WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 5, "Imposters."Star Trek: The Next Generation icon and the escalation of the Changelings' plot against the United Federation of Planets. After the USS Titan-A managed to narrowly escape the Ryton Nebula and temporarily shake Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) and the Shrike in the triumphant previous episode "No Win Scenario," the crew attempts to put the pieces of the plot against them together as they lick their wounds. iral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) also continues to attempt to form a bond with his son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers).
Now recovered from his injuries, Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) takes command of the ship back from Captain William Riker (Jonathan Frakes). Though he's developed something of a reluctant respect for Picard and Riker after they managed to save the USS Titan-A from certain doom, Shaw still calls in Starfleet so that Picard and Riker are forced to answer for their initial transgressions in deceiving Shaw when they boarded the ship. That action results in a series of events that will have long-lasting effects not only on Picard's life but on the Federation as a whole.
Ro Laren's Picard Reunion Ends With Her Murder
The hobbled USS Titan-A rendezvous with the USS Intrepid, carrying Starfleet Intelligence officers shockingly led by Commander Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), Picard's former protégé aboard the USS Enterprise-D who betrayed him by defecting to the Maquis in the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 7 episode "Preemptive Strike." Ro reveals she surrendered herself to Starfleet when the Maquis dissolved, and after a stint in a Federation prison, she was brought back into Starfleet Intelligence due to her extensive knowledge about terrorism and covert operations. Picard still harbors deep resentment toward Ro, his anger palpable in their initial conversation.
After an emotional reconciliation with Picard, Ro reveals the extent of the Changeling conspiracy against the Federation to him, which she has been covertly investigating. Ro declines to arrest Jack Crusher, as she was ordered, and departs the Titan-A by giving Picard her Bajoran earring. When she boards her shuttle to return to the Intrepid, her security officers are revealed to be Changelings, who plant a bomb on the shuttle before beaming away. Realizing she's doomed, Ro asks Picard to continue her mission before ramming the exploding shuttle into one of the Intrepid's nacelles.
Ro Confirms Changelings Have Compromised Starfleet
When she initially boards the USS Titan-A, Ro appears overtly hostile toward Picard and Riker, even accusing them of treason. After diverting Picard to the more isolated holodeck, she reveals at least some of that hostility is fueled by the fact the Changelings have infiltrated Starfleet at the highest levels, and she's no longer sure who she can trust. Picard suggests bringing this information to iral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), but Ro suggests those around Janeway may have already been compromised.
Ro believes the Changelings are planning some sort of attack revolving around Frontier Day, the celebration of the Federation's anniversary where the entire fleet will be on hand. She mentions there have been at least a dozen other instances of Changeling activity on Starfleet vessels, which has been kept under wraps. Ro's suspicions seem to be confirmed just as she's murdered, with the USS Intrepid apparently fully under Changeling control.
Jack Crusher Is Turning Into A Changeling Killer
After "No Win Scenario" concluded with Jack Crusher having disturbing visions, "Imposters" begins with him having an intense dream where he murders the bridge crew of the USS Titan-A. He awakes in a cold sweat holding a phaser. Jack is trying his best to keep his mind together and his issues secret, but his condition is clearly worsening.
In an effort to conceal him from Ro's security officers - who are secretly Changelings - Commander Seven Of Nine (Jeri Ryan) disguises Jack by putting him in a Starfleet uniform. The Changeling officers eventually track Jack down and corner him, at which point some sort of switch is flipped in the young man's head, and he mercilessly kills the four Changelings with relative ease, to his personal horror. He eventually confides in his mother, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), that he's having disturbing visions and is manifesting bizarre abilities, which leads her to recall the nightmares that plagued him as a child.
Worf & Raffi Worked For Ro & Can Break Into Daystrom Station
Worf (Michael Dorn) and Commander Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) finally complete their mission on the scummy M'talas Prime in "Imposters." They obtain a key from the Vulcan Krinn (Kirk Acevedo), an associate of the late Ferengi Sneed (Aaron Stanford) that will allow them to by the A.I. controlled security system inside Daystrom Station, where the Changelings stole something of great importance. Worf and Raffi are forced into a fight to the death by the Vulcan gangster, though they manage to outsmart him when Worf is able to fake his death through some sort of Klingon ritual apparently originated by Kahless.
In the wake of Ro's death, Picard is comforted by Riker, and he expresses his confusion as to why Ro gave him her Bajoran earring. Riker surmises the answer when he inspects the earring, revealing it's a device containing all of Ro's research on the Changeling plot. As they're inspecting the data, they're alerted to an incoming transmission, which turns out to be Worf, who has been working with Ro and Starfleet Intelligence this whole time. Worf now must reunite with his old friends from the USS Enterprise-D to carry on Ro's mission.
Changelings Have Evolved Since Deep Space Nine
Many viewers have noted that the Changelings are a bit different from their days Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. While in the DS9 days their natural liquid form appeared to be a sort of caramel-colored, syrupy fluid, they now turn into a grotesque mass of bubbling skin, blood, and bone. They've also somehow managed to evade the genetic tests that were developed during the Dominion War to detect them.
While studying the body of the Changeling that took on the form of Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) in "No Win Scenario," Dr. Beverly Crusher discovers that these Changelings are fundamentally different from the kind Starfleet previously battled against, now able to hold solid forms much longer, even after death. This would explain how the Changelings were able to infiltrate Starfleet at the highest levels. It's not clear how this evolution occurred, though it's possible it's a side effect from the morphogenic virus unleashed on the Changelings by Section 31 during DS9's Dominion War.
Picard & The Titan Are On The Run - Where Can They Go?
After his meeting with Ro, Picard attempts to convince a wary Captain Shaw that the USS Titan-A needs to run, as the Changelings within Starfleet are going to be coming after them. Shaw is initially hesitant, even ordering Picard to be detained by ship's security, but Ro's shocking death convinces him that the situation is indeed dire and that his ship and crew are in real danger. Shaw orders the ship to warp away just before the USS Intrepid opens fire on them.
Picard and Shaw may be on the same page now, but it's unclear where the USS Titan-A can find refuge. Not only do they now have to avoid Captain Vadic and the Shrike, but a large chunk of Starfleet now figures to be coming for them. Star Trek: Picard season 3 is entering a new chapter as the isolated crew of the Titan-A must somehow thwart the massive, mysterious Changeling conspiracy on their own.
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.