Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard Season 2's Finale - "Farewell"
In Renée Picard (Penelope Mitchell). However, Rios choosing not to return to the 25th century with Picard throws a wrench in the timeline they spent all of Star Trek: Picard season 2 trying to fix.
In truth, there was really no surprise that Rios would opt to remain in the 21st century. The former Captain of the Stargazer clearly fell in love with Dr. Teresa Ramirez (Sol Rodriguez) and the feeling was mutual. Rios also instantly became close to Teresa's young son, Ricardo (Steve Guitterez). It didn't escape Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Raffi Musiker's (Michelle Hurd) notice that they'd never seen Rios so happy. Indeed, Chris' rationale is that no matter what avenue he tried - as part of Starfleet or outside of it as captain of La Sirena - he didn't really fit in the future. Rios was chasing a happy life that eluded him in the future, but he miraculously found it with Teresa and Ricardo in 2024 Los Angeles. Certainly, none of Rios' closest friends could fault him for wanting to be with the woman he loves.
And yet, Rios' decision has serious ramifications, both for himself and the known course Star Trek's timeline takes. True, Rios helped prevent a dark alternate reality where the Confederation of Earth is created. But the proper Prime Timeline also has a tragic course that Rios voluntarily stepped right into. It's established canon that in 2026 - just two years after Star Trek: Picard season 2's Los Angeles setting - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. As Pike described it, the horrors of World War III leads to the nuclear annihilation of Earth's capital cities, the loss of 600,000 species of animals and plants, and the deaths of 30% of Earth's population. Worse, Rios knew this when he chose to stay with Teresa, and so did Jean-Luc and the rest of Picard's crew. World War III is history to them but it's soon to be Rios' future. Yet no one reminded Rios of this when he decided to stay behind with Teresa.
After Picard returned to the 25th century, Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) told him that Rios and Teresa lived a happy life together and they both died of old age, although Rios was killed in a Morrocan barfight years before Teresa's death. The couple also started Mariposa, a medical supply company. While it's possible Chris and Teresa survived the horrors of World War III, which lasted 30 years, it's hard to believe their lives were as rosy as Guinan painted. The adult Ricardo also used the mysterious microorganism Renee Picard discovered during the Europa mission to clean the skies and the oceans. He must have done this after World War III was over because the Earth was devastated for decades. Guinan also indicated that her bar, 10 Forward, survived World War III, so perhaps LA was spared the destruction the war visited on Earth's other major cities.
Rios' timeline violations throughout Star Trek: Picard season 2 were certainly reckless, including beaming Teresa and Ricardo into La Sirena. Chris surrendered his Starfleet tech before his friends went back to the future, yet it's difficult to believe that Rios, Teresa, and Ricardo assiduously made sure they didn't continue to break the timeline given their knowledge of the future. Rios' happy ending was poignant for the character and it may, sadly, mark Santiago Cabrera's exit from Star Trek: Picard. Yet Rios staying in 2024 is incredibly problematic for Star Trek's timeline, although Star Trek: Picard seems content with handwaving these issues to preserve the emotional high points of season 2's finale.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 is streaming on Paramount+.