Worf's (Michael Dorn) confusing status has to be settled in Spiner returned as Dr. Adam Soong in season 2, but Picard season 3 will mark the long-awaited returns of Gates McFadden, LeVar Burton, and Michael Dorn. Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas promised season 3 will be a "proper send-off" for the beloved TNG crew, but hopefully, the tumult surrounding Worf will finally be settled.
The most popular Klingon character in Star Trek history, Lieutenant Worf debuted in Star Trek: The Next Generation's premiere, "Encounter at Farpoint," and he remained a key cast member throughout TNG's record-setting 7-season run in syndication. Through Worf, the first Klingon in Starfleet, the Klingon culture was thoroughly explored and defined. Worf also became the USS Enterprise-D's Chief of Security, a role he retained after TNG made the jump to feature films. In Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, where he became the space station's strategic operations officer from seasons 4-7. Worf also fell in love and married Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), who was tragically murdered in DS9 season 6. Yet Worf also returned to the Enterprise and took part in every TNG movie during and after DS9 ended its 7-season run. Worf's final canonical appearance was in 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis so Star Trek: Picard season 3 marks the Klingon's long-awaited return after 21 years.
Because of the Klingon splitting his time between Star Trek: The Next Generation's movies and Deep Space Nine, Worf's status has been contradictory and needs to be clarified. On DS9, Worf had a complicated life and career completely separate from his experiences on the Enterprise. Yet every time Worf returned for a TNG movie, he was placed back into his familiar role on the bridge as Security Chief with no mention of his role on DS9. This was especially glaring in Star Trek: Nemesis, which took place years after DS9's finale and the end of the Dominion War. In DS9's conclusion, "What You Leave Behind," Worf killed Chancellor Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) and briefly became the Klingons' leader before he ed the role to his dear friend, General Martok (J.G. Hertzler). Worf then left the space station to become the Federation's Ambassador to Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld. Yet in Star Trek: Nemesis, Wolf suddenly appeared back in his Starfleet uniform and serving on the Enterprise as if DS9 never happened.
There is also the question of whether or not Worf is the current Captain of the Enterprise. In the backstory for Star Trek: Picard season 1, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) was promoted to iral and left the Enterprise to lead the Federation's mission to rescue the Klingons from their star going supernova. Una McCormack's novel Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope explained that iral Picard ed the USS Enterprise-E to Worf, his First Officer, who was promoted to Captain. However, Star Trek novels may or may not be canon, and Worf as Captain of the Enterprise has not been canonically established in any Star Trek TV show thus far.
Hopefully, Star Trek: Picard season 3 will finally reconcile Star Trek: Discovery season 1.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+ and Season 3 Premieres in 2023.