Jonathan Frakes, the actor who plays the iconic Will Riker, has given details of what might happen in the new and final season of Star Trek: Picard.
Will Riker, Captain Picard’s second-in-command on TNG and in the films that followed, has been back in the franchise since season 1, where it was revealed that he made a major life change, eventually marrying Deanna Troi, but not before becoming captain of his own starship.
Season 1 of Picard also dealt, of course, with the tragedy that Will and Deanna suffered, revealing that their son Thaddeus Worf Riker-Troi had died of a mysterious illness.
In the upcoming season, both Riker and Troi find themselves back in the thick of the action, as nearly the entire crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation reunite for a new adventure meant to stir up nostalgia.
How the old pieces will fit with the new in Star Trek: Picard season 3, of course, has not yet been revealed. However, it has been “rumored” that there will be some tension between Picard and Riker, and this will be exploited to the fullest, one suspects.
What Jonathan Frakes had to say about the new season of Star Trek: Picard
“First of all, I think it’s the best season of the show and obviously we’re excited to have the family back together. However, there’s going to be antagonism between Riker and Picard, which hasn’t been that obvious before. We will also be introducing Geordi La Forge’s daughters in the new season,” said Jonathan Frakes.
Basically, if you will, the tension between Picard and Riker has to do with the fact that their relationship has changed. In TNG, Riker used to be Jean-Luc Picard’s subordinate, repeatedly refusing to captain his own starship. However, years passed, and Will Riker became a captain anyway, and Picard an admiral. In the new season, the roles may reverse, and Picard may have to start listening to Riker, which is clearly not easy to do.
The new season of Star Trek: Picard will be released on February 16, 2023. It will also be the last, as mentioned at the beginning of this article.