Picard Season 2 Episode 2 is the second episode of the 2nd season of an American television series created by Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, Kirsten Beyer, and Alex Kurtzman for the streaming service Paramount+. The series is a spin-off of Star Trek: The Next Generation (STTNG) with the titular character Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) as its central focal point.
S P O I L E R S
Entitled “Penance”, Picard Season 2 Episode 2 introduces to us the core quest of the season viz. Picard and crew has to go back in time to change history so that Q’s dystopian future does not come to pass. This episode depicts for us clearly as to how different Picard’s reality is now as the Federation is now called the Confederation (geddit?) and an authoritarian regime that eradicates alien species from the galaxy! In this timeline, Picard is a decorated war general, Seven of Nine is the President, Rios, Musiker and Dr. Jurati are all Starfleet while Elnor (being Romulan) of course is now a renegade alien. Along the way, they recruit the Borg Queen (!) to their cause.
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Thus, it is obvious that season 2 is a deep dive into STTNG nostalgia, especially with the return of Q and the Borg Queen. In addition, the time travel trope is one that is frequently used in STTNG, most prominently on the First Contact movie. Picard and crew have not well gone back in time as at the end of this episode, they are captured by the Confederation forces as they attempt to escape with the Borg Queen. Why Q decided to punish Picard in this manner is not yet evident but as usual it is yet another test that Picard has to resolve.
Now streaming on Paramount+.
So far so good, loads of action-adventure and enough fan-service in Picard Season 2 Episode 2 to keep Trekkers and non-Trekkers happy. Recommended.
… still there’s more …