Rios’ decision to stay back in Star Trek: Picard Season 2 breaks an important time-travel rule

In Star Trek: Picard Season 2, episode 3 titled ‘Assimilation,' Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) will forewarn Cristobal Rios (played by Santiago Cabrera), Seven of Nine (played by Jeri Ryan), and Raffi Musiker (played by Michelle Hurd) about the rules of time travel that they must adhere to as they prepare to enter Los Angeles in the 21st century. Picard says,

"Be careful. No interference. Everything we do here has consequences."

But it doesn’t take them long, especially Rios, to land in deep trouble that can create ripple effects. In the final episode of Season 2 titled ‘Farewell,’ Rios decides to stay back after he falls in love with Dr. Teresa Ramirez (played by Sol Rodriguez) and does not return to his real timeline in the late 24th century.

What happened to Rios in Star Trek: Picard Season 2?

Q (played by John de Lancie) makes a dramatic comeback into the Star Trek universe this season, and as expected, everything turns more chaotic. He changes the timeline, sending Picard and his friends into a world where the Federation is now the Confederation, a far cry from the organization they knew. To fix the timeline with the help of the Borg Queen (surprise!), the group travels to 2024.

In 2024, Los Angeles, Rios meets Teresa when he arrives at her clinic with a concussion. Teresa was known for giving medical help to anyone who needed it, albeit discreetly. Picard and his friends navigate the police, Q and also Dr. Adam Soong (played by Brent Spiner), who wanted to stop the Europa mission that was to be led by Renee Picard (played by Penelope Mitchell).

Rios and Teresa fall in love even after she learns the truth about him. While initially Rios is hesitant to stay back as he states that it is not his timeline, his love for Teresa and her son Ricardo (played by Steve Guitterez) outweighs his need to go back to the future. He found more happiness in 2024 than he ever did piloting through the galaxy in the 24th century.

Rios’ decision is perplexing

From the moment he arrives in 2024 Los Angles, Rios leaves several breadcrumbs. Probably the whole bread itself.

From being listed as ‘undocumented immigrant’ by ICE, when he sarcastically quips about being a time traveler to bringing Teresa and her son on his spaceship La Sirena, Rios made some questionable choices. When Teresa asks him to stay back initially, Rios would maintain that if he does so, he could alter the history. But he does it anyway.

One of the more confusing parts about the decision is the World War III that will happen just two years after the events in Picard Season 2. In a well-known canon event, World War III begins in 2026 and lasts till 2053. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Captain Christopher Pike (played by Anson Mount) will speak about the Eugenics Wars followed by World War III. Many cities were devastated by nuclear bombs during the period, and much after the war ended, the Earth’s atmosphere continued to have radioactive isotopes.

This fact was a well-known and documented event in history. As someone from the future, Rios was aware of the destructive war that would come upon them. To think, bringing Teresa and Ricardo to the 24th century would have been a better option, since the two already knew about the future and the alternate timeline, yet Rios decided to stay put as he felt he belonged in a simpler time.

In the Season 2 finale, after the timeline is restored, Picard will share a heartwarming moment with Guinan (played by Whoopi Goldberg), who tells him that Rios and Teresa had started a medical supply company. Rios lived a happy family life until he was killed in a Moroccan fight. Young Ricardo would go on to use the microorganism that Renee Picard discovered on her mission to clean the skies and oceans, probably a nod to the aftereffects of World War III.

At the end you do feel happy for Rios, but it does leave the audience with several questions about the consequences in the timeline. If the franchise will explore the possible repercussions of his decision, remains to be seen.

Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek: The Original Series in 1966. The Star Trek universe multiplied with comics, animated series, films, and spin-off television shows, including The Next Generation and Picard.

ALSO READ: I was astonished to learn that Gene Roddenberry did not want to cast this legendary actor on Star Trek TNG

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