star trek captain picard

Star Trek: Picard

View history

Star Trek: Picard is the eighth main series set in the Star Trek universe, the ninth including the companion series Star Trek: Short Treks , and the eleventh Star Trek series overall. Picard is produced by CBS Studios and stars Patrick Stewart , reprising the role of Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation . [1] The new series is set twenty years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis , [2] dealing with "the new chapter in Picard's life."

The series forms part of Alex Kurtzman 's five-year deal with CBS to expand the Star Trek franchise . The first season debuted on CBS All Access , which subsequently became Paramount+ . [3] Kurtzman serves as executive producer on the series along with Stewart, as well as James Duff , Akiva Goldsman , Michael Chabon , Trevor Roth , Heather Kadin , and Rod Roddenberry . In addition, Aaron Baiers serves as co-executive producer. [4] Writer Kirsten Beyer devised the concept for the series, [5] and she features as part of the writing staff alongside Kurtzman, Duff, Goldsman, and Chabon. Chabon served as the first season's showrunner. [6]

1 Production history
2 Opening credits
3.1 Special guest stars
3.2 Recurring guest stars
4.1 Season 1
4.2 Season 2
4.3 Season 3
5.1 Production
5.2.1 Reception
5.2.2 Products
6 Related topics
8 External links

Production history

The series was announced at the Star Trek Las Vegas convention on 4 August 2018 , where Stewart appeared alongside Kurtzman to reveal his involvement. At the time of the announcement, the series was still early in pre-production, with no scripts written yet. [7] According to the actor, the possibility of Picard's return had been suggested to him about a year before, but he originally planned to reject the idea. However, upon revisiting episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and realizing the power and influence of the series, he changed his mind. [8] On making the announcement, Stewart referred to the news as "unexpected, but delightful". [9]

It was reported that, on the day before the announcement, CBS applied for a number of trademarks in classes relating to entertainment, which could be connected with the new series. Marks applied for included " Star Trek: Reliant ", and " Star Trek: Destiny ", a title that shares its name with a post-TNG Star Trek novel trilogy . [10]

Work in the writers' room began in September 2018 , and an image of the staff with Stewart was shared by the actor at the end of that month. [11] This image featured Stewart, Duff, Goldsman, Beyer, Chabon and also Diandra Pendleton-Thompson , who had not been previously announced as one of the series' writers. Production was expected to begin in April 2019 , according to Kurtzman, [12] and the series is filmed in California. [13] In December 2018, CBS Corporation Chief Creative Officer David Nevins stated that CBS expected the series to launch late in 2019. [14]

In January 2019 , Kurtzman announced that the series would acknowledge the prime universe elements of Star Trek , stating that " Picard's life was radically altered by the dissolution of the Romulan Empire . " [15]

On 1 March 2019 , it was announced that Hanelle M. Culpepper would be directing the first two episodes of the series. [16] This marks the first time that a black woman was directing the series premiere of a Star Trek series.

On 4 March 2019 , the first two series regulars besides Stewart were announced, Santiago Cabrera and Michelle Hurd . [17] Later in March, Evan Evagora was added to the cast as a series regular. [18]

On 17 April 2019 , it was announced that Alison Pill , Harry Treadaway , and Isa Briones were joining the cast. [19]

On 22 April 2019 , production on the show began. [20] The Star Trek: Picard production is based out of Santa Clarita Studios (SCS). SCS is an independent studio production facility based in Santa Clarita, California, 35 miles north of Hollywood. Although Star Trek was returning to Hollywood, like all of the previous series save Star Trek: Discovery , it is not being shot at Star Trek 's previous home of Paramount Studios. [21] Paramount lost not only its television division, but the entire franchise as well, when the former Viacom was split in late 2005 into the new Viacom (Paramount's holding company at the time Picard began filming) and the CBS Corporation , with Star Trek ownership passing over to the latter. (The two corporations re-merged to form ViacomCBS in December 2019; ViacomCBS was rebranded as Paramount Global in February 2022.)

Shortly before filming began, Michael Chabon was appointed as showrunner. [22] However, CBS did not announce Chabon's position until 27 June 2019 . [23]

On 13 May 2019 , the announcement was made that Amazon Prime had acquired the international streaming rights for the new series, each episode to be aired 24 hours after its American premiere on CBS All Access . [24] [25] Stewart confirmed the news the same day on his Twitter account. [26]

On 15 May 2019 , the first seven-second teaser, revealing the new show's title and logo, was released. [27] This was followed on 23 May by the first live-action teaser trailer in both the CBS All Access and Amazon Prime Video variants. [28] [29] The voice of the teaser trailer's female narrator was not from any of the then-known contracted actresses, but rather from voice actress Merrin Dungey . [30] It was after the series had premiered, that it became apparent that Dungey was also given the guest-starring part of Richter .

On 20 July 2019 the first official Season 1 trailer , coming in at 130 seconds, was unveiled at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con. The trailer featured footage of former Next Generation co-star Brent Spiner , and Star Trek: Voyager star Jeri Ryan reprising her role as Seven of Nine . It was also announced that Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis would each be reprising their roles as William T. Riker and Deanna Troi , respectively.

Robert Picardo revealed on 29 July 2019 that he has been approached about a possible appearance in a second season of the show. [31]

On 31 August 2019 , Michael Chabon posted on Instagram that filming for the first season had been completed. [32]

On 17 September 2019 , Patrick Stewart told The Huddersfield Daily Examiner in his native Yorkshire that " there is ... the possibility of a second Picard series filming in March next year. " [33]

On 5 October 2019 , a second trailer debuted at New York Comic-Con, and it was announced that the first season would air on CBS All Access beginning on 23 January 2020 .

On 7 October 2019 , Kurtzman confirmed that a second season of Picard was "already in the works". [34]

An interview released on 29 November 2019 mentioned Ayelet Waldman as a member of the writing staff for Picard . [35]

On 10 December 2019 , it was announced that Michael Chabon would step down from his role as showrunner, but would remain involved in the show. [36]

On 20 December 2019 , a third teaser trailer debuted almost exactly one month ahead of the CBS All Access series premier online. The teaser revealed new pieces of footage with Jean-Luc Picard in what appears to be Ten Forward , the bar on the USS Enterprise -D , among other quick new moments with William T. Riker , Dr. Agnes Jurati, and what appears to be a Borg flashback. [37]

The renewal of Star Trek: Picard for a second season was informally revealed on 16 December 2019 , and formally announced on 12 January 2020 . [38] [39] The same day, it was announced that Terry Matalas had joined the staff of Picard , and was likely to take over as showrunner from Chabon. [40] Also joining the writing team was Marc Bernardin .

The series premiered in North America on 23 January 2020 on CBS All Access with its first episode " Remembrance ", with the rest of the world following suit the next day through Amazon Prime Video.

In August 2020 , Alex Kurtzman said that the Picard writers' room had continued to meet via Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. [41]

Opening credits

The opening title sequence for Star Trek: Picard was meant to connect viewers to Picard's journey in a way that was "more intimate" and "more emotional", containing imagery of Château Picard , a Borg cube , chips and pieces that would culminate into Picard himself. [42]

Teaser image of Picard in Picard

Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard
Alison Pill as Dr. Agnes Jurati (Seasons 1-2)
Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine (Seasons 2-3)
Isa Briones as Soji Asha , Dahj Asha , Sutra (Season 1), and Kore Soong (Season 2)
Evan Evagora as Elnor (Seasons 1-2)
Michelle Hurd as Raffaela Musiker
Orla Brady as Laris and Tallinn (Season 2)
Ed Speleers as Jack Crusher (Season 3)
Santiago Cabrera as Cristóbal "Chris" Rios , Emil , Emmet , Enoch , Ian , and Mister Hospitality (Seasons 1-2)
Harry Treadaway as Narek (Season 1)
Brent Spiner as Adam Soong (Season 2)

Special guest stars

LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge (Season 3)
Daniel Davis as James Moriarty (Season 3)
John de Lancie as Q (Season 2)
Michael Dorn as Worf (Season 3)
Michelle Forbes as Ro Laren (Season 3)
Jonathan Frakes as William T. Riker (Seasons 1 & 3)
Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan (Season 2)
Walter Koenig as Anton Chekov (voice) (Season 3)
Alice Krige as the Borg Queen (voice) (Season 3)
Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher (Season 3)
Tim Russ as Tuvok , Tuvok (Season 3)
Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine (Season 1)
Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi (Seasons 1 & 3)
Brent Spiner as Data and Altan Soong (Season 1); Daystrom Android M-5-10 (Season 3)

Episode list

PIC Season 1 , 10 episodes:

PIC Season 2 , 10 episodes: [43] [44] [45]

PIC Season 3 , 10 episodes: [46]

Development

Picard lead Patrick Stewart initially had no intention whatsoever to reprise his role, feeling that the role had run its course, but decided to accept the invitation for a talk with the producers, as he felt it was only courteous to explain his reasons for declining the part in person. However, during the meeting and its follow-ups, Producer Michael Chabon was able to change Stewart's mind as he was fully willing to take Stewart's vision of an older Picard into account. In the process, Chabon entirely discarded the original story treatment he had written for the opening episode, and started a new, heeding Stewart's concerns. ( TRR : " Remembrance ") Stewart himself has confirmed this (including his initial disinclination to take on the role again) during his appearance on the British talk show The Graham Norton Show (Season 26, Episode 16, 17 January 2020), shortly before the series premiered. [47]

Marina Sirtis appeared with the same wig and contact lenses that she wore in Star Trek Nemesis . She held on to them after that production finished, and informed Picard producers of this, likely saving them time and the US$10,000 it would have cost to make a new wig. [48]

In the months leading up to the premiere of the new series, a monthly prequel three-volume comic book mini-series, Star Trek: Picard - Countdown , was released by IDW Publishing , starting in November 2019. The comic book series introduced several characters, later featured in the live-action production, as well as dealing with events that led up to the ones featured on the show.

Additionally, the Star Trek: Picard Movie & TV Collection Blu-ray Disc set (which incidentally, included the exclusive sixteen-page Star Trek: Sky's the Limit comic book, likewise from IDW [49] ) saw an October/November release as an appetizer. [50] The majority of the titles included in the collection contained events referenced to in the series, which held especially true for TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ", Star Trek: First Contact , and Star Trek Nemesis .

The London, UK, "Picardilly Circus" subway station

Aside for Patrick Stewart's own remarks on the new show, it was also revealed in the above-mentioned The Graham Norton Show episode, that the London Underground station Piccadilly Circus was temporarily dubbed "Pica r dilly Circus" in anticipation of the new series, whereas Stewart himself had related how he came across a New York City subway line map into which an imaginary subway line was incorporated, outlining the Starfleet arrowhead logo. [51] Both of these occasions had been part of the official franchise overall marketing strategy. London public transportation Head of Customer Information, Design and Partnerships at Transport for London, Julie Dixon, clarified, " We're thrilled to partner with Amazon Prime Video to create this exciting takeover of one of London's most well-known Underground stations to celebrate the launch of Star Trek: Picard . The Star Trek franchise is a global sensation and we're excited to mark this next chapter in a creative and engaging way that connects with tens of thousands of people. We hope that the out of this world activity has brought a bit of unexpected fun to our customers and that they boldly go on their commute, young or old. " [52] The New York City MTA metro company Stewart had come across, additionally dispensed Star Trek: Picard -themed cards/tickets at six pre-selected metro stations, aside from displaying the series billboards and having adjusted its subway line map where the six stations were linked to form the Starfleet arrowhead. [53] [54]

In its first season, Star Trek: Picard was nominated for five Emmy Awards , all in "technical" categories such as makeup and sound editing. It won one, "Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special".

FanSets debuted its first Star Trek: Picard pins in 2019.

CherryTree previewed a prototype of its Borg Cube ATX Limited Collector's Edition computer in July 2019 , [55] and the final version reached retail in January 2020 . [56] Smaller ITX builds of this cube debuted in June 2020 . In 2021, the company displayed a prototype for its forthcoming computerized Star Trek: Picard Borg Cube Record Player . [57]

In June 2019 , Eaglemoss/Hero Collector 's project manager Ben Robinson reconfirmed that the company would manufacture starship miniatures from the series, and later indicated that they would be about 150 to 250 mm in length, similar to ships from its DIS starships partwork . The first four sets of CG starship assets were received from the production in March 2020 , and the first products, models of La Sirena , the USS Zheng He , Fenris Ranger vessel , and the Romulan Bird-of-Prey were scheduled. [58] In October 2020 , the company announced that its forthcoming PIC starship line would be combined with ships from Star Trek: Discovery (after the release of issue 33 of the DIS collection) and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds into a new partwork , which was subsequently named the Star Trek Universe: The Official Starships Collection and debuted in March 2021 . [59] Robinson added, " We've got 9 or 10 Picard ships followed by the Disco season 3 fleet. " [60]

In June 2021, Eaglemoss released its first, larger XL Edition model of a "hero ship" from PIC within its Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection . Three starship classes from the series are also covered in the second edition of the company's Star Trek: Shipyards - Starfleet Ships 2294 to the Future reference book . [61]

Hallmark has scheduled the release of its La Sirena Christmas ornament for October 2021 . [62]

On 13 July 2021 , ViacomCBS Consumer Products and Playmates Toys jointly announced that the latter had acquired new licensing for " action figures, vehicles and ships, role play and other toy categories ", and slated the first of these products for retail release in 2022. Among other Star Trek series and films, this licensing encompasses Star Trek: Picard , Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Lower Decks , and Star Trek: Prodigy . [63]

CherryTree Borg Cube ATX Limited Collector's Edition prototype

External links

Star Trek: Picard at Wikipedia
Star Trek: Picard at the Internet Movie Database
Star Trek: Picard at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Cast & crew
User reviews

Star Trek: Picard

Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Patrick Stewart, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, Todd Stashwick, and Ed Speleers in Star Trek: Picard (2020)

Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life. Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life. Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life.

Kirsten Beyer
Michael Chabon
Akiva Goldsman
Patrick Stewart
Michelle Hurd
2.8K User reviews
78 Critic reviews
14 wins & 54 nominations total

Episodes 30

Burning Questions With the Cast of "Star Trek: Picard"

Jean-Luc Picard

Raffi Musiker

Seven of Nine

Dr. Agnes Jurati

Cristóbal Rios …

Adam Soong …

La Sirena Computer

Jack Crusher

Doctor Beverly Crusher

Captain Liam Shaw

Ensign Sidney La Forge

Ensign Esmar

Titan Computer …
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Stellar Photos From the "Star Trek" TV Universe

Nichelle Nichols and Sonequa Martin-Green at an event for Star Trek: Discovery (2017)

More like this

Did you know

Trivia The Chateau Picard vineyard first appeared in Family (1990) . It was run by Jean-Luc Picard's brother Robert and his wife Marie, and their son René. Jean-Luc would learn in Star Trek: Generations (1994) that Robert and René had both burned to death in a fire, leaving Jean-Luc as the last in the Picard line.
Goofs Commodore Oh often wears sunglasses. Star Trek lore establishes that Vulcans have an inner eyelid to protect against harsh sunlight on their desert planet. Oh's shades are a fashion statement, not a protective measure.
The first season features a Borg cube and the planet Romulus.
The second season features a Borg ship, a wormhole and hourglass, and the Borg Queen's silhouette.
The third season does not have an opening titles sequence.
Connections Featured in Half in the Bag: Comic Con 2019, The Picard Trailer, Streaming Services, and Midsommar (2019)

User reviews 2.8K

Feb 23, 2024

Exceptional Robots on Film & TV

How many seasons does Star Trek: Picard have? Powered by Alexa
Are they going to have any other characters from previous Star Trek shows in this new show?
Is there an air date?
Why make a TV series about Picard rather than a movie?
January 23, 2020 (United States)
United States
Official site
Star Trek: Captain Picard
The Sunstone Villa and Vineyard, Santa Ynes, California, USA (Château Picard)
CBS Television Studios
Roddenberry Entertainment
Secret Hideout
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Runtime 46 minutes
Dolby Digital

More to explore

Screen Rant

Star trek: jean-luc picard's entire character timeline explained.

Whether he's captaining the Enterprise or solving the mystery of Dahj Asha, Jean-Luc Picard is one of Star Trek's most important characters.

Jean-Luc Picard is one of the most important characters in Star Trek history, and his lengthy timeline touches several generations of the franchise. First seen as the captain of the USS Enterprise-D, Jean-Luc Picard immediately stood out from the captains that came before him because of his strict moral code. Though he was somewhat stern and inflexible, Picard's character was always the shining example of the Federation's lofty ideals, and he embodied the utopian future that Star Trek took place in. Whether on the small screen or the large, Jean-Luc Picard has never failed to live up to his high standards of excellence.

While he appears in every episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the TNG films, Jean-Luc Picard's adventures started long before he boarded the Enterprise, and they carried on after the ship was decommissioned. Though Picard changed after his days on TNG , the foundation of his character remained fixed, and he was even seen to be an example to future Starfleet officers centuries in the future. Even so, Picard wasn't immune to making mistakes of his own, and his flaws were an important part of the leader that he would become.

RELATED: All 5 Actors Who Played Jean-Luc Picard In Star Trek

Early Life (2305 - 2323)

Jean-Luc Picard was born in the Earth year 2305 in the La Berre region of France to Yvette and Maurice Picard. He had an older brother named Robert, and the pair worked in the family's vineyards as children and were slated to take over the family business when their father retired. As seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 2, "Family," Jean-Luc's relationship with his brother was strained due to the former's overachievement. Every Picard family member brought something different to young Jean-Luc's life, and his relationship with his father fell apart when he decided to join Starfleet instead of continuing in the family business.

At Starfleet Academy (2323 - 2327)

After first failing to gain admittance to Starfleet Academy, Picard was eventually accepted in 2323 where he began excelling academically. In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 19, "The First Duty," it was revealed that Picard befriended a groundskeeper named Boothby, who helped him become more mature during his days at school. While at the Academy, Picard took an interest in archeology but opted not to pursue it as a career in favor of the Starfleet Officer track. Jean-Luc Picard graduated at the top of his Starfleet Academy class in the year 2327 but still retained many of his academic pursuits for the rest of his life.

Picard As A Junior Officer (2327 - 2333)

Shortly after graduating from the Academy in 2327, Picard received a metal heart after being stabbed by a Nausicaan during a bar fight, and he was later forced to relive the memory during Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 15, "Tapestry." This brush with death forever shaped Picard, and he often referenced it as the moment he finally became mature. Picard earned his first ship posting aboard the USS Reliant where he met and befriended Jack Crusher and eventually met Crusher's fiancée, Beverly Howard. Picard made a name for himself by leading an away team on the planet Milika III where he helped save an ambassador's life.

The Stargazer (2333 - 2355)

Years before becoming one of the captains of the Enterprise , Picard bounced from posting to posting before landing as the helmsman of the USS Stargazer in 2333. Later that year, he took command of the Stargazer after the captain was killed. Picard's promotion to captain of the ship made him one of the youngest officers to ever achieve the rank. Picard retained command of the Stargazer for years, and over that span, he had several failed romantic relationships. In 2353, Jack Crusher was killed on an away mission under the command of Picard, and he was tasked with informing Beverly of her husband's death.

RELATED: Picard & Crusher Explaining Jack Is One Of Star Trek's Greatest Scenes

In the year 2355, the Stargazer was attacked by a Ferengi vessel and Picard devised an ingenious maneuver to thwart his enemies, though the ship was destroyed in the process. The "Picard Manuever" was first used to vex the Ferengi, but the destruction of the ship led to Picard being court-martialed for his military tactics. Eventually, Picard was acquitted of his criminal charges and was granted another command, though details of that period of his life have not been covered in any canon sources. Between 2355 and 2363, Picard captained an unknown vessel with almost nothing being revealed about that time.

Captain Of The Enterprise-D (2363 - 2371)

The year 2363 saw Jean-Luc Picard's decades in Starfleet rewarded when he was given command of the flagship vessel, the USS Enterprise-D. Picard assembled a crew of officers from his past, including Dr. Beverly Crusher and Lt. Tasha Yar, and made new connections with officers like Commander William Riker, and Lt. Commander Data. The being known as Q visited Picard for the first time on the ship's maiden voyage in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, episode 1, "Encounter at Farpoint," and returned on numerous occasions to test the humanity of Picard and his crew.

In 2365, Q transported the Enterprise 7,000 light-years across the galaxy and forced Picard to make first contact with a cybernetic species known as the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, episode 16, "Q Who." A year later, in season 3, episode 26, "The Best of Both Worlds," the Borg made their first attack in the Alpha Quadrant and assimilated Picard in the process. The ensuing Battle of Wolf 359 destroyed 39 Federation vessels, and though Picard was rescued, his time in the collective haunted him. During his time as captain of the Enterprise, Picard earned his reputation as a stark defender of the Prime Directive.

Captain Of The Enterprise-E (2371 - 2381)

Making an indelible mark on James T. Kirk's Star Trek timeline , Jean-Luc Picard teamed up with the Starfleet legend to stop Dr. Tolian Soran in 2371 during the events of the movie Star Trek: Generations . Unfortunately, the USS Enterprise-D was destroyed when the ship crash-landed on the planet Veridian III. The Enterprise-E was quickly commissioned, and in the year 2373, Picard led his crew back to the year 2063 to stop the Borg from assimilating Earth in the past, to prevent the future, in the movie Star Trek: First Contact .

RELATED: First Contact Was The Origin Story Star Trek Needed

A few years later, in 2375, during the events of the movie Star Trek: Insurrection , the Enterprise crew uncovered a conspiracy within the Federation to forcefully relocate the residents of the planet Ba'ku so that their planet's rich resources could be exploited. Then, in 2379, a clone of Picard named Shinzon went rogue and destroyed much of the Romulan Senate in an attempt to stage a coup of the planet's government. Though Star Trek: Nemesis ' failure killed the TNG movies , it moved Picard's story forward when Lt. Commander Data sacrificed himself to save the crew and win the day.

Later Starfleet Career (2381 - 2387)

As established in Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 1, "Remembrance," Picard was promoted to admiral in the year 2381. In 2385, he was given the important task of creating a fleet of ships to rescue the population of the planet Romulus, who would soon become victims of a massive supernova. However, rogue synths attacked the shipyards on Utopia Planitia and rendered the planet inhospitable to life. The attack led to the Federation's synth ban and arrested any future plans of developing a rescue fleet by the Federation Council. Picard threatened to retire in order to spur the Council into action, but they made no such move, and Picard retired.

Brought Out Of Retirement (2399)

After Star Trek revealed why Picard retired , he spent 12 years on Earth working the fields that his family had cultivated for generations. In Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 1, "Remembrance," he was approached by a synth woman who explained she was Data's daughter. The woman, Dahj Asha, was murdered by a faction of Romulans, and Picard set out to locate Asha's sister, Soji. Picard called on figures from his past, including Riker and Deanna Troi, and he safely returned Soji to her home on Coppelius Station. After helping to repel a Romulan attack on the station, Picard fell ill from his recently diagnosed brain condition and quickly died.

Resurrection & Return To Starfleet (2399 - 2401)

Following his "death," Picard survived with a new body when his consciousness was transferred into a synthetic golem by Dr. Alton Inigo Soong in Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 10, "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2." With a new lease on life, Picard was reinstated into Starfleet as an admiral in 2401 and was named Chancellor of Starfleet Academy in the same year. In season 2, episode 1, "The Star Gazer," Picard was called on to investigate an anomaly that eventually saw him encounter a Borg ship. Picard was then sent back to an alternate version of the year 2024, where he saw the dark fate of that timeline.

RELATED: Star Trek Picard Season 2 Ending Explained (In Detail)

The experience was revealed to be a test by Q, and upon returning to the 25th century, Picard discovered that the Borg Queen he encountered before was actually his crew member Agnes, who opted to stay behind in 2024. Agnes, acting as Star Trek 's Borg queen , then asked the Federation for provisional member status so that she could continue to protect the galaxy from the anomaly. Having gone on one last mission, Picard once again retired, and it seemed Star Trek 's most celebrated officer was done, however, in Picard season 3, episode 1, "The Next Generation," he received a note from Dr. Beverly Crusher, asking for his assistance.

MORE: Every Picard TNG Love Interest Before Laris

More to Explore
Series & Movies

Published Feb 28, 2022

Jean-Luc Picard: Starfleet's Hopepunk Captain

Picard stands as a testament to the power of hope.

StarTrek.com

This article was originally published on January 14, 2020

“Knowing humans as thou dost, Captain, wouldst thou be captured helpless by them?” The first challenge presented to Jean-Luc Picard by the omnipotent Q was not a physical challenge, a logic puzzle, or a strategic military encounter. Instead, it was a simple thought experiment: knowing the history of humanity, would Picard deem it safe to be captured by them?

Q went on to call humanity “a dangerous, savage child race” and backed up the point with clear evidence. Wars over geographical domination, murdering in the name of religion, exploring deep space only to instigate violence; Q painted humanity in its worst light, resulting in a test for Picard to prove that humans had moved past that. Q’s nihilistic vision of humans was ‘ grimdark ,’ even before the term hit our popular zeitgeist in the 2000s. Fittingly, the character of Jean-Luc Picard was defined by his response: compassionate, thoughtful, and with a strong moral compass. His ideals have crystallized in an idea gaining traction in popular culture under the term ‘hopepunk.’

But what is hopepunk? Depending on who you ask, the definition can shift, but the general consensus is that hopepunk’s umbrella covers things such as finding meaning in the struggle, building solutions through compassion, standing up for what you believe in, and pushing the world towards a kinder, more accepting place. It means understanding that kindness in itself is a form of resistance, one that can spark as much change as a violent revolution.

Star Trek: Picard Season 2, First Look

The actual term hopepunk came from fantasy novelist Alexandra Rowland in 2017 via a Tumblr post with the intention clearly stated: “The opposite of grimdark is hopepunk.” Grimdark, of course, is the tonal descriptor given to much of the entertainment created in the 2000s and 2010s, where nihilism and violence live in a chicken-and-egg cycle. During this period, grimdark media hit the mainstream thanks to the changing media landscape and a greater acceptance towards more serious genre work and more serialized storytelling, seemingly peaking with The Walking Dead , Game of Thrones , and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

Hopepunk rejects that sort of nihilism and puts faith in a more optimistic vision (some might say a more Roddenberry-esque vision), one where stories champion right over might, acceptance over discrimination, hope over fear — even if it requires the ultimate sacrifice.

And there’s nothing more hopepunk in science fiction than Jean-Luc Picard. In fact, Patrick Stewart seemed to have recognized this even before the term’s recent surge in popularity. “During these past years, it has been humbling to hear stories about how The Next Generation brought people comfort, saw them through difficult periods in their lives, or how the example of Jean-Luc inspired so many to follow in his footsteps, pursuing science, exploration, and leadership,” Stewart wrote upon announcing the new Picard series in 2018 . “I feel I'm ready to return to him for the same reason — to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times.”

How very hopepunk indeed. And how did Jean-Luc Picard inspire so many people? Let’s take a look at seven moments where the captain of the Enterprise-D personified hopepunk.

The Ressikan Flute

“The Inner Light” is one of Star Trek ’s most beloved episodes, not only for the tour de force performance of Patrick Stewart but from the haunting lesson of how the spirit of someone, even an entire civilization, can live on through memory. The actual launch of the probe is in itself a very hopepunk idea, but the way that Picard understands its gravity — not just of his own personal experience, but of the cumulative memories of a people — compounds this notion. Rather than treat the events of “The Inner Light” as a ‘lesson of the week,’ it became a touchstone for Picard, and the hope for that civilization echoed as an integral part of his character, most notably in the episode "Lessons," though the flute is seen in Picard’s ready room in other episodes and the films.

A Chance at Life for Moriarty

In “Elementary, Dear Data,” the holodeck was programmed to create a mystery and an adversary capable of taking on Data’s android brain. The result was a self-aware Moriarty, who in most narratives — including his native Sherlock Holmes stories — would be a clear villain. Yet despite Moriarty’s unscrupulous behavior, Picard empathizes with his situation and recognizes his evolution as a potentially sentient being. Picard’s decisions to not just preserve Moriarty, but also attempt to give him a meaningful existence demonstrates a significant level of compassion when he could have easily recognized Moriarty as a risk and deleted him.

Giving Hugh a Choice

Picard faces the Borg drone Hugh with contempt in his Ready Room in 'I, Borg'

The PTSD impact of Picard's capture and assimilation into the Borg collective echoed into numerous episodes beyond “The Best of Both Worlds,” even going into the pilot of Deep Space Nine and getting its own film in First Contact . In between those, Picard still managed to put his personal demons aside as he develops compassion for Third of Five — or, as he becomes known upon discovering individuality, Hugh. Using Hugh as a vector for an invasive program capable of breaking the Borg’s collective processing was deemed by Picard as unacceptable, something that would put the Enterprise on the same level as them. Instead, Picard suggests inverting this, allowing Hugh to keep his identity and agency over his own destiny. With that action, Picard also hopes that the scan of Hugh brings a moment of individuality among the Borg collective — a sense of hope and identity that may turn the tide in the relentless monolith that is the Borg.

When The Walls Fell

Stranded on a remote planet with an adversary lacking the ability to communicate, Picard’s journey during the episode “Darmok” represents a strong allegory about the importance of understanding to overcome a fear of the other. In this case, Picard refuses to give up in his attempts to understand how Dathon is communicating, and this commitment to understanding — and empathy — is about as hopepunk as you can get. The phrase “Shaka, when the walls fell” may represent failure to Dathon, but the destruction of metaphorical walls between cultures is something we can all strive for.

The Guiding Principle of Starfleet

When addressing a violation of ethics at Starfleet Academy by Wesley Crusher in “The First Duty,” Picard pledges that Starfleet is more than conquering the stars or military might or even peacekeeping; it is about truth. “The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth, whether it's scientific truth, or historical truth, or personal truth! It is the guiding principle on which Starfleet is based, and if you can't find it within yourself to stand up and tell the truth about what happened, you don't deserve to wear that uniform.” Ideas of exploration and heroic space battles and other space opera tropes are exciting and romantic when compared to the simple notion of the truth. But Picard recognizes that without truth, everything else can easily be glossed over or obfuscated; truth is the foundation of hope, and maintaining that truth is a requirement to a strong moral compass.

“There Are Four Lights”

The importance of truth is tested for Picard in the two-part “Chain of Command,” and its relevance echoes particularly strong today. In an age where we are constantly bombarded with disinformation across digital media, the term “gaslighting” has become recognized in mainstream discourse. The fight that we all face, as Picard does, is maintaining the truth when someone is gaslighting you. Through physical and mental torture at the hands Cardassian officer Gul Madred, Picard clings onto the truth, even as Madred promises release should Picard break and admit the false statement that he is looking at five lights. Patrick Stewart’s performance as he defiantly shouts “There are four lights!” is not just one of the most powerful moments in Star Trek , but a brilliant demonstration of the strength of human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity.

The Price We Have to Pay

The very idea of hope requires a certain bravery to care, and an understanding that maintaining hope is an investment in time and faith. In “The Drumhead,” retired Starfleet Admiral Satie investigates an explosion, which soon becomes a means for exploiting her own personal bigotry. Her extremist views become exposed as she ignores facts to achieve her own vendetta. The episode becomes a courtroom drama, with Picard using Satie’s own words and lineage against her until her extremist views and conspiracy theories dissolve. At the end of the episode, Picard notes that extremists like Satie are never truly gone, and instead in the wings for the right time to flourish. Keeping them at bay requires a commitment to keeping hope alive. “Vigilance,” he says to Worf. “That is the price we have to continually pay.”

Mike Chen (he/him) writes science fiction and about science fiction. His second novel A BEGINNING AT THE END (Mira/HarperCollins, January 2020) is a post-apocalyptic story with hope, and he firmly believes that Jean-Luc Picard would enjoy it. Twitter: @mikechenwriter

Star Trek: Picard streams on Paramount+ in the United States, in Canada on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave, and on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories.