Picard’s History With Beverly Crusher’s Family Explained

Star Trek: Picard season 3 is set to reunite Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) with his old friend Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), continuing his long association with the Crusher family. Many events in Picard’s life were shaped by one or more members of the Crusher family. A stoic, private man by the time of his command of the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Picard had been a much different, reckless person in his younger days, even losing his heart in a bar fight as seen in the TNG season 6 episode “Tapestry.”

The rough and tumble Picard would have to grow up fast, as he was promoted to Captain of the USS Stargazer at the age of 28 after the ship’s previous captain was killed in action and Picard took charge. Aboard the rickety, underpowered Stargazer, Picard would become friends with Lieutenant Commander Jack Crusher (Doug Wert) and his wife Dr. Beverly Crusher. It would end up being one of the most crucial relationships in Picard’s life.

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Picard’s Friendship With Jack Crusher

Jean-Luc Picard and Jack Crusher became fast friends aboard the Stargazer. Not only were the men personally close, Crusher served as one of Picard’s senior officers and top advisors. When Crusher began dating then-Beverly Howard, Picard began spending much time with the couple. In the TNG season 7 episode “Attached,” it was revealed Picard had long harbored romantic feelings for Beverly. An ashamed Picard repressed these feelings as best he could, feeling it was a betrayal of his best friend.

Jack Crusher died in an accident aboard the Stargazer in 2353. Picard personally returned Jack’s body to Beverly and her young son, Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton). Jack’s death haunted Picard for years and stands as one of the lowest moments in his Starfleet career. Two years later, Picard was forced to abandon the Stargazer after it was severely damaged in a Ferengi attack. Picard may have been done with his first command, but he was far from done with the Crushers.

Picard’s Relationship With Beverly Crusher

Captain Picard took command of the USS Enterprise-D in 2364, with Beverly Crusher appointed the ship’s chief medical officer. Picard initially had severely mixed feelings about Beverly‘s presence on the Enterprise, both due to his latent romantic feelings for her and the fear that she blamed him for Jack’s death. Despite Picard’s concerns, he and Beverly quickly re-established their friendship on the Federation’s flagship, often starting their days by having breakfast together.

While there was still a romantic tension between Jean-Luc and Beverly, they rarely acted on it, preferring to maintain their friendship and professionalism. An alternate future in the TNG series finale “All Good Things” saw Jean-Luc and Beverly marry and divorce, with Captain Beverly Picard now commanding the medical ship the USS Pasteur, but that relationship seemingly never materialized in the actual future. Beverly remained part of Picard’s crew at least through the events of the final TNG film, Star Trek: Nemesis. Set two decades after Nemesis, Star Trek: Picard has conspicuously avoided any mention of Beverly in its first two seasons.

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Picard’s Mentorship Of Wesley Crusher

When Beverly Crusher joined the crew of the Enterprise-D she brought along her son, Wesley Crusher. Seeing Wesley for the first time in many years had a profound effect on Picard in the TNG series premiere “Encounter At Farpoint,” clearly bringing back emotional memories about his late friend Jack. Wesley was a gifted young man, with an inherent understanding of science and technology that rivaled most of the Enterprise-D’s Starfleet crew. He was also immature and awkward, largely due to a lack of a father figure for most of his young life.

Picard granted Wesley a Starfleet field commission as acting ensign, though at first he still kept his distance. Picard was notoriously uncomfortable around children, and Wesley initially gravitated toward Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), a naturally more gregarious man than the Captain. Picard and Wesley’s relationship began to change in the TNG season 2 episode “Samaritan Snare,” where the two shared a long shuttle ride and a bit of Picard’s icy demeanor began to melt away. By TNG season 3, Picard had become Wesley’s primary role model and mentor, and Picard made no effort to hide his pride in the young man.

Wesley departed for Starfleet Academy midway through TNG season 4. He would have a surprisingly tumultuous stay there; in the TNG season 5 episode “The First Duty,” Wesley was involved in a coverup related to an accident that had killed a fellow cadet. After being confronted by an angry, disappointed Captain Picard, Wesley came clean and was severely reprimanded. In the TNG season 7 episode “Journey’s End,” Wesley eventually chose to leave Starfleet Academy to explore the universe with the Traveler (Eric Menyuk), a mysterious alien that had visited the Enterprise-D on multiple occasions and took a special interest in Wesley. Picard reluctantly accepted Wesley’s decision and wished him well on his journey.

Beverly Crusher’s Reunion With Jean-Luc In Picard Season 3

Beverly Crusher and the rest of the surviving members of Picard’s Enterprise-D senior staff are set to return for Star Trek: Picard season 3. Little is known about Crusher’s role in the plot of season 3, though it’s been confirmed she’s no longer a member of Starfleet and now operates in a sort of Doctors Without Borders organization in the seedier parts of the Federation. Beverly is seemingly being hunted by season 3’s mysterious new villain, Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer), though it’s not yet clear why.

It’s been suggested by Picard showrunner Terry Matalas that Picard and Dr. Crusher haven’t seen each other in many years, which is somewhat backed up by the fact that Beverly was not mentioned in the show’s first two seasons, the only main TNG cast member to not even get a passing reference so far. It’s unclear what occurred between Picard and Beverly, but their reunion is one of the more anticipated events in Picard season 3. Beverly and her family have always been an important part of Jean-Luc Picard’s life, and that figures to remain true in Star Trek: Picard season 3.

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