Star Trek: The Next Generation was a groundbreaking show at the time. It was the first Star Trek series in 30 years, and there were no guarantees that the reboot would work. Additionally, The Next Generation introduced new ideas like having a Klingon on board the Enterprise and an android as a Spock-like character rather than an alien.
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When these changes were successful, it not only secured The Next Generation’s legacy but also set up the franchise for success. There were many popular and interesting characters in this series, making it hard to determine which ones were the best.
10) Ro Laren
Ro Laren is one of the most complex and interesting characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation. She was a Bajoran who had survived the Cardassian occupation of her homeworld, and this traumatic history shaped her as a Starfleet officer.
When she first appeared in the fifth season, Ro Laren was defiant, rebellious, and not who Picard wanted aboard his ship. Sadly, he turned out to be right, since in the series finale she defected to the Maquis, deeply disappointing Picard, who had vouched for her, but before that, the evolution of her relationship with Picard from mutual distrust to the opposite was one of The Next Generation’s most compelling arcs.
9) Beverly Crusher
Every sci-fi show needs a brilliant medic with a moral compass, and Beverly Crusher fits the bill perfectly. Beverly was equal parts medical professional and empathetic healer, which made her the perfect person for this position in the upgraded Enterprise crew.
The most surprising and interesting aspect of Dr. Crusher’s inclusion was her complex relationship with Picard. She often gave him longing glances, and the two trusted each other implicitly, making for a slow-burn relationship that fans still debate today.
8) Deanna Troi
Deanna Troi was a new type of character, as she was a half-Betazoid empath who could sense the emotions of others. This was a unique and compelling aspect to her character, and it made her perfect as the ship’s counselor, a position that did not exist in The Original Series.
Although Troi was an empath who offered emotional support, she was far from weak. Her empathic abilities also aided her in diplomatic negotiations, and her rank as Commander demonstrated that she had the knowledge and skills needed to be in leadership. Additionally, her empathy was not a magic solution to problems, as she sometimes found her abilities blocked when dealing with alien species.
7) Guinan
Whoopi Goldberg’s character was never part of the main cast, and that was as it should have been, as overusing her would have turned her into a parody of herself. Guinan was the bartender at Ten-Forward, and she was a strong source of emotional support for Picard when he needed someone outside of the main crew to talk to.
Guinan’s special ability to listen to the flow of time gave her an advantage when listening to human concerns as well, and this was an interesting skill that not many alien races possessed at the time she was introduced. But it was her bond with Picard that made her a truly special and memorable character.
6) Q
Q is one of the most iconic adversaries in Star Trek history. He would have fit in well with Doctor Who’s Pantheon, as he was a god-like creature who loved to cause chaos. Q was more mischievous than evil, though he caused plenty of trouble.
Picard found Q to be a challenging adversary, and Q’s dark humor often helped lighten the mood in the otherwise serious show. Dealing with Q forced humanity to evolve despite all the resistance he caused.
5) Geordi La Forge
Geordi La Forge added to the crew’s diversity, not only as one of the few Black crew members but also because he was born blind and used a high-tech prosthetic that not only granted him sight but also allowed him to see things that other humans could not.
It adds to the disability representation that Geordi provided to know that he was named after a late fan with muscular dystrophy. Geordi also introduced a generation raised on Reading Rainbow to actor Levar Burton’s considerable talents.
4) Worf
The idea of including a Klingon in the Enterprise crew was risky, considering that the Klingons had been the primary antagonists in The Original Series. However, this status helped make Worf into one of the most emotionally rich characters in the franchise.
Worf was a Klingon who had been raised by humans, which made him more loyal to humans than other Klingons would have been, and as a result, he was the first Klingon officer in Starfleet. However, as an adult, Worf embraced his Klingon heritage, and sometimes the warrior culture of his people clashed with his duties as a Starfleet officer.
3) William Riker
Just as Spock was the perfect first officer to balance Kirk’s emotional, intuitive decision-making style, Riker perfectly balanced Picard. Picard was more level-headed than Kirk, but he could be overly enthusiastic about a course of action, and Riker tried to get him to see alternate perspectives. He also saved Picard from his worst impulses on more than one occasion, refusing to allow him to risk unnecessary danger.
Riker was able to help Picard without becoming annoying because he was unusually charismatic. His charm, mixed with his strong moral compass, made him one of The Next Generation’s most unforgettable characters.
2) Data
Including an android in the crew was another one of The Next Generation’s bold departures from the original series. Many science fiction shows about human-like androids delve into the danger of such machines being sentient, but The Next Generation went in a different direction.
Data played a similar role to Spock in The Original Series in that he was almost entirely logic-driven. However, he also possessed curiosity and a will to understand human relationships that made him one of The Next Generation’s most endearing characters.
1) Jean-Luc Picard
Simply put, there would be no The Next Generation without Picard. The captain of the Enterprise would dictate the new show’s tone, and Picard offered steadiness, calm under pressure, and an unwavering ethical center as well as a quiet vulnerability.
Picard’s leadership was so memorable, as well as compelling, that he got his own spinoff many years later. He is one of the franchise’s most popular characters for a reason, and is such an important part of pop culture that many memes have been created using his image on social media.
Who is your favorite The Next Generation character? Leave a comment and join the conversation at the ComicBook Forum.
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