What are the Pah-wraiths in Star Trek, and do they connect with Jack Crusher in Star Trek Picard season 3? Omnipotent alien races are nothing new in Star Trek, where the likes of the Q Continuum and the Cytherians roam the galaxy.
Then of course, there’s the Bajoran Prophets and their counter-parts, the Pah-wraiths. Both act as significant plot points in the Star Trek series Deep Space Nine, vital to the Bajoran wormhole and therefore the Dominion War.
Now, in Star Trek Picard season 3, the Pah-wraiths could be back and have connections to Picard and Beverly’s son. So here’s everything you need to know on the Pah-wraiths and their links to Jack Crusher.
Star Trek’s Pah-wraiths explained
The Pah-wraiths were introduced to Star Trek in Deep Space Nine as powerful god-like energy beings who were adversaries of the Bajoran prophets.
While they had no truly physical presence, the Pah-wraiths could take the form of fire spirits. They influence individuals and races through showing them visions, and they also have the power of possession. The Pah-wraiths used these powers to manipulate the people stationed aboard DS9 numerous times in order to enact their goals.
They were eventually sealed in the Bajoran fire caves indefinitely by Benjamin Sisko in the Deep Space Nine finale, when he threw himself and his enemy Gul-Dukat into a fire pit, fulfilling his destiny as the Emissary of the Prophets.
Is Jack Crusher a Pah-wraith in Star Trek Picard season 3
It has not been confirmed that Jack Crusher is either a Pah-wraith or possessed by a Pah-wraith. However the visual cues from the series point towards a link between Jack Crusher and the Pah-wraiths.
First, there’s the red eyes. These appear in individuals possessed by Pah-wraiths. Then, there’s the red visions (not to mention the voices) that Jack Crusher is hearing, and in Star Trek Picard season 3 episode 8 there was also the fire symbolism which connects to the Pah-wraiths too.
So it seems clear that there is some connection going on, we’re just not entirely sure on how that’ll manifest yet. However, given that we’re so close to the end of Star Trek Picard we’re sure that audiences will get all the answers soon.
For more on Star Trek Picard check out what we know about Vadic and ship the Shrike. Or, learn about other Star Trek characters such as Captain Shaw, Lore, Tuvok, Ro Laren, and Moriarty. And you can also find out what we know about the Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 release date.