When it comes to Star Trek Picard season 3, showrunner Terry Matalas is truly getting the band back together, with several Star Trek The Next Generation cast members reuniting on-screen for the first time in a number of years.
When it was first announced that season 3 of the Star Trek series would involve The Next Generation (TNG) crew reuniting, Matalas explained how he was committed to giving the gang a “proper sendoff,” not unlike that of the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS). As we know, the TOS crew paid tribute in their own way in science fiction movie Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
Speaking during a panel appearance at GalaxyCon, Matlas explained how the Picard season 3 ending can be compared to that of the Star Trek movie.
“[Star Trek VI] really does have a feeling of finality to it,” he explained. “You do feel like at any moment, these characters might die. So the stakes are quite high. And again, it does a lot right for James T. Kirk… At the end of [Picard] season 3, it’s narratively right in that it closes a lot of narrative loops.”
But while the ‘90s movie ended with all the original cast’s signatures, Matlas explained that this won’t be happening in the Picard season 3 finale — but only because, in his opinion, the Marvel movies already did it so damn well.
“Kevin Feige is one of the biggest Star Trek fans out there and he did it brilliantly in Avengers: Endgame and I felt like I can’t do it,” he said. “But I think we do something quite nice, I will say. I think you will feel good.”
For more on Star Trek, check out our guides on the best Star Trek characters, best Star Trek starships, and Tuvok’s return in Star Trek Picard season 3.