Having dealt with his childhood trauma in Star Trek: The Next Generation reunion. During TNG, Deanna Troi regularly counseled her crew mates on their emotional and psychological difficulties, memorably helping Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz) deal with his holodeck addiction. She was also a source of comfort and counsel for the Enterprise captain Jean-Luc Picard, who consulted her on all manner of situations both diplomatic and personal.
It was these many years of valuable counsel that inspired Jean-Luc to seek out Troi and Riker (Jonathan Frakes) for aid during Picard season 1. As Picard season 3 is set to reunite the entire TNG cast for one final adventure, the former Enterprise captain will require the counsel of Deanna Troi once again. Now that Picard understands a lot more about his childhood trauma, sharing that information can create a new dynamic with his friend and counselor.
Why Troi Needs To Know Picard's Season 2 Revelation
Troi needs to know about Jean-Luc's childhood trauma because it's a seismic revelation that makes more sense of Picard's internal psychology. As his counselor, understanding this information about Picard's upbringing and the loss of his mother can shed further light on their conversations together. In one of the best scenes in Star Trek: Generations, Picard discusses the devastating fire that killed his brother and nephew with Troi. As Jean-Luc never married or started a family of his own, the Picard family line now ends with him.
Thanks to the revelations of Picard season 2, Jean-Luc now fully understands why he never settled down. Sharing this information with Deanna will complete their moving discussion of family and legacy that began in Generations. As Picard season 3 is also the final entry in the TNG spinoff, it can build on the revelations from season 2 to give Jean-Luc a happy ending. Sharing the information about the suicide of his mother and the blame and grief he carried with Troi will, therefore, allow him to conclude the healing process.
How Troi Can Complete Picard’s Healing In Season 3
In Generations, Troi recognizes that Jean-Luc didn't feel a responsibility to ensure the Picard family's next generation because of his nephew. However, Picard season 2 makes it clear that Jean-Luc's decision was a lot more complex than that. Not settling down and having a family was a side effect of Picard's guilt over his mother's death, and it took Q (John de Lancie) to teach him that he did indeed deserve to be loved. With that in mind, Troi can now help Jean-Luc come to with both his decision not to continue the family line and by extension the death of his brother and his nephew.
In Generations, Picard notes that he "took comfort in the fact that the family would go on" but that's stripped away from him by the tragic accident at Château Picard. Star Trek: Picard is a show about Jean-Luc Picard's Starfleet legacy, so it makes perfect sense for Troi to help Jean-Luc realize that he can take comfort in the impact he's made upon the galaxy. In reuniting the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast for one last adventure, it's clear that showrunner Terry Matalas wants to give the Enterprise-D captain a lasting legacy beyond his family name. In helping Jean-Luc to come to with his trauma and save the universe one last time, Troi can ensure the Picard legacy.