12 Most Beloved Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes

The best Wesley Crusher episode of all time expands the world of Starfleet while making a compelling case for the importance of adhering to principle.

Setting most of the proceedings at Starfleet Academy enlarges the setting by showing us how things function beyond Enterprise. The set design and cinematography make it feel like an actual breathing school filled with young cadets dreaming of joining a starship.

The courtroom drama scenes are also impeccably done. The facts are clearly explained, the evidence is presented logically, and the cadets getting caught with inaccuracies in their story generates genuine tension. In the center is a captivating moral dilemma as Wesley's entire squad doesn’t want to state the truth trapping him between loyalty and conscience.

Picard eventually discovers what Nova Squadron did and their attempts to cover it up leading to an epic confrontation between him and Wesley where Picard states that there is no gray area and that Wesley has an obligation to come forward with the truth as an officer of Starfleet. It’s the earnest morally righteous speechifying that Jean Luc is known for and this is one of his best.

Finally, even though Wesley comes forward, the consequences are not glossed over. Wesley doesn’t get any commendation for coming clean and is in fact still punished as he has to repeat the entire year. What he does get to keep is our respect and his honor to the truth which is the first duty of an officer.