Of all the potential material for “Star Trek: Picard” to cover in its third and final season, the aftermath of the galaxy-wide Dominion War may prove to be its single most potent storyline yet. The latter seasons of “Deep Space Nine” introduced many fan-favorite additions to “Trek” lore, starting with the existence of the show’s sole Changeling and resident space cop Odo (the late René Auberjonois). After carefully establishing the lovable character’s deep sense of loneliness and abandonment as the only shapeshifter known in the quadrant, the series depicts how Starfleet eventually comes into contact with the rest of Odo’s people … and they’re soon revealed to wield much darker ambitions than our law-abiding hero. Now, decades after the devastating resolution to the debilitating war, it seems “Picard” is eager to pull at all the loose threads and uncover a much bigger conspiracy at work.
This choice is significant for several reasons. For starters, fans have long wondered whether “Trek” would ever decide to address the messy conclusion of the Dominion War and the inevitable changes to the status quo of the galaxy in its wake. With entire planets decimated, Starfleet’s resources exhausted, and our main heroes forever changed by the conflict, it’d almost feel like a waste to never see the franchise expand on any of it. Thankfully, “Picard” now seems to be up to that challenge. Secondly, this also gives fans the chance to enjoy a version of the grand “Deep Space Nine” reunion that otherwise doesn’t appear likely. While we may not ever get a “Picard”-like spin-off catching up on all our favorite characters like Captain Benjamin Sisko, Kira Nerys, Quark, and all the rest, at least “Picard” can pay homage to their legacy by revisiting the Dominion War and its aftereffects.
