conclusion of the second season of Star Trek: Picard. Memories remain fresh as fandom considers the weight of the season's events and what that means for Season 3.
Picard daringly traversed the universe in a very timey-wimey fashion over the course of this season. It acknowledged rules and broke some of them bringing forward outcomes, some favorable and some not. The ratings for season 2's Picard episodes understandably and appropriately vary as a result.
Monsters - 5.3
There are two principal drivers in this episode. Picard is battling his memories, which is preventing him from coming out of his coma, while Teresa comes to grips with who Rios and his friends really are. Meanwhile, Raffi and Seven are trying to get the Borg Queen's takeover of Jurati under control.
The ups and downs make their rounds in these story drivers. It's a bona fide treat to see James Callis as Picard's therapist and father, and it's fitting to see Teresa learn the truth. However, Picard's inner stubbornness to face reality conflicts with the iral's bravery and threatens to derail the season.
Hide And Seek - 5.4
A literal game of hide and seek precariously guides this episode. Soong and the new Borg drones are hunting down Picard, Tallinn, Seven, and Raffi through the Picard family château while Jurati's Elnor program is playing cat and mouse with the drones aboard the La Sirena.
Adam Soong has assumed full villain status, which is trite though fitting for his arc. Picard's childhood memories pop up again here as a device to keep Tallinn and himself safe, but serve as a redundant distraction. The Elnor program is a clever addition, and Jurati's lifesaving breakthrough with the Borg Queen is a fascinating climax.
Mercy - 6.1
Picard and Guinan are being held by Agent Wells, serving as a bit of an Easter egg reminding fans of Chekov's time in custody in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Raffi and Seven make headway on finding the Borgified Jurati, while Rios works on the damage to the ship, and Kore confronts her father.
Kore getting the real cure and turning the tables on Soong finally gives her the power she justly deserves, though followed by the dark turn of the Borg Queen enlisting Soong to her. Q, the most powerful Trek character, and Guinan coming face to face should've been more satisfying, though it helps to hold the overall story together.
Two Of One - 6.1
There's a lot of action packed into this episode with the Europa mission gala glamming up the drama. As the La Sirena team infiltrates the gala to get close to Renée Picard, Jean Luc sees a familiar face in Adam Soong and is nearly killed by him, party hijinks ensue, and the Borg Queen takes control of Jurati's being.
"Two of One" has the feeling of a few holodeck programs layered on top of each other. The Borg Queen using the performance of "Shadows of the Night" to wrest control is striking though sad. The gala has a Bond feel and is a backdrop for some insightful conversations, and the sudden hit and run is shocking.
Watcher - 6.3
It takes until this fourth episode of the season for Picard's team to finally find the Watcher, who turns out to be a Laris dopplegänger, and Picard meets a younger Guinan, who surprisingly doesn't him from the events of "Times's Arrow" in TNG. Rios is also embroiled in misadventures with ICE.
Seven and Raffi's looking for Rios is entertainingly played out, including another great Easter egg with the punk on a bus reprisal, while Rios's experience is a fitting moral lesson of the real-life present. Guinan not ing Picard is a bit of a plot hole, though it's delightful to see Picard connect with her then with the Watcher.
Fly Me To The Moon - 6.5
Rios is finally rescued by Seven and Raffi. Picard becomes acquainted with Tallinn, the Watcher, and it's revealed that Picard's ancestor Renée is the crux that his mission rests on. Q reenters the story manipulating both Renée Picard and Adam Soong, and Jurati kills the Borg Queen.
The Borg Queen lives on however, having injected herself into Jurati in a clever twist as the gala begins. Q's machinations give the overall season more purpose and fit his hands-on approach seen in other Trek series appearances. Exposition and action are balanced as the events roll out in this episode.
Farewell - 6.8
This episode bids farewell to some characters as well as to the season itself. Tallinn dies to save Renée, Q uses his death to send Picard's team back to the repaired present, and Rios decides to stay in the past. Soong's plans are thwarted as the team ensures a successful Europa launch.
It's pleasing to see Soong's downfall, though with the Khan project tease. Kore's new adventure with Traveler Wesley is a brilliantly benevolent tie-in to the greater Trek universe. The threads of the season are tied into a nice bow, and it's a massive relief to get Elnor back too.
Assimilation - 7.0
Here Picard and team make their way back into the past to fix time with the help of the Borg Queen and set out to do some fact-finding about their primary task. This sets things in motion where we see the team broken up by unexpected twists in the season, firstly Rios getting hurt leading him to him being arrested.
The elephant in the room is that the very likable character Elnor has died, leaving a gaping hole in the team. The Borg Queen assimilating herself into the ship is a satisfying means of getting the ship back through time and creates a memorable visual for the season. The freshness of the goal at hand is not yet spoiled by later distractions.
Penance - 8.0
"Penance" drops the Picard team into a grotesquely dystopian alternate present. Everyone is presented as a twisted version of themselves, especially Seven and Picard. Q picks up from his famous entrance, with him and Picard trading barbs about this new test. Eventually, the team is able to regroup.
The trepidatious reunion is a perfect launchpad for their Q-begotten adventure. The horror felt by Seven and Picard in navigating their roles as fascist champions is palpable, along with Seven's interactions with her "husband." Q and Picard's confrontation couldn't be any more brilliant than it was.
The Star Gazer - 8.0
This Season 2 premiere gets the viewers caught up on what the La Sirena team has been up to since the conclusion of Season 1. There's a flashback to Picard's childhood that hints at an influence on the season's trajectory. Plus there are the notable returns of Guinan and Q.
Seeing Guinan and Q again is a beautifully set gift to TNG fans, which is further explored in the season. Rios becoming captain of the Stargazer is an excellent choice, making it especially sad that he decides not to return to the captain's chair in the finale. Personal hang-ups aside, the writing superbly sets the season up.