Aside from his role as Wes, Wil Wheaton has become a staple in the Star Trek fandom and hosted the official Star Trek after show, The Ready Room on Paramount+. Wheaton ultimately left Star Trek: The Next Generation during the show's fourth season, but later returned for four more episodes. After brief appearances in Star Trek: Nemesis and Star Trek: Picard, Wesley Crusher came crashing back into the Star Trek universe in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2. After a visit from the mysterious Traveler (Eric Menyuk) in TNG season 1, Wesley later became a Traveler himself, gaining abilities that became vital in the fight to save the multiverse.
Wesley Crusher’s Childhood Before Star Trek: TNG (2348-2364)
Wesley Was Born In 2348 To Jack & Beverly Crusher
Even as a teenager, Wes still remembered the look on Picard's face when he delivered the news of Jack's death. Wesley remained angry at Picard for years after the incident. Wes also feared that he would one day face a similar decision to the one Picard had faced when the Stargazer captain chose to save another crew member instead of Jack.
Wesley Crusher’s Life On Star Trek: TNG’s USS Enterprise-D (2364-2367)
Wesley Appeared In 68 Episodes Of TNG
Dr. Beverly Crusher joined the crew of the USS Enterprise-D in 2364 as the ship's Chief Medical Officer. She and Wesley then took up residence on the Galaxy Class starship, which housed numerous families. Although Captain Picard was impressed by Wesley's science and engineering knowledge, his discomfort around children often made his interactions with Wes awkward. Picard allowed Wes to take on projects alongside the Enterprise-D's senior officers, and the young prodigy regularly helped find solutions to problems that arose.
Wesley Crusher’s Brief Starfleet Academy & Officer Career (2367-2370)
Wesley Ultimately Decided To Pursue A Future Beyond Starfleet
In his final episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation as a series regular, "Final Mission," Wesley left the Enterprise to travel to Earth accompanied by Captain Picard. When Wes ended up stranded on a desert planet with an injured Picard, he helped keep Picard and himself alive long enough for help to arrive. Wesley then spent the next year studying at the Academy. He returned to the Enterprise in 2368 to visit his mother, only to find that the crew had become addicted to a strange mind-controlling game. With some help from Ensign Robin Lefler (Ashley Judd), Wes reactivated Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and restored the crew to normal.
While at Starfleet Academy, Wesley joined an elite group of pilots called the Nova Squadron and was involved in an incident that almost got him kicked out of Starfleet. In 2368, one of Wesley's fellow Squadron members was killed while the group was practicing a dangerous and illegal flight maneuver. The surviving Squadron members then tried to cover up the truth behind the accident, although Picard eventually convinced Wesley to confess. Wes had to repeat the last year of his Starfleet courses, but Nova Squadron leader Nicholas Locarno (Robert Duncan McNeill) took full responsibility for the incident.
When Wesley visited the Enterprise again in 2370, he had grown depressed and unhappy with his path at Starfleet Academy. While visiting Dorvan V, Wesley encountered the Traveler again, who helped the young cadet see that his destiny lay elsewhere. Wes ultimately chose to resign from Starfleet, leaving to explore the universe with the Traveler. Although Dr. Crusher and Picard were disappointed in Wesley's decision, they supported him regardless. Wes briefly appeared in Star Trek: Nemesis at the wedding of William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), but he remained with the Travelers in his later Trek appearances.
Wesley Crusher Became A Traveler In Star Trek: Picard & Star Trek: Prodigy (2370-∞)
Wesley Returned To Save The Universe In Star Trek: Prodigy
After popping up briefly in Star Trek: Picard season 2 to recruit Kore Soong (Isa Briones) to join the Travelers, Wesley made a full comeback in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2. In 2384, Wesley began communicating with Gwyndala (Ella Purnell) to lead her and the former USS Protostar crew to meet with him. He revealed more about his ability to travel throughout time and dimensions, explaining that the Travelers typically avoided interfering. Wesley, however, could not stand by and watch his universe be destroyed, so he set about helping the Protostar kids fix the paradox they had inadvertently created.
Wesley searched for a way to restore the proper timeline while fighting against multiverse scavengers known as the Loom. After Ascencia (Jameela Jamil) extracted information from Wesley's mind, he struggled to regain his Traveler abilities and had to rely on the knowledge he had gained as a Starfleet officer. After helping the Protostar kids save Star Trek's Prime Universe, Wes visited his mother, who introduced him to his young half-brother, Jack Crusher. Wesley Crusher may not have been Star Trek: The Next Generation's most popular character, but he left a positive mark on the franchise and made a triumphant return in Star Trek: Prodigy.
