STAR TREK: PICARD Series Finale Recap: (S03E10) The Last Generation

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The series finale of Star Trek: Picard, “The Last Generation,” was written and directed by season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas.

The U.S.S. Enterprise-D receives an emergency subspace transmission broadcast by Federation President Anton Chekov (Walter Koenig). He warns others to stay away from Earth, warning that a signal has assimilated their young. However, he continues that if his father was here, “he’d remind us all that hope is never lost; there are always possibilities.”

On the Enterprise bridge, Worf (Michael Dorn) states that the assimilated Starfleet has initiated an attack formation against Earth. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) reports that spacedock defenses are holding. William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) says that will only last for so long and asks about the calvary. Data (Brent Spiner) reports that emergency hails from both Federation and civilian forces have gone silent, and concludes they are the calvary. Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) says spacedock is all that stands between Earth and assimilation. Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) says that if Earth falls, so will the rest of the Federation.

LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge, Brent Spiner as Data, Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher, Michael Dorn as Worf, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker and Patrick Stewart as Picard in "The Last Generation" Episode 310, Star Trek: Picard on Paramount+.

The Enterprise detects a Borg cube in the vicinity of Jupiter. When they arrive, they discover the Borg hid a transwarp conduit corridor inside the storms of the gas giant. This is the location from which they have been broadcasting the signal. Beverly searches the cube for Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers). Worf confirms that Jack is the source of the command signal that has assimilated members of Starfleet 25 and younger. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) orders the Enterprise to approach the cube.

Part Ten: “The Last Generation”

The U.S.S. Titan-A is locked into Fleet Formation mode. The ensigns on its bridge have all been assimilated. Sitting in the center seat, Kova Esmar (Jin Maley) repeatedly orders, “Fire.” Alandra La Forge (Mica Burton) looks on. Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) interrupts to report “unsanctioned movement” on deck five. Elsewhere, Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) leads unassimilated Titan crew members and Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd).

Seven and her team arrive on the bridge. They fire at the assimilated. As the assimilated are hit, they are beamed into a locked transporter room. Seven says Raffi may have just invented “the portable beam-me-up.” When she orders the unassimilated crew to stations, the ship’s chef continues to stand. The chef pleads inexperience. Seven offers encouragement and then orders the chef into the pilot’s chair. She says they have to disconnect the ship from Fleet Formation before the Borg discover it’s been taken back.

Over Jupiter, Data reports that the Borg cube is 36% operational. Most of its resources are being used for broadcast. Geordi concludes it must have a beacon inside its structure. Deanna reports that she’s never felt anything like this, comparing it to “quiet suffering.” Data expresses hatred for the Borg. Deanna tells Beverly that Jack is present, but “totally consumed by the Collective.”

Geordi.

Worf asks what they do if Jack is beyond rescue. Picard insists this isn’t the case. After scanning the Enterprise, the cube lowers shields and redirects weapons. Picard identifies it as an invitation. He says they must locate the beacon and destroy it. Beverly orders the computer (Majel Barrett Roddenberry) to locate the electropathic pattern that corresponds to a human brainwave. She postulates she could use this to locate Jack.

The Threesome

Picard says he’s going down to the Borg cube. He’ll need Beverley to help him locate Jack once he gets there. Riker says he isn’t going alone. Worf says he’ll make it a threesome. Data says his Borg experience qualifies him to go, but Picard says he needs to stay aboard the Enterprise. Before departing, Picard says “Number One” and “Mr. Worf” will locate the beacon and transmit its coordinates.

Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker, Patrick Stewart as Picard, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi and Michael Dorn as Worf in "The Last Generation" Episode 310, Star Trek: Picard on Paramount+.

The threesome (and Deanna).

The threesome beams into the Borg cube. Riker says it seems too quiet. Borg are dead in their charging alcoves. Worf reports that the necrotic tissue is being cannibalized. Riker says this place is a tomb. Worf says this explains the absence of biosigns. Beverly reports Jack’s biosigns are emanating from a location one floor below. Picard intrinsically knows the layout of the cube. Beverly postulates this may be a by-product of the genetic meddling incurred while he was Locutus.

Picard tells Riker and Worf he can no longer be their captain, as he has to go be a father. He thanks Riker. Worf won’t admit to knowing the word “farewell.” The pair turn and leave Picard. Meanwhile, Picard instructs Beverly to lead him to their son. However, Beverly can only guide him so far. Picard assures her she did everything she could to protect Jack.

As Picard travels further into the cube, communication is cut-off. Picard comes upon an assimilated Jack, in the midst of overseeing the invasion. However, his attempt to rouse Jack’s attention is interrupted by the Borg Queen (Alice Krige; Jane Edwina Seymour). She says Jack is home, and so is Picard. “At last, Locutus has returned to his true family, his true collective… to me!”

Seven’s Titan

Seven and Raffi discover Picard is using the Enterprise-D as it won’t be subject to Fleet Formation. Raffi reports the system works on line-of-sight propagation. If unseen, they can’t be controlled. However, they can’t fire while cloaked. The chef asks if one ship is really going to go against the entire fleet. Seven delivers a rousing Captain’s speech. The Redshirts would approve. The Titan cloaks.

On the Borg cube Picard fires his phaser at the Queen, to no avail. The Queen says Jack found her “at the edge of space, where you left us poisoned. No worlds to consume, no roads by which to return.” She says they were “left to die by starvation and age.” But when the cries of “her children” faded, she heard another voice. Picard offers himself but is refused. She says that the future of the Borg doesn’t lie in assimilation but in evolution.

Elsewhere on the cube, Worf and Riker locate a central access node. However, not all the Borg drones are dead. Meanwhile, the Queen tells Picard she invited him to witness his future’s end. Over Earth, the Titan successfully strafes the assimilated fleet. Raffi observes that Fleet Formation is attempting to reconnect since they’ve de-cloaked. Seven orders evasive maneuvers and another run.

Picard questions the Queen’s alliance with Vadic and her Changelings. She states, “They too shared the anger of a generation lost to Starfleet. Together, we weaponized your biology.” She says these “new Borg” will propagate out into the stars. This new generation won’t just assimilate, but annihilate. On the Titan, the assimilated crew escape. Worf and Riker face off against several Borg drones. Then the Borg cube opens fire on the Enterprise. Geordi orders Data to execute evasive maneuvers.

In Dubious Battle

On the cube, Worf hands Riker his Kur’leth. Worf reveals a phaser is concealed within. Meanwhile, the Titan continues to strafe the fleet. However, the predictive algorithms of the Borg are getting better at dealing out damage. Riker takes out the drones with the phaser. On the Enterprise, Geordi tells Beverly he didn’t have time to work on the weapons system. But that’s no problem for Beverly, who fires off a successful onslaught. She explains a lot’s happened in the past two decades.

Riker asks Worf about not using the phaser sooner. Worf says, “Swords are fun.” They transmit the beacon schematics. Unfortunately, it’s located at the heart of the cube. Geordi says it’d be impossible to navigate through the cube, even for Sidney. But Data says his gut tells him he can do it. He asks them to trust him. They “go with Data’s gut.” The Enterprise makes its way into the cube.

Above Earth, the assimilated Fleet destroys spacedock. There’s nothing left to defend Earth. The fleet begins targeting every major population center. The Titan begins sustaining fire as the assimilated La Forge sisters destroy The Bounty’s cloaking device.

On the cube, Picard beings pulling cords out of Jack. The Queen says that Jack’s too far gone, and severing the connection could kill him. Meanwhile, without cloaking the resistance of the Titan is futile.

Cube Root

The Enterprise makes its way to the center of the cube and locates the beacon. However, they discover the beacon is interfaced with the substructure of the cube. Destroying the beacon will destroy the whole cube. Deanna says destroying the cube will kill everyone aboard. But if they wait, it could be everyone in the galaxy. They all agree they must destroy it.

The Enterprise can beam up Riker and Worf but not Picard. Riker says he can’t leave Picard. Deanna tells him that they’ll have a minute after they fire on the beacon. Meanwhile, Picard tells the Queen that he’s been running from the Collective for half his life. But now, he has something to go back for.

Picard takes one of the wires out of Jack and plugs it into his neck. As Worf and Riker arrive, the assimilation process begins. Flashbacks of Locutus and his time in the Collective appear. Then, he enters a space filled with green energy. There he finds Jack, who is experiencing euphoria within the Collective.

Picard says he joined Starfleet to find a family, which he did. But then he retired to his vineyard alone because he felt like there was something wrong with him. However, he says he now realizes Jack was the part of him he never knew was missing. Jack insists that “this was written before my birth, I am this; let me be.”

Beacon Be-gone

Aboard the Enterprise, Geordi says it’s time. The ship fires on the beacon and flies away. In the Queen’s chamber, Riker asks Worf, “Is this good enough?” Worf replies, “It is a fine day indeed to die with honor.” The Enterprise scans for the threesome but can’t get a lock on their signal.

In Borg space, Picard tells Jack that if he won’t leave, Picard will remain with him until the end. “You have changed my life forever,” Picard tells him. Then they embrace. After flashes of their relationship over this season, Jack emerges from the Collective. He begins to pull out his wires and then pulls the one out of Picard.

The cube is exploding. “I love you, Imzadi,” says Riker. “We’ll be waiting, me and our boy.” On the Enterprise, Deanna hears his words and says she knows where they are, entering coordinates into the computer. The Queen says even if Jack escapes, he will be forever changed, and alone. But Jack says he’s not alone.

Then the Enterprise arrives above the chamber. All four of our heroes are beamed aboard. The Queen shrieks as she is engulfed in flame. On the Titan the assimilated crew arrives on the bridge. As the Borg cube explodes above Jupiter, the shielded Enterprise flies to safety. The Titan crew returns to themselves as the cube is destroyed. Sidney begins to apologize. Seven embraces Sidney and whispers, “It’s over.”

Võx No More

On the Enterprise bridge, Picard and Jack reunite with Beverly. Riker and Deanna kiss. Data, Geordi, and Worf sit alongside one another. A viewscreen communication confirms the safety of Seven, Sidney, Alandra, and Raffi. Then Worf falls asleep sitting up. Picard welcomes Jack to the Enterprise.

In the next scene, the Enterprise flies alongside the Titan. Riker records a Captain’s Log. He explains that a fleetwide transporter solution has restored everyone’s genetics. The new technique can also detect Changelings. It was developed by the new Head of Starfleet Medical Branch, Admiral Beverly Crusher. He states that the Changeling’s need for information meant they kept but did not execute many targets.

Fortunately, one of these targets was Tuvok (Tim Russ). He is debriefing Seven in the Titan’s observation lounge. He says the crew of the Enterprise is being issued a full pardon for hijacking the Titan with Seven’s help. Seven interrupts him and says she resigns from Starfleet because her “instincts don’t fall in line.” But Tuvok reveals her Officer Review by the late Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick), received before the ship left spacedock.

“That leads me to First Officer Hansen. More accurately, Seven of Nine,” he says. He says he’s a relic of an older time and by the book. But he says the relentless Seven doesn’t care about protocol or procedure. But she’s brave and loyal, “and the book that she writes is going to be great. And the rules that she breaks, maybe they were broken to begin with.” He recommends she be promoted to Captain upon the Titan’s return. Tuvok denies Seven’s resignation.

Loose Ends

Raffi watches a recording from her ex-husband that says her son and grandchild are eager to see her again. Worf arrives and Raffi pauses the video. Raffi reveals that her family wanted to see her again after every viewscreen in their house displayed Raffi’s classified valor commendations. Worf says, “Whoever leaked this information is an honorable maverick.” Worf tells her to be happy with her family. She tells him to continue to be a warrior for peace. They embrace.

Elsewhere, Data discusses his difficulty finding balance during his transition. Deanna says they’ve gone over their time by almost an hour, but Data keeps talking. He says he wept seeing an ensign feeding his cat the other day. Meanwhile, Deanna clandestinely researches vacation possibilities. Data finally excuses himself. Riker enters and asks how Data’s feeling. Data says he’s “Okay.” Riker and Deanna hug.

One year later, the Enterprise-D has been placed on display at the Fleet Museum. Geordi reflects that she’s saved the world many times. They initiate shutdown. Riker says he misses the computer’s voice.

The Enterprise

Later a shuttlecraft carries Beverly, Picard, and Jack to spacedock. Jack paces nervously. Beverly says nepotism got him on the accelerated track, citing his name. “Names mean almost nothing,” Picard says. Picard says he never told him what ship to which posted. They arrive, and Picard identifies the ship as the Titan-A. But Jack says he hasn’t been nervous for himself. The Titan has been re-christened, in honor of Picard and his crew. It is renamed Enterprise-G. “Names mean almost everything,” concludes Jack. “Welcome to the Enterprise, Admiral.”

In the next scene, Jack storms onto the bridge and begins issuing orders. But Captain Seven and her Number One, Raffi, order the ensign into his seat. Seven tells Sidney to ignore him. Sidney replies that she usually does. Mura reports that all systems are online. Jack asks where he’ll be stationed. Seven says he’ll be stationed beside her, as “special counselor to the Captain.” In “Deanna’s seat”!

Esmar reports that they’re cleared for warp. Raffi asks Seven what her go-to “warp phrase” will be. Jack says she’s writing the opening line to her legacy. Just before Seven says her line, we cut outside as the Enterprise jumps to warp.

Ten Forward

In Ten Forward (in Los Angeles), Riker says he thinks this is the end of the road. Geordi notes an unseen Guinan has been giving them the side-eye for an hour. Worf says they should consider calling it a night; he has a lecture on the “Mugato Meditation” in the morning. Deanna says they should be going, it’s exhausting planning a vacation.

Geordi says Data has the final toast. Data begins the limerick from “The Naked Now” but is shouted down by the rest of the crew. While Data says he always wanted to finish it, he hands the toast off to Picard. Picard quotes Brutus’ speech from Act 4 Scene 3 of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

The crew raises their glasses. Then Picard reveals a deck of cards. The crew adjourns to a table and begins to play cards and enjoy themselves. Riker tells Picard that he hopes he’s feeling lucky. “You know Will, I’ve come to believe that the stars have always been in my favor,” says Picard. Then he reveals what appears to be a winning hand. As the crew continues playing, the camera pulls above them and rotates as the credits begin.

Crisis Point 2

In a post-credits scene, the Enterprise passes by a star. In his quarters, Jack arranges his personal items. These include a model of the Enterprise-D and a framed photo of Beverly and Picard. But he’s interrupted by Q (John de Lancie). Q says he’s a chip off the old block. Jack identifies him and says he thought Q was dead. Q says he had hoped the next generation “wouldn’t think so linearly.”

Q says humanity’s trial has ended for Picard. But Q’s here today because Jack’s trial has just begun.

All 10 episodes of Picard season 3 are currently available for streaming on Paramount+.

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Avery Kaplan

Avery Kaplan is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 Cartoonist Studio Prize Award and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, NeoText, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, StarTrek.com, in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.