Jean-Luc Picard

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Jean-Luc Picard was born to Maurice and Yvette Picard in La Barre, France, on July 13, 2305. As a child, he dreamed of joining Starfleet. The young Picard failed his first Starfleet Academy entrance exam and, upon admission, met with numerous ethical and scholastic difficulties during his cadet career, but went on to flourish, developing a lifelong passion for archaeology, and he became the first freshman to win the Academy marathon. Shortly after graduation, Picard was stabbed in the heart by a Nausicaan, leaving the organ irreparable and requiring replacement with a parthenogenetic implant; this proved near-fatal later. Ensign Picard's first posting was on the USS Reliant, later serving as first officer aboard the USS Stargazer, which he later commanded. During that time, he performed a warp-speed battle tactic that would become known as the Picard Maneuver. The third season finale, 'The Best of Both Worlds, Part I', depicts Picard being assimilated by the Borg to serve as a bridge between humanity and the Borg (renamed Locutus of Borg); Picard's assimilation and recovery are a critical point in the character's development, and provided backstory for the film Star Trek: First Contact and the sequel series Star Trek: Picard.

In Their Own Story

In the debut episode 'Encounter at Farpoint' of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Picard is introduced as the captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D). The pilot episode shows the ship's mission to investigate a problem at Farpoint Station, which becomes sidetracked when an entity known as Q makes Picard 'representative' in a trial charging humanity with being a 'dangerously savage child-race'. Picard persuades Q to test humanity, and Q chooses as the test's first stage the crew's performance at Farpoint. The trial 'ends' seven years later (though Q reminds Picard that the trial never ends), in the series finale, when humanity is absolved by Picard's demonstration that the species has the capacity to explore the 'possibilities of existence'. Notable episodes featuring the Jean-Luc Picard character include 'The Best of Both Worlds' (Parts I and II), 'Yesterday's Enterprise', 'Family', 'All Good Things...', 'Tapestry', and 'The Inner Light'.

Reader's Guide

Jean-Luc Picard is depicted as deeply moral, highly logical, and intelligent, a master of diplomacy and debate who resolves seemingly intractable issues between multiple, sometimes implacable parties with a Solomon-like wisdom. Though such resolutions are usually peaceful, Picard is also shown using his remarkable tactical cunning in situations when it is required. Picard has a fondness for detective stories, Shakespearean drama, and archaeology. His catchphrases are 'Make it so' and 'Engage', but also 'Tea, Earl Grey, hot' when ordering from the computer's replicator. The close-knit crew of the Enterprise provides his main friendships as they travel. Notably, he builds very long-lasting friendships with his first officer William T. Riker, tactical officer Worf, counselor Deanna Troi, helmsman-turned-chief engineer Geordi La Forge, and science officer Data. Picard is also occasionally depicted as having subtle romantic tension with the ship's head doctor, Beverly Crusher, widow of his former crewmate and best friend Jack. Towards the end of the timeframe of The Next Generation he acquires a protégée, Ro Laren, but she defects to the terrorist organization Maquis, betraying him.

Did You Know?

• Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry named Picard for (one or both of) the twin brothers Auguste Piccard and Jean Piccard, 20th-century Swiss scientists.
• Patrick Stewart, who has a background in live theater at the Royal Shakespeare Company, was initially considered for the role of Data.
• Roddenberry originally did not want to cast Stewart as Picard; he had envisioned an actor who was 'masculine, virile, and had a lot of hair'.
• Other actors considered for Picard included Yaphet Kotto, Patrick Bauchau, Roy Thinnes and Mitchell Ryan; Kotto turned down the role due to concern about shifting his career to television.
• Roddenberry sent Stewart C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower novels, saying the Picard character was based on Hornblower.