The Enterprise heads to Earth where Captain Picard is to deliver this year's commencement address at Starfleet Academy. While en route, Superintendant Brand informs Picard that there has been an accident involving Wesley Crusher and Nova Squadron, in which one of the cadets was killed. During the accident investigation, it becomes clear that Wesley and the other cadets are concealing the cause of a fatal accident. After Picard discovers the cover-up, Wesley must decide whether to support the team or tell the truth.

Wil Wheaton (Cadet Third Class Wesley Crusher)
Ray Walston (Boothby)
Robert Duncan McNeill (Cadet First Class Nicholas Locarno)
Ed Lautre (Lt. Commander Albert)
Richard Fancy (Captain Satelk)
Jaqueline Brooks (Superintendant Admiral Brand)
Walker Brandt (Cadet Second Class Jean Hajar)
Shannon Fill (Cadet Second Class Sito Jaxa)
Richard Rothenberg (Cadet)

• Nova Squadron's members are Cadet 1C Nicholas Locarno, Cadet 2C Jean Hajar, Cadet 2C Sito Jaxa, Cadet 3C Wesley Crusher, and Cadet Joshua Albert.
  
• Nova Squadron was trying to perform the Kolvoord Starburst Maneuver, a banned stunt, and Cadet Joshua Albert was killed. The Academy banned the maneuver 100 years ago after an accident resulted in the loss of five cadets.
  
• The cadets now have rank bars on their uniform collars, indicating their year: 4 bars for 4th year cadet Locarno (who is formally referred to as a First Class cadet).
  
• Nicholas Locarno is expelled from the Academy. The remaining students received a formal reprimand and their credits for their current year were cancelled, requiring them to repeat the year.
  
• This the first episode where the grounds of Starfleet Academy are shown. It is also Boothby's first appearance.
  
• Robert Duncan McNeill later went on to play Lt. Tom Paris on Star Trek: Voyager.
  
• Ensign Sito (a Bajoran) is assigned to the Enterprise in the 7th season (see the episode "Lower Decks").