I’m glad thatStar Trek: Picardabandoned the storyline about Borg Queen Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) after the end ofStar Trek: Picardseason 1. The idea of Seven of Nine becomingStar Trek’s Borg Queenwas hinted at inStar Trek: Picardseason 1, episode 8, “Broken Pieces”, when Seven enters the Queencell on the Artifact, a reclaimed Borg Cube. In the Queencell, Seven allows herself to be re-assimilated and temporarily become the Artifact’s Borg Queen, reactivating thousands of dormant Borg drones to help defend the Artifact and its population of xBs from the Romulan Zhat Vash.
After the lackluster response toStar Trek: Picard’s first two seasons,Star Trek: Picardseason 3 felt like a completely different show.Picardseemed to abandon storylines set up in seasons 1 and 2 in favor of a fun, action-oriented, character-focusedStar Trek: The Next Generationcast reunionaboard the USS Titan-A. While I was disappointed by the way thatStar Trek: Picardjust dropped interesting characters like Romulan Starfleet Cadet Elnor (Evan Evagora) and theactualnew Borg Queen, Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill),I definitely didn’t mind the new direction thatPicardsteered Seven of Nine in.
Going Back To The Borg Would Have Undermined Seven Of Nine Reclaiming Her Humanity
I’m glad Seven of Nine didn’t becomeStar Trek: Picard’s Borg Queen permanently, becausejoining Starfleet showed Seven’s character development fromStar Trek: Voyageractually mattered.Even though Seven struggled to fit in,Star Trek: Voyagerprepared Seven of Nine for Starfleet. As First Officer of the USS Titan-A, Seven of Nine challenged Captain Liam Shaw’s (Todd Stashwick) too-safe calls and xB prejudice. Commander Seven was an outspoken leader, inspiring Starfleet officers to discover their personal power beforePicardseason 3’s final showdown, like Voyager’s crew helped Seven. Seven of Nine could never have done that as the Borg Queen.
These 7 Star Trek: Voyager Episodes Hinted Seven Of Nine Would Be Captain One Day
These 7 Voyager episodes laid the groundwork for Seven of Nine’s future as a Starfleet Captain with her own command in Star Trek: Picard.
Captain Seven’s Starfleet career made so much sense because Seven of Nine’s entireStar Trekstory is about being liberated from the Borg. Even if Seven of Nine became Queen of adifferent kind of Borg Collective, like Agnes Jurati did inPicardseason 2,going back to the Borg would have undermined the difficult steps Seven of Nine took to distance herself from the Borg and reclaim her humanity. Fortunately, Seven herself seemed to know this, since she was reluctant to re-joinanyBorg Collective, even temporarily, before she became the Artifact’s Borg Queen inStar Trek: Picard.
Seven Of Nine Becoming A Starfleet Captain Fits Star Trek’s Message Perfectly
Seven’s Story Is About Empathy & Hope Beating Prejudice & Fear
Seven of Nine becoming a Starfleet Captain at theend ofStar Trek: Picardseason 3fits the message ofStar Trekperfectly. Ever sinceStar Trek: The Next Generation, the Borg were an exception toStar Trek’s idea that enemies could be defeated through compassion or communication. you may’t reason with a force of nature hellbent on assimilation—unless you’reStar Trek: Voyager’s Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew).Janeway recognized that Seven of Nine was a victim of the Borg, and helped Seven rediscover herself by seeing the person under the exo-plating and programming. And it worked.
I always saw Seven of Nine’s liberation from the Borg Collective as someone escaping a cult or an abuser.
Because of Captain Janeway’s approach to healing, instead of blaming Seven, I always saw Seven of Nine’s liberation from the Borg Collective as someone escaping a cult or an abuser. That metaphor keeps working inPicard,when theBattle of Wolf 359is still in living memory, and Borg drones being de-assimilated is relatively new. Obvious xBs like Seven are regarded with fear and suspicion. But becoming a Starfleet Captain after being a Borg drone meansSeven of Nine is thriving as an individual despite what the Borg did to her,or how others see her.
Star Trek: Legacy Can Bring Seven Of Nine’s Arc Full Circle
Seven Became Captain After Star Trek: Picard Stopped Being So Hopeless
If it happens,Star Trek: Legacywould bringSeven of Nine’sStar Trekcharacter arcfull circle, because simply earning the Captain’s seat isn’t the end of Seven’s story. For mostStar Trekcaptains, earning their own command is only the start of their most well-known adventures. Seven of Nine’s story is a hopeful reminder that none of us has to be defined by the terrible things that happened to us.I want to see how Captain Seven’s command of the USS Enterprise-G changesStar Trek’s galaxy for the better.
Star Trek: Discovery’s Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) also suffered through a bleak beginning as a Federation enemy before becoming an iconic Starfleet Captain.
WhenStar Trek: Picardbegan, it was unnecessarily dark compared to theTrekgolden age. Starfleet suffered and lacked resources, making them reluctant to explore the galaxy. Seven of Nine didn’t justwatchher adopted son Icheb (Casey King) gruesomely die; she euthanized him herself. In this edgy, bleak version ofStar Trek, becoming the Borg Queen might have actually been the best Seven of Nine could have hoped for, which would have been a disservice to Seven as a survivor—and I’m so gladStar Trek: Picardabandoned that idea to make SevenCaptain of the Enterpriseinstead.
