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Star Trek: Picard

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

Michelle Hurd

  • Raffi Musiker

Jeri Ryan

  • Seven of Nine

Alison Pill

  • Dr. Agnes Jurati

Santiago Cabrera

  • Cristóbal Rios …

Evan Evagora

  • Adam Soong …

Jonathan Frakes

  • La Sirena Computer

Orla Brady

  • Jack Crusher

Gates McFadden

  • Doctor Beverly Crusher

Todd Stashwick

  • Captain Liam Shaw

Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut

  • Ensign Sidney La Forge

Joseph Lee

  • Ensign Esmar

Amy Earhart

  • 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)

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Star Trek: Discovery

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

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  • 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

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Why Jean-Luc Picard is the definitive Star Trek captain

There are many reasons the Enterprise-D’s main man is worthy of his own show. Engage!

jean blank picard star trek captain

It’s become tradition that Star Trek shows are named after spaceships. Since The Next Generation, a run of Deep Space Nine*, Voyager, Enterprise and Discovery has made sure that the vessels have taken top billing ahead of the crew – but that’s about to change with the arrival of Star Trek: Picard , whose first trailer debuted at San Diego Comic-Con .

It’s a measure of Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s standing that the latest series from Trek’s reborn TV franchise should bear his name. It doesn’t feel at all inappropriate, because in the 32 years since he made his debut on the bridge of the USS Enterprise-D, Picard’s become the definitive commanding officer in the United Federation of Planets fleet. 

Even though Star Trek: Picard will visit strange new worlds and be set in a previously unexplored period in the Trek timeline (a couple of decades after the Next Generation crew’s disappointing final mission in Star Trek: Nemesis), Picard’s status is so legendary that there’s no doubt he’s a bigger deal than any ship, planet or event. 

While James Tiberius Kirk got there first (or, technically second, if you count the original Star Trek pilot’s Christopher Pike), Picard set the standard for what boldly going is all about – and anyone who follows is destined to be compared to him. From the beginning, it was obvious Jean-Luc was as radical a departure from Kirk as he could possibly be; more outwardly cerebral, not so emotional, and rather less up for a scrap. When the two captains meet in rather contrived circumstances in Star Trek: Generations, it’s clear they’re fundamentally opposed on everything aside from a shared interest in saving the day. The space cowboy and the statesman were never going to be natural BFFs – if anyone from The Next Generation was cut from the same cloth as Jim Kirk, it’s first officer Will Riker, the action man who led most of the Enterprise’s away missions.

But Kirk was never really a product of the future. Although the original Trek is, on paper, a show set in the 23rd century, at its heart it’s about the ’60s. Sure, it has some impressively progressive moments for the time – not least the groundbreaking Kirk/Uhura kiss – but the captain is as much a product of the TV of the era as the Starfleet Academy. He’s the quintessential square-jawed hero, just as comfortable beating up a bad guy or chatting up an alien woman as he is piloting a starship. Lose the uniform and the phaser and Kirk could walk into pretty much any other action show of the time.

Picard, however, is not simply an ’80s guy relocated to a starship. Instead, he’s the figure who most embodies Gene Roddenberry’s idealistic vision for the future – perhaps ironic, considering the late Star Trek creator was not instantly won over by Patrick Stewart in the role.

Jean-Luc Picard is the selfless Starfleet officer who totally buys into the idea of a utopian world, where there’s no need for money, and everyone simply works for the betterment of society. The Enterprise is his life – a glimpse at the family he could have had in Generations shows what he’s sacrificed for his career – and his raison d’etre is making the galaxy a better place. He’s a skilled tactician, a top diplomat, and the perfect manager of any species. Most impressively, perhaps, he’s tolerant of Wesley Crusher. In other words, he’s the kind of person everyone would like to be their boss, because we know he’d get the best out of all of us.

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jean blank picard star trek captain

Picard’s relationship with the long-serving Enterprise crew is particularly interesting. There’s clearly respect, affection and friendship there, but also a professional distance that means the captain is perennially lonely – as his tragically unrequited love for Dr Beverly Crusher proves. He could be one of the gang but he chooses not to be – there’s no forced bonhomie, or David Brent-style “chilled out entertainer” vibes – and it’s only in the wonderful series finale “All Good Things” that the actual, genuine (non-duplicate) Picard accepts the crew’s long-standing invitation to join their regular poker night. 

Such relentless professionalism could have become boring, but despite being a man whose natural habitat is an office (sorry, ready room) with a fish tank in the corner, Picard’s the most compelling presence in any setting. The sheer quantity of strings on his bow is mind-blowing: he can make squabbling Klingons hang on his every word; he can resist torture, even when he’s not sure whether or not there are “four lights”; he’s the emotional anchor for Spock’s ailing dad, Sarek; and he’s even head-hunted by the Borg, famous for their disdain for the individual, to be the public face of their invasion force. And despite being the source of the famous facepalm meme and numerous catchphrases – “Engage!” ”Make it so!” “Tea, Earl Grey, hot.” – Picard has never, ever been a figure of fun.

jean blank picard star trek captain

Basically, “what would Jean-Luc Picard do?” has become the mantra for every Trek captain who’s sought out new civilisations since. Yes, Deep Space Nine’s Benjamin Sisko and Voyager’s Kathryn Janeway had their own nuances and foibles, but they – and even subsequent commanders who pre-date Picard in Trek canon, such as Enterprise’s Jonathan Archer, and Discovery’s Michael Burnham and Christopher Pike – will always be judged against Picard. 

Of course, all this would be for nothing if the man inhabiting the uniform wasn’t such an all-round acting powerhouse. But in a show that’s theoretically built around an ensemble, Patrick Stewart was always first among equals, a star who made everyone around him look better.   

It’s hard to believe now what a leftfield choice Stewart was back in 1987. This was an English actor in his late-40s, who’d had supporting roles in The Elephant Man and Dune, but was best known for his stage work. He wasn’t even a household name in his native UK. Perhaps most radically for American television in 1987, he was a bald leading man – early auditions where Stewart wore a wig are, fortunately, consigned to history.  

Ultimately, Picard made Stewart and Stewart made Picard. The two men are so intertwined it’s impossible to imagine anyone else playing the captain if The Next Generation ever got JJ Abrams’ Star Trek -style reboot – even a quality actor like Tom Hardy felt like a poor imitation as a young Picard clone in Nemesis.

Whether he’s making tachyon pulses sound plausible, piloting a shuttlecraft or temporarily losing his calm to briefly become an unhinged Ahab figure in First Contact, Stewart owns the character. Indeed, even in a show where a lack of serialisation meant character evolution was minimal, Stewart always kept Picard compelling. On the flipside, who knows if Stewart would ever have gone on to star in big movies like X-Men and Logan were it not for his time on the Enterprise bridge?

In this golden age of television , having an actor of Stewart’s calibre reprising the role that made him is incredibly exciting – and as the Borg would say, “resistance is futile”. Picard and Stewart are synonymous; together, they’re unstoppable. With both on board, Star Trek: Picard has the potential to be legendary – Jean-Luc wouldn’t put his name to anything else. Make it so!

Star Trek: Picard will air on CBS All Access in the US and Amazon Prime Video in the UK from early 2020. Who’s your favourite Star Trek captain? Let us know in the comments below.

* Yes, we know Deep Space Nine is technically a space station, but you get the idea.

Rich is a freelancer journalist and editor, and was once a physicist. Rich was once the editor of SFX Magazine, but has since gone freelance, writing for websites and publications including GamesRadar, SFX, Total Film, and more. He also co-hosts the podcast, Robby the Robot's Waiting, which is focused on sci-fi and fantasy. 

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Jean-Luc Picard's Entire Timeline Explained

Patrick Stewart, Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation

From Jonathan Archer to Philippa Georgiou,  "Star Trek"   captains are the heroes who hold their crews together as they explore strange new worlds and boldly go where no man has gone before. But while the sci-fi franchise has seen some impressive leaders like Benjamin Sisko and Christopher Pike, Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Introducing himself to fans as the captain of a newer, more advanced version of the iconic Enterprise in 1987's "Encounter at Farpoint" – the first episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"  –   Picard went on lead his crew into danger and glory for seven seasons and four major motion pictures. Compared to his predecessor, James T. Kirk of the original series, Picard was less of a ladies' man and nowhere near as trigger-happy. But that didn't mean he shied from adventure. In his time aboard the Enterprise, Picard struck bargains with interstellar gods, waged war on cyborg collectives, and altered the courses of alien empires forever. He made Earl Grey tea famous, he didn't like kids, and he regularly quoted the all-important Prime Directive (usually right before breaking it).

But if you haven't seen "The Next Generation (TNG)" and want to know more about the man, or if you just need a refresher on your "Star Trek" history, then read on as we explain Jean-Luc Picard's entire timeline.

A traumatic childhood

Born in La Barre, France, young Jean-Luc Picard had a troubled upbringing. The first glimpse of his childhood comes in the "TNG" episode titled "Family," where he visits his brother Robert on Earth. In this episode, we learn that Jean-Luc and Robert helped their father take care of the family's vineyards. We also learn that the rest of Jean-Luc's family are traditionalists, don't favor advanced technology like replicators, and certainly don't have a high opinion of the vaunted Starfleet. Meanwhile, his brother is something of a bully to him.

But we learn much more about the young Picard's early life in Season 2 of "Star Trek: Picard." Apparently, he had an especially close relationship with his mother Yvette. But Yvette suffers from severe mental illness, and despite her husband Maurice's pleas, she refuses to seek help. As a result, Maurice is often forced to lock her in her room to prevent her from self-harm during particularly difficult episodes, which leads to one of the most life-altering moments in Jean-Luc's life.

Amid one of his mother's episodes, she calls to Jean-Luc to let her out of her room. When he does, it ultimately leads his mother to ending her own life. Picard carries the guilt of this incident with him all of his life, only finally coming to terms with it as an older man.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Picard's academy days

Moving past tragedy, Jean-Luc's time on the family vineyard continues to frustrate him, as he has little interest in the family business of wine making. It doesn't take long for Jean-Luc to figure out that his path leads to the stars, and the future Enterprise captain soon gains a reputation as an overachiever, becoming a sports champion as well as valedictorian of his high school. Against his father's wishes, Jean-Luc leaves home for Starfleet Academy as soon as the opportunity arises, though it takes him two attempts before his application is accepted.

In Season 6's "Tapestry," we learn a little bit more about what kind of man he is during his Academy days. Far from the steady, stoic, commanding leader, Picard is a brash, fiery, cavalier sort, and even something of a womanizer while at Starfleet Academy. It's there that he meets both Jack Crusher and Beverly Howard, with the three becoming close friends. We also learned he had something of an unrequited crush on Academy mate Marta Batanides.

But we also witnessed an event just after his exit from the Academy that leaves its deepest mark on him. While waiting for his first assignments, Picard gets into a brawl with a group of Nausicaans over a game of dom-jot. Overmatched but refusing to back down, Picard is stabbed through the heart, and while he survives the injury, he's left with an artificial organ in his heart's place.

Picard's commands before the Enterprise

We don't know a lot of details about Picard's post-Academy life before he got command of his own ship. From the Season 2 episode "The Measure of a Man," we learn that at one point, he served on the USS Reliant, but we know few details about his time there. We know a bit more about his first command aboard the USS Stargazer. He started there as a bridge officer, but he made his way up the ranks the old-fashioned way – being the highest ranked officer left alive in the middle of a battle. 

Jean-Luc commanded the Stargazer   for two decades, until he and the surviving crew were forced to abandon the vessel after a battle with a Ferengi ship (though the Stargazer   would be recovered years later in the Season 1 episode "The Battle"). Among some of the more relevant events in Starfleet history, the Stargazer   saw action in the Federation's wars with Cardassia, and the ship's final battle led to the "Picard Maneuver " being coined for the unorthodox move Jean-Luc made   to destroy the enemy vessel.

More personally relevant to Picard was his friendship with Jack Crusher aboard the Stargazer.   Jack was the late husband of Beverly Crusher and father to Wesley, both of whom wind up serving aboard the Enterprise. It's Picard who, while commanding the Stargazer, sent Jack Crusher on an away mission that led to his death .

Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise

There are some dark years between the loss of the Stargazer   and Picard's command of the Enterprise. It seems clear Picard enjoyed command over at least one other ship in that time span, but we don't know its name or if it was his only post before "Encounter at Farpoint."

Regardless, when we meet Picard in the "TNG"   series premiere, he's already taken command of his famous ship. His orders send him to Deneb IV, "beyond which lies the great, unexplored mass of the galaxy." On the way there, the Enterprise   has its first fateful meeting with the trickster, god-like alien Q.

With a few short breaks here and there, Picard remains in command of the Enterprise-D   until its destruction in 1994's "Star Trek: Generations" (which, by the way, is one of the worst "Star Trek" movies ). He and his stalwart crew get to explore quite a bit of that "great, unexplored mass," and along the way, they encounter aliens both benevolent and hostile, including the fan-favorite Borg. Some of the more memorable Picard-focused episodes include "Darmok" when the captain struggles to communicate with a race that speaks in metaphors, "The Inner Light" when a mysterious satellite telepathically causes Picard to live an entire lifetime in a matter of minutes, and the two-part "Chain of Command" when Picard is captured by the Cardassians and subjected to horrific torture. 

His connection to the Borg

In the Season 2 episode "Q-Who?" the deceitful Q uses his powers to send the Enterprise deep into unexplored parts of the galaxy where they encounter the Borg for the first time. The Borg act as a single collective mind and rebuff all attempts at communication in favor of seeking to overpower the Enterprise. Q eventually sends the ship back to Federation space, but before the episode ends, Guinan implies the Borg are sure to return. 

The Borg re-emerge in the two-parter "Best of Both Worlds" (which are some of the best "TNG" episodes ), when they kidnap Picard and assimilate him into their collective. Picard is eventually rescued, and it proves the Borg's Achilles' heel as his connection to the collective allows Data to command the invaders to sleep. But as early as the following episode, "Family," it's clear Picard is severely traumatized by the experience.

This wouldn't be Picard's last encounter with the Borg, however. In "I, Borg," the Enterprise   crew rescues a Borg calling himself Hugh who's somehow capable of independent thought. They meet him again in the two-part "Descent" as the leader of a group of liberated Borg resisting the control of Data's twin brother, Lore. And finally, Picard would be forced to confront the Borg and his overwhelming need for vengeance against them in 1996's "Star Trek: First Contact," when the aliens attempt to assimilate the Federation by going back in time before the Federation's founding. 

The captain and his Tin Man

One of the most interesting relationships on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" is the kinship that develops between Picard and the android Data. By the end of the series and the subsequent films, it's clear Picard holds the android close to his heart. He sees Data as, at the very least, a close friend. However, at times their connection doesn't seem all that different than that between a father and a son. 

Picard reveals part of his fascination with, and admiration for, Data in the Season 2 episode "The Measure of a Man." Data attempts to resign his commission so that an insistent Starfleet scientist can't run experiments on him which will wipe out his memory. The scientist argues Data, as a machine, doesn't have the right to resign his commission, and Picard assumes the difficult task of proving that Data is a sentient being with the right to make his own choices and not be subjected to anyone else's ownership. Picard famously tells the presiding judge, "Your Honor, Starfleet was founded to seek out new life." Then, pointing to Data, he says, "Well, there it sits ." 

Data is tragically forced to sacrifice himself at the end of the final "TNG" film, 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis," though it's hinted he could return in a new form.

That time he got involved with Klingons

In Season 4's "Reunion" and later in the two-parter "Redemption," Picard helps alter the course of the Klingon Empire as the "arbiter of succession." Picard is appointed as arbiter by the dying Klingon chancellor, K'mpec, who insists tensions in the empire are at the point that no Klingon can be trusted with the task. As arbiter, Picard's job is to weigh the worth of the two challengers, Gowron and Duras. By the end of "Reunion," K'mpec is dead, and no new chancellor has been officially announced. Things get even more complicated when Worf, claiming vengeance for the murder of his mate K'Ehleyr at Duras' hands, transports over to Duras' ship and kills him. 

The rite is finally completed in "Redemption," when Picard finally announces Gowron as the rightful chancellor. But then, two Klingon sisters from the House of Duras, B'Etor and Lursa, appear with a boy named Toral who they claim is the son of Duras, so should be considered a challenger in the rite. Picard later confirms Toral is the son of Duras, but that he is too young and inexperienced to be considered chancellor. The decision pushes the Klingon Empire into open civil war. Eventually, the House of Duras' conspiracy with the Romulans is exposed, and Gowron resides over a reunited empire. As an added benefit, Worf and his house are redeemed in the eyes of his people.

Picard and the legacy of Spock

In spite of their respective series being separated by two decades, Jean-Luc Picard proves to be an important figure in the life of Spock. 

The first time Picard significantly touches Spock's life is in the third season's "Sarek." Spock himself doesn't appear but his father, Sarek – who appears in both the original series and many of the original crew's movies as an important Federation diplomat – boards the Enterprise   to negotiate a trade deal with the Legarans. Unfortunately, it soon becomes clear that Sarek suffers from a rare degenerative disorder called Bendii Syndrome that causes his emotions to run wild. So that Sarek can maintain enough control to continue with the negotiations, Picard agrees to a mind meld which transfers Sarek's mental chaos to him temporarily. 

In the two-part "Unification," Picard comes face-to-face with Spock himself. He's sent to Romulus to find Spock because Starfleet fears the Vulcan may have defected to their rivals. Instead, Picard learns Spock is involved in secret negotiations with the hopes of bringing the Vulcan and Romulan people back together. By the end of the two-parter, Sarek finally succumbs to Bendii, and "Unification" ends with a compassionate and tender gesture on Picard's part. He allows Spock to mind meld with him, so that Spock may connect with the parts of his father that Picard experienced in the earlier episode. 

The TNG finale shows Picard a possible future

Of all the "Star Trek"   series of the past six decades, none can boast as inventive or satisfying a finale as "All Good Things...", the final episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Q is causing Picard to jump both backwards and forwards in time, so that the story takes place in the present, during the events of the first episode "Encounter at Farpoint," and decades in the future when Picard is suffering the degenerative mental disease Irumodic Syndrome.   Picard's   trips to the future are particularly difficult. With future versions of Beverly Crusher, Data, and Geordi La Forge all aware of his condition, it makes it that much more challenging to convince anyone in that time that he actually is experiencing what he says he's experiencing. 

After one of his trips to the future, Picard visits Beverly Crusher in sick bay, and she doesn't have good news for him. We learn that while Dr. Crusher can't definitively diagnose Irumodic Syndrome, she does find markers in his brain which could point to it developing later on. None of the movies hinted towards the illness beginning to emerge, but with a much older Jean-Luc appearing in "Star Trek: Picard," it's possible the syndrome may finally rear its ugly head.

Jean-Luc loses his family and the Enterprise

When the "TNG"   crew gets on the big screen for the first time in 1994's "Star Trek: Generations," it sadly comes with the death of William Shatner's Captain Kirk. And unfortunately, Jean-Luc Picard suffers some much more personal losses both in the beginning and at the end of the game-changing film. 

Early in "Generations," the Enterprise's empathic counselor Deanna Troi senses something is terribly wrong, and when she finds Captain Picard flipping through a photo album, Jean-Luc reveals he's just received news that his brother Robert and his family have been killed in a fire. We met Robert, his wife Marie, and their son René in the "TNG" Season 4 episode "Family" when Picard visited them in the wake of his assimilation by the Borg. Without a wife or children of his own, the loss has Picard lamenting the likelihood that he'll be the last one in his family line.

By the end of the movie, Picard loses the Enterprise   itself. The ship barely survives a battle with a Klingon Bird of Prey run by the villainous sisters Lursa and B'Etor. The crew evacuates to the ship's saucer section, which crashes on the surface of Veridian III. Thankfully, as Picard predicts, the  Enterprise -D won't be the last ship to carry the name Enterprise. 

We last see Picard on the big screen in Nemesis

After "Generations," Starfleet builds the Enterprise-E. Then the crew once again confronts the Borg in 1996's "Star Trek: First Contact ,"  and they stop a race of benevolent aliens from being forced from their home in 1998's "Star Trek: Insurrection." The final big screen appearance of Jean-Luc Picard comes with 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis." The Enterprise   is sent to Romulus to meet the Romulan Empire's new leader, who we soon learn has an unexpected connection to Picard. As it turns out, Praetor Shinzon (played by Tom Hardy ) is a clone of Jean-Luc. The Romulans cloned the captain in hopes of one day replacing him with their own identical agent, but when one of the empire's many power shifts took place, the clone was sent to a labor colony with the enslaved people of Remus. 

Shinzon lures Picard to Romulus because the cloning process that created him is now killing him, and his only potential cure is a complete blood transfusion with Picard. Ultimately, Shinzon's plans to kill Picard and destroy the Federation are foiled, and the clone villain dies fighting his older counterpart. On top of all that, "Nemesis"   includes huge shifts in Picard's life. For example, he loses Riker as his "number one." We learn early in the film that Riker is finally taking the captain's chair on the USS Titan, and his new wife, Deanna Troi, is coming with him. Picard means for Data to replace Riker as his first officer, but the android sacrifices himself to save his friends in the final battle.

Attack on Mars

Later in his career, Picard leaves command of the Enterprise-E and is promoted to admiral. Soon Picard sets out on a monumental mission — overseeing the evacuation of Romulus, which is under threat from an impending supernova. At his side is Lt. Commander Raffi Musiker, and the two prepare to scramble a massive fleet to relocate the population of the twin Romulan home worlds. This fleet is being assembled at the Utopia Planitia Shipyards with a workforce of mostly android Synths.

In a shocking turn of events, however, a plot masterminded by Romulan splinter group orchestrates a Synth uprising in a historical attack on Mars that destroys the entire Romulan Rescue Armada. Though Picard manages to get some Romulan refugees moved to the planet Vashti, the destruction of the fleet leaves his relocation plan in tatters and results in a ban on synthetic lifeforms. Desperate to fulfill his promise to rescue the Romulan people, Picard makes a plea to Starfleet to assemble a ragtag fleet of formerly mothballed ships, even threatening to resign if they refuse. In a shocking twist, however, Starfleet command accepts his resignation. 

Now haunted by his failures and unable to muster the same kind of respect he had in his prime, Picard leaves Starfleet life behind and goes into seclusion at his vineyard in La Barre, France. There he relocates a number of Romulan refugees personally, including former Tal Shiar agents Laris and Zhaban, a married couple who he remains close with.

Out of retirement

Trekkies were surprised when they tuned in to "Star Trek: Picard" for the first time; instead of the bold, commanding captain they recalled from "TNG," they saw a dreary, tired old man. Following his failure to save Romulus, Picard spends more than a decade living a mostly solitary life with infrequent visits with old friends from his days on the Enterprise and the Stargazer. But his quiet life in France is upended by the arrival of a young woman named Dahj, who appears to be the spitting image of his old friend, the android Data, and she's being hunted by mysterious unknown forces. 

As it turns out, Dahj is actually a synthetic life form, and she may be the key to stopping an emerging galactic threat. Without the clout he had in his heyday, Picard is forced to recruit a new crew, which includes Dr. Agnes Jurati, rogue pilot Cristóbal Rios, a young Romulan monk named Elnor, and his old friend Raffi Musiker, on a mission to unravel a conspiracy and stop a cosmic cataclysm. After making several other stops, he eventually makes his way to the Borg Reclamation Project, where Picard is reunited with the former Borg drone named Hugh who's taken it upon himself to assist other Borg to regain their former lives. 

More than just another chance to play hero, Picard's mission also allows him to finally come to terms with the death of Commander Data.

The Zhat Vash gambit

While the story in Season 1 of "Star Trek: Picard" is kicked off by the discovery of Data's daughter, the action is propelled by a mystery involving the Synths and a threat that could wipe out all life in the galaxy. From his Romulan housekeepers, Picard learns that the threat may involve the Zhat Vash. To get to the bottom of the conspiracy, Picard and the crew of the La Sirena — captained by former Starfleet officer Cristóbal Rios — must go on an unsanctioned mission that makes Picard a rogue agent in an unlikely role reversal.

During the mission, Picard meets Dahj's twin sister Sonji and is reunited with old friends Will Riker and Deanna Troi for the first time in many years. They help get him information regarding the location of a planet called Coppelius. It's there that a new race of synthetic lifeforms is being created, which the Zhat Vash believe pose an existential threat. As the planet comes under attack from a Romulan fleet, Picard gets assistance from Captain Riker — recently reinstated — who commands a Federation fleet to stop them. In the aftermath, Picard successfully convinces Starfleet to lift the ban on synthetic life, allowing Soji and others like them to live in peace.

Another victory for the valiant and noble Jean-Luc Picard, the former Enterprise captain once again saves the galaxy from total annihilation and fights for the freedom of those in need.

Death, rebirth, and return to Starfleet

The end of the first season of "Star Trek: Picard" includes a life-altering change in the story of Jean-Luc Picard, and we mean that as literally as it can possibly be. Because in the aftermath of the Romulan-Federation clash in the skies above Coppelius, Picard finally succumbs to the apparent Irumodic Syndrome that has long-plagued him, and he dies surrounded by his new crew. But on Coppelius, Picard gets a second chance at life, and it all hinges on his old friend Commander Data. 

Because also on Coppelius is Data's human "brother," Altan Soong, who has created a bio-organic golem body. With the help of Jurati, Soong is able to transfer Picard's consciousness into this new golem, which is given the form of Picard's old body. But before he does, Picard's mind is transferred into a simulation module where the consciousness of Data also resides, and his old friend has one final request. Later, Picard enters the simulation again, and says a tearful goodbye as he shuts down Data's program one final time.

Now rejuvenated with a new body, Jean-Luc Picard still has the form of an elderly man but is free of his Irumodic Syndrome. Healthy enough to live decades more, he sets out with a renewed spirit and returns to active Starfleet duty. He's accepted back into the service and appointed to the role of Chancellor of Starfleet Academy.

Q reveals a dark Picard

Just when Jean-Luc thought things are quieting down and his life is returning to normal — he's back in Starfleet and a respected leader again — an old enemy shows up to make trouble. That enemy turns out to be the not-so-immortal Q in Season 2 of "Star Trek: Picard." Much like he has in the past, he arrives to teach Picard a valuable life lesson, and he does it by throwing Picard and his new crew – Rios, Jurati, Raffi, and Seven of Nine — into an alternate timeline where Starfleet is a fascist dictatorship and Picard is their iron-fisted tyrant ruler. 

In this twisted reality, Picard has defeated all of the Confederation's greatest enemies, from Klingon General Martok to Cardassian Gul Dukat, even beheading Sarek, Director of the Vulcan Science Academy. In this dark parallel universe created by altering one thread in the history of humanity, Picard must travel back in time to find where history diverged and set right what once went wrong. To solve the mystery and fix the past, however, Picard needs the help of the Borg Queen. He also has to come face to face with his own history when he meets Renée Picard, a young woman and ancestor of Jean-Luc Picard who also plays a key role in the history of space exploration in the 21st century, and whose mission to Europa is critical to ensuring the Federation's future.

Countering a changeling threat with his old crew

Season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard" was heavily promoted as the reunion of the crew of Picard's old Enterprise, and it's all thanks to an emerging threat from one of the Federation's most deadly foes. After using the USS Titan to come to the rescue of his dear friend and on-again-off-again lover Beverly Crusher — and discovering a son he never knew (but more on that later) — Picard uncovers a conspiracy to infiltrate the Federation, and the mastermind is a vengeful villain named Vadic.

A rogue Changeling who has been kept prisoner by Section 31 following the end of the Dominion War seen on "Deep Space Nine," Vadic is bent on revenge, and seeks Picard's son to achieve it. With the help of the Titan's irascible captain Liam Shaw and his first officer Seven of Nine, they help keep his son safe while the reasons for the pursuit remain unclear. Before all is said and done, however, Picard has reassembled his old crew: the Klingon warrior Worf, engineer Geordi La Forge, and a new version of the android Data.

Bloodlines revealed ... for real this time

Season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard" introduced Ed Speleers as Jack Crusher, the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher,  whose discovery forever alters Jean-Luc Picard's life. He is the product of a whirlwind romance following the events of "Star Trek: Nemesis," and was hidden from Picard by Dr. Crusher because she feared he might become the target of his father's worst enemies.

To keep him a secret, Dr. Crusher cut off all contact with Jean-Luc and the rest of her old Enterprise shipmates. Alongside his mother, Jack grew up on the edges of the Federation frontier, helping to provide aid and supplies to those in need, but they came under attack from what would later be revealed to be enemy Changeling agents, they were forced to go to Jean-Luc Picard for help.

Incredulous and heartbroken that he had been denied the opportunity to be a father for more than 20 years, Picard nevertheless helps keep Dr. Crusher and Jack safe from their pursuers. With the help of Captain Will Riker, Picard even hijacks the USS Titan to do it, before exposing the Changeling plot. Ultimately, it's revealed that Jack has also inherited a part of Jean-Luc's Borg-assimilated biology and was being used as part of a plan by the Borg Queen to destroy the Federation.

But after Picard makes a heartfelt plea to his son within the Borg collective unconscious, Jack rejects the Borg Queen and the pair thwart her diabolical plans.

Memory Alpha

The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard

  • View history
  • 1.1 Contents
  • 2 Background information
  • 3 External link

Summary [ ]

Contents [ ].

  • Forward by Beverly Crusher Picard, M.D., Starfleet Captain
  • Prologue, prelude to Battle of Wolf 359 in 2366
  • Childhood to Starfleet Academy acceptance in 2323
  • Starfleet Academy years to graduation in 2327
  • Encounter with the Nausicaans in 2327
  • Service aboard USS Reliant , 2327 – 2329
  • Service aboard USS Stargazer
  • Promoted to Captain, USS Stargazer
  • The wedding of Jack R. Crusher and Beverly Howard
  • Encounter with the Chalnoth
  • Abandoning of the Stargazer , 2350
  • Court martial over loss of the Stargazer
  • Meeting of Deanna Troi
  • Meeting of Lieutenant Data
  • Farpoint mission of the USS Enterprise in 2363 , through the Battle of Wolf 359 in 2367
  • Rescue from the Borg in 2367, through return from Romulus in 2379
  • Marriage to Beverly Crusher, October 8, 2383 , through 2393

Background information [ ]

  • Goodman has noted that part of the narrative was inspired by a 2012 interview with TrekMovie.com, in which he was reminded that Jean-Luc Picard was the first Picard to leave the solar system (as noted in Star Trek Nemesis .) [1]

External link [ ]

  • The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • 2 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)
  • 3 Star Trek: The Next Generation

The 10 Best Jean-Luc Picard Episodes on 'Star Trek,' Ranked

"We have powerful tools: Openness, optimism and the spirit of curiosity."

Star Trek fans know their captains, and everyone has a favorite who is ready to go boldly where no one has gone before. Jean-Luc Picard, played by Sir Patrick Stewart , is considered to be one of the best and most beloved captains in Star Trek . Stewart first appeared in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Next Generation , “Encounter at Farpoint” and, more recently, has reprised his role in Star Trek: Picard .

Picard’s journey as Captain of the Enterprise, and his eventual promotion to Starfleet Admiral, is full of twists and turns as he navigates everything from his assimilation by the Borg to long-lost love. The best episodes make Jean-Luc come to terms with (and sometimes ignore) his emotions, which provides Star Trek fans with insight into how complex he is as a character. In most of Picard’s best episodes, his identity as a Starfleet captain becomes secondary, and they explore who he is as a person.

10 "The Impossible Box"

'star trek: picard' s.1, ep.6.

In "The Impossible Box," directed by Maja Vrvilo, Picard and the Enterprise crew head to a “retired” Borg Cube run by Cardassians. Jean-Luc is hesitant to board the cube due to his traumatic encounters with the Borg. He tries to push away those feelings as he is set on meeting with Hugh, a friend who happens to be a former borg. Picard boards the Borg cube alone and instantly is overwhelmed by memories of his assimilation. His emotional state becomes somewhat calmer after he learns about Hugh’s plans for the Borg Reclamation Project . Hugh proposes to Picard that he should become an advocate for Borg rights.

This episode provides Star Trek fans with a look at Picard, who still hasn’t yet processed what he did and experienced under Borg control. Even after all of those years, the only Borg that Jean-Luc trusts is Hugh. Picard’s attitude towards the Borg shifts when he realizes that not all of them are seeking to assimilate everyone.

Star Trek: Picard

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9 "We’ll Always Have Paris"

'star trek: the next generation' s.1, ep.24.

Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew’s shore leave is interrupted by the occurrence of a time loop. They receive a distress call from a scientist, Dr. Paul Manheim ( Rod Loomis ), who is well-known for his work related to time theory. Counselor Deanna Troi ( Marina Sirtis ) senses that Picard is feeling emotional, but he tells Troi that he is fine. Henry goes to the hologram for some unsuccessful therapy. It turns out that the wife of Paul, Jenice ( Michelle Phillips ), is an old flame of Picard’s. Picard had stood up Jenice while they were in Paris. He puts his feelings aside to help Dr. Manheim, but he finds it to be challenging.

There have been quite a few cases where Star Trek fans witnessed Captain Picard falling in love. However, this particular romance shows a different side of Picard. He is haunted by this lost love and wishes deep down that things would have turned out differently with Jenice. There is definitely romantic tension between Jenice and Picard, but this episode wouldn’t be anything without Dr. Crusher pouring out her feelings about Jean-Luc to Troi. While Picard isn’t present in this crucial scene, fans get to see how the two most prominent women in his life see him.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

8 "q who", 'star trek: the next generation' s.2, ep.16.

Q ( John de Lancie ) sends the Enterprise crew straight into unknown territory. Guinan ( Whoopi Goldberg ), a close confidant of Picard, warns Jean-Luc to return to Federation territory. However, Picard only listens to the pull of exploration. The Enterprise faces off with the Borg. The result is many crew deaths and the ship being close to destruction. Despite all of this, Picard refuses Q’s help until he is out of options. Q transports the Enterprise back home. Jean-Luc is left to deal with his losses and prepare for future Borg encounters.

Picard is usually fine with letting his crew help him, but not so much when it comes to Q. As a Starfleet captain, Jean-Luc can be overconfident. However, in this episode, Star Trek fans watch as Captain Picard lets his ego get in his way, and he does not want to ask Q for help to get out of the situation with the Borg. Picard does not even listen to Guinan because he usually thinks very highly of her advice. Picard's ego is very bruised from his confrontation with the Borg, but he does learn that being a risk-taker sometimes doesn't provide him with the best results. This is an interesting character arc that Jean-Luc goes through, and it sets the foundation for his tumultuous relationship with the Borg.

7 "Devil’s Due"

'star trek: the next generation' s.4, ep.13.

The Enterprise gets a distress call from Dr. Howard Clarke, played by Paul Lambert , about a planet called Ventax II. The scientist tells Picard and his crew that the people on this planet are thinking that their world is going to end soon. Jean-Luc along with Data ( Brent Spiner ) and a few other officers, meet with Jared ( Marcelo Tubert ), who is a Ventaxian leader, to discuss their beliefs around Andra. Suddenly, Adra ( Marta DuBois ) herself appears and offers up a contract. Picard starts to suspect that Andra is a con artist. Picard, Data, Jared, and Adra hold an arbitration hearing, and Picard defends the Ventaxian people. It turns out that Picard's instincts are right, and Adra is really a con artist. The contract becomes voided, and Ventax II is saved.

It's not often that fans get to see Captain Picard go to court for a planet. He becomes a hero to the Ventaxian people for saving them from the clutches of "Adra." Jean-Luc is very humble about his role in stopping Adra. After all, he didn't do it alone, and he teamed up, for the most part, with Data to discredit Adra. He forgoes his ego and gives the people of Ventax II credit for saving themselves. It's refreshing to see Jean-Luc go to bat for those who are vulnerable.

6 "The Emissary"

'star trek: the next generation' s.2, ep.20.

The Enterprise receives a classified mission to help out the Klingons. An emissary named K'Ehleyr ( Suzie Plakson ), a former lover of Worf ( Michael Dorn ), arrives and informs the crew that a Klingon ship is in a "sleep state," which means the Klingons on that ship don't know that the war with the Federation is over. K'Ehleyr wants to destroy the ship, but Picard doesn't want to. She wants them to die in battle. Picard encourages Worf to work with K'Ehleyr; however, this only leads to tension between the two. Ultimately, Worf comes up with a plan where he and K'Ehleyr disguise themselves as Klingon commanders and inform them that the war is over.

While this episode might be considered to be more Worf-centric, this is also a Jean-Luc episode. Picard pushes against what K'Ehleyr says because he is firm in his beliefs and his duty as a Starfleet captain. He doesn't want to kill innocent Klingons, even if they might fight back. This is one of the big reasons why Captain Picard is one of the most complex characters in the Star Trek universe. Yes, Jean-Luc loves taking risks, but he knows when something is too risky.

5 "Tapestry"

'star trek: the next generation' s.6, ep.15.

Picard gets shot by a terrorist and becomes unconscious. When Jean-Luc "wakes" up, he is greeted by Q, who says that he is dead because his artificial heart couldn't take the weapon. Picard says that he regrets his past actions of starting a bar fight as a young officer. During the fight, Jean-Luc was stabbed in his heart and had to get it replaced with an artificial one. Q transports Picard back in time and Jean-Luc prevents the bar fight from happening. He is taken back to the present, where he is no longer a Starfleet captain. Picard realizes that the risk he took during the fight made him the person that he was. With help from Q, Jean-Luc relives the bar fight as it originally was, and then he wakes back up on the Enterprise as a captain.

Star Trek fans know Jean-Luc as a risk-tasker, and it is fascinating to see how Picard's life would have been different from the result of one single event. This is yet another instance of Q providing Picard with a valuable life lesson, whether Jean-Luc knows it or not. If this "dream" had not happened, then Picard would have been afraid to take risks, and that would have prevented him from growing to become the captain that fans know and love.

4 "The Star Gazer"

'star trek: picard' s.2 ep.1.

Picard is getting used to his new body . He relaxes at his family home in France with Laris (Orla Brady). Both Laris and Picard want a romance, but the two stay distant from each other. He thinks about his relationship with his parents, and how his mother and father fought a lot. A mystery around a signal reunites Picard with new and old friends. They eventually make contact, and the Borg unexpectedly appear, and they seem to be asking to make peace. Jean-Luc self-destructs the ship. When he wakes up, he is face to face with Q.

There's so much going on in this very Picard-centric episode, and poor Jean-Luc gets a lot of challenges thrown his way all at once. Not only is Picard processing his "rebirth," he is also trying to live his best life after being a captain for such a long time. He is having a bit of an identity crisis and revisiting traumatic childhood memories on top of all of this. Picard's mother encouraged him to look at the stars, and Jean-Luc certainly couldn't look away from them. He becomes a Starfleet Admiral and continues to, unfortunately, ignore his life beyond his work. In this episode, Star Trek fans might at first be under the impression that Jean-Luc is set for "retirement," but this captain doesn't want to stop exploring, which is one of his most admirable personality traits. Another bonus in this episode is that fans witness the reunion of Q and Picard – a reliable formula for a great episode.

3 "Family"

'star trek: the next generation' s.4, ep.2.

Gene Roddenberry wasn't a big fan of this episode , but fans love this one because they actually get to know Picard's family. Picard visits his brother Robert ( Jeremy Kemp ), sister-in-law, and nephew René ( David Birkin ) in France. Jean-Luc is trying to recover from being assimilated by the Borg. He is reconsidering his career as a Starfleet captain. Jean-Luc and Robert get into a big argument with each other. They fight in the mud! Picard confesses that he feels that he has lost his humanity after being assimilated by the Borg. However, the fight results in them becoming closer together, and the two brothers bond over laughter and wine.

Patrick Stewart's acting is always remarkable, and in this episode, he digs deep into who Picard is with and without his family. That emotional scene where Jean-Luc breaks down is so intense and provides a glimpse into how he is processing what he is going through.

2 "Chain of Command, Part II"

'star trek: the next generation' s.6, ep.11.

In a previous episode, Picard is captured as a prisoner after a covert mission goes array. Picard is tortured by Gul Madred ( David Warner ), a Cardassian. Madred tries different methods to try to get Jean-Luc to talk, but Picard refuses to give him any information. The Cardassians are not able to successfully get Minos Korva, and are forced to retreat. Madred continues to torture Picard for information and lies to him about the Enterprise being destroyed. He wants Jean-Luc to admit that there are five lights instead of four. However, Madred's plan is ruined by one of his henchmen, and Picard is rescued.

This episode, like part one, deals with a lot of heavy topics like torture, which makes it hard to watch. Partick Stewart gives a heart-wrenching performance as a tortured Jean-Luc. Picard becomes almost broken to the point of no return, and that is scary. It's frightening to see a hero like Jean-Luc having to endure such pain. It is definitely one of those episodes that leaves fans on the edge of their seats hoping that Picard will be saved.

1 "The Inner Light"

'star trek: the next generation' s.5, ep.25.

Picard is knocked unconscious by a beam of light, and is transported into the body of another man named Kamin, who lives on a planet called Kattan. Picard falls in love, gets married, has children, and even learns to play the flute. He lives Kamin's life to its fullest. However, there are some signs that the planet Kamin calls home isn't doing well. There are signs of drought and a supernova set to destroy the planet. The citizens of Kattan store their memories in a rocket. After Picard wakes up, he realizes that he was experiencing Kamin's memories.

This is one of the best Jean-Luc Picard episodes, and it has been declared as Star Trek' s Magnus Opus . Both critics and fans love this one because it shows Picard outside his role as captain. This is the life that Picard would have had if he hadn't become a risk-tasking Starfleet captain.

NEXT: These Star Trek Episodes Were Banned in the U.K. for Almost 20 Years

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Review: ‘The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard’ Adds New Life To Star Trek: TNG’s Captain

jean blank picard star trek captain

| November 3, 2017 | By: Dénes House 42 comments so far

Review: The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard

Author: by David A. Goodman Publisher: Titan Books, Hardcover 288 pages

Over the years, some who have reviewed my career as captain of the Enterprise have questioned my decision, specifically how I could let a teenager who’d never gone to the Academy take the conn of the Federation flagship. My answer is that I trusted my first officer, who’d trained the young man, and our experiences proved him to be correct: Wesley was an excellent navigator and helmsman. But that wasn’t the true reason I did it. The reason that I acceded to it was much more personal.   I enjoyed having Wesley at his father’s post. (Page 223)

There are times, as a reviewer for TrekMovie.com, when reading a Trek novel can feel like a chore, chugging through page after page, hoping to find interesting things to talk about. And then there are times when as soon as the package arrives, I tear it open eagerly and read the book every spare available moment out of sheer delight. The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard was one of those more delightful times.

jean blank picard star trek captain

Rare for Star Trek books these days, the Picard autobiography is a hardcover

After James T. Kirk, arguably the most recognizable Star Trek character is Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Spanning 178 episodes and 4 films, Star Trek: The Next Generation turned Star Trek into a franchise, and Patrick Stewart’s Captain Picard became the face of Star Trek, for many fans and non-fans alike. Embodying benevolent authority with ease, combining the virtues of the diplomat, explorer, philosopher, and king all in one package, the character is as popular today as ever.

jean blank picard star trek captain

Latest Star Trek “autobiography” focuses on Jean-Luc Picard

Which is what makes The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard: The Story of One of Starfleet’s Most Inspirational Captains such a delight. “Editor” David A. Goodman, author of The Autobiography of James T. Kirk , staff writer for Enterprise , and currently executive producer and writer on The Orville , takes the stories we know so well, and the backstory that we think we know so well, and fills in many of the gaps, giving the whole thing a fresh, exciting spin – making it feel almost brand-new. Curious about Picard’s childhood? It’s here. Wondering how Picard first met Guinan? You’ll love it. What happened to him after the (prime universe) events of 2009’s Star Trek film? Just wait and see.

Goodman, channeling Picard, grounds the story in a troubled home, and paints our beloved Captain as a man in search of a father, who finds a family. Raised by a mother who loved him and a father who could not express his emotions, young Jean-Luc reached for the stars. There, he found challenge, adventure, success, and horror, all the while bound to his home by ties he could not explain.

“[Jean-Luc] is not in school anymore.” Father was very aggravated, impatient with what must have been a tragic situation for him. “He’s a grown man.” “I know, you don’t have to tell me,” mother said, but her voice wavered. Then it looked like she’d started to remember. “You were in space.” “Yes, Maman,” I said. “You’re the pilot…you always wanted to be the pilot…” “Come to bed,” Father said. “I’m having tea with Jean-Luc…” “I said come to bed!” “We’ll have tea in the morning, Maman,” I said. I helped her to her feet, and my father took her hand and walked her out of the room. I sat alone in the room. Nothing I’d seen in my years of command prepared me for this. (Page 130)

The author picks up on the fact that every other supporting character we meet in The Next Generation seems to know Picard from way back. He has a history with every admiral, captain, scientist, and star-crossed lover the Enterprise-D comes across. Telling these stories makes this book richly layered, and there’s a treat to discover on every page. It also brings enormous poignancy to stories like the Battle of Wolf 359, as a Jean-Luc Picard partially-assimilated by the Borg into the persona of Locutus faces a fleet full of faces that he knows, personally.

jean blank picard star trek captain

Picard autobiography adds to the story of Picard becoming Locutus

The book is based entirely on canonical Star Trek, ignoring the continuity of the Star Trek novels, allowing the author to tell his own story, especially about Picard’s life following Star Trek: Nemesis . This makes the book easily accessible to fans that have not read any other Star Trek book. At the same time, he digs deeply into that canon, bringing forth fanboy treasures galore. My favorite deep canon bits involved the disappearance of the Denobulans, and their eventual impact on the destruction of the Hobus star. Fans will pick up numerous references to characters and events in every Star Trek series, including a nice link to Star Trek: Discovery .

Even cranking through Next Generation episode highlights at trans-warp speeds, the narrative still leaves out some fairly significant bits of Picard’s life. Given the prominence of the Crusher family in this story, it is surprising that Wesley Crusher’s departure with the Traveler is not mentioned. Goodman gives excellent attention to Picard’s relationship with Beverly Crusher – some of their scenes made me cry! – but the absence of other flames like Vash, Kamalla, and especially Nella Daren is keenly felt.

jean blank picard star trek captain

Picard’s relationship with Beverly Crusher gets a focus in new autobiography

Goodman has a lot of fun with his footnotes, including a running joke from his Kirk autobiography.  There were a couple of weird editing errors in my copy of the book, such as an incorrectly labeled footnote and some typos, but these little gaffes are trivial to the enjoyment of the book.

I soon returned to the repaired Enterprise, fully repaired myself. Robert had become the brother I’d wanted. Maybe even the father. I realized that I needed Robert; he was the only one left in the world who knew me before I’d become “Captain Jean-Luc Picard,” the only person I could show true weakness to. (Page 246)

In the center of the volume are a selection of Picard-related photographs from the Federation Archives, and each one is a delight. These photos and illustrations were made specifically for the book.

jean blank picard star trek captain

Sample of illustrations included in Picard autobiography

Goodman  tells TrekMovie that his next book will likely be The Autobiography of Spock . In this book, Goodman’s version of Spock’s wedding to an unnamed human woman is amusing in the ways that the bride’s identity is shielded from the reader. This left me curious how Goodman will address that gap in canon in his next novel.

Bottom line: The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard will delight casual fans and canonical deep divers alike. It is fun, exciting, and emotionally satisfying, and brings new insight into one of Trek’s most beloved characters. Highly recommended!

Available now

The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard was released October 17th in hardcover, and retails for $24.99. You can pick it up at Amazon for $18.81 or get the eBook version for $8.01 .  You may also want to pick up Goodman’s other Trek books : The History of the Federation and The Autobiography of James T. Kirk .

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Thanks Denes! So glad you liked it!

I received the book today and I’m reading it now. Great! Really Great! Thank you for writing it! And it’s great that you are here reading the review. Hope to see and read more! Yor are great!

YOU are great (of course)

Thanks Thomas! Interested to hear what you think, good and bad.

Mr. Goodman, after the masterpiece that was the Kirk autobiography I will be buying this tonight!

David A. Goodman – I can’t wait for the Spock book! And I loved the James T Kirk bio, as well. Yer my fav’rit!

Sounds good. Although why on eaten isn’t there a picture of Picard on the cover? This looks like those old TNG technical manuals

Why on *Earth, even. (Autocorrect fail)

It matches the design of the last book I wrote. There’s a picture of Picard on the back cover. It’s a choice, maybe not the right one. The problem I think with having a picture on the cover is it adds to the honest confusion some people have of whether this book was written by Patrick or me. I guess you could have a drawing…

I agree with Muse – the cover makes it look like a tech manual or encyclopedia. It also implies that the only important ship associated with him is Enterprise-D, whereas he was certainly poetic when he professed his love for the Stargazer in ‘Relics’ (not to mention his time on other ships such as Enterprise-E). (And yes, I know that most people passing this in the bookstore wouldn’t recognize the Stargazer, and that Enterprise-D is a more logical choice in terms of recognition amongst more casual fans.)

That’s not a complaint or meant to be a knock against it – just that at first glance, for me, I didn’t get the sense that it would be written in a true autobiographical style. I was going to skip this one, but this enthusiastic review has piqued my interest.

Good luck – I hope it’s a success for you!

A painting might be cool, since some really nice art was created for the “archival images” pages.

Amused by people literally judging book by its cover.

Sounds like good read. I wish there was audio book. If PS not available then a soundalike

Ooooh, THAT would be perfect! Please Sir Pat, make it so!

Shut up and take my money!

I recently read, and thoroughly enjoyed, the James Kirk autobiography. Looking forward to this one.

Thanks! Post what you think of the new one, good and bad.

“…and this one time, at Borg Camp…”

I’ve been waiting years to make that joke.

Life is sad.

This looks great. Picard is still one of the best Starfleet Captains IMO and making a biography around him was a great choice. Sounds like an amazing read.

I haven’t read it yet – I plan to. But I’m glad it looks like you touched on “Family”. As I young man I despised the episode. But as an adult I’ve come to see it as one of the best episodes of TNG. Picard’s breakdown in front of his brother – so poignant.

Agree wholeheartedly about Family being one of the best episodes. It was the perfect epilogue to the insanity of the previous episode(s) involving Picard’s capture by the Borg.

“Family” was central to the book, as it gives us insight we have into Picard’s home life.

I do hope the ‘autobiography’ explains why Picard is such an Anglophile with a British accent. Was he sent to a boarding school in England? That would certainly help explain things.

Accents do change over time, so maybe in the 24th century France sounds like Britain?

I would like to think that Picard’s mother was English, or perhaps a grandparent. Also another vote for Patrick Stewart reading the audiobook version.

I had a footnote explaining why not only Picard but everybody in 24th Century France had an English accent, but it is one of the editing difficulties the reviewer pointed out and it accidentally got cut out.

I always imagined that he had a summer in Britain in a Shakespeare acting company [because of some English actor relatives], and since that was where he learned to master the English language, the accent just flowed forth. ;^)

I’m sure this has been suggested, but how amazing would it be to have Patrick Stewart read the audiobook version!

It would be amazing, but I unfortunately don’t think it will happen.

I would love for Patrick Stewart to do a audio version of this book

Was thinking the exact same thing! At the very least, I’m going to read this book in Patrick’s voice.

borg, record it for us, and we’ll all listen to it! :)

The lack of certain characters (JLP’s past flames, specifically) from TNG… I guess, one could say, they were intentionally not included for IC Reasons (assuming that the book is written as a IG product)?

~Pensive’s Wetness

What are IC and IG?

I think that omission is odd too. Heh — maybe there’s going to be a 2nd edition.

In Character, In Game (so to speak)

I actually don’t know the terms either, and what they mean in this context.

Father was very aggravated It seems Picard is not the best grammarian, but perhaps by his time that irritating habit in written English will be fully acceptable.

I usually hesitate to buy such books, but I have a great affection for the character of Picard, so may chance it. I’m a little more flexible than I used to be. Except with grammar.

[Reminder: in these threads I communicate informally.]

read the book and loved the book, i was hoping for riker or Sisko , love to see how they will and do any voyager characters

Spock is next. After that, who knows?

I’m half through the book and like it a lot. Seeing, that the author answers some questions here, I would like to know, if the captain of the “USS Rhode Island” is an intended tribute to Family Guy?

Well, maybe…

I’ve really enjoyed the Kirk book and will pick this up when I’m done.

Star Trek: 8 Impressive Things Jean-Luc Picard Did Before Joining The USS Enterprise

Jean Luc Picard is one of the most well-respected captains in Star Trek, and his feats are impressive even before he led the USS Enterprise.

  • Captain Picard showed early signs of brilliance and talent, including being a skilled piano player and having a fascination with spaceships.
  • He chose to leave his family's vineyard to join Starfleet Academy, where he excelled and formed important connections and friendships.
  • Picard survived a life-threatening stabbing, which changed his outlook on life and motivated him to make a lasting impact on the galaxy.

Among the characters of Star Trek , few are as well-known and beloved as Captain Jean-Luc Picard . A brilliant tactician and mediator, as well as possessing deep understanding and empathy for those around him, Picard has all the qualities of a brilliant leader. His wisdom and shrewd thought contrasted him with a much more hot-headed and younger Captain Kirk.

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While most of Picard’s famous actions in Star Trek have been during his service on the USS Enterprise, it is only natural that a brilliant man like him would begin to show his talents as early as childhood. Due to his curiosity and learning abilities, Picard acquired many skills that helped him later in his early years. Here are some impressive things that the captain did before joining the Enterprise.

8 A Talented Piano Player

His reputation as a man with many talents began at an early age.

Picard mentioned taking piano lessons in his youth in line with his reputation as a cultured man of many talents. Despite displaying impressive results and progress, Picard sorely abandoned those lessons due to his fear of performing in front of the audience, burying his talent far too early.

However, he regretted this choice because playing was another way to connect with his mother, Yvette. She was suffering from mental illness and instability, and hearing her son play the piano used to soothe her. This regret portrays echoes of Picard’s bond with his mother and his regret over losing her.

7 Developed A Fascination And Wonder For Spaceships

Built a proemllian battle cruiser model & marveled at space exploration.

Even before Picard became a famous spacefarer, he developed an interest and obsession with Starships. One of his favorite hobbies was creating and examining miniature ship-in-a-bottle models, especially those of the best starships , which showed the boy’s natural inclination toward exploring space.

His fascination only grew with age. He built a model of a Promellian Battle Cruiser and spent much time marveling at the Phoenix, known to be the first starship equipped for warfare in the history of Mankind. This foreshadowed Picard’s future as an accomplished captain.

6 Joined Starfleet Academy

Set himself on a path to seek out new life.

Despite being expected to inherit his family’s vineyard, he left it to join the Starfleet Academy and pursue his dreams. He failed on his first attempt but demonstrated determination and passion in trying to get into it a second time, achieving a resounding success.

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Overall, Picard proved an outstanding cadet and quickly rose to glory in the academy, proving his worth to his superiors. He also managed to form connections and friendships, allowing himself an opportunity to perfect his diplomatic skills and ensuring a bright future for himself.

5 Studied Archaeology And Could've Been The Best Of His Generation

A great mind for uncovering & studying relics of the past.

Starships weren’t Picard’s only passion, as the academy helped him realize his passion for archaeology. He delved into this field and gained considerable knowledge, so much that Galen, his teacher, advised him to become a proper archaeologist.

Despite the prospects of this offer, Picard wasn’t willing to dedicate himself to this field completely and refused. Throughout his life, archaeology remained a consistent hobby and interest of the captain. He also closely studied various alien civilizations such as Iconians.

4 Survived A Stabbing From A Nausicaan

The stab led to his heart problems and shaped him into a brave starfleet officer.

Picard didn’t always possess his calm, rational demeanor and was able to cause quite a stir in his younger years . During a leave, he got into a violent fight over a rigged game, which resulted in him getting stabbed through the heart. Picard came close to dying and was only saved due to successful emergency surgery.

This event changed Picard’s outlook on life as he realized how vulnerable and fleeting it can be and how limited his time is. This motivated him to try and leave a mark on the galaxy while still being careful and considerate, not wasting the time that he had.

3 Saved An Unnamed Ambassador

Led an away team to save an ambassador on a dangerous planet.

After graduating from the academy and becoming a junior officer, Picard continued living his proactive and adventurous life, working all around the galaxy. One of his most notorious acts of heroism was saving an ambassador on the planet Milika 3, conducting a successful operation.

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While the exact details of this endeavor are unknown, it is referred to as one of the moments that defined Picard’s personality and shaped his character going forward, marking it as an important event in his development. This once again shows how protective and loyal of an ally Picard can be.

2 A Young Captain Leaps Into Action

His experience as a captain came quickly when his captain was killed on the stargazer.

Enterprise wasn’t the first ship Picard was a part of, as he was an important Stargazer crew member. At first, he was assigned as a helmsman, but after the captain was killed, Picard stepped up and took command of the vessel to aid the situation at hand and save the crew. Starfleet promoted Picard and claimed the rank for himself, demonstrating his growing reputation.

Picard became one of the youngest known captains then and continuously commandeered the Stargazer for twenty-two years, providing him with unparalleled experience, which helped him during his continued service later in life .

1 Had A Battle Tactic Named After Him

The picard maneuver was an improvised move to save his crew.

One of his most famous exploits during service abroad, the Stargazer, was when the ship was attacked by a Ferengi vessel, bringing it to the brink of destruction and forcing Picard to take extreme measures. Picard made the Stargazer warp in the vessel’s direction, creating a moment of disturbance when the aliens could see two Stargazers simultaneously.

Ferengi attacked the wrong vessel, becoming vulnerable to attacks from the real Stargazer, eventually turning the tide. This maneuver became widely recognized and was named the “ Picard Maneuver .”

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Character Index Main Characters ( Jean-Luc Picard ) | Recurring Crew | Other Recurring Characters

As this page also includes tropes from Star Trek: Picard , you may be interested in that series' character page as well.

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Captain Jean-Luc Picard

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/picard_stewart_9637.jpg

Played By: Patrick Stewart

Dubbed by: alain choquet (tng), jean-claude de goros (generations), claude giraud (first contact, insurrection and nemesis), dubbed by (brazilian portuguese): leonardo josé (tng, season one), márcio simões (tng-season 2 on, films), carlos campanile ( picard ), appearances: star trek: the next generation | star trek: deep space nine | star trek: generations | star trek: first contact | star trek: insurrection | star trek: nemesis.

" Tea. Earl grey. Hot. "

The bald captain , and arguably the most iconic example of that trope (next to Kirk, of course).

Polymath, diplomat, and all-around gentleman , Picard was cast very much in the Horatio Hornblower mold. Introduced as a cerebral hardass (a trait mirrored, aptly, by his artificial heart), he's actually quite a softie underneath the grim exterior. So much so, that modern Trekkies tend to regard Picard as the "soft" captain — at least until somebody fires at his ship or disregards an order.

Among his in-series achievements: Jean-Luc invented a starship maneuver, assisted in First Contact with the Q (among many other species), got the ball rolling on amendments to Federation law regarding android life (Sisko and Janeway followed his example in their respective Courtroom Episodes ), thwarted a Borg invasion or two, assisted in Zefram Cochran's famous warp experiment (via Time Travel ), chilled with Professor Moriarty and Mark Twain, brought Federation politics to the fore in his dealings with the Cardassians (setting the stage for DS9), and saved the universe from an eruption of Anti-Time or something . Anyway, only the Q Continuum understands what happened in that episode. But according to Q, it was pretty awesome.

In his personal life, Picard was born and raised in La Barre, France (though it's easy to forget with his prominant English accent). He was an amateur xenoarchaeologist and musician and was fond of classical literature, particularly Shakespeare . He maintained close personal relationships with the other senior officers of the Enterprise -D, particularly Data, whose quest for humanity Picard took a special interest in.

Of all the alien phenomena experienced by Picard, the principal ones that affect him are Q and the Borg: the former making a bet that his "enlightened" principles won't hold up in the darkness of space, and the latter threatening to change him into a violent, vengeful man — the very thing he despises.

  • Depicted in a much more subtle manner than Kirk, and usually takes a backseat to his other talents.
  • Picard has taken the helm himself in situations where extremely precise maneuvering is needed to get the ship out of danger, such as "Booby Trap" and "In Theory". He talked an inexperienced pilot through a difficult maneuver in order to avoid a crash in "Coming of Age", and most notably developed the Picard Maneuver (re-created in "The Battle") which exploits the fact that a ship traveling at FTL velocities can appear to be in two places at once due to delays in light reaching the viewer.
  • According to Picard's backstory he graduated the academy as a Helmsman which was his position as a junior officer for his early career until at the rank of Lt. Commander he started taking command positions. So it's to be expected.
  • Adventurer Archaeologist : Archaeology has long been a hobby of Jean-Luc's since his Academy days. He winds up going on adventures of this type in "Captain's Holiday," "The Chase," and "Gambit." In fact Picard mentions that he considered becoming an Archaeologist full time and abandoning his plans to join Starfleet, but decided to persue his original path and only take it on as a hobby.
  • Ambadassador : Took Klingons to school on their own homeworld, brokered first contact with over 27 species, and helped define the legal rights of androids. The greatest diplomat of the last century, Sarek, finds Picard’s career to be 'satisfactory,' which is high praise from a Vulcan.
  • The choice to have a Phillip Marlowe fan (as implied by the fictitious "Dixon Hill" program) means he's going to seize the opportunity, however fleeting, to be a real-life sleuth — most notably in the episode "Clues".
  • Interestingly, Data dons a deerstalker cap and tweed coat while pursing Moriarty through the holodeck. The costume was made popular by Basil Rathbone in the anachronistic film versions (set during WWII, with Sherlock foiling Nazi spies), but is not at all how Holmes dressed in the original Strand stories. Once Moriarty gains self-awareness, he loses all interest in Data and instead demands to see Picard, who shows up wearing a silk top hat and tails — the preferred clothing of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.
  • In "The Survivors", Picard summons the Uxbridge couple to the ship and deconstructs their fantasy life, revealing what really happened during the attack. (Kevin saw his wife get killed and went momentarily insane, which annihilated the entire species of the invaders). He does this with all the skill of Hercule Poirot himself.
  • Authority Sounds Deep : He's a highly influential Starfleet captain and has a fairly deep voice courtesy of Patrick Stewart.
  • Trades them with Commander Tomalak in The Defector : Tomalak: You will still not survive our assault. Picard: And you will not survive ours. Shall we die together, Tomalak?
  • Badass Bookworm : Picard is probably the most learned of all Trek captains. He believes there is no greater challenge than the study of philosophy.
  • Often got labeled as a bureaucrat by more militant foes. He'd still steamroll over them if necessary, naturally. Duras: This is not your world, human. You do not command here. Picard: I'm not here to command. Duras: Then you must be ready to fight, something Starfleet does not teach you. Picard: You may test that assumption at your convenience .
  • Q called Picard a dullard in their first encounter, and in some corners of Starfleet ("Measure of a Man", "The Wounded") he's considered an officious, pompous ass! Little do they suspect he will save the universe many times over.
  • He doesn't appreciate having the rug pulled from underneath him in "Measure of a Man": his first officer is appointed to the prosecution and the hearing is being overseen by his ex. Whilst he will adhere to Starfleet’s directives, he speaks with great passion to argue for Data's self-awareness, shaming the Federation into breaking new ground. "Starfleet was formed to seek out new life. Well, THERE. IT. SITS! [beat] Waiting."
  • Bad Liar : If there is one area in which Picard has a problem, it is that he is an atrocious liar. Such as that time he tried to brush off Lwaxana Troi by saying he was going to show a visiting ambassador how the ship's doors worked. Lwaxana, we remind you, is a telepath and an empath. And then there was the time in "Phantasms", where the admiral on the other end of the phone can clearly tell Picard's not that bothered about the ship's engine trouble delaying getting to the mind-numbingly dull luncheon.
  • Bald of Authority : Jean Luc Picard is one of the most iconic examples of the trope as the bald, diplomatic , compassionate , captain of the Enterprise -D. It is indicated that he went Prematurely Bald somewhere in his late-twenties to early-thirties as he is depicted with hair in his younger years as an Ensign, when he was much more brash and arrogant. His present baldness helps to underscore how he has grown considerably Older and Wiser over the years.
  • Bar Brawl : A pivotal moment in his youth was when he and his friends got into a fight with three Nausicaans. The incident left him with an artificial heart.
  • The Borg are a huge one. He absolutely hates them with a passion and for very understandable reasons due to how they kidnapped and mind raped him to nearly destroy the Federation. Even years after, he still struggles with the trauma and will fly into murderous rage when he encounters them.
  • Q. Picard makes no secret of how much he dislikes him due to his immaturity and ow he uses his powers to screw with everyone around him for fun. This gets downplayed as the show goes on and the two develop a grudging affection for one another.
  • As a leader who sees the crew as his greatest responsibility , he takes anything that harms them very personally. Even if you're an omnipotent being, he will still tear you a new one if you hurt anyone under his command.
  • Beware the Nice Ones : He is a consummate gentleman and diplomat, but he has also cursed out Klingons (in Klingon), killed Klingons bare-handed, survived Borg assimilation, survived torture, survived taking a large knife to the heart, told Romulans where to stick it (and backed it up), has single-handedly thwarted having his ship hijacked (several times), has told Starfleet officers several ranks above him to shove it (with not so much as a reprimand to show for it), has caused omnipotent aliens to bow to his gangsta, and has outfoxed at least one member of every known species in the Alpha Quadrant at least once.
  • Benevolent Boss : He welcomes suggestions and different ideas from his staff ( apart from Worf, of course ) without ever losing his authority.
  • Bold Explorer : A more subdued version than the original model of Kirk, but still with boldness to spare.
  • The Borg nigh-effortlessly kidnap him from the bridge, Mind Rape him and turn him into one of their own, using the knowledge gained to plough through the Federation's defenses, with Picard utterly unable to fight it off. In the immediate aftermath, Picard actually breaks down in tears over what's done to him. Even years later, he still has nightmares over being assimilated, and when the Borg do return, all those wounds get opened up all over again.
  • His experience in "Chain of Command", held hostage by the Cardassians and brutally tortured for days, first for information he doesn't have, then simply because the Gul in charge wants to break him. Picard supposedly manages to walk out defiantly, but later admits to Troi that by the end, he was so desperate for the torture to end he was starting to see five lights instead of four.
  • British Stuffiness : In spite of being nominally French, Picard is every inch a stuffy Englishman. He is extremely reserved, avoids small talk, has difficulty relating to children, and doesn't show his feelings to his crew. It's generally considered a special occasion when he smiles or cracks a joke. It's therefore always a surprise when he references his life as a teen rebel .
  • Broken Pedestal : Picard met Sarek as an awestruck youth and is still honored just to share oxygen with the guy who helped create the Federation. He was hoping to get the chance to meet him again, but it is all scuppered by Sarek's degenerative illness. Picard’s decision to perform a meld with Sarek in order to allow an important treaty to be concluded is probably the most selfless (and dangerous) thing he ever did on the show.
  • It's no wonder the Picard of the future has a degenerative neurological disease. They really put him through hell on this show.
  • Picard struggling with Lwaxana's luggage to the amusement of the crew. The things he does for Starfleet...
  • Call to Agriculture : In one possible timeline, retired Picard returns to La Barre to tend the family winery. He had a falling out with his father and brother in part because he initially rejected the Call to Agriculture and joined Starfleet.
  • Cannot Spit It Out : There is some history between Picard and Crusher which adds a little depth to both characters, but the series never felt the need to explore the relationship in any great depth (unless under the influence of a sex bug). You’ve got to love Picard’s tact; he heads off to Sickbay to welcome her on board in the pilot and then follows that up with "I'll request a transfer for you!"
  • The Captain : The quintessential Starfleet captain. He's diplomatic, forceful when needed, well-educated, and thoughtful. Furthermore, unlike most naval captains shown in drama, he is often found in his personal office (Captain's Ready Room) working on the mundane administrative duties of his rank.
  • "Make it so."
  • "Tea, Earl Grey, hot."
  • Character Tics : "The Picard Maneuver" — his habit of tugging his tunic down whenever he stands up. He's not alone in doing this, but he is the most blatant about it (and, for various reasons, the one most commonly seen doing it).
  • Characterization Click Moment : Picard goes the whole first season without any mention of tea, of any variety, at any temperature. It's not until season 2's "Contagion" that it shows up.
  • Characterization Marches On : He was a bit of an asshole in the first season. He wasn't just aloof or professional; he was a short-tempered hardass who hated kids and had little patience for practically anything. Later, he developed into the diplomatic father to his crew that he's remembered as. Picard also briefly carried on Chekov's habit of attributing everything to his home country. This running gag ended quickly, and seems very strange in light of the extensive knowledge of history and culture that he displays later on.
  • Chick Magnet : Dr. Crusher, Mrs. Troi, Arda, the Borg Queen... all express an interest in him, to varying degrees of befuddlement or total disinterest (or in Lwaxana's case, as close as the man will come to total screaming terror). Meanwhile, "Tapestry" shows a younger Picard was something of a hound, but in middle age his skills in the charm arena have gotten pretty rusty.
  • A notable subversion . Picard mentions in the pilot that he does not deal well with children. We later find that this is not dislike, but a discomfort that he sees as a personal flaw—he is far too used to dealing with supremely professional adults, and children also remind him of his own estranged family and his sacrifices for his career. Wesley thinks its too bad that the captain doesn’t like kids because he would have made a good father.
  • In "The Bonding", Picard lets out a massive sigh as he realizes that he is going to have to tell Jeremy that his mother was killed on an away mission. Deep-space vessel or not, he has always questioned the policy of having children on a starship and it is a terrible burden to have to break bad news himself. Picard takes Jeremy’s hand and says that nobody is alone on the starship Enterprise .
  • In Generations he enters a Lotus-Eater Machine and is actually given children of his own who adore him - he is so overwhelmed with joy he actually starts to cry . The machine in question - a space anomaly called the Nexus - gave him children because that was his deepest and most hidden desire.
  • That being said, he's deeply fond of his nephew Rene, who reminds him of himself at that age. He's utterly devastated when both his brother Robert and Rene are revealed to have died in a fire in Generations .
  • Amusingly, despite his unease with children, it seems that most children take a liking to him right away. We once even see a class onboard the Enterprise having a "Captain Picard Day", much to his embarrassment (although he seems somewhat amused when telling an admiral, "Hehehe, I'm a role model." ).
  • Picard lights up at the subject of unsolved mysteries; his childhood hero was the pulp novel detective Dixon Hill. The holodeck allows Picard to fantasize himself as the two-fisted gumshoe.
  • He also has a geeky love for old starships, boats, and planes, having built and played with model versions as a young boy (he wound up embarrassed and frustrated when he showed that side of himself a bit too much after finding an ancient, legendary starship from a dead civilization). Geordi’s gift to the captain on the Victory , a giant model sailing ship, is gorgeous.
  • He was this close , more than once, to taking up archaeology as his full-time profession.
  • Clueless Chick-Magnet : Picard is clearly embarrassed when alien women find him a smoldering hunk instead of a walking rulebook.
  • Contrasting Sequel Main Character : He's far more restrained than Kirk, both regarding women and away missions (his younger XO Riker is Kirk's successor in this regard).
  • Cool Old Guy : He's in his 60s during The Next Generation . note  He was born in 2305, per his biography in "Conundrum." People just respect him naturally.
  • Cool Uncle : His nephew Renee thinks the world of him.
  • Cosmic Play Thing : Whenever Q wants to test humanity, he decides Picard should be the one to take it.
  • It would have been sad if the one Shakespearean in the cast hadn’t been able to drop in on his android homeslice and partake in some renaissance theater. Patrick Stewart steps into the Elizabethan worlds with ease.
  • Of course, the Dixon Hill program allows some of the ladies in his life to join in. Dr. Crusher looks very fetching in her stockings and veil (even as she stumbles uncertainly in high heels), and Whoopi certainly turns heads in her Prohibition dress. Dixon Hill made a brief comeback in First Contact when Lily wore a cleavage-baring dress and High-Class Gloves to a meeting with Nicky the Nose.
  • Court-martialed : As stated in "The Measure of a Man" Jean-Luc Picard faced a general court-martial for the loss of his previous command, the USS Stargazer , but was cleared. note  Most navies have a standard court-martial which convenes whenever a ship is lost; this does not presume that the captain is suspected of wrongdoing, but merely that the circumstances surrounding the loss of the ship be made part of the official record. In fact, historically, some officers have been left in disgrace because they were denied the opportunity to try and clear their names in a court-martial.
  • He speaks French and Klingon, and is well-versed in archaeology, literature, fencing, and horseback riding.
  • Picard really runs rings around his crew in "Darmok", figuring out the Tamarian language in an impossibly tight situation. His crew have the luxury of the ship's database and can pool their resources and get absolutely nowhere.
  • Often and usually at Q's expense. Very deadpan, no smirking. For a moment he decides to go along with Q’s proposal to join the crew and discusses what tasks would be too menial for such an entity.
  • "Welcome to the Bridge, Mister La Forge." With an entrance like that he deserved some acknowledgement.
  • ‘Number One, the Bridge, such as it is, is yours.’
  • When captured by Cardassians and subjected to Cold-Blooded Torture that entailed making him think there are five lights being shined in his face instead of only four, he continues to insist that THERE! ARE! FOUR! LIGHTS! Often forgotten is that this is a subversion. Picard only shouts this after another Cardassian soldier walks in and orders the Gul to stop the torture. Later, Picard admits to Troi that not only would he have surrendered had the torture not been stopped just then, he could actually see five lights there .
  • THE LINE MUST BE DRAWN HERE. THIS FAR, NO FURTHER! crew and friends beg him to sacrifice his ship to the Borg to save the future . He gets over it, after an extremely rare, and brief, but intense emotional meltdown.
  • Very straightforward, though, in the alternate timeline of Yesterday's Enterprise : Klingon Officer: Federation ship, surrender and prepare to be boarded. Picard: That'll be the day. [fires phasers]
  • Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu? : Q and the Borg are frequently on the receiving end of this.
  • Distressed Dude : In Chain of Command at the hands of the Cardassians and in Best of Both Worlds, where he's captured by the Borg.
  • Drink-Based Characterization : "Tea, Earl Gray, hot." A sophisticated drink for a sophisticated man.
  • Dude, Where's My Respect? : Events always seem to conspire to cast doubt on Picard's service record, to his ongoing resentment. Despite saving his entire crew and inventing a new starship maneuver, he was dragged before a court martial and scapegoated for the destruction of the Stargazer . While automatic court martial for loss of ship has been standard naval practice for centuries (and he came away with a medal), the prosecutor apparently went above and beyond in attacking him. His image also took a severe battering following Wolf 359 (although it improves as time went on, as the means through which the Borg assimilate individuals into their collective became common knowledge among Starfleet officers) with at least one officer holding him personally responsible for the slaughter and Admiral Satie using it against him in a Kangaroo Court .
  • Dysfunctional Family : As shown in "Family," his relationship with his brother Robert is very tense, while "Tapestry" implies that his father likewise never forgave him for running away to join Starfleet. His relationship with his nephew and his sister-in-law is much warmer.

jean blank picard star trek captain

  • Frequently towards Worf as well, though in a less overt manner.
  • A Father to His Men : He may not take a personal interest in his crew like Sisko or Janeway (at least not until "All Good Things..."), but he takes the deaths of his crewmen just as hard. He has, on several occasions ( The Drumhead , The Offspring , et al.), put his career on the line to protect a member of his crew from obstructive bureaucrats at Starfleet Command.
  • Foil : Q calls Picard an impossibly stubborn human but that is the only way the Captain knows of infuriating the impish alien. Q often drives Picard nuts as well, though in that case it is all part of some grand design by the Continuum. (We think.)
  • Foreign Culture Fetish : This Frenchman certainly seems very fond of Shakespeare, Tennyson, Arthur Conan Doyle, Earl Grey tea, English mythology (e.g. Robin Hood), Royal Navy hymns... ( Star Trek: Picard justifies this and his Misplaced Accent by saying that his ancestors fled to England during WWII and took a couple centuries to return to the chateau.)
  • Former Teen Rebel : Picard confesses he hasn’t always been so disciplined and that his heart problems are a result of a drunken brawl involving insulting a pirate's mother and a knife in the back. It took a heart transplant to convince Picard to straighten up and fly right. It's also revealed that he got into serious hot water while in the Academy, and his career was only saved by the timely intervention of his mentor.
  • Future Me Scares Me : They say if you travel far enough you are bound to meet yourself at some point and having experienced that in "Time Squared," he hopes it never happens again. Questions of the second captain’s presence becomes complicated when we discover that he is from six hours in the future. What could possibly have happened to force Picard to abandon his own ship? The solution is the captain fled the ship to save the crew from the effect of an anomaly, but this only ended up sparing his life whilst destroying the Enterprise . "I am more than apprehensive to play back a log that won't be recorded for several hours. "
  • Generation Xerox : An unpleasant chapter in Picard's family history comes to light in "Journey's End". His ancestor, Javier Maribona-Picard, helped "colonize" New Mexico by slaughtering hundreds of Native Americans. Seven centuries later, Jean-Luc Picard would find himself forcibly relocating that same tribe (in space, no less).
  • Gentleman Adventurer : Is a Starfleet officer because he loves exploring space and going on fantastic adventures on the Enterprise, but always maintains an air of dignity and class.
  • Gentleman and a Scholar : He obviously wasn’t paying close attention in the Scouts when he was a nipper as he seems to have little luck making a fire in "Darmok" whilst his alien companion/foe enjoys warmth a few yards away. Picard is more at home behind a negotiating table than roughing it in the woods.
  • Gondor Calls for Aid : He always prefers to resolve conflicts by diplomacy and finesse if possible, rather than resorting to combat. He's not above judiciously applied brinksmanship when necessary, either. When he suspected that he was being lured into a Romulan ambush as a prelude to war, he arranged for the Enterprise to be escorted by cloaked Klingon warships. Once the Romulan ambushers revealed themselves, so did the Klingons. (Sisko tried this, with some success, with the Klingons and Romulans, but the alliances didn't always last. Janeway tried it once in the Delta Quadrant and got badly burned, rarely resorting to diplomacy after that.)
  • Good Is Not Nice : A minor version. Picard's reserved nature means that he's not particularly outgoing or friendly. However, he is extremely principled, caring and generous.
  • Got Volunteered : He notes in "The Emissary" that whenever Starfleet admirals get enigmatic, he knows he is about to get slapped in the face with a wet trout. It's his lot in life as the flagship captain.
  • In the same episode, Worf, a fellow small-talk hater, picks up on Picard's small-talk avoidance strategies and quickly requests to excuse himself from the event they are supposed to attend. Picard, clearly impressed, grants him this request. Geordi tries the same thing and Picard denies him on the grounds that he can't excuse his entire senior staff, telling him, "Mr. Worf beat you to it."
  • Impaled with Extreme Prejudice : He was run through by a long Nausicaan dagger as a cocky ensign, necessitating an artificial heart.
  • I Was Quite the Looker : Not that Picard isn't handsome now, but he was quite dashing as a young Starfleet ensign thirty years prior, as seen in "Tapestry".
  • Admitting surrender, especially to the Borg, as "First Contact" shows. It takes a lot for Picard to declare a situation beyond recovery.
  • The Borg in general tend to make Picard unnerved; understandable given his assimilation, but it's otherwise completely out of character for Picard to have such hatred for an entire species.
  • Ideal Hero : Picard was written as perfect as someone could get while still being relatively human. He favors diplomacy over force whenever possible, respects all forms of life, his greatest desire is to learn and explore, and he knows just when to defy the Insane Admiral or Prime Directive.
  • Q frequently refers to Picard as " Mon capitaine " (my captain).
  • In "Tapestry", his Starfleet Academy friends called him "Johnny".
  • Kneel Before Zod : Q respects the captain but isn't above putting him in a life-or-death situation to remind him who's the boss.
  • Large Ham : Picard and Patrick Stewart have equal levels of ham content, considering that both are Shakespearian actors, but only one is in command of a powerful starship.
  • Last of His Kind : The death of his brother Robert and his nephew Rene, means that he's now the last Picard. Until the expanded universe, where Picard married Crusher after Nemesis and had a child with her.
  • Limited Advancement Opportunities : Kirk , Sisko , Janeway and Archer were all promoted over the course of their respective series or films . Picard , on the other hand, chose to stay a captain for the entirety of his career. It is mentioned in All Good Things that Picard eventually became an ambassador. In Generations , Kirk flat-out tells Picard that he regrets being promoted to admiral and advises him to never let it happen to him. He becomes an Almighty Janitor as a consequence — he is more than qualified to be a top-ranked admiral and everyone knows it, to the point the actual admirals usually speak to him less as a subordinate and more as an equal, not blinking at him addressing them by their first names, and he even puts one or two in their place. In First Contact , when the Admiral leading the assault on the Borg invasion of Earth is killed, Captain Picard immediately takes command of the entire fleet (or what's left of it) and nobody questions it. Especially when he leads them to victory in a few minutes.
  • Major Injury Underreaction : Young Picard's reaction to getting knifed through the heart was to begin laughing! Even Q was somewhat disturbed by this.
  • Mama's Boy : If everybody is seeing what they most desire in "Where No One Has Gone Before", then it is telling that all Picard desires is to sit and have tea with his dead mother again.
  • There's a few hints that he's a decent wrestler as well. In "The First Duty", the Starfleet Academy groundskeeper recalls the time where Picard hit "caught a Ligonian with a reverse body lift and pinned him down in the first fourteen seconds of the match."
  • In Season 2 of Picard , it's revealed that his family fled France during World War II and settled in England. They did not return to Chateau Picard for over a century.
  • Mouth of Sauron : After his abduction and assimilation by the Borg, he was supposed to be the Collective's mouthpiece to the Federation, demanding its surrender and leading the Cube to Earth. To further this, he was given the name Locutus, which is roughly Latin for "speaker".
  • Must Make Amends : First Contact is usually treated as a joke in Trekdom, with the aliens completely misreading the crew's intentions ("A Piece of the Action", "Code of Honor") or revering the ship as a God ("Blink of an Eye", Into Darkness ). In "Who Watches the Watchers", Picard is aghast to learn the bronze age Mintakans have rekindled their old superstitions after an away team bungles the job and exposes their spying nest to Liko. Finally we get to see why breaking the Prime Directive is a dangerous business. Picard: And now you are asking me to sabotage that achievement, to send them back into the Dark Ages of superstition and ignorance and fear? NO!
  • My Greatest Failure : Prior to the series, either the loss of the Stargazer or the death of Jack Crusher. Both are superseded, though, by being used by the Borg to crush Starfleet at Wolf 359.
  • My Rule Fu Is Stronger than Yours : Never try to quote protocol to Picard: you will lose.
  • Noodle Incident : He did something while he was a cadet that would've gotten him expelled were it not for the intervention of Groundskeeper Boothby. We don't know what it was as Boothby brushes off Picard's thanks .
  • Not Afraid to Die : He's fully prepared to sacrifice his life in performance of his duty. He defeats Nagilum by threatening to destroy the Enterprise and everyone onboard rather than let Nagilum kill half the crew for his amusement, as well as convincing Tomalak that he's really not bluffing when he says he's prepared to fight to the death , even though it would mean the destruction of both their vessels. He's also perfectly willing to die rather than assist the Borg when they kidnap him. Unfortunately they have something much nastier planned...
  • Not Even Bothering with the Accent : Picard is supposed to be French, but Patrick Stewart uses his natural accent instead, creating a Misplaced Accent . Proposed explanations for this are that Picard learned English from an English tutor, whose accent he would have thus adopted, or that he is actually speaking French and the accent is simply how it is rendered by the universal translator.
  • Not Himself : Riker goes on high alert when Picard kicks up his feet in his Ready Room or starts leading a sea shanty in Ten Forward. Our Jean-Luc is never this relaxed.
  • Does everything in his power to get Lwaxana Troi out of his hair, including going to Warp 9 just so she'll be off the ship faster.
  • His Dixon Hill program contrasts with the cultured image he likes to present of himself — a place where he can brawl with hoods and be snogged by dames of dubious morals. Not unlike the things he liked in his younger years, if "Tapestry" is any guide.
  • He has a nose for alcohol and, when times are appropriate, appreciates a good drink. Makes sense, given he spent his childhood on the family vineyard and his brother still runs it.
  • Not So Stoic : It's pretty clear in Generations that something is tremendously off with the Captain after he gets a comminique from home and suddenly becomes far more bad-tempered and brusque, even snapping at Riker on the bridge. It's only when Troi has a chat with him that the truth comes out; His brother and nephew have just died, and telling Troi this causes Picard to start crying .
  • Officer and a Gentleman : He's an aficionado of archaeology, Shakespeare, fine wine, good tea, and pulp detective fiction.
  • Papa Wolf : Although he isn't comfortable around children, Picard will always step up to protect them from harm.
  • Parental Substitute : To Wesley.
  • Patrick Stewart Speech : His actor is the Trope Namer . Picard is prone to giving big optimistic speeches. Lampshaded by Q at one point, who comments that he thinks the only reason he returns to the Enterprise sometimes is to hear one of Picard's speeches.
  • Precision F-Strike : On a couple of occasions, Picard has uttered the word "merde" on screen; this is the French word for "shit".
  • Pride Before a Fall : It's Picard’s hubris that they are ready to encounter anything that comes their way that encourages Q into providing him with a lesson to prove to him otherwise. Picard doesn’t heed Guinan’s warnings and heads off to explore this region of space (actually Borg Space) anyway. 18 crewmembers died to teach him a lesson.
  • Psycho Electro : A lost entity takes possession of Picard's mind in "Lonely Among Us", shooting electricity through the helm controls and incapacitating the whole crew.
  • The Reliable One : Even among his enemies, Picard is known for his dependability and honor. No less a figure than the Chancellor of the Klingon Empire assigned this random human to be mediator over the procedure that would determine his successor, solely because he trusted Picard more than anyone else despite only having met him once.
  • To prove he is a more thoughtful man than Kirk, he immediately surrenders to the Q whereas Jimmy T would have blasted them to hell and damn the consequences (In later episodes, Picard will be a lot quicker to hit the self-destruct and leap into an escape pod, possibly because surrendering the Enterprise-D would be an unacceptable security risk for the Federation).
  • In "Who Watches the Watchers," Picard allows himself to be shot by an arrow to prove his mortality. The Mintakans will resume their pursuit of science and leave the old beliefs behind, regardless of whether or not he survives Liko's arrow.
  • Slap-Slap-Kiss : With Captain Phillipa Louvois in "The Measure of a Man". In one of the novels, it's further elaborated that Louvois and Picard were romantically involved before she was chosen to prosecute him during his court martial, where she betrayed him by using the fact he'd wake screaming the names of the dead Stargazer crew, as proof that he was guilty.
  • The Stoic : While he is pushed to his limits several times and he develops a seething hatred for the Borg, Picard's reserve and emotional control are impressive enough that a Vulcan suffering from an age-related breakdown of self-control mind-links with him for stability. Spock himself finds Picard to be "remarkably analytical and dispassionate, for a human."
  • Sufficiently Advanced Aliens : Picard is revered as a God figure by the Mintakans in "Who Watches the Watchers". Scenes of Picard being seen in a haze of light like some kind of benevolent God are a viewpoint into how pre-warp civilizations view the Federation (and the captain asking Dr. Crusher why she didn’t let Liko die rather than poison their race with alien ideas is very Old Testament of him). Like Sisko in the early seasons of DS9, Picard is extremely uncomfortable with the idea of being considered a religious icon. He has to try and think of a way to get through to Nuria and explain that his life and hers isn’t that different, talking of ships and phasers as better huts and better bows, but it doesn't really translate.
  • Super-Hearing : In his backstory, he once suffered from a form of hyperacusis. Even though it was treated, he still has highly acute hearing by human standards.
  • Technical Pacifist : Picard initially rejected the war games sim in "Peak Performance" because he firmly believes that Starfleet is not a military organization. (The back-to-back invasions by the Borg and the Dominion will soon clear up that misunderstanding.) However, with the looming Borg threat, he feels that his crew needs to brush up on their tactical skills.
  • There Is No Cure : His alternate self in a Bad Future in " All Good Things " has the delusion-causing degenerative neurological disease Irumodic Syndrome, which has no known cure even in that time. See the Picard folder for more information.
  • Took a Level in Badass : Picard could always handle himself in a fight, but it was played up to absurd lengths in the movies, where most of his scenes played out like "Die Hard In Space"
  • Took a Level in Kindness : Due to some Early-Installment Weirdness and Characterization Marches On , Picard is established in the pilot to be a fairly surly, cold and distant man. He snaps at people and doesn't even bother looking at Riker when his new executive officer arrives on the bridge. A few episodes later, he admits that he was a bit harsh on his new number one. Over the course of the series, while Picard remains fairly stiff and formal, he becomes much warmer and soft-hearted.
  • Trademark Favorite Food : "Tea. Earl Gray. Hot." While less iconic, it's also established that Picard would have a croissant for breakfast every day if left to his own devices.
  • Tranquil Fury : How he often shows his anger.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension : Picard has this with Beverly Crusher, with whom he shares a close friendship that hovers juuuust outside of being romantic for the entire course of the show's run. It's never resolved, Picard remains a bachelor throughout all sequel movies and series.

jean blank picard star trek captain

Admiral (retired) Jean-Luc Picard

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/picard_stp.jpg

Appearances: Star Trek: Picard

  • Actor Allusion : In addition to the occasional Shoutout To Shakespeare , Picard mentions that he never really "got" science fiction (as Patrick Stewart is not a fan of the genre), he starts out the series as an old man waiting to die after losing virtually everyone close to him (Ala Logan ), and he suffered familial trauma as a child (similar to Stewart's father having suffered from PTSD).
  • Artificial Human : In "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2", his human body succumbs to the effects of his latent brain defect, but his mind is scanned before his brain functions fully cease, and then it's transferred to an android golem that functions exactly like a regular human body. He lives on as a synth, but without the enhancements of a Soong-type android (so no Super-Strength , Super-Reflexes , Super-Hearing or the processing power of a computer, and no extensions to his natural lifespan), since Altan knows that he won't want to have to adjust to new superpowers at his age or be made immortal . The only advantage his synth body has over his human body is a lack of Irumodic Syndrome. Star Trek: Discovery reveals that he is a Super Prototype of this sort of thing.
  • The Atoner : In "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1", he's accused of wanting to rescue the synthetics to atone for his failure to save the Romulans, rather than because his help will actually achieve anything.
  • Back from the Dead : In "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2", he dies of complications from what is believed to be Irumodic Syndrome, but Agnes, Altan, and Soji transfer his mind to a biological android, bringing him back to life.
  • He came to resent and despise Starfleet for their refusal to help the Romulan people.
  • On the flip side, several Starfleet officers lost their respect for him because of his criticisms of the organization.
  • Because he resigned in protest, Starfleet decided to boot out Raffi. Picard's choice cost Raffi her passion in life and he never bothered to keep in contact with her, even to see if she was alright.
  • The opening flashback in "Absolute Candor" shows that Picard used to be revered by the Romulans on Vashti. Fourteen years later, that reverence has faded to resentment.
  • He was like a father figure to Elnor, but similar to Raffi, Picard didn't talk to him for fourteen years.
  • Call to Agriculture : In his retirement years, he has been managing his family's vineyard in France.
  • Commonality Connection : In "Maps and Legends", he's delighted when he learns that Jurati shares his fondness for Earl Grey tea. Picard : Your preference? We have a selection. Jurati : Earl Grey? Picard : (smiling) I knew there was something about you.
  • Cool Old Guy : Older and cooler than ever, if a bit more jaded.
  • Cynicism Catalyst : Starfleet's refusal to help the Romulans, in the wake of the devastating synth attack on Mars, caused Picard to resign his commission in protest.
  • Dark and Troubled Past : As a child, his mother committed suicide after hurting him during a bout of bipolar disorder, leaving him emotionally stunted and unwilling to let other people into his life. His own relationship with his father was left strained as a result, and he spent years thinking of him as a far worse man than he actually was. And not only is he still haunted by his assimilation by The Borg, but he's spent 14 years cut off from his old friends, embittered that Starfleet would so quickly turn its back on Romulus in its hour of need.
  • Dark Is Not Evil : His clothing is often black and/or dark grey, and he's the Hero Protagonist of the series.
  • Death Seeker : It's not explicit or conscious, but the aging, embittered, and mortally ill Picard jumps at the chance to organize a Ragtag Band of Misfits to tackle a huge conspiracy which freely employs special forces kill squads, is perfectly willing to walk into situations which could get him killed, and throws down his sword when forced into a duel with someone who is clearly serious about wanting him dead. (He also refuses to involve too many of his friends in his quest, suggesting that he knows at heart how dangerous it is.) He'd surely be quite happy to go out in a blaze of glory.
  • Didn't Think This Through : When he learns about the threat against Soji's life, he goes to Starfleet for help...two days after he gave them a very scathing criticism about their refusal to help Romulus evacuate following the terrorist attack on Mars—an incident of which he resigned in protest over and left him on very bad terms with Starfleet—and without evidence of his claims. Fleet Admiral Clancy calls him out for his "sheer, fucking hubris" to think he could just waltz in asking for a ship in spite of what he did, and shows him the door after dressing him down.
  • Distressed Dude : In "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2", he's under house arrest at Coppelius Station.
  • Fatal Flaw : Pride with a dash of Honor Before Reason . In his past Picard was respected and famous across the galaxy for his decorated career in Starfleet, and while he didn't overtly become arrogant or proud he still possessed a strong sense of self-image, and also a strong sense of morals. ​This is why he left Starfleet, because he felt it was no longer keeping true to the ideals he believed it should stand for, and he would not be a part of the organization in such a state. Several characters tell him that under the circumstances at the time (Mars scourged by synths, Romulus about to be destroyed), leaving Starfleet did far more harm than good, because it was exactly the sort of time when men like Jean-Luc Picard were needed most. From their perspective, it was Starfleet's Darkest Hour , and rather than help the organization help itself, Picard walked away for the sake of upholding his personal honor, and it cost him a lot of respect and friendships. This repeatedly bites him over the course of the first season when people he assumes would readily help him are bitter towards him. Even Riker and Troi, his oldest friends, call him out for assuming that being Jean-Luc Picard gives him wide knowledge over everyone and everything.
  • Feeling Their Age : Even if his health is excellent for his age, he's still in his nineties. Just a brisk jog has him gasping for breath.
  • The idealistic Picard and the cynical Seven of Nine are former Borg drones who reacted very differently when the Federation reneged on its promise to aid the Romulan people. Picard resigned from Starfleet and was inactive in interstellar affairs for the past fourteen years, whereas Seven became a vigilante who works for the Fenris Rangers in lawless regions that the Federation had abandoned. They are human Parental Substitutes to non-human men, Elnor and Icheb, respectively. Picard was a Disappeared Dad to Elnor since he quit Starfleet, which contrasts Seven, who maintained her close ties with Icheb because he helped her with the Fenris Rangers' reconnaissance while he was on leave from the USS Coleman . Elnor arrives in time to save Picard's life on Vashti, but Seven is too late to save Icheb's life on Vergessen. Picard tries to convince Seven not to seek revenge for Icheb's death by killing Bjayzl and her gang of criminals, but Seven carries out the executions anyway.
  • He and Raffi are former Starfleet officers who have ignored a son figure (Elnor and Gabriel Hwang, respectively) for many years, and when they finally reunite with them, the outcome is very different. Picard doesn't apologize for his abandonment of Elnor and requests that his surrogate son be part of his crew, whereas Raffi does apologize for her neglect of Gabriel and hopes that she can spend time with her son. Picard and Raffi then receive a Calling the Old Man Out speech from Elnor and Gabriel. Elnor at first rejects his father figure's offer, but changes his mind when the latter's life is in danger; his love for Picard overcomes his resentment. Gabriel, however, remains incredibly bitter at his mother, so he shuts down any possibility of a reconciliation. Picard gets his surrogate son back, but Raffi is still cut off from her son.
  • Go Out with a Smile : As he's dying, he grins at Soji because he's glad that she made the right choice, and he affectionately smiles at Elnor, who's the closest thing he has to a son.
  • When he goes to see Admiral Clancy, C-in-C of Starfleet, to request to be reinstated and given a ship so he can track down a lead on Data's possible daughter, he offers, if an admiral is too much for such a mission, to be downgraded to captain. Clancy, however, is not happy with him, both for an interview on the news in which he was highly critical of Starfleet as well as lingering resentment for how he left the fleet in the first place, and turns him down. Even with the demotion.
  • Later Played for Laughs in "Vox", where the Enterprise -D's computers refer to him as "Captain" Picard (since the systems haven't been online for 30 years), which leads him to jokingly accept this "field demotion".
  • Gratuitous French : A meta version; he is shown speaking French to his dog to remind the audience that he is actually supposed to be French. He equates being interviewed with heading off to the guillotine (" Bien, à la guillotine, alors. "). Played straight when he puts on a Maurice Chevalier Accent while portraying an organ trader and refers to Seven of Nine as a jeune fille . He throws in the occasional French word, such as Adieu in "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2."
  • Heroic Sacrifice : With his misdiagnosed Irumodic Syndrome worsening, Picard goes into battle to defend Coppelius from the Romulan fleet. It costs him his life, temporarily at least .
  • In Season 1, once he gets back into a chair and gives out orders, the old Jean-Luc begins to shine through the bitter, cynical old man who'd been sitting at his vineyard waiting to die.
  • More symbolically in Season 3, he retakes command of the Enterprise -D, with his old crew beside him, to save The Federation once more from extinction.
  • He thought that Starfleet would value his reputation and threat of resignation over its decision not to help the Romulans. They just took it and showed him the door.
  • He expects Admiral Clancy to greenlight his mission to find Bruce Maddox and Dahj's twin sister, despite having publicly slammed Starfleet and the Federation two days earlier and despite having no actual evidence to support his claims about both Soji and the Zhat Vash. Clancy chews him out for his "sheer fucking hubris."
  • Sarcastically invoked by Laris when she's infuriated by Picard acting as if the galaxy revolves around him. Picard : I don't fully understand all of it, but I know that it's important, and not only to me. Laris : No, of course, if it's important to Jean-Luc Picard, it must be important to the whole galaxy .
  • A few times, Picard and his crew drop his name into a request in the belief that it will help grease the skids. The results are mixed at best.
  • In Spite of a Nail : In the Confederation of Earth alternate timeline, Picard still has a synthetic body, although in that timeline he got it after being severely wounded in a fight with Gul Dukat.
  • When he has an opportunity to destroy the Borg collective he doesn't because Hugh has become an individual with rights and it would be wrong to sacrifice him. The Borg wiped out entire civilizations in the Delta Quadrant, and came close to destroying the Federation, all because Picard couldn't bring himself to compromise his morals.
  • After the synth attack, Starfleet abandoned their attempts to evacuate the Romulans. Picard reacted by resigning in protest. By doing so, he squandered his ability to use his authority as an admiral to save many Romulans, leaving them all to die instead.
  • Despite Starfleet having pragmatic reasons for doing so, Picard's scathing criticism about the organization abandoning Romulus to its fate when they could have otherwise helped isn't entirely wrong. Once Starfleet learns the Zhat Vash caused the attack , they start to accept that the Admiral had a point.
  • Even though he's trying to be diplomatic about it as possible, Picard accusing Riker — his best friend — of being cowardly to attack the Shrike because he's letting his dead son's death affect his decision-making is a major dick move. The next episode, with the Titan plummeting to her doom, Riker admits that Jean-Luc was right.
  • Knight in Sour Armor : He isn't at all happy with the cynical turn Starfleet has taken, but as shown by his "The Reason You Suck" Speech aimed at a sleazy journalist, it's only because his idealism is now even more pronounced.
  • The Leader : He's the Charismatic type who relies on being a Magnetic Hero to band together a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits to assist him on his mission.
  • Let's Get Dangerous! : In Season 3, after discovering Vadic's target is his son , it only takes moments for the jaded, guilt-ridden retired admiral to step aside for the return of Captain Picard. Taken to another level when it turns out the Big Bad is the Borg Queen and he pulls out even more stops to ensure the Borg are finally defeated for good this time .
  • Lethal Chef : Season 3 suggests this as it has his old crew mates show disdain for his iconic Chateau Picard wine. Riker has no taste to it, Worf calls it “sour mead” and Picard accuses Geordi of having “pedestrian” tastes when the latter uses an incident as a Trust Password .
  • Living Legend : He's famous across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, although his reputation has been somewhat tarnished after he resigned from Starfleet because he chose to do absolutely nothing (other than caring for his family's vineyard and writing history books) during his retirement.
  • Magnetic Hero : He spends the first four episodes collecting a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits for his Badass Crew , even though some of them have their own grudges against him or idealistic causes in general.
  • Not So Above It All : He is shown stickfighting with the boy Elnor and, when required to work undercover, gleefully hamming up his villain role with an eyepatch and Maurice Chevalier Accent .
  • Oh, Crap! : Season 2 starts with him self-destructing the new Stargazer to keep the Borg Queen from getting ahold of Starfleet's tech, only to wake up in his chateau, dressed in a black uniform and with a very different badge on his chest. Then an android servant comes in, with no record of Laris anywhere. As he's having a panic at his situation, then he hears a familiar voice...and Q pops up right behind up.
  • Papa Wolf : When the Borg Queen basically makes Jack her slave, Picard goes back into the Collective to rescue him.
  • Parental Substitute : Because the orphan Elnor was raised by the all-female Qowat Milat sect, Picard was the sole significant male figure in his life, so naturally the boy looked up to the older man as a surrogate father.
  • Pass Fail : He's technically an xB, but because he doesn't possess any visible Borg implants, he doesn't endure the galaxy-wide persecution that the other former drones do, who are perceived to be "property to be exploited, or as a hazard to be warehoused." He never has to worry about being a victim of Borg tech harvesters (like Icheb) or being a victim of a government-sanctioned xB massacre (like Hugh and his patients). Rios conveniently forgot that Picard was once part of the Collective, and when Elnor ponders if the xBs are better off dead, he's obviously not thinking about his surrogate father.
  • C'mon, it's Picard , it's practically a reflex for him. He even gets one in the premiere when he assures Dahj that what she is doesn't affect who she is.
  • He also gives one to Rios to the effect that even after leaving Starfleet, Rios is still at heart a Starfleet officer. This prompts Rios to hang a lampshade he had ready for just this moment: "Raffi warned me you were a speechmaker."
  • Putting the Band Back Together : Defied in Season 1. When he learns about Soji's plight and how Dr. Bruce Maddox may be connected to it, it's suggested to him that he get his old Enterprise crew back. He refuses, not wanting them to risk their lives out of loyalty to him after losing Data 20 years ago. It winds up being Played Straight in Season 3, where Will joins him on a mission to rescue Beverly, which eventually brings Worf, Geordi, the resurrected Data and Deanna back to his side once more. Then he gets one more surprise member of his old crew: The Enterprise -D herself!
  • Rank Up : He eventually gained a promotion to admiral after the events of Nemesis , although he later resigned from the position after Starfleet decided to not help the Romulans in the lead-up to the destruction of Romulus .
  • Rebuilt Pedestal : Season 2 reveals that Starfleet has stopped treating him like a pariah for resigning and much more like the respected Captain he used to. It helps that he's now become the head of Starfleet Academy, and has smoothened things over with everyone else.
  • Retcon : * In "Where No One Has Gone Before", a hallucination of his mother appeared, implying she survived to old age. It's shown in Season 2 that she hung herself when Picard was a child, and he only imagined her as having lived that long to cope with the pain .
  • Retired Badass : As the former captain of the Enterprise , he's long since retired from the Starfleet admiralty by the time the series begins. It doesn't make him any less capable of command decisions when he gets out of his vineyard and back to the stars.
  • Revision : "All Good Things" hinted that he would suffer from Irumodic Syndrome, which Season 1 brought to pass and eventually killed him temporarily. Season 3 reveals it was never Irumodic Syndrome, but misdiagnosed as such. It was really a leftover from his time as Locutus, made so the Borg could pass his DNA onto a descendant they could use as a transmitter for their new hive mind, and assume full control of Starfleet.
  • Scatterbrained Senior : Not specifically, but certain characters do enjoy characterizing him as something of a weird, headstrong Space Grandpa. And to their credit, they're not entirely wrong, as Picard himself admits he's lost perspective on some matters due to his age and various lingering traumas. The potential return (or rather eventual manifestation) of his Irumodic Syndrome from "All Good Things" strongly implies he is on the road to becoming a Scatterbrained Senior for real, however. Except it isn't Irumodic Syndrome that's killing him; it's Borg tech .
  • When he can't get Starfleet to aid him through proper channels, he goes off the grid to investigate the androids on his own.
  • As mentioned in Star Trek: Lower Decks , he privately funds at least one renegade archaeologist who steals cultural artifacts from museums to return them to their original owners.
  • Shell-Shocked Veteran : As he says in the pilot, the actual dreams he has are lovely, it’s the waking up that he resents.
  • There Is No Cure : Discussed . He discovers in " Maps and Legends " that the structural defect in his brain could cause one of a number of fatal syndromes, only a number of which are even treatable; including the Irumodic Syndrome which his alternate future self in The Next Generation was diagnosed with (see the above folder). Unfortunately, it turns out that it wasn't Irumodic Syndrome at all; it was Borg Tech left in his brain so he could explicitly pass it down to a descendant they could use to control all of Starfleet.
  • Took a Level in Cynic : Or, at the very least, a lot more jaded. He lost neither his compassion nor his idealism, but just couldn't take the politics of Starfleet any longer. When he scathingly tears into Starfleet for abandoning Romulus so quickly, and even in a later private confrontation with Admiral Clancy, he speaks disdainfully of how the group he once served would quickly abandoned their duty to help others because they'd rather let old prejudices cloud their judgement.
  • Took a Level in Jerkass : In spite of the level that he took in kindness generally, it's nevertheless quite disturbing how horribly he treats Raffi, at least in the earlier episodes of Season 1. He plies her with alcohol to try to persuade her to sign on with his quest, essentially feeding her addiction for his own purposes. Later, after she's locked herself in her room on La Sirena because she's distraught that she failed to reconcile with her son, Picard reacts to her anguished "Go away!" with an unconcerned little smile, as if to say, "Oh that silly Raffi, always giving into despair and drinking herself to death." His seeming lack of empathy for his supposed friend is perhaps best on display in "The Impossible Box," where Raffi (who is only on this mission because she loves and respects Picard that much ) burns her last bridge with one of the few friends she has left at Starfleet to get Picard access to the Artifact. Emmy, pissed at being used, tells Raffi never to contact her again, and Raffi is visibly heartbroken. What is Picard's reaction, even as she stumbles pathetically back to her room to continue drowning her sorrows? He gives her a lighthearted round of applause, and even incites the others to join in. Seriously, if we didn't know Picard better, it would almost seem like he was actively mocking his friend's utter misery.
  • Not in the sense that he's even more idealistic or compassionate than in his younger years, but he certainly seems much more ready to express his affection for people. It's not just the effect of not being the other characters' commanding officer anymore, as he used to be on the Enterprise . In the flashback to the Romulan evacuation, he's going out of his way to be kind to the young Elnor, even taking the time to read stories and play/fence with him — when he was previously known to have little patience with children. He shows absolutely no hesitation in hugging and kissing note  on the cheek Deanna and Will, which he didn't even do at their wedding , when they were already on their way to Will's new ship, so it wasn't an issue of appropriate behavior towards subordinates anymore. He's also happy to let Hugh and adult Elnor hug him in greeting. This new cuddliness particularly stands out against his own rueful admission to Soji that he used to share Data's "limited" "capacity for expressing and processing emotion" to some degree. (Perhaps owning a dog helped with learning to be more expressive.) He also admits to her that he did love Data (in his own fatherly-supportive way) and hopes that the affection was returned, inasmuch that was possible for Data. In the last few episodes of Season 1, he's being remarkably gentle and understanding with Dr. Jurati (during and after her confession) and he seems to intentionally encourage Elnor's and Soji's attachment to him as a father figure with lines like "I'm very proud of you." It's only with Raffi that he still seems to feel that hugging and saying "I love you" is weird — but he still returns the phrase after some hesitation. Overall, it comes across like in his younger years, Picard's kindness came mainly from ethical principles and high-minded, though somewhat distant idealism, but now it also comes from deep personal affection for the people in his life, and the wish to show them that and treat them as well as he can, while he still can. note  Which only makes sense, given his lingering grief over Data's death, and also considering his own medical diagnosis.
  • It's best exemplified in Season 3 with his old crew. At the end of TNG , he symbolically joins them for a poker game after years of keeping his distance. Back together with them once more, his final scene ends with him initiating one last game for the night, being far more jovial and relaxed.
  • He's among the very few people in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants who wanted to save Romulan lives when the Romulan star was about to explode.
  • His personal mission is to rescue Soji from the Zhat Vash. In "Stardust City Rag", he describes her to Seven of Nine as: Picard : Someone who has no else to help her, someone who will likely die if I don't.
  • What the Hell, Hero? : In Season 3, when he learns that Beverly had a son with him that she kept hidden for 20 years, he stunts her criticisms that she didn't want Jack to be in immortal danger, or that Picard himself once professed he feared he couldn't be a father, by pointing out that keeping Jack out of his life took that choice away from him.
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jean blank picard star trek captain

New 'Star Trek' movie featuring Picard is on the way, Patrick Stewart says

Three seasons wasn't enough of an epilogue it seems for nostalgia's favorite Starfleet admiral.

 This is beginning to feel like the "Police Academy" sequels. Can't we just start with something new?

Patrick Stewart isn't ready to give up being Jean-Luc Picard.

The third season of the "Next Generation" spin-off " Picard " centered around the titular Starfleet captain ended in April of last year after successfully polarizing "Star Trek" fans. Many were turned off from the final season because it was very much a cookie-cutter carbon copy of the last two, relying heavily, once again, on attempting to remain suspenseful by applying a what's-in-the-box?! style of storytelling. 

But it turns out we may be seeing more of Jean-Luc. Stewart appeared recently on an episode of the podcast Happy Sad Confused , hosted by  Josh Horowitz to discuss the experience of playing the role of Jean-Luc Picard. 

"After we finished recording our seven seasons of 'Next Generation' we made four Star Trek movies of varying qualities, the best one being ['First Contact'], directed by Jonathan Frakes. He was one of the people who had the most influence on me on the show because of his experience and his understanding of the complexities and how bringing different qualities onto the stage was very, very important in diversity and change," Stewart said. 

As he continued, however, Stewart made a surprise statement, saying that there was a "Star Trek" movie script being written with him in mind. 

"So it's an ongoing procedure for me. I heard only last night about a script that is being written, but written specifically with the actor, Patrick [Stewart], to play in it. And I've been told to expect to receive it within a week or so. I'm so excited because it sounds like the kind of project where the experimentation that I want to do will be essential for this kind of material. It's good at 83…"

Related: Star Trek streaming guide: Where to watch the Star Trek movies and TV shows online

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The recording took place in November at about the time that Stewart was promoting his new memoir, "Making It So" and this is the latest "Star Trek" movie rumor to circulate as The Hollywood Reporter ran a story just a day or so ago that Toby Haynes, who directed episodes " Andor " will helm a new feature, with Seth Grahame-Smith writing.

The plot is said to take place within the Kelvin Universe, decades before the events of 2009’s Star Trek, which J.J. Abrams directed and Bad Robot will produce the movie.

Then there are the circulating rumors involving the new TV shows, like the Section 31 and Starfleet Academy spin-offs.

"What was so interesting about Picard, and the main reason why I decided to commit to three seasons of it was that Akiva Goldsman talked to me about the changes that had happened in my life in the last 20 years. And he said, 'Were there any?' and of course, I said yes there were lots and lots and new journeys and new experiences and relationships," said Stewart.

"And he said, 'Exactly! Well that has also been Jean-Luc’s experience.' He’s not the same man. He’s no longer captain of the Enterprise. He was made an admiral. It became really desk work, which is not what he ever wanted to do. And now he’s back at home, living on his vineyard and seeming to be reasonably content. All that was an act. All that was Jean-Luc trying to pretend, as I think my father did, that everything was all right. But it wasn’t," Stewart added.

The full interview is on YouTube here .

 —  'Star Trek: Insurrection' at 25: When Picard and the Enterprise crew found the Fountain of Youth

 — 'Star Trek' advisor warps into NASA to talk real science of sci-fi

 — 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' will get a choose-your-own-adventure graphic novel

The fifth and final season of "Star Trek: Discovery" airs sometime in April and "Discovery" and every episode of every "Star Trek" show — with the exception of "Star Trek: Prodigy" — currently streams exclusively on Paramount Plus in the U.S. "Prodigy" has found a new home  on Netflix . 

Internationally, the shows are available on Paramount Plus in Australia, Latin America, the UK and South Korea, as well as on Pluto TV in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. They also stream on Paramount Plus in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In Canada, they air on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and stream on Crave.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Scott Snowden

When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

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  • crazywater Not sure what the author is referring to but the final season of Picard was what the first two seasons should have been. Seasons 1 and 2 were embarrassingly bad and not Star Trek. Season 3 was terrific. Thank God Patrick Stewart was removed from creative control. If he gets that role back for this movie it will probably revert back to the garbage from the first two season. Reply
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Picard’s Leadership in ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’

Dr. Alice Kerby

My television viewing habits have returned to the safe and familiar comfort of shows from the 1990s a year into the pandemic. I rewatched all of Friends , caught some Seinfeld episodes, and am having a lovely renaissance with The X-Files . One of my favorite discoveries has turned out to be Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG), a show I never had time for in my youth because I thought it was for nerds like my brother.

In watching TNG with the fresh eyes of a new viewer, I became fascinated with Sir Patrick Stewart’s portrayal of the enigmatic captain, Jean-Luc Picard, and his outstanding aptitude for leadership. Going beyond mere bravery and displaying an adventurous nature, he exhibits the finely honed skills of a true leader with both compassion and class. This article sets forth to discuss those qualities that make Picard such a beloved character and fan-favorite. Engage!

Coupled with his high caliber of leadership, Picard’s mission to create and maintain diplomacy is an emblem of the show. His ability to greet opposing leadership from multi-species encounters while remaining diplomatic in the face of adversity is spellbinding. One could only hope our actual world leaders might someday take cues from this character. More than once we see Picard encounter the angry captain of an opposing ship and have demands placed on him to take immediate action.

Rather than act hastily in his responses though, Picard consistently centers these goals to the forefront of any mission and practices the crucial technique of pausing, even if momentarily, prior to responding to anger, hostility, tomfoolery, or underhanded demands. He does not give the appearance of reaction in his encounters, but rather one of response. Even as red alert bells fire and the ship’s deck crew voice their suggestions, he remains composed. He is able to take that split-second pause and respond, based on what appears to be a wellspring of trust and a guiding internal compass.

A TV still from 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' showing Captain Picard looking forward with a look of frustration as he sits in his quarters.

This ability to respond lends itself to authenticate his quality of calm strength. Much like the carvings of Egyptian pharaohs standing in a stoic position of power with a slight smile resting upon their lips, Picard gives the appearance of someone who is very much in control in any given situation but does not have the need to flagrantly demonstrate it to others. He is calm in his approach. This isn’t to say he never gets agitated or worried, quite the contrary, but he makes decisions from a place that seems to be guided by an internal sense of calm. When he is on board a Klingon vessel with Data, for example, and is shown a single hardboard for a mattress and told of the ship’s exaggerated lack of luxury, Picard appears enthusiastic about the roughness and does not give away his discomfort at these conditions, so unlike his own comfortable quarters and that smashing blue night suit we see on occasion. Rarely do we see Picard ruffled—even in moments of extreme torture, he manages to somehow keep a modicum or veil of composure.

Picard has his internal wellspring of calm, but this does not make him appear as someone who is a pushover or weak to attacks by his enemies, comrades, and aggressors alike. He frequently matches the energy of his opponent—when someone is casting bold threats upon him, he utilizes quality and tone of voice to suggest that, while he is very aware of the nature of their threat, he will not tolerate it. His firm stance and rigid backbone are matched by the tone of his voice, presenting himself as an equal and opposite force to their energy, leaving no room for speculation. He does not utilize his power to offer obtuse threats or intimidate others with only a bravado, nor does he appear weak in his quest to place democracy and peacekeeping first and foremost. This is a fine line to walk, yet Picard does so masterfully.

Matching energy is not simply about responding to aggression with aggression, it is a delicate diplomatic act. When presented with the cautious and concerned leader of another world in First Contact, Picard meets his energy with gentleness and graciousness. This diplomatic leader cautiously greets Picard and his away team at the urging of an acclaimed scientist. While the planet’s leader slowly warms to Picard, he is angered upon catching the captain in a lie. Picard hesitated to disclose all of their mission and, upon counsel from the scientist, neglected to tell the planetary leader that his first officer was embedded as a spy on the planet.

He matches the concern of this leader by demonstrating his own concern and is able to foster diplomatic relations in what could have otherwise been a disastrous situation. Had he continued to lie or brushed aside the leader’s concern, diplomatic negotiations would have ground to a halt and a greater potential for war would have existed. This episode highlights Picard’s ability to admit his mistakes. He withholds information from this planet’s leader and, rather than make excuses or try to minimize that fact, he apologizes and attempts to rectify his error.

A TV still from 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' showing Picard and Data looking out in the distance at an object Riker is pointing at.

So often those who would like to be called leaders are afraid to openly admit or acknowledge their mistakes. Shoving forth in a bravado is frequently demonstrated as a powerful leadership tool, but it does not inspire confidence in those seeking true leadership.

We could compare Picard to our most recently retired United States Commander in Chief, who approached the presidency with nothing short of bravado and not much to back it up. In keeping in tune with the 90s, however, it’s far more interesting to imagine how different The Next Generation would have been with a different crew member as captain. 

In New Ground, Worf (Micahel Dorn) utilizes his typical Klingon leadership approach to try parenting his recently discovered young son. The boy is acting out, stealing, and lying. Worf tells his son these actions are dishonorable, and no Klingon would behave this way. He assumes the brevity of his lecture has mended the boy’s behavior. He is wrong. His approach to leadership is a one size fits all path, with fierceness and honor at the crux of his decision-making. 

First officer Willliam Riker (Jonathan Frakes) leads with a no-questions-asked style. We see this as early as the pilot episode when he barks commands at his former lover (Troi) when she expresses concern that he might die in a mine shaft. This is most apparent in the jaw-dropping season six episode, Second Chances, when Riker meets another version of himself. You’d think they might have a thing or two to sit down and discuss, but for most of the episode, Riker is leading by harsh commands and exertion of a dominant rank.

A TV still from "Star Trek: TNG" showing Picard and Riker standing side-by-side.

We could speculate that if Picard met another fully articulate version of himself, he may invite the man in for a cup of tea and a chat. They would probably have a chuckle at some archeological finding that no one else would understand. He would most likely ask his other self to weigh in on the situation. 

We see countless scenes of Picard in the observation lounge with his officers around him. He favors a round table approach to large decisions and asks each member of the team what their perspective and potential solutions are. More so than just asking, Picard intently listens to their suggestions and takes heed of their experience. He does not automatically assume he knows all of the answers, and nor does he lead by dictatorship.

His ability to listen to all of his advisors is quite distinct from what we would see in a typical military model. He has his warrior counsel in Worf, but also surrounds himself with crewmates and advisors who possess gifts not commonly associated with either war or the military. Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) play such fascinating roles as close counsel to the captain, and his portrayal as a leader who listens to their suggestions even when he doesn’t understand their viewpoint creates a fascinating depth to his character.

Guinan, in particular, works on an almost psychic intuition, but Picard trusts her inner voice. In the episode Yesterday’s Enterprise, she tells him something is wrong and guides him to make choices that irrevocably change the fate of all of their lives. He does not know how she knows, but he trusts her and her psychic gifts.

A TV still from Star Trek: TNG showing Guinan looking over at a puzzled Picard.

While Picard questions her intuition briefly in the beginning, he starts to see the current ship as she sees it: a ship of peace that has taken a wrong turn in history and finds itself in the middle of a war. Picard is able to feel her vexation at this new version of history and becomes vexed himself. He fervently makes decisions to return the ship through time and space, to a more peaceful time. We can speculate that Guinan’s version of The Enterprise holds the appeal of peace and this preferred vision spurs his action to return.

Perhaps Picard’s guiding light is his clarity in remaining true to his greater goals. He will always choose a diplomatic route when it is available and cares deeply for all life. His protection of all of those on the Enterprise and his crew is paramount, but his desire to protect all of the various lives that they encounter is clear. In the episode Galaxy’s Child , he goes out of his way to authorize a phaser-led c-section of an unidentified space creature in the hopes that the young creature inside will still have a chance at life after mistakenly killing its parent with a phaser blast. Picard does not simply take the easy way out—firing phasers at unknown entities, or even killing giant space creatures when they threaten to overpower the Enterprise. He asks his team for solutions and creates a plan that involves keeping everyone alive, including the alien life form.

Jean-Luc Picard is a wholly deserved beloved character. His qualities of leadership and the consistent demonstration of them can be found all throughout the show’s long run. We may not have situations where a Cardassian crew resorts to subterfuge or giant space aliens must be saved, but we can all practice these characteristics that make Picard such a great leader. 

Dr. Alice Kerby

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What ship did Captain Picard first command in ‘Star Trek’?

Before commanding the U.S.S. Enterprise-D, Picard was assigned to a different starship.

jean blank picard star trek captain

Captain (later Admiral) Jean-Luc Picard has had one of the most illustrious careers of any Starfleet officer. Most notably, he was given the command of the Federation flagship, the Enterprise-D, and led it through battles, diplomatic missions, and first-contact scenarios across seven seasons of The Next Generation .

But Picard didn’t just get the command overnight. He earned it through decades of dedicated service.

In 2327, Ensign Picard graduated from Starfleet Academy top of his class. He later recalled that as a young man, he was “green as hell. And oh, so cocky.” This arrogance led to a bar fight against a bunch of Nausicaans, where he was stabbed through the heart and barely survived the subsequent emergency operation to save his life.

After serving on a few ships, Picard, now a Lieutenant, was assigned helmsman on board the U.S.S. Stargazer and in 2333 he assumed command of the vessel when the captain was killed on the bridge. For his brave and decisive actions, Picard was awarded a field promotion to the rank of Captain and proceeded to command the Stargazer for twenty-two years.

Command of the Stargazer

jean blank picard star trek captain

During this time, the Stargazer was heavily involved in first-contact missions and violent wars with Cardassia. During one incident, the ship was facing off against a Cardassian vessel. Taking a risk, Picard lowered his shields as a gesture of goodwill only to be attacked. The Stargazer and its crew only just managed to get away with their lives.

In 2355, Picard’s long run as Captain of the vessel ended abruptly. In a fight with an unknown vessel, the Stargazer was crippled and about to be annihilated. Thinking fast, Picard came up with a brilliant solution. He would engage his warp drive, almost ramming the enemy ship, before opening fire at point-blank range. For a moment the Stargazer would appear to be in two places at once. Incredibly, this last gamble born out of sheer desperation worked, and the unknown vessel was destroyed. But Picard’s ship had suffered too much damage and had to be abandoned, the surviving crew escaping in pods.

But the so-called Battle of Maxia would come back to haunt Picard in the future. The unknown vessel was in fact a Ferengi ship, and left one powerful Ferengi commander out for Picard’s blood.

Forever afterward called The Picard Maneuver, the practice of warping up to an enemy vessel and firing everything would be seen more than once in Star Trek .

jean blank picard star trek captain

I'm Excited For Strange New Worlds' Pike To Become Star Trek's Most Important Captain When Discovery Ends

  • Captain Pike of "Strange New Worlds" is set to become the most important active Captain in the Star Trek franchise.
  • As "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Star Trek: Picard" come to an end, Captain Pike steps into the spotlight on Paramount+.
  • Pike's portrayal embodies classic Star Trek virtues while modernizing for the 21st century, making him a worthy lead.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) will become Star Trek 's most important active Captain when Star Trek: Discovery ends. Pike was reintroduced in Star Trek: Discovery season 2, updating the character from the original version played by Jeffrey Hunter in Star Trek 's original pilot, "The Cage." The revamped Captain Pike, Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck), and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) proved to be so popular that they received their own spinoff, the critically acclaimed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

Star Trek on Paramount+, until recently, had 5 new series featuring multiple starship Captains, although the most prominent are Star Trek: Discovery' s Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Star Trek: Picard' s Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Star Trek: Lower Decks ' Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis), Star Trek: Prodigy 's Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), and Captain Pike. As an enduring icon of Star Trek: The Next Generation , Admiral Picard's stature can't be denied, but his days of being a starship captain are long over , and Star Trek: Picard ended with season 3 in 2023. With Star Trek: Discovery season 5 also marking its final season, Captain Pike of Strange New Worlds is about to take Star Trek 's center stage in a grander way.

Every Upcoming Star Trek Movie & TV Show

When discovery ends, strange new worlds' pike becomes star trek's most important captain, strange new worlds becomes star trek's flagship tv show.

Captain Pike will become Star Trek 's centerpiece Captain when Star Trek: Discovery ends. As the first Star Trek on Paramount+ series, Discovery was the flagship, and Sonequa Martin-Green's Captain Burnham was on par with Pike in terms of her importance to the current Star Trek franchise. With Admiral Picard gone and Burnham bowing out, Captain Pike becomes the top Star Trek on Paramount+ Captain in live-action (if he isn't already). Indeed, Strange New Worlds will formally succeed Discovery as Star Trek on Paramount+'s flagship show.

Captain Pike also commands the USS Enterprise, the most important ship in Star Trek, so it's fitting that Star Trek on Paramount+ is about to revolve around Strange New Worlds.

Unfortunately, the only live-action Captain who could equal or exceed Pike's prominence doesn't have a Star Trek TV series in development at Paramount+. S tar Trek: Picard season 3's ending set up a new show about Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and the USS Enterprise-G, but that potential series is in limbo and may not happen at all. The same can be said for Chris Pine's Captain James T. Kirk since it's been nearly a decade without another J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movie hitting movie theaters. Captain Pike also commands the USS Enterprise, the most important ship in Star Trek , so it's fitting that Star Trek on Paramount+ is about to revolve around Strange New Worlds.

Why Pike Becomes More Important Than Lower Decks & Prodigy's Captains

Pike embodies star trek's tv future.

Star Trek: Lower Decks, which is about to enter season 5 on Paramount+, and Star Trek: Prodigy , which soon premieres season 2 on Netflix, are popular and highly regarded by Star Trek fans. Unfortunately, as animated series, they don't have quite the same cache as live-action Star Trek series regardless of how excellent Lower Decks and Prodigy are. When Star Trek: Discovery ends, Captain Pike will lead the lone Star Trek on Paramount+ live-action series until the debut of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy . And even then, Strange New Worlds about the Starship Enterprise is more high-profile than Starfleet Academy's experimental YA show about young cadets.

Captain Pike has all the worthy qualities to be the primary Star Trek Captain, and his time is nigh.

Much of Captain Pike and Strange New Worlds ' success is due to how he and his show embody the virtues of classic Star Trek while also modernizing it all for the 21st century . Anson Mount portrays Captain Pike as smart, compassionate, and fair, but also decisive and authoritative, and audiences have responded positively to Chris and to Strange New Worlds . Thankfully, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is guaranteed to return for season 3, and will hopefully have many more seasons of exploring the final frontier. Captain Pike has all the worthy qualities to be the primary Star Trek Captain, and his time is nigh.

Cast Bruce Horak, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun, Rebecca Romijn, Christina Chong, Anson Mount

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers

I'm Excited For Strange New Worlds' Pike To Become Star Trek's Most Important Captain When Discovery Ends

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Published Mar 26, 2024

Star Trek's Strongest Supporting Women Characters

Beyond the Captain Janeways, Dr. Crushers, and Major Kiras, there has always been strong women in Star Trek.

Illustrated collage featuring Star Trek's Number One, Kasidy Yates, Carol Marcus, Ro Laren, Lursa, Edith Keeler, Rachel Garrett, and Lily Sloane

StarTrek.com

While the Star Trek franchise reached its pinnacle with Kate Mulgrew's fantastic portrayal of Captain Janeway, it began earlier with the truly revolutionary casting of Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura. While one can nitpick and say she was subservient to the boys (and there's definitely an argument to be made), the very fact that an African American woman was seen on the Bridge had a direct impact on the viewing public. (Just ask Whoopi Goldberg!)

As Women's History Month comes to a close, let's take a look back — beyond the Dr. Crushers and Major Kiras — to some of the less-obvious strong women characters in the history of Star Trek .

10. Captain Kasidy Yates

Close-up of Kasidy Yates as she smiles over at Ben Sisko in 'The Way of the Warrior'

"The Way of the Warrior"

It takes a special kind of woman to win the heart of a space station commander, military leader, and Emissary to the Prophets. Kasidy Yates is that women.

She's a hardworking cargo ship captain (engaging in some light and mostly benign smuggling on the side) who refuses special treatment when caught or when it’s time to pitch in against the Dominion. Plus, she likes baseball. Yeah, Kasidy is awesome — let Sisko do the cooking!

9. Yeoman Leslie Thompson

Yeoman Leslie Thompson beams down to a planet's surface with the away team in 'By Any Other Name'

"By Any Other Name"

Okay, an odd pick, sure, but hear me out 'cause this is important.

How much was The Original Series in the vanguard? They were willing to have women beam down to planets as part of armed away teams. And sometimes (okay, once) they were willing to kill them off. Pretty radical!

Yeoman Thompson was the redshirt who was turned into the giant chalk Dungeons & Dragons cube and then crushed to death by that jerk from the Andromeda Galaxy in " By Any Other Name ."

8. Romulan Commander

The Romulan commander sits comfortably in her seat in 'The Enterprise Incident'

"The Enterprise Incident"

Nobody said they all had to be good guys!

While ultimately unsuccessful, the unnamed Romulan Commander from The Original Series ' "The Enterprise Incident" was cunning enough that it took the wits of both Kirk and Spock to take her down.

She had ambition and drive, as well as the courage to sacrifice herself for the good of the Romulan Empire. And did she actually get under Spock's Vulcan skin a little bit? That's up to your interpretation.

7. Lily Sloane

Close-up of Lily Sloane on the surface of Earth in Bozeman as she looks up to the sky in Star Trek: First Contact

Star Trek: First Contact

Blow up the damn ship!

Lily Sloane, Star Trek: First Contact

It takes a lot of sand to say — to SHOUT — something like that to Jean-Luc Picard, as Lily Sloane does in Star Trek: First Contact . And to kinda be right? Even more so.

Most civilians from a pre-Warp era would just be freaking out that time traveling humans and aliens are bombarding Earth, but this sharp engineer keeps her head enough to offer military advice.

Close-up of Lursa as she holds a cup in 'Redemption'

"Redemption"

The true mastermind of the Klingon Civil War, the machinations of Lursa of the House of Duras left the galaxy quaking for whole seasons. Even with all this going on, she found time to be a mother. Awww, right?

Also, her death in Star Trek Generations was cooler than Kirk's. Sadly, it was WAY cooler.

(Feel free to argue with me that Kai Winn shoulda got the "political puppet master" slot. It was a close call.)

5. Captain Rachel Garrett

Captain Rachel Garrett looks up while on the bridge of the Enterprise-C in 'Yesterday's Enterprise'

"Yesterday's Enterprise"

From Star Trek: The Next Generation 's " Yesterday's Enterprise ," a serious contender for best single episode ever in any series, we meet the captain of the Enterprise -C, Rachel Garrett . And we don't even KNOW that it is due to her bravery and sacrifice that the current timeline is as breezy and upbeat as it is today. (Guinan kinda knows, but that's complicated.)

Tricia O'Neal's strong-yet-still-feminine portrayal of a starship captain no doubt paved the way toward Captain Janeway, another reason to offer her a hero's salute.

4. Dr. Carol Marcus

Carol Marcus pensively glances over in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

The woman who held, at least for a time, the heart of James Tiberius Kirk. But Dr. Marcus is no mere Captain's squeeze. She is an independent woman and a brilliant scientist whose Genesis Device is so powerful it was the focus of two movies!!

She also represents one of the very few times you'll see someone have a bone of contention with Starfleet prior to the creation of the Maquis.

(Again, here's your opportunity to scream at me for leaving a different brilliant scientist, Dr. Leah Brahms , off the list. This is hard work, people! And thankless, too. I felt the heat the other day for not including the Salt Vampire from TOS or the corpses from TNG ’s “ Night Terrors ” in my column about Trek ’s freakiest moments.)

3. Number One

Number One sits at her station on the bridge of the Enterprise in 'The Cage'

"The Cage"

Captain Pike's steady-as-a-rock first officer, Number One, was a brilliant tactician who wasn't afraid to bring out the laser cannons, or to sacrifice herself with an overloaded phaser rather than suffer indignities at the hands of the Talosians.

If you think her story ended with "The Cage," oh, how wrong you are. Drop everything and read John Byrne's fantastic comic series Star Trek: Crew to see Number One's really whacked-out adventures both pre- and post- her time on the Enterprise . Then pick up some of Peter David's New Frontier novels and focus on the Morgana Prime character. (I was there at New York Comic-Con a few years ago when David basically admitted that Morgana - Robin Lefler's mother - was actually Number One!)

In addition, Number One's adventure continues aboard Pike's Enterprise on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

2. Ro Laren

Close-up of Ro Laren in Star Trek: The Next Generation - Preemptive Strike

"Preemptive Strike"

[ RELATED : Everything You Need to Know About Ro Laren ]

One of the richest figures in Star Trek , the Bajoran nationalist was the first character we ever met whose antipathy toward Starfleet ever seemed justified. Still, her loyalty to Captain Picard kept her in line... most of the time.

Ro Laren was such a badass that even the woman who played her, Michelle Forbes, had to swim upstream. She rejected the offer to be a lead on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , causing the show's producers to create the (at first) somewhat similar character of Kira Nerys. Ultimately, it worked out for the best, but, oh, if only we could glimpse into that alternate timeline!

But to hold that desire ever, don't miss Ro Laren's confrontation with Picard 30+ years after the fact in Star Trek: Picard .

1. Edith Keeler

Close-up of Edith Keeler with a street light shining on her at night in 'The City on the Edge of Forever'

"The City on the Edge of Forever"

Imagine a woman whose soup is so powerful it could change the course of World War II.

In " The City on the Edge of Forever ," it is this loving, warm, and caring pacifist who must be silenced for evil not to conquer the world. (Blame Harlan Ellison; he's the sicko that thought of it!) Edith Keeler isn't just a character; she's a philosophical construct, a topic worthy of intellectual debate that the finest scholars could argue about for ages. And just thinking about her (and the phrase "He knows, Doctor. He knows.") is enough to send an army of Star Trek fans blubbering.

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This article was originally published on Januarr 15, 2012.

Jordan Hoffman is a writer, critic and lapsed filmmaker living in New York City. His work can also be seen on Film.com, ScreenCrush and Badass Digest. On his BLOG, Jordan has reviewed all 727. On his BLOG, Jordan has reviewed all 727 Trek episodes and films, most of the comics and some of the novels.

Graphic illustration of a Klingon and his bat'leth

Den of Geek

Star Trek Characters Die in the Transporter All the Time. Why Are They Okay With It?

Star Trek's transporters are convenient but deadly, suggesting something surprising about the franchise's take on the human soul.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Transporter Room

“Beam me up, Scotty” is a quote as iconic as Star Trek ‘s once-magical automatic doors ― even if Captain Kirk didn’t actually say it. While Star Trek wasn’t the first sci-fi creation to teleport its characters around, its pleasingly sparkly transport scenes quickly captured fans’ imaginations. However, what is beamed up isn’t necessarily what is beamed down.

Simply put, Star Trek transporters, if they were real, would kill their users along the way . No matter the technicalities over moving versus duplicating the bits that make up a Trek crewman, you cannot blast a person into atoms without ending their brain functions and destroying them. You just can’t. Try it (don’t try it). So depending on how lazy a character is, a commute from a starship bridge to the bathroom could be the last thing they ever do. 

It’s something that’s fascinated and vexed overthinkers in the fandom through the decades, with YouTuber CGP Grey among those warning of the “real” nature of starships’ transporters (and validating The Next Generation ’s Reg Barclay’s fear of them).

Despite this, it’s mostly unremarked upon in the show ― even when Captain Picard, in The Next Generation episode “Lonely Among Us,” basically dies in space, with the transporter used to make him a new body for his untethered “energy” to enter. “What the devil am I doing here?” he asks when he reappears. He’s clearly not quite the same man.

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Picard’s crew might not care who exactly it is that they’ve beamed back to the Enterprise. But the bait-and-switch of the transporter haunts pop culture consciousness, just as countless versions of crewmen might haunt their starships. One example is China Mieville’s fantasy novel Kraken , in which a Trekkie uses magic to make a transporter, only to end up stalked by dozens of iterations of his own ghost. Author Jason Pargin, too, muses over the horrific implications of transportation in This Book is Full of Spiders .

Mieville and Pargin appear to imply that Star Trek characters don’t know transportation kills them. But Trek ‘s crewmen have scientific training and live in a world that encourages philosophical thinking. If Kirk, Picard, and co. all know that transporters are deadly, why are they happy to use them?

You could argue that we all need a sense of being whole and individual beings, experiencing life as one unbroken continuity, for the world to function. For Star Trek characters to live as they do, lives made infinitely easier by utopian tech, perhaps ignoring their many deaths is a bargain that has to be made.

This would make a starship crewman a kind of cloned pretender. That angle has certainly cropped up in episodes over the decades. In The Original Series episode “The Enemy Within,” a transporter accident creates two Captain Kirks (one comically evil, of course ― though unlike Evil Spock he regrettably doesn’t sport a goatee). Both are different men from the original Kirk, so at the end he is not so much brought back as made whole again. And the fact that the transporter can create two Will Rikers from one in TNG episode “Second Chances” also shows some kind of replication is at play.

Another take would be that Star Trek characters aren’t invested in an illusion at all, but are actually pretending less than we are. Freed from constraints of space and time by starships, freed from the production and ownership of objects by replicators, the next thing to go is the permanent self.

Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan wrote that when a human first recognizes their reflection as their self, they enter an imaginary world mediated by language. This abstraction or layer of removal from the self might be how you live if you’re just one in a long line of yous. Philosopher Jean Baudrillard took the idea of reality as a kind of shared dream further, arguing we live in “hyper-reality,” a set of representations more real than the now-dead aspects of the world they reference. Are starship crewmen hyper-real people? Made anew, carrying more thoughts and experiences than the first version of themselves to die?

Perhaps they have decided to ditch the whole game of pretending humans consist of a structurally sound self that remains one thing. After all, our cells are always renewing, our neurons changing. Consciousness is just one of many functions our brains undertake, and we can experience breaks in it, like the breaks transporters would cause. We are not even each one body, with so much of our mass made up of micro-organisms which have no clue that the city they are part of is a sentient being.

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This angle would mean Star Trek characters are living in the aftermath of a huge historical and psychological rupture caused by transport tech. They have a whole different view of what it is to be a person. To them, living a life includes many endings and beginnings, via a multitude of consciousnesses.

A case in point: in Voyager episode “Tuvix,” another transporter accident happens. This time, instead of creating two people, it makes a hybrid of Tuvok and Neelix, with an unsettling combination of Vulcan eyebrows and already-nightmarish Talaxian sideburns. After some conflict over ethics, Tuvix is eventually sacrificed . 

Tuvix is his own person, and Tuvok and Neelix have died by at least some definitions when they merged to create him. But for Voyager ‘s Captain Janeway, Tuvix’s death is seen as necessary so that Tuvok and Neelix’s consciousnesses can continue where they left off. Plus, when the pair of men return, Janeway sees them as the real deal. “It’s good to have you back,” she tells them.

Star Trek characters’ selves, then, are based on carrying memories and a personality, passing it from one body to another, rather than possessing an unbroken consciousness. So what if traveling from point A to point B means a person being consigned to the void, no thoughts assailing them ever again? Their journey through time and space continues anyway, like a relay race. Each body, in Star Trek , is a tiny part of the story of a person. They get to live for a day or a week while building the ambitions that the next them will take forward, and experiencing the memories and personality of their countless ghosts.

Maybe you’d die if you stepped into a Star Trek transporter. But the group project you contributed to, the project called You, would boldly go on ― into experiences no less real for your multitude.

Jen Tombs

Jen Tombs is a features writer and an avid fan of science fiction and feminist fiction. She lives in the Canadian Rockies because she loves mountains,…

Screen Rant

Picard's darkest moment unlocked an entire new science for starfleet.

Picard's capture and assimilation by the Borg was his darkest moment, but as revealed in Star Trek: Defiant #12, it opened a new field of science.

  • Picard's encounter with the Borg unlocked a new science for Starfleet, leading to a 68% success rate in "dissimilation."
  • The trauma Picard faced during assimilation was the catalyst for the creation of a program to free former Borg drones.
  • Despite the positive impact, the process of "dissimilation" also carries the risk of causing death.

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #12!

Captain Picard’s darkest Star Trek moment unlocked an entirely new science for Starfleet. Once abducted and assimilated by the Borg, Captain Picard is one of the few individuals to return from the experience relatively unscathed. Now, in Star Trek: Defiant #12, fans learn that Picard’s experiences with the Borg, namely his escape and “de-assimilation,” opened up a whole new realm of knowledge for the Federation.

Star Trek: Defiant #12 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. Hugh, a former Borg drone, has allied himself with the crew of the Defiant , who head to Starbase 99 to drop off other prisoners. A Starfleet mission specialist takes Hugh, Worf and others to review the Federation’s efforts at “dissimilation.” The specialist reveals that after Picard’s capture and escape from the Borg, the field of “dissimilation” opened up. Over the years, they have had a success rate of 68 percent.

They have to be careful, as the process can also cause death.

The Borg Were At the Center of Captain Picard's Darkest Hour

The borg put him through unbearable trauma.

In the classic Next Generation two-parter “The Best of Both Worlds,” Captain Picard was kidnapped by the Borg. Assimilated into the Borg collective, Picard became their thrall, and led an assault on Starfleet at Wolf 359, leading to mass casualties and the loss of 39 starships. The crew of the Enterprise are successful in rescuing Picard and helping sever him from the Borg. Picard is one of the very few individuals seen on-screen, with Seven of Nine being the notable exception, who have escaped the hellish fate that is assimilation.

This new science also gave Hugh a new purpose. Hugh was another person who was able to leave the Borg collective, although doing so seemed to erase his identity prior to assimilation. With no past and nowhere to go, Hugh took up the cause of freeing former Borg drones from their enslavement, as seen in Season One of Star Trek: Picard . Hugh was the director of a dissimilation project in the late 24th century, one that helped numerous drones reclaim their individuality, and fans see the beginning of it in Star Trek: Defiant #12.

Q Knows Picard's Darkest Secret - He Never Stopped Being a Borg

Picard's trauma was the federation's gain, picard's sacrifice may ensure others are free from the borg.

The knowledge of how to bring assimilated individuals back from the Borg collective should be a cause for celebration, yet any joy must be tempered, as said knowledge comes with a high price. The Borg violate Picard in body and mind . They subject Picard to immense trauma, forcing him to kill and assimilate his fellow Starfleet officers at Wolf 359. Picard’s guilt over his actions during this time colored the rest of his life. Picard’s darkest Star Trek moment had a huge silver lining, opening up a new, and beneficial, branch of science.

Star Trek: Defiant #12 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!

William Shatner Performs a ‘Do-Over’ of Captain Kirk’s Death Scene | Video

The sci-fi actor has admitted he didn’t like the take used in “Star Trek Generations”

Jimmy Kimmel may have given William Shatner one of the best birthday presents you can give an actor: the chance to redo a performance he didn’t like. On Thursday night, the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host and the “Star Trek” legend talked about Captain Kirk’s iconic death while promoting Shatner’s documentary about himself, “You Can Call Me Bill.”

“You said in the documentary that your last appearance as Captain Kirk, you didn’t love your acting or your take on your line in the movie,” Kimmel said.

“Well, yes. Somehow when you say it, it sounds awful,” Shatner said before asking the late night host if he could rephrase his self criticism.

william shatner 2022 by Manfred Baumann

“As an earnest artist, the take is on me. Captain Kirk is dying. So how does a person die? How do you die? How do you know when you’re dying?” Shatner said. “I think you die the way you live. So Captain Kirk always had these grotesque things happening, ‘Oh look at that. It’s an animal. I think it’s going to eat me.’ But without fear, but with joy and love and opportunity to see what’s better.”

Captain Kirk’s big death scene happened in the 1994 movie “Star Trek Generations.” The movie sees Captain Kirk teaming up with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to stop Tolian Soran from destroying a planetary system. Though the manage to kill Soran, Captain Kirk is fatally injured in the process. Shatner’s final scene sees him buried under rubble while quietly uttering the phrase “Oh my” before he passes away.

“I ad-libbed the, ‘Oh my.’ I thought he would see death, an old man with the scythe on his shoulder, and look at it and wonder,” Shatner said before noting the take that was used “sounded fearful.” “I didn’t want to be fearful.”

That’s when Kimmel brought out some hunks of rubble and a ketchup bottle and offered to let Shatner perform Captain Kirk’s death one last time, an offer the actor happily embraced. Watch the re-do of this iconic sci-fi death above.

That wasn’t the only birthday present Kimmel had in store for Shatner. Earlier in the interview, Kimmel regular Guillermo Rodriguez presenting the actor with a flaming cake adorned with 93 candles. Shatner tried to blow out the candles before letting Kimmel take over the brunt of the lung work.

“I noticed it’s a one tiered cake. It’s a little cheap isn’t it?” Shatner teased.

“We spared every expense,” Kimmel said.

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IMAGES

  1. The Welcome Optimism of “Star Trek: Picard”

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  2. Captain Picard Wallpapers

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  3. Star Trek Picard Season 3 Teaser Trailer: First Look at TNG Cast Return

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  4. 10 greatest Jean-Luc Picard moments from 'Star Trek: The Next

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  5. 10 best Star Trek moments from Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard

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  6. Star Trek: Jean-Luc Picard

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VIDEO

  1. New! Captain Boimler: Star Trek Just Set Up The Future Of Jack Quaid’s Starfleet Hero

  2. Picard reminisces about drawing the line

  3. Tragic Update! Star Trek Has Another Insurrection, But This One Makes Sense

  4. Shocking! Captain Janeway’s 7 Star Trek: Voyager Hairstyles, Ranked Worst To Best

  5. Tragic Update! Star Trek NOT Resurrecting A TNG Character Was The Right Move

  6. Shocking Update! All 5 Star Trek Roles Played By Armin Shimerman (Including DS9’s Quark)

COMMENTS

  1. Jean-Luc Picard

    Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise, most often seen as the captain of the Federation starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D).Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) and the premiere episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as well as the feature films Star Trek Generations (1994), Star Trek: First ...

  2. Jean-Luc Picard

    He intrigues me, this Picard. [..] Remarkably analytical and dispassionate, for a Human. I understand why my father chose to mind meld with him. There's almost a Vulcan quality to the man.Spock Jean-Luc Picard was a celebrated Starfleet officer, archaeologist, writer, historian, diplomat, and philanthropist, who served throughout much of the 24th century. The highlights of his career were ...

  3. Star Trek: Jean-Luc Picard's Entire Character Timeline Explained

    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.

  4. A History of Jean-Luc Picard, Starfleet's Finest Captain

    CBS. Nine years later, Jean-Luc earns the brand new Federation flagship, the Enterprise.The Galaxy-class ship is the pride of the fleet, and his adventures on board her are chronicled on Star Trek ...

  5. Star Trek: Picard

    In the epic, thrilling conclusion of Star Trek: Picard, a desperate message from a long-lost friend draws Starfleet legend Admiral Jean-Luc Picard into the most daring mission of his life, forcing him to recruit allies spanning generations old and new.This final adventure sets him on a collision course with the legacy of his past and explosive, new revelations that will alter the fate of the ...

  6. Who STAR TREK's Captain Picard Was, and Where He Is Now

    As a young Ensign, Jean-Luc Picard served on many ships. He quickly rose up the ranks and found himself on board the U.S.S. Stargazer. When the ship came under attack, the young Lt. Commander took ...

  7. Star Trek: Picard (TV Series 2020-2023)

    Star Trek: Picard: Created by Kirsten Beyer, Michael Chabon, Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman. With Patrick Stewart, Michelle Hurd, Jeri Ryan, Alison Pill. 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.

  8. Jean-Luc Picard: Starfleet's Hopepunk Captain

    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 ...

  9. 10 greatest Jean-Luc Picard moments from 'Star Trek: The Next

    With the new series "Star Trek: Picard," a fan-favorite character is back. For many, Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart), who led us through triumph and turmoil in "Star Trek: The ...

  10. Why Jean-Luc Picard is the definitive Star Trek captain

    It's a measure of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's standing that the latest series from Trek's reborn TV franchise should bear his name. It doesn't feel at all inappropriate, because in the 32 ...

  11. Jean-Luc Picard's Entire Timeline Explained

    Season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard" introduced Ed Speleers as Jack Crusher, the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher, whose discovery forever alters Jean-Luc Picard's life. He is the product of ...

  12. 10 Questions about Jean-Luc Picard, Answered

    10 Questions About Jean-Luc Picard, Answered. Ahead of Star Trek: Picard, we run through everything you probably don't know about the great Captain Jean Luc Picard. One of the most highly respected and venerated captains in Starfleet history, Jean-Luc Picard has managed to distinguish himself as a man of great personal fortitude, diplomatic ...

  13. The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard

    ASIN B076GNH41W (Kindle) ISBN 2376972779 (French edition) The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard, subtitled The Story of One of Starfleet's Most Inspirational Captains, is a reference book produced by becker&mayer! and Titan Books. Written by David A. Goodman, and released in October 2017, it is an in-universe biography of Jean-Luc Picard .

  14. Star Trek: How Picard Survived

    Star Trek: Picard pulled off the improbable for its protagonist — by prolonging the good captain's life. Viewers have known for awhile that Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) was not well, since all the way back in the series' second episode, "Maps and Legends," which revealed that the titular character had a fatal brain abnormality; that episode established that Picard was living on borrowed ...

  15. The 10 Best Jean-Luc Picard Episodes on 'Star Trek,' Ranked

    Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew's shore leave is interrupted by the occurrence of a time loop. They receive a distress call from a scientist, Dr. Paul Manheim (Rod Loomis), who is well ...

  16. "Star Trek" captain Jean ___ Picard Crossword Clue

    The Crossword Solver find answers to clues found in the New York Times Crossword, USA Today Crossword, LA Times Crossword, Daily Celebrity Crossword, The Guardian, the Daily Mirror, Coffee Break puzzles, Telegraph crosswords and many other popular crossword puzzles. Answers for Star Trek%22 captain Jean ___ Picard crossword clue, 3 letters.

  17. Review: 'The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard' Adds New Life To Star

    Spanning 178 episodes and 4 films, Star Trek: The Next Generation turned Star Trek into a franchise, and Patrick Stewart's Captain Picard became the face of Star Trek, for many fans and non-fans ...

  18. Star Trek: Impressive Things Jean-Luc Picard Did Before The Enterprise

    Enterprise wasn't the first ship Picard was a part of, as he was an important Stargazer crew member. At first, he was assigned as a helmsman, but after the captain was killed, Picard stepped up ...

  19. Characters / Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Appearances: Star Trek: Picard. "I allowed the perfect to become the enemy of the good." The lead character of the series and the former commander of the USS Stargazer, USS Enterprise (both NCC-1701-D and NCC-1701-E), and the USS Verity. He rose to the rank of admiral in the years after Star Trek: Nemesis, but has since left Starfleet in the ...

  20. New 'Star Trek' movie featuring Picard is on the way, Patrick Stewart

    But it wasn't," Stewart added. The full interview is on YouTube here. — 'Star Trek: Insurrection' at 25: When Picard and the Enterprise crew found the Fountain of Youth. — 'Star Trek ...

  21. Picard's Leadership in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'

    In watching TNG with the fresh eyes of a new viewer, I became fascinated with Sir Patrick Stewart's portrayal of the enigmatic captain, Jean-Luc Picard, and his outstanding aptitude for leadership. Going beyond mere bravery and displaying an adventurous nature, he exhibits the finely honed skills of a true leader with both compassion and class.

  22. What ship did Captain Picard first command in 'Star Trek'?

    In 2355, Picard's long run as Captain of the vessel ended abruptly. In a fight with an unknown vessel, the Stargazer was crippled and about to be annihilated. Thinking fast, Picard came up with a brilliant solution. He would engage his warp drive, almost ramming the enemy ship, before opening fire at point-blank range.

  23. What Happened To Star Trek: Picard's Other Borg Queen Explained ...

    Ultimately, Star Trek: Picard was a story not just about Jean-Luc Picard, but also about the journey of Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) from former Borg drone to Starfleet Captain.

  24. Star Trek: Captain Picard Was The Best Captain Ever

    Behold the answer to that, with 15 Reasons Jean-Luc Picard Is The Best Captain Ever. 15. He Makes The Best Speeches. Admittedly he's in some pretty good company, but no one makes better speeches than Jean-Luc Picard. (We'll call James T. Kirk a very close second.)

  25. jean ___ picard Crossword Clue

    English actor whose roles include Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation (7,7) S T T N G: Show with Jean-Luc Picard as captain of the Enterprise, in fan shorthand EARL "Tea, ___ Grey, hot" (order from Jean-Luc Picard) TROI: Counselor under Captain Picard JEAN --Luc Picard ...

  26. I'm Excited For Strange New Worlds' Pike To Become Star Trek's ...

    Unfortunately, the only live-action Captain who could equal or exceed Pike's prominence doesn't have a Star Trek TV series in development at Paramount+.Star Trek: Picard season 3's ending set up a ...

  27. Star Trek's Strongest Supporting Women Characters

    While the Star Trek franchise reached its pinnacle with Kate Mulgrew's fantastic portrayal of Captain Janeway, it began earlier with the truly revolutionary casting of Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura. While one can nitpick and say she was subservient to the boys (and there's definitely an argument to be made), the very fact that an African American woman was seen on the Bridge had a direct ...

  28. Star Trek Characters Die in the Transporter All the Time. Why Are They

    "Beam me up, Scotty" is a quote as iconic as Star Trek's once-magical automatic doors ― even if Captain Kirk didn't actually say it. While Star Trek wasn't the first sci-fi creation to ...

  29. Picard's Darkest Moment Unlocked an Entire New Science for Starfleet

    Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #12!. Captain Picard's darkest Star Trek moment unlocked an entirely new science for Starfleet. Once abducted and assimilated by the Borg, Captain Picard is one of the few individuals to return from the experience relatively unscathed.

  30. William Shatner Performs a 'Do-Over' of Captain Kirk's Death Scene

    Captain Kirk's big death scene happened in the 1994 movie "Star Trek Generations." The movie sees Captain Kirk teaming up with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to stop Tolian Soran ...