Before taking over command of the USS Enterprise-D inStar Trek: The Next Generation,Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) served aboard the USS Stargazer, butStar Trekhas only revealed a few of his crew members. By the time ofTNG,Picard had already served as captain of the Stargazer for 22 years, until he was forced to abandon the ship after an attack by the Ferengi. A Constellation-class starship, theStargazer launched in 2326, and Picard was a part of the bridge crew by the year 2333 when the ship’s captain was killed.
BothStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Picardrevealed some hints about Picard’s time in command of the Stargazer, but only three other members of the ship’s crew have ever been named. Between commanding the Stargazer and two versions of the USS Enterprise,Picard remained a starship captainfor nearly 50 years. Picard finally accepted a promotion to admiral in 2381, but he ultimately made a better captain.Picard’s time aboard the Stargazer shaped him as a commanderand he remembers his time as its captain fondly.
5Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)
Commander Of The USS Stargazer
Jean-Luc Picard was a lieutenant commander serving on the bridge of the Stargazer in 2333, when the ship’s captain and first officer were killed in action. Picard took over command of the ship, andhis actions so impressed Starfleet that they promoted him to captain.Picard remained in command of the Stargazerfor 22 years, during which time the ship participated in the Cardassian Wars.
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In 2355,the Stargazer was attacked by an unknown vessel(later revealed to be the Ferengi). Although Picard managed to destroy the attacking vessel with a move later dubbed “the Picard Maneuver,” the Stargazer suffered severe damage and had to be abandoned. Picard was court martialed for losing his ship but was ultimately absolved of all charges.
4Lieutenant Commander Jack R. Crusher (Doug Wert)
First Officer Of The USS Stargazer
Jack Crusher and Jean-Luc Picard became best friends while they were attending Starfleet Academy, and both were later assigned to the Stargazer. After Picard was promoted to captain, Crusher served as his first officer.In 2353, Jack Crusher was tragically killed during an away missionwhen Captain Picard was forced to make a split-second decision. Picard saved another officer, but was unable to save Crusher as well.
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Later, Captain Picard personally returned Jack’s body to his wife,Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden)and her young son, Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton).Wesley initially blamed Picard for his father’s death,but later came to understand the difficulty of making life-and-death command decisions. Wesley later saw an image of his father during a vision quest, as he was contemplating his future.
3Doctor Moritz Benayoun (David Paymer)
Surgeon On The USS Stargazer
In its first season,Star Trek: Picardchecked in on Admiral Picard in 2399, by which time he had resigned from Starfleet and retired tohis family’s French vineyard. Retirement life didn’t quite suit Picard, however, and he soon got pulled into another adventure.InPicardseason 1, episode 2, “Maps and Legends,” Picard sought out Dr. Moritz Benayounto certify him as fit to return to active service in Starfleet.
Dr. Benayoun didn’t reveal much about his time on the Stargazer, but he did mention that they had their fair share of secret missions, including one"in the fireforest on Calyx."
Although Benayoun had not been mentioned inStar Trekbefore, “Maps and Legends” revealed that he once served as the surgeon on the Stargazer alongside Picard.Dr. Benayoun made a house call to Jean-Luc’s hometo tell him that while he passed the physical, he showed signs of the degenerative neurological condition Irumodic Syndrome. Although Benayoun feared for Picard’s health, he certified him for space travel, despite being somewhat surprised that Jean-Luc wanted to return to space.
2Vigo
Chief Engineer Of The USS Stargazer
Star Trek: The Next Generationseason 1, episode 9, “The Battle,” revisits Picard’s time aboard the Stargazer when a Ferengi named Bok (Frank Corsentino) shows up with the derelict ship in tow. The episode reveals how the Stargazer was lost, detailing the so-called Battle of Maxia and the creation of the “Picard Maneuver.” As the episode progresses,Picard begins experiencing flashbacks to this battle,seeing ghostly images of the officers he used to serve with.
In the tactic later dubbed the Picard Maneuver, the Stargazer accelerated into high warp speed toward the Ferengi vessel, briefly appearing to be in two places at once and confusing the Ferengi ship’s sensors.
During the battle, the ship’s weapons officer was named Vigo.Picard mentions Vigo’s name several times as he relives the events of that day,ordering him to"get a fire control party"to the bridge. WhenCommander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes)contacts Picard on the Stargazer, he briefly mistakes him for Vigo. Vigo’s name is only mentioned in dialogue and nothing more has been revealed about him or his time on the Stargazer.
1Other Unnamed Officers
Senior Officers Of The USS Stargazer
No other officers from the Stargazer crew have been named onscreen, but a few officers appear in the vision-like flashbacksCaptain Picard experiences inTNG’s"The Battle." A command division officer, an operations division navigator, and a sciences division helmsman can all be seen on the bridge during Picard’s flashback to the Battle of Maxia. A chief engineer was mentioned in dialogue, having completed maintenance on the second impulse reactor a day ahead of schedule. The name of the Stargazer captain who was killed before Picard took over also remains unknown.
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AlthoughStar Trektie-in novels have explored Picard’s adventures on the Stargazer, very little of this time has been shown onscreen.A futureStar Trekproject could still reveal more about Picard’s past, and introduce more of the Stargazer’s crew. But for now, only three of the ship’s crew members beyond Picard have been named.Star Trek: The Next Generationprovided only hints about Captain Picard’s life before the Enterprise-D, and much of his time on the Stargazer remains a mystery.
