star trek tng the traveler

The Traveler

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A being who described himself as a Traveler , but whose real name he claimed was unpronounceable by Humans , was a humanoid from a mysterious species , encountered by Starfleet during the 2360s . Reported to be from Tau Alpha C , he himself claimed to be a traveler on a journey to experience "your reality ". He also claimed that while by his understanding he was not from another time, he might be according to Starfleet's understanding of time . ( TNG : " Where No One Has Gone Before ", " Journey's End ")

The Traveler had certain abilities, like the ability to act like "a lens which focuses thought ", which allowed him to alter space , time , and warp fields with the power of his mind. He could phase out of time and dimension and move between planets and starships . These abilities were based on his ability to focus the energy of thoughts and in his advanced understanding of the nature of reality. According to The Traveler, thought was the basis of all reality. In addition, Deanna Troi noted that his presence could not be detected with the empathic abilities of Betazoids . He could also shapeshift to appear as humanoids from other species with different clothing. ( TNG : " Where No One Has Gone Before ", " Journey's End ")

Around 2364 , The Traveler had been trading his understanding of propulsion for passage on Starfleet vessels. This was the first time his species visited this culture. He claimed to be motivated by curiosity, his stated goal being experiencing "your reality." During these travels, he became an assistant to Starfleet propulsion expert Kosinski , who claimed to have discovered a revolutionary new method of warp drive . Although some of his theories did have merit, Kosinski's formulas turned out to be bogus, as Wesley Crusher discovered that it was actually Kosinski's assistant , The Traveler, who was the driving force behind the propulsion method. Things went awry, however, and the USS Enterprise -D was catapulted millions of light years to the galaxy known as M-33 . Later, while attempting to return back to the Milky Way Galaxy , the Enterprise instead traveled to the end of the universe , a billion light years away. The Traveler collapsed in exhaustion and was taken to sickbay , where he revealed the secret of his abilities. He eventually returned to engineering , where he helped return the ship and crew home to the Milky Way Galaxy.

The Traveler noticed something special about the young Wesley Crusher , comparing him to a young Mozart . Inspired in part by this, Captain Picard promoted Wesley to an acting ensign in the traditions of Starfleet. The Traveler played a significant role in the destiny of Wesley Crusher. ( TNG : " Where No One Has Gone Before ")

In 2365 , when the Enterprise encountered a duplicate version of Captain Picard, apparently transported six hours back in time, the contemporary Captain Picard briefly suspected The Traveler as a cause of this anomaly - noting that The Traveler was capable of movement through time using the power of his mind. Commander Riker , perhaps recalling The Traveler's largely benign nature, did not share this suspicion. ( TNG : " Time Squared ")

The Traveler was next encountered by the Enterprise crew in 2367 , after a " warp bubble " experiment by Wesley Crusher went awry and trapped his mother Beverly Crusher in an alternate reality. Due to Wesley's increasing realization of his powers, the Traveler was drawn to him and sensed the predicament. He appeared and directed the crew on her rescue. He needed Wesley's help in opening a doorway to the other reality and had to convince him he had the ability. They succeeded in rescuing the elder Crusher, while the younger Crusher continued his maturation. ( TNG : " Remember Me ")

In 2370 , The Traveler appeared incognito as Lakanta , a villager on Dorvan V , to Wesley Crusher. Lakanta, who seemed to have intimate knowledge of Wesley, directed him to seek the answers to his troubled destiny. Wesley was, at the time, quite uncertain about his future in Starfleet. The Traveler guided Wes to the " habak " where Wesley had a vision of his deceased father telling him that his destiny lay somewhere other than with Starfleet. The cadet heeded the advice and resigned from Starfleet, after which in the middle of a riot he managed to dissociate himself from time; it is then that The Traveler revealed his true identity and promised to mentor the young man on his new journey. ( TNG : " Journey's End ")

In 2024 , Wesley revealed to Kore Soong that he and the Traveler were part of a larger group who had created the Watchers to help ensure the survival of various species throughout time and space. Much like the Traveler had done to Wesley, Wesley extended an invitation for Kore to join them which she accepted. ( PIC : " Farewell ")

• 1.1 Background information
• 1.2 Apocrypha
• 1.3 External links

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

The Traveler was played by actor Eric Menyuk .

Menyuk was a finalist for the role of Data , and was given the recurring role of The Traveler as a consolation prize. ( Starlog , December 1988 , Issue 137, p. 54; Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 36); Star Trek Encyclopedia  (3rd ed., p. 520))

An early draft of " Journey's End " included the revelation that Boothby was, in fact, The Traveler. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 290))

Apocrypha [ ]

According to the Q Continuum series, The Traveler even has a significant reputation among the Q Continuum ; when the female Q learned that Wesley had been chosen by The Traveler, she was almost impressed by this fact.

External links [ ]

• The Traveler at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Traveler at StarTrek.com
• 3 Ancient humanoid

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Where No One Has Gone Before

• Episode aired Oct 24, 1987

Everyone accurately pegs a visiting propulsion scientist as a charlatan, but only Wesley Crusher recognizes his alien assistant as the real deal. Everyone accurately pegs a visiting propulsion scientist as a charlatan, but only Wesley Crusher recognizes his alien assistant as the real deal. Everyone accurately pegs a visiting propulsion scientist as a charlatan, but only Wesley Crusher recognizes his alien assistant as the real deal.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Diane Duane
• Michael Reaves
• Patrick Stewart
• Jonathan Frakes
• LeVar Burton
• 26 User reviews
• 13 Critic reviews

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

• Lieutenant Geordi La Forge

• Lieutenant Natasha 'Tasha' Yar

• Lieutenant Worf

• Doctor Beverly Crusher

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Commander Data

• Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher

• The Traveler
• Yvette Picard

• (uncredited)
• Security Officer
• Command Division Officer
• Gene Roddenberry (showrunner)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia After the first jump, LaForge says that the Enterprise has traveled a distance of 2.7 million light years, ending up on the far side of the Triangulum galaxy, a.k.a. M-33. The distance to M-33 was very uncertain at the time this episode was made, with estimates varying between 2 and 3 million light years. Interestingly, the best modern estimates are indeed concentrated around 2.7-2.8 million light years.
• Goofs When Kosinski enters the bridge after his 'experiment' unexpectedly sends the Enterprise to another galaxy, he begins explaining the process by which this error occurred. He states that "as the power grew, [he] applied the power 'asymptomatically'" which would imply that he applied power with no symptoms or otherwise discernible effects. It seems far more likely that the script read "applied the power 'asymptotically'", meaning that the power application tended to some arbitrary limit (the term 'asymptote' is often used in mathematics to describe the curve of a graph tending toward infinity).

Lt. Commander Data : Captain, we're here. Why not avail ourselves of this opportunity for study? There is a giant protostar here in the process of forming. No other vessel has been out this far.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Spoken like a true Starfleet graduate.

• Connections Referenced in Star Trek: Voyager: Caretaker (1995)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 26

• Feb 26, 2021
• October 24, 1987 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 45 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Published Jul 22, 2014

Catching Up With The Traveler, Eric Menyuk

You auditioned to play Data. Take us to the period. What was the process like? Who did you audition for? Was it Roddenberry? Justman? Berman? Lowry? And as far as you know, how close did you come to actually landing Data?

MENYUK: I was very close. You're going to make me cry because, you know, totally different life... but among the main characters, the regulars on the show, I was told that Brent Spiner and I were the closest in terms of being the last ones it came down to when they made their decision. The whole thing was a kick because I was a big Star Trek fan. I auditioned. I read for Junie Lowry. I'd worked for her on something else, but I can't remember what it was. It was a couple of things, actually. So she basically brought me in to tell me about the role, but then took me right in to meet... I forget if it was Bob Justman or someone else. It was probably two or three people. You end up going through this whole process where you audition over and over and over again, and then I remember I was literally walking into the Paramount lot and I happened to run into Brent Spiner, whom I did not know from Adam. I had a discussion with him. I said, "What are you here for?" He said, " Star Trek ." I said, "What role?" He said, "Data." I said, "Oh, so am I." We talked about the role and I remember him saying something like, "Well, if they let me play it the way I want to I think it would be fun to do," or something like that. I thought, "God, I wish I could be that confident."

Then, at that point, we went into this room and it was packed. We worked for a while with the director of the pilot and then we went in to read for it. I remember that Gene Roddenberry said, "Would you mind shaving your head?" I laughed and said to him, "Well, I don't think I'd have to go very far," because I was already pretty much bald. We laughed and had a very good old time. We were talking about the role and the show and Star Trek . I said, "I gotta say this. I don't know if I should. But I'm a big fan of The Original Series. So thank you very much." I remembered that I'd gone to a convention in Boston and seen him and Bob Justman and Leonard Nimoy or someone else from the original show, I think it was. And he said, "Oh, we were all so much younger then." Yes, we were. Now I look back on that experience and think, "Oh, I was so young then."

When you didn't get the role, did they say, "We really like you and hope to bring you in later for something else?" or did they not make any comment like that?

MENYUK: They said something very much like that, yes. My agent, who has since passed on, called me up and said, "They haven't made up their mind." Usually when you hear that, that's your agent trying not to break bad news to you. And he said, "Eric, I swear to you, they have not made up their mind yet." When he finally called me back to tell me I didn't get it, he said, "I hate to say this to you, but they cast a man for the role of the captain who is bald, and they didn't think it would look good for the show to have two bald main characters." I have a feeling that was my agent being very kind to me, but I like to think that if only Patrick Stewart had hair, I could have been Data.

How did the Traveler come your way? Was it an offer since you'd already been in front of everyone or did you still have to audition?

MENYUK: That was an offer. It was one of the only times I'd just been given a role. They basically said to, "They have this role and they want you to do it. Do you want to do it?" I read it and I loved the character and I loved the script, except that at the end he dies. I said, "Well, they must not like me that much because it's not like a recurring role. They're bringing me in for this one-off deal." They said, "Well, it's a one-of-a-kind alien and they really thought you'd be perfect for it." So I went in and I did it and literally as we were doing it they rewrote the ending so that he doesn't die. He phases out. So that was rewarding. I thought they'd call me the next week to come back and, of course, it was three years later.

What do recall most about shooting your first episode, " Where No One Has Gone Before "?

MENYUK: That was the first and best experience of my times playing the character. The thing I loved about the character, just from the very beginning, is usually when you go on a show they have the character scripted and nailed down and they're telling you what to do, especially as a guest star. I always laugh when I hear actors say, "Well, I had a lot of input into this character" because rarely does an actor have a lot of input into their character, unless they're a big star or one of the producers. Generally, characters are painted with broad strokes. But in this case, with this role, I really got close with Bob Justman. I don't know if he liked me, if he liked the character, but he really felt strongly about it. So we had a lot of conversations about the character, language, things like that, the way he interacted with everyone around him, things that come naturally to us in day-to-day life, but which are all things the Traveler observes from a third-party standpoint. I thought, "Wow, you never have this in-depth kind of character analysis from a producer." You might with your actor buddies, but not with a producer. And we did that through the whole thing, talking about the look of the character and how he might present himself, his curiosity, his ability to take in what's happening and sort of adjust to it. Bob described him as a little boy who's got the whole universe to explore.

The only thing I did not like about the character was the fingers. I thought he was coming out to be ethereal. He had the silver in the hair and the silver outfit. And I wanted these thin, long Elvish-like fingers and they gave me three clubby glove fingers. I think it was Rick Berman who said, "Aw, nobody cares. They're not going to see your hands." I was also worried about typing in numbers, but it was supposed to be a touch screen, and long before the iPad came out. I didn't have to hunt and peck on a keyboard. So the whole thing was a great experience, especially that first episode. You have to remember, when we shot my first episode I don't think the series had debuted yet. So there was a lot of anticipation and excitement. It was the happiest I saw that cast. They were just a great group of people having real fun and doing what they enjoyed doing.

Up next was season four's " Remember Me ." And then you returned one last time in season seven to play the Traveler in " Journey's End ." What did you make of how the character's arc was resolved?

MENYUK: The second one, that was fun. I enjoyed that one because I got to work with Gates McFadden in it than I had on the first one. She's always a pleasure to work with. And the third one, I was barely there for it because the Traveler was basically played by a Native American. So I sort of came in at the end to whisk Wesley off to a different planet, which always seemed kind of strange to me. But I cannot say I had a bad time during any of my days on the set. The people there were a joy to work with, including ("Where No One Has Gone Before" director) Rob Bowman, who was so young and who has gone on to a great career and become a big mucky-muck. What a great guy to have direct me in one of my early roles.

Let's bring everyone up to date. What are you up to these days?

MENYUK: I am an attorney. I represent children with disabilities and I spend my days, as I just did, with a young family that has a child with a disability. And when they don't receive the services that they need, from state agencies or a school district or a federal agency -- whoever they need the services from -- I step in and try to get the services for the children.

That sounds quite fulfilling. In what ways is it a different kind of fulfilling than acting was for you?

MENYUK: That's a very interesting question. I loved being an actor. Being a lawyer, I still get to act all the time. But one of the things I've really missed about being an actor for a living is... you do some character research, but it's very much a creative pursuit. You find that a lot of actors, a lot of intelligent actors, especially, will have hobbies or things that they do on the side that really get their juices going intellectually. It's just a very different organ you use, so to speak, when you're doing legal research, which I love doing, or getting into the nitty-gritty of what is required or isn't required unto the law. I find that it's very intellectually stimulating and satisfying. Acting I found to be much more creatively stimulating and satisfying in that regard. The way I deal with that, because I consider myself at heart somewhat of a creative person, is I handle aspects of law that I deal with very creatively. I have not changed who I am to be a lawyer, which is often much to the chagrin of judges and other lawyers who expect me to be very rational, quiet and sane. And that's not who I am. That's not my personality. So I bring a lot of humor, a lot of... showmanship to the job. That's what I get out of it now.

You'll be in Vegas for Creation's big convention. How often do you do conventions, and how big a kick do you get out of meeting the fans, hearing the impact that the Traveler had on people, and also signing autographs and posing for photos with fans?

MENYUK: I've got to tell you, the best of the experience is meeting the fans. I always get yelled at by other people when I'm signing autographs because I enjoying meeting people, enjoy talking to people about their experiences, about what brought them to Star Trek because, when I was a very, very young lad, I was a Star Trek fan. I was a fan of The Original Series . I know exactly from whence they came, and I really enjoy meeting the people and hearing their different stories. There's the whole stereotype of the crazy fans or the "Get a life!" thing that came out many moons ago, but I've never found that to be the case. I've always found the fans to be just really wonderful people. And it touches me that I find I've somehow affected people with a role that I did years ago. It's a kick. I enjoy it immensely. I don't do it often. I maybe do a convention every two years. My schedule and my life are so hectic that just to get time off to do then is very difficult, but I'm glad this one in Las Vegas is working out. I probably don't do them as often as I'd like to do them.

Visit CreationEnt.com for details about the Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas.

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Revisiting Star Trek TNG: Where No-One Has Gone Before

James comes to a Wesley-centric episode in his weekly reappraisal of Star Trek: TNG's first season...

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This review contains spoilers.

1.6 Where No-One Has Gone Before

This one is a reasonably memorable episode which gets referenced in the future quite a few times, most notable for introducing the character of The Traveler and – deep breath – getting Wesley a field promotion.

The story sees a sceptical crew welcome on board the “propulsion expert” Mr. Kosinski and his strange, mute companion, THE TRAVELER. A definite science fiction rule of thumb: if someone’s name starts with “The” they’re almost certainly more interesting than you, especially if what follows is a completely mundane occupation. When doing job interviews, weed those ones out first.

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Of course, The Traveler’s space-powers mean that he accidentally catapults the Enterprise halfway across the universe while no-one except Wesley is looking (really…). Most of the crew is unsurprisingly nonplussed at this, although there’s a good scene where Picard asks the bridge crew for options and everyone stands around offering options as defined by their sole character trait and Picard and Riker get really excited about the chance to study a proto-star. You’d never catch Kirk caring about that nerd crap!

Unfortunately, an attempt to get them home accidentally sends the ship to a crazy point in the universe where thought and reality are intermixed. Luckily most people’s fantasies are quite lofty (a string quartet here, a ballet performance there, afternoon tea with mother…) – although less luckily, The Traveler promptly passes out from exhaustion, stranding everyone in the middle of nowhere.

Luckily Wesley convinces everyone that The Traveler is the key to what’s been going on, and they pump him full of drugs so that they can have a brief, friendly chat. The Traveler, for his part, turns out to be very irritating. He’s evasive about who he is and what he’s doing, to the point where he starts to look like a patronising tool. Asked a simple question like “Are you from another time?”  he responds with things like “No. Well, maybe. Perhaps, by your standards…” which is an answer that’s very unhelpful and yet somehow tells you all you need to know about who he is.

Luckily, he manages to summon up the strength to send everyone home shortly before disappearing into nothingness – but not before he points out to Picard that Wesley, having been a key part of saving the ship at least twice in five episodes, probably warrants a bit of extra attention.

It’s never really clear what The Traveler is doing, why he was with Kosinski, or what made him decide now was the time to brain-warp everyone to the other side of the universe and back (he claims somewhere that it was an accident. No it isn’t. Smashing your coffee table is an accident. What he did was insane.)

Still, it’s possible that these things are dealt with in his future appearances (I forget) so let’s not be too hard on them. It’s not like it’s the first time the explanation for an alien’s actions in Star Trek were “Just because.”

TNG WTF: Wesley gets drafted as Acting Ensign off the back of some alien’s recommendation. He doesn’t even have to submit a CV. Apparently, in the future, the word of a lumpy-faced weirdo is all the reference you need to get your dream job driving Starfleet’s flagship.

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TNG LOL: When the crew member imagining himself in a string quartet snaps back to reality, he’s sitting alone, in an empty bar, apparently drinking by himself. As if being billions of miles from home wasn’t depressing enough. This being Star Trek , he probably can’t even get drunk. Life must be extra-miserable for Syntheholics.

Mistakes & Minutiae: Eric Menyuk, who plays The Traveler, was one of the people considered for the role of Data. He is now a lawyer. One who presumably has had to ensure thousands of Star Trek -related jokes throughout his career.

Who’s that face?  Yvette Picard is played by the late Herta Ware, aka Rosie from Cocoon.

Time Until Meeting: Believe it or not, this is a meeting-free episode! Admittedly, there’s a lot of standing around chatting (and occasionally sitting around chatting) but not once do they retire to the conference room, ready room or any other meeting-based environs. Proof if any were needed that the show was still finding its identity early in season one.

Captain’s Log: With the full weight of its network behind it, TNG got away with a lot of things that would have killed other shows stone-dead. This episode is a prime example of that. The crew lack agency in their situation, the ideas it presents are wholly unrelatable, and the story has virtually nothing resembling an emotional core. And yet, it works, if only because it tickles the part of you that wonders exactly what might be out there. Early TNG was many things, but Where No-One Has Gone Before shows that it wasn’t bland.

Watch or Skip? Watch it. It’s fairly essential to Wesley’s overall arc, and the crazy thought-space effects are worth seeing, especially on Blu-Ray.

Read James’ look-back at previous episode, The Last Outpost, here .

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Star Trek: Who Is The Traveler?

This mysterious figure claims to be wandering through the main reality of the franchise, but there's more to him than a vague vision quest.

Most of the characters in the Star Trek universe are humans or humanoid aliens with grounded motivations and rich inner lives. The stories typically follow dedicated Starfleet representatives as they explore the galaxy, trying to solve problems. Though that's the default state for the franchise, there are unique and groundbreaking characters with higher

aspirations. Look at the Traveler, an enigmatic alien who wants to see the universe.

Star Trek has been on the air for almost 70 years. In that time, characters have come and gone , but many fan favorites return regularly. This allows storylines to span decades and occasionally skip long periods. Some characters will disappear for a decade while their portrayer takes on other projects, only to drop back in for a shocking update.

RELATED: Star Trek: 6 Things You Didn't Know About Wesley Crusher

Who is The Traveler?

The Traveler is a metaphysical being who is said to represent some unknown humanoid species . He's an alien from a newly-discovered planet called Tau Alpha C. The Traveler has a traditional name, though it's said to be unpronounceable by any human mouth. The Traveler experiences time differently, though he's made no effort to explain how his experience compares to anyone else's. He claims to be a wanderer, motivated by curiosity. Rather than any form of power or wealth, The Traveler seeks knowledge. He wishes to understand the reality of the universe, which he describes as somehow different from his own. The Traveler is almost gleefully vague in his explanations. The man leaves so much unspoken that most other characters take him at his word and drop their questions. Though he obfuscates large parts of his life and backstory, he does possess inexplicable abilities that mark him as unusual.

The Traveler can act as "a lens that focuses thought." In other words, he's a psychic of such tremendous power that no other species can comprehend his capabilities. Most notably, The Traveler can shift his position in time and space at will. He can teleport impossibly vast distances or phase into another era with a thought. The Traveler sees thought as the basis of all reality. That solipsistic worldview grants The Traveler godlike control over materiality, time, space, and subspace. The Betazoids, a telepathic race of humanoids, could not detect The Traveler despite their empathetic prowess. The Traveler can change his physical form, perfectly copying other organisms and creating the matter that makes up their clothing from nothing. The Traveler possesses knowledge that no other beings seem to lay claim to. He has supposedly traveled the universe for time immemorial, learning its secrets and satisfying his endless curiosity.

The Traveler and Wesley Crusher

The Traveler has only encountered Starfleet a few times. It's a big universe, and the odds of crossing paths are limited. However, his visits have been particularly impactful upon one member of the USS Enterprise-D crew. Wesley R. Crusher was the precocious teenager aboard Picard's ship. He was an unpopular character in his early appearances. Fans felt that he was unfairly propped up as the unlikely hero, possibly representing an author insert for Gene Roddenberry. His importance to the story was vastly decreased after his first season. When the Traveler storyline began, it quickly became Wesley's new direction as a character. That path was strange, but it finally reached its apex.

The Traveler immediately recognized Wesley as a unique being. Wesley discovered The Traveler's capabilities long before any other crew member. He convinced Picard that Wesley had potential far beyond his appearance, leading the Captain to promote the young man. The Traveler next appeared when Wesley accidentally trapped his mother, Beverly, in an alternate reality. Wesley had begun to discover strange powers, mirroring the abilities of The Traveler. The Traveler was drawn to Wesley's psychic signature and his suffering. The Traveler offered assistance and saved Beverly by convincing Wesley of his potential. The Traveler next came to Wesley in disguise and guided him through a vision quest. Wesley's dead father appeared to inform him that his destiny did not lie with Starfleet. Wesley agreed to travel with The Traveler. He disappeared from the franchise for almost 30 years, barring a brief cameo at William Riker's wedding party . Wesley became a fellow Traveler. He even recruited another candidate into the fold.

The Traveler is one of the most fascinating concepts in the Star Trek universe , but he's barely ever been explored. He's essentially the franchise's version of Marvel's Watcher, but he's actively recruiting. Though most of the franchise is based around the human drama of mortals in impossible scenarios, a godlike explorer attempting to learn all he can about the unique flow of the universe is worth more than a couple of episodes. The Traveler raises so many questions about the forces that govern the Star Trek continuity, even as he obstinately refuses to answer any of them. Perhaps The Traveler will be a more significant part of future Star Trek stories. Either way, rest assured that a strange little alien is always moving and always watching.

MORE: All Characters From The Next Generation That Appear In Star Trek: Picard

• Races of the Milky Way Galaxy
• Spacefaring Civilizations
• Time-Traveling Civilizations
• Psychic Species
• 1988 Debuts
• Live Action Species

Traveler (Star Trek)

• View history

The " Travelers "; as they seem to identify themselves; are a sapient humanoid species from Tau Alpha C which possess the ability to travel anywhere in the universe by manipulating space and warp fields with their thoughts.

• 2 Culture and society
• 4 Appearances

Biology [ ]

These creatures are humanoid, but can be distinguished by their hands, which have only three large fingers. However, they have demonstrated the ability to alter their own appearance to disguise themselves as other races. Their minds cannot be accessed by telepathic races such as Betazoids .

The Travelers are most notable for their mental abilities, which can easily appear supernatural to Humans as well as most other races. Travelers claim that thought is the basis of all reality, and that they can use their minds like a lens to focus their thoughts. By doing this, they can move freely throughout space, time and dimensions, and are capable of phasing in and out of reality. They even have access to a realm described as either the end or the beginning of the universe, and in which any thought might become real if the subject cannot control it.

Culture and society [ ]

Only one individual of this species has been encountered by Humans, as of the 24th century. Assuming this individual is a good representative of his people, the Travelers appear to be largely benign, even if they're still reclusive. They travel without destination or purpose, solely for curiosity. Additionally, their language might be very complex, as the Traveler claims that his real name is not pronounceable for Humans.

History [ ]

When William T. Riker asked the Traveler about why there was no record of him or others of his kind ever making contact with Humans, the Traveler responded frankly that up to that point, Humans hadn't appeared interesting enough to his race.

However, as soon as he started taking interest in the Federation, the Traveler presented himself, without revealing his abilities, but offering knowledge of propulsion systems in exchange for passage in Starfleet vessels so that he could experience "[our] reality". He became an assistant to Human engineer Kosinski, who developed formulas that would allegedly allow for much faster warp travel. Unbeknownst to anyone, Kosinski's methods didn't actually work, but he still managed to achieve results thanks to the Traveler, who deliberately took no credit.

Appearances [ ]

• s01e06, "Where No One Has Gone Before" (1988) (First appearance)
• s02e13, "Time Squared" (1989) (Mentioned only)
• s04e05, "Remember Me" (1990)
• s07e20, "Journey's End" (1994)
• In "Journey's End", Dr. Crusher describes the Traveler as a being from Tau Ceti rather than Tau Alpha C (his homeworld in the previous episodes featuring him). While it could be that Tau Alpha C is located within the Tau Ceti system, this reference is probably best explained as an error on Crusher's part. The reason for this is that Tau Ceti is one of the closest star systems to Earth, whereas the Traveler's world has been consistently described as distant by 24th century standards. In "Remember Me", it is established that it would take 123 days to reach Tau Alpha C from Starbase 133, while traveling at warp 9.5 (keeping in mind that this is a very high speed as ships cannot reach warp 10).
• In "Where No One Has Gone Before", when Riker asks the Traveler if he's from a different time, he answers "No, not exactly from another time. Although as you understand the concept, yes, perhaps that term fits as well as any". In "Time Squared", it is mentioned that the Traveler can move through time.
• 1 Trisolaran
• 2 Xenomorph

Star Trek: Discovery’s TNG Connection Explained - "The Chase" & Who Are The Progenitors?

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episodes 1 & 2!

• Star Trek: Discovery season 5 continues the story of the Progenitors discovered by Captain Picard 800 years ago.
• Captain Burnham embarks on a treasure hunt to uncover the Progenitors' technology with potential for peace or conflict.
• The legacy of the Progenitors in Star Trek: Discovery raises questions of power, unity, and morality in the 32nd century.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is a surprising sequel to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Chase", continuing the story of the enigmatic Progenitors 800 years after they were discovered by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). As Discovery is set 800 years after the TNG era, it can often feel forced when the show tries to marry up these two ends of the Star Trek timeline . However, the magnitude of Picard's discovery about the Progenitors justifies the secret being hidden for centuries, and it could have fascinating implications for the future of Star Trek 's 32nd century.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 1, "Red Directive" opens with Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) exploring an 800-year-old Romulan scout ship at the behest of Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg). Kovich was less forthcoming than usual with information about the USS Discovery's "Red Directive" mission , forcing Burnham to seek help from Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) in learning more. Tilly uncovered recordings left by the Romulan scientist Dr. Vellek (Michael Copeman), revealing Discovery 's links to Star Trek: The Next Generation 's original Progenitor treasure hunt, led by Captain Picard.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Picard’s original progenitor treasure hunt in tng explained.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 20, "The Chase", Picard's former archeology teacher, Professor Galen (Norman Lloyd) asked the Enterprise captain to join him in solving a 4.5 billion-year-old mystery. Picard initially declined Galen's offer, but circumstances forced him to reconsider when his mentor's shuttle was attacked. Galen left behind files that contained huge blocks of numbers that were indecipherable without further information . Picard had the Enterprise retrace Galen's journey in the hope of finding out more about the archeology professor's strange code.

"The Chase" was directed by Jonathan Frakes, who returned to direct the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Eventually, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) discovered that the numbers refer to DNA strands of multiple different alien species. The combined strands form a shape that resembles an algorithm, a program implanted in the DNA of multiple species, for reasons unknown . It quickly became clear that Picard was not the only person seeking answers about Galen's mystery, as the Cardassians and Klingons also sought to understand what this ancient program could be. Negotiating a truce between the two factions, Picard and Crusher gained enough information to lead the Enterprise, Cardassians, Klingons, and Romulans to the planet Vilmor II, where they make a monumental discovery.

TNG’s Progenitors Created All Humanoid Life In The Star Trek Universe

The treasure on Vilmor II was knowledge about life itself, delivered via a holographic message left behind by an ancient humanoid species. The sole humanoid species in the universe, these aliens wanted to leave a lasting legacy after their own extinction. And so, 4.5 billion years earlier, the ancient humanoids seeded their DNA across multiple planets in the Star Trek universe , influencing the evolution of countless species. Star Trek: Discovery reveals that since Picard revealed his findings, Starfleet have been calling the ancient humanoid species The Progenitors.

The Ancient Humanoid in Star Trek: The Next Generation was played by Salome Jens, who would go on to play the Female Changeling in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Not unlike the broken treasure map from Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2, "Under the Twin Moons" , the Progenitors' message was broken into fragments and contained within multiple alien species' DNA. The Progenitors' intention was that, upon coming together to piece the fragments together, the disparate alien races would unite under their common origins. Sadly, this wasn't the case in Star Trek: The Next Generation , as the Klingons and Cardassians refused to believe that they could possibly originate from the same species . However, the Romulans were more thoughtful, setting up Discovery 's season 5 premiere.

Star Trek: Discovery's Huge Season 5 TNG Connection Explained By Showrunner

Discovery’s romulan scientist and his tng link explained.

At the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "The Chase", Captain Picard discusses the Progenitors' message with a surprisingly open-minded Romulan commander. The message has had an effect on the Romulan, who tells Picard that he hopes to one day stand alongside humanity as friends. Star Trek: Discovery reveals that one of the members of TNG 's Romulan landing party, Dr. Vellek, continued to research the Progenitors and eventually found where their ancient technology was hidden. However, Vellek was very aware that such technology could be as deadly as it is profound, and went to extraordinary lengths to hide his findings .

Both the crew of the USS Discovery and intergalactic outlaws Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) have access to Vellek's journals. However, both parties have very different intentions for the Romulan scientist's life's work. Captain Burnham hopes that recovering the Progenitors' technology will provide a sense of meaning, while Moll and L'ak are attracted by the price tag . Vellek remained hidden for 800 years, until his corpse was discovered in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, which proves just how desperate he was to keep the location of the Progenitors' technology a secret.

What Does Star Trek: Discovery’s Progenitor Link Mean For Its Final Season?

In Star Trek: The Next Generation , the Progenitors had hoped the truth about humanoid life in the galaxy would bring a new era of peace and understanding . However, rather than become inspired by their commonality, the Klingons and Cardassians instead feud with each other, disgusted that they could be somehow genetically related. 800 years later, and in the wake of the hostilities caused by The Burn, the Progenitors' message could be the very thing that finally unites the galaxy in Star Trek: Discovery 's finale . However, it may not be that simple.

For one thing, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will continue the story of the 32nd century, and the Progenitors' message of commonality will dramatically reduce any sense of conflict in the universe. More interestingly, Dr. Kovich seems to want to get his hands on the technology, not the message. The Progenitors' technology would allow Starfleet to influence the evolution of other species , power that would set them up among the gods. This feels like too much power for a shifty character like Kovich to possess.

Whoever possesses the Progenitors' tech in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 has the very building blocks of life itself. In the right hands, that could lead to profound discoveries that lead to renewed peace and prosperity for the Federation in the 32nd century. In the wrong hands, enemies of the Federation could use those building blocks for their own nefarious purposes. That's a huge concern as Burnham and the crew of the USS Discovery continue their treasure hunt. Sooner or later, Captain Burnham will have to make a choice about how she deals with the legacy of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's Progenitors.

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

'Star Trek: The Next Generation's Biggest Cliffhanger Changed Television Forever

These three episodes dared to do something new, and it paid off.

The Big Picture

• Serialized storytelling became dominant in TV thanks to shows like Hill Street Blues , which normalized season-long arcs and character development.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation broke TV rules with its two-part Season 3 finale and Season 4 premiere, which introduced the first true cliffhanger and a mind-blowing twist involving the Borg.
• The episodes "The Best of Both Worlds" and "Family" showcased the evolution of TV storytelling by prioritizing character development and exploring emotional fallout, setting a new standard for dramatic tension and flawed, evolving characters.

A long, long time ago, one-off episodes were the law of the land. Series were episodic in nature regardless of genre. Sometimes, characterization moments carried over and returning characters popped in and out for flavor's sake, but serialized narratives and character arcs didn’t creep into play until 1980s game-changers like Hill Street Blues . The drama from creators Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll was a powerhouse risk-taker and an instrumental force credited for normalizing season-long arcs. Slowly but surely, serialized stories became dominant enough that episodic shows are now a rarity.

Star Trek: The Next Generation , the floundering sequel to the 1960s original, underwent a similar evolution. The Next Generation already had a lot to prove when it hit the airwaves in 1987. The glories of syndication had turned Star Trek: The Original Series into a cult classic, but the space-faring title was still far from global phenomenon status. Would the follow-up to a canceled series have enough bite to kickstart a franchise? Eight more shows, thirteen films, and a thriving fandom later, the answer's a resounding yes — but not before The Next Generation broke all the established TV rules in the summer of 1990 . A gut punch as staggeringly effective as its impact on the franchise's modus operandi is lasting, The Next Generation 's two-part Season 3 finale and Season 4 premiere sliced up audience expectations with the finesse of a butcher's meat cleaver and drop-kicked the television landscape into a new universe — dare we say, to "where no one has gone before."

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

"The Best of Both Worlds" Prioritizes Character and Story Arcs

Despite strong ratings, The Next Generation 's early seasons saw conflict between creator Gene Roddenberry and the cast and crew over dialogue , costumes , and thematic content . Not only did The Next Generation follow the Star Trek formula of one-and-done episodes, but Roddenberry was insistent humanity had evolved past interpersonal flaws. It’s a nice thought, but utopian ideals make for dull, repetitive stories. After all, conflict is the heart of all drama. The more Roddenberry stepped away from The Next Generation , the more freedom the writers had to develop the Enterprise crew into dynamic, humane characters instead of stock figures fulfilling the plot-of-the-week's requirements. Those attempts catalyzed when Season 3 senior writer Michael Piller invoked a new scripting Prime Directive: every Season 3 episode had to prioritize character development .

Appropriately, the Season 3 finale and Season 4 premiere "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1" and "Part 2" exist in applauded infamy as Star Trek's first true cliffhanger. You see, Season 2 had planted a dangling plot seed when the capricious entity Q (the perpetually delightful John de Lancie ) flung the Enterprise into uncharted space in a fit of pique — straight into the path of entities called the Borg. These hominids' sole purpose was to "assimilate" all in their path, stripping species of individuality, memories, and free will. The Enterprise quickly realized they were hopelessly outmatched by the Borg's technological superiority. Restored to a safe quadrant of space by the episode's end, the crew is left with a sense of looming dread. It was only a matter of time before the Borg declared war on humanity in ways Romulans, Cardassians, and Klingons could only dream of mimicking.

"The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1" wastes no time leaping head-first into "aw, crap" town. Every aspect feels starkly ominous, from the cold open where the crew confirms a populous Federation colony was annihilated by the Borg to a Starfleet strategy meeting detailing just how underprepared the galaxy is against this new enemy. Combined with an unsettling score and some understated performances, the expertly crafted tension lends the situation credence.

Smartly, Michael Piller's script interweaves naturalistic character beats between plot advancements and set pieces. In one corner, the normally unflappable main characters are tossed into introspection and self-doubt . In the other, the Enterprise crew enjoys their weekly poker nights. The tonal shifts between growing unease, predatory self-reflection, and breezy joke-swapping are smooth as butter and as complimentary as butter on fresh toast. Fans don't need exposition to know how close this group's grown as a triad of crew, people, and friends. The emotional stakes matter as much as the "threat against all humanity" stakes.

'Star Trek: The Next Generation's Biggest Cliffhanger Was Unprecedented

Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) , the man of the hour (the decade, the century, the millennia), said psychological stakes are stratosphere-high. Against such a monolithic threat as the Borg, an enemy that can't be intellectually reasoned with, Picard's out of his element. And it shows, the strain oscillating through Stewart's restless physicality. In a quietly potent scene, he and his long-time confidant Guinan ( Whoopi Goldberg ) discuss the tradition of a captain touring his ship before a hopeless battle. Picard has no qualms about sacrificing his life as long as civilization stays protected. There's hardly a better way to underscore just how stinking good of a man Picard is than through his selfless, courageous resolve. When it comes to morals, Picard is the most indefatigable Starfleet officer one could ask for.

Moments later, two Borg appear on the Enterprise bridge and kidnap Picard. Excuse me? Abducting the hero was just not done , y'all; not in Star Trek, and certainly not in normal episodic television. Everything that follows is a nightmare building toward the moment Beverly Crusher ( Gates McFadden ), part of a rescue team infiltrating the Borg cube, recognizes Picard through the haze of phaser fire. The lumbering figure she sees, however, is no longer Jean-Luc Picard. Attired in black Borg regalia with multiple limbs and one eye swapped out with mechanical parts, the Borg have brainwashed him into acting as their voice and their greatest weapon against the Federation.

Previous alien villains were still human-esque and therefore surmountable. Even Star Trek deaths were a cultural meme (hi, red shirts). In 1990, something capable of corrupting a cultured, impassioned captain into a mindless husk was unimaginable. When Borg!Picard promises the Federation's doom, all the Enterprise crew can do is listen. The atmosphere breathes and builds , ensuring the situation's horror is inescapable and that the crew's individual — yet, ironically, collective — grief is palpable. The floor has been wrenched out from under their feet as much as the viewers'.

Just as unheard of is the franchise's first cliffhanger , accompanied by a "To Be Continued..." screen and a "dun-dun-dun" score worthy of John Williams gravitas. In a lovely anecdote from Patrick Stewart (via his costar Jonathan Frakes ) , the actor shared how fans shouted at him, "[You] ruined our summer!" The world spent a long, torturous three months waiting to see if Picard was dead and gone. That kind of cultural anticipation pre-dated Game of Thrones and was something no money could buy.

‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Broke the Television Mold for the Better

If "Part 2" lacks its predecessor's impact, well, that was a tough act to follow. The Enterprise crew rescues Picard with gritty flair; teamwork outsmarts a Borg hive mind that's unable to think beyond its compulsion to conquer. One then expects an all's well that ends well in proper TV tradition. Yet between the mournful music cues and Stewart's soulful silences, it's obvious Picard remains haunted. Those dangling emotional threads immediately culminate in the next episode, "Family," penned by future Battlestar Galactica and Outlander showrunner Ronald D. Moore . As Picard prepares to visit his family home, he assures Deanna Troi ( Marina Sirtis ) that "The injuries are healing." She responds, "Those you can see in the mirror."

Picard's estranged brother Robert ( Jeremy Kemp ) also doesn't buy Picard's cautious avoidance. Old fraternal tensions rise until the two duke it out, and Picard, covered in mud, once again does something revolutionary for the untouchably dignified captain: he weeps, agonized and ugly. Not only does he feel violated, he blames himself for the innocent lives lost to the Borg. "Family" is a character study, allowing Picard to be a terrified, flawed, and furious mess who grapples with his trauma in viscerally basic human ways. Scars aren't resolved in sixty minutes. Picard's experiences will shape his life, but rather than try to escape those ramifications into happy ending TV land, he must learn to live with them. (Ironically enough, Gene Roddenberry strongly objected to "Family.")

Dramatic events in The Original Series rarely saw emotional fallout. Even the best characters remained static. That isn't inherently faulty given the era, but television's gradual shift toward long-form storytelling demanded more from The Next Generation . The character-based risk that was "The Best of Both Worlds" and "Family" paid off in dividends. Sure, the series remained largely episodic outside of two-parters and season finales. Yet The Next Generation overcame its creative impasse enough to run for four more seasons , secure the franchise's future, and set the bar exponentially high with regard to dramatic tension and flawed, ever-evolving characters. The rules were shattered, the boundaries pushed.

In The Next Generation 's wake, up cropped serialized shows as prestigious as The West Wing . By the 2000s, The Sopranos , The Wire , and Breaking Bad confirmed the new norm. At the same time serialized television stretched out its first feelers, this little sci-fi show that could left a mark equal to influential prestige dramas like Hill Street Blues . The sheer daring of "The Best of Both Worlds" and "Family" truly explored strange new worlds: the kinds of stories television could tell and the groundbreaking way it could tell them.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is available to stream on Paramount+.

Watch on Paramount+

How Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Connects to TNG's Biggest Open Mystery

Star Trek: Discovery is set 800 years in the future from The Next Generation, but Season 5 has a major connection to one of TNG's oldest mysteries.

Quick Links

How star trek: discovery sets up its final season, how star trek: discovery ties into tng's 'the chase' episode, why the next generation never followed up on the progenitor story, how star trek: discovery can build on tng's 'roddenberry-esque' concept.

The following contains spoilers from Star Trek: Discovery , Season 5, Episodes 1 and 2, "Red Directive" and "Under the Twin Moons," now streaming on Paramount+.

In a universe with nearly 60 years of narrative history, ongoing series face a unique difficulty that's both a blessing and a curse. They have to tell a new, inventive story that fits into the established canon and builds upon it. Done well, it can take a decades-old story and expand on it in a way that makes the result feel inevitable. The way Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 connects to a dangling Star Trek: The Next Generation story thread has that potential. Discovery connected to Star Trek: TNG before , showing footage from the series of Leonard Nimoy's Spock as the "personal files" of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The character played by Patrick Stewart is mentioned again in the Season 5 premiere, this time by David Cronenberg's Doctor Kovich.

Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) unravels the titular "Red Directive" mystery with the help of Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman). Meant to be kept a closely-held secret, the USS Discovery crew learns a Star Trek canon fact fans have known for 30 years. Ironically, it's a sci-fi detail meant to address a nitpicky Trekker quibble that doubled as an almost-saccharine moral message in a Season 6 The Next Generation episode. Star Trek: Discovery takes this idea and expands upon it in a way that poses its own relevant social question and presents an interesting narrative problem. Discovery Season 5 is a race and a treasure-hunt that promises lighthearted Star Trek fun. However, its connection to "The Chase" on The Next Generation is more than just a fun Easter egg for fans.

Section 31: First Image of Michelle Yeoh in New Star Trek Movie Released

The final season debut for Star Trek: Discovery came later than expected. In fact, the opening bit of space adventure has been out since it debuted at Comic Con in 2023. However, fans now have context about why Captain Burnham was riding atop a ship traveling at warp speed. While at a reception at Starfleet's space-based headquarters, the USS Discovery is ordered to a ship graveyard after the receipt of an 800-year-old signal. Naturally, two space-pirates -- Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) -- get there first.

Kovich is very cagey about the details of this mission, and Burnham pulls her risky stunt without even knowing what she's chasing down. Oded Fehr's Admiral Vance doesn't even know the mission details. After Moll and L'ak almost destroy a village full of people trying to escape, they learn the truth. A Romulan scientist named Vellek found some ancient alien technology that is more powerful than anything Starfleet, the Dominion or even the millennia-old Borg have ever seen.

Thanks to a Soong-type android who speed-read the Romulan's journal, the crew is working with the same information as Moll and L'ak. Like any good archaeologist who keeps a journal, Vellek left a list of clues and riddles pointing towards his discovery. Burnham and Saru (Doug Jones) track one down. There will be plenty more to find over Discovery 's final mission , and there's no telling if the "X" on their galactic treasure map is anything more than information. The most interesting conflict in Season 5 is how people react to the existence of the alien race known only as the "Progenitors."

Star Trek: Discovery's Kenneth Mitchell Was Heroic On and Off Screen

In Season 6, Episode 20 of Star Trek: The Next Generation "The Chase," there is another race across the stars for a big alien secret. Captain Picard's friend and archaeology teacher Galen (Norman Lloyd) visits and asks him to leave the USS Enterprise-D . He's discovered information about the Progenitors, but he doesn't get to reveal it before he is killed. Klingons, Romulans and Cardassians all try to track down this secret, leading to a standoff on a planet called Vilmor III.

Picard and his crew solve Galen's mystery first, which leads to the appearance of a humanoid alien via advanced hologram. This representative of the Progenitor, played by Salome Jens (who also played the Dominion leader on Deep Space Nine ), makes a revelation that shocks everyone there. When her people first explored the galaxy billions of years ago, no advanced life had evolved. Her people used their technology to encourage the evolution of intelligent, advanced life like themselves, meaning two arms, two legs and so on.

A group of four Romulan scientists witnessed this, and the commander even implies to Picard this news could bring peace between the Empire and the Federation. Vellek was one of the Romulans on Vilmor III, and he continued to study this revelation. When his ship was incapacitated, he sent a message so that someone could retrieve his work and carry on the mission. This was what Kovich wanted the USS Discovery to do, but Moll and L'ak got there first.

'We Broke Barriers': Star Trek: Discovery Star Celebrates Show's Diversity

Unlike Star Trek: Discovery and other third-wave series, The Next Generation mostly avoided serialized storytelling . By the sixth season, the series hit its stride tackling big ideas in character-focused stories. This episode was controversial among the producers, according to Captains' Logs The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman. Executive producer Rick Berman said the story had been "around forever," and writers Joe Menosky and Ronald D. Moore tackled this script.

They, along with fellow writer Naren Shankar and director Jonathan Frakes said it was the "most Roddenberry-esque" idea The Next Generation tackled, even when the Great Bird of the Galaxy himself was alive. Instead of all these different beings being "created" by a divine god of some sort, they were genetically related to an advanced alien species that had long since died out. The four big Star Trek enemies were all related. This was not a keystone of world-building, but rather a "message" show.

The premise also served to address a common quibble from overly-critical Star Trek fans. If there is supposed to be "infinite diversity in infinite combinations," why do all the aliens on Star Trek look like humans? The answer, of course, is because human actors need to play them. However, this provides some sci-fi reasoning: there are so many humanoid species in the galaxy because billions of years ago, some humanoid race put their opposable thumb on the evolutionary scale of thousands of planets .

Star Trek: Discovery Cast Reveals the Mementos They Kept From the Set

Discovery Season 5 wasn't the final one initially , though producers were able to add an extended coda to the series finale to wrap up the show. Still, as concepts to drive a Star Trek series' swan song, it's perfect. Part of the reason The Next Generation's writers never returned to the concept is that if everyone learns the "lesson," there is not much in the way of conflict for future stories. It was something for the audience to learn, not the wider universe. However, Discovery 's present-day galaxy is already fairly integrated.

Vulcans and Romulans reunified and joined the Federation. President Rillak (Chelah Horsdal) is Cardassian and Bajoran. The Klingons haven't been heard from in the 32nd Century, but they're not picking fights, either. Whatever technology is at the other end of the treasure hunt may or may not be dangerous. What's more interesting in the Star Trek universe is the information itself. With the galactic society already so integrated, the news they share a common genetic ancestor billions of years in the past will probably only bring them closer together.

When Picard and the Romulan Commander spoke at the end of "The Chase," the latter said the information they discovered might "one day" bring them together. Discovery showed the galaxy united without that knowledge. In Season 5, this series can pay off that notion in the perfect way. They can introduce this information to the galaxy at large, without future seasons' conflict undermining it. It's the kind of ending Gene Roddenberry would be proud of because the truth that all life is in this together is what he created Star Trek to tell the world.

Star Trek: Discovery debuts new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

The fifth and final season of the American television series Star Trek: Discovery follows the crew of the starship Discovery in the 32nd century, more than 900 years after Star Trek: The Original Series , on a galactic adventure to find a mysterious power that has been hidden for centuries and which other dangerous groups are also searching for.

Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery season 5's new planet has two deep cut tng connections.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2 has some more subtle connections to Star Trek: The Next Generation that you may have missed.

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, season 5, episode 2, "Under the Twin Moons"

• Discovery hunts for Progenitor tech on Lyrek, linking TNG's Promellians & Minosians in a treasure hunt.
• Burnham & Saru evade ancient automated weapons on Lyrek akin to Picard's encounter on Minos.
• Discovery's season 5 references TNG big & small, with connections to past episodes & extinct civilizations.

Lyrek, the new planet in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2, "Under the Twin Moons," has connections to two different episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation . Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery are hunting for clues to the Progenitors' technology that can create life itself. Racing to catch up to couriers Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) , Discovery's hunt in "Under the Twin Moons" leads to a planet in the Vileen system where 24th century Romulan scientist Dr. Vellek (Michael Copeman) hid the next clue.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2 , “Under The Twin Moons," Captain Burnham and her crew travel to the planet Lyrek, following a clue referencing twin moons. Located at the edge of the Beta Quadrant in the Vileen System, Lyrek is an uninhabited planet home to a large necropolis built by the Promellians, a species first mentioned in TNG. When Michael and Saru (Doug Jones) beam down to the planet, they find signs that Moll and L'ak have already been there. As they investigate the ruins, they are fired upon by an automated security system much like the one encountered by the USS Enterprise-D in the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 episode "The Arsenal of Freedom."

Star Trek: Discovery’s TNG Connection Explained - "The Chase" & Who Are The Progenitors?

Discovery name drops the promellians from star trek: tng's "booby trap", the promellians were first mentioned in tng season 3, episode 6, "booby trap.".

In Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Booby Trap," Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D come across a Promellian battlecruiser surrounded by debris from a battle that took place centuries ago. Although little is known about the Promellians, they were extremely advanced for their time. The Promellians had been in a war with the Menthars for years, and the two species eventually destroyed one another in the 14th century at the Battle of Orelious IX. As Picard and his crew investigate the battlecruiser, they find dead Promellian crewmembers and realize that the ship was caught in a Menthar trap.

Despite their extinction, the Promellians' presence continues to be felt even in the 32nd century. When the USS Discovery investigates Lyrek, they discover that the planet was used as a burial site for the Promellians. On the surface, Captain Burnham and Saru navigate the crumbled statues and ruins, and soon find themselves at the mercy of an ancient automated weapons system. Aboard Discovery, Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) and Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) search for a way to disable the weapons system, when Captain Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) pops in to remind them to think like ancient Promellians.

Picard's Enterprise Fought Automated Weapons Like Burnham & Saru

Picard and his crew encounter a similar weapons system in tng season 1, episode 21, "the arsenal of freedom.".

The automated weapons system on Lyrek is similar to the one encountered by Captain Picard and the USS Enterprise-D crew in Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "The Arsenal of Freedom." As they investigated a planet called Minos, the away team was attacked by drone devices that tracked and fired at them. Like the Promellians, the Minosians were an advanced humanoid race who were extinct by the 24th century of TNG . Eventually, the away team realized that they had inadvertently triggered a demonstration of the weapons system meant to entice buyers. Picard got the system to shut down by convincing the automated salesman that he would purchase the system.

As its first line of defense, the weapons system on Minos traps Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) in some kind of personal containment field. In Discovery season 5, episode 1, "Red Directive," Moll and La'k use a similar weapon to trap Lt. Commanders Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) and Gen Rhys (Patrick Kwok-Choon).

After Captain Burnham and Saru trigger the weapons system on Lyrek, they struggle to hide from the drones long enough for Tilly and Adira to find a way to shut down the system. After Tilly realizes the electromagnetic field on the planet powers the weapons, Saru draws the drones away so that Michael can trigger an electromagnetic pulse using their phasers. This temporarily disrupts the system, allowing Michael and Saru to find the next clue to the treasure they are hunting. Based on its first two episodes, Star Trek: Discovery season 5 has references to Star Trek: The Next Generation big and small.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Discovery are streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star trek: the next generation.