The torch will be ed to "the next generation" in season 3 will reunite them for one final mission to save the galaxy (although if the TNG actors have their way, it won't be the 'final' time they're all together, after all).
Star Trek: Picard season 3 will put Jean-Luc and his old Enterprise mates against a triumvirate of villains. Lore (Brent Spiner), Data's evil android brother, is back, along with a surprising reappearance by Professor James Moriarty (Daniel Davis). But Star Trek: Picard season 3's main villain is the mysterious Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer), who on the hunt for Picard's Enterprise crew. However, Star Trek: Picard executive producer Terry Matalas promises that season 3 will indeed address the theme of legacy, and "the next generation" of TNG will get their laurels as well. This makes for a curious pledge because most of the offspring of TNG's legacy characters aren't known to be appearing in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Of course, there could be plenty of surprises in the offering, and the TNG kids (most of whom are now adults) may very well appear in Star Trek: Picard season 3. The "next generation" of Star Trek: The Next Generation is well in hand with the kids of the Enterprise-D and E's legendary crew.
Wesley Crusher: Dr. Beverly Crusher's Son
Star Trek: The Next Generation began with the 'next generation' of Dr. Beverly Crusher's (Gates McFadden) family already part of the show. Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) began as a boy genius who earned his way into becoming a member of the Enterprise-D's crew, and Captain Picard's protege. Crusher eventually ed Starfleet Academy but was mired in a scandal that questioned his integrity. Wesley left the Enterprise to pursue his ultimate destiny as a Traveler, a cosmic being who isn't bound by space and time. Wesley's last TNG appearance was at the wedding of Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) in Star Trek: Nemesis.
Wesley made a surprise return in Star Trek: Picard season 2's finale. Crusher appeared in 2024 Los Angeles to recruit Kore Soong (Isa Briones) into the Travelers. Picard season 2 also retconned the Travelers to be the agents behind the Supervisors introduced in Star Trek: Nemesis and they are long overdue for an on-screen reunion.
Kestra Troi-Riker: Will Riker & Deanna Troi's Daughter
Kestra Troi-Riker (Lulu Wilson) was introduced in Star Trek: Picard season 1. Kestra lives on Nepenthe with her parents, and they were still mourning her older brother, Thaddeus Troi-Riker, who died young of the rare silicon disease, Mendaxic neurosclerosis. Kestra befriended Soji (Isa Briones) when she and Jean-Luc Picard sought refuge on Nepenthe. While gifted with a powerful imagination and special languages she and Thad invented, Kestra is still too young to Starfleet in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Lulu Wilson also isn't part of Star Trek: Picard season 3's announced cast, but Kestra could quite likely make her return appearance, which could hint at her future.
Sidney & Alandra La Forge: Geordi La Forge's Daughters
Star Trek: Picard season 3 introduces Ensign Sidney La Forge (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) and Ensign Alandra La Forge (Mica Burton), the daughters of Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton). Although the identity of Alandra and Sidney's mother isn't confirmed - but it's quite possibly Dr. Leah Brahms (Susan Gibney) - the La Forge sisters are a true family affair since Mica Burton is LeVar Burton's real-life daughter. Alandra and Sidney are a true Starfleet legacy as they've both followed their dad into space. Alandra is an engineer working with Geordi while Sidney is the helmsman of the USS Titan-A. Geordi's daughters are poised to get directly involved with their dad's new adventure alongside iral Picard.
Alexander Rozhenko: Worf's Son
Worf's (Michael Dorn) son, Alexander Rozhenko, was the second offspring of a TNG main cast member introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Alexander's mother was K'Ehleyr (Susie Plakson), who was murdered by Duras (Patrick Massett) in TNG season 4. Although Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but it hasn't been revealed what became of Alexander after the Dominion War ended. Perhaps Star Trek: Picard season 3 will include an appearance by Alexander Rozhenko as it updates Worf's story now that he has become a pacifist.
Soji: Data's "Daughter"
Data died in Star Trek: Nemesis and his 'soul' was laid to rest at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 1, but the beloved android had offspring in Dahj and Soji, synthetic twins built from one of Data's positronic neurons recovered from B4. Dahj was murdered by Romulans at the start of Star Trek: Picard season 1, but Soji went on to help save the galaxy. In Star Trek: Picard season 2, Soji became an ambassador for her synthetic brothers and sisters on Coppelius. However, Isa Briones is not part of Star Trek: Picard season 3's cast, so Data's "next generation" isn't going to meet her evil uncle, Lore.
Meanwhile, Isa Briones also played Kore Soong, another "next generation" of a different Brent Spiner character, Dr. Adam Soong. Adam's daughter Kore left 2024 with Wesley Crusher to become a Traveler at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 2. It's possible Kore or Soji could appear in Star Trek: Picard season 3 as a surprise, and both are the legacy of their respective 'fathers' from the Soong dynasty played by Brent Spiner.
Does Jean-Luc Picard Have A "Next Generation?"
The only one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's main characters who does not have offspring is Jean-Luc Picard. Famously (or infamously) a loner, Picard never married or had children in his over 90 years of life. Star Trek: Picard season 2 was devoted to exploring the reason why Jean-Luc chose to never have a romantic life partner, but the season ended with Picard and Laris (Orla Brady) embarking on a love affair. Laris is only slated for a smaller role in Star Trek: Picard season 3, but depending on how much time has ed between seasons, it remains to be seen if Jean-Luc finally has a child with his Romulan love interest.
If not, Picard does have a "next generation" of sorts in Elnor (Eva Evagora), the Romulan Qowat Milat warrior who Jean-Luc and Commander Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) essentially adopted. Elnor has since ed Starfleet Academy and was assigned the USS Excelsior in Star Trek: Picard season 2. Elnor died but was resurrected by Q (John de Lancie) at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 2, and he's still presumably in Starfleet. Unfortunately, Evan Evagora is also not part of Star Trek: Picard season 3's cast, which means Elnor is unlikely to appear. This could mean Star Trek: Picard season 3 may have a surprise in store if Jean-Luc Picard is to have his own "next generation."
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 premieres February 16, 2023, on Paramount+.