How much does Wesley owe Picard?

[Kobayshi Maru]

I mean if we forget, Wesley's last decision of leaving starfleet altogether, did Wesley's time on the Enterprise really help his (hypothetical) starfleet career, given his aptitudes wouldn't he have been more likely to succeed on his own? For one thing he would probably have started in the academy a bit earlier, he was a starfleet brat for one thing and his father had died performing his duty. It would have elicited some sympathy from the brass hats and helped him get in.


What do you think?

 

[MikeS]

Picard owes Wesley his life, on multiple occasions. Wesley owes Picard nothing. Picard forced him down the route of a Starfleet officer after misinterpreting The Travellers observations that Wesley could be a Mozart or Einstein. Picard was responsible for Wesley wasting six years of his life by pursuing the wrong path.

 

[Lance]

Picard owes Wesley his life, on multiple occasions. Wesley owes Picard nothing. Picard forced him down the route of a Starfleet officer after misinterpreting The Travellers observations that Wesley could be a Mozart or Einstein. Picard was responsible for Wesley wasting six years of his life by pursuing the wrong path.

Nailed it.

 

[bolak]

It's interesting that the producers of TNG felt able to cast Wesley 'adrift', given that the early 1990s we were being lectured by society to find structure and ambition as teenagers ( against the structureless drug culture and rave scene ).

Not really like Star Trek to be counter-cultural as that.

It's a shame they didn't go further and have Picard realise that Starfleet was too rigid and constraining for a prodigy like Wesley. It would have been an interesting conversation with Dr Crusher.

'Beverley, the Vulcan Science Academy is always looking for bright and unconventional minds. They have given us some of our greatest achievements... '

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

It's interesting that the producers of TNG felt able to cast Wesley 'adrift', given that the early 1990s we were being lectured by society to find structure and ambition as teenagers ( against the structureless drug culture and rave scene ).

Not really like Star Trek to be counter-cultural as that.

It's a shame they didn't go further and have Picard realise that Starfleet was too rigid and constraining for a prodigy like Wesley. It would have been an interesting conversation with Dr Crusher.

'Beverley, the Vulcan Science Academy is always looking for bright and unconventional minds. They have given us some of our greatest achievements... '

The Vulcans, really? Talk about rigid!

 

[Mojochi]

Picard owes Wesley his life, on multiple occasions. Wesley owes Picard nothing.

Well, Picard did manage to pull Wesley's buns out of the fire with the Edo, but how much does Wes owe Picard? I dunno, besides a fair amount of respect... nothing really, and hey... Picard owes him just as much respect for not holding a grudge about the dead dad thing

I don't really recall anyone ever expressing that Wesley owes Picard something specifically. Everybody helped the kid out in their own way

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

Picard owes Wesley his life, on multiple occasions. Wesley owes Picard nothing.

Well, Picard did manage to pull Wesley's buns out of the fire with the Edo, but how much does Wes owe Picard? I dunno, besides a fair amount of respect... nothing really, and hey... Picard owes him just as much respect for not holding a grudge about the dead dad thing

I don't really recall anyone ever expressing that Wesley owes Picard something specifically. Everybody helped the kid out in their own way

But that's the whole point though, did they really help him, at all! Wouldn't he have been better off on his own? As a star fleet brat he was likely to be accepted in the academy, without Enterprise he would have gotten there sooner and without stuff like the Edo wanting to kill him for walking on a flowerbed. I am not sure his experience on board was all that good. It was mostly a waste of time, given that he had to start over as a mere cadet. Hi teachers at the academy didn't give a damn that he used to be a field commissioned ensign on the Enterprise, did they?

 

[urbandefault]

How much does Wesley owe Picard?

$14.27, that he lifted from Picard's change bucket for beer and smokes.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

How much does Wesley owe Picard?

$14.27, that he lifted from Picard's change bucket for beer and smokes.

Good times.

 

[Lance]

I forgot about the Edo-God thing.

Wesley owes Picard for saving his life once... but he more than paid Picard back by saving the Enterprise 22,363 times. Not counting that one time Chief Engineer MacDougal accidentally sat her morning coffee too close to the intermix chamber and nearly caused a warp core meltdown when it spilled everywhere (coffee related mishaps are a common mistake in engineering aboard 1701-D ).

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

I forgot about the Edo-God thing.

Wesley owes Picard for saving his life once... but he more than paid Picard back by saving the Enterprise 22,363 times. Not counting that one time Chief Engineer MacDougal accidentally sat her morning coffee too close to the intermix chamber and nearly caused a warp core meltdown when it spilled everywhere (coffee related mishaps are a common mistake in engineering aboard 1701-D ).

One would think that it would take more than a misplaced coffee cup to blow up a ship like Enterprise.

 

[Tosk]

I forgot about the Edo-God thing.

Wesley owes Picard for saving his life once... but he more than paid Picard back by saving the Enterprise 22,363 times.

It's not "paying someone back" if you are saving your own life in the process. The only times that count are when the person doing the saving wasn't in danger of the same death.

 

[Lance]

I forgot about the Edo-God thing.

Wesley owes Picard for saving his life once... but he more than paid Picard back by saving the Enterprise 22,363 times. Not counting that one time Chief Engineer MacDougal accidentally sat her morning coffee too close to the intermix chamber and nearly caused a warp core meltdown when it spilled everywhere (coffee related mishaps are a common mistake in engineering aboard 1701-D ).

One would think that it would take more than a misplaced coffee cup to blow up a ship like Enterprise.

Just look at what happened in "Q Who".

To be sure, Ensign Gomez made a complete tit of herself (fnar fnar!) by spilling coffee all over Cap'n Baldy, but imagine if she'd tripped and it went down the warp core instead?

It wasn't damage from the Klingon battle that did the ship in in "Generations". No, it was Geordi celebrating the win with a Mocha Latte, and accidentally causing a coolant leak with it. That stuff goes through stuff worse than acid.

Blame the Utopia Planetia engineers for installing a replicator right there in the engine room...

 

[Dexter Remmick]

Wesley's decision to leave Star Fleet was due to the fact that he felt he didn't belong there. He felt he was meant for more. Not because people were forcing him to do things he didn't want to. It was only his desire to please everyone and not disappoint them that kept him there as long as he was.

Wesley's time aboard the Enterprise helped him a great deal in his attempt to gain entrance to the academy. The practical experience he gains from his time as an acting ensign prepares him for the entrance exam. It was only his 'bad luck' of being on board the Enterprise that kept him from gaining early access. Only one candidate was chosen from his location. Coming of Age.

As for Picard's alleged forcing Wesley into a Starfleet life, I have to disagree. The Traveler implore's Picard to encourage him but to tell him nothing. Wesley's 'gifts' were with Time, Energy and Propulsion. What better way to encourage the boy then to give him more responsibilities on board?

As for how much he(WC) owes Picard, I think they are all square. Lives were saved, respect earned.

 

[Enabran]

I agree that Wesley did not owe the captain anything, but I wouldn't call his starfleet career a waste. I think many of the things he learned aboard the enterprise were things that ultimately allowed him to move on, and had so many experiences that he could take with him for the rest of his life.

 

[Lance]

I forgot about the Edo-God thing.

Wesley owes Picard for saving his life once... but he more than paid Picard back by saving the Enterprise 22,363 times.

It's not "paying someone back" if you are saving your own life in the process. The only times that count are when the person doing the saving wasn't in danger of the same death.

I was just thinking if "Final Mission" counts.

Sure, in theory, The Boy faces death alongside his Captain, if neither ends up being rescued. But on the other hand, Wesley is perfectly fit and well, at least in the short-term, and he does serve to keep the Captain alive until they can both escape...

 

[Mojochi]

I agree that Wesley did not owe the captain anything, but I wouldn't call his starfleet career a waste. I think many of the things he learned aboard the enterprise were things that ultimately allowed him to move on, and had so many experiences that he could take with him for the rest of his life.

Exactly. To say that an experience to witness the majesty of the galaxy is a waste of time is an outstanding misrepresentation. Given what we know of human life spans, I don't think 3 years of adolescence is too much to spare for experiencing the workings of a galaxy class vessel 1st hand

 

[T'Girl]

it was Geordi celebrating the win with a Mocha Latte, and accidentally causing a coolant leak with it

Any excuse for Geordi to roll under that descending blast door.

 

[Timewalker]

Just look at what happened in "Q Who".

To be sure, Ensign Gomez made a complete tit of herself (fnar fnar!) by spilling coffee all over Cap'n Baldy, but imagine if she'd tripped and it went down the warp core instead?

It was hot chocolate, if I remember correctly.

 

[Lance]

Just look at what happened in "Q Who".

To be sure, Ensign Gomez made a complete tit of herself (fnar fnar!) by spilling coffee all over Cap'n Baldy, but imagine if she'd tripped and it went down the warp core instead?

It was hot chocolate, if I remember correctly.

True, and I am sure that difference made it perfectly safe by comparison.