10 Weirdest Star Trek Doppelgängers

7. Captain Beverly Picard Of The USS Pasteur

Captain Beverly Picard
CBS Media Ventures

A superb finale to Star Trek: The Next Generation, All Good Things... is a complex time-travel adventure. With the help (and hindrance) of Q, Jean-Luc Picard shifts through three time periods: the present day of Season 7, the past of Season 1, and a version of the future where Picard is retired.

In that version of the future, we meet Captain Beverly Picard. Yes, that's right, Picard. And while Beverly Crusher was a heck of a doctor, Beverly Picard made for one fierce captain. We already knew from Dr. Crusher's bridge shifts that she enjoyed challenging herself with command, so it's only fitting to see her flourish into a capable, canny and compassionate captain. And frankly, it's also nice to see a captain from a different background rather than the usual helm or operations.

Now, Jean-Luc Picard is an iconic captain...but occasionally, his stubbornness can send him on a tangent. Captain Beverly Picard is one of the few people we see call him out on such behaviour. Despite being sceptical of older Jean-Luc's claims of time travel, she's still willing to listen and help, but refuses to tolerate his aggressive questioning of her decisions on her own bridge. She may have been married to him once, but she has no problem dressing him down. It's pretty spectacular.

With Q involved, it's hard to know how real it all is, but whether Captain Beverly Picard was from an alternate timeline or just an imagining of Q, we're here for it. And while this version of Beverly never comes to be, it's great to see glimmers of her in the Crusher we meet in Star Trek: Picard.

Contributor

Katherine has been boldly going since childhood, when the BBC Two 6pm Star Trek slot changed her life. She was drawn in by the franchise's optimism, compassion and flair for character-driven storytelling. She's been writing stories since she could pick up a pen and has spent far too much time immersed in television, films, books, music and theatre. She loves any chance to talk or write about her favourite fandoms, of which there are many. When not busy writing, she can usually be found playing video games or explaining why the concept of a transporter is actually terrifying.