The Travelers, who count Wesley Crusher among their number, are one of Star Trek's most enigmatic races, but they were depicted much darker in the comics. Throughout IDW Publishing’s Star Trek: Year Five, Supervisor Gary Seven was a recurring villain, continually trying to kill Captain Kirk. Picard’s second season revealed that these Supervisors work for the Travelers, who generally seem benevolent, but 2021’s Star Trek: Year Five #24 paints them in a far more sinister light.
Although the Travelers were not officially named until Star Trek: Picard’s season two finale, their presence has been felt throughout the franchise since the Original Series episode “Assignment: Earth.” Intended to be a backdoor pilot for a new series, the episode introduced Supervisor Gary Seven, sent to Earth with superpowers to help guide it through the rough times ahead. Seven remained one of the franchise’s biggest loose ends until Picard, when it was revealed that Supervisors like Seven worked for the Travelers, an enigmatic group capable of manipulating time and space. The first Traveler appeared on-screen in the first season The Next Generation episode 'Where No One Has Gone Before' and later, at the show’s conclusion, Wesley Crusher joined them. Wesley’s whereabouts remained a mystery until the Picard finale, when he returned to recruit a new member. The Travelers appeared benevolent in the episode, but Star Trek: Year Five presented a much darker vision.
