10 Star Trek Characters Who MUST Return

As well as taking us forward in the Star Trek universe, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds are also in a position to bring characters back to the franchise. Characters that the audience has loved since their first appearances but, for both narrative, production, and personal reasons, fallen away from the franchise.

Strange New Worlds, having just started filming, is in a position to bridge the gap between Enterprise and The Original Series, while Lower Decks and Picard can both explore the era post-Nemesis. Meaning there's virtually nobody in the timeline who can't be included.

While too much fanservice can easily prove detrimental to the franchise, finding just the right balance would be the perfect way of easing the concerns of some returning audience members. It is fair to say that the CBS, Kurtzman-era Trek shows have been divisive to some long-term fans of Star Trek, while still serving as a great introduction for newer viewers to the story.

Picard looks likely to bring several Next Generation cast members back, with Whoopi Goldberg's Guinan already confirmed. Prodigy is bringing William O. Campbell back as Thadiun Okona, while Lower Decks has already brought John de Lancie's Q back, in animated form. But which are the stories that beg a continuation, resolution or further exploration?

Dwight Schultz was the surprisingly effective addition to the extended Voyager crew when Lt. Barclay appeared in the series. He was instrumental in achieving contact with the ship and then continuing this research to ensure ongoing two-way contact. He developed a relationship with the crew, though particularly The Doctor and Captain Janeway.

Star Trek: Prodigy is set to bring Kate Mulgrew back as Janeway, while the form of this return has not yet been confirmed. The premise of the show is set to see a group of adolescents take control of a seemingly deserted Starfleet vessel, with Janeway serving as a mentor or guide figure.

Barclay's last moment in the franchise was in observing the return of the USS Voyager. It stands to reason that he would immediately set about meeting the crew in the flesh, though one assumes he would make a beeline for Captain Janeway. We know that by the time Star Trek: Nemesis takes place, Janeway is now a Vice-Admiral, based in Starfleet HQ. It is no stretch of the imagination that Barclay would come to her aid if she wanted to go on another mission, as was demonstrated in Endgame.

In fact, there is no character better suited to helping Janeway get back out into the field. Here's to a return for Barclay!