Summary
Jean-Luc Picard is one ofStar Trek’s most famous characters,second only to James T. Kirk. After assuming command of theStarship Enterprisein 2263, Picard honored the Starfleet mission statement by seeking out new life and new civilizations, including the Borg, the Tamarians, and the powerful Q Continuum. Yet while Picard was an excellent commander, his stoic nature limited his social life aboard theGalaxy-classEnterprise-D during his appearances in theStar Trekfranchise.
Despite his somewhat introverted personality, Picard formed lifelong bonds with several individuals. Some of these relationships bordered on the romantic, while others were purely professional. However, each came to influence Picard’s eventful life in their own way.
9Boothby
Picard’s Mentor At Starfleet Academy
Boothby,a groundskeeper at Starfleet Command, served as a mentor to many cadets who attended the nearby Starfleet Academy, including Jean-Luc Picard. Boothby could be relied upon for excellent advice and even helped to save Picard’s career after the young cadet was nearly kicked out of the Academy.
Boothby was such a fixture of Starfleet Command that the mysterious Species 8472 created a replicant of the gardener as part of a training simulation in the Delta Quadrant. Nor was Boothby’s guidance limited to Picard; he also provided boxing lessons to a young Chakotay.
8Galen
Picard’s Most Influential Professor
Jean-Luc Picard’s penchant for archeology was encouraged by Galen, one of his professorsat Starfleet Academy. The two men were so close that Picard stated that Galen was like a father to him, although they grew apart when Picard chose a career in Starfleet over a life as an archeologist.
Picard and Galen reconnected in 2369, although the former was soon assassinated by Cardassian-backed forces. This convinced Picard to finish his mentor’s work, leading to the discovery of a shared evolutionary history for many of the galaxy’s species, including the Klingons, Cardassians, and even the human race itself.
7Raffi Musiker
One Of Picard’s Most Resourceful Allies
Raffaela"Raffi" Musikerworked with Jean-Luc Picard to evacuate Romulan civilians from their devastated region of space. However, interference from Starfleet and several clandestine groups caused Raffi to grow increasingly paranoid. Despite her difficulties, Picard sought her out in 2399 as he knew that he could rely on her to help him with his investigations into an apparent Romulan conspiracy.
The resulting investigation vindicated Raffi and restored her friendship with Picard, which had become strained by their respective departures from Starfleet. Raffi’s relationship with Picard, while routinely troubled, proved integral to protecting the Federation from threats like the Borg and the Romulans, and it is therefore fitting that she joined the crew of theEnterprise-G in 2402 as the starship’s executive officer.
6Elnor
Picard’s Surrogate Son
Picard first met Elnor while assisting in the evacuation of Romulan space following a devastating supernova. Although Picard had frequently clashed with the Romulans during his time aboard theStarship Enterprise, he spent a significant amount of time with the young Romulan, acting as the child’s father figure. However, their relationship grew strained after Picard was called back to Federation space as a result of the 2385 Synth attack on Mars.
However, the two eventually reconciled, and Elnor was able to utilize the training he’d undertaken as a member ofthe sword-wielding Qowat Milatto assist Picard against a Romulan secret society, the Zhat Vash. Elnor later joined Starfleet thanks to Picard’s guidance.
5Q
Picard’s Best Frenemy
It may be more accurate to describe Q’s friendship with Picard as a love/hate relationship, asthe powerful entityoften caused mischief aboard theEnterprise-D. However, Picard’s apparent dislike of Q concealed a deeper feeling that, at points, came close to friendship. Q did help Picard throughout his life, such as by showing him how his recklessness as a young man was integral to his present success.
Indeed, Q chose to spend his apparent last moments with Picard rather than die alone. This final wish demonstrated that, for all of their mutual animosity, both Q and Picard recognized their special bond.
4William Riker
Picard’s Right-Hand Man
Picard and Riker’s relationship was initially frosty; shortly after the executive officer came aboard theEnteprise-D, Picard challenged him to manually dock the starship’s saucer to its secondary hull, a difficult test of skill. However, the two men warmed to one another during their years aboard theEnterprise, and Picard was one of the guests at Riker’s wedding to Deanna Troi in 2379.
However, Riker did not let his friendship with Picard blind him when faced with tough dilemmas. WhenPicard was assimilated by the Borgin 2366, Riker did not hesitate to open fire on the Borg cube, even though the action endangered Picard. Their relationship was always secondary to their dedication to Starfleet and the Federation, but Riker and Picard demonstrated one ofStar Trek’s best working relationships.
3Guinan
Picard’s Closest Confidante
The mysterious Guinan was far more than just the bartender aboard theEnterprise-D.As an El-Aurian, she had seen her home planet destroyed by the Borg, and recognized the threat posed by the Collective. This allowed her to offer counsel to Picard prior to theEnterprise’s disastrous encounter with the Borg in 2366. She attempted to assuage Picard’s concerns that the Borg would overwhelm the Federation by pointing out the tenacity of life.
The exact nature of Guinan and Picard’s relationship is shrouded in mystery (both describe it as being more than a friendship), as is its origin. The pair pretended to have met aboard theEnterprise-D, although Guinan joined the starship on Picard’s request. One questionably canon novel suggested that their first meeting involved an encounter with Cardassian master spy Enabran Tain. However, regardless of its foundation, Guinan and Picard’s friendship is one of the franchise’s firmest.
2Data
Picard’s Android Savior
While Data’s closest friend throughoutThe Next Generationwasundoubtedly engineer Geordi La Forge, both theTNGmovies andStar Trek: Picardemphasized the friendship between Picard and the android Commander Data. When the Borg attempted to alter the course of history, Data resisted the Borg Queen’s offer of an alliance and saved Picard’s life. He would repeat this act in 2379, when Data sacrificed himself to save Picard from the destruction of theScimitar.
Data’s sacrifice haunted Picard. In 2399, Picard encountered Data’s simulated “ghost”, allowing him to gain a measure of closure. A resurrected version of Data assisted Picard in his final battle against the Borg in 2401, demonstrating that not even death could stand in the way of their mutual admiration.
1Beverly Crusher
The Love Of Picard’s Life
While Captain Kirk has gained a reputation as a ladies' man, Captain Picard stayed laser-focused on theEnterprise-D’s exploratory mission throughoutThe Next Generation. However, he was interested in one particular woman: Doctor Beverly Crusher, theEnterprise-D’slong-term chief medical officer. Their relationship was complicated by the fact that Picard had sent Beverly’s husband to his death, which perhaps stopped their friendship from growing into something more during their time together aboard theEnterprise.
Despite the lack of romantic consolidation, Crusher was Picard’s closest friend aboard the starship. They regularly ate breakfast together and relied on one another for advice in times of need. For example, Crusher sought advice from Picard during her romance with the Trill diplomat Odan.Star Trek: Picardhinted at a more romantic, if short-lived, relationship between the pair, although, for the most part, they were simply very close friends.
