Spoilers Who is the mastermind in Season 3 of Picard?

[Corran Horn]

Somehow, Gul Dukat returned.

Jokes aside, it's only the fact that I'm about as sure as I could be that Avery Brooks would not return that leads me to think Dukat is not involved. It'd be very odd to have Gul Dukat feature in some way and have Sisko, his 'main' adversary, not be involved.

 

[JRoss]

Are you all sure that there isn't at least one member of this cast who wouldn't have a very personal grudge against gul Dukat? Perhaps even the lead of the B story? No need to bring Avery Brooks out of retirement when you've got that going on.

My top 3 candidates:
1. Locutus: We can disregard anything about Borg genetics from Seven, Hugh, and the rest. They specifically called out Locutus as being different, both in FC and in Shaw's monologue. If it is Locutus I'm going to go ahead and say that as counterpart to the Queen Locutus was also supposed to be the first "breeder" Borg. Like Jack is an organic-looking Borg King who is made up of bio-nanoprobes. He forms collectives through wi-fi or somesuch. If this is the case, Matalas has to be taking inspiration from Armada.
2. Dukat: This is looking less and less likely as the series goes on, but there could be Pah-Wraiths involved, as Vadic might be trying to get her Founder siblings free of whatever the Prophets did to them in the wormhole.
3. Armus/Sela: If they go the Armus route we will almost certainly have a cameo from Denise. This is looking more likely to me as the show goes on. If this is the case, I humbly refer you to page 9 of the Star Trek Adventures Gamma Quadrant Sourcebook.

 

[Corran Horn]

Are you all sure that there isn't at least one member of this cast who wouldn't have a very personal grudge against gul Dukat? Perhaps even the lead of the B story? No need to bring Avery Brooks out of retirement when you've got that going on.

He certainly would, and I don't begrudge him that, in my mind it'd just question wtf Sisko was doing at the time.

 

[Yistaan]

1. Locutus: We can disregard anything about Borg genetics from Seven, Hugh, and the rest. They specifically called out Locutus as being different, both in FC and in Shaw's monologue. If it is Locutus I'm going to go ahead and say that as counterpart to the Queen Locutus was also supposed to be the first "breeder" Borg. Like Jack is an organic-looking Borg King who is made up of bio-nanoprobes. He forms collectives through wi-fi or somesuch. If this is the case, Matalas has to be taking inspiration from Armada.

None of this makes sense. (paragraph removed per request of @JRoss as my refutation of his argument required non-family friendly arguments that ended up being too sensitive/triggering to the point it's not worth bringing up)

There's no way that Locutus was supposed to reproduce with the Borg Queen in this fashion either. First Contact implied she doesn't have any biological, er, equipment down there. Her fling with Data was emotional manipulation, Data's not capable of biological reproduction. Furthermore, even if she was somehow able to biologically reproduce, we know she couldn't be bothered when at the end of First Contact it showed that Picard was shoved aside in favor of the non-organic Data.

He certainly would, and I don't begrudge him that, in my mind it'd just question wtf Sisko was doing at the time.

It'd be hilarious if Sisko, with a stunt double actor, was seen being dragged away for medical care after the heroes presumably rescue Tuvok and the other Starfleet officers the Changelings replaced. They'll just have to show him from behind and refer to him as Sisko in dialogue.

 

[Ronin'sCreamyCandle]

People are going to be pissed if it's Armus.

 

[Yistaan]

I also realized that Picard being a supposed Borg carrier via natural reproduction would only limit these supposed new Borg to the human race. That's a HUGE step down from assimilating the entire Federation, as realistically I don't think the Borg expected Locutus to mate with Saurians or a Bzzit Khaht

 

[JRoss]

None of this makes sense. I highly doubt that the Borg were going to have Locutus start committing mass r---, they were going to assimilate the Federation in typical Borg assimilation fashion. Not to mention this goes into disturbing territory if Locutus was intended to create new Borg this way.

There's no way that Locutus was supposed to reproduce with the Borg Queen in this fashion either. First Contact implied she doesn't have any biological, er, equipment down there. Her fling with Data was emotional manipulation, Data's not capable of biological reproduction. Furthermore, even if she was somehow able to biologically reproduce, we know she couldn't be bothered when at the end of First Contact it showed that Picard was shoved aside in favor of the non-organic Data.

It'd be hilarious if Sisko, with a stunt double actor, was seen being dragged away for medical care after the heroes presumably rescue Tuvok and the other Starfleet officers the Changelings replaced. They'll just have to show him from behind and refer to him as Sisko in dialogue.

That's a real disturbing place you jump to in your first post there. I normally wouldn't comment, but I really do not want my comments associated with that type of thinking.

 

[Yistaan]

That's a real disturbing place you jump to in your first post there. I normally wouldn't comment, but I really do not want my comments associated with that type of thinking.

Sorry I'll edit it out. No offense intended.

 

[Racefuel]

That's a real disturbing place you jump to in your first post there. I normally wouldn't comment, but I really do not want my comments associated with that type of thinking.

While not in defense of the idea, its not terribly off the mark with some of the themes Trek has dabbled in from time to time

 

[trekfan_1]

I know is not as nerdy fun, but could he just be a new character who we've never seen before? Isn't that most likely?

 

[Yistaan]

I know is not as nerdy fun, but could he just be a new character who we've never seen before? Isn't that most likely?

Maybe it's Admiral Pressman from the Pegasus episode, and Jack and Jean-Luc's fake irumodic syndrome are his latest shady dubious projects. Should attract attention from anyone who remembers Lost.

 

[fireproof78]

Maybe it's Admiral Pressman from the Pegasus episode, and Jack and Jean-Luc's fake irumodic syndrome are his latest shady dubious projects. Should attract attention from anyone who remembers Lost.

Or better yet, JAG.

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

I know is not as nerdy fun, but could he just be a new character who we've never seen before? Isn't that most likely?

It could, but I feel like a brand new villain would need to have been introduced and explored more by this point in the season so as not to steal the focus. Unless, of course, it's intended to be a new threat for the potential Legacy series, and will still end as somewhat of a mystery in Picard.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

I think the most likely scenario is that over the years Okana has become extra outrageous.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

That's a real disturbing place you jump to in your first post there. I normally wouldn't comment, but I really do not want my comments associated with that type of thinking.

By quoting the post directly you achieved exactly that which you were trying to avoid though...

 

[donners22]

People are going to be pissed if it's Armus.

I'd hate it, especially if Tasha/Sela is somehow involved, but plenty of people liked episode 6 which for me was the point of fanwank overload. May as well keep piling it on.

 

[Charles Phipps]

Picard's Borg DNA being the Macguffin still doesn't explain why they don't just use Tuvok, who they have in custody, who's also ex-Borg. And if they need the child of an ex-Borg, if they got Tuvok, then they can get Miral Paris. Unimatrix Zero considerably widened the amount of Trek main characters who were assimilated.

Blah blah blah reasons Blah blah science

 

[Soong-type Android]

People are going to be pissed if it's Armus.

I don't think it is.

 

[Ovation]

I don't think it is.

True. It’s his cousin, Legus.

 

[Eric Bean]

Anyone betting on Iconians? I've seen a few people speculate. My only thought is that they in TNG "Contagion" it's stated that their technology seems "magical" (thinking Vadic's floating head hand-ler seems pretty magical. They also have experience sabotaging ships - albeit unintentionally.

I do feel like 3 episodes is a short time to roll them out and explain their beef with the Federation.

My only other thought would be species 8472.