Picard season 3 is honestly doing some amazing things on television with the lore of Star Trek and its long history. And the season is only 3 episodes in. Not only is this season acting as a true sequel to Star Trek: The Next Generation, it’s bringing in elements of other Star Trek series and franchises from the past. Season 1 already brought back Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine from Star Trek: Voyager as a regular cast member. But the Picard season 3 villains are an even more of a deep cut of previous Star Trek shows. Read on to find out how the Picard season 3 villains are very familiar.
Please note that the following will contain major spoilers for Picard season 3, up until episode 3 titled, ‘Seventeen Seconds’.
Picard Season 3 Combines Many Elements From Previous Star Trek
Like mentioned before, with the return of classic Star Trek: The Next Generation characters in Picard season 3, it’s the only show so far in canon that feels like it’s set in the whole universe, not just its own little corner. Other shows and movies felt limited to featuring just the cast of their respective show and movies. With the rare exception of some cross-overs and cameos.Except in the case of Chief Miles O’Brien (Colm Meaney) and Worf (Michael Dorn) who both successfully transitioned from regulars on Star Trek: The Next Generation, to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
But Picard season 3, so far, has brought back Picard’s old Number One in William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Worf, and Deanna Troi (Marina Spirits) in flashbacks. There are also many connections to other TNG characters like Geordi LaForge’s daughter in Sydney LaForge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut). But with the most recent episode of Picard, we really go deep into Star Trek lore with the reveal of the Picard season 3 villains.
A Major Reveal Of The Picard Season 3 Villains
On the run from this mysterious new warship called The Shrike, the Titan soon realizes that they have a saboteur on board who is leaving a trail for them to follow. While concurrently, Worf and Raffi (Michelle Hurd) are investigating the devastation caused by a stolen portal weapon. A weapon, that The Shrike keeps using against Picard, Riker, Crusher and Picard’s newly discovered son, Jack, all aboard the Titan.
After Jack (Ed Speleers) and Seven discover the trail and put an end to it, An Ensign (Chad Lindberg) ends up attacking Jack. After a scuffle, the Ensign’s face ripples and changes. Intercut with this story is that of Worf And Raffi’s interrogation of a suspect, who is seemingly in distress from what might be drug withdrawals. However, they soon realize that it’s not withdrawals, but rather the inability to maintain his solid shape. It’s a Changeling!!
Who Are The Changelings?
The Changelings are a race of beings introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine who were responsible for the massive Dominion war featured in that series. They were beings that were primarily in a liquid state, which they stay in while on their planet, as part of The Great Link. Their liquid property allows them to shapeshift into any object or person, of any race, making them one of the more formidable Star Trek villains. Their one weakness is that after a certain time, they struggle to maintain their solid shape, without regenerating in liquid form for some time.
While initially, the Dominion War was between a warrior race known as the Jem’Hadar, with the Cardassians eventually joining later. Later on, we learned that the Changelings, or Founders as tthe Dominion knew them, were behind the whole thing
Eventually, the war ended. However, as Worf explains to Raffi, a small faction of Changelings broke off, vying for the destruction of Federation. And it looks like the Changelings are the main Picard season 3 villains. But what exactly their plans are is still a mystery. And how the Captain of the Shrike chasing Titan, Vadic (Amanda Plummer) factors into it all, is still unknown. But the introduction of the Changelings as the villains is a huge reveal and definitely makes Picard feel a lot more Star Trek, than previous shows, Given how they’re incorporating parts of the universe not just limited to TNG, but the entire franchise at their fingertips.
Star Trek: Picard season 3 episode 3 is now streaming on Paramount+.
What did you think of the new, but old, Picard season 3 villains? What do you think it all means for the rest of the season? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter at @theshahshahid.
