Picard Season 2 Is Bringing Back A Terrifying Star Trek Villain
In June of this year, Paramount+ released its first extended look at the second season of "Star Trek: Picard," one of multiple "Star Trek" projects that premiered upon the release of the streaming service. Central to the trailer is Q (played by John de Lancie), an alien with considerable supernatural abilities. In past episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," which canonically precedes "Picard," Q has proven capable of using his powers to travel through time. The first "Picard" Season 2 trailer suggests that at least at some point in the season, Q will use his powers to transport Picard (Patrick Stewart) and company into an alternate dimension.
In the cases of certain characters, the alternate dimension versions of themselves they inhabit are markedly different than how they appear in the show's primary timeline. Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), for example, becomes entirely human in the new Season 2 universe. This is unusual for the character, because in her past, she was a Borg, a species of cybernetic humanoid connected through a singular hivemind. Though she possessed an individual consciousness by the time she joined the Voyager crew, she nevertheless retained some cybernetic implants. Her human appearance suggests that in the new universe, Seven of Nine was only ever Annika Hansen, her identity prior to her Borg assimilation.
While Seven of Nine may no longer be even part Borg, at least temporarily, new reports confirm that "Picard" Season 2 will introduce another classic Borg character into the mix.
All hail the Borg Queen
As detailed in Variety, The Borg Queen, a classic "Star Trek" villain from eras past, will reappear in "Picard" Season 2. The character will be portrayed by Annie Wersching, whose past credits include recurring roles in "24," "The Vampire Diaries," and "Bosch," in addition to the voice of Tess in the video game "The Last of Us."
Upon her appearance in "Picard," Wersching will become the third person in "Star Trek" history to portray the character. The original incarnation of the Borg Queen was played by Alice Krige in "Star Trek: First Contact," the second movie in the "Next Generation" series. Then, when the character returned in "Star Trek: Voyager," Susanna Thompson portrayed her. Finally, when the Borg Queen reappeared in the final episode of "Voyager," Krige reprised the role.
The particulars of the Borg Queen's involvement in Season 2 have yet to be revealed, so viewers will have to wait for either a new preview or the upcoming season's release, on a date that has yet to be announced, to learn more about this latest incarnation of a classic "Star Trek" villain.