Episode 3 of Picard is here, and its a doozy. If the second episide was slow and full of world building, then its follow-up was a whirlwind with scenes I had to go back and rewatch a few times.

Quick note: these recaps are not a play-by-play review (there are plenty of those out there); rather, they contain my thoughts on what makes the episode special, goosebump moments, things I loved and hated, Easter eggs, and other fun stuff.

Episode 3: “The End Is the Beginning”

The story is starting to hit stride! It took us three episodes to get to space, but Picard finishes this episode on a starship, headed into the unknown!

Goosebumps, Cringes, and Laughs

Goosebump #1

I remember you from tomorrow.

Star Trek has always had a weird relationship with timelines, but this quote in particular by Ramdha reminds me of Voyager‘s time traveling during its last season… Did this Borg ship see something forward?

Goosebump #2

Engage.

Right around 41:29 – CUE MUSIC of exploration… and Picard goes to space!

Laugh Out Loud #1

Someone is experiencing Acute Moodiness Overload.

I loved this entire exchange. The EMH telling Rios to “spare me your teenage moral relativism” is something I think we have all wanted to say to some of the hand wringing characters in the past.

Laugh Out Loud #2

Raffi: Pro tip for future reference: on your next unauthorized, synthetic girl rescue mission, try not telling the CNC of Starfleet exactly what you are doing.

Cringe #1

Lt. Rizzo to her BROTHER Narek: I can smell her on you. The smell is remarkably… carnal.”

Some real strong Jamie and Cersei Lannister vibes going on here.

Memory Alpha (aka Things I Loved)

The weaving of two stories, a galaxy apart (the attack on Chateau Picard and the conversation with Ramdha), was beautifully done.

Soji: I am loving her character development. Her interaction with Ramdha is powerful stuff. We learn that of the two twins, one is the destroyer (which is Soji?!). WHY do former Borg Romulans know about her?

The Tal Shiar: At this point, it’s safe to say Laris and Zhaban are/were Tal Shiar but are now protecting Picard. I am going to go read Picard: Countdown (from IDW Comics) for the details. Review is coming!

Patrick Stewart: Take a minute and look at the different episodes and times he appears in, the costumes/makeup/acting REALLY highlight him at his peak (just resigned) and his low (Episode 1 and “waiting to die”). I love this kind of method acting.

The Emergency Medical Hologram: So excited for the return of this dynamic. I always loved The Doctor in Voyager, and I hope we get some of that same development here.

Easter Eggs!

This episode had some fun references and nods to the past. Here are my favorites:

Hugh; This is also a cameo… but Hugh was the Borg freed by Picard and crew in TNG‘s fifth season episode “I Borg.” It’s the same actor!

Ready for this? The garden where Picard speaks to Raffi after his resignation is the same garden where he decided to join Starfleet.

And perhaps my favorite chuckle… Raffi doing her hacking reveals this gem:

Farpoint Station (aka What Did I Just Watch?)

Holy CRAP the fight scene at Chateau Picard was AMAZING. Completely out of left field, but what a great scene. It reminded me of the Tremors quote: “Broke into the wrong goddamn rec room!”

Ten Forward (aka What I Want)

I understand Picard has to come back to himself (“Be the captain they remember”), but please make it fast. I can only take so much doddering and bumbling.

Alternate Timelines – Conspiracy Theories

Follow me here, we saw the “Days Since Last Assimilation: 5843” in my last review here.

So let’s do a little math… 5,843 days = almost exactly 16 years, or two years before the attack on the Utopia Planitia shipyards on Mars. So where does this fit in? Let’s take a quick peek at this overview put together from a redditor: The Eras of the Starfleet Universe.

Something BIG happened since the last assimilation… around the same time we saw Voyager return, the pending supernova was discovered, Mars was attacked, another Data-type synthetic was discovered… etc.

There are lots of moving pieces and threads there to pick up, but here’s my theory…

The Romulan cabal Zhat Vash triggered the attack on Mars, dooming their own people. Thoughts?

See you next week!