Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation first aired in 1987. Set one hundred years after Kirk's time, in the twenty-fourth century (2364), this series revolves around the crew of the Enterprise-D. At first, the series had difficulty stepping out of its predecessor's shadow, but eventually came into its own, developing concepts that would go on to influence every Trek series after it. It ran for seven years and was followed by four movies.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is the captain of the Enterprise-D. He is intellectual, and would rather solve problems with diplomacy, not force. Although he does care deeply about his crew, and values their input in his command decisions, he is somewhat aloof and withdrawn. He appears calm and collected, but has great strength of will and passion when provoked, fighting off the Borg's influence in his mind and talking several enemies into submission. Frequently, the target of his passionate defenses of humanity is the omnipotent Q, who enjoys testing humanity using Picard as a specimen. Picard has some unresolved sexual tension with Beverly Crusher, due to being friends with her husband before he died (and repressing feelings for her to protect his friend).

In fanfiction, he is paired with Beverly Crusher or Q. In badfic, he is something of a Lust Object for older Sues, or may be a father or an uncle to a younger Sue, as in the case of Marrissa Picard. This makes him lose much of his composure and intellect, and ignores his canonical dislike of children.

Commander William T. Riker
William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) is the first officer of the Enterprise. He is outgoing and friendly, in contrast to Picard's seriousness and aloof nature. He socializes with the crew much more than Picard, and acts as something of a go-between. He prefers to "think outside the box", using unorthodox strategies to solve problems. He used to be in a relationship with Deanna Troi, leading them to have a very close friendship.

In fanfiction, he is paired with Deanna Troi. In badfic, he may be a secondary love interest or made into bumbling comic relief.

Lieutenant Commander Data
Data (Brent Spiner) is the operations officer of the Enterprise. He is an android, which makes him logical, literal-minded, and incapable of feeling human emotion. Being an android also gives him incredible mental and physical capabilities, however, he wants to be human. This makes him curious about humanity, and he often experiments with human concepts like humor, with varied degrees of success. Despite these efforts, he has several times faced discrimination and charges of being "just a machine". He becomes more and more human as the series goes on, finally installing an "emotion chip" in the movies.

In fanfiction, he will be paired with Tasha Yar or his best friend Geordi LaForge, and is the subject of many fluff fics about his explorations of humanity. In badfic, he is an incredibly common target for Sues and is made emotional and OOC.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge
Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) is the chief engineer of the Enterprise. He was born blind, and wears a device called a VISOR that allows him to see most of the electromagnetic spectrum. He is kind and friendly, but has constant headaches due to the VISOR and wishes he had normal sight. His connection to machines is very deep, making him an very talented engineer and a best friend to Data. He is generally unlucky with women due to insecurities about being blind.

In fanfiction, he appears mostly as Data's friend or paired with him, or will simply act in his capacity as chief engineer. In badfic, he rarely appears, unless the Sue is in a love triangle with him and Data or happens to need an engineer.

Lieutenant Worf
Worf (Michael Dorn) is the chief of security. A Klingon raised by humans from a young age, he has many human values but is very connected to his Klingon culture. Like many Klingons, he has a strong sense of honor and a willingness to fall in battle. Due to his parents dying in a Romulan attack (leading to his adoption by a human Starfleet officer) he hates Romulans with a passion. He has a tendency to be trigger-happy, but is willing to follow Picard's orders and is very loyal to the ship and crew. He has a son named Alexander, and struggles with being a father. After the end of the series, he becomes a main character on Deep Space Nine.

In fanfiction, he may be paired with Alexander's mother, K'Ehleyr, or with Deanna Troi. In badfic, he is sidelined unless the Sue needs a thug.

Counselor Deanna Troi
Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) is the ship's counselor. As such, she is responsible for the mental well-being of the crew. She is half-human, half-Betazoid, which gives her the power to sense other people's emotions (rather than being telepathic like full Betazoids). She is compassionate and intelligent, as befits her job. She tends to be the first one affected by hostile forces, due to her empathic powers making her mind vulnerable. She and Riker used to be in a relationship, and therefore have a very close friendship.

In fanfiction, she is paired with Riker and Worf, or occasionally Data. In badfic, she may be a Gary Stu's Lust Object, a Sue's best friend, or made into a Sue herself.

Doctor Beverly Crusher
Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is the chief medical officer. Being Wesley's mother, she is maternal and level-headed. She is very intelligent and capable, technically holding the rank of commander, but she prefers being a doctor and caring for people. She and Picard have a longstanding friendship, with some unresolved sexual tension due to the fact that her husband died under Picard's command.

In fanfiction, she is paired with Picard or, occasionally, Troi. In badfic, she gets hatred for being Wesley's mother, or, along with Troi, becomes friends with a Sue.

Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) is Dr. Crusher's son. As a child prodigy with an innate talent for mathematics and much of starship operations, he is eventually promoted to acting ensign. Other characters alternately mentor him or ignore his input. He acts as (almost) a full crew member until he leaves during fourth season to enter Starfleet Academy.

In fanfiction, he is subject to mockery (even in fics not centered around him), and the PPC considers him a Canon Sue. In badfic, the mockery is more violent and less coherent. There are the occasional teenage fangirls who find him attractive, though.

Lieutenant Tasha Yar
Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby) was the security chief of the Enterprise during first season. She is hot-headed and likely to jump recklessly into danger. She grew up on a planet run by gangs, and joined Starfleet to escape. Due to her actress's dissatisfaction with the role, she died late in first season and the position of security chief was taken by Worf.

In fanfiction, she is paired with Data, due to a one night stand she will never live down. In badfic, the negative implications of said one night stand are ignored in favor of smut and OOC.

Doctor Katherine Pulaski
Katherine Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) was the chief medical officer during second season. She is abrasive, judgmental, providing conflict to the crew. Strangely for a Starfleet doctor, she has a dislike of technology, preferring not to use the transporter and treating Data condescendingly. She warms up to Data later, but due to fan preference for Dr. Crusher she left at the end of the season.

In fanfiction, she mostly appears because the fic is set in second season. In badfic, especially of the Data-centric variety, she is subject to bashing.

Guinan
Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) is the bartender of the ship's social center, Ten-Forward. She is quiet, waiting until people vent their concerns of their own accord before offering her sound advice. She is much older than she looks, and the only thing known about her background is that her race was scattered by the Borg, and that she harbors a grudge against Q.

In fanfiction, some of the gaps in her story may be explored, or she will offer advice to other canons. In badfic, she may advise a Mary Sue.

Chief Miles O'Brien and Keiko Ishikawa-O'Brien
Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) is the transporter chief, and his wife, Keiko Ishikawa (Rosalind Chao), is a botanist. They marry during the show's run, having been introduced to each other by Data. Miles is shown to be good at what he does, working with senior officers like Data and Geordi. He was eventually reassigned to Deep Space Nine, and moved there with Keiko and their daughter.

For more discussion of these characters, see the DS9 page.

Q
Q (John de Lancie) is an omnipotent being who enjoys interfering in the affairs of lower life forms, such as Picard and his crew. He has a flair for the dramatic and a talent for upsetting life on the Enterprise, but usually, there is a reason for his intervention. He also appears on Voyager.

In fanfiction, he is paired with Picard, and is often used as a catalyst for crossovers or really, to create any plot the author wants. In badfic, he may be a Lust Object, become a very literal deus ex machina, or a Sue may be a Q and have him as a mentor.

Lieutenant Reginald Barclay
Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz) is an engineer. He is exceptionally intelligent, but also has a stutter, social anxiety, and struggles with holodeck addiction. While he does mean well and generally has good ideas, his perpetually nervous personality makes it difficult for him to be taken seriously by his crewmates. He has an unrequited crush on Deanna Troi. Along with her, he has some appearances on Voyager.

In fanfiction, he may be paired with Troi. Being a minor character, he rarely appears in badfic.

Ensign Ro Laren
Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) is a Bajoran ensign. She was involved in ending the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, and regards the Federation and its peaceful relations with the Cardassians with some contempt. While actually caring about individual Starfleet officers (Riker in particular), she tends to look down on Starfleet ideals and regulations, openly disobeying rules. Eventually, she defects to the Maquis.

In fanfiction, her motivations may be explored. Being a minor character, she rarely appears in badfic.

Missions in this Continuum
All reports are listed alphabetically by agent name, in the case of agents with multiple missions, or by mission name.


 * "The Many Deaths of Marrissa Picard," Agent Alec Troven (DI)