Summary
- Robin Lefler left a lasting impression with just two appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation, offering depth to her character.
- Lefler's rules, including "You can only count on yourself" and "Life isn't always fair," added complexity to her lonely persona.
- Despite potential for more appearances and even a scrapped storyline, Lefler's impact extended to novels, leaving fans wanting more.
In the history of science fiction television, there are few franchises that are as beloved and that have left as big a footprint as Star Trek. The original series, complete with James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock started the Star Trek fandom but where that show left of, Star Trek: The Next Generation picked things up and ran with it. And while there were some people who didn’t think there could be a show more beloved than the original, TNG managed to take its predecessor’s popularity and elevate it to another level.
One of the most endearing things about Star Trek: The Next Generation was not just that the main cast were people that fans could root for and feel like they had deep connections with, but so were the guest stars who would make appearances on the show now and then. Oftentimes, the guest stars would play recurring roles. Sometimes they were there to be expendable. A different kind of redshirt who were famously always destined to die on an adventure. Other times they were villains that plagued the crew from one season to the next. And sometimes they were they to add a romantic interest for one of the series’ main stars. It’s the latter where Robin Lefler enters the picture.
What Star Trek Episode Left Unanswered Questions?
At the end of the final episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q is about to tell Captain Picard something about his potential to explore more than just the stars, then decides not to, saying instead that he will "find out". It might have just been Q being Q, but even after the third season of Star Trek: Picard we are still left wondering what exactly it was that Q decided not to tell Picard.
Robin Lefler and Wesley Crusher Together Forever?
Robin Lefler is an interesting entry in Star Trek: The Next Generation because she appears in just two episodes, but she’s left a rather lasting impression. Lefler was played by a young Ashley Judd and was put on the show as both a love interest and friend for a Wesley Crusher who never really hung out with people his own age.
As the genius son of Dr. Beverly Crusher, he tagged along with his mother when she joined the Enterprise and from the very beginning had an uneasy relationship with Captain Jean Luc Picard and the rest of the command crew. Despite being as young as he was, he showed a strong ability to pilot the Enterprise and solve many problems from engineering, and it was in that department that he first encountered Robin.
Robin Lefler appeared in just two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Her debut was in a small role Season 5, Episode 2, “Darmok.” This was the episode where the Enterprise runs across a new species of alien so totally unknown to the Federation that they cannot use their universal translators in order to communicate, so the crew are forced to figure out how to speak the species’ language while also saving Captain Picard from a kidnapping/bonding exercise with his counterpart among the aliens. Robin Lefler made appearances but didn’t have a particularly large part in the show, at least onscreen.
Robin Lefler made appearances but didn’t have a particularly large part in the show, at least onscreen.
It was in Season 5, Episode 6, “The Game,” where Wesley and Robin really bonded and where Ashley Judd got the most screen time for her character. A new kind of game was brought on board by Commander Riker and it turns out it’s quite addictive, eventually enslaving most of the crew. Wesley and Robin both bond, and strike up what was clearly a romantic relationship while solving how to beat and get rid of the game and make sure that the crew of the Enterprise can be freed.
After the pair completed their mission, it certainly seemed as though she might end up being a mainstay on the show as they were definitely headed towards being a couple. But it appears that Judd had other things she wanted to do in her career and moved onto other things than the Enterprise. Interestingly enough, despite appearing in a pair of episodes, there ended up being quite a bit of lore around her, thanks in no small part to her personal set of rules she shares with Wesley during “The Game.”
The Rules Of Robin Lefler
While the entirety of Robin Lefler’s rules were never shared, viewers did get a few from the ones she imparted to Wesley while they were striking up their romantic flame. The rules were a way for the writers of Star Trek: The Next Generation to flesh out the character of Robin Lefler despite not having the time or ability to really give her a deep backstory. Those rules, which numbered 102 personal adages included:
- You can only count on yourself. (No. 1)
- When all else fails, do it yourself. (No. 17)
- You gotta go with what works. (No. 36)
- Life isn't always fair. (No. 46)
- Always watch your back. (No. 91)
Viewers likely noticed that quite a few of her rules seemed to indicate she was a rather lonely person. And in fact, one of the first things she tells Wesley is that her first friend was a tricorder.
Lefler, despite her short stay on Star Trek: TNG was such a popular personality she either made appearances or was mentioned in several novels where more of her laws were spelled out.
It's up for debate how many of Robin's rules were entered into the official Star Trek canon.
She was also supposed to appear in more episodes and was reportedly even supposed to appear in more. There was even one - eventually scrapped - Star Trek storyline where Robin Lefler turns up as the wife of Wesley Crusher years later. Unfortunately, that never became canon.
What Star Trek: The Original Series Episode Holds Up The Best?
The original series of Star Trek has a few hits and a lot of episodes that haven't stood the test of time quite as well. But of all the relatively brief series' episodes, The City On The Edge Of Forever stands out for its unique premise and genuinely well-written story. It's a true sci-fi classic, beyond just being a great Star Trek episode, but one that every Trek fan should absolutely watch even if you're not a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series.
- Release Date
- 1987 - 1994-00-00
- Network
- Syndication
- Showrunner
- Gene Roddenberry
- Directors
- Cliff Bole, Les Landau, Winrich Kolbe, Rob Bowman, Robert Scheerer, Jonathan Frakes, Robert Wiemer, Gabrielle Beaumont, Alexander Singer, David Carson, Paul Lynch, Corey Allen, Patrick Stewart, Chip Chalmers, Joseph L. Scanlan, James L. Conway, Robert Lederman, Tom Benko, Timothy Bond, Robert Legato, Adam Nimoy, Robert Becker, David Livingston, LeVar Burton
- Writers
- René Echevarria, Maurice Hurley, Richard Manning, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Tracy Tormé, Hannah Louise Shearer, Stuart Charno, Ira Steven Behr, Sara B. Cooper, Peter Allan Fields, Herbert Wright, Frank Abatemarco, Burton Armus, Hilary Bader, Morgan Gendel, David Kemper, Michael I. Wagner, Philip LaZebnik, Robert McCullough, Susan Sackett, Nick Sagan, Fred Bronson, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Sam Rolfe
- Franchise(s)
- Star Trek
Cast
-
Patrick StewartJean-Luc Picard -
Jonathan FrakesCommander William T. Riker -
Brent SpinerData -
LeVar BurtonGeordi La Forge
