39 Years Later, Patrick Stewart's Picard Defines Star Trek's Most Important Era

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Published Jul 13, 2026, 8:01 AM EDT

John Orquiola is a New & Classic TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 5,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises.

39 years after Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered, Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard deservedly defines Star Trek's 24th century. A Royal Shakespearean Company stalwart, Stewart played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, four feature films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard.

Nearly four decades later, it's hard to believe that the very idea of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the bald Captain of a new Starship Enterprise, was controversial. Patrick Stewart was a world away from the mold set by William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. Even Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry initially balked at Stewart as Star Trek's next flagship Captain.

As Captain Picard and Star Trek: The Next Generation ran side-by-side with Captain Kirk's Star Trek movies, fans came around to the high quality of TNG. Captain Picard's eloquence, wisdom, compassion, and dedication to honesty and fairness personified the very best of Star Trek's lofty values. Picard set his own high standards, and became the center of his own era of Star Trek.

Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard Defines Star Trek’s Most Important Era

Star Trek: Picard season 3 reaffirmed that Jean-Luc Picard is the most important person of the 24th century. Picard's prominence, which made him a target for numerous enemies, is one of the reasons Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) kept their son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), a secret. Picard is known and respected throughout the galaxy, but also hated in its dark corners.

Star Trek: The Next Generation's 7 seasons and 179 episodes, plus four feature films, far eclipsed Captain Kirk's Star Trek: The Original Series voyages in the 23rd century. Through Picard and TNG, Star Trek's 24th century vastly expanded its known universe, introducing countless new worlds and species, including the Ferengi, Cardassians, Bajorans, and the Q Continuum.

While TNG was on the air, everything prominent in Star Trek intersected with Captain Picard and the USS Enterprise-D, the flagship of the United Federation of Planets. Countless circumstances depended on Picard's peerless skills as a diplomat and negotiator to broker peace with the Federation, and Jean-Luc's passion for exploration brought the Federation's light throughout the galaxy.

Captain Picard was so important that the Borg specifically chose him to be assimilated and turned into Locutus. After Picard was rescued by his USS Enterprise-D crew, Jean-Luc became a thorn in the Borg's side, preventing their most diabolical attempts at assimilating the Federation. The Romulans also cloned Jean-Luc with Shinzon (Tom Hardy), in a failed attempt to replace him.

Other Star Trek Captains like Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) made undeniable impacts of their own, and rightfully became legends in their own right. Sisko personally led Starfleet's victory to save the Federation in the Dominion War, and Janeway's achievements exploring the Delta Quadrant merited a promotion to Admiral before Picard.

Yet when the proverbial book of Star Trek's 24th century is written, Jean-Luc Picard has to be on the cover. While Star Trek fans can debate who's more important to the 23rd century between Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Picard is the fulcrum on which an entire generation of Star Trek — and its most popular and complex era — pivots.

Why Picard & Patrick Stewart May Be Irreplaceable

Admiral Picard touches Enterprise plaque

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009) proved that Star Trek: The Original Series' icons could be recast with younger actors, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds reaffirmed this. In addition, the character of Jean-Luc Picard has been played by younger actors, including Tom Hardy, after a fashion, in Star Trek: Nemesis. Yet a new actor actually replacing Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard may not happen.

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The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series?

ANCC-1701-D BNX-01 CNCC-1701 DNCC-74656

✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager.

✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager.

Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character?

AData BSpock CTuvok DSarek

✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series.

✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise.

Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called?

AThe Temporal Accord BGeneral Order One CThe Omega Directive DThe Prime Directive

✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake.

✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols.

“Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called?

AThe Borg BThe Dominion CThe Romulans DSpecies 8472

✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.”

✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.”

Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him?

AWilliam Shatner BAvery Brooks CPatrick Stewart DScott Bakula

✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases.

✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard.

Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called?

ATranswarp Drive BWarp Drive CSlipstream Drive DSpore Drive

✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans.

✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive.

At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called?

AThe Prometheus Trial BThe Omega Simulation CThe Corbomite Maneuver DThe Kobayashi Maru

✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario.

In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain?

AKhan Noonien Singh BGeneral Chang CQ DGul Dukat

✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life.

✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos.

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Paramount has not attempted to reboot Star Trek: The Next Generation and recast its actors the way Captain Kirk and his Starship Enterprise received a complete cinematic alternate reality retelling. To reboot TNG means, first and foremost, finding another actor who has the skills as a thespian, gravitas, and instant credibility that Patrick Stewart possesses.

Captain Kirk's youthful bravado could be replicated by Chris Pine and Paul Wesley, but it's a harder measure to find a mature actor with the Shakespearean poise of Patrick Stewart. As Picard, Stewart could be commanding, intimidating, charming, trustworthy, and, yes, funny in equal measure. Perhaps there is an actor who can equal Stewart as Jean-Luc, but that has yet to be proven, if ever.

When looking back on his decades of work on stage and screen, which includes Professor Charles Xavier in several X-Men movies, Patrick Stewart rightly calls Jean-Luc Picard "the most significant role of my career." Stewart takes due pride in the fact that Picard is a source of inspiration, comfort, and hope to millions. Jean-Luc is indeed, as he once laughed, "a role model."

Patrick Stewart is a living legend, and the last 40 years unequivocally prove that he and Captain Picard were the right people to build Star Trek: The Next Generation's 24th century around. Jean-Luc and the 24th century are the gold standard for an entire generation, and lifted Star Trek to new heights.

For Star Trek, Jean-Luc Picard, and Patrick Stewart, the stars have always been in their favor.

Release Date 1987 - 1994-00-00

Network Syndication

Showrunner Gene Roddenberry

Directors Cliff Bole, Les Landau, Winrich Kolbe, Rob Bowman, Robert Scheerer, Jonathan Frakes, Robert Wiemer, Gabrielle Beaumont, Alexander Singer, David Carson, Paul Lynch, Corey Allen, Patrick Stewart, Chip Chalmers, Joseph L. Scanlan, James L. Conway, Robert Lederman, Tom Benko, Timothy Bond, Robert Legato, Adam Nimoy, Robert Becker, David Livingston, LeVar Burton

Writers René Echevarria, Maurice Hurley, Richard Manning, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Tracy Tormé, Hannah Louise Shearer, Stuart Charno, Ira Steven Behr, Sara B. Cooper, Peter Allan Fields, Herbert Wright, Frank Abatemarco, Burton Armus, Hilary Bader, Morgan Gendel, David Kemper, Michael I. Wagner, Philip LaZebnik, Robert McCullough, Susan Sackett, Nick Sagan, Fred Bronson, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Sam Rolfe