By way of finales, Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 10 solutions all our questions, ties up the unfastened ends, and manages to shock us with one final little bit of Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology fan service. I simply want it was extra enjoyable to observe.
The disadvantage of introducing so many story parts into one season is that wrapping it up finally ends up feeling extra like checking factors off a to-do record, and the magnificence of the narrative will get misplaced within the mechanics.
So, whereas I rejoice Picard’s emotional therapeutic and Seven’s acceptance of herself — and I will even elevate a glass to Rios and his time hobo romance, — Jurati’s Borg evolution, Soong’s tie-in to Khan, and Kore’s recruitment to the Vacationers simply bursts the seams of seemliness.
I am not normally one for clock-watching, however on my rewatch, I discovered myself monitoring the place the script’s “acts” broke up out of curiosity.
And it is a very neat and tidy sequence of arcs, to be honest.
Act One follows immediately on the departure of Jurati/Borg queen with La Sirena and addresses the problem of the Europa launch and Soong’s last-ditch try to safe his legacy by stopping Renée Picard from making her extraterrestrial discovery.
Picard: I will not allow you to sacrifice your self!
Tallinn: You will not let me? It is less than you. That is my life. You aren’t getting to cease me from fulfilling my function since you’re scared I am gonna die. My destiny isn’t yours to resolve.
It concurrently concludes Tallinn’s arc as a Watcher and drives house Picard’s lesson that it is not his job to save lots of everybody.
I perceive. I’ve seen the guts of this in you, however different individuals’s lives aren’t as much as you. And their deaths aren’t your fault. Not mine if it comes. Not your mom’s. That is a fantasy, Jean-Luc. Cannot management who we lose, and we will not spare ourselves the ache of it. Different individuals’s selections are their very own to make, and this one is mine. I do not want saving. I by no means have.
Tallinn
Tallinn’s function on this journey has been manifold. She’s been a facilitator and confederate, information and mirror. In sacrificing herself for Renée’s success, she is the beacon of which means for the remainder of the workforce, fulfilling her singular function by giving up every part but additionally getting every part in return.
For these taking part in alongside, she dies on the nineteen-minute mark.
The second act is the place the laundry record of plot closures turns into obvious, and it is unlucky as a result of it splits a number of the main focus that rightfully belonged to Q.
Picard: From the very starting, for over thirty years, why me?
Q: I’m shifting on. In your parlance, I’m dying.
Picard: Sure, I do know.
Q: Alone. I’m dying alone. I don’t want that for you.
I’m glad Kore will get the ultimate phrase in her battle with Soong. And the very fact her act of vengeance propels him in direction of Venture Khan is fairly darned intelligent.
(Thoughts you, what scientist does not again up his work? Soong’s vanity would possibly supersede the necessity for redundancies, however that is on him.)
Wil Wheaton’s look as Wesley/The Traveler might be my favourite little bit of fan service on this very service-y season.
Because the time of Wesley, Wheaton has grow to be a persona in his personal proper as a author, a number, and a really partaking moderator for discussions on all issues Trek.
So seeing him reprise his function IN Trek may be very meta.
Wesley: A very long time in the past, I used to be often called Wesley Crusher, however now, I’m a traveler of all of house and time.
Kore: You are kidding, proper?
Wesley: The final time I instructed a joke, I inadvertently modified a century’s value of historical past, so I work actually arduous to not be misunderstood.
Kore: That is lots.
Wesley: You don’t have any thought.
Much more amusing is how his description of the universe could be utilized to the Trek canon so many critics appear intent on pulling aside this season.
The universe is, basically, a grand tapestry. It’s flawless. It’s fragile. It’s beautiful. But it’s someway all the time a thread’s draw back from complete annihilation. A star is born, however a ship is misplaced. A brand new species thrives, however a civilization collapses. Figuring out when to step in, that is the tough half.
Wesley
Whereas I am right here, kudos to everybody concerned for protecting his look efficiently beneath wraps, weathering the storm of “Whys” and “WTHs” after the Star Trek: Picard Season 3 casting information.
Act Two additionally pulls the curtain on our good Captain Rios.
All through the season, I’ve had points together with his infatuation with the twenty first century and initially chalked it as much as the pinnacle harm he sustained when Jurati transported him straight right into a three-story fall onto the pavement on Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 3.
Nonetheless, the guts desires what the guts desires, and Dr. Theresa Ramirez may be very a lot heart-worthy (even when she has a bizarre method of approaching romantic roleplay).
I by no means match, y’know? Nothing caught. I imply, I used to be residing alone on a cargo ship with 5 holographic variations of myself. Not very encouraging.
Rios
I really feel somewhat cheated by Rios’s departure. It additionally opens the door to many questions on what impact his information of the longer term had on how historical past performed out.
Ultimately, the center act (operating nearly exactly twenty minutes, btw) showcased John de Lancie’s Q at his most weak and — dare I say it? — human.
The situation have to be contagious. The love with which he offers an epilogue for Picard’s journey is so novelly intense and trustworthy, it is like Q’s already moved on, and we have been left together with his unfinished emotion as a specter of his former self.
You ask me why it issues. It issues to me. You matter to me. Even gods have favorites, Jean-Luc, and you have all the time been one in all mine.
Q
Ask me someday about my principle that Star Trek: Picard Season 2 is loosely primarily based on The Wizard of Oz.
Evidently, Q performs the Wizard, however he additionally serves as Glinda.
One huge query stays to be answered: What kills a Q?
I imply, in addition to a really pissed-off Raffi.
Q: Effectively, hey. Good to see you all.
Raffi: Q, motherf–
Seven: Attempt to not kill him till we discover out what he desires.
Raffi: ‘Attempt’ is true.
Given my druthers, the season would’ve had another episode. Q’s last snap would’ve made a genuinely satisfying reduce to credit right here.
It could’ve given correct respect to de Lancie’s final scene. Q’s acceptance that he wished his last act to be significant.
Q: Farewell, mon capitan. It is time for me to go.
Picard: However not alone. Is not that the purpose of all this?
Q: See you on the market.
It could’ve additionally allowed for one more 40-60 minutes during which Picard and Captain Seven may unpack all of the masked Borg queen trivialities.
As a result of, as Kore mentioned, that is lots.
Elnor’s alive. Seven’s the captain. Rios is gone. Jurati’s a Borg queen. Raffi will get snapped again to the Stargazer as an alternative of the Excelsior. What’s with that?
Moreover, the entire misery name from Star Trek: Picard Season 2 Episode 1 — drawing out Picard and the complete fleet — is to save lots of the quadrant from a galactic occasion? And supply the Higher Borg with a spot within the Federation?
Seven: Agnes, be sensible.
Agnes/Borg queen: All the time
It is a convoluted however intriguing plot improvement that deserved its personal house.
As a substitute, it is mashed in with Guinan’s exposition of Rios and Ramirez and Picard’s reunion with Laris.
Finales are distinctive issues. The load of expectation constructed by the season rests on its shoulders to carry it house with model and substance.
I am not one for nit-picking the main points. I respect the dedication the writers poured into the season as an entertaining and thrilling homage to many basic moments and characters.
I acknowledge making this present throughout the pandemic pressured concessions to time and element.
Nonetheless, I am unable to assist however want that the assorted conclusions may have been integrated higher right into a cohesive send-off to what was a strong season.
What are your ideas, Fanatics?
Did you discover delight on this final providing? Did it go away you transported? Or simply feeling shocked?
What are you trying ahead to for Season 3?
Interact your feedback and beam them down beneath!
Diana Keng is a employees author for TV Fanatic. Comply with her on Twitter.
