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This page details Wesley Crusher in the primary universe; for the Wesley Crusher in the mirror universe see Wesley Crusher (mirror); for the Wesley Crusher in all other alternate universes see Wesley Crusher (alternates).

Wesley Robert Crusher (also known as Wesley Eugene Crusher) was a human man 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 and experience the universe on a plane beyond that which most Humans could ever come close to.

For other uses, see Wesley.
This character is a member of the Howard-Crusher family.

Biography[]

Son of Beverly and Jack Crusher, Wesley was born on 29 July 2348. Wesley's father loved him, but Jack realized that his Starfleet career could mean that he wouldn't always be around as Wesley grew up; when Wesley was 10 weeks old, Jack began recording messages for his son. (TNG episodes: "Coming of Age", "Family", "Conundrum")

In 2354, Wesley's father was killed following a dreadful accident aboard the USS Stargazer. 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. (TNG episode & novelization: Encounter at Farpoint; TNG novel: Reunion)

From an early age, Wesley began to express an aptitude for advanced learning. In 2358, 10-year-old Wesley studied every piece of text written by the escape artist Bophur the Unholdable, after he observed one of his final acts. (TNG novel: Balance of Power)

Aboard the Enterprise-D[]

Wesley2364

Crusher in 2364.

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

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 realize 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. (TNG episode: "Where No One Has Gone Before")

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. (TNG episode: "Coming of Age")

Early in 2365, Wes' mother left the Enterprise to take up the position of Head of Starfleet Medical. Wes was affected by her absence but soon 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's 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. (TNG comic: "Space Seeds")

Wesley2366

Ensign Wesley Crusher in 2366.

Later that year, Wes took his exam on Starbase 515, passed, and was offered a position at the Academy. 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. (TNG episodes: "Samaritan Snare", "Ménage à Troi")

Wesley's role of helmsman aboard the Enterprise, despite his civilian status, was disapproved of by some Starfleet officers, including Edward Jellico. In his time aboard the Enterprise, Wesley gained the nickname "Brain Trust", a name he was not particularly fond of. (NF novel: House of Cards; TNG novels: Strike Zone, A Rock and a Hard Place)

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 (TNG episodes: "The Game", "The First Duty")

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 alongside with Joshua Albert and Sito Jaxa. In early 2368, the squad attempted to perform a Kolvoord Starburst maneuver 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 forcefully persuaded him to tell the truth. As a result, Wes was reprimanded but allowed to stay in the Academy. (TNG episode: "The First Duty")

In 2369, Wesley had a relationship with fellow Starfleet cadet Krystyna Peladon. (TNG novel: A Fury Scorned)

Later that year, 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 which had seen them become more advanced, a violation of the Prime Directive. (TNG novel: Debtors' Planet)

Wesley's roommate at the Academy during 2370 was Fred Kimbal, a young man who invented a device that would transform worthless chaseum into valuable latinum. Upon learning of the device, a team of Ferengi marauders kidnapped Wesley, whom they had mistaken for his roommate, and took him with the device to an interplanetary auction. With the help of his former Enterprise crewmates, Wesley exposed the Ferengi scheme. He was reproved for his involvement with the scheme, but his roommate Fred was expelled for creating the device. Wesley was extremely disillusioned with the shortsightedness of Starfleet, who he felt had failed his roommate. (TNG novel: Balance of Power)

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 conventional space-time to explore with the Traveler. (TNG episode: "Journey's End")

Wesley's commentary in PIC episode: "Farewell" suggests that being mentored by the Traveler and beginning to use his own abilities has the effects of manipulating various alternate reality variations and changes to timelines. Because of this, any and all of his appearances after this might be considered alternate timelines simply by effect of him having presented himself there and interacted with history.
Wesley Crusher, 2379

Wesley did return to the primary universe as it existed at the time to attend the wedding of Will Riker and Deanna Troi in the year 2379. (TNG movie: Nemesis)

In alternate realities, there are differing reasons given for Wesley's dress uniform at the wedding. In the First Splinter timeline, it is mentioned that he was given the clothing as he did not have anything appropriate to wear to the reception. In yet another reality, he had indeed rejoined Starfleet and was preparing to ship out on the Titan. By all indications, that return to uniformed service is incongruous with the primary universe of canon where he remained a Traveler.

The Journey[]

Xwesley

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 initially do, in 2373 Wesley altered history by erasing the Maquis, and instead created a short border war between the Federation and the Cardassian Union. The original timeline was reinstated when Agents Dulmer and Gariff Lucsly from the Federation Department of Temporal Investigations encouraged Wesley to do so. (TNG - Strange New Worlds II short story: "Gods, Fate, and Fractals")

First Splinter timeline[]

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

In 2377, Wesley briefly boarded the USS Enterprise-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. (TNG - Strange New Worlds VII short story: "Adventures in Jazz and Time")

In 2378, Wesley gave advice and assistance to Starfleet Captain Chakotay when Chakotay temporarily possessed the power of the Sky Spirits. (VOY - Spirit Walk novel: Enemy of My Enemy)

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 the "demon flyer," a shape-shifting vessel from another dimension. (ST - A Time to... novels: A Time to Be Born, A Time to Die)

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. In 2381, Wesley materialized, this time with clothes, at the wedding of his mother, Beverly Crusher, and Jean Luc Picard. (ST - A Time to... novel: A Time for War, A Time for Peace; TNG novel: Greater Than the Sum)

In 2384, Wesley witnesses a Machine destroying several star systems, including inhabited ones, by casting them into the black hole Abbadon. He contacts the Travelers for help but they flee, having had many unsuccessful encounters with the Machine in the past. Instead, he turns to the Enterprise-E for help.

Wesley uses his Traveler powers to transport the Enterprise to the location of the Machine. Attempts to communicate with the Machine and even sabotage it fail. After the Enterprise rescues Data from a rogue group of synthetic beings attempting to merge with the Machine, Picard, Data, and Wesley convince the Machine to work with the Travelers and repair the damage to subspace, instead of destroying galaxies as part of its grander legacy. (TNG - Cold Equations novel: The Body Electric)

When the First Splinter timeline and various other associated splinter realities became a victim of Devidian attack, multiple versions of Wesley intervened by informing his old crewmates of the situation, helping them identify the original divergence event that caused the timeline splinter, and giving them (and some of their mirror universe counterparts) support in collapsing their splintered reality to prevent the vulnerability that would have allowed the Devidian victory. (ST - Coda novels: Moments Asunder, The Ashes of Tomorrow, Oblivion's Gate)

Return to Starfleet[]

In at least one reality, Wesley rejoined Starfleet and offered his abilities as an officer aboard the USS Titan. (TNG novelization: Nemesis)

Titan Wesley

Wesley Crusher serving aboard the USS Titan.

Wesley briefly served aboard the USS Titan as assistant chief engineer. On one mission, he helped second officer Tuvok defeat an attacking Klingon starship. (TTN movie: Star Trek: The Tour)

How and why he returned to Starfleet remains unknown. It is also unknown how long he remained. With the preponderance of "alternate Wesleys" that were spawned during Star Trek: Coda, it remains unclear if Wesley's return to Starfleet aboard the Titan was part of the primary universe, the First Splinter timeline, or another alternate reality representing a separate continuity from any others currently described on this wiki.

Further journeys as The Traveler[]

TravelerKore

Wesley and Kore.

Wesley learned much in his time as the Traveler, eventually becoming aware of the Travelers' various Supervisors assigned to monitor key points in history. In the year 2024, Q made an attempt to influence historical changes in order to help Jean-Luc Picard to recover a repressed memory. Wesley did not directly intervene in the situation, but monitored the influence that Q had on Adam Soong, eventually deleting some of the critical data on a computer system that Q had infiltrated. Following Picard's return from 2024, Wesley met with his former captain. The two of reminisced about the time they had aboard the Enterprise-D, their friendship with it's crew and hope they would meet again. (PIC episode: "Farewell"; PIC - Star Trek 400th Issue comic: "A Matter of Choice")

Wesley later returned to 2024. There, Wesley approached Soong's cloned daughter, Kore and offered her a chance to leave with him and become an apprentice Traveler. (PIC episode: "Farewell")

Other alternate timelines[]

Captain Wesley Crusher

Captain Wesley Crusher, circa 2395.

In one alternate future, 2408 saw Wesley as captain of the USS Hood. He had been married twice and was the father of three children. When Deanna Troi was killed in 2368 he had been in the middle of his extra year at Starfleet Academy. (TNG novel: Imzadi)

In another alternate timeline, Wesley served as chief engineer of the Enterprise-D following Geordi La Forge being promoted to first officer of the same vessel. In addition to tending to the Enterprise's systems, Wesley was also tasked with tending to the ship's android crewmembers, A. Isaac and Dalen Quaice. (Myriad Universes - Echoes and Refractions novel: Brave New World)

In another alternate timeline, the Klingons conquered Earth when the Khitomer Conference failed in 2293. Wesley was part of Picard's resistance cell, but after the death of his lover Robin Lefler, Wesley and a group of his followers attempted to betray Picard's own efforts to make peace with the Klingons in favour of destroying them. (TNG - The Last Generation comic: "What Happens Now")

Appendices[]

Connections[]

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) flight control personnel
Emblem of the United Federation of Planets. AllenbyAnayaBrooksCalanClancyW. CrusherDernFarmerFeltonFochGatesGawelskiGibsonGrahamHalloranHaskellJaeKarpLa ForgeLavelleLinMcKnightMonroeO'BrienReelRoRagerSolisTorresVasquezWallaceWorfWright Seal of the Federation Starfleet.
see also: engineering personnelmedical personneloperations personnelsecurity & tactical personnelsciences personnelsenior staffunnamed
Nova Squadron personnel
Emblem of the United Federation of Planets. Joshua AlbertSarita CarsonWesley CrusherJean HajarSito JaxaNicholas Locarno Seal of the Federation Starfleet.
USS Titan engineering personnel
UFP emblem. BaarsChwolkkM. CrandallKanenyaN. LedrahT. PanyarachunX. Ra-HaveriiB. RadowskiW. CrusherK. RossiniP. RossiniTorvig B.TylithUrgarYakojYthiss Assignment badge.
see also: medical personnelpilots & flight control personnelsecurity & tactical personnelsciences personnelsenior staffunnamed

Background[]

This section is written
from the Real World
point of view
.
Memory Beta

Middle name[]

The entry for Wesley at StarTrek.com establishes his middle name as "Robert", which matches the barely-legible initial "R" given onscreen in TNG episode: "Conundrum".

Wesley's middle name is given as "Eugene" in the TNG novel: A Time for War, A Time for Peace, as an homage to Gene Roddenberry's full name "Eugene Wesley Roddenberry". No explanation was given why this work ignored the canon initial "R" seen in "Conundrum", but it might be a reflection of a disruption in history, as that work took place in the First Splinter timeline, or it might simply have been an error of some sort.

Appearances and references[]

Appearances[]

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External link[]

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