Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is most remembered as the Chief Medical Officer on the USS Enterprise-D throughout most ofStar Trek: The Next Generation. Under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Dr. Crusher proved herself to be an intelligent scientist and a compassionate doctor.TNGdid not always give Beverly the strongest storylines, but she is nevertheless an interesting character who played a vital role among the Enterprise crew. In addition to her duties on the Enterprise, Beverly was also a single parent to her teenage son,Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton).
Beverly had good relationships with every senior officer aboard the Enterprise and considered Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) one of her closest friends.Beverly had been friends with Jean-Luc Picard for much of her adult life,andearly episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generationteased potential romantic feelings between the pair, although they never officially got together on the show. Beverly returned inStar Trek: Picardseason 3, revealing that she had given birth to Picard’s son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), not long after the events ofStar Trek: Nemesis.
Dr. Beverly Crusher’s Life Before Star Trek: The Next Generation (2324-2364)
The TNG Season 7 Episode “Sub Rosa” Revealed More About Beverly’s Upbringing
Beverly Crusher was born as Beverly Howard in 2324 in Copernicus City on Earth’s moon. After both of Beverly’s parents were killed when she was young, her grandmother, Felisa Howard (Ellen Albertini Dow), raised her.It was Felisa who inspired Beverly to pursue a career in medicine,as the elder Howard worked as a healer. Beverly attended Starfleet Academy from 2342 to 2350, becoming a medical doctor.
At some point during her Starfleet Academy career, Beverly developed a romantic relationship with Jack R. Crusher (Doug Wert), whom she married in 2348. The couple had a son, Wesley Crusher, later that same year.Jack served aboard the USS Stargazerunder the command of Captain Picard, andJack, Jean-Luc, and Beverly all became good friends.When Jack Crusher was killed while on an away mission, Picard personally delivered the news to Beverly, and she never fully recovered from her husband’s sudden death.
Dr. Beverly Crusher Was Chief Medical Officer In Star Trek: The Next Generation (2364-2370)
Dr. Crusher’s Medical & Scientific Knowledge Saved The Enterprise Crew On Numerous Occasions
Dr. Crusher joined the crew of the USS Enterprise-D in 2364 as the Chief Medical Officer.Star Trek: The Next Generationseason 1 teased potential romantic feelings between Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher, but the two friends did not reveal their true feelings for one another until the show’s final season.Dr. Crusher briefly left the Enterprise to serve as the head of Starfleet Medical in 2365,during which timeDr. Katherine Pulaski (Diana Muldaur)took over as CMO. Crusher returned a year later (inTNGseason 3) and remained on the Enterprise for the rest of the show’s run.
Throughout her time as CMO on the Enterprise-D, Dr. Crusher aided in numerous scientific discoveries and medical breakthroughs,all while treating the ship’s crew and caring for her son.In 2366, Beverly was taken captive by terrorists, helping with their injuries and growing somewhat sympathetic to their cause. After Captain Picard was rescued from the Borg in 2367, Dr. Crusher helped remove the cybernetic implants and treat Picard’s injuries.
Dr. Crusher’s profound empathy sometimes conflicted with Starfleet regulations like the Prime Directive, and she was one of the few people who would challenge Captain Picard.
In 2367, Beverly ended up alone on a version of the Enterprise after becoming trapped in a warp bubble. Thankfully, she figured out what was happening just in time to escape through the gateway Wesley had created.Dr. Crusher also trusted her instincts in 2369, inStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 6’s “Suspicions,“uncovering the truth about the death of a Ferengi scientist named Reyga (Peter Slutsker). Beverly had a few romances throughoutTNG(including an unfortunate dalliance with aghost inTNGseason 7’s “Sub Rosa”), but she never fully got over her feelings for Jean-Luc Picard.
Dr. Beverly Crusher In Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Movies (2371-2379)
Dr. Crusher Played A Disappointingly Small Role In The TNG Films
Unfortunately, Dr. Crusher did not get much to do in theStar Trek: The Next Generationfilms, mostly taking a backseat to Captain Picard andLt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner). InStar Trek Generations,Crusher treated the injured after the USS Enterprise-D crash-landed on Veridian III, andshe later transferred to the USS Enterprise-E in 2372with the rest of Picard’s senior officers. Crusher successfully used the Emergency Medical Hologram (Robert Picardo)to distract the Borg while the sickbay staff and patients escaped inStar Trek: First Contact.
In 2375, Crusher joined Picard and the other senior staff members as they disobeyed orders to help the Ba’ku people inStar Trek: Insurrection.She was also the first to discover that the Son’a were formerly members of the Ba’ku. InStar Trek: Nemesis,Beverly attended Counselor Deanna Troi’s weddingtoCommander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes). She later examined Shinzon’s (Tom Hardy) DNA, confirming that the new Romulan Praetor was an exact clone of Picard.
What Happened To Dr. Beverly Crusher After Star Trek: The Next Generation (2379-2401)
Beverly Left Starfleet After Star Trek: Nemesis & Cut Off Contact With Her TNG Friends
Sometime after theevents ofStar Trek: Nemesis,Dr. Crusher and Captain Picard finally attempted to pursue a romantic relationship. In 2381, they conceived a son, Jack Crusher. After realizing how many enemies Picard had,Beverly ultimately decided to raise Jack alone,keeping his existence a secret from Jean-Luc. Dr. Crusher left the Enterprise to raise Jack, cutting ties with her friends and pursuing other medical opportunities.
In 2385 (as seen inStar Trek: Prodigyseason 2), Beverly reconnected with Wesley, who had become a Traveler. She introduced Wes to his young brother, Jack.
At some point, Dr. Crusher settled in London and joined a medical organization known as the Mariposas. She and Jack eventually began traveling the galaxy in the medical vessel SS Eleos XII,providing medical care to anyone who needed it.Eventually, the Changeling Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) began pursuing Jack, leading Dr. Crusher to reach out to Admiral Picard for the first time in twenty years.
Dr. Beverly Crusher’s Return In Star Trek: Picard Season 3 (2401-2402)
Beverly Came Crashing Back Into Picard’s Life In Picard Season 3
Dr. Crusher returned inStar Trek: Picardseason 3, with her now adult son, Jack, in tow. Although Admiral Picard had not heard from Beverly in around twenty years, he did not hesitate to come to her rescue when she reached out for help. After commandeering the USS Titan-A, Picard and Riker found the Crushers and got pulled into an adventure that threatened the safety of Starfleet. Over the last twenty years,Dr. Crusher had learned her way around a weapons systemand a phaser, but remained an intelligent and compassionate doctor.
Dr. Crusher reconnected with Picard, explaining why she had kept their son’s existence from him, and the twoendedStar Trek: Picardseason 3on good terms. Beverly proved vital in the fight against the Borg and the Changelings, helping out on the Titan and expertly firing the Enterprise-D’s weapons at the Borg cube. After helping to save Starfleet yet again,Crusher found a way to detect any rogue Changelings in disguiseand remove the Borg DNA from Starfleet’s youngest officers.
Star Trek: Picard season 3 finally made Dr. Beverly Crusher into a fully realized character.
At the end ofStar Trek: Picardseason 3, Beverly Crusher received a much-deserved promotion to Admiral and took over as the new Head of Starfleet Medical Branch. Although it remains unclear if Jean-Luc and Beverly rekindled their romance, the two both accompanied their son Jack to his first assignment as an ensign aboard the USS Enterprise-G.Star Trek: Picardseason 3 finally made Dr. Beverly Crusher into a fully realized character, building on her best moments fromStar Trek: The Next Generation.
