Summary

  • Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 suggests that Beverly Crusher is destined for a tenure in the captain's chair as she showcases her command potential.
  • Doctor Crusher, Chief Medical Officer of the USS Theseus, asserts control and skillfully appeals to others to help end the threat of the Red Path.
  • While it is not her first time in a command position, IDW's Star Trek comics offer the opportunity for Beverly Crusher to further develop her leadership skills.

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Day of Blood #1!

As IDW's Star Trek builds toward the climax of its God War, an underrated Star Trek: The Next Generation crew member has stepped up to show their command potential, with the events of Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 suggesting that Beverly Crusher is destined for a tenure in the captain's chair.

Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 – written by Christopher Cantwell, Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, drawn by Ramon Rosanas, colored by Lee Loughridge and lettered by Clayton Cowles – shows that Doctor Crusher, Chief Medical Officer of the USS Theseus, is exploring “life beyond sickbay” and even reveals that Captain Sisko personally asked her to join him as Second Officer.

Related: "It's Too Late: Star Trek's New Ultimate Klingon Is a Critique of Real-World Politics

Doctor Crusher Is Moving Beyond Sickbay

Panels from Star Trek Day of Blood 1

In Day of Blood #1, a text piece, made to resemble a briefing, reveals that Sisko asked her to join him on board as the ship’s Second Officer. Sisko’s instincts about her command skills pay off in the issue: while on the Klingon home world, Doctor Crusher asserts control on the Theseus and Defiant crews, who had descended into petty squabbling. Later, she skillfully appeals to two of Defiant’s toughest customers: Romulan Commander Sela and the still-unnamed Orion medic. Doctor Crusher plays on Sela’s desire for glory and the Orion’s need for safety. She convinces them to work with her, Sisko, and Worf to end the threat of the Red Path.

Doctor Crusher Has Been in Command Before

Dr. Crusher in command of the Enterprise in Star Trek TNG

Played by Gates McFadden, Doctor Crusher was the Enterprise’s Chief Medical Officer for six of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s seven seasons. Recently, in IDW's Star Trek ongoing, she joined the USS Theseus under the command of Captain Benjamin Sisko, who'd been sent back to our reality by the Bajoran Prophets to discover who was killing the universe’s god-like beings. After determining the culprit was the Klingon Emperor Kahless, aided by his Red Path cult, Sisko’s mission took on a new sense of urgency, and he asked Doctor Crusher to serve as his Second Officer. Hesitant at first, Crusher eventually accepted – and now she is showing off her command potential.

While IDW's Star Trek teases its exploration the possibilities of Doctor Crusher in command, it is not her first time in the captain’s seat. In the TNG episode “Descent Part II,” Doctor Crusher was temporarily in command of the Enterprise while the other senior officers were on an away mission. In that episode, Doctor Crusher demonstrated she could handle the duties of a starship captain, but it was never followed up on in any subsequent Next Generation episodes or films. In an alternate timeline depicted in the series finale, “All Good Things,” Crusher was skipper of the medical ship Pasteur.

Most recently, in Star Trek: Picard’s final season, Crusher captained her own ship, running medical supplies to those in need. With the current line of IDW Star Trek comics filling in the gaps between previous series and Picard, it is likely readers will continue to see Beverly Crusher sharpen her command skills, with Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 being only a taste of her aptitude for leadership. Being the captain of a ship is the dream of nearly everyone entering Starfleet, but some officers exist outside the traditional command structure – and as such rarely get their own ships. Beverly Crusher gives Star Trek the chance to change that.

Star Trek: Day of Blood #1 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!