Deciphering the Star Trek: Picard season 2 trailer: The deliciously devilish Q is back

Us Trekkies know that June 16 is Picard Day and Wednesday did not disappoint with another Q-filled trailer for season 2 of Star Trek: Picard.

This time, rather than just a fun card trick—like the April trailer tease—we got a lot more of the greatest trickster of them all, Q. And from the looks of it, John de Lancie is having a devilishly fun time as Picard’s favorite frenemy.

So, let’s break it down, shall we?

A confused Starfleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is wandering around his chateau (a nice problem to have), looking for his housekeeper Laris, asking himself, “what the hell is happening here?” After which he’s greeted by a familiar voice. “Excellent question,” answers the troublemaker Q, who also teases, “oh, dear, you’re a bit older than I imagined.”

Oh, Q, how we’ve missed you. As much as I enjoyed the first season of Star Trek: Picard, it was a bit dry and the injection of fun that Q will assuredly bring is something to look forward to.

“Mon Capitaine, how I’ve missed you,” says a taunting Q, and then appears in the flesh.

The second trailer further explores the theme of time. As much as Q irritated Captain Picard, he often taught him his greatest life lessons as well, most notably in The Next Generation episode, “Tapestry,” one of the best of the series, forcing Picard to acknowledge that his ambition was a part of his humanity that helped define his character, even at his most altruistic moments. It seems as if Q will push Picard to solve a mystery where “time has been broken.”

But did Q set things in motion in the first place?

“Welcome my friend, to the very end of the road not taken,” Q mockingly proceeds, as we watch the action unfold. This includes the La Sirena ship, which has joined Starfleet, Picard’s Starfleet badge reminiscent of Q’s invoked future in “All Good Things,” but more tantalizingly, a Borg-implantless Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) looking equally confused (and with perhaps a wedding ring on her left finger?! Clearly, members of Jean Luc’s crew are leading alternate lives.

“We can save the future,” Picard says to Chris Rios (Santiago Cabrera).

Q crashed Patrick Stewart’s interview with Wil Wheaton on First Contact Day

Patrick Stewart was interviewed by TNG’s Wil Wheaton on his Trek talk show, The Ready Room in April, where John de Lancie surprised him (beaming in from his boat, no less!), and the two talked about working together again.

Although they were both pretty cagey about Star Trek: Picard season 2 details, it was fun seeing them interact and it’s evident that they have retained their wonderful chemistry.

Q is such a beloved character, who has appeared on most of the Trek spinoffs, including most recently Lower Decks, where he was customarily hilarious (poking fun of Picard, of course).

Expanding on the time theme from the first Star Trek: Picard trailer

“The true final frontier is time,” starts Jean Luc in the first trailer that dropped on First Contact Day earlier this year. As the camera pans over (Easter eggs) in Jean Luc’s chateau study, Picard continues, “time offers so many opportunities, but never second chances.” The camera then hones in on a Queen of Hearts card that blows away for the big reveal of Q, with a taunting voiceover from de Lancie: “the trial never ends,” reminding us of the TNG episode where our favorite antihero was introduced, “Encounter at Farpoint.”

You can also check out a great breakdown of all the images deciphered in the first trailer in this Trekculture video:

Who else is coming back in Star Trek: Picard season 2?

In addition to the mischievous Q, a few more of TNG’s beloved characters will return. We do know that Guinan might show up, as per Patrick Stewart’s guest appearance on Whoopi Goldberg’s The View.

No details have been forthcoming since that announcement, however, but who knows in what surprising way she’ll be revealed? As much of a foil as Q was to Picard, Guinan proved even more so to Q. It will be fun to watch the two spar yet again.

Also expected to return is Jonathan Frakes (Riker), at least in the director’s chair, for some of the episodes. Brent Spiner (Data) will also make a cameo. The second season of Star Trek: Picard is expected to hit Paramount Plus sometime next year. Cast regulars Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, and Michelle Hurd are also returning. Sadly, no definitive release date has been revealed yet, but I would expect that news to be included in the next trailer.

In the meantime, Star Trek: Lower Decks will be here soon, with the second season dropping on August 12! The children’s show, Prodigy will air soon as well, the highly anticipated Strange New Worlds to premiere either late 2021 or early 2022, and Star Trek: Discovery season 4 premieres in January 2022.