who played commander shelby on star trek the next generation

Elizabeth Dennehy

Series: TNG

Character(s): Commander Shelby

Elizabeth Dennehy portrayed Commander Shelby in the Star Trek: The Next Generation third and fourth season episodes “The Best of Both Worlds” and “The Best of Both Worlds, Part II”.

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Who Is Picard's Top Starfleet Admiral Elizabeth Shelby?

Star Trek: Picard introduced Starfleet's top admiral, Elizabeth Shelby, a character The Next Generation fans recognize from "The Best of Both Worlds."

The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 9, "Vox," now streaming on Paramount+.

The penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard introduced Starfleet's top Admiral, Elizabeth Shelby, as she led the fleet exercises on Frontier Day. Shelby is a fantastic Easter egg and payoff to a character who was front-and-center the first time Starfleet faced the Borg.

After Picard introduced Tuvok from Voyager , fans likely hoped the Frontier Day celebrations would be led by Kate Mulgrew's Admiral Janeway. However, given the way those events ended, fans are likely hoping Janeway overslept and is safe on Earth somewhere. In her place is Admiral Elizabeth Shelby who The Next Generation fans will recognize from "The Best of Both Worlds," the two-part episode in which Picard is assimilated by the Borg. Played by Elizabeth Denehy, Shelby was a character who fans thought might be the "new" First Officer of the Enterprise-D. Riker is given the offer of his own command and there were rumors at the time Patrick Stewart was leaving the show. In 2015, writer Ronald D. Moore said they wrote the finale not knowing if Picard would stay Borg. Shelby was likely a candidate for a regular role if that happened. Instead, Picard was saved and Shelby left the show and did not return to the franchise until recently. And she's the perfect character to have in charge at the start of a Borg invasion.

RELATED: Star Trek: Picard Reveals Why Riker Left Deanna Troi

Elizabeth Shelby Is an Ambitious Borg Expert Introduced on The Next Generation

Since the future of Star Trek doesn't involve money, reputation is the currency most favored by Starfleet officers. Sometimes it doesn't spend. Shaw doesn't think Riker and Picard are heroes , after all. If reputation is currency, then Elizabeth Shelby is one of the most money-hungry people in Starfleet. She accidentally offends Riker, telling him she hopes to replace him on the Enterprise. She assumed he was going to leave the ship and captain his own vessel. Nonetheless, she is an ambitious officer who wanted to succeed. However, she is not a villain or antagonist. She is Riker's best ally when it comes to rescuing Picard and defending the Enterprise against the Borg's attacks.

Shelby arrived onboard the Enterprise at the behest of Starfleet, taking on the job of creating a defensive strategy against the Borg. Her methods were effective, to a point. She circumvented Riker to give battle plans directly to Picard. Later, she leads an unauthorized away team mission to try to get data about their enemy. While Picard was "incapacitated," as Riker called it in the Picard Season 3 premiere , he promoted her to Commander and made her acting First Officer once he took command.

After Picard was restored, Shelby moved on, her sights set on rebuilding the fleet after Wolf 359. Later in an episode, a reference is made to "Captain Shelby," which fans can guess is her finally earning her captaincy. Putting her in the Admiral's chair for Frontier Day is a smart move, and not just because it pays off on the character's ambition. She is uniquely equipped to handle a surprise Borg incursion, though she may not have the chance after taking a phaser blast from an assimilated crew member before her video feed cut out. The Borg have a unique interest in Picard, but they also had a score to settle with Admiral Shelby.

RELATED: Picard's Villain Origin Continues New Star Trek's Reckoning With the Past

Elizabeth Shelby Is the Perfect Star Trek Character To Put in Charge of Starfleet

The character of Lieutenant Commander Shelby was created during the early years of Star Trek: The Next Generation when creator Gene Roddenberry still held sway. Without him, Shelby might have been a much different character. He believed that high-ranking members of Starfleet would be beyond petty conflicts over rank and position. So, while Shelby was ambitious and reckless, she was still a "good" person. She risked her life trying to save Picard. Yet, throughout this terrible circumstance, she remained cognizant of how it affected her career.

When Riker, having just lost his friend and captain, says he is considering her for First Officer, she starts campaigning for the job. Still, Riker saw enough of himself in her that he gave her the chance. The freewheeling Riker style only developed after Shelby's introduction. This is perhaps why the writers had Riker take after Jonathan Frakes , but it could be seen as her influence on him. On the loosely canon Star Trek: Lower Decks , then-Captain Shelby appeared at an event for all the ambitious Starfleet officers willing to play politics to gain rank and prestige. In that story, Shelby was in her element.

Still, while Shelby was ultimately a good officer, she made some very bad decisions. She might have been responsible for Starfleet's overly harsh stance against synthetic life in Season 1. She's responsible for the interconnectivity of the fleet that allowed the Borg to so easily take over the ships. If she did meet her end, it's ironic because she spent so much of her life trying to prepare Starfleet to defend itself against the Borg .

Star Trek: Picard debuts its series finale Thursday, April 20 on Paramount+ .

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The Best of Both Worlds: Part 2

• Episode aired Sep 22, 1990

Having absorbed Captain Picard and his knowledge, the Borg head for Earth, leaving Riker and the Enterprise desperate for an unanticipated way to defeat them. Having absorbed Captain Picard and his knowledge, the Borg head for Earth, leaving Riker and the Enterprise desperate for an unanticipated way to defeat them. Having absorbed Captain Picard and his knowledge, the Borg head for Earth, leaving Riker and the Enterprise desperate for an unanticipated way to defeat them.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Michael Piller
• Ronald D. Moore
• Patrick Stewart
• Jonathan Frakes
• LeVar Burton
• 21 User reviews
• 10 Critic reviews

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard …

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

• Lieutenant Worf

• Doctor Beverly Crusher

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Commander Data

• Ensign Wesley Crusher

• Lt. Cmdr. Shelby

• Adm. J. P. Hanson

• Chief Miles O'Brien

• (uncredited)

• Enterprise Computer

• Enterprise-D Ops Officer

• Ensign Russell
• Michael Piller (showrunner)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia Prior to filming, LeVar Burton had surgery and his scenes were carefully filmed after the majority of production was concluded; this is why he only appears in close-ups and not in shots with any of the other main characters. Most of Geordi LaForge's lines were given to Colm Meaney 's Mr. O'Brien.
• Goofs We see the Borg ship approaching Saturn from the side of the planet illuminated by the sun. This would mean the Borg are actually moving away from Earth rather than toward it.

Guinan : Did he ever tell you why we're so close?

Captain William T. Riker : No.

Guinan : Oh... Then let me just say that... our relationship is beyond friendship, beyond family. And I *will* let him go. And you must do the same. There can only be one Captain.

Captain William T. Riker : It's not that simple. This was his crew. He wrote the book on this ship.

Guinan : If the Borg know everything he knows, it's time to throw that book away. You *must* let him go, Riker. It's the only way to beat him. The only way to save him.

• Alternate versions In a 2013 Blu-ray release, this episode and the previous, The Best of Both Worlds: Part 1 (1990) , were edited together into one, feature-length movie. This version is 86 minutes long and was re-released as part of the 2019 Star Trek: Picard Movie & TV Collection Blu-ray release.
• Connections Edited from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 21

• whatch-17931
• Jan 24, 2021
• September 22, 1990 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 45 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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The Latest Star Trek Picard Season 3 Cameo Is A Perfect Deep Cut

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Picard."

Unless you've been living in a derelict Borg cube hopelessly severed from the Collective, you've probably noticed that this season of "Star Trek: Picard" has doubled down on "The Next Generation" to whole new levels of nostalgia . For some, that's exactly what they've been waiting for from this series ever since it was first announced. For others, well, just check out /Film's recap by Witney Seibold  of the very last episode, titled "Vox," for the other end of the spectrum of reactions.

But for showrunner Terry Matalas, this third and final season has provided the best excuse to go out on a high note, smashing together various eras of "Trek" history to give Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), and the rest of our original heroes one last grand adventure. While that has obviously meant reuniting our title character with old friends like Brent Spiner's Data and LeVar Burton's Geordi LaForge, it's also made room for several deep cuts and unexpected references of lore from years past. This time, one sneakily clever reappearance by a previously established "The Next Generation" character gave one dramatic death at the hands of the Borg a little extra irony.

As the plot line surrounding the Changeling conspiracy to take down Starfleet once and for all barrels towards its explosive conclusion on Frontier Day, the festivities allowed for one familiar face to briefly take centerstage: a certain Admiral Elizabeth Shelby on the bridge of the Enterprise-F, portrayed by actor Elizabeth Dennehy. Of course, Trekkies have seen this particular character before in the classic "The Next Generation" two-parter, "The Best of Both Worlds" — which shocked the fanbase by having Picard assimilated by the Borg.

A blast from the past

The Borg. Why does it always have to be the Borg? Picard's lasting trauma from his previous assimilation by the biggest bad in all of "Trek" has lingered throughout the decades, having been explored throughout "The Next Generation," the subsequent movies, and even earlier this season in "Picard." But as much as Picard is a central figure in the Federation, he didn't face off against this threat alone. Back in the season 3 finale of "The Next Generation," Starfleet dispatched Captain Elizabeth Shelby to the Enterprise-D, a bona fide Borg expert tasked with helping to repel the imminent Borg invasion. Fans will remember that she and Riker almost immediately rubbed one another the wrong way, thanks to a combo of clashing styles, a little bit of political overambition, and, most unforgivably of all, beating Riker at a hand of poker.

Still, the young officer proved her worth when Picard was captured by the enemy as she led the away mission to retrieve the captain. Though she couldn't quite prevent his assimilation and subsequent rampage during the Battle of Wolf 359, her efforts helped cripple the Borg cube and set up their eventual rescue of Picard from Borg clutches. Riker smoothed over any differences between the unlikely pair by promoting her to first officer in Picard's absence and eventually commander, Starfleet tasked her with rebuilding their fleet to prepare for future attacks, and she even reappeared once more down the line in an incredibly silly episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

All's well that ends well ... right? Well, maybe not. Just ask  the dearly departed Ro Laren .

One for the road

Having so much Borg experience under her belt, it was perhaps only a matter of time before "Star Trek: Picard" recruited the services of Elizabeth Shelby upon the shocking revelation that the Changelings had been collaborating with the sinister Borg. Of course, none of us could've predicted exactly how she'd be used in the latest episode. Or how bleakly ironic her final appearance would be.

With all of Starfleet blissfully unaware of the danger at their doorstep, the fleet celebrates the storied Frontier Day by gathering en masse to test out their fancy, system-wide new gadgetry. Synchronously linking each and every ship to the other for a much more efficient level of defense — hint: if your newfangled tech looks like the Borg and sounds like the Borg, it's probably the Borg — the system makes the fleet disastrously vulnerable to sabotage. That's exactly what happens when Picard & Co. show up, interrupt Admiral Shelby's grandiose speech, and trigger the defense mechanisms of the starships in orbit around Earth. Even Picard notes the irony of Shelby endorsing a plan of action that's "so Borg-like," showing how even the most decorated figures in Starfleet could lower their guard in such a time of (perceived) peace.

When the Borg inevitably begins their assimilation of the fleet and turn their drones against the ships, a completely bewildered and overwhelmed Shelby becomes one of the first and most tragic victims of the attack. It's an unceremonious and deeply upsetting end for a character who's lived through some of the darkest moments in all of "Trek" canon, but the instinct to bring her back for such a small but crucial role in "Picard" pays off effectively.

The "Star Trek: Picard" series finale airs on Paramount+ April 20, 2023.

The Next Generation (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.2 Production
• 4.3 Cast and characters
• 4.4 Music and sound
• 4.5 Reception
• 4.6 Continuity
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Special guest stars
• 5.3 Guest starring
• 5.4 Co-starring
• 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.6 Stunt doubles
• 5.7 Stand-ins
• 5.8.1 Spacecraft references
• 5.8.2 Star chart references
• 5.8.3 LCARS references
• 5.8.4 Service record references
• 5.8.5 USS Titan -A dedication plaque references
• 5.8.6 USS Titan -A Duty Roster references
• 5.8.7 Meta references
• 5.9 External links

Summary [ ]

IN THE 25TH CENTURY …

Aboard the SS Eleos XII , the song " I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire " plays at the same time as a log entry during the encounter with the Borg more than thirty years earlier , when the USS Enterprise -D had to hide from a Borg cube in a dust cloud. The Eleos computer suddenly warns of a security breach and unauthorized boarding, bringing Dr. Beverly Crusher upright in her bed. " They found us, " she realizes, as she quickly orders the Eleos to charge its warp drive. A crew member wonders how they were found so quickly, but the doctor seals the door without a word to the man, who begins loudly pleading that he can help. Instructing the Eleos to " get us the hell out of here ", Crusher locks another door behind her as she grabs a phaser rifle .

The unauthorized docking completes, and the airlock opens. Snarling, masked figures step aboard. Without any hesitation, Crusher opens fire on them, leading to a firefight in the airlock corridor. But the power cell in her phaser rifle depletes, resulting in her taking a glancing hit to the shoulder. Taking a risk, the doctor lunges forward to grab another rifle, and vaporizes one of the attackers. Using the reflective surface of a nearby container to track the other, Crusher fires into a coolant line, obscuring herself long enough to shoot down the other attacker. When it collapses to the deck, she coolly sets her phaser rifle to maximum and vaporizes the body.

With the other man onboard screaming to let him out, Crusher returns to the Eleos ' bridge. With still one minute left before the warp core charges, other ships arrive. She instructs the computer to prepare a coded subspace transmission to Admiral Jean-Luc Picard , just as the Eleos goes to warp…

Act One [ ]

At Château Picard , Laris remarks to Picard about how "first love" was always the sweetest, as they observe the painting of the Enterprise -D hanging over the fireplace. Picard corrects her by saying she wasn't the first, remembering the USS Stargazer , but she was his favorite. Laris jokingly replies that she hopes the "favorite" won't be offended if the painting is taken down for cleaning. Picard idly muses that perhaps he could give it to Geordi La Forge , the current head of the Fleet Museum , and instructs one of his helpers to take it down and pack it. Laris stops the man from doing so with a warning look.

Picard is preparing to accompany Laris to Chaltok IV , where she will help set up diplomatic security, and the house is being packed up for his absence. Picard jokes that while Laris is working, he will sit by, sip Saurian brandy , and think about working on his memoir. Laris chides him that she doesn't have to prove how "in the present" he is. " The past matters, and that's okay, " she tells him. Picard admits that these items, such as the Ressikan flute he picks up, are important to him as memories of dear friends, old and new, but still only memories. Laris points out that there comes a point in one's life where they must look to the past, not just the future. Picard hopes that will not be him, as he does not see himself as a man who needs a legacy, but rather a new adventure.

Sitting alone in his office as a storm rolls across the French countryside , Picard is writing out cards at his desk when he begins hearing the chirp of a combadge . He asks the house computer for its origin, but it is unable to locate it. Going through the packed boxes, he finds the sound coming from the combadge of his old uniform from the Enterprise -D. After somewhat literal answers to his questions (which exasperate him), the computer reveals it was using an unusual codec that required a passcode. Picard hears the combadge chirp again from another point in the room, and realizes it was using the Myriad codec and gives the computer his passcode. It is a recorded message from Beverly Crusher, who includes a set of encrypted coordinates, and gives the name " Hellbird ". " And Jean-Luc… no Starfleet , " she warns. " Trust no one. "

Picard discusses the message with Laris, who could see that Crusher looked both terrified and injured. Picard has not spoken to the doctor in more than twenty years, nor has any other member of the old crew; she had just cut them all off without explanation. Laris thinks that their past history on the Enterprise , and that they had tried a romantic relationship at one point (" 'Tried' is the operative word, " Picard confirms), leads Crusher to see Picard as the only person she can trust. When he wonders about not wanting Starfleet involved, Laris examines the situation from her viewpoint as a former Tal Shiar operative: Crusher's fear is genuine, not the result of paranoia, and she is out of options, leading her to turn to Picard, and only Picard, for help. Both realize he will have to go to answer Crusher's call for help. Picard tries to be light about it, saying he might be back in a few days, maybe less, but Laris is more realistic, thinking it might be more. She tells him there is a bar on Chaltok IV where one could view the sunset, and she would save him a seat; meanwhile, she urges him to mind himself. After she leaves, Picard looks wistfully up at the painting of the Enterprise -D over the fireplace.

At 10 Forward Avenue in Los Angeles , Captain William T. Riker sits at the bar , asking the bartender whether Guinan is now "hawking souvenirs", noting the model ships. The barkeep replies it was for Frontier Day . When Riker notes the number of Enterprise -D models, she dismisses them as "the fat ones" and says no one wants them. He tells her to leave the bottle. As Picard joins him, Riker comments on the implied disrespect to the Galaxy -class . Picard jokingly refers to his old first officer as the "handsome elder statesman of Starfleet", while Riker laments how no one wants to hear an "old fart" drone on about 250 years of "boldly going"; both Picard and Riker are expected to give speeches for Frontier Day. Riker notes the worried look on his old captain's face. Picard thanks him for meeting in such circumstances and apologizes for taking Riker away from his family, but Riker's expression is grim when he replies that Deanna and Kestra would appreciate his absence, and offers to help.

Riker is surprised to hear about a message sent with the Myriad codec, thinking back to the "old days" when they used it because they thought their comms were compromised on Rigel VI (which Picard corrects to Rigel VII ). Picard mentions the coordinates included with Crusher's message, and the word "Hellbird". Riker recalls that when Picard had been assimilated by the Borg , they had introduced a computer virus to interfere with their navigation system, adding the number 3 to every digit of their coordinates; adding 3 to the coordinates Crusher sent points to the Ryton system , outside Federation space, which Riker notes would be a perfect place to hide… but from what? In all the years he had known her, Picard had never seen her look so terrified. Riker then asks why she had cut everyone out of her life, but Picard says he needs to find a ship. Riker then amends that to "we", and knowing they can't charter one. Picard protests, saying he can't ask Riker to put his life in danger, but Riker retorts that they were overdue for a "good old-fashioned road trip". Though Crusher had said "no Starfleet", Riker knows of a workaround, as both men finish their drinks and leave. A man in the bar, holding a small Enterprise -D toy, watches them go, and drops the toy in his own drink .

On the planet M'talas Prime , a hooded figure steps into a crowded bazaar in District Six, before meeting with an Orion at a restaurant counter, who makes a transaction for some form of narcotic. The figure is revealed to be Raffaela Musiker , who appears to have lapsed back into her addiction. She laments that she is out of Starfleet, her girlfriend left her, and she's looking for a way back in. She has heard rumors of an experimental quantum tunneling device stolen from a Daystrom Institute offsite station that could be used as a weapon. She knows her dealer has information; she offers what money she has for that information. He reluctantly concedes that "a junkie wouldn't know when to quit", and mentions a possible lead involving the " Red Lady ". When she asks what the "Red Lady" was, the Orion warns her not to ask questions that could get them both killed, and tells her he doesn't want to see her face again. Once Musiker leaves she unsteadily makes her way to a quieter area, then looks around before straightening up and pulling out a secure communicator ; she is in fact working undercover for Starfleet Intelligence , and requests a debriefing – and more money. As she makes the call, she picks up the narcotic container she got from the dealer, stares at it for a long moment, then drops it to the ground.

Act Two [ ]

Picard and Riker take travel pod 05 up to Sol Station in Earth orbit, where Picard discusses his concerns about their plan. Riker reminds him that it was not a plan, but a ruse (which is the part Picard doesn't like); they were two high-ranking Starfleet officers conducting a routine inspection tour. Picard worries that they could both face court martial , and that Riker could lose all he had worked for. Riker agrees, but only if they get caught. He tells Picard to put on his best "inspection face", one of those "rigid, disapproving, sour expressions" he was famous for. Picard's expression fits Riker's description almost to a tee, as they approach their destination – the new USS Titan -A , a Constitution III -class vessel. As captain of her predecessor , Riker used a little sway to get onboard, but warns that the captain, Liam Shaw , would take some convincing to get him to change course to the Federation border, where Picard and Riker could then take a shuttle to the Ryton system. Shaw is not what Riker would consider a "friendly face", but Picard would recognize his first officer.

As the boatswain's whistle heralds their arrival, Picard and Riker are greeted by Seven of Nine , now in the uniform of a Starfleet commander , who grants them permission to come aboard. As Picard introduces her to Riker as "Seven", she quietly corrects him by saying that Captain Shaw preferred she use her birth name, Annika Hansen. Picard steps into the "inspection tour" role, forcing a Trill lieutenant to straighten up, while he straightens up the officer's combadge. Seven admits to being surprised they were coming, but hopes they will find the ship up to standards; Captain Shaw was catching up on his logs, but has requested they join him for dinner that evening. She also warns them to lower their expectations.

As the three officers step onto the bridge, Seven calls out "admiral on the bridge", adding "captain on the bridge" at Riker's cleared throat. The crew stands to attention, before Picard tells them to stand easy. The ensign at the helm seems extremely pleased to see them – at Picard's furtive questioning, Seven points out that she's Sidney La Forge , Geordi's daughter, whom Picard and Riker have not seen for a long time. Riker recalls that Geordi mentioned she'd wanted to be a pilot. Despite Picard trying to veer him from the topic, Riker embarrasses her somewhat by mentioning the nickname "Crash La Forge", earned at Starfleet Academy for twice crashing shuttles (to the smirked amusement of her crewmates). Seven orders communications open to the dockmaster and requests departure clearance. She turns to Picard and asks that he give the order to get underway, but he chooses to let her have that honor instead. She orders moorings cleared as the space doors open, before ordering aft thrusters at one-quarter impulse power . The Titan clears space doors, and Seven orders maximum warp. Picard worriedly asks if they shouldn't alert main engineering they were going to warp 9.99, but Seven quietly reminds him that the newer ships in the fleet now do so automatically. Picard quickly recovers (to Riker's amusement), saying that Seven would be a captain in no time. The Titan jumps ahead to warp.

Seven brings them to the conference room, where Captain Shaw has already started on his own dinner, remarking that the reputation of his guests preceded them so much, he started early. Picard gives the captain a bottle of his family wine , though Shaw remarks he was more of a Malbec man himself, and thinks Riker prefers bourbon . Riker confirms he likes the "occasional old fashioned" at times, and asks where Shaw had gotten that idea. The captain remarks that all the "bebop" he had purged from the computers when he took over spoke to Riker's "free-wheeling, loosey-goosey, Kentucky mash kind of style"; he admits to not being a fan of jazz , preferring structure and meter in his music (a nocturne by Frédéric Chopin playing in the background as he speaks), keeping tempo and time, which is why the two of them will likely find their inspection tour boring. Riker mentions it was a routine part of the fleet exercises for Frontier Day, but Picard seems curious; why would they find keeping their ships at readiness boring? Shaw replies that they would not be "blowing things up", taking fire or crash-landing, "the usual for you boys"; he brags that they would find the engines pristine, the hull intact, and every surface on the ship dust-free. Riker and Picard exchange glances, as they suggest changing course to the Ryton system. Shaw, wrong-footed, asks why they would do that, as it was on the edge of Federation space, further away and in the opposite direction from their intended course. Riker, appealing to the captain's ego, replies that it would give the new Titan "bragging rights", a great story for Frontier Day, with Picard adding about a final engineering inspection at Deep Space 4 . Shaw points out that DS4 has been shut down now for over a year, at which point Seven supplies that she thinks he meant Deep Space 11 , and Picard corrects himself.

To their surprise, Shaw refuses outright. He has been "keeping this train running" for five years, 36 missions, and that one didn't "get told where to go by standing in front of it and then changing the track". When Picard attempts to pull rank as an admiral, Shaw points out he was retired, and while Riker was an active captain, he was one without a command. The Titan was his ship now, Shaw reminds them, and proceeds to both compliment and disparage their careers, saying he had orders that came down from "actual officers", before emphatically denying the request. Seven points out that they could make up the time, but Shaw brusquely reminds her that her loyalty was to the ship, not to "old friends" and ex-Borg , the latter he says with some venom, earning a protest from Riker. Shaw leaves for his quarters and leaves Seven the conn, and insincerely hopes that the accommodations he has arranged for his "guests" are to their liking. As they leave for their quarters, Picard expresses his concern to Riker that every moment they're moving away from Ryton, the more worried he is about Crusher. When Riker asks what they could do, Picard has no idea, short of resorting to mutiny . Seven watches them leave, a pensive expression on her face.

Back on M'talas Prime, Musiker is alone aboard the SS La Sirena when a transmission comes in. Her Intelligence handler does not show their face, speaking through the ship's computer. She has not found anything on the "Red Lady", and her Intelligence contact is not any help in that regard either. Musiker requests a face-to-face to confer, which is denied. Frustrated, Musiker demands to know why they were bothering if her contact won't help her. When the contact asks her to speak freely, Musiker admits to the pressure: she has been undercover for months trying to discover who stole the experimental weapons tech from Daystrom, and why. The Orion gave her the "Red Lady", but she has no idea who or what that is and is terrified that whoever stole the weapons would use them to hurt people. She accuses the contact of not knowing what the job was like, at which point Musiker's Starfleet file is displayed on screen, noting her dishonorable discharge, being listed as "paranoid, obsessive and combative", 13 court martial-level offenses, and her issues with substance abuse. " Well, as far as mysterious handlers go, you're very detail-oriented, " Musiker remarks sarcastically. The contact points out that the stolen weapons were an act of war, and that Musiker was a warrior; they suspect an imminent attack and urges Musiker to find the "Red Lady".

Act Three [ ]

" This is utterly humiliating. " " Yes, it is. Reminds me of my cadet days, only I don't remember having to get up to pee this much. "

As the Titan proceeds at warp, Shaw's "accommodations" for Picard and Riker are bunks used by the lower decks crew, which Picard finds "utterly humiliating". It makes Riker think back to his cadet days, only he "didn't have to get up to pee this much". Picard recalls the last time he saw Crusher, "the way we left it", admitting it was not on the best of terms. He never believed it would be more than twenty years before they heard from her again, and Riker agrees that none of them did. Picard worries that it might be too late, before they hear Ensign La Forge calling them both to the observation deck.

Seven is there waiting for them, looking both incredibly tense and angry. She curtly apologizes for interrupting their sleep before asking for permission to speak freely, which Picard grants. She demands to know why they were really there, threatening to throw them both out an airlock and not look back. Riker is incensed, asking if that was how she spoke to an admiral, to which Seven retorts it was how she spoke to a friend. Picard reveals the message he received from Crusher, and how she said to trust no one, not even Starfleet. He didn't tell Seven because he didn't want to jeopardize her career. Seven bitterly admits that things were simpler when she was with the Fenris Rangers , relying on her instincts, but Picard and Admiral Kathryn Janeway had convinced her to join Starfleet instead. She had thought it was the right path, thinking she would one day inspire people to follow her, even if it was dangerous, like Picard did, but wonders how she can inspire anyone when she is under the command of someone like Shaw: " How am I supposed to just ignore my gut, ignore my instincts, just to follow orders? " Picard gently asks her to let him know when she finds that answer, because he never did. Just then, La Forge calls from the bridge, informing her that they were dropping out of warp.

Picard and Riker commandereed a shuttle from the USS Titan -A to rescue Crusher.

As they accompany Seven to the bridge, Riker realizes she disobeyed Shaw's orders and took them to the Ryton system. The sensors detected a vessel with minimal power readings on the edge of the nebula, whose properties interfered with their ability to scan for life forms. Riker asks if she realizes the consequences of her action; Seven simply tells them that in exactly four minutes, the ensign guarding shuttlebay 3 will be called away. Picard thanks her, as he and Riker immediately leave for the shuttlebay. In his quarters, Shaw is awakened by the storm activity in the nebula, and angrily goes to the bridge, ordering Ensign Esmar to lock down the ship before demanding to know where Riker and Picard were. La Forge reports an unauthorized launch from Shuttlebay 3. Shaw coldly tells Seven she just "loyaltied [her] way out of a career", and demands a full report.

Back aboard La Sirena on M'talas Prime, Musiker's search for the "Red Lady" is going nowhere; it was not a person or a ship, but she soon realizes it was some kind of target. She asks for any events occurring in the next few months and discovers a dedication ceremony for a statue of Rachel Garrett , the captain of the USS Enterprise -C … a statue of red stone at the Starfleet recruiting center in District Seven. Musiker immediately has the ship take off.

Act Four [ ]

As La Sirena approaches the recruiting center, Musiker places the ship on autopilot and tries to open a channel to warn them of an imminent attack. However, all she receives is static, just as a quantum tunnel opens under the recruiting center, tearing it apart… while the other end of that tunnel is in the sky above, raining its broken debris over the city. All Musiker can do is stare in horror.

Meanwhile, the Titan shuttle approaches the Eleos , running on minimal power. Riker admires the view of the nebula ahead; Picard notes they had spent half their lives chasing such views, while Riker adds they had spent the other half missing the chase. Picard wonders if Riker is actually enjoying himself. " 'Course not, " Riker replies. " Are you? " As they enter sensor range, they are able to detect at least two Human lifesigns onboard, one corresponding with Crusher's last known Starfleet medical profile and also in critical condition. She will need help, as will the other person onboard, whom Picard wonders is friend or foe. As they arm themselves, Picard begins feeling a rush of adrenaline ; when Riker asks if it was fear or the thought of seeing Crusher again, Picard admits it was both. " Your hands are stiff, my knees are killing me, " Riker sardonically sums up. " So long as we don't have to move or shoot, we should be fine. " As the airlock decontamination cycle completes, Riker asks if Picard was ready. " As ever, " he replies.

Picard and Riker board the ship, seeing signs of the fight (Riker lapsing into calling Picard "captain" when he points out the phaser fire), and they detect the smell of delorium gas , from the breach in the coolant line Crusher created as a distraction. Riker also sees the scorch mark on the deck plate left from one of the vaporized assailants, noting that it was a kill shot, straight down, which didn't sound like the Crusher he knew. He also wonders about the ashes left behind. While Picard checks the ship's bridge, a man comes from behind him with a phaser.

Picard finds Crusher contained in a medical pod and calls out to Riker that he found her. Riker is brought onto the bridge at phaser-point by the unknown man. Picard identifies himself and Riker and tells him they were there to help and tells him to lower his weapon. As he does, Riker quickly elbows him in the face and disarms him. Picard realizes that Crusher would never have sent out a call for help only for herself. Riker asks who the man is, and he replies he is Crusher's son. An alarm sounds, indicating another vessel approaching. The man accuses Picard and Riker of leading "them" there, saying they had escaped from them on Sarnia , Exo-Port , and Kaphar . When Riker demands to know who their pursuers were, the man lowers the blast shield, revealing a massive vessel emerging from the nearby nebula.

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2364
• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2366
• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2368

Memorable quotes [ ]

" First love is always the sweetest, isn't it? " " Well, she wasn't the first, but she was certainly my favorite. "

" I am not a man who needs a legacy. I want a new adventure. "

" Admiral Picard, I'm encoding this transmission with coordinates. " " Beverly… " " Listen to me very carefully. Hellbird. Repeat. Hellbird. " " Hellbird? " " And Jean-Luc, no Starfleet. Trust no one. "

" Guinan's hawking souvenirs now? " " Ugh, it's for Frontier Day. " " How come you have so many Enterprise -Ds? " " Oh, the fat ones? No one wants those. " " You better leave the bottle. You hear that, Jean-Luc? " No one wants the fat ones. " That's " Galaxy -class" to you, young lady. "

" We could be court martialed for this. You could lose everything you've worked for. " " Only if we get caught. You got to sell this. Come on, Admiral, show me your inspection face. Give me one of those rigid, disapproving, sour expressions you're famous for. There it is. "

" Permission to come aboard, Commander? " " Permission granted, sirs. " " This is Captain William Riker. Will, this is Seven of Nine… " " Commander Annika Hansen, sir. Captain Shaw prefers that I use Hansen, Admiral. "

" Uh, don't you think you should alert engineering that we're going to warp 9.99? " " That's… no longer protocol on the newer models of the fleet. It's all automated now. " " Yeah, of course. You're going to be a captain before you know it, Commander Hansen. " " Excellent recovery, Admiral. " " Shut it, Will. "

" Engage. "

" I apologize, Captain. Are we late? " " Hardly. It's just your reputation proceeded you so far into the room that I started early. "

" Well, we won't be blowing things up. Taking or engaging in fire. Crash landing expectedly or unexpectedly. You know, the usual for you boys. "

" Hansen, your loyalty lies with this ship... not to old friends, former ex-Borg... "

"' My career. When I was a Ranger , things were much... simpler. Trust my instincts. Bring justice to an unjust universe. But then you. You and Janeway convinced me to join Starfleet. (scoffs) I thought this could be the right path for me. I thought… I thought I could… one day inspire people to follow me, even if it's dangerous. The way that you do. "

" I like that Seven! "

Background information [ ]

• 10 February 2022 : Title publicly revealed by Paramount+ . [1]
• This is the first episode of Star Trek: Picard to feature a title card.
• The title of this episode, "The Next Generation", marks the first time that an episode title is shared with the title of a previous Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Next Generation . Previously, TNG : " Lower Decks " was an inspiration for the title of Star Trek: Lower Decks and SNW : " Strange New Worlds " launched the series of the same name.
• The title might be an allusion to the reunion of several main characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation which had previously been announced for the third season of Picard . In addition, the episode also introduces literal next generations in the form of the children of Geordi La Forge and Beverly Crusher and the granddaughter of Raffaela Musiker , as well as several starships that bear the name of renowned legacy vessels (see Continuity below).

Production [ ]

Dedication "For Annie"

• The end credits show a dedication, "For Annie", for Annie Wersching who passed away on January 29, 2023. Wersching played the Borg Queen during the second season of Picard and had made her television acting debut 20 years earlier on the Star Trek: Enterprise episode " Oasis ".
• The main title and end credits themes from Star Trek: First Contact , written by Jerry Goldsmith , is used in both the opening and ending credits of this episode.
• Four ships from Star Trek Online make their first on-screen appearance in this episode. The game's Odyssey -class and Pathfinder -class are represented by the USS Enterprise -F and the USS Voyager -B , respectively and an unnamed alien vessel is represented by the game's Elachi Qulash Frigate. In addition, the end credits show a schematic of the USS Pioneer at the Fleet Museum , representing the Pioneer -class , which is the starting type of player ship for the game's 2260s Starfleet faction. Previously, several ship classes from Star Trek Online already appeared in the Season 2 episodes " The Star Gazer " and " Farewell ".
• The episode opening "IN THE 25TH CENTURY..." evokes that of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , which reads "In the 23rd Century...".

Cast and characters [ ]

• Jonathan Frakes returns as William T. Riker and is credited as a Special Guest Star. Frakes last appeared as Riker in the first season episode " Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 ", along with voicing the character in the Star Trek: Lower Decks episodes " No Small Parts ", " Strange Energies ", and " Kayshon, His Eyes Open ".
• Gates McFadden returns as Beverly Crusher and is credited as a Special Guest Star. McFadden last voiced a holographic simulation of Dr. Crusher in the Star Trek: Prodigy episode " Kobayashi " in 2021 and last appeared as the character in Star Trek Nemesis in 2002. Previously, she voiced the mirror universe version of Beverly Crusher for the Star Trek Online expansion "Accession" in 2022 .
• Ed Speleers joins the main cast of the series as Beverly Crusher's son Jack . His first name was not mentioned in the episode, but was revealed in Paramount+ press materials. [2] He was otherwise only identified in the closed captioning as "Crew Member".
• Orla Brady returns as Laris and is credited as a Guest Star. Brady was previously a main cast member in Season 2, where she mostly portrayed the character of Tallinn .
• Former main cast members Alison Pill , Santiago Cabrera , Isa Briones , and Evan Evagora do not appear in this episode, all of them having stated after the release of season 2 that they would not be included in the third season. This marks the first episode of Picard to not feature an appearance by Agnes Jurati .

Music and sound [ ]

• The song playing at the beginning of the episode was " I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire " by The Ink Spots .
• The song playing in Chateau Picard was " I Can't Stop Crying " by Will Grove-White.
• The song playing in 10 Forward Avenue was " Guilty as Charged " by " Archie Thompson ".
• The song playing during Shaw's meal was " Nocturne in E flat major, Op. 9 No. 2 " by Frédéric Chopin .

Reception [ ]

• TRR : " The Next Generation " discusses the making of, and events in, this episode.

Continuity [ ]

• According to showrunner Terry Matalas , this episode takes place in 2401 . [3] As grapes were being harvested at Chateau Picard in " The Star Gazer ", the events depicted in "The Next Generation" may take place towards the end of 2401, likely between September and December.
• Upcoming Frontier Day celebrations are referenced throughout the episode. Commemorative posters note that the holiday celebrates the "250th anniversary of Starfleet ." According to Terry Matalas, this refers to the 250th anniversary of the launch of Enterprise NX-01 in April 2151 . [4]
• Captain Shaw of the USS Titan -A states that he had "kept this train running for five years, thirty-six missions." As the Titan -A is a newly readied ship, this likely implies that Shaw took over command from Riker prior to the refit.
• Among the possessions of Beverly Crusher are exotic flowers, ( TNG : " Cause And Effect ") a pearl necklace, ( TNG : " The Big Goodbye ") drama masks, an award that made her an honorary citizen of Cor Caroli V , ( TNG : " Allegiance ") and a crate from her late husband, Jack R. Crusher , which Beverly retrieved from storage in 2367 . ( TNG : " Family ")
• Captain Picard's audio logs at the beginning of the episode are taken from TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ", " Unification I ", and " Encounter at Farpoint ".
• Picard's authorization code, "Picard- 4-7 -Alpha-Tango", is his code from Star Trek: First Contact .
• The use of the electronic Boatswain's whistle aboard the Titan -A is reminiscent of similar devices used in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .
• Captain Shaw insists that Seven of Nine use her birth name, Annika Hansen, while on duty aboard the Titan . Seven had made the conscious decision to not use her Human name when she was freed from the Collective, instead choosing the moniker Seven as a shortened form of her full Borg designation: 7 of 9, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01. ( VOY : " Day of Honor ") Even after her time in the Delta Quadrant , only a few people referred to her as Annika, among them Bjayzl , who deeply betrayed Seven's trust, and Narissa , who mocked her past as a Borg drone . ( PIC : " Stardust City Rag ", " Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 ")
• When Seven takes the Titan -A out of spacedock, she does so at one-quarter impulse power. In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , according to Lieutenant Valeris , Starfleet regulations specified the use of thrusters only while in spacedock. Much like Captain Kirk , Seven chose to ignore that regulation, or perhaps it was no longer in effect by the early 25th century.
• The USS Titan -A is the successor to the USS Titan , the first command of Captain William T. Riker .
• The USS Voyager -B is the successor to the USS Voyager -A , introduced in PRO : " Supernova, Part 2 " and to the USS Voyager , which freed Seven of Nine from the Borg Collective under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway in 2374 .
• The USS Enterprise -F is the successor to the USS Enterprise -E , which was commanded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
• A statue of Rachel Garrett , commanding officer of the USS Enterprise -C , is unveiled on M'talas Prime .
• The USS Enterprise -A , commanded by Captain James T. Kirk , is shown briefly in a registry of ships at the Fleet Museum at Athan Prime during the closing credits, as is the aforementioned USS Voyager .

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard
• Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine
• Michelle Hurd as Raffaela Musiker
• Ed Speleers as Jack Crusher

Special guest stars [ ]

• Jonathan Frakes as William T. Riker
• Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher

Guest starring [ ]

• Orla Brady as Laris
• Todd Stashwick as Liam Shaw
• Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut as Sidney La Forge
• Anthony Azizi as Orion drug dealer

Co-starring [ ]

• Stephanie Czajkowski as Lt. T'Veen
• Joseph Lee as Lt. Mura
• Chad Lindberg as Ensign Foster
• Jin Maley as Ensign Esmar
• Jani Wang as Bartender
• Christian Crandall as Dark Haired Man
• Amy Earhart as Eleos Computer
• Grace Lee as Picard Chateau / La Sirena Computer
• Ric Sarabia as Human Patron

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Michelle Blass as Orion ad girl
• An Dang as Titan Orion sciences ensign
• Paul Riley Fox as Human ops ensign
• Naymon Frank as Guard
• Tony Garcia as Bar patron
• Marie Kelli as Orion ops ensign
• Darby Madison as Orion bar patron
• Jerry Marr as Human ops lt commander
• Dominique Stango as Andorian bar patron #1
• Andorian bar patron #2
• Château Picard employee
• Crusher's assailants
• Haliian boatswain
• Nonnikcam ops officer
• Raffi's granddaughter
• Titan Tellarite ops officer

Stunt doubles [ ]

• Katelyn Brooke as stunt double for Gates McFadden

Stand-ins [ ]

• Margot Muraszkiewicz as stand-in for Jeri Ryan
• Thadeus Welch as stand-in for Patrick Stewart

References [ ]

10 Forward Avenue ; 2161 ; 2353 ; 2366 ; 2367 ; 2368 ; 2375 ; 2379 ; 2381 ; 2385 ; 2396 ; 24-hour clock ; 2401 ; 25th century ; admiral ; adventure ; airlock ; Akaali language ; alert ; Andorian ; Andorian language ; anniversary ; answer ; " at ease "; Athan Prime ; authorization code (aka passcode ); autopilot ; Bajoran ; Bajoran award ; Bajoran language ; bar ; bebop ; blast door ; blood ; boatswain's whistle ; Borg ; bottle ; bourbonista ; bridge ; bunk bed ; cadet ; captain ; career ; Carrington Award ; Chaltok IV ; Changeling ; Château Picard (location); Chateau Picard (wine); Chopin, Frédéric ; codec ( encryption codec ); commander ; communicator ( clamshell design ; communicator badge ); computer (aka computer system ); computer program ; computer virus ; concern ; consequences ; controls ; coordinates ; Cor Caroli V ; court martial ; Crusher, Jack R. ; customer (aka buyer ); days ; dealer ; debriefing ; Deneb IV ; digit ; District Seven ; District Six ; doctor ; drug ; Earth ; ex-Borg ; Exo-Port ; Farpoint ; father ; fear ; Federation space ; Fenris Rangers ; Ferengi language ; first officer ; Fleet Museum ; Freecloud ; freak ; friend ; Frontier Day ; future ; Garrett, Rachel ; girl ; girlfriend ; graffiti ; Guinan ; Haliian ; handler ; " hell "; Hellbird ; help ; honorary citizen ; hospitality ; How to Advance Your Career Through Marriage ; hull ; Human ; hybrid ; hypospray ; " I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire "; instincts ; intelligence operative ; Janeway, Kathryn ; jazz ; junkie ; justice ; Kaphar ; Kentucky mash ; kilometers ; Klingonese ; Kurlan naiskos ; " La Forge, Crash "; La Forge, Geordi ; legacy ; Library Computer Access and Retrieval System ; lieutenant commander ; life-forms ; Locutus of Borg ; lovers ; loyalty ; Malbec ; man ; Mars ; med-pod ; medical away team ; mementos ; memoir ; memories ; minutes ; money (aka " coin "); M'talas Prime ; mutiny ; Myriad ; nebula ; nickname ; " Nocturne in E-Flat Major "; Nonnikcam ; number one ; officer ; old fashioned ; oracle ; Orion ; Orion language ; painting ; parade ; paranoia ; past ; Paulson Nebula ; pay grade ; peeing ; phaser ; phonograph ; pilot ; plan ; power cell ; purging ; quantum tunneling ; quarters ; questions ; Ranger ; recipient ; record tape ; Red Lady (agent); " Red Lady " (code name); Red Lady's father ; report ; request ; Ressikan flute ; Rigel system ; Rigel VI ; Rigel VII ; road trip ; Romulan ; Romulan ale ; Romulus ; roses ; ruse ; Ryton system ; Sarek ; Sarnia ; Saurian brandy ; seconds ; service record ; sextant ; ship ; " shit "; shuttle ; shuttlebay (Shuttlebay 03); " sir "; son ; " son of a bitch "; souvenirs ; space ; speech ; Spock ; spring cleaning ; star chart ; stardate ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet Command ; Starfleet Headquarters ; Starfleet Intelligence ; Starfleet Medical ; Starfleet uniform (2350s-2370s) ; Starfleet uniform (late 2270s-2350s) ; Starfleet uniform (early 2400s) ; statue ; structure ; subspace frequency ; sunset ; Swaford ; Tal Shiar ; Tamarian ; target ; teasing ; Tellarite ; Tellarite language ; things ; transmission ; Trill ; Troi, Deanna ; Troi-Riker, Kestra ; underworld ; universe ; Vissian language ; Vulcan (species); warp core ; warp drive ; weapon ; wine ; word ; Worf ; year

Spacecraft references [ ]

Appalachia , USS ; Azetbur , USS ; B'rel -class ; Chandrasekhar , USS ; Constance , USS ; Constellation -class ; Constitution -class ; Constitution III -class (aka Neo-Constitution -class ); Cunningham , USS ; Daystrom Station (aka Daystrom offsite station ); Deep Space 4 (aka DS4 ); Defiant -class ( unnamed ); DS11 ; Eleos XII , SS ; Enterprise -A, USS ; Enterprise -D, USS ; Enterprise -F, USS ; Excelsior , USS ; Excelsior -class ; Federation -class ; Gagarin -class ; Galaxy -class ; Ganymede , USS ; Hypatia , USS ; Inquiry -class ; Intrepid -class ( unnamed ); Kaplan F17 Speed Freighter ; La Sirena , SS ; Musashi , USS ; NX-class ; Odyssey -class ; Pathfinder -class ; Phoenix -class ; Pioneer , USS ; Pioneer -class ; Red Lady (ship); Red Lady -type ; Reliant -class ; Resnik , USS ; Saavik ; Sagan -class ; Sarahd , USS ; Shallash , USS ; Shras , USS ; Shrike ; Sol Station (aka Probert Station ); Sol Station -type ; Sovereign -class ; Spacedock -type ; Spacedock One ; Stargazer (NCC-2893), USS ; Stargazer (NCC-82893), USS ; Sutherland -class ; Thy'lek Shran , USS ; T'Jan , USS ; Titan -A, USS ; travel pod ; travel pod 05 ; Type 14 shuttlecraft ; Varian Fry , USS ; Venture , USS ; Voyager , USS ; Voyager -B, USS

Star chart references [ ]

40 Eridani ; 61 Cygni ; 81 Cancri ; Acamar system ; Ajilon ; Akaali ; Aldebaran ; Algol ; Alpha Centauri ; Alpha Circini ; Alpha Majoris ; Altair ; Andoria ; Aneto ; Arachnid Nebula ; Archanis ; Ardana system ; Arcturus ; Argelius ; Argus ; Argus Array ; Azati Prime ; Babel ; Badlands, The ; Bajor ; Ba'ku system ; Balancar ; Barolia ; Barradas ; Benecia system ; Benzar ; Beta Lankal ; Beta Leonis Minoris ; Beta Rigel ; Beta Thoridar ; Beta Zeta ; Betazed ; B'hava'el ; B'Moth ; Bolarus ; Calder ; Capella ; Cardassia system ; Cardassian Union ; Carraya system ; Celes ; Chin'toka ; Clarus ; Cor Caroli ; Coridan ; Corvan system ; Cruses ; Deep Space 9 ; Deep Space Station K-7 ; Delta system ; Deneb (Kaitos) ; Deneva ; Denobula ; Dessica ; Devolin ; Devron ; Doctari Alpha ; Donatu ; Dopteria ; Draken ; Draylax ; Dreon ; Earth ; Earth Outposts ; Eden ; Elas ; Elora ; Epsilon Ceti B ; Epsilon Serpentis ; Evora ; Fellebia ; Ferengi Alliance ; Ferenginar ; FGC-347601 ; Free Haven ; Galorndon Core ; Gamma Eridon ; Gamma Hromi ; Gamma Tucanae ; Ganalda ; Gasko system ; Gideon system ; Glintara ; H'atoria system ; Halka ; Hupyria ; Hyralan ; Inferna Prime ; Iota Centauri ; Iota Pavonis ; Irtok ; Japori ; Kaferia ; Kaleb ; Kantare system ; Khitomer system ; Klaestron ; Kobliad ; Kressari system ; Lorillia ; Lya Station Alpha ; Mab-Bu ; Madena ; Maluria ; Manzar ; Maxia ; Memory Alpha ; Mempa system ; Merak ; Minos Korva ; Miri ; Mizar ; Mu Arae ; Mu Virginis ; Narendra ; Nausicaa system ; Nelvana ; Nequencia ; Nimbus ; Nivalla ; Nu Octantis ; Ophiucus ; Orellius ; Organia system ; Orion (planet); O'Ryan's Planet ; Patriarchy, The ; Peliar Zel ; Pheben ; Pi Piscis Australis ; Pi³ Orionis ; Planet Q ; Pollux system ; Porathia system ; Preenos system ; Procyon ; Priors World ; Proxima Centauri ; Pyrithia ; Qualor ; Quam ; Ramatis star system ; Rator ; Regulus system ; Risa ; Rolor Nebula ; Romii ; Romulus; Romulus system ; Sarpedion ; Sauria ; Scalos system ; Septimus ; Septra ; Setlik ; Sherman's Planet ; Sigma Draconis ; Sol ; Son'a ; Starbase 1 ; Starbase 10 ; Starbase 11 ; Starbase 12 ; Starbase 157 ; Starbase 18 ; Starbase 19 ; Starbase 211 ; Starbase 214 ; Starbase 22 ; Starbase 23 ; Starbase 234 ; Starbase 24 ; Starbase 257 ; Starbase 29 ; Starbase 310 ; Starbase 343 ; Starbase 375 ; Starbase 39-Sierra ; Starbase 4 ; Starbase 47 ; Starbase 62 ; Starbase 621 ; Starbase 718 ; Starbase 88 ; Starbase 9 ; Starbase G-6 ; Suliban ; Tagra ; Tagus ; Talar ; Talarian Republic ; Talos system ; Tarahong ; Tarlac ; Tau Ceti ; Tellar ; Tellun ; Teneebia ; Terix ; Thalos ; T'Met ; Toroth ; Tranome Sar ; Trill system ; Troyius ; Turkana ; Typhon Expanse ; Tzenketh ; Unefra ; Unroth ; Valakis system ; Veda ; Vega ; Vendor system ; Volchok ; Vulcan (planet); Wolf 359 ; Xarantine ; Xepolite ; Xi Ophiuchi ; Yadalla ; Yridia ; Zetar system

LCARS references [ ]

act of war ; anti-deuterium ; assassin ; black hole ; comet ; communist ; computer core ; constellation ; coordinates ; damage report ; database ; deck ; decommission ; dishonorable discharge ; dwarf ; emperor ; Empire Union Day ; encryption ; encryption codec ; engineering grid ; EPS power grid ; expanse ; Fenris Rangers; Frontier Day; galaxy ; globular cluster ; globule ; Gratitude Festival ; helm controls ; hull damage ; impulse drive ; inner saucer grid ; intermix chamber ; intruder alert ; king ; league ; life support ; lifesign ; magnetar ; magnetic constriction ; magnetic containment field ; Mars; medical history ; mercenary ; message ; military ; moon ; nacelle pylon ; nacelle pylon grid ; nebula ; Operation: Daybreak ; outer saucer grid ; pirate ; planet ; plasma leak ; power system ; prisoner ; protoplanetary disk ; psych evaluation ; pulsar ; quark star ; president ; raider ; recruitment drive ; red dwarf ; red giant ; Red Giant 23139 ; Red Lady Bacteria ; Red Lady Nebula ; red matter ; Red Priority ; red supergiant ; Red Wormhole ; Redstone missile ; re-routing ; research group ; scientist ; security chokepoint ; sensor ; sensor array ; squadron ; star ; structural integrity ; subspace frequency; supergiant ; supernova ; system ; tactical ; tankage ; team ; temporal anomaly ; terrorist cell ; transmission frequency ; tribe ; vault ; war damage report ; warlord ; warp core; warp plasma ; warrior ; wormhole

Service record references [ ]

analyst ; Betazed; Conclave of the Eight ; Decoration for Valor and Gallantry ; drug rehabilitation ; Janeway, Kathryn; paralysis ; paranoia; reconstructive surgery ; Romulan; Romulan Relations ; Romulan Rescue Armada ; Starfleet Command; Starfleet Headquarters; Starfleet Intelligence; Starfleet Medal of Honor ; stasis ; stimulant ; substance abuse ; Synth ; Zhat Vash

USS Titan -A dedication plaque references [ ]

Aarniokoski, Doug ; Addink, James ; Admiralty Board ; Appel, Cindy ; Aronson, Shauna ; Bai, Jiarui ; Baiers, Aaron ; Bartolone, Jason ; Belker, Harald ; Berg, Kevin ; Berg, Virginia ; Blass, Dave ; Bocanegra, Dylan ; Boucher, Adam ; Calip, Ian ; Chief of Staff ; Chung, James ; Constitution III -class; Courter, Kyle ; Cross, Kevin ; Crow, Michael ; Ding, Yihong ; Drexler, Doug ; Eaves, John ; Eliscu, Will ; Falsetti, Nicole ; Garcia, Rachael ; Goldsman, Akiva ; Gregory, Grace ; Han, Gene ; Hargreaves, Sean ; Hornstein, Ellen ; Jefferies, Walter M. ; Joffin, Jon ; Johnson, Rob ; Kadin, Heather ; Keeper, Anna ; Kloczkowski, Liz ; Knezevic, Igor ; Krause, Bill ; Kurtzman, Alex ; Lacey, Fabian ; Levine, Len ; Lombardi, Jeffrey ; MacKinnon, James ; Maggs, Jane ; Mandel, Geoffrey ; Mantia, Maria ; Marks, Todd ; Martin, Jim ; Massin, Dylan ; Matalas, Terry ; Meyers, Michael ; Michelson, Harold ; Monfette, Chris ; Morris, Maxine ; Nickels, Justin ; Notarile, Crescenzo ; Okuda, Michael ; Okumura, Matt ; Page, Neville ; Probert, Andrew ; Research and Development ; Roddenberry, Eugene ; Roddenberry, Gene ; Roth, Trevor ; Russ, Alex ; Sagona, Matt ; Sallvin, Tomas ; Schneider, Scott ; Stapf, David ; Starfleet Command; Starfleet Operations ; Steck, Jeff ; Sternbach, Rick ; Stølen, Kit ; Tatosky, Brian ; Thorpe, Maxwell ; Tignini, Frank ; Tretta, Sean ; Van Dyke, Vincent ; Varga, Von ; Visencio, Mike ; Weder, Andy ; Zimmerman, Herman ; Zimmerman, Jason ; Zuelzke, Mark

USS Titan -A Duty Roster references [ ]

Alirez-Herberger, Reina ; alpha shift ; Antonyan, Vicky ; Arnold, Amy ; Barlow ; beta shift ; Betts, Ben ; Brachman, Beryl ; Bronson, Corey ; Brown, Danny ; Bulac-Eriksen, Dorothy ; Cercone, Gina ; Chan, Maggie ; Checketts, Corey ; Coronado-Carvalho, Sophia ; Crow, Michael ; Davis, Carmen ; Dean, Sam ; Decker, Lawrence ; Dodd, Mark ; Dommett, Sean ; Drexler, Doug ; Drozdowski, Elise ; Estervig, Elizabeth ; Feldt, Casey ; Garnet, Filo ; Foster, Dustin ; Foster, John ; gamma shift ; Gree ; Hansen, Jayse ; Inoue, Lance ; Jarvis, Andrew ; Jerome, Matt ; Kenney, Mitch ; Kieffer, Chris ; Krause, Bill ; Landman, Daniel Mahler ; Lee, Koko ; Lim, Daniel ; Macaluso, Peter ; Macias, Bertha ; Madrigal-Aviña, Alejandra ; Maher, Amber ; Marciano, Ariana ; Markart, Larry ; Marks, Todd A. ; Martin, Jim ; Martinez, Joe ; McGunigle, Sharon ; Meyers, Kasha ; Nannie, Nathan ; Oak ; Parkin, Natasha ; Plascencia, Christian ; Polutanovich, Wendy ; Ringhoff, John ; Ruiz, Matthew ; Scott, Lily ; Short, Kainan ; Short, Shannon ; Sloan, Michael ; Stanton, Ivory ; Susilo, Imario ; Taylor, Clint ; Tovar, Joshua ; Tull, Alyssa ; Ventre, Cesha ; Vesco ; Wilkerson, Ray ; Wilson, Kyle ; Wndell ; Youland, Tÿra

Meta references [ ]

External links [ ].

• " The Next Generation " at the Internet Movie Database
• " The Next Generation " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Discovering The Next Generation " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• 3 Ancient humanoid

Why I'm On Rayner's Side In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal".

• Commander Rayner struggles to fit into the emotive and tactile atmosphere of the USS Discovery crew in season 5.
• Former Captain Rayner's efficient command style clashes with Burnham's nurturing approach, creating tension onboard.
• Tilly criticizes Rayner's approach to connecting with the crew, but he uncovers valuable information about his colleagues.

Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) needs somebody on his side in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, as Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) orders him to " connect " with the crew. Written by Kyle Jarrow and Lauren Wilkinson, and directed by Andi Armaganian , Discovery season 5, episode 3 depicts Rayner's first day as Burnham's first officer. Paired with Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Rayner conducts one-on-one meetings with the USS Discovery's bridge crew, which doesn't go in the way that Burnham or Tilly wanted.

Formerly Captain Rayner of the USS Antares, the Kellerun officer was advised to take early retirement after the incident on Q'Mau. Burnham saved him from this ignominious end by assigning him to the USS Discovery as her Number One. Despite Burnham's assertion that she didn't want a " yes-man ", she is very insistent that Rayner fits into the family atmosphere on-board . Rayner's approach to command is more detached and efficient than Burnham's holistic and nurturing style, but that's surely a good thing, despite what Rayner's fellow Star Trek: Discovery characters may think.

Who Is Callum Keith Rennie? Star Trek: Discoverys Captain Rayner Actor Explained

Discovery's commander rayner is a berman era throwback, his strict professionalism and efficiency wouldn't be out of place in 90s star trek..

Star Trek: Discovery 's crew are very emotive and tactile when compared to the strict professionalism of Starfleet during the Rick Berman era. There's a lot more crying and hugging on Discovery , and characters seem far more comfortable about voicing their feelings than anyone on 90s Star Trek . It's no wonder that Commander Rayner feels awkward stepping into this close-knit family unit in Discovery season 5, something made even worse by the disparity with his own command style. By forcing Rayner to immediately try and " connect " with the Discovery crew, it feels like Burnham is setting up her Number One to fail .

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2, "Under the Twin Moons" revealed that Rayner's closest friend is Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr).

Rayner is more like Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) in Star Trek: The Next Generation than Captains Burnham or Saru (Doug Jones). Picard was often a stern presence aboard the USS Enterprise, awkwardly trying to bond with Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton), or maintaining a professional distance from the bridge crew's poker game. Watching Rayner maintain a similar distance in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 feels like he's Berman-era character who is a fish out of water in the more sensitive modern era. This will likely create some moments of conflict, which will be great, but Discovery has to acknowledge that Rayner has things to teach Burnham, too .

Tilly Is Too Hard On Rayner In "Jinaal"

Rayner reveals far more information about discovery's crew than in the past four seasons..

Callum Keith Rennie and Mary Wiseman have great chemistry in Star Trek: Discovery , which aids the comedy in the one-on-one scenes. However, Tilly is incredibly hard on Rayner for his brutally efficient approach to getting to know the crew of the Discovery. Requesting that each crew member tell him something about themselves in " twenty words or less ", Rayner teases out information about Discovery 's secondary characters that was hitherto unknown. By trying to unearth information that's not on their files, Rayner is fulfilling the brief of " connecting " with his crew in a way that feels comfortable to him .

There's a real irony about Tilly's criticism of Rayner at the end of "Jinaal". When Rayner rattles off the backstory of his crew, revealing how much he knows about them, Tilly dismisses this by saying " Analyzing them is not the same as connecting with them. " However, Rayner has revealed far more information about Star Trek: Discovery 's secondary characters than has been disclosed in the previous four seasons. Thanks to Rayner, audiences finally have a handle on " ship head " Lt. Commander Gen Rhys (Patrick Kwok-Choon) and the fearless Dr. Tracy Pollard (Raven Dauda) , so it's hard to deny that Rayner's brutally efficient approach has merit.

Star Trek: Discovery Proves Starfleet Academy Show Doesnt Make Sense Without Tilly

Discovery shouldn't force its family atmosphere, tng and ds9 never did.

There's an uncomfortable sense that Burnham and Tilly are trying to force Rayner to conform to the USS Discovery's family atmosphere. Both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine have already proved that these things take time. Picard played poker in TNG after seven years, a beautiful ending for the show that gave Jean-Luc the family that he'd always denied himself. Rayner should be afforded the same breathing space in Discovery , as it's way more satisfying in the long run.

Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) was more open than Picard, but he still took his time to soften. In fact, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's pilot, Sisko is a bit like Rayner, identifying key figures who can help DS9 work as a space station and multicultural hub . Sisko isn't " connecting " with characters like Quark (Armin Shimerman) but he's assembling a team that will eventually become a family. Episodes like "Take Me Out To The Holosuite" or "Badda Bing Badda Bang" are perfect examples of how playing the long game pays off when it comes to cultivating a Star Trek family.

Rayner Will Fit Into Discovery With Time

Captain Rayner is the new Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) in the sense that, like Shaw in Star Trek: Picard , he's initially set up in opposition to the regular cast. As more information about Rayner's backstory is revealed during Star Trek: Discovery season 5, audiences will grow to understand what lies behind his abrasive front. Rayner obviously has darkness in his past, which may be connected to Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis), which is why he's so driven to beat them to the Progenitors' treasure.

Also, it's worth pointing out that the USS Discovery is still on a Red Directive mission, which surely reduces the available time for getting to know you sessions. Captain Shaw became a beloved Star Trek character through his actions, not because someone sat him down and forced him to " connect " with Admiral Picard or Captain William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes). Commander Rayner should be given the breathing space to do the same, proving himself to his crew, and to the viewers as Star Trek: Discovery season 5 continues.

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

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Published Apr 10, 2024

A Brief History of the Progenitors in Star Trek

They designed life itself!

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for Star Trek: Discovery 's "Red Directive ."

StarTrek.com

Captain Burnham's top-secret mission in the final season of Star Trek: Discovery has finally been revealed. But this time, the Discovery crew isn’t stopping a future-destroying A.I., or a lethal, extra-galactic force. Instead, they’re investigating the basic mysteries of why most species in the Star Trek universe look vaguely human.

As revealed in " Red Directive ," the search for technology used by ancient "Progenitors" sets-up a massive treasure hunt for the season. But, who are the Progenitors? What did Jean-Luc Picard know about the secrets of inter-species alien DNA? And how does all of this fit in with Gene Roddenberry’s earliest ideas for Star Trek ?

Here’s a brief history of the Progenitors, from the early 1960s, to the 24th Century, all the way to 2024, and the 31st Century.

The Real World-Origins of the Progenitors

"The Cage"

When the U.S.S. Enterprise first set out to seek out "new life and new civilizations," a huge swath of those alien lifeforms turned out to look a lot like human beings. And the primary reason for that, at least behind-the-scenes, was two-fold.

First, human actors are more affordable, and second, Gene Roddenberry wanted the classic Star Trek to avoid the sci-fi trope of "Bug-Eyed Monsters." And so, in one of the original 1964 pitch documents for Star Trek , Roddenberry floated the idea of "The Parallel Worlds" concept . The idea was that the format of Star Trek — from a writing and production standpoint — would generally deal with "...plant and animal life, plus people, quite similar to Earth. Social evolution will also have interesting points of similarity with ours."

Unlike a huge swath of science fiction on TV at the time, the promise of strange, new worlds, that were, in fact, populated by people , is something that set Star Trek apart, and was the cornerstone of what gave the series its humanist angle. But, the side effect of course, was an in-universe question — why were so many aliens humanoid?

The Old Ones, Sargon, and The Preservers

"The Paradise Syndrome"

The first two seasons of The Original Series are sprinkled with hints that, in the distant past, the galaxy was visited by super-powered aliens with technology far more advanced than anything in the Federation.

In " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ," we meet Ruk, an android built by "The Old Ones," an alien race capable of creating humanoid androids that were basically immortal. In " Return to Tomorrow ," the disembodied soul of Sargon, refers to humanity as "my children." While Dr. Muhuall says this idea flies in the face of evolutionary theory, Spock mentions the idea that aliens seeded life would "explain certain elements of Vulcan pre-history."

Then in Season 3, in " The Paradise Syndrome ," Bones and Spock tackle the question head-on. When they realize an ancient race of "Preservers" helped various humanoid species throughout the galaxy, the idea of an ancient alien race guiding and "seeding" a ton of humanoid species became less of a myth and more of a working theory. "I’ve always wondered why there were so many humanoids scattered through the galaxy," Bones says. To which Spock replies, "So have I. Apparently, the Preservers account for a number of them."

And then, the questions about an ancient humanoid species went answered. At least, until The Next Generation . 

"The Chase"

Directed by Jonathan Frakes and written by Ronald D. Moore and Joe Menosky, " The Chase " was a sixth-season episode of The Next Generation , which, according to The Next Generation Companion , was considered in the writers' room the most "Roddenberryesque" episode of TNG at that time. The story itself took cues from Carl Sagan's novel Contact , and posited that yes, ancient aliens not only seeded most of the humanoid species, but also hid a message in the DNA of all those species.

Captain Picard's interest in archeology comes in handy during the quest to locate all the DNA strands and reveal the message, which was also represented metaphorically by the ancient artifact known as the Kurlan naiskos .

At the end of the episode, representatives from the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Empire, the Cardassian Union, and the Federation, all witness the truth — an ancient Progenitor (played by Salome Jens) makes it clear that all the humanoid species in the galaxy don’t exist out of pure hubris, but instead, out of a kind of desire for legacy. "You are a monument, not to our greatness, but to our existence…. Remember us."

Ronald D. Moore pointed out that there's no reason to believe that the Progenitors from "The Chase" and the Preservers from TOS aren't one in the same. Though not explicitly stated in the script, he said, "But this could be them, and be internally consistent."

Discovery Brings It All Home

"Red Directive"

While The Next Generation established a canonical fact that TOS only danced around, that only answered the question of why . With Discovery Season 5, a stranger, and more complex question is getting broached — how ?

"The Chase" told us why there are so many humanoid species in the galaxy, but we had no idea how the Progenitors specifically pushed life to evolve on various planets toward the exact form of life we’re all so familiar with. As the crew of Discovery — and other forces — are in pursuit of this ancient tech, Star Trek is boldly speculating on one of the biggest questions of all time.

If there was a supreme intelligence behind the creation of life, what was their method? While these kinds of questions are somewhat mind-boggling in real life, what Discovery is doing now is what Star Trek has done all along: Ask provocative questions that are beyond what we know now, so that maybe, in the future, we’ll be better prepared.

We don’t know that the Progenitors exist in real science, but the "panspermia hypothesis," is a very real scientific concept. A friendly alien may not have consciously sparked life on Earth eons ago, but, in reality, it is possible that some building blocks for life itself may have come from the stars.

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Ryan Britt is the author of the nonfiction books Phasers on Stun! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World (2022), The Spice Must Flow: The Journey of Dune from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies (2023), and the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (2015). He is a longtime contributor to Star Trek.com and his writing regularly appears with Inverse, Den of Geek!, Esquire and elsewhere. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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Star trek: discovery season 5, episode 3 ending explained.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5's treasure hunt brings the USS Discovery to Trill for the next clue, but Moll and L'ak may be one step ahead of Burnham.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 3 - "Jinaal"

• Moll and L'ak are setting a trap on the USS Discovery - Adira may be in danger.
• The Progenitors' treasure was safeguarded by six secret scientists in the 24th century.
• Commander Rayner struggles to connect with the crew - Burnham seeks answers beyond the treasure.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal", brings Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery one step closer to finding the Progenitors' treasure, but little do they know Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) are making insidious moves against them. Written by Kyle Jarrow and Lauren Wilkinson and directed by Andi Armaganian, the third episode of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 splits the action between the planet Trill and Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Renne) and Ambassador Saru (Doug Jones) having difficulty adjusting to their new assignments.

Captain Burnham and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) pass a test created by Jinaal (Wilson Cruz) with flying colors. Jinaal was the host of a Trill symbiont who was alive in the 24th century, and he was part of a coalition of scientists, which included the Romulan Doctor Vellek (Michael Copeman) who hid the Progenitors' technology to protect the galaxy. A Trill ritual allowed Jinaal to occupy the body of Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), and the Trill took steps to ensure Burnham and Book were "worthy" of finding the Progenitors' treasure. However, Discovery's crew may unwittingly be walking into a trap set up by Moll and L'ak.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

What did moll attach to adira at the end of star trek: discovery season 5, episode 3, moll and l'ak are making a move on the uss discovery.

After Jinaal departed Dr. Culber's body and he, Captain Burnham, and Cleveland Booker beamed back aboard the USS Discovery, Moll secretly placed a device on the arm of Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio). The Trills were warned by Burnham that Moll and L'ak would come seeking the clue hidden on Trill, but Guardian Xi (Andreas Apergis) was certain Trill would withstand any aggressive act. But what the Trill didn't anticipate was Moll, who is human, infiltrating the Trill during their ritual and planting something on Discovery's young Ensign.

32nd-century technology in Star Trek: Discovery is made of programmable matter, which explains why Moll's device disappeared.

The tiny device Moll hid on Adira's arm quickly vanished, but there are a few possibilities for what the tech could be. The device could be a tracker of some sort ; since Moll knows Burnham found the clue on Trill, she could be ensuring that she and her lover, L'ak, will be able to follow the USS Discovery wherever it jumps to next. The device could also be some kind of communicator or a weapon that could incapacitate Adira. It may also be a tiny transporter that would allow Adira to be beamed to L'ak's ship where they could be held hostage.

Moll, who likely was incognito in the Trill caves for the duration of Star Trek: Discovery, probably overheard Adira's conversations with their love interest, Gray Tal (Ian Alexander), and their decision to break up. Adira, who is young and inexperienced, is the ideal target for Moll and L'ak to plant a device on. This may be the end of Adira and Gray's Star Trek: Discovery love story . Their breakup is also an interesting juxtaposition to Moll and L'ak, who are lovers themselves but are committed to each other and are on the same journey, unlike the young Trill and Ensign.

Everything Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 3 Revealed About The Progenitors' Treasure

Great steps were taken to protect the ancient power to create life.

Jinaal provided a wealth of new information about what happened to the Progenitors' treasure after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "The Chase." According to Jinaal, in the 24th century, the President of the United Federation of Planets - possibly Jaresh-Inyo (Herschel Sparber) from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - secretly assembled a team of 6 Federation and non-Federation scientists , including Jinaal and Dr. Vellek. After years of researching the Progenitors' message, they found the ancient technology in a sector of deep space. One of the scientists died horribly when they tried to activate it.

The scientists made it their life's work to safeguard the Progenitors' technology.

The scientists decided to hide the Progenitors' treasure instead of turning it over to the Federation. At this point, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Dominion War engulfed the Alpha Quadrant, and anyone could be a Changeling. Jinaal and his colleagues made a pact and lied to the Federation about the treasure while redacting themselves from every database. The scientists made it their life's work to safeguard the Progenitors' technology, eventually creating a series of clues which they determined would deem whoever could find the treasure "worthy" of having it.

Meanwhile, on the USS Discovery, Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) decoded Dr. Vellek's Romulant tricorder and learned more about the Progenitors' treasure. Stamets was excited about the applications of the Progenitors' technology, which is billions of years old. The Progenitors could "design new lifeforms, accelerate evolution, modify ecosystems." Stamets added, "If it can create life, then, in theory, it might also be possible to re-animate dead organisms."

The Progenitors' technology sounds like the Genesis Device from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan but with even more potential to create - or destroy - life.

Saru Made A Faux Pas About Announcing His Wedding To T'Rina

Saru has a lot to learn about love and politics.

The newly-minted Ambassador Saru performed well in his first delegation meeting about the rising threat of the Breen , but he made a faux pas when it came to announcing his engagement to President T'Rina (Tara Rosling). T'Rina's political aide, Duvin (Victor Andres Trelles Turgeon), became concerned about the optics of the President of Ni'Var siding with the Kelpien Ambassador, especially when the news of their engagement becomes public. Saru listened to Duvin and got cold feet about announcing his engagement to T'Rina.

Duvin feared T'Rina's Presidential power weakening among Vulcan purists if she marries an offworlder.

Ultimately, T'Rina made Saru realize that making a public announcement is better than news of their engagement leaking out, which would make it seem like the couple were hiding something scandalous. Saru confessed his inexperience in romance and politics, but T'Rina has enough savviness for them both. Saru and T'Rina's wedding is on, and will likely take place sometime during Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Commander Rayner Will Have Trouble Fitting In With The USS Discovery Crew

Rayner's not looking to connect and make friends on discovery.

Now demoted to Commander as the new First Officer of the USS Discovery, Rayner was ordered by Captain Burnham to meet with and forge connections with the USS Discovery's crew. But Rayner was more interested in hunting Moll and L'ak , and he only met with Discovery's crew members for brief, unfriendly intervals, to the disgust of Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman). Rayner made no real inroads in connecting with Discovery's personnel, although he paid attention and made insightful observations about each Starfleet Officer.

Commander Rayner not immediately fitting in on Discovery is more realistic.

Tilly was right that Commander Rayner, who was on a new ship after an embarrassing demotion, compensated by acting boorishly to hide how difficult it was for him. To Star Trek: Discovery season 5's credit, Commander Rayner not immediately fitting in on Discovery is more realistic than the Kellerun Starfleet Officer being welcomed with open arms. Rayner will have a long road to earning the respect of the USS Discovery's crew, and vice versa, although Captain Burnham may not be pleased with how her new Number One alienated himself from her friends and family aboard the Disco.

Rayner explained he purposely kept a professional distance from his crew when he was Captain of the USS Antares.

Captain Burnham Is Searching For Something Bigger Than The Progenitors' Treasure

Michael has big questions she needs answered.

At the start of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 2 , "Under the Twin Moons," Captain Burnham confessed that she used to find purpose in her missions, but now she is searching for something more. A greater meaning. Jinaal assessed this about Burnham on Trill, and Michael related the same to Dr. Hugh Culber. For Burnham, the Progenitors' treasure isn't just technology that can alter the destiny of the Federation, but it could mean answers Michael is seeking about the meaning of life, itself.

Captain Burnham's quest may reflect Star Trek: Discovery looking inward for something more profound.

Interestingly, Captain Burnham's spiritual journey in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 loosely echoes someone from her adoptive Vulcan family: Sybok (Lawrence Luckinbill). In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Spock's criminal older half-brother sought God in the mythical world of Sha Ka Ree. Sybok's quest was fueled by his own hubris, but the Vulcan truly did want to see and gain answers from the divine. Michael wants different answers than Sybok did, and Captain Burnham's quest may reflect Star Trek: Discovery looking inward for something more profound than its nature as an action-adventure Star Trek series.

Where The Next Clue To The Progenitors' Treasure Will Take Discovery

Discovery may take a pause in the treasure hunt.

Interestingly, Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3's ending, doesn't directly lead to the USS Discovery's next destination after they depart Trill. Captain Burnham told Dr. Culber that the clue Jinaal gave them was being analyzed, but leads to the Tzenkethi system . However, Discovery is stymied by red tape as diplomats sort out the legalities of entering the Tzenkethi system. This could indicate a pause in Star Trek: Discovery season 5's treasure hunt in episode 4, "Face the Strange."

The Tzenkethi were a race that was never seen but was mentioned as enemies of the Federation on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , furthering Star Trek: Discovery 's DS9 connections.

However, it's a safe bet whatever Moll planted on Adira will lead to the next crisis Captain Burnham will have to contend with . With three more pieces needed to complete the map to the Progenitors' treasure and 7 more episodes to go in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Captain Burnham's hunt may take its first, strange detour.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery stream Thursdays on Paramount+

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