Even though Star Trek: Picard has come to an end, Patrick Stewart has said that he would "never say never" to a return performance as Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, so it's good that Star Trek already has set up his perfect comeback.
Picard season 3 was intended to be the end of Jean-Luc's story, wrapping up the various loose threads left by the abrupt ending to the Star Trek: The Next Generation movie franchise. As well as placing a full stop on the story of Jean-Luc's Borg trauma, Picard season 3 reconciled his reluctance to be a father, by introducing his son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers).
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While it's unlikely that Patrick Stewart would commit to a Star Trek: Picard season 4, it's possible that he would do the odd cameo as the retired Starfleet Admiral. However, Picard's Starfleet career has been fairly well documented in Star Trek's recent history and there are other interesting stories to tell outside the institution. One element of Jean-Luc's backstory that rarely factored into Picard was his love of history and archaeology, which he pursued throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation. Picard's passion for archaeology could pave the way for his eventual Star Trek return in another 24th-century-set show.
Star Trek Already Set Up A New Picard Story
Petra Aberdeen of the Independent Archaeologists Guild in Star Trek
Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, episode 5 set up the Independent Archaeologists Guild, a freelance organization that liberated artifacts and returned them to their rightful owners. It's an extension of Picard's work in the Star Trek: The Next Generation 2-parter "Gambit", in which he confronted a group of pirates who were pillaging Romulan artifacts. In the Lower Decks finale, Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) had joined the Guild, and was seen liberating a Klingon idol from some Ferengi. The same episode revealed that the not-for-profit Independent Archaeologists Guild was made possible by substantial financial support from Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.
Picard's relationship with the Independent Archaeologists Guild provides Star Trek with a potential Picard comeback story in a future episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks. There have been numerous cameos by Star Trek legacy characters in Lower Decks, so a Picard appearance wouldn't feel out of place. The only stumbling block would be Patrick Stewart's willingness to reprise the role of Picard, and whether there was a strong enough story to tell with Picard, the crew of the USS Cerritos, and the Independent Archaeologists Guild.
Captain Picard Star Trek Lower Decks
Although Mariner is back aboard the USS Cerritos by the end of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, she was still friends with Petra Aberdeen. It's possible, therefore, that Mariner could be asked to help the Guild with liberating another ancient relic. Mariner's new mission could see her working alongside Jean-Luc Picard as well as Petra. As Lower Decks is set 20 years before Star Trek: Picard, it wouldn't undermine the ending of Jean-Luc's story, but could instead provide fans with a bonus adventure for the former Captain of the USS Enterprise-D.
Whether Patrick Stewart would agree to reprise his role as Jean-Luc Picard is another matter. As the voice of Avery Bullock in American Dad! and the Poo Emoji in The Emoji Movie, Patrick Stewart is no stranger to the animated format. Not only that, but voice work is considerably less taxing than a 10-episode series like Star Trek: Picard. It's possible, therefore, that Star Trek: Lower Decks' Independent Archaeologists Guild has sneakily set up a bonus adventure for Jean-Luc Picard at some point in the show's future.
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