This is how Jack Crusher inherited the worst from his father Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek

One of the biggest revelations of Star Trek: Picard has been Jack Crusher (played by Ed Speleers), son of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Beverly Crusher (played by Gates McFadden). From the start of Season 3, Jack will show some strange unexplainable powers. In episode 9 titled ‘Vox’, we finally learn that Jack has inherited Borg DNA from his father, who was once assimilated by the alien group.

Jack remains at the center of the plot throughout the season with Changelings lead by Vadic (played by Amanda Plummer) chasing after him relentlessly. Meanwhile, Jack has been experiencing some disturbing visions, which he is unable to resolve. Turns out, that his nightmares and mysterious powers were the unfortunate gifts of having the Borg DNA. Jack would go on to become the 'Vox of Borg'.

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Picard’s traumatic past follows him in Star Trek Picard

In Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3 and 4 episodes titled The Best of Both Worlds Part I and II, Captain Picard is abducted and transformed into ‘Locutus of Borg’ by the cybernetic humanoid species known as the Borg. The Borg Queen, who leads the charge, assimilates Picard and gets access to all classified information about the Federation. She would use the information to attack Starfleet at Wolf 359.

One of the more devastating moments in the Starfleet history, the Federation will suffer heavy losses during the battle. The USS Enterprise -D crew however manage to get Picard back. They are able to successfully destroy the Borg Cube because of Picard’s neural link that connected both. Even though he no longer had any connection to the Borg, we would see him showing emotional scars from the incident in Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Picard.

During the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard, Admiral Picard makes peace with his childhood trauma, which in many ways made him stay away from having a family life. But Picard is a new man now and is ready to embrace the world with open arms. So, introducing his son could not have come at a better time.

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What did Jack Crusher inherit from his father in Star Trek?

In Star Trek: Picard Season 3, episode ‘Seventeen Seconds’, it is revealed that Beverly and Picard had met during their shore leave on Casperia Prime, post the events of Star Trek Nemesis. Though their romance was short-lived, she became pregnant and decided to raise Jack on her own to protect him from the dangers associated with Picard's work life.

Jack was raised away from Starfleet. He has frequent nightmares and has the ability to enter someone's mind and control them. While initially he keeps it to himself, he ends up revealing the truth to his parents. Counselor Deanna Troi (played by Marina Sirtis) helps him by using her telepathic Betazoid powers. The red door in his visions has always frightened him, making him reluctant to look behind it. But Deanna manages to enter his vision and open the door, which leads to the dreaded Borg Cube.

The disclosure corroborates the fact that Picard genetically passed Borg DNA to his son and that enables Jack to hear the voices of the Borg Collective even before his complete physical assimilation. As the 'Vox of Borg', he can transmit messages to the Borg Collective. Picard will go on to share his distress when he tells Beverly,

“He inherited the best of you. And the worst of me.”

Even though Jack tries to defy the Borg Queen (played by Alice Krige), he is unable to kill her and in turn she assimilates him.

Jean-Luc Picard’s DNA was implanted into the transporters of every Federation ship by the Changelings, as the Starfleet gets ready to celebrate the Frontier Day on Earth. All Starfleet officers below the age of 25 get controlled by assimilated Jack’s voice.

Borg Queen, who seeks to avenge the Federation is determined to take down the Starfleet with the Changelings. Borg Queen who initially wanted Picard’s ‘Locutus’ to be part of the Borg, guides Jack in his role as the Vox.

Picard knew that the only way to stop the Borg was to reach out to Jack as his father. He would assimilate himself to connect with Jack in the Borg Collective. Picard has a heartfelt conversation with Jack and tells him that he was lonely before despite his duties in Starfleet. And he feels like he has found his missing piece in Jack. Jack unassimilates himself and turns against the Borg Queen.

Picard will finally find the family that he longed for and a son, who is ready to follow his father’s footsteps. Jack makes a place for himself in the Starfleet and sets on a new journey, hopefully filled with more adventures, which probably also includes the mysterious Q (played by John de Lancie).

ALSO READ: “I was determined to make Janeway the best captain”: Kate Mulgrew on her iconic role in Star Trek Voyager

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