‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season 3 Ending and Post-Credit Scene Explained

Just when you thought the adventure was over…

Paramount+

“Star Trek: Picard” wrapped Thursday with a satisfying conclusion that found the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise and its allies prevailing over humanity’s greatest threat.

But just when viewers thought the voyage was over, a cliffhanger ending left the door open for new adventures through the cosmos and beyond.

Read on for an explainer on the ending of “Star Trek: Picard” and its post-credit scene.

Warning, major spoilers ahead from the series finale of “Star Trek: Picard” titled “The Last Generation.”

By the end of “Star Trek: Picard’s” tenth episode, the Borg threat was eliminated thanks to the ingenuity of Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D, who “borrowed” the ship from the Fleet Museum.

We skip ahead one year, and the Enterprise-D has been returned to the museum. William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Picard and Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) stand on the bridge reflecting on their 35+ years of adventures together.

“If ever there was better evidence that the past matters, it’s right here,” Picard says nostalgically. La Forge initiates the shutdown sequence, and viewers hear Majel Barrett Roddenberry’s voice one last time as the ship’s computer.

Picard, Beverly (Gates McFadden) and Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) take a shuttle to Spacedock, which has been rebuilt. Jack paces nervously as he’s about to get his first posting as a Starfleet officer (he was put on an accelerated track).

The ship Jack is posted to? The U.S.S. Titan. Or the former Titan. The Constitution-class refit has been re-christened the U.S.S. Enterprise-G in honor of Picard and his crew (the Enterprise-F, which flew on Frontier Day, was already set to be decommissioned).

He meets his captain, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), and first officer, Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd). Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) sits at the helm, with Mura (Joseph Lee) at tactical and Esmar (Jin Maley) at comms. Jack learns his assignment: special counselor to the captain.

The Enterprise-D crew gather at Guinan’s 10-Forward bar in Los Angeles. After some more reminiscing, Picard joins the crew in a game of poker. The only other time he did this was in the series finale of “The Next Generation” in the episode titled “All Good Things.” In fact, the overhead shot of the poker table is exactly the same shot as seen in “All Good Things.”

The credits then roll in “The Next Generation” typeface as the theme song plays one last time.

In the post-credit scene, Jack is unpacking his belongings aboard Enterprise-G, including a model of Enterprise-D and a photo of his parents.

Suddenly, a familiar voice calls out, “Well look at you. A chip off the old block.”

That voice belongs to Q (John DeLancie), the omnipotent being and longtime Picard nemesis who “died” last season. Apparently, you can’t keep an all-powerful villain down for long.

“You told my father humanity’s trial is over,” Jack says.

“It is. For him,” Q responds. “But I’m here today because of you. You see yours, Jack, has just begun.”

All episodes of “Star Trek: Picard” are available to stream on Paramount+.

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