Star Trek: Picard's Showrunner Knew This Scene Was The Most Important Of Season 3
Contains spoilers for "Star Trek: Picard" Season 3, Episode 10 — "The Last Generation"
The ending of "Star Trek: Picard" saw the titular Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) leading the iconic USS Enterprise-D in a last ditch attack on the Borg fleet invading the solar system. This daring counterattack is complicated by the fact that Picard's son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speelers), has been assimilated by the Borg and assimilated nearly the entire starship fleet.
Although saving the world is a plus, perhaps the most important part of the episode is the scene in which Picard decides to sacrifice himself for Jack's survival — an act which breaks Jack free from the Borg influence. Showrunner Terry Matalas also says this was the most important scene of the entire season.
"It all comes down to that scene. If that scene doesn't work, the season doesn't really work," Matalas said during an interview with Collider. "It's about a child looking for connection but doesn't realize the connection he really needs is his father ... that willingness to sacrifice himself for his son in that hug, that sort of snaps the kid out of this strange Borg euphoria."
Matalas went on to say that the moment hinged on the incredible performances of Stewart and Speelers. He was happy to say that the actors handed them the season they were truly looking for.
This moment may complete Jack's Season 3 arc, but his story may not be over yet
As mentioned, Jean-Luc Picard's attempt to sacrifice his life for Jack Crusher is the definitive moment of the series finale, concluding both of their Season 3 story arcs in one fell swoop. For Picard, finally earning this true connection with his son serves as a perfect end-cap for his character arc as a father and a leader. Meanwhile, there is still plenty of story left to explore for Jack.
Although the third season as a whole can be viewed as Jack's story of fighting for the love and care of a father he never had, the series finale makes it clear that this is still only the first chapter of his story. Q (John de Lancie) says as much in the closing moments of the episode, when he tells Jack that Picard's "trial of humanity" has finally come to an end in the aftermath of the Borg attack, but Jack's own trial is just beginning.
Indeed, much of this final episode seems to be setting up a future spinoff focused around Jack Crusher and the rest of the Enterprise crew after Picard returns to a quiet retirement — possibly through the rumored spinoff series "Star Trek: Legacy." Although this moment of father-son bonding was essential for the story of "Star Trek: Picard," the ending makes it clear that it's just another stepping stone on the journey to come for Jack Crusher and friends.