Time to boldly go where no man has gone before...again! Another season of Star Trek: Picard has engaged! And after last year's freshman season brought back everyone's favorite captain (sorry, Kirk!), some very familiar faces, and a whole slew of new crew, it made sense to prep everyone with a cheat sheet about who they're seeing this year as we enjoy Star Trek: Picard season 2!
Warning! There are spoilers for Season 1 and the Season 2 premiere ahead.
Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard
There can’t be a show called Star Trek: Picard without Jean-Luc Picard. So of course, former admiral Jean-Luc Picard is back. But this time, he’s not taking his original body with him. Picard was diagnosed with a terminal illness during the events of the first season.
And at the end of the season, the La Sirena crew had to transfer his consciousness into a new golem designed by Dr. Alton Inigo Soong. So where is he now? Episode 1 of season 2 finds Picard, in his new healthy body, and the La Sirena crew facing down the Borg!
Alison Pill as Dr. Agnes Jurati
Returning for season 2 is a crew member and brilliant scientist, Agnes Jurati, played by Alison Pill. Jurati was introduced in the second episode of Picard season 1. Early in season 1, Jurati was manipulated by Starfleet Commodore and Romulan mole, Oh into killing Maddox, and attempting to murder fellow La Sirena crew member, Soji Asha (more on her later).
However, Jurati actually turns against Oh’s directive, aiding Picard and becoming an official member of the La Sirena. She becomes instrumental in the creation of Picard’s new body at the end of season 1.
Isa Briones as Dr. Soji Asha
Dr. Soji Asha, introduced as a major character in Picard season 1, is an android crew member of the La Sirena. She is a clone of Data created by Dr. Maddox. Most of Picard’s first season was centered around the mystery of Soji, as a synth and daughter of Data.
Romulan villains Oh, Narek, and Narek’s sister Narissa, tried to manipulate Soji into giving them more information about androids and had her build a beacon to lure synthetic lifeforms from other dimensions to them. Soji, with the help of Picard, uncovers the plot and destroys the beacon, foiling the plans of Narek, Oh, and Narissa.
Michelle Hurd as Lt. Rafii Musiker
Rafii was a Starfleet lieutenant under Picard following his adventures in Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG). She bitterly retreated to the desert of Vasquez Rocks after being fired by Starfleet for siding with Picard on a controversial mission.
Picard recruits her to stop the Romulans that have infiltrated Starfleet, and she reluctantly agrees. She serves alongside the crew battling the Romulans and helping save Soji and other synths at the end of the season. She ends up captain of the USS Excelsior at the beginning of Season 2.
Santiago Cabrera as Captain Cristóbal Rios
Rios was a former Starfleet officer who served on the USS ibn Majid, who was ejected from Starfleet after having PTSD from an incident where he had to cover up the murder-suicide of his former captain.
Rios went out on his own and assumed command of the La Sirena. He aids Picard in fighting off the Romulans and protecting Soji at the end of season 1. In the season 2 premiere, we find he’s been reinstated back at Starfleet, but this time as the captain of the USS Stargazer.
Evan Evagora as Elnor
Elnor was a boy Picard met during one of his missions to save Romulans from a Supernova. Picard became a mentor for Elnor but ended up abandoning his protegee, only for them to reunite during the first season.
Now an adult, Elnor, despite their history, decided to aid Picard and the La Sirena crew against the opposing Romulans near the end of season 1. At the beginning of season 2, he ends up joining Starfleet and is assigned to Rafii’s ship, the USS Excelsior.
Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine
Fan-favorite Voyager character, Seven of Nine returned in season 1. When we last saw her, she had just helped the La Sirena crew take down the Romulans by killing villain Narissa and assimilating with The Artifact to free xBs from Romulan control.
At the beginning of season 2, La Sirena is now being captained by Seven, and she must team up with Picard and the rest of the original crew to stop The Borg.
Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan
Guinan has always been a comforting presence aboard the Enterprise. So hearing about her return, no matter how brief, is always welcoming. From both an emotional and diplomatic standpoint, her years of wisdom have always been a beacon of guidance for Picard and the crew.
In season 2, he employs her help when confronted by a more personal Kobayashi Maru in his life: that of allowing himself to go after some semblance of happiness and companionship. Aging as gracefully as a fine Chateau Picard wine, Goldberg returns to distribute shots and emotional support as a calm before the impending storm to come this season.
John de Lancie as Q
All of this leads to the other anticipated return for the premiere. One of the most popular Star Trek figures of all time, while never an outright villain in the history of TNG, Q has always been a bit of a chaotic, omnipotent force of nature for Picard to contend with.
His obsession with using his powers to test humanity has created some of the most trying moments for Picard and the most iconic moments in TNG history. During their final moments in TNG’s classic series finale All Good Things, Q ominously stated he’d be seeing Picard “out there”, and that (as he repeats in the Picard Season 2 premiere) “the trial never ends” indeed.
Star Trek: Picard season 2 is available to stream on Paramount Plus in the US and on Prime Video in the UK.
