“Star Trek” has had some memorable villains in the past: Khan, Q and The Borg Queen to name just a few.
When the villainous Vadic was introduced as the big bad in “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3, viewers knew there had to be more to her than possessing a super powerful warship.
As the season progressed, her true, tragic origin was revealed. Here’s everything we know about the villainous Vadic.
Warning, this post contains spoilers through Episode 7 of “Star Trek: Picard.”
Who Plays Captain Vadic?
Vadic is played by Amanda Plummer on “Star Trek: Picard.” She is an original character introduced in Season 3. She appeared in promos ahead of the season premiere, and debuted in the second episode titled “Disengage.”
You may recognize her from her role as robber Honey Bunny from “Pulp Fiction.”
Plummer is the daughter of Christopher Plummer. The elder Plummer also played a legendary “Trek” villain: General Chang of the Klingon Empire in “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.”
Is Captain Vadic Human?
On the outside, Vadic appears human. She has two scars running down her face, earning her the name, “The Marked Woman.”
In reality, Vadic is a Changeling, an alien species of shapeshifters first introduced in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” Her true form is a gelantinous state. Her species’ homeworld is the Founders Homeworld in the distant Gamma quadrant.
Is Vadic an Ordinary Changeling?
Like others in her species, Vadic can change her form and shape. She impersonates a Starfleet lieutenant while arresting Will Riker at Daystrom Station. She kills the other arresting officers before revealing her female humanoid form.
A foe capable of besting the legendary crew of the infamous U.S.S. Enterprise certainly has a few tricks up her sleeve. Literally.
Vadic’s hand is actually another Changeling whom she receives instructions from. She cuts off her hand so this other unnamed Changeling can take form. Yes, it’s as gross as it sounds.
Why Does She Hate Starfleet?
In order to win the Dominion War, Starfleet devised a virus — a biological weapon — to weaken the Changelings.
In Episode 7, Vadic reveals Starfleet gave her the ability to mimic human blood and hold her solid form longer than other Changelings. Her “evolved physiology” comes from cruel experiments conducted upon her and her “loved ones” as a prisoner of war.
She and nine other Changelings were subject to all sorts of tests as part of Project Proteus at Daystrom Station. In Greek mythology, Proteus was a sea god who could take many different forms.
Vadic and the other Changelings were burned, injected with chemicals, electrocuted, spliced and experimented on. The goal was to create “perfect, undetectable spies who could drop into any species and create chaos.”
Vadic eventually was freed and took the face of the female scientist that tortured her.
She has the ability to pass on her evolved physiology to any Changeling who wishes, at the cost of shorter life span and constant pain.
What Does She Want With Picard and Jack Crusher?
Vadic seeks revenge against the Federation for “taking her family.”
The Changeling’s plan for Frontier Day — an event where the entire fleet gathers in one place — remains unclear.
Picard and Beverly Crusher surmise they want Picard’s human body and Jack Crusher’s blood to create a perfect replica of Picard to infiltrate the Frontier Day festivities.
But Vadic suggests Jack is something more, telling Beverly, “He’s not for me. We could bond over that, since he was never really for you either.”
What Ship Does Vadic Command?
Vadic commands the Shrike, a powerful warship of unknown origin.
It’s far more powerful than the Titan and has a massive weapons payload, including an experimental portal device stolen from Daystrom Station.
The Shrike used the portal weapon to disable the Titan by “teleporting” its own photon torpedos back at it, although it easily could’ve used other weapons as well.
What Are Unanswered Questions About Vadic?
It’s unclear how and where Vadic obtained the Shrike.
Who is the mysterious “hand” she take instructions from?
And why is Jack Crusher so important to her?
New episodes of “Star Trek: Picard” air Thursdays on Paramount+.