Starfleet is clearly a family business as many Star Trek Captains have been followed into service by their sons and daughters. While Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) was the exception in his immediate family, Captain James T Kirk (William Shatner) and his brother, Lt. George Samuel Kirk (Dan Jeannotte) are the sons of former Starfleet officer George Kirk. Not every child of a Starfleet officer follows their parents into space, however. For example, Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) abandoned a career in Starfleet to become a member of the time and space transcending Travelers.
The career trajectories or family backgrounds of each child often gave Star Trek some of its most compelling family dramas. The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Bloodlines” introduced Jean-Luc Picard’s forgotten son, Jason Vigo (Ken Olandt), who was something of an intergalactic conman. Despite Jason being part of an elaborate scheme by one of Jean-Luc’s enemies rather than his biological son, the two men formed a bond. Jason Vigo set up Picard’s eventual role as father to Ensign Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), who is just one of many Starfleet officers who have perhaps benefited from the institution’s reputation for nepotism.
11 David Marcus, Son Of Captain James T Kirk
David Marcus (Merritt Butrick) was the son of James T. Kirk and Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch) from before Kirk was Captain of the Enterprise. Soon after David was born, Kirk agreed not to be part of his son’s life. Carol was fearful that knowing his father was a legendary starship Captain would inspire David, setting him on a path away from her. Kirk, Carol, and David were reunited in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. After some initial animosity, Kirk and David bonded before the young man was tragically murdered by the Klingons on the Genesis planet. It was tragic but fitting that David died on the planet that he and his mother had committed their lives to creating.
10 Captain Spock And Lt. Saavik’s Child
An excised plotline from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home would have revealed that Lt. Saavik (Robin Curtis) was pregnant with the child of Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy). The implication was that, while the young Spock was undergoing the Vulcan mating cycle of Pon Farr on the Genesis Planet, he had sex with Saavik. Leonard Nimoy was understandably uncomfortable with this development and, as director of the movie, nixed the storyline. To date, Spock has no confirmed descendants in canon, but as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continues to explore his early years, anything is possible.
9 Demora Sulu, Daughter Of Captain Sulu
The flashback scene that opens Star Trek: Generations reveals that Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) had a daughter. Like her father, Ensign Demora Sulu (Jacqueline Kim) was a Star Trek pilot, serving as helmsman aboard the USS Enterprise-B. On-screen, nothing more is known about Demora’s career after the rescue of the El-Aurian refugees. However, non-canonical novels and short stories reveal that Demora was eventually promoted to Captain of the Enterprise-B after Captain John Harriman (Alan Ruck) relinquished command. A short story also reveals that Demora sponsored Chakotay (Robert Beltran) for entry into Starfleet Academy.
8 Alexander, Son of Captain Worf
Star Trek: The Next Generation truly lived up to its name, by introducing several descendants of the TNG crew over the decades. The first of these was Wesley Crusher, son of Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and the late Jack Crusher. In TNG season 4, Worf was introduced to Alexander, the son he never knew he had in “Reunion”. Alexander was the son of Worf and his lover K’Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson). Five actors played Alexander Rozhenko from childhood to old age across both TNG and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. An adult Alexander was last seen serving aboard the Klingon battleship the Rotarran in DS9, but his current whereabouts in Star Trek canon are unknown.
7 Jake Sisko, Son Of Captain Benjamin Sisko
Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) was the son of Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), who joined his father on his assignment to Deep Space Nine. Unlike many of his predecessors, Jake didn’t pursue a career in the sciences or Starfleet. Instead, Jake wanted to be a writer and eventually settled on a career as a journalist, reporting from the front lines of the Dominion War. The relationship between Jake and Ben was unique in Star Trek, as Jake became a core member of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s cast rather than a recurring character trotted out when the story demanded it like Alexander.
6 Captain Benjamin Sisko And Kassidy Yates’ Child
In the appropriately named Star Trek: Deep Space Nine finale, “What You Leave Behind”, Benjamin Sisko was recalled to the Celestial Temple to continue his work for the Prophets. In accepting his destiny as Emissary of the Prophets, Sisko was forced to leave behind Jake, his wife Kassidy Yates-Sisko (Penny Johnson Jerald), and their unborn child. Star Trek canon is unclear on whether Sisko and Kassidy had a son or daughter. The hypothetical DS9 season 8 revealed that they had a son, Joseph Yates-Sisko, a Starfleet officer named after Ben’s father (Brock Peters). The ongoing 2022 Star Trek comic which depicts Sisko’s return instead gives Ben a daughter called Sarah. Neither of these outcomes have been confirmed on-screen.
5 Amelia Janeway, Daughter Of Captain Kathryn Janeway
Janeway’s embarrassing Star Trek: Voyager episode in which she is mother to salamander babies is best forgotten. However, the officially licensed book, The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway by Una McCormack, reveals that Janeway also had a human daughter back on Earth before she returned from the Delta Quadrant. When she and the crew of the USS Voyager were officially declared dead, her family decided to use eggs frozen by Janeway years earlier to fulfill her wishes for a daughter. While this is unconfirmed on-screen, the book revealed that Ensign Amelia Janeway is now a serving Starfleet officer, suggesting she may make an appearance in Star Trek: Prodigy.
4 Ensign Beckett Mariner, Daughter Of Captain Carol Freeman
While Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) is one of the lead characters in Star Trek: Lower Decks, she’s also the daughter of both a Starfleet Captain and an Admiral. Beckett is the daughter of Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and Admiral Alonzo Freeman (Phil LaMarr). Mariner’s flexible approach to Starfleet regulations often drives a professional and familial wedge between her and Carol, even when her heart’s in the right place. In Lower Decks season 4, Mariner and Freeman’s relationship hit breaking point after the former was blamed for a tabloid hit piece against the Cerritos. Thankfully this was just another temporary bump in the road, and Mariner returned to help her mother and the Cerritos defeat the rogue Texas-class starships.
3 Thaddeus Troi-Riker, Son Of Captain Will Riker And Counselor Troi
Star Trek: Picard season 1 revealed that Captain William T Riker (Jonathan Frakes) of the USS Titan had a son and daughter with his wife Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). Thaddeus Troi-Riker was named after one of Will’s descendants – a Union soldier whose life was saved by a Q. Sadly, Thaddeus Troi-Riker died from a neurological condition at a young age, because the rigid Synth ban implemented by the Federation prevented a cure from being found. Thad’s death drove a wedge between Will and Deanna, but by the time of Star Trek: Picard season 3, the couple was able to reconcile their grief and move on more positively.
2 Kestra Troi-Riker, Daughter Of Captain Will Riker And Counselor Troi
Kestra Troi-Riker (Lulu Wilson) was Will and Deanna’s surviving child, who lived with them in their semi-retirement on Nepenthe. Kestra was an avowed pacifist, although she was also very handy with a bow and arrow, like her older brother Thad. Kestra quickly formed a friendship with Soji Asha (Isa Briones), the “daughter” of Will and Deanna’s former USS Enterprise-D android colleague Data (Brent Spiner). Will and Deanna are seeking a new life away from Nepenthe, but Kestra was purportedly attending Starfleet Academy during the events of Star Trek: Picard season 3.
1 Jack Crusher, Son Of Captain Jean-Luc Picard And Dr. Beverly Crusher
Although Jean-Luc only learned about his son after becoming an Admiral, Jack Crusher was conceived while Picard was still Captain of the USS Enterprise-E. The result of the on-again off-again romance between Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher, Jack was kept away from his father. This was a decision made by Beverly to protect her young son from his father’s many enemies. Little did she know that from the moment he was conceived, Jack Crusher’s Borg fate was secured, as he inherited DNA from his father’s time spent in the Collective as Locutus.
After decades of believing that he didn’t have what it took to be a father, Jean-Luc Picard finally proved himself by saving his son and the rest of the galaxy from the Borg Collective. With the issues between father and son now resolved, Jack Crusher benefited from a fast-track rise through Starfleet Academy to become an Ensign. Now that Jack is serving aboard the USS Enterprise-G alongside Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Lt. Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut), they can carry the extensive legacy of their forebears into the uncharted territory of Star Trek‘s 25th century.
