Episode no. Season 5Episode 19 | Production code 219 | |
Written by Ronald D. MooreNaren Shankar Original air date March 30, 1992 (1992-03-30) | ||
"The First Duty" is the 119th episode of the American syndicated science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 19th episode of the show's fifth season. It featured the return of former regular castmember Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher as well as the first of three appearances by Ray Walston as Boothby.
Contents
In this episode, while visiting Starfleet Cadet Wesley Crusher at Starfleet Academy, the crew of the Federation Starfleet starship USS Enterprise learn of an accident that claimed the life of a cadet.
Plot
The Enterprise returns to Earth, where Captain Picard is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at Starfleet Academy's graduation ceremony. However, the crew comes to learn of an accident during flight training that has injured Wesley Crusher and caused the death of fellow Nova Squadron member Joshua Albert. Picard, concerned, orders his crew to investigate the accident. They discover evidence that Wesley's squad was attempting to perform, not the assigned "Yeager loop" but a banned maneuver called the "Kolvoord Starburst." Picard accosts Wesley and demands to know the truth, but Wesley responds that an answer would be self-incriminating. Picard reminds him of his Starfleet duty and gives Wesley an ultimatum: either the boy comes forward with the truth, or Picard would present his evidence of the deceptions discovered himself.
Wesley is torn between telling the truth and meeting the demands of Nova Squadron leader Nick Locarno, who insists that the accident was Joshua's fault. Locarno attempts to coerce Wesley into backing up the lie, claiming that Picard has no evidence for a credible accusation, thus tearing Wesley between their friendship and their obligations as Starfleet officers.
At the hearing, Wesley is forced to choose between: Picard's trust in him, and the emotions of Joshua's father; his loyalty to Nova Squadron, with whom he has been close-knit for a long time. The Admiral decides, in the absence of conclusive proof of any further wrongdoing (aside from rendering an incorrect flight plan, and allowing a squad member to fly unprepared) to take away the squad's flight privileges and issue formal reprimands. Before she can close the hearing, though, Wesley steps up and reveals the truth behind the accident.
Realizing he cannot hide it any longer, Locarno admits that he instigated the lie and pressured the rest of the squad to support it. He is expelled from the Academy, while Wesley and the rest of his colleagues lose their past year's academic credits along with their flight privileges. Wesley is disappointed in himself, but Picard encourages him that - while the immediate future will be difficult - he will eventually regain the trust of his classmates, and the respect that comes with it. Wes, however, doesn't believe such is the case (which indeed it is not, as "Journey's End" will verify).
Sito Jaxa
The minor character Sito Jaxa would later appear significantly in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Lower Decks", where it emerges that Picard requested her assignment to the Enterprise because he wanted to give her a fair chance to redeem herself.
Influence on franchise
McNeill's Nicholas Locarno would serve as the template for the character of Tom Paris on Star Trek:Voyager. Originally producers were searching for a different actor than McNeill. However, after many auditions it was suggested to simply bring McNeill in to play the part since they were using his character as a model for Tom Paris already.
Reception
The episode ranked ninth in Entertainment Weekly's list of top 10 Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes in September 2007.