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As Star Trek: Picard shifts toward its third and final season, we’re finding a more dramatic shift as two more original cast members that were there since season one aren’t returning to close out the Paramount+ spinoff series of Next Generation. The two departures will leave the final season (expected to premiere in 2023) more of a traditional ride down memory lane as original TNG cast members join Sir Patrick Stewart in the sendoff. The following has major spoilers for how a number of characters ended the season.
Isa Briones, who played all the female Synths in season one including Dahj and Soji, and Dr. Adam Soong’s daughter Kore in season two. Created in the lab, Kore found out the dark truth of her existence and ran away from home. After coming to terms with her father’s unethical work, she deleted all the digital files remotely via VR leaving him to re-examine “Project Khan”, which in Star Trek canon, will ultimately lead to the Eugenics Wars. She found herself recruited by (TNG holdover) Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) to join him as a traveler. The actress posted on her Instagram. “All of Star Trek: Picard season 2 is officially out. I wore pajamas for the entirety of season 2 which was a nice break from….wearing pajamas for all of the pandemic. I got to do scenes with some incredibly cool dudes including [Alison Pill] [Brent Spiner] and [Wil Wheaton] ♥️ and the last video in this carousel is from season 1 when I watched the trailer for the first time. When it finally became real that I was in my first television series. Thinking back to that girl right now, 2019 Isa, wishing i could tell her that what’s to come is not going to be easy but it’s going to teach her so much about trusting and standing up for herself. Very thankful for every part of this experience????????Thanks for watching, friends. Farewell Soji, this orchid is for you #startrekpicard.”
Evan Evagora, who played the Romulan, Elnor, was also introduced in season one but served his duty to help protect Jean-Luc (Stewart) in his mission to uncover the Romulan anti-Synth conspiracy by the Tal Shiar. The actor was largely regulated to a severely reduced role like Briones, early in season two with his character killed during the altered timeline Jean-Luc and company found themselves in by the Confederation. Aside from a cameo as a human server, Evagora reprised his role as a hologram version of Elnor (that retained his original body’s memories?) on the La Sirena during the penultimate battle against the Borg Queen. Elnor did get a happy ending following Q’s (John de Lancie) final act returning the party back to the 25th century in the season two finale “Farewell”. He also posted on Instagram. “A hacker, a Listener, an admiral, a borg and an Alien all walk into an altered timeline and…I know I did similar joke already but I don’t care, season 2 is finished, here’s some bts. I won’t be back for the third season of Picard, so to quote a mediocre band ‘thanks for the memories’ y’all know the rest! LLAP.”
Other Star Trek: Picard Developments for Season Three
Santiago Cabrera’s Rios opted to stay in the 21st century to live out his life with Teresa (Sol Rodriguez) and her son Ricardo (Steve Gutierrez)- with the series likely not revisiting time travel any time soon, it’s a safe assumption they won’t return. Alison Pill, who played Dr. Agnes Jurati and was assimilated by the Borg Queen (Annie Wersching) but share minds, previously announced she also wasn’t returning for season three. The only other confirming returning cast aside from Stewart are Jeri Ryan, who plays Seven of Nine, and Michelle Hurd, who plays Raffi. Unless Orla Brady, who was elevated to the main cast in season two, confirms her return as Laris, this leaves Hurd as the only original character holdover from season one as Ryan made her franchise return as a Star Trek: Voyager alum. Back into the fold for season three from the TNG side are Jonathan Frakes (Riker) and Marina Sirtis (Troi), who already made their prior appearance in season one; and Spiner, who played Data and Dr. Alton Soong in season one and Dr. Adam Soong in season two. Making their Picard debuts are Gates McFadden (Beverly Crusher), LeVar Burton (Geordi LaForge), and Michael Dorn (Worf).
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