WARNING: The article contains spoilers about the fifth episode of Star Trek: Picard season 3 titled "Imposters." Read at your own risk.
The recent episode of Star Trek: Picard season 3 titled "Imposters" featured the surprising return of beloved Next Generation character Ro Laren with Michelle Forbes reprising the role. While we expected that The Next Generation crew is returning this season, Ro's return was kept as a surprise to the fans until the episode became available on Paramount+.
Ro's return was a huge moment since she and Jean-Luc Picard were at odds the last time they saw each other 30 years ago and it's clear that the tension between them was still present in their unexpected reunion. Fortunately, throughout the episode, the two reconciled and settled their differences before Ro's heroic sacrifice.
The character's presence also moved forward the season's story as she provided some interesting details to Picard and the crew regarding how the Changelings have also compromised the higher-ups of the Federation and how the conspiracy is bigger than what they all imagined.
Speaking with TVLine, showrunner Terry Matalas discussed their decision to bring back Forbes' Ro Laren in the recent episode and why it was important for them to reunite her and Picard after 30 years in the show's final season.
"It felt like one of the last great unexplored stories of Star Trek: The Next Generation," he said. "It ended in such a kind of tragic way, those two, and now we’re back decades later. One wonders: What happened to Ro Laren?"
Matalas also explained why he and the writers decided to bring back Ro in this specific episode and her involvement in the season's conspiracy storyline while dealing with the heartbreak between the two characters at the same time.
"The opportunity to tell a story that’s essentially a paranoia thriller, where both of them are looking at each other, not entirely certain if each other are who they say they are, and the only way to verify their identity is to work through this kind of catharsis about how they feel, [felt] like it could be good television," the showrunner continued to explain.
He also admitted, "It was a tough one to crack, but it was brilliantly written by our writers, and I think it’s satisfying. But it felt like we had to do it."
A lot of fans certainly welcomed Ro's return in the recent episode and it certainly gave us one of the best moments in Star Trek history that is also overdue for The Next Generation fans as they never thought that they'll ever see the two characters reunite and settle their issue once and for all.
Also Read: Star Trek: Gates McFadden Expresses Hope for More Appearances After Picard Season 3
New episodes of Star Trek: Picard season 3 premiere every Thursday on Paramount+. You can check more details about it here.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!