With just a few episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, had retired to his family estate in , until the Federation had other ideas in mind for him.
As Star Trek fans have learned, the Utopian vision of the future that Gene Roddenberry first brought them in 1964 is much changed, and even the world of Next Gen seems more than a few decades behind them. The Federation is seditious and corrupt, a new sort of android has been made, and Captain Picard struggles with PTSD over Data's death. Fans have begun to speculate what future episodes will bring - Romulan spies? The return of the Borg? Picard's death? Here are fan theories that make too much sense (and 5 that are just bad).
MAKE TOO MUCH SENSE: THERE ARE MORE SYNTHS
In the dream sequence involving Picard and Data in "Remembrance", at the end of their poker game, Data plays 5 Queens. Later, it's revealed that Data "fathered" two synthetics of flesh and blood, Dahj and her twin sister. When Dahj is attacked, one of her pursuers asks, "Where are the rest of them?," implying there are more.
Reddit EA_sToP postulated that because Data played that specific hand, there are a total of 5 synths that could potentially appear in the series, all of them possibly his "daughters." It remains to be seen exactly how, but no doubt through the experiments of Dr. Bruce Maddox.
JUST BAD: LORE WAS BEHIND THE SYNTHETIC REVOLT
While it would be fun to see Data's mustache-twirling evil twin again, the theory that Lore was behind the synthetic revolt on Mars doesn't make a lot of sense. Lore may have staged similar things before in Star Trek: The Next Generation with a few Borg drones, but he wasn't the war-mongering sort.
Beyond that, Lore's positronic brain was destroyed, making it difficult for viewers to suspend their collective disbelief that he'd be able to concoct such a scheme. Besides, while Brent Spiner is competent as Data decades after he'd acted the part, Lore requires a much more energetic performance, which would look odd at Spiner's age even with visual effects.
MAKE TOO MUCH SENSE: PICARD DIES AND GETS A SHIP NAMED AFTER HIM
Writer Michael Chabon and star Patrick Stewart have stated the series will probably run for three seasons, creating a full storyline with a clear beginning, middle, and end that should satisfy both Star Trek fans in general and fans who hold Jean-Luc Picard in high esteem.
That being said, some fans have theorized this will be Picard's last voyage among the stars, as Patrick Stewart will be past 80 by the time the series is finished. They've further concluded he'll get a ship named after him which holds true with the tradition of several series (Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, etc).
JUST BAD: THE BRAIN BUGS ARE BACK
Star Trek: The Next Generation, the crew of the Enterprise-D uncovered a sinister plot involving an insidious takeover of Starfleet Command. An officer named Dexter Merrick was sent by the brass to interview Picard and determine the efficacy of his captaincy.
Remmick ended up being infected by a bluegill Spawnmother, an alien parasite that infected most of his body. When it was clear he was compromised, Picard killed him, but a message was sent by the creatures into space, and no one had any idea of knowing just how high up into Starfleet Command the bugs got. Some fans have posited that the bugs managed to infect the entire Federation at this point, and no iral is who they seem.
MAKE TOO MUCH SENSE: THE SYNTHETIC REVOLT WAS AN INSIDE JOB BY STARFLEET
In "Remembrance," when asked why he left Starfleet, Picard explains that the organization he was a part of no longer put the best interest of those in need ahead of its own. When Starfleet turned its back on Romulan Refugees, he turned his back on Starfleet.
Some fans have theorized in order to pull focus from the Romulan refugee crisis, Starfleet withdrew aid because the Federation was concerned with the synthetic revolt on Mars. iral Clancy told Picard that there were 14 systems thinking of leaving the Federation over the refugee crisis, so the synth attack would give them the perfect excuse not to help the Romulans.
JUST BAD: IT'S ALL ONE OF BARCLAY'S HOLONOVELS
Star Trek: Picard is going to feature a variety of characters from the series that first featured its lead character, Star Trek: The Next Generation, in order to capitalize on nostalgia as well as give some fan service to viewers that have a special attachment to the show.
While the Next Gen reunion plays out, with everyone from William Riker to Deanna Troi and even Hugh the rehabilitated Borg, there's one character that some fans might make an appearance in the worst way; Lieutenant Barclay, the Starfleet officer obsessed with holodeck fantasies. They've even theorized Star Trek: Picard might end up being one of his holonovels.
MAKE TOO MUCH SENSE: THE ROMULANS HACKED THE SYNTHETICS
they could be behind the synthetic attack on Mars for several legitimate reasons.
The synthetics in the flashback appeared to be lacking any sort of agency, caused by a hack on their system operations by a covert group that saw the development of such technology by the Federation as a threat. They could discredit the synthetics and then cover their tracks.
JUST BAD: SEVEN OF NINE IS AN OPERATIVE OF SECTION 31
Seven of Nine was teased in the Star Trek: Picard trailers but has yet to make an appearance. The rehabilitated Borg drone was a part of the crew on Star Trek: Voyager, and has been seen in scenes with Picard discussing serious matters of aid.
Some fans have decided Seven of Nine is an operative of Section 31, the shadowy paramilitary intelligence organization within the Federation. Given the distaste Trek fans have for Section 31 in Star Trek: Discovery this seems highly unlikely, and Trek twitter already confirmed Seven worked for the Fenris Rangers to maintain the neutral zone following the destruction of Romulus.
MAKE TOO MUCH SENSE: DAHJ HAS CONNECTIONS TO THE BORG QUEEN
After the introduction of Dr. Bruce Maddox's fractal neuronic cloning theory for making flesh and blood androids, which he had to perform in secret after leaving the Daystrom Institute, Trek fans had to wonder how he was able to find a suitable sample to use considering Data's positronic brain was destroyed and B-4's was too primitive.
The technique allowed for the creation of Dahj and her sister, who exhibited signs of being reminiscent of a Borg drone, prompting fans to decide that Maddox must have gotten an engram of Data's positronic brain from his time being held captive by the Borg Queen.
JUST BAD: ROMULANS CREATED THE BORG
The origin of the Borg has been debated ever since their introduction in Star Trek: The Next Generation, when they were described as a race of organic and cybernetic composite life forms that crossed the galaxy assimilating individuals into their Collective.
Some fans have concluded that with the reveal that the Romulans have access to Borg technology, that they were responsible for the creation of the Borg as a means to take down the Federation long ago. Not only do Trek fans believe the Borg shouldn't have an origin, this makes little sense since the Borg have assimilated Romulans as well.