"Star Trek: Picard" meets "Deep Space Nine" in the first episode of season 2 – and that's
not the only Easter egg buried in this reference-heavy show.
The premiere episode of "Picard" Season 2 opens with Starfleet officers scurrying through
the corridors in the middle of what appears to be a battle aboard a starship.
Arriving on the bridge, things aren't looking good, as an unseen villain is tapping into
the ship's systems and appears to be gaining control.
Unable to overpower the enemy, Picard commands the ship's computer to activate the auto-destruct
sequence.
We later learn the enemy is the Borg, and longtime fans will note this isn't the first
time that Picard has had to order self-destruct due to a Borg invasion.
It is, however, a major change from his previous behavior, and shows he's learned a lesson
from a certain former Klingon security chief.
In the 1996 film "Star Trek: First Contact," the Borg had infiltrated the Enterprise and
had controlled more than half the ship.
Picard's trusted officer and friend, Lieutenant Commander Worf, recommended they self-destruct
the ship to prevent its total takeover.
Picard adamantly refused to destroy it, and it wasn't until he got a lecture from Lily
that he relented and set the ship to self-destruct.
This time, it seems, Picard is much quicker to respond, having learned that when the Borg
take over, sometimes it's best to activate the ship's auto-destruct system right away.
As many eagle eyed viewers noticed in the first teaser for the new season, a major piece
of "Deep Space Nine" lore appeared prominently on the table in Picard's library.
It appeared that the former Enterprise captain -- an avid archeologist -- was studying the
Reckoning Tablet, which originally made its first and only appearance in "Star Trek: Deep
Space Nine."
"I see you recognize it."
In the episode "The Reckoning," the tablet was smashed to pieces by Captain Sisko after
he received a vision.
In doing so, he released the villainous Pah-wraiths that were locked in a centuries-long war with
the Bajoran Prophets.
Many wondered if the appearance of the tablet was an Easter egg just for trailers, perhaps
as a simple reference to "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."
But the tablet does indeed appear in the opening episode of "Picard" season two.
As Picard and Laris speak in his library, it appears on the table between them in the
center of the screen, and it is still in pieces.
There's a viewing glass above it, which suggests Picard has indeed been studying it.
Given its prominence in the scene, we wonder if it's more than just an Easter egg, and
perhaps a hint of more to come.
As the first episode transitions to Picard's speech at Starfleet Academy, we see Picard
-- in his new role as Chancellor of the Academy -- standing before a group of incoming Cadets.
Behind him is a series of flags, presumably of Federation member worlds.
That's notable because there's a number of flags from worlds who weren't members of the
Federation during "The Next Generation."
While we do see flags for the Tellarites and Vulcans, who were founding members, we see
a Klingon flag as well.
Longtime allies of the Federation since at least the days of "TNG," it seems they could
now be full members of the UFP.
We also see the Bajoran flag, indicating that Bajor may have finally gained membership following
"Deep Space Nine."
But the most curious flag is the Ferengi [fuh-REN-ghee] flag.
Though Ferenginar was on its way to change, with the appointment of the less greed-focused
Rom as their Grand Nagus at the end of "Deep Space Nine," it's curious that they'd become
Federation members so quickly.
"A new Ferenginar needs a new kind of Nagus.
A kinder, gentler Nagus.
And that's you my boy!"
If these aren't the flags of Federation members, then it's possible these are simply the flags
of worlds from which Starfleet Academy has found cadets -- meaning the Ferengi flag is
a reference to the character Nog, the young Ferengi who attended the academy and served
aboard the Defiant on "Deep Space Nine."
During his speech, Picard is proud to introduce his friend Elnor as the first "fully Romulan"
entrant into Starfleet Academy.
This indicates that, at some point prior to the events of the episode, the Academy had
admitted other cadets with at least partial Romulan ancestry.
It's notable also because there has been at least one Starfleet officer that we've seen
whose bloodline could be traced to Romulans: A crewman named Simon Tarses, from "The Next
Generation" episode "The Drumhead."
Tarses was investigated for his possible role in sabotaging the Enterprise, but his real
crime was lying about his parentage by claiming he was part Vulcan rather than Romulan.
"Isn't it true that the paternal grandfather of whom you speak was not a Vulcan but was
in fact a Romulan?
That it is Romulan blood you carry?"
Ultimately, Tarses did not even attend the Academy, and chose to enlist instead.
Nevertheless, it was heavily implied that there was great controversy surrounding officers
who carried the blood of a Federation enemy.
It remains to be seen if this will be an issue for Elnor, who vocalizes his concerns about
fitting in at the Academy due to his race, though Picard's gift -- a book written by
Spock -- should help.
The "Picard" Season 2 premiere gives us a surprising glimpse into the childhood of Jean-Luc
Picard, and hints that something terrible may have happened to his mother when he was
young.
But it's his mother's inspiring words to the young Picard, as he looked up into the night
sky, that are the source of character drama in this episode.
In flashbacks, we see how Yvette Picard nurtured her son's love of the stars, offering to build
him an observatory of sorts on the family estate.
We know from the "TNG" episode "Family" that Picard's father and brother both decried his
choice to enter Starfleet, so it seems a fitting revelation that it was his mother who helped
ignite his exploratory spirit.
But in his speech to the Academy, Picard chooses to quote his mother with a phrase that clearly
has stuck with him all of his life: "let's see what's out there."
It's an inspiring moment, and one that affected Picard greatly, and diehard Trekkies will
remember this line for its appearance in the "TNG" premiere episode "Encounter At Farpoint."
"Let's see what's out there.
Engage."
Back at the Academy, Cadets await their first assignments, with an officer calling out names
and ships for them to report to.
One Cadet is sent to the Hikaru Sulu, clearly named for the helmsman of the original USS
Enterprise, originally played by George Takei.
In "Star Trek Generations," we met Sulu's daughter, who helmed the Enterprise-B -- and
it's clear from this new starship that her father's name has carried a powerful legacy
even into the 25th century.
Other ships include the Excelsior -- captained by Raffi -- where Elnor is assigned, and the
USS Grissom.
The original Excelsior was captained by Sulu himself in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered
Country."
While it wouldn't be unprecedented if Elnor's ship were the same Excelsior, it's most likely
a newer ship with the same name.
The Grissom meanwhile, though not seen, was the name of the science vessel that carried
Lt. Saavik and David Marcus to the Genesis Planet in "Star Trek III: The Search For Spock."
Admiral Picard also mentions to Raffi his intention to make some modifications to the
Kobayashi Maru test, which is designed to evaluate an officer's decision-making skills
in a no-win situation.
This test has been seen or referenced several times, most famously in "Star Trek II: The
Wrath Of Khan," but again in JJ Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot.
Guinan's bar
When Picard visits his old friend Guinan, who is now tending a bar in Los Angeles, he
goes to an address that will make fans of "The Next Generation" smile: 10 Forward Street.
Fans will recall the location of Guinan's bar on the Enterprise as Ten Forward, but
that's hardly the only Easter egg.
Behind the bar, we see bottles of Cardassian Kanar from "Deep Space Nine".
Also on the wall is a sign for Arcanis Lager, first seen in "Star Trek III: The Search for
Spock."
When the two sit down for a drink she offers up some options but selects a bottle of Saurian
Brandy, a classic "Trek" ale seen many times throughout the franchise.
Here she refers to it as "hooch," seeming to reveal the drink as something less than
a classy top shelf spirit.
When they first meet, Picard notes that Guinan's people, the El-Aurians age slowly, and she
tells him that aging is something that happens "only if we choose to" -- and that she has
chosen to for the benefit of humans who dislike being reminded of their own mortality.
This helps explain to audiences why the centuries-old Guinan, played by Whoopi Goldberg, looks 20
years older than the last time we saw her in "Star Trek: Nemesis."
She then makes a few clever nods to classic "TNG" episodes, referencing the times that
they stood side-by-side to face a new galactic threat, like they did with the Borg in the
episode "Q Who."
She also references the events of "Yesterday's Enterprise" when she recalls the time that
they jumped universes together."
But Picard hasn't come to reminisce, and is instead looking for some advice regarding
his love life.
Picard insists that he has loved before, and quite deeply, to which Guinan responds,
"But always to those who would only be temporary."
It's true that Picard has had a handful of dalliances in "Trek," and the most obvious
candidate is renegade archeologist Vash whom he met in "Captain's Holiday" -- who Picard
clearly held a deep and passionate attraction towards.
But as Guinan said, Vash was never a good match because she was always on the move,
and Picard's first love was Starfleet.
Their most haunting exchange is when she tells Picard that he should know better than most
that there are worse things than being dead.
This is a clear reference to his previous assimilation by the Borg, when they stole
his body and mind and used him as an instrument of destruction.
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