How Star Trek Icon Gates McFadden Joined Star Trek Online

Just as Gates McFadden makes her triumphant return to Star Trek screens in Star Trek: Picard Season 3, the twisted doppelganger of her iconic character, Dr. Beverly Crusher, is appearing for the first time in Star Trek Online as part of the Refractions update! This Terran version of Dr. Crusher has never been voiced by Gates McFadden before, and she delivers a deep and dark performance in the quest to rescue her son, the Terran Emperor himself, before he can destroy both universes.

The last time McFadden and Wil Wheaton, who portrayed Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, shared a screen together as these characters was decades ago, in a deleted scene from Star Trek: Nemesis. Star Trek Online Design Lead, Al Rivera, worked closely with McFadden and Wheaton to craft a story that tells their twisted family backstory.

“One of the things we try to do with our stories is we try to end our story arcs, not with pew pew, and not with just murdering the bad guy. But we always like to end our stories in a very Starfleet way. How can you solve this problem, often a universe threatening problem, in a way that is becoming of Starfleet? In a peaceful way, in an emotional way. And so we said, how would you defeat Emperor Crusher, who has this traveler power as well as this merged power from V’ger? His mom.

“So his mother, both as a doctor and a scientist, and as a mother, could really connect with him. It was a logical choice to choose her. And Gates came in and, she’s a wonderful person. Her character is a beloved character, and I was so excited that we got to work with her while she’s coming back. And we see her again in Picard, and it’s so great to see her perform again. If we ever have an opportunity to bring her back again, I would really welcome it.”

“If we ever have an opportunity to bring her back again, I would really welcome it.”

For her part, McFadden stepped right back into the shoes of her previous character, something Rivera has come to expect: “What I find is that most of the actors have played these characters for years, they really know their characters, and they have no trouble turning it on. And sometimes it’s really uncanny how you’ll be talking to them in the recording studio, and talking to them like a normal person would talk. And then when they go into character it’s like flipping a switch, and all of a sudden you’re listening to an episode of Star Trek.”

We hope you enjoy the new update, Star Trek Online: Refractions, now live on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One! The game is completely free to play, and it’s free to access all of this story content. We aim to create the best place online to celebrate your Star Trek fandom, so come and join us if you can. Your Captain, your Trek story.

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