Star Trek Picard Season 3: End of Episode 3 explained – what’s next?

Warning, there are spoilers for the third episode of “Star Trek: Picard” season 3!

• The ending of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3 Episode 3 “17 Seconds” leaves us with a cliffhanger.
• We explain the end and what the conflict between Jean-Luc Picard and Will Riker actually means.
• Worf and Raffi also figure out a secret changeling invasion.

Episode 3 of the new “Star Trek: Picard” season is entitled “17 Seconds”. Things are heating up in this one and an old enemy of the Federation reveals itself as a new threat. Also, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) clash aboard the USS Titan. We’ll tell you the end!

Star Trek Picard: Watch Now

Changelings are back and have infiltrated Starfleet

Worf (Michael Dorn) and Raffi (Michelle Hurd) have captured Titus Rikka (Thomas Dekker). This is related to the attack on Federation Quarters in the first episode. Worf and Raffi want to learn more about the attack and the portal weapon, only to find out that Rikka is a changeling and that the portal weapon is really just a distraction.

Star Trek: Worf’s Knowledge of the Changelings

Worf explains to Raffi that during the Dominion War (in Star Trek chronology at the time of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), the changelings were at war with the Federation. However, following the defeat, a splinter group of changelings has banded together who continue to oppose the Federation, disregarding the defeat.

However, since changelings can copy any humanoid species and person imaginable, the Federation keeps the existence of this splinter group secret to prevent another Dominion War.

Worf got this information from a “close friend”, a “man of honour”. Of course, this means “Deep Space Nine” favorite Odo, who was played by the late René Auberjonois. Worf had served with him aboard the Deep Space Nine space station.

Star Trek: Changelings aboard the USS Titan

A changeling has also been unmasked aboard the Titan. Neither Picard nor Riker have ever dealt with a changeling. Worf only. That a changeling made it aboard a Starfleet starship despite safety regulations like blood tests (changelings don’t bleed) is worrying.

Jack Crusher’s visions – is he a sleeper agent for the changelings?

While battling the changeling, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) is exposed to a poisonous gas and has visions or fever dreams. He’s hallucinating. He sees red branches, a door, stormy weather, rocks and crashing waves. This is reminiscent of the great bond of changelings (a type of place where changelings rest as a collective).

Is he in league with the changelings? There was already a case with Jason Vigo that an enemy of Jean-Luc “created” a son to use against Picard. On the other hand, Jack’s hallucinations could also be from the Irumodic Syndrome that Picard suffered from in the first season, should Jack have inherited it.

Picard vs. Riker – who is actually right?

Riker is given command of the Titan by Captain Shaw (Todd Stashwick) and decides to seek a way out. He doesn’t want to fight. However, Picard sees Riker’s path as hopeless and demands that he attack the strangler (the “Shrike”). Seeing no other way out, Riker attacks, only to be hit by the Constrictor and the Portal Weapon with their own weapons.

Badly damaged, the Titan falls into the next orbit and can no longer free itself from the gravitational pull. Riker banishes Picard from the bridge for condemning them all to death. But basically Riker made the decision and his actual path would probably have failed just as much.

Rather, Riker’s statement was probably a frustrated reaction to the hopeless situation. Riker didn’t like Picard’s objections, and even less his own failure. Picard’s banishment from the bridge was a bit dramatic and in affect. Riker probably just needed some down time without Picard chatting in.

Jack Crusher knew Jean-Luc Picard was his father

There is a flashback at the beginning of the episode: Jean-Luc and Will Riker are talking. Riker explains that he was in the turbo lift during the birth of his son Thaddeus, on his way to him. In those 17 seconds he became a father. At the end of the episode, Jean-Luc has his own 17 seconds as he rushes to the injured Jack Crusher.

Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) finally explains to him that Jack knew about Picard. However, he has decided against meeting his father. She also reveals to him why Beverly never told Jean-Luc. She lost too much, her husband, her son, everyone to the stars, which also own Jean-Luc Picard’s heart. She didn’t want to lose Jack to those stars too.

The name Jean-Luc Picard is a walking target and once Jack has that name attached to him there will be assassination attempts, attempts to attack Jean-Luc through his son.

What was really stolen from Daystrom Station?

The portal weapon was just a distraction. What were the changelings trying to hide? What did they actually steal? From the trailer for “Star Trek: Picard” season 3 we know that the android Lore (Brent Spiner) will return. Was this stolen from Daystrom Station?

Another candidate would be the independent Moriarty hologram. This became independent in “Starship Enterprise – The Next Century” and opposed the Enterprise.

On March 10, 2023 we can expect the next episode of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3 on Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+. This year we can also expect all sorts of other “Star Trek” new releases!