What planet have Jean-Luc Picard and Soji landed on in Star Trek: Picard narrative took a huge leap forward this week, when the former Enterprise captain finally boarded the Artifact and made with Soji, the twin daughter of Data's that Picard has been desperate to save since the beginning of his latest journey. Conveniently, the same episode also saw Soji come face to face with the truth of her artificial existence, and learn that Narek had been playing her from the very beginning.
With Picard on a rescue mission and Soji desperately in need of saving, the covert synth quickly decides to trust the former Starfleet iral in possession of her twin sister's necklace, and with the aid of Hugh and Elnor, they manage to escape their Romulan pursuers. This swift exit is only possible thanks to Picard and Hugh's past as of the Borg Collective. Hugh recalls that the Queen's Cell on a Borg Cube contains a spacial trajector that can be used to flee during emergencies, and he fires up the machine to get Picard and Soji to safety. With a range of 40,000 light years, Picard has his choice of hiding places and picks an as-yet-unmentioned planet called Nepenthe, with no explanation offered as to why.
Fortunately, officially released images from this week's episode of Star Trek: Picard reveal the true reason Picard plucked Nepenthe out of thin air when trying to think of a remote location to hide out - it's where the Riker family can be found. Prior to the opening episode, a Star Trek: Picard trailer revealed that Jean-Luc would reunite with his former right-hand man, William Riker, and his wife Troi, who served as a counselor aboard Picard's Enterprise, and would also meet the couple's children. Although these scenes initially appeared to be taking place on Earth, suspicions were raised when Picard left his native planet earlier in the season without so much as a glimpse of that familiar goatee.
It's now confirmed that Star Trek: Picard will see Patrick Stewart's character meet with Riker and Troi on Nepenthe, an Earth-like planet, judging from the brief images seen so far, but clearly a more remote locale that Picard can be sure will offer some level of sanctuary to Soji. And, indeed, this may be the reason for Picard's visit. Perhaps Nepenthe was the first place that sprung to mind while escaping the Artifact, or Picard might've just wanted to pick to brains of his most trusted adviser, but it's also possible that his intentions on Nepenthe are to hide Soji with the Riker family, while he goes off and unpicks the conspiracy surrounding the Romulans, Bruce Maddox and Starfleet. This would put Riker in incredible danger, but Picard has been taking increasingly risky measures in his current quest.
Star Trek: Picard's episode will mark the first appearance of Jonathan Frakes in the franchise since season 4 of Geordi LaForge, but where has Riker been for the past few decades? And what's his stance on Starfleet abandoning the Romulans?
Star Trek: Picard continues with "Nepenthe" March 5th on CBS All Access and Amazon Prime the next day.