Wil Wheaton & Cirroc Lofton Meeting Shows Star Trek Dropped The Ball With A Wesley Crusher & Jake Sisko Crossover

Wil Wheaton and Cirroc Lofton meeting on The 7th Rule podcast is a reminder that Star Trek has thus far dropped the ball with Wesley Crusher meeting Jake Sisko. Wheaton was the first young actor cast in Star Trek: The Next Generation as boy genius Wesley Crusher, the son of Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden). Star Trek: Deep Space Nine cast Lofton as Jake Sisko, the young son of Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks).

Despite their status as two of the most prominent young actors in Star Trek: The Next Generation's 1990s era, Wil Wheaton and Cirroc Lofton had never met until 2023. Wil and Cirroc finally crossed paths in person at Star Trek: Picard season 3's premiere in Hollywood. Meanwhile, The 7th Rule, Lofton's Star Trek podcast co-hosted by Ryan T. Husk, had been reviewing episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, originally with Lt. Tasha Yar actor Denise Crosby as their special guest.

On the February 9, 2025, episode of The 7th Rule - exactly 2 years to the day of Cirroc Lofton and Wil Wheaton's first-ever meeting - Wheaton joined The 7th Rule podcast to discuss Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 6, "The Game." Co-starring Ashley Judd as Ensign Robin Lefler, "The Game" is a memorable episode of TNG where the crew of the USS Enterprise-D gets addicted to a video game. However, the highlight of The 7th Rule is the fascinating chemistry between Wil Wheaton and Cirroc Lofton, something Star Trek has yet to capitalize on with Wesley Crusher and Jake Sisko.

Star Trek Has Dropped The Ball With Wesley Crusher Meeting Jake Sisko

Wesley & Jake Are A Natural Star Trek Team Up

Surprisingly, Star Trek on Paramount+'s numerous TV series have not found a way to have Wil Wheaton's Wesley Crusher meet Cirroc Lofton's Jake Sisko. Both Jake and Wesley belong to Star Trek: The Next Generation's 24th century era, although Wesley Crusher is also a Traveler with powers over space and time. While Jake is human and has never manifested powers, his father, Captain Sisko, was the Emissary and became one with the Prophets of Bajor at the end of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Despite Star Trek: Picard being set in the late 24th and early 25th centuries, and the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy both happening a few years after DS9's finale and Star Trek: Nemesis, Wesley and Jake have not crossed paths. It's disappointing considering Jake and Wes have several things in common, including being the children of legendary Starfleet Officers. Interestingly, Wesley and Jake decided that their destinies and talents lie outside of Starfleet.

Wesley Crusher Has Come Back To Star Trek But Jake Sisko Hasn’t

Wesley Has Made Live-Action & Animated Star Trek Appearances

Wil Wheaton has made a handful of comebacks to reprise Wesley Crusher in Star Trek. Wheaton made a surprise cameo at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 2 when Wesley Crusher appeared in 2024 Los Angeles to recruit Kore Soong (Isa Briones) into the Travelers. Wheaton then voiced Wesley in a Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 flashback to right before Crusher's fateful Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "The First Duty." All of this was a precursor to the major role Wesley Crusher played saving the multiverse as a Traveler in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2.

Unfortunately, Cirroc Lofton is still waiting to make his Star Trek comeback as Jake Sisko. Lofton last played Jake in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's series finale in 1999. Despite Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3 voyaging to Deep Space Nine, Cirroc disappointingly didn't reprise Jake Sisko in the episode. Indeed, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's cast has not received the reunion that Star Trek: The Next Generation's actors (minus Wil Wheaton) enjoyed in Star Trek: Picard season 3.

How Jake Sisko & Wesley Crusher Can Still Meet In Star Trek

Star Trek Has Options To Team Up Wesley & Jake

Although there are now fewer Star Trek on Paramount+ projects than in recent years, there are still possibilities for Jake Sisko and Wesley Crusher to meet. Wesley being a Traveler who defies time and space is advantageous since it means Crusher can appear at any point in the Star Trek timeline, and he's proven he can return in live-action and animation. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy could potentially bring back Wesley and Jake Sisko, perhaps as holograms for Starfleet's 32nd century cadets to meet.

Star Trek: Lower Decks' Tawny Newsome (a lifelong DS9 fan) is developing a 25th century-set Star Trek live-action comedy. If Tawny's show happens, it seems like an open door for Jake Sisko to return, perhaps to meet Wesley Crusher as well. Meanwhile, if Netflix renews Star Trek: Prodigy for season 3, it would be a chance to not only bring back Wesley Crusher as the Traveler but also reintroduce Jake Sisko, who Cirroc Lofton could voice. A possible future Star Trek streaming movie project, like Star Trek: Legacy, is another pie-in-the-sky way for Wesley Crusher and Jake Sisko to meet.

Wil Wheaton & Cirroc Lofton Became 2 Of Star Trek’s Most Important Legacy Actors

Cirroc & Wil Are Role Models For Star Trek's Current Casts

Along with their eternal roles as Wesley Crusher and Jake Sisko, Wil Wheaton and Cirroc Lofton have laudably embraced their new roles as Star Trek legacy actors and role models to the new casts of Star Trek on Paramount+'s shows. Since 2019, Wheaton hosted The Ready Room, Star Trek on Paramount+'s after show. Wheaton warmly welcomed the newest actors to join Star Trek as well as the casts from Star Trek's legacy shows who have made comebacks.

Also starting in 2019, Cirroc Lofton launched The 7th Rule podcast with Ryan T. Husk and the late Aron Eisenberg. Originally, The 7th Rule recapped and reviewed Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes, but it expanded to review Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Original Series with Walter Koenig, and each new Star Trek on Paramount+ TV show and movie. While Wheaton was always a diehard Star Trek fan, Lofton developed a genuine love of Star Trek thanks to The 7th Rule and its loyal community of fans.

Both Wil Wheaton and Cirroc Lofton are popular regulars on the Star Trek convention circuit, and they have forged friendships with the actors who are carrying Star Trek's banner forward. However, Cirroc as Jake Sisko and Wil as Wesley Crusher share a common bond as they brought youth, intelligence, heart, and charisma to their 1990s era of Star Trek. Not only does Cirroc Lofton still need to make his return as Jake Sisko, but Star Trek on Paramount+ or Netflix would be wise to find a way for Jake and Wesley Crusher to crossover and make Star Trek history together.