Abstract: Recent advancements in the study of protoplanetary disks and planet atmospheres have brought the field of exoplanet research to the brink of a major breakthrough in our understanding of planetary systems' origins and evolutionary pathways. Space telescopes such as HST and JWST are integral to this pursuit. As a leader in innovative space telescope observing programs, I have uncovered 3D structures in planetary atmospheres and expanded our understanding of protoplanet populations. These findings have aided in the challenge of connecting the formation histories and atmospheric properties of exoplanets. In my presentation, I will share time-resolved observational results of brown dwarfs and planetary-mass companions that provide direct empirical constraints on heterogeneous clouds and circulation regimes in substellar and planetary atmospheres. Additionally, I will detail how I transform HST into a planet imager and use it to discover, validate, and characterize protoplanets. Finally, I will outline the pathways toward a comprehensive understanding of the formation, evolution, and atmospheric processes that lead to the diversity of planetary characteristics.