'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAb/xAAeEAABAwUBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMRAAQGEjEFIf/EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX/xAAXEQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgAD/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCGwnFH8ves2WXbdnRjVC1pMhW6pWYmT0R84KhPVsFW3qXjCnJLTy0EjhhRFKUv1kATE8raUd//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
While fans are speculating over Star Trek: Legacy's chances, one other enduring plot twist from Star Trek: Picard Season 3 remains the focus of discussion. The season finale resolved much, but in doing so, created some avenues which no one thought possible, notably around the whereabouts of Q.
While Picard Season 2 clearly showed Q sacrificing himself to help Jean-Luc find peace with his humanity, Season 3 unexpectedly reintroduced him in a cryptic end-credit scene involving Jack Crusher.
This raised eyebrows across the fanbase and left the narrative with more questions than answers. Q's abrupt return had everyone asking how on earth it was possible, especially following the fact that he had "died" in Season 2, saying to Picard, "This is my final gift to you." The twist flies in the face of the emotional impact of his departure. Whether it was a misdirection or a purposeful setup, Star Trek now has an open thread it can't leave behind for Legacy.
A continuation without resolving this discrepancy would not just baffle viewers but also devalue one of the strongest character arcs throughout Picard's entire series.
Q's apparent death in Star Trek and sudden return: What's the canon?
Q's journey in Picard Season 2 concluded with what seemed like an unambiguous conclusion. He was dying — an unusual thing for a seemingly all-powerful being — and employed his last moments to assist Picard in dealing with the emotional wounds of his past. The resolution was clean, consistent, and emotionally satisfying. But Season 3's post-credits scene destroyed that resolution.
When Q attacked Jack Crusher, he said that humans perceive things in linear terms, which appeared to allude to a more expansive reason based on the non-linear nature of the Q Continuum. The continuity problem is in the interpretation of the "death" of Q. If indeed Q ceased to be in Season 2, how can he return again without breaking continuity?
Probably, there was another version of the being who died, and not the whole entity itself — that would mean that there are such things as Qs that can exist outside of one another in the same continuum. This would give the showrunners quite a bit of flexibility in their storytelling, but it does require such clarification to preserve internal logic.
Does the Q Continuum even recognize linear mortality?
The Q Continuum has always been depicted as a place outside human understanding, where time, morality, and even individuality function differently. Q's Season 2 arc was unprecedented because it showed Q facing mortality in a human-like manner.
That alone was a major departure from past Star Trek canon. If such mortality were symbolic or contained solely within that iteration of Q, it would be possible to allow him to return in Season 3 without rewriting canon. That distinction, however, was never made.
Further, Star Trek has never been one to avoid the use of philosophical intrigue. The possibilities of opening up Q's return could reveal greater questions on the nature of life, existence, and the passage of time itself. Yet, without explanation, it becomes something more of a plot hole than an intellectual shock.
Jack Crusher's role in Q's return
Jack Crusher's unexpected encounter with Q adds another element of doubt. As the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher, Jack represents a new generation of Star Trek. Being dispatched to the U.S.S. Enterprise-G, commanded by Seven of Nine, he would be in the middle of any future Star Trek: Legacy series. But if Q is also involved in the development of Jack now, the consequences are gigantic.
Does Q regard Jack as another test subject, similar to how he tested Picard in The Next Generation? Or is Jack's heritage part of a larger scheme with the Q Continuum? None of these are resolved in Picard Season 3, and they cannot be left hanging if Legacy wants to create a cohesive story. To overlook the Q twist would be a disservice to both Jack's character arc and the continuity of the show.
Why Star Trek: Legacy needs to address this plot point
If Star Trek: Legacy ever becomes a reality, it must take on the task of answering unresolved arcs from Picard. This means the fate and nature of Q. Not explaining such a pivotal twist would threaten the storytelling integrity of both shows. As Legacy is set up as a continuation, specifically through characters such as Jack, Seven, and Raffi, any exclusion of the Q plot would leave a glaring narrative hole.
In addition, Q's appearance is not simply a character cameo — it has significance in the philosophical and thematic underpinnings of Star Trek. His return means more than mere curiosity — it indicates an ongoing test or mission, and without background, it seems unfitted. For Legacy to work as a narrative continuation, it must resolve or explicitly address this Q paradox with clarity.
Star Trek lives and dies on the continuity of the story, and it has always been one of its strongest points. Returning Q after contradicting Season 2's emotional closure is something Legacy has a responsibility to explain. Whether it's a loophole in what the Q Continuum is, an alternate Q, or something entirely new, fans are entitled to a clear and canon-consistent explanation.
Trending
If not, a significant opportunity for meaningful storytelling — and thematic closure — may be lost in the vastness of space.
Reply
