Killing off Rios saying he’s “lived a life” is just… it feels like a cop-out, a trite reason that I hate because it limits possibilities. Was Rios happy in the past? Maybe. But if they ever wanted to bring him back it would be difficult. If Guinan hadn’t dropped that sentence it would have been more open-ended. Rios was a good character who I think had more story to tell.

Plus it shows a double standard of care. To be honest with how Picard’s health was a theme in season 1, I thought he was going out then. I couldn’t really understand the “bringing him back in a robot body” thing given that Patrick Stewart is a real life human, who bless him is getting on in years, and I figured was probably sensible to ‘write him out’ so to speak to let the man rest. He led the way to carry the start of the show, until people got to know the new characters, and then he could bow and let the “next, next generation” take over but alas…

@Ericine

Rios left things for Raffi (and sometimes Seven) throughout his existence. Little messages and stuff. Bits of history that no one understands except Raffi finds them and is like oh, that was for me.

@sayamantha

DUDE SHE TOTALLY GOES LOOKING ONE NIGHT AT HISTORY JUST CAUSE SHE MISSES HIM AND THAN SEES SOME RANDOM THING THAT MAKES NO SENSE AND HE LEFT LIKE A TREASURE HUNT FOR HER

Reminds me of that Librarians quote “Steal something shiny and leave it somewhere interesting for me to find.”

Now Rios probably wouldn’t steal anything of note, and this is supposed to be a time loop I think? But with her ‘new’ knowledge of Rios + the past, it would be so great for Raffi to sudden go “oh!” as something that had never quite made sense slips into place.

Do you think everyone in the Confederation went along with it? Like I know Picard was EVIL, and we’re led to believe that President Annika and Head of Security Raffi, Colonel Rios attacking Vulcan, mad scientist Jurati etc. are all also EVIL

But… like everyone?

I get that the Confederation has been building for generations, and that this type of world is all these people know, but everyone? Nature vs nurture a bit I guess.

Just playing with the concept that if the Borg couldn’t erase Seven’s innate “fighting for the little guy” thing that she evolved into with the Rangers, that being born into an evil world maybe wouldn’t either. What if she ascended to the position to try and make the world better from the inside? Tearing it down as a rebel doesn’t work – the system is too strong, reforming slowly from the inside and making people think it’s their idea might be the only way

Hmm I may work this into my Confederation AU 🤔

Another thought!

Q did something to send them sideways into the Confederation world WITH their memories of the ‘real’ reality intact. BUT it wasn’t their ‘real’ bodies – they were in their Confederation bodies.

So I’m guessing that Picard for the duration of the show (up until finger snap back onto the Stargazer) wasn’t actually a robot? Unless he was also a robot in Confederation times. Which yes he was now I think about it.

Also if they were ‘possessing’ these bodies. Could the Confederation memories have still been there but just ‘supressed’ at the back of their consciousness? Perhaps using the old fiction staple of “it started to come back to them in dreams…”?

I’m not trying to steal anyone’s ideas. Just rambling about some wild thoughts floating in my head is all

Aaaaand this is what I love about prompts + fanfic. Same starting point of a “confederation AU” and then soooooo many different directions to take it in 🙂

In season three to be honest if they do jettison Seven and Raffi I would be ok with that IF they got their own spinoff.

Like I’m worried they won’t get good screentime in season 3. So if we trade season 3 for their own show – that would be alright.

Ok my friday was shot because I couldn’t concentrate waiting to watch the finale. So I watched it and now I have a feeling my friday is shot because it’s all I can think about!

OMG does Elnor know that he died? If he remembers being on the ship then maybe? Raffi certainly remembers him dying and even with him alive that memory/trauma isn’t going to instantly erase 😭 

I need to rewatch season one as I’m confused about Raffi’s position in Starfleet. The wiki lists her as “operations officer” which I guess might be right?

Honestly my mind is still blown about where they might be taking this next with the borg joining the federation acting to protect the new wormhole ala DS9. Where does that go?

Also I’m stuck on Captain Seven and how it feels like a two fingered salute to the short-sightedness of Starfleet that they didn’t grab her years ago.

Then there’s the kiss /sigh. Oh man I have so many feelings. There were so many little touches between them. Moments of unspoken support. Little glances and looks and just ahhhhhhh. Oh I love them.

Truthfully I thought they’d wrapped up Picard’s story, and done the TNG tour (minus some notable not there like Crusher) in season 1. I really don’t get why we’re doing it again in season 3. Equally I think Picard’s plot this season was nonsensical and detracted from the other far better plots going on.

This isn’t just because I love Seven and Raffi and want more of them, just you know generally the way they are handling Picard is a bit…

Regarding Laris. Did they ever explain how she looked like Talinn? I wondered with the end scene and how she said her future adventures if maybe Laris was Talinn but gone back in time with the watchers?

@Alyx

If Rios stays in 2024, then they won’t have anyone captaining his ship when they inevitably jump back to 2401. Given that, and the seeds Raffi sowed last episode about Seven making a good captain, would she take his place on the Stargazer?

I don’t think somebody can get promoted to captain without ever attending the academy unfortunately.

Would be very cool though.

Raffi was in gold right? What if she swapped to command red and they ran it like two captains just deal with it.

Or if there is no time to change I can actually see her looking down at her uniform like she looked at that phaser in episode 3 was it?

“Oh I thought gold was command, must have got stuck in the 22nd century there for a second. No idea how that happened.” Just totally deadpan. Love her.

I’m still loving that Seven and Raffi were basically the only competent ones in the Borg fight so yes! Make Seven the hero. Picard can pretend to be the wise admiral in the corner.

Finally getting to watch the episode. What I want to know is where Raffi’s phaser went? As I can’t remember but she had one to shoot out the window of the cop car, and now doesn’t have one.

Why is this taking place at night in the gloom? The gifmaker in me is crying at the lighting 😂 

Ok I need to rewatch that convo 20x even though it’s in the dark. “We’re not getting out of this” and jumps into the thick of it together anyway. I love that quality in an OTP.

OMG

OMG OMG OMG.

How hard did you all scream? I just legit screamed. Sorry not sorry for the live blogging btw. But holy shit Seven just got a tentacle in the gut and 👀👀👀

@Flick

Oh I was loud… My poor neighbours were not impressed.

Yeah I imagine I’ll get interrogated later as to what it was.

Ok I’m not sure I breathed for half of that episode. Coherent thoughts might have to wait. I just have feeeeeels.

Reminds me of the Burn Notice season 4 finale and now I want to manifest that somehow.

I am still in shock but I totally love that Picard was basically useless, Rios saved Picard but was otherwise useless, so the only ones on mission were the ladies. Jurati did the sneak sneak, Seven and Raffi took care of the rest. The galaxy would have been all Borg if left to the guys. They got distracted.

There wasn’t much consideration for consequences IMO.

I mean not once did they mention the borg statues they beamed into stone in the basement – I’m thinking they need to get rid of those as otherwise wouldn’t Picard remember them as a boy?

lol I must not have been as loud as I thought with my screaming, as I did not in fact face questions when I went downstairs 😂

@Ericine

Did you mean otp: it’s time to be brave little angel?

I mean “I belong out there with him… for better or for worse.”
“It’s probably going to be for worse.”
“Well, I knew that the moment I met him.”
jumps in the room with the bomb