Summary

• Q's motivation in creating a dystopian alternate reality in Star Trek: Picard season 2 was flawed; he could have achieved his goal by repeating the classic TNG episode "Tapestry" instead.
• Annie Wersching's portrayal of the Borg Queen in Picard season 2 brought a unique loneliness and vulnerability to the character, providing a fresh spin on the Borg's desire for assimilation.
• Despite some flaws in the overall story logic, Picard season 2 still had great Star Trek moments, including John de Lancie's brilliant performance as a malevolent Q and the exploration of a Mirror Universe-like dystopia.

Star Trek: Picard season 2 had its flaws, but it had some great moments that developed the character of iral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and laid the groundwork for the Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion season. The biggest flaw in Picard season 2 was the motivation for Q (John de Lancie) to create a dystopian alternate reality, the Confederation of Earth. It was seemingly an attempt by the cosmic trickster to get Picard to forgive himself for the tragic suicide of his mother during his childhood.

However, Q could have easily done this by repeating the classic TNG episode "Tapestry", in which he took Jean-Luc back to a key moment in his past and offered him the chance to change his future. Instead, Q's plan in Star Trek: Picard season 2 saw him threaten the life of one of Jean-Luc's ancestors, create a dystopian timeline, and accidentally create a brand-new species of Borg. Somehow, at the center of all this chaos, Picard was still able to reconcile the issues with his father, Maurice Picard (James Callis), and forgive himself for the death of his mother. However, despite the flawed logic of Picard season 2's overall story, it still had some great Star Trek moments worth celebrating.

10 Annie Wersching as the Borg Queen

A fresh take on a classic Star Trek villain.

24 actress Annie Wersching played the Borg Queen in one of her final roles before her sad death in 2023. Building on Alice Krige's iconic portrayal of the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First , Wersching brought a strangely affecting loneliness and vulnerability to the classic villain. This wasn't something that had been explored before in previous Borg Queen appearances, and her desire to connect with Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) provided a fresh spin on the Collective's desire to assimilate other species. This need for connection would ultimately create a more benevolent Borg that is still out there after the end of Star Trek: Picard season 3, ensuring Wersching's legacy.

9 The Attack on the USS Stargazer

Star Trek: Picard season 2, episode 1, "The Star Gazer"

The Star Trek: Picard season 2 premiere, "The Star Gazer", saw iral Picard's presence requested aboard the brand-new USS Stargazer. Now commanded by Captain Cristóbal Rios (Santiago Cabrera), the namesake of Picard's first command found itself the receiver of a mysterious message. The unnerving scenes that followed, from the Borg requesting Federation hip to Edith Piaf's "Non, je ne regrette rien" playing throughout the ship, were an utterly thrilling start to Picard season 2. The 21st-century adventure that followed could not compete with the bizarre events unfolding on the Stargazer, which was a big disappointment.

8 John de Lancie as Q

The beloved Star Trek actor brought back Q's malevolence.

By the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Picard and Q were practically begrudging friends. The banter between them was always part of the charm of a Q episode, but something drastically changes in Star Trek: Picard season 2. Q slaps Picard in the face and becomes increasingly unpredictable as the season goes on. This off-kilter Q is brilliantly played by John de Lancie, who performs the cosmic trickster with a level of malevolence not seen since his first appearance in TNG. The story of the immortal god facing death may have been a cheap way to mirror Q and Picard's characters, but it did at least give John de Lancie some new aspects of the character to perform.

7 The Confederation of Earth

Picard finally gets his own Mirror Universe story.

Although Star Trek: The Next Generation never explored the Mirror Universe, Picard gets a chance to visit an alternate fascist reality thanks to Q's meddling. As Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had revealed the Terran Empire had fallen, a new dystopian reality had to be conceived. The Confederation of Earth is essentially Star Trek's Mirror Universe in all but name. It's just as brutal and all-conquering as the Terran Empire. Picard's study is decorated with the skulls of his enemies, and the USS Enterprise-D gets a brutal upgrade. It was an interesting insight into the TNG era's alternative dystopia and reaffirmed everything that Picard fights against.

6 Seven of Nine Embracing Her Humanity

Seven gets to experience a universe free from prejudice.

Due to the Confederation of Earth wiping out the Borg Collective, Annika Hansen (Jeri Ryan) never became Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard season 2's alternate timeline. This allowed Jeri Ryan to emphasize Seven's human side in her performance, giving a new take on the character. Free from the prejudice that stopped her from being accepted into Starfleet, Seven can enjoy herself at a party for the Europa mission astronauts and finally gets to be seen for who she is without her Borg enhancements. Ultimately, the fresh perspective she gained from Picard season 2 allowed Seven to become a more rounded and brilliant Starfleet officer aboard the USS Titan-A.

5 Captain Rios' Staying On 21st Century Earth

It was a fitting ending for the Star Trek: Picard character.

Although Rios' ending may have been controversial for side-stepping Star Trek's World War 3 timeline, it was a fitting end for the character. Captain Rios had always been something of an old soul, and his enjoyment of the authentic cigars and food of the 21st century greatly appealed to him. So too did the prospect of working with the Mariposas to bring medical supplies to struggling communities. His love for Dr. Teresa Ramirez (Sol Rodriguez) and her young son Ricardo (Steve Guttierez) sealed the deal for the Starfleet captain who never truly fitted into the 24th century.

4 Brent Spiner as Dr. Adam Soong

TNG's Data has another tragic ancestor.

Brent Spiner added another branch to Star Trek's Soong family tree by playing the role of tragic geneticist Dr. Adam Soong. Adam's genetic experiments were seemingly focused on curing the health of his ailing daughter, Kore Soong (Isa Briones). However, it was revealed that she was the most successful of Soong's experiments to create an artificial human. Soong stopped at nothing to prove the merits of his experiments and cure his daughter, even siding with the Borg Queen and Q to do so. While Adam Soong did want to save Kore, it's hard to deny that he was actually working against Picard and the crew to protect his damaged ego. Adam Soong was a compelling character played brilliantly by Star Trek: The Next Generation legend Brent Spiner.

3 FBI Agent Martin Wells

Played by The Shield's Jay Karnes

FBI agent Martin Wells (Jay Karnes) provides an interesting counterpoint to Jean-Luc Picard in the episode "Mercy." Coming straight after Jean-Luc has reconciled his own childhood trauma, Picard helps Wells come to with his own youthful experiences. Wells was a dogged FBI agent who effectively combined the worlds of Star Trek and The X-Files by way of Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Arresting Picard and Guinan (Ito Aghayere) to prove that they were aliens, Wells ultimately lets them go when Jean-Luc convinces the FBI agent that the alien he met as a child was not a threat, and that Wells had the power to save the future of humanity.

2 The Return of Wesley Crusher

Wil Wheaton's surprise cameo teased the TNG reunion.

Wil Wheaton's Wesley Crusher made a surprise return in the Star Trek: Picard season 2 finale. Recruiting Kore Soong to the Travelers was the first proper glimpse of Wesley since he ed the ethereal group in Star Trek: The Next Generation's final season. Although Wesley didn't appear alongside his TNG co-stars in Picard season 3, his return did set up one of the big aspects of the finale. Reminding viewers of Wesley, and, by association, his father, Jack Crusher, was a smart move ahead of the surprising revelations about Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), the son of iral Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden). It was also pleasing to see that Wesley was continuing to do good in the universe decades after his TNG departure.

1 Picard and Q's Farewell

A hug that was almost 40 years in the making.

Although the road to get there was incredibly complicated, the final scene between Picard and Q was deeply moving. Q revealed that he was trying to get Picard to allow himself to be loved, essentially setting up Jean-Luc's new-found family in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Q has always had a deep fondness for Picard, and it's clear that this fondness was driving his last act before his death. While the logic of Q's plan falls apart under scrutiny, it's hard to deny the chemistry between Patrick Stewart and John de Lancie. Their touching final scene together ensured there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

All episodes of Star Trek: Picard are streaming now on Paramount+.