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Aspiring writers are often warned against creating a character without any flaws, as oftentimes, such characters dissociate the audience due to the lack of growth and relatability. One major example is that of Wil Wheaton’s Wesley Crusher, arguably the most polarizing figure from Gene Roddenberry’sStar Trek: The Next Generation.
However, opposed to the public consensus, theStar Trekcreator developed a deep connection with Wesley, as unlike most viewers, he resonated with the character because of his personal input.
Gene Roddenberry identified with Wesley Crusher
While a know-it-all with no flaws isn’t the most relatable trait, this wasn’t the case for Gene Roddenberry, who penned the character in an idealized version of his own teenage image. Elaborating on his stance on Wesley, whose name was based on the showrunner’s middle name, in the book,The Next Generation Companion, the writer confessed to identifying with the character, adding (viaWhatCulture):
I indentify probably more so with Wesley because he is me at seventeen. He is the things I dreamed of being and doing.
But as the story goes, fans didn’t feel the same way, which contributed to the hatred againstWil Wheaton‘s Wesley Crusher. However, Roddenberry had none of it, as according to Wheaton, the writer was vocal about his defense against the Wesley hate train. In aninterview, Wheaton recalled:
Your dad was like ‘You shut up! I love Wesley and I made Wesley out of me and it’s my show! And if you’ve got a problem with it go watch something else!’ And I was like, ‘Wow, your dad stood up for me
Interestingly, his collaborators did doubt theStar Trekcreator’s vision for Wesley, and at one point, they considered turning the character into a woman.
Producer Robert Justman argued for a smart adolescent girl in Wesley’s shoes
When the writers initially pennedStar Trek: The Next Generation, the medium was filled with teenage boys. To break the mold, producer Robert Justman argued for the inclusion of a teen girl in the shoes of Wesley’s character, as there was a story to be told about the struggle of an incredibly smart adolescent girl.
Not William Shatner or Leonard Nimoy, Gene Roddenberry Reportedly Begged 1 Star Trek Actor to Not Leave the Show for Broadway
Even though this would’ve added more to the character’s dynamic, as seen withHarry Potter‘sHermione Granger, Roddenberry resorted back to his initial ways, which wasn’t surprising as Crusher became a sort of son to him.Star Trekshowrunner Rick Berman recalled:
Wesley Crusher was Gene as a young man, which, in a way, is almost a father and son relationship. So, he did, he went and created sons.
Although it’d have been interesting to see how an extremely smart teen girl’s struggle would’ve been explored, given how much Roddenberry contributed to the IP, he had every right to make the final call.
“Not the most popular because…”: Andrew Robinson Revealed Real Reason Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Couldn’t Be as Famous as Patrick Stewart’s TNG
Star Trek: The Next Generationis available to stream on Paramount Plus.
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
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