Which season of TNG first featured the character Ro Laren?

Ro Laren first appeared in Season 5 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, in the episode “Ensign Ro.” The episode is the third installment of that season and introduced Michelle Forbes as the Bajoran ensign with a troubled Starfleet record.

Ro was created to add a more conflicted, unconventional presence to the Enterprise-D crew. Her backstory includes a court-martial and imprisonment after she disobeyed orders during a mission in which another officer was killed. In “Ensign Ro,” Starfleet assigns her to help investigate a supposed Bajoran terrorist threat.

She became a recurring character through Seasons 5, 6, and 7. Ro’s later decision to join the Maquis made her an important link between TNG, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager-era Federation politics. Viewers sometimes confuse her with other Bajoran characters, but Ro’s first TNG appearance is specifically in Season 5.