Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 10, “Et in Arcdia Ego, Part 2 faces the inevitable — Picard must die.

Before the finale of Picard season 1 could wrap up the first outing for the series, several things had to occur. First, the golem was clearly going to be used by Jurati after she completed Maddox’s lifelong pursuit of memory transference. Second, it was either going to be Data or Picard’s memory that entered the golem. And third, Soji would undergo a transformative experience that would set her on course to become the daughter that not even Data could have imagined into a reality.

By the end of the episode all of these became a reality, save for one. While Soji did have a transformative experience, it was Data who was able to experience the full journey of a life well-lived, crossing the line between synthetic and organic being. As he passed on from his suspended simulation to rest, with his Captain at his side, Data aged, found closure, and ultimately peace.

“I want to live, however briefly, knowing that my life is finite.” These words, spoken by Data in the simulation with Picard are a reminder that stories must end for new ones to begin. That just because you are saying goodbye to something, does not mean that you are eliminating the experience or what you took away from it.

The finale was far more emotional than I initially anticipated and served as a great reminder that Picard, both the series and the character will eventually end for good. But with a season 2 renewal on the table, Jean-Luc needs to endure for just a little while longer. The path taken to allow JL to carry on with a terminal illness is one that I feared. How do you place someone in a golem and strip away that urgency to do what must be done no matter the cost? Can you strip away that fight against the finite? Picard found a way to do it, and while it took an info dump to set the record straight, clearing the slate for another at least one more season not knowing when or how it will end, is a choice I’m coming around to.

Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 10 recap

Blood does not run deep

Narek and Narissa have been the least competent brother-sister duo in the history of brother sister duos. Despite an attempt was made to build out Narissa’s character, the portrayal of her relationship with Narek at the start of the season — her dominant position in the family, her connection to the mission above all else — undermined the details of the final two episodes.

As Narek makes a break for it and heads to the Borg cube, he is confronted by Narissa who also managed to survive the crash and is awaiting arrival of her Romulan allies. She has been, likely for the first time since surviving her childhood with just her aunt and brother, utterly alone. Formidable as she is, there is a breaking point for her character and we witness the crossing of that line as she embraces Narek in a hug so tight I was concerned for how frail she looked compared to a man who literally just ran across a desert landscape and is probably dehydrated. Though she tries to crack a joke about her hiding spot having a killer view of the ocean, Narissa is forced to play a waiting game as her plans unfold. Narek recognizes that the tables have turned in his favor — patience, after all is not Narissa’s strong suit. He still has moves to make, he can still bring about the end of the synthetics. Or at least that is what he tells his sister.

Picard has paid a great amount of detail to the importance of leaving conversations as if you will never speak to the person again, you cannot help but feel the ending of their relationship when he turns to her and proclaims his victory over hers. Though she felt that she held all the power in this mission, at the end of the day she achieved nothing. Narek found Soji. Narek got them to Copellius. And Narek chooses to turn to the mission instead of family, leaving her devastated and alone.

But Narek, is not alone. Elnor slips out to follow him.

Backing up just a bit, Elnor and Seven of Nine are not quite done with Picard and I for one could not be more thrilled with this piece of information. Sitting in the cube contemplating their next steps, Elnor speaks candidly about the fate that awaits the xBs. The universe does not accept them, they have trouble accepting themselves, what life is there? Though Hugh and Seven of Nine, know this value and the work it will take to not only bring this recognition to the xBs, but also all of the eyes who see them, it is hard to express.

When faced with the question about ending their lives, rather than putting in the work to rehabilitate them, Seven of Nine says, “I have no home, I’m an xB, am I better off dead?” Elnor’s response is simple — “No, because I’d miss you. People, synthetics, xBs, warriors, leaders of the Tal Shiar, all need one thing, someone to care about and miss them.

At the top of the episode, there was an extended “Previously On” segment that contained a very poignant scene between Dahj and Picard from episode 2. “You are something lovingly and deliberately created,” Picard says this to Dahj moments before they are attacked, and she ends up dead. It is a message that does not transfer to Soji, or the rest of the synths and even Dr. Soong on Coppelius. And it is, unfortunately, one that falls on deaf ears now that Picard is locked up.

A kingdom of isolation

In the opening shot of Picard, he is holding a butterfly in his hand, a symbol that will come back into play in a later conversation. Real or not, the butterfly wants what all butterflies do — to be set free. It’s an action that Picard can take, execute, and feel good about. Something that he has not had a lot of luck doing as of late.

His peace does not last long, as Soji gains acess to his quarters and begins another round of philosophical arguments. Instead of entering with a mind ready to contemplate questions, she appears to be fully aligned with the mission of Sutra and Soong — the organics have never allowed synthetics the opportunity to exercise their right to choose. Picard fires back that believing they do not have choice is a failure of imagination. The Romulans are going to win, not with their power, but with the idea that synthetics are turning out to be the monsters that they say they are.

While a beacon is being constructed to awaken an ancient race of synthetic life and powerful enemies are on their way to destroy an entire civilization, Dr. Soong remains locked away in his own world. There does not seem to be any sense of urgency or concern surrounding what is going on outside the walls of his lab. He set Jurati with her work to complete the work of Bruce Maddox, while he attends to ensuring that

He does have one line that makes for an interesting insight into the cracks of his psyche. Soong says to Jurati, “This is really a self-sacrifice on your part, but I suppose that’s what mothers do, isn’t it?” The idea of one person dedicating their entire self to their child and the protection of that child is something that I do not believe Soong ever experienced in his life. He has lived entirely in the shadows of this work and a greater purpose to great superior beings that are measured up against one another and compared to organic life. They are the priority.

Luckily for Picard, Jurati does not see it that way and plays along only so far as to flatter Soong into abandoning his station trying to transfer Soga to a memento for her sister. Mementos are something that synthetics have that bring them closer to humans. This scene reminded me of when Data was packing his room in “Measure of a Man.” Why did he keep his medals, why hold on to physical pictures? While this is not a moment of huge importance to the episode, it is one that shows that Soong treats the people of Coppelius as people and gives them what he would want from a friend.

Jurati makes quick use of her time, removing Soga’s eyeball in order to gain access to Picard’s room. Long story short, she says it’s time to make a break for it.

When Soong returns, he sees that the transference is complete and plays back the final moments of her life. It is Sutra stabs her in the eye.

The ch’khalagu do not care who you are

If there was a contest for lack of imagination, Soji might beat out Rios who is having a hard time figuring out how to fix his ship with the tools the synthetics gave him. After pushing down his frustrations — something he is actually good at — the La Sirena comes back online with a few sparks.

But an unexpected clinking noise comes with the systems rebooting. It’s not a hologram, but Narek who offers himself as an informant choosing to throw rocks instead of grenades at the enemy ship. He offers up what he knows — the beacon is meant to bring about Ganmadan, the calling of the higher being meant to destroy all. Closer to a fairytale than pages from a history textbook, Narek almost does not get to spin his yarn as Elnor appears at his side.

Raffi, Rios, and Narek are able to talk Elnor down, but he remains on alert for any sign of deference. (Side note: Rios calling Elnor “kid” will never get old.)

So, gives us a story. Rios, Raffi, and Elnor all sit around a fire hearing the tale that must have been told to Narek his entire life. Whispered to him before bed, unspoken in public but buried in every mission that he and his sister served as part of the Tal Shiar. The end of everything, like a Ragnarök or Judgement Day will be brought about by Seb Cheben (Soji). Once the beacon creates a crack in the sky, the ch’khalagu, or demons, will return and feast on the world. It has been done before; in the images we saw of the Admonition. And, like Narek says, history rpeats itself.

One of my favorite tropes is the telling of a plan while the plan is being executed. It is the best, and probably only good part, of any heist movie. It is no different here. The crew will arrive at Coppelius with Narek as their bounty. Concealed in a soccer ball will be the drone containing the grenades to take down the beacon. Everything goes according to plan, until they cannot reach the site of the beacon. Enter Soong in real time.

A final flight of fancy

Picard and Jurati make it to the ship after the crew has departed for their mission. Finally, we get something that has been teased and a long time coming — Picard in the Captain’s chair. It is not exactly smooth sailing, but he is out of practice and desperate times do not need beautiful execution. One thing that has not changed is his passion for leading by example and using his influence for the betterment of the universe.

With Picard and Jurati manning a solo mission to take on 218 Romulan ships, 15 or so orchids from Coppelius, and trying to smooth talk Soji into taking down the beacon, there is a lot going on in the outer layer of the atmosphere. On planet, the crew is trying to get Soji away from the controls so that her life is spared from the blast (a touching and notable pause by Rios).

Despite Picard’s message that he is going to give his life to spare hers, she presses on and intercepts the only shot made by the ground crew to halt the beacon. The signal is released, the Romulans arrive, and the battle — or really standoff — truly begins. Picard and Jurati make the first move utilizing a technique from years past — the Picard Maneuver. Replicating their ship using illusionary tech, the Romulans prepare to attack the phantoms.

My favorite thing about sci-fi television is the naming conventions. Sometimes things are just a string of meaningless numbers and letters, but then you hear someone like Commodore Oh say, “Ready Sterilization Plan 5,” and you have to think, umm… what are plans 1-4? Why weren’t they good enough?

Before we can find out what makes plan number 5 the top choice, a familiar tune begins to play.

The rest of this sequence plays out in true finale fashion. Did I love it? Not entirely. Did I tear up when the theme music swelled, and the Federation arrived under command of ACTING CAPTAIN WILLIAM RIKER? Absolutely. Their claim, proven by the message Picard sent out about first contact in episode 9, brings out Will’s best line, “Nothing would make me happier than an excuse to kick your treacherous Tal Shiar ass.”

While the sight of Will elevates the mood and forces the Romulans to retreat, Picard takes a turn for the worse. In one final attempt to assuage Soji to power down the beacon, he opens a channel: “Show them how profoundly wrong they are about you…I trust you and I know you, I believe in you. That is why I saved your lives so you could save ours in return. That’s why we are here to save each other.” He gives meaning to her life while also setting himself as different from her. His time is at an end, hers can just begin.

As I mentioned, this series has a focus on every conversation being the last. What felt like a goodbye in Star Trek: Picard episode 7, is now weighing as an actual goodbye between Riker and Picard. Their exchange is one of thanks, appreciation, and love. Riker’s final words to his captain are, “I learned from the best. See you around my friend, Riker out.”

With that, Picard’s story ends having just saved a planet, but truly only caring about saving one person — “You have life, you have power.”

Picard’s long goodbye

“Would you like the finish it Captain?” The scenes with Data in the vineyard return here, now that it is time for Picard to pick up the paintbrush and leave his final mark on the universe.

The mourning of friends is something I’d prefer to never watch again. Seven of Nine and Rios handle it in their stoic manner. They sit on a ledge spinning tales of regret, Seven of Nine for choosing to kill Narissa rather than make the choice to spare her life even if it felt wrong for her be alive, and Rios for serving and opening his heart to another Captain only to watch him die. While Seven of Nine’s list tops Rios’ they both share the same burden of losing their leader and guiding light. Across the settlement Raffi and Elnor do not have words, only tears.

But in another place, not on planet, not in space, yet not fully detached from reality, Picard awakens in a study with Data. Another damn dream? Not this time his friend says, but rather a complex simulation. But Picard’s first assumption begs the question from Data, “You dream about me?”

“I dream about you all the time.” Not one for overt emotional expression, Data finds the fact interesting and moves on to ask if Picard is wearing what he died in. Not exactly the best keeper of the afterlife, or master of subtly, Data has confirmed what we believed. The topic is not exactly bothering Picard, who has embraced the inevitable. But as he unpacks his journey through Data’s questions, the reality of his situation strikes him — he has a chance here for closure with his friend. Data recalls certain details surrounding his own death, the year for instance was 2379, however besides the fact that he ended his existence to save Picard’s it seems that nothing else about that time is relevant.

Picard calls his sacrifice, “the most Data thing you ever did.” Calculating a plan, executing it before anyone had a chance to see the gravity of the situation. There were no emotions, no time to lead with passion and spirit, and if you’ve seen Star Trek: Nemesis, you know this to be true. Before they can even lock eyes, Data has beamed Picard to safety and sentenced himself to death.

Picard tells him that although he may not remember his death, Picard has never forgotten it.

Before he died, Data transferred his consciousness into a B4. The memory grams were extracted and so his consciousness lives on in a machine. His simulation. But the simulation, despite living on forever, means that Data does not have one thing — an end. Though he tried to tell jokes, eat human food, sing, dance, play poker, lie, Data never existed on the same plane as organics. He never had an expiration date, something to race against. He could know everything about life, but he could never have that urgency or fear.

He knows Picard is not meant to stay with him forever, something that yet again he has conceived long before his friend. Picard’s memories were scanned and mapped before he died, making him the prime candidate for Maddox and Jurati’s final project — memory transference.

Data asks only one thing from his friend before they part — terminate his consciousness. Data wants the gift of living, however briefly knowing that his life is finite. This meeting with Picard is all the more precious because Data now knows it cannot endure. He wants to sit in a chair, drink a final cup of something, and feel the wrinkles, a sign of age and wisdom gather on his face.

Luckily for Picard, he has this moment with his friend as well. He has the knowledge that they are going into the end together and that Data knew that Picard loved him. “Knowing that you loved me forms a small but statistically significant part of my memories. I hope that brings you some comfort.”

A finite life indeed

Picard wakes up and we join him at the table with Soong and Jurati who explain the process of his new life as a golem. Nothing special has been added to his new form, just the removal of the illness. And they have set an expiration date for him. Is it 10 years? 20 years? Only an algorithm knows the answer to that.

“My gain is your loss, I have a promise to keep.”

As “Blue Skies” begins to play, we rejoin Data who is free of the clothes that he died in and reclining in his chair with a stiff drink as Picard makes one final appearance by his friend’s side before they both fade away.

The series had a high bar to reach and while I do not think it surpassed Next Generation, it definitely came close. The emotional resonance of the original series echoed throughout the various guest appearances and decisions to bring in both the Borg and stick closely to the lasting impact of Data’s death. Pulling from two very specific details of the original reign of Jean-Luc ensured that the series had a limits to what it was able to do. Those confines worked in its favor as the callbacks kept most of the storytelling tight and cohesive.

I loved this season and I hope the next is able to keep the balance of nostalgia and progress. Discovery needs to pave new paths, Picard can keep playing to elicit those comforts of home.

Final thoughts on the ‘Star Trek: Picard’ season 1 finale

Fans in the US can now stream Star Trek: Picard season 1 for free through April 23, 2020.

Star Trek: Picard will release new episodes on CBS All Access in the U.S. on Thursdays, on CTV Sci-Fi channel in Canada on Thursdays, and on Amazon Prime elsewhere on Fridays.