Wesley Crusher

Wesley Eugene Crusher was a Human male in the 24th century. In his youth he excelled thanks to his skill and intellect and had a promising career in Starfleet ahead of him. However, he dropped out of Starfleet Academy to travel with the mysterious being known as The Traveler, experience the universe on a plane beyond that most Humans could ever come close to.

History
Wesley Eugene Crusher, son of Beverly and Jack Crusher, was born on July 29, 2348. Wesley's father worshipped him, but Jack realised that his Starfleet career could mean that he wouldn't always be around as Wesley grew up, so when Wesley was 10 weeks old, Jack began recording messages for his son. 

In 2354, Wesley's father was killed following a dreadful accident aboard the USS Stargazer (NCC-2893). Although the five-year-old boy did not completely understand what was happening, he remembered that Jack's body was brought home by his command officer and friend, Captain Jean-Luc Picard. 

From an early age, Wesley began to express an aptitude for advanced learning. In 2358, 9-year-old Wesley studied every piece of text written by the escape artist Bophur the Unholdable, after he observed one of his final acts. 

Aboard the Enterprise-D
In 2364, Wesley boarded the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) with his mother who was assigned as the ship's chief medical officer. He quickly became friends with several of the Enterprise 's senior staff, including Commander William T. Riker, Data, and Geordi La Forge. Intially, Wesley's relationship with Captain Picard was very tense and for some weeks Wesley was barred from the bridge. 

A few months into the mission, the Enterprise was visited by an unusual being, known as The Traveler, from Tau Alpha C. The Traveler urged Captain Picard to encourage Wesley and make him realise his potential. As a result, Picard promoted Wesley to acting ensign and granted him access to the bridge, as well as posting his application to Starfleet Academy. 

A few months later, Wesley took his Academy entrance exam on Relva VII, but failed to gain entry. Wes considered dropping the idea, but Picard changed his mind when he told him about his own failure to enter the Academy on his first try. 

Early in 2365 Wes's mother left the Enterprise to take up the position of Head of Starfleet Medical, Wes was effected by her absence but son began to adjust to not having her around. On one of his first missions after his mother's departure Wes joined an away team to The Armada, where the Enterprise' personnel were investigating crop failures. After getting to know some of the resident youngsters he correctly deduced they were responsible, and, after a short brawl in which he delivered a black-eye to the boy named Cumin, he convinced them to confess to what they had done. Later that year, Wes took his exam on Starbase 515, passed, and was offered a position at the Academy from 2366. His entry had to be moved to early 2367, when he remained aboard the Enterprise to help locate Commander Riker and Deanna Troi after they were captured by the Ferengi. Thanks to his actions, Riker and Troi were rescued, and Picard field-promoted Wesley to ensign. 

Wesley's role of helmsman aboard the Enterprise, despite his civilian status, was disapproved of by some Starfleet officers, including Edward Jellico. 

Early in his time aboard the Enterprise, Wesley gained the nickname "Brain Trust", a name he was not particularly fond of. 

Starfleet Academy
Despite entering the Academy a few months late, Wesley managed to catch up with all assignment work, and managed to make many friends, including Cadet Joshua Albert. On the advice of Captain Picard, Wesley also sought out the Academy groundskeeper, Boothby, who helped him through his early days at the Academy

Wesley's roommate during his time at Academy was Fred Kimbal. 

At the start of his second year at the Academy, Wesley joined Nova Squadron, an Academy flight squad led by Nicholas Locarno. Wesley also flew along with Joshua Albert and Sito Jaxa. In early 2368, the squad attempted to perform a Kolvoord Starburst maneuvre near Titan, which resulted in all test ships being destroyed, and the death of Cadet Albert. Wesley originally went along with the others, who attempted to bury the incident, but Captain Picard persuaded him to tell the truth. As a result, Wes was reprimanded but allowed to stay in the Academy. 

In 2369, Wesley returned to the Enterprise while on vacation from the Academy. While Wesley was aboard, the Enterprise was sent to the planet Megara to investigate Ferengi dealings on the planet which had seen them become more advanced, a violation of the Prime Directive. 

Over the next year, Wesley became increasingly disillusioned with the Academy, with his grades slipping and his work decreasing. When Wesley returned to the Enterprise for a vacation in mid-2370 he also seemed distant and uninterested in his mother and friends. Shortly after, Wesley encountered The Traveler on Dorvan V, and after undergoing a spiritual quest, decided to leave Starfleet and he then left conventional space-time with the Traveler. 

The Journey
Upon leaving Dorvan V, The Traveler became Wesley's mentor, and was tasked in teaching him about life as a Traveler, the power they wield, and the rules they must abide by. While The Traveler kept a tight reign on what Wesley could intially do, in 2373 Wesley altered History by erasing the Maquis from History, and instead created a short border-War between the Federation and the Cardassian Union. The original timeline was reinstated when Agents Dulmer and Lucsly from the Federation Department of Temporal Investigations encouraged Wesley to do so. (SS TNG (Gods, Fate, and Fractals))

Around the end of the Dominion War, Wesley encountered J. R. Rasmussen, a time-travelling researcher for 20th century television program, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Wesley proposed a union between them, and was flatly turned down. (SS TNG (Research))

In 2377, Wesley briefly boarded the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) under the guise of Evan Jackson. During his stay there, he transported Commander Riker to a jazz club in 1920s Illinois as a "Thank You" for all Riker had done for him. When Riker was returned to the Enterprise, he believed he had been in a holodeck program. (SS TNG (Adventures in Jazz and Time))

In 2378, he gave advice and assistance to Starfleet Captain Chakotay when Chakotay temporarily possessed the power of the Sky Spirits. 

Later that year, Wesley had learned a lot from The Traveler, and following an observation of a colony world being evacuated from Starfleet, they returned to Tau Alpha C so that Wesley could be re-born as a Traveler. Before becoming a Traveler, Wesley had to gaze into the Pool of Prophecy to undergo the final test. Inside the Pool, he witnessed the destruction of the Enterprise at the Rashanar Battle Site. Following this, he left Tau Alpha C and went to the Enterprise to successfully prevent their destruction from a shape-shifting vessel from another dimension. 

In late 2379, Wesley appeared at the wedding of William Riker and Deanna Troi. Assuming it was a traditional Betazoid wedding, he appeared nude. Picard found this unacceptable, and gave him a Starfleet Lieutenant's uniform to wear to the wedding. 

Friendships
During 2365, Wesley became friends with the Selelvian civilian Jaan Devin, who gave Wesley the nickname 'Orange' aboard the Enterprise. 

Guinan was a good friend of Wesley's from their meeting in 2365 onwards...especially after the Nova Squadron incident, from the conversation she had with Cadet Jayme Miranda in 2368. 

Mirror universe

 * See Wesley Crusher (mirror)

Alternate Timelines
In one alternate future, by 2408 Wesley was Captain of the Hood. He has been married twice and was the father of three children. When Deanna Troi was killed (in 2368) he was in the middle of an extra year at Starfleet Academy. 

Middle Name
Wesley's middle name is given as "Eugene" in the, rather than barely-legible initials given onscreen, which have been interpreted as either 'A' or 'R'. Gene Roddenberry's full name was "Eugene Wesley Roddenberry".