Was Picard Wesley's real father?

[HaplessCrewman]

Watching the first season again and listening to the Mission Log podcast made me wonder if this was ever considered.

Was the idea rejected because the producers knew it would scandalize the fans? I'm thinking of the tempest in a teapot over some language in this board's Fan Productions "Axanar" thread.

Do the sensibilities of the more sensitive Trek fans prevent more adult ideas from ever surfacing in Trek? Is Trek essentially happy-go-lucky family fare like the Abrams films - eschewing mature content for all-ages appeal?

Is one exclusive of the other?

 

[jimbotron]

No.

It was clear from the start that there was UST (unresolved sexual tension) between Picard and Crusher, but it was never suggested that they had any form of romantic relationship before TNG. It was clear that Picard was still affected by Jack's death when he saw Beverly and Wesley again, but nothing beyond that. This was no "David/Bathsheba/Uriah" situation.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Darth Vader is Wesley's father.

 

[Nebusj]

Nah, but Jack Crusher *was* just a physical manifestation of that alien enery-being that boinked so many generations of Howard women. Where did you think Wesley picked up his aptitude for being uplifted to universe-Travelling existence as a ball of thought-energy, anyway?

 

[sojourner]

Based solely on the fact that Wheaton still has hair, no.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Was the idea rejected because the producers knew it would scandalize the fans? I'm thinking of the tempest in a teapot over some language in this board's Fan Productions "Axanar" thread.

Do the sensibilities of the more sensitive Trek fans prevent more adult ideas from ever surfacing in Trek? Is Trek essentially happy-go-lucky family fare like the Abrams films - eschewing mature content for all-ages appeal?

Is one exclusive of the other?

What's "more adult" about Picard being Wesley's father? It is not adult--it is an abused hallmark of the soap-opera, and ST had enough of that in its history.

 

[HaplessCrewman]

True, extra-martial affairs as portrayed in soaps can hardly be called believable or realistic. But, Trek has/had a great stable of writers - is it really hard to believe that they could not craft a good story about adultery on behalf of a main castmember (Dr. Crusher)?

After all, it is an ancient story; as another poster mentioned - David/Bathsheba/Uriah.

Not to mention Lancelot/Guinevere/Arthur.

Do I need to mention that Trek has been known to draw from Shakespeare?

 

[jimbotron]

I'm pretty sure Roddenberry wouldn't make his namesake a bastard child conceived in adultery. He would make him an insufferable wunderkind, however.

 

[Armored Saint]

What's "more adult" about Picard being Wesley's father? It is not adult--it is an abused hallmark of the soap-opera, and ST had enough of that in its history.

In adultery, there's the word adult....
Considering there was already David Marcus in the TOS movies and the premises of Alexander's conception in the holodeck are seen, we can easily concludes Star Trek viewers know how babies are made.

What would scandalize the fans is the betrayal, not the sexuality.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Two thoughts on this:

- Picard is too much of a gentleman to make a move on a married woman. He didn't declare his love for Beverly until Jack had already passed away (and many years afterward, to boot).

- This is the 24th century. They surely wouldn't still have unplanned pregnancies? Medical science would have taken care of that.

 

[T'Girl]

This is the 24th century. They surely wouldn't still have unplanned pregnancies?

Kasidy and Ben Sisko had themselves a unplanned pregnancy. People are forgetful, the meds don't work, stuff happens.

 

[Trekker4747]

- This is the 24th century. They surely wouldn't still have unplanned pregnancies? Medical science would have taken care of that.

Shit still happens. See: David Marcus, the episode of TNG where Picard is led to believe he is an illegitimate son.

 

[jimbotron]

Speaking of that season 7 episode, doesn't it feel like it's a huge cop-out at the end? Bok somehow finds a guy who could have been Picard's son (but wasn't) and somehow messes with his DNA temporarily to make Picard think he has a son, and then kill the son? Why not skip all that nonsense and make him Picard's son? What's the harm in it? As presented, who cares if the guy dies or not. It's already established that Picard was a wild guy in his youth, so knocking someone up along the way wouldn't have been a shocker.

It feels like someone (Berman?) made them change the script in the 11th hour to make the guy NOT Picard's son at the end.

 

[Trekker4747]

Making him actually Picard's son would mean they'd have a plot/character detail they'd have to deal with for rest of the franchise rather than the slate being clean again by the time the next episode came around.

Make him Picard's son and you'd have fans asking where he is until the end of time (see: why didn't we hear about Picard delivering the Romulan defector's letter in Nemesis?)

So, yeah, Berman likely made sure there was a built-in reset switch there to ensure there was a plot-detail that'd never have to be looked at again.

I, for one, thought it would have worked great for it to have really been Picard's son even if we never heard from him again.

 

[Melakon]

- This is the 24th century. They surely wouldn't still have unplanned pregnancies? Medical science would have taken care of that.

Shit still happens. See: David Marcus, the episode of TNG where Picard is led to believe he is an illegitimate son.

Do you mean Jason Vigo in "Bloodlines"?

 

[jimbotron]

- This is the 24th century. They surely wouldn't still have unplanned pregnancies? Medical science would have taken care of that.

Shit still happens. See: David Marcus, the episode of TNG where Picard is led to believe he is an illegitimate son.

Do you mean Jason Vigo in "Bloodlines"?

I believe he's referring to David Marcus and Jason Vigo. Similar circumstance, though one was a red herring.

 

[HaplessCrewman]

How would Wesley have reacted with the news of his "true" parentage? He already sees Picard as a father figure so would it have been that big a change?

Would Picard feel terrible guilt over Jack Crusher? He betrayed his friend but his betrayal did result in a boy genius that saved the 1701-D more than once.

Think of the story potential. You could have Picard travel to an alternate timeline, dimension or whatever and have him meet and reconcile his issues with Jack Crusher. Instant drama!

 

[Lance]

Picard is too much of a gentleman to make a move on a married woman. He didn't declare his love for Beverly until Jack had already passed away (and many years afterward, to boot).

I think this is ultimately the truth. While there were definitely hints towards it (especially in Seasons One and Two), I just can't imagine Picard as the sort of guy who'd do this. Even in his tempetuous youth, he never slept with one of his best friends, Martia, despite having definite feelings for her (one of the big divergences presented in "Tapestry" is of Picard deciding to travel the path not taken and choosing to sleep with her when the opportunity arises, discovering afterwards that it destroyed their friendship and that he was right the first time when he had honorably avoided persuing a relationship with her). The reality is that Picard *is* an honorable person, and sleeping with Beverly behind Jack's back, as deliciously salacious as I think that idea is, just isn't something I can see as being 'in character' for him.

 

[Trekker4747]

Shit still happens. See: David Marcus, the episode of TNG where Picard is led to believe he is an illegitimate son.

Do you mean Jason Vigo in "Bloodlines"?

I believe he's referring to David Marcus and Jason Vigo. Similar circumstance, though one was a red herring.

Got it, and in Vigo's case the idea of an illegitimate son was obviously still possible in Picard's time since he didn't act too much with a, "But I was careful!" reaction when he heard he may have an illegitimate son.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Had there been an affair between Picard and Beverly before Jack died and that there was unresolved guilt on both sides would've made them more complicated characters. Having Wesley be Picard's son would've been interesting, if potentially cliched.