Summary
- John de Lancie wasn’t happy with Q’s death in Star Trek: Picard season 2 and felt it was a missed opportunity to explore the concept of death in a show known for dealing with big issues.
- The scene where Q tells Picard “You matter to me” was emotionally powerful, and the cast and crew showed their appreciation for it with applause and a sense of significance.
- John de Lancie is delighted with Q’s surprise comeback in the end-credits scene of Star Trek: Picard season 3, and he loves that it was done during the crawl, adding excitement and surprise for viewers.
John de Lancie says he “wasn’t happy” with Q’s death in Star Trek: Picard season 2, but he’s delighted that the omnipotent being made a surprise comeback at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 3. After not playing Q for 20 years (except for a voice cameo in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 1), de Lancie returned as the villain of Star Trek: Picard season 2. But Q was also mysteriously dying, and he faded away after bidding farewell to Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). However, a hale and hearty Q shockingly reappeared in the end-credits scene of Star Trek: Picard season 3 to tempt Picard’s son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), about his cosmic destiny.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, John de Lancie recounted his experience filming Q’s “You matter to me” scene with Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Picard season 2, the reasons John was disappointed about Q’s death, and his delight at returning in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Read his quote and watch the video below:
Well, I wasn’t happy about the dying part because I just kept saying, “You know, this is Star Trek.” Star Trek deals with big issues. If you’re going to have me die, which is fine, we need to delve into that. And quite frankly, death is perhaps the biggest human issue that there is. And we need to delve into it. And they didn’t delve into it. And so I thought of it as being somewhat of a lost opportunity. And I made myself clear to Terry [Matalas]. I just said, “I don’t know, it just doesn’t rest well with me.” I feel that the audience – and we’re doing this for them – I feel that the audience will come and say, “I don’t understand. You’re immortal. There’s a disconnect here. What’s going on?” We need to answer some of these questions.
On the last episode, on the last scene that I had with Patrick [in Star Trek: Picard season 2], that was the two of us sitting in a chair with each other, and I say to him, “You matter to me.” We started the scene, and there were three or four cameras, or maybe three cameras and with the attendant crew. So let’s say that there were 12 people in that kind of dark spot over there, where the cameras were, and it was Patrick and I here. When we finished that scene, maybe let’s call it 40 minutes later, the room had filled. So when we finished, and he goes, ‘all right, that’s a wrap,’ there was a big applause. And it was surprising because you couldn’t see into that darkness. And a number of people from the other sets had come down because they knew that in a way, this was the beginning, and the end, the last one. And Patrick made a little speech, I made a little speech. And Terry came up to me, and he said, “I have figured out a way for you to come back.” And I said “Oh, thank you. Thank you.” And so, that was the scene.
And I love the fact that [Picard season 3’s Q cameo] was done during the crawl. And I love the fact that it’s a wonderful episode. It really wrapped up TNG, and it really was terrific. And I could just imagine people at home going, “Oh, wow, that’s great.” You know, and they’re talking, and one person in the room is sort of watching the crawl, and then all of a sudden goes, “Ohhhhh!”
Star Trek Picard Season 3 Ending Explained (In Detail)
Star Trek: Picard season 3’s finale concludes the story of TNG in grand style and sets up the next generation’s legacy, along with a big surprise.
What Is Q’s Star Trek Future After Picard Season 3?
Q always has options.
Q’s reappearance and new interest in Jack Crusher is obviously intended to continue in the proposed Star Trek: Picard season 3 spinoff dubbed Star Trek: Legacy. Despite this scintillating tease and Picard season 3’s success with critics and audiences, however, there is no movement by Paramount+ to make a Star Trek: Legacy Picard spinoff series. This leaves Q’s introduction to Jack Crusher and the voyages of the USS Enterprise-G an open question, at least for now.
Terry Matalas’ rationale for bringing back Q that he told John de Lancie would presumably be revealed if he gets to make Star Trek: Legacy.
However, Q’s status as an omnipotent being leaves him options to reappear in other Star Trek on Paramount+ series. Q has already popped up in Star Trek: Lower Decks, and there is no reason he couldn’t reappear to torment the crew of the USS Cerritos. An even more tantalizing option is Q appearing in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 to reunite with his other favorite Starfleet Captain-turned-Admiral, Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). However, those are Star Trek‘s animated series and live-action Q’s future appears to be tied to Star Trek: Picard season 3 getting the spinoff fans are demanding.
