Wil Wheaton Explains How His Star Trek: The Next Generation Exit Helped Him Appreciate Wesley Crusher’s Return To The Franchise
The actor talks about his past stint with the franchise.
Star Trek: Picard shocked fans when Wil Wheaton’s Wesley Crusher re-emerged in the franchise at the end of the streaming show's most recent season. Now he’s back and with the possibility of more Wesley adventures across all the new seasons of other Star Trek shows coming down the stretch, Wheaton is feeling grateful that things worked out for him the way they did.
Surprisingly, Wil Wheaton revealed to me in our conversation ahead of Star Trek: Picard’s Season 2 finale that had he not left The Next Generation to pursue other things, he might not be in the position he’s in now. Wheaton explained that because of how things worked out then, he can better appreciate this new chapter of Wesley Crusher's life on screen:
Wil Wheaton touched on the most exciting part of Wesley Crusher's return: that he's capable of traversing space and time. It's a super cool role with a lot of potential in the Star Trek franchise, and one Wheaton indicated he might not have seen the value in decades earlier:
Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Wil Wheaton wouldn’t have been able to see the potential he now has in 2022 as a Traveler. While Crusher’s cameo in Picard was small, his abilities as a Traveler allow him to traverse time and space at will. This essentially means he can appear on any currently airing Trek series at any time, which is a massive and rare perk for a Trek actor. Wheaton appreciates that role and the fact that Paramount+ subscribers can still check him out in The Ready Room, where he breaks down the biggest goings-on in the franchise following episodes.
Star Trek fans are well-aware that Wil Wheaton went through hard times during his first stint as Wesley Crusher. Wheaton faced criticism from fans for his character, and even popular stars of the franchise had critical things to say. Decades later, he’s grown a lot and confirmed that he is thrilled to return as Wesley Crusher:
We don’t know if or when Wil Wheaton will re-appear in Star Trek, but it seems logical he’d re-appear with some of his old co-stars when The Next Generation cast appears in Picard Season 3. Wheaton only gave the smallest of detail when asked about it, but reassured TNG fans they’re in for a treat. Here’s hoping he’ll be back there, and in many other Star Trek shows for years to come.
Wil Wheaton’s latest appearance in Star Trek: Picard can be found by checking the Season 2 finale out on Paramount+. With Wheaton’s return, the floor is open for the franchise to blow minds with more surprising cameos, and we can only guess who will show up next.
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Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.