death of a colleague during an unsanctioned flying manoeuvre. Later she appeared in the episode Lower Decks, having been assigned to the Enterprise-D at Picard’s explicit request.

Ensign Sito was presumed to have died during a mission to aid a Cardassian spy – but her body was never recovered, so it’s possible, perhaps, that she wasn’t killed in action as we were led to believe.

Sito definitely qualifies as a “prodigal” crewman, I think! But as a character who only made a couple of appearances, she may not be as recognisable to the audience. The story would also have to find a way to explain what happened to Sito after her disappearance in a satisfactory way, telling us how and why she disappeared and allowed her friends to assume the worst.

Even with those issues, though, I think Sito could make for a fascinating character to bring back. And as a relatively unknown character, there’s scope to tell a different kind of story unconstrained by too much prior canon.

Prodigal Crewman #3:
Dr Pulaski

I gotta be honest: I don’t really think that Dr Pulaski is a strong contender here. But as you’ll know if you read my in-depth look at her character, I truly like Dr Pulaski, and she’s a character that I wish we’d gotten to spend more time with. Giving her an epilogue after all these years would be fantastic – even if it seems quite unlikely!

So that’s the truth of Dr Pulaski’s inclusion on this list. But I still think we can build a case for her return. First and foremost, Dr Pulaski never got a conclusive goodbye after Season 2 of The Next Generation. She simply disappeared when Dr Crusher returned at the beginning of Season 3, and while there was supposedly a mention of her over a tannoy in the background during the events of the Voyager series finale Endgame, implying that she may have worked at Starfleet Medical, I don’t think that really counts!

Dr Pulaski, ready for a trip to the holodeck!

It would be genuinely interesting to see some kind of on-screen interaction between Drs Crusher and Pulaski, as that’s something we never got during The Next Generation’s run. How would these two very different doctors react to one another, and would their styles completely clash? It could certainly be a bit of fun to see that!

Dr Pulaski also had a burgeoning friendship with Worf, and has a strained relationship with Riker as she had once been involved with his father. She’s also a character who knew Professor Moriarty, who we know is coming back soon; she was present during his creation on the holodeck. There are good reasons to want to see more of Dr Pulaski – even though I think her return on this occasion isn’t the most likely.

Prodigal Crewman #4:
Ro Laren

Ro betrayed Riker and Picard the last time we saw her.

The former Ensign Ro is someone who could be absolutely fascinating to bring back. Her defection to the Maquis at the end of The Next Generation was something that clearly stung Picard, so there’d immediately be a loss of trust between them. Ro is also a character who could tell us a great deal about relations between the Federation and the Cardassians, as well as the potential survival of some members of the Maquis.

One interesting idea that hasn’t been explored fully in Star Trek since the Dominion War is the idea that characters like Ro and even Michael Eddington were, in a roundabout way, right. They predicted Cardassian aggression years before it happened, and were willing to fight back at a time when the Federation was pursuing what amounted to a policy of appeasement; peace at any cost.

Picard with Ensign Ro at a Bajoran refugee camp.

If Ro were to return, we could see her take Picard to task for failing to recognise signs that the Cardassians would once again make offensive moves against the Federation – and hearing what Picard may have to say in defence of his actions in that era could be fascinating, particularly in light of what happened in the Dominion War.

We could also see Ro as the returning “prodigal” crewman, perhaps having suffered years of imprisonment at the hands of the Cardassians, and lamenting the loss of many of her Maquis friends. I’m sure Riker would have a thing or two to say to her, too, because the last time he saw her she was pointing a phaser at him!

Prodigal Crewman #5:
Lore

Lore as he appeared in *The Next Generation*.

Is Lore a “crewman” in the strict sense of the term? I’m not so sure… but he’s also the only character on this list that we know for a fact will be included in the season’s story! That alone should mean he’s in contention.

It seems to have been hinted in pre-season marketing material that Lore may have changed since we last encountered him, and that he may have become more of a friend/ally to Picard and the crew. If so, perhaps that will be what Picard figures out over the course of this upcoming episode.

Is it possible that Lore might have been “repurposed” to somehow resurrect Data? That could also give Picard a puzzle to figure out: is he dealing with the genuine resurrection of his dead friend, or is Lore once again trying to take everyone for a ride by posing as his brother? After a prominent sequence at the end of Season 1 in which Data was laid to rest, I’m not sure this is the route I’d want to see the story go down – but you never know.

I’m not really sold on Lore’s return, to tell the truth. The “evil twin” angle was a fun one on a couple of occasions during The Next Generation’s run, but with Data seemingly out of the picture, Lore’s return seems to be more to do with wanting to reunite actor Brent Spiner with his co-stars rather than for any narrative reason. And with Spiner having already appeared in both Seasons 1 and 2 of Picard… maybe that’s just not something that will turn out to have been necessary. Regardless, this feels like it could plausibly be the moment of Lore’s return.

Prodigal Crewman #6:
Elnor

I know, I know: actor Evan Evagora has stated that he isn’t coming back for Picard’s third season. However, we heard similar words from Orla Brady, who plays Laris, and she actually did appear in the season premiere. Perhaps Elnor could be back for a one-off appearance after all!

Would we call Elnor a “prodigal” crewman? And what reason might Picard have to suspect that he’s dangerous – other than the obvious changeling infiltration possibility? Also, what kind of role might Elnor have in prosecuting Picard at a potential court-martial? All of these questions would have to be answered if Elnor is indeed to return!

However, it would be an unexpected and fun twist in the story. We could learn that Elnor has graduated from Starfleet Academy and is now a fully-fledged Starfleet officer, perhaps serving in the security division. He could even enable Picard and Riker to escape their potential arrest, proving that he’s on their side.

Elnor’s return could also lead to a reunion with Raffi, as the two clearly had a strong bond. It must’ve been difficult for Raffi to leave Elnor behind to go undercover – especially as he’s the closest thing to family she has left after alienating and estranging herself from her ex-husband, son, and daughter-in-law. Elnor’s story, perhaps more so than any other new character, is arguably the most unfinished – and finding a genuinely good reason for his last-second resurrection at the end of Season 2 should be a priority, too.

Prodigal Crewman #7:
Sela

We mentioned Sela above when talking about Tasha Yar, but could she turn out to be the “prodigal crewman” herself? Depending on the state of Romulan-Federation relations in this era, it’s possible, I suppose, that other Romulans might follow in Elnor’s footsteps and join Starfleet – or at least work alongside Starfleet in some capacity as allies.

Sela could also emerge not as a member of the crew, but in some other role, perhaps as a fellow prisoner if Picard and Riker are placed under arrest. She could return offering to break Picard out of jail, only for Picard to have to stop to consider whether she’s doing so to help – or because she has some other nefarious goal in mind.

Picard and Sela have crossed paths before…

This would allow Denise Crosby to return but without having to, for want of a better expression, dig up Tasha Yar. Given the adversarial nature of Sela’s relationship with Picard, it would make sense why he wouldn’t know whether or not to trust her – and why he’d need to figure out whether she’s an ally or an enemy.

I definitely think that there’s scope to bring back Sela in some form this season – though whether this would be the right way to do it is still an open question!

Prodigal Crewman #8:
Vadic

This one is a bit “out there,” so bear with me! I’ve had a theory that has been running for as long as we’ve known Vadic would be a part of the season’s story in which I’ve suggested that she could be a former Starfleet officer – someone who once served under Picard’s command. The inclusion of multiple connections to the Battle of Wolf-359 – including most prominently Captain Shaw’s presence at the battle that was revealed in No Win Scenario – could also be a potential origin story for Vadic: she was a Starfleet officer or enlisted crewman present at the battle.

Perhaps Vadic will return in the upcoming episode, relatively unscathed after Riker’s asteroid attack, and will reveal herself as a former crewmate of Picard’s. She may offer some tantalising piece of information pertaining to the rogue changelings and their conspiracy that Picard will need to investigate – and determining whether Vadic’s offer is genuine or a trap could be a big part of the story.

If Vadic truly is someone who served in Starfleet, I’m not sure if this is how that revelation might come. But it feels like a possibility, at least, and now that we’re relatively certain that Vadic isn’t actually a changeling herself, but is merely working for them in some capacity, the question of her origin is once again an open one.

It would be a shocking twist in the story if Vadic essentially “turned evil” because of something that Picard did or didn’t do. She might blame him for her injuries if she once served aboard the Stargazer or Enterprise-D, or she might hold Picard accountable for her assimilation if she was captured and assimilated by the Borg, for example. There are multiple ways to tie Vadic to Picard’s past – including as a “prodigal crewman.”

Prodigal Crewman #9:
Reg Barclay

Barclay would be a fun and interesting character to include in Season 3, and a potential story in which he plays a role could also see him interacting with Seven of Nine. Barclay was instrumental in helping the USS Voyager communicate with Starfleet while the ship was stranded in the Delta Quadrant, so a kind of reunion between him and Seven could be a ton of fun!

Although Barclay was arguably not Picard’s favourite officer during his tenure aboard the Enterprise-D, he was always an ally – so the question of why Picard might mistrust him is an open one. As an engineer, there’s also the question of what role Barclay might play during a potential arrest and court-martial – he clearly isn’t going to be a security officer or advocate.

Again, Barclay could be someone who shows up, seemingly out of nowhere, offering Picard and Riker a potential way out. Determining whether that offer of assistance is genuine could be what the blurb of the episode is hinting at, and it could be fun to see Picard and Riker trying to “test” Barclay to see whether he’s the genuine article.

Barclay is another character that I think could make a welcome return to Star Trek, and could link up with Picard, Geordi, Seven, and others in Picard’s third season in different and fun ways. Whether this would be the right way to do it… I’m not 100% sure. But it’s at least a possibility!

Prodigal Crewman #10:
Miles O’Brien

Chief O’Brien is basically the only person on this list who meets the strictest definition of “crewman!” O’Brien was never a commissioned officer, instead holding the rank of chief petty officer – a non-commissioned rank that essentially makes him a senior crewman. Could that complicated work of semantic gymnastics be a hint at the return of Chief O’Brien?

I’d absolutely love to see Miles O’Brien come back. He’d certainly have a lot to say to Worf – the two worked together for years during the Dominion War. He’s also a character with a strong connection to Picard, having served aboard the Enterprise-D before transferring to DS9.

O’Brien is also a great character to include in a story all about the rogue changelings. As a kind of epilogue to Deep Space Nine seems to be unfolding, bringing back other characters from that series makes a lot of sense – and if it’s someone like O’Brien that Picard hasn’t seen for a long time, it would be understandable if trust is hard to come by at first. Worf could be the point of connection here, proving to Picard that O’Brien is on their side.

I doubt that the question of “crewman” versus “officer” will ultimately matter; that was just a bit of fun. It would be great to think that we might see Chief O’Brien again, though, and that he might have a role to play in a story that brings back the changelings and makes reference to the Dominion War – a war in which he played a major role.

Prodigal Crewman #11:
Wesley Crusher

Another character who would arguably fit the definition of “prodigal” is Wesley Crusher, who has been off with the Travelers for a number of years. We saw at the end of Season 2 that Wesley has settled into that role, so the question of why he might choose to make himself known to Picard at this time is unclear.

However, as the blurb hints, it could be possible that a changeling is impersonating Wesley to try to catch Picard and Dr Crusher off-guard. This imposter could be trying to get to Jack through Dr Crusher, using the image of Wesley to worm their way into the Crushers’ trust.

Wesley with Kore Soong at the end of Season 2.

Having seen Wesley at the end of last season, though, and seemingly in a pretty conclusive scene, I’m not certain that he’ll be back again so soon. There are good reasons to do it, both narratively speaking and for the fun of including another legacy character, but there are also some pretty solid counterpoints, too.

Still, Wesley would certainly fit the definition, and would be an interesting character to include. His inclusion could set up a kind of double-bluff, where we’re led to believe there’s a high likelihood of his being a changeling, only for the story to prove at the last moment that he actually is Wesley Crusher. I think a lot of fans would like to see a reunion between Wesley and Beverly – and it could be fun to see Wesley meeting his half-sibling for the first time, too!

Prodigal Crewman #12:
Thomas Riker

Thomas Riker – a transporter-created clone of William Riker – would be an interesting character to bring back. Last we saw him, Thomas was being arrested by the Cardassians, having exposed a secret fleet that the Obsidian Order was building. This took place in the years prior to the Dominion War – so what became of him after his arrest was never seen on screen.

If Thomas survived the war, he may have been returned to the Federation, or perhaps liberated from a Cardassian prison camp during the course of the conflict. If so, perhaps he was able to rejoin Starfleet at some point.

Could this be Thomas Riker? Or did Thomas somehow replace the *real* Riker?

The presence of Thomas Riker could tie into the theme of an “imposter” without going down the obvious route of having another changeling hiding out in Starfleet. It could fall to Picard to figure out whether he’s sitting with the original Riker or his clone – and as the two men are indistinguishable by scans and sensors, it might only be Picard’s insight into his former number one that could find out the truth.

This could also potentially explain why we saw a clip in one of the pre-season trailers that seemed to show Riker trapped or imprisoned. If Thomas is involved, could he be working with Vadic? He was actually one of the characters I suggested could be part of her team when I put together a list back in November. You can find the full list by clicking or tapping here.

Bonus Prodigal Crewman:
Someone entirely new.

In Season 1, the super-synths and Zhat Vash were entirely new creations. In Season 2, Star Trek’s past likewise didn’t factor into either the mysterious anomaly or Picard’s own backstory. There have been moments in both seasons where characters from the past could have been included: multiple admirals and senior Starfleet personnel could have been replaced by the likes of Admiral Janeway, for instance, or Dr Benayoun in Season 1 could have been subbed out for someone like Dr Pulaski or Dr Bashir.

So there are good reasons to think that, once again, Picard will create an entirely new character to fill this space. Such a character could be said to have served under Picard’s command aboard the Enterprise-D, the Enterprise-E, the Stargazer, or during the Romulan rescue mission, and they could be tailor-made to fill a particular role in this new narrative.

In Season 1, the new character of Dr Benayoun was created.

I’d suggest that this reference to a “prodigal crewman” hasn’t exactly been a massive part of the marketing or promotional material for either the season as a whole or even for this episode – so if it turns out not to be relevant, I don’t think we can really accuse Paramount of getting our hopes up too much! On several occasions in recent seasons of Star Trek, there arguably have been teases that hinted at potential returning characters or factions that ultimately didn’t pan out. We could point to Tarka’s friend and Unknown Species 10-C in Discovery Season 4, the Burn in Discovery Season 3, and the super-synths in Picard Season 1 as examples of this… but this reference to a “prodigal crewman” feels minor in comparison.

In short, what I’m trying to say is this: don’t be surprised if this character turns out to be someone brand-new. Although we’ve had fun (I hope) speculating wildly about possible returning characters, a brand-new creation is at least as likely – if not more so – than anyone on this list!

So that’s it!

The Titan will rendezvous with another Starfleet vessel…

We’ve considered twelve possible characters who could be the “prodigal crewman” mentioned in the blurb for Imposters, the upcoming fifth episode of Picard Season 3. Will we look back at this list in a few days’ time and think how brilliant and insightful it was? Or will we instead think how silly it was to speculate about a bunch of characters who clearly had no role to play? Only time will tell! But even if I’m completely wrong on this, it was a bit of fun to speculate about who may or may not be coming back.

I’d be hard-pressed to pick a favourite on the list above. For production-side reasons, characters played by actors who we know to be involved in the season – like Thomas Riker or Lore – feel plausible, as do characters like Sela and Tasha Yar as Denise Crosby has been heavily rumoured to be playing a role this time. But Star Trek has kept some wonderful surprises – Wesley Crusher’s role at the end of Season 2 hadn’t been leaked or even hinted at, making it a great inclusion in the episode Farewell. What I’m saying is that a complete shock shouldn’t be entirely disregarded; it’s possible, at least, that a truly unexpected character could be about to make a return.

As a final note: I always like to end these theory posts by saying that I do this just for fun. I enjoy writing, I enjoy Star Trek, and spending more time in this world is an escape and an enjoyable distraction for me. But for some folks, fan theories can become frustrating or unenjoyable, especially if they get very attached to a plausible-sounding theory that ultimately doesn’t pan out. I have no “insider information” and I’m not trying to claim that anything suggested above can, will, or must be part of Picard Season 3.

Star Trek: Picard Seasons 1-3 are available to stream now on Paramount+ in the United States and other countries and territories where the service is available, and on Amazon Prime Video in the UK and around the world. The Star Trek franchise – including Picard and all other properties discussed above – is the copyright of Paramount Global. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.