WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 2 of Star Trek: Picard, "Maps and Legends," now streaming.
Last week's premiere of Star Trek: Picard thrust Trekkies into a brand-new installment of the beloved sci-fi franchise (though don't let Jean-Luc know about that genre; he apparently "doesn't get it"). It was packed full of drama, action, and plot twists to send heads reeling. Episode 2 seems to continue that thread, as "Maps and Legends" contain even more world-changing reveals, including undercover Romulans, a Starfleet conspiracy and the possible foreseeable end of Jean-Luc Picard.
But first, we need to go back -- all the way to 2385. Picard's disastrous FNN interview in the last episode shed some light on the synth attack on Mars that caused over 92,000 casualties, and now the audience is transported to the day in question. We get a taste of what life was like with humans and androids as coworkers, with the so-called "plastic people" being housed in a storage container at Utopia Planitia and trying their best to learn about humanity through common phrases and dad jokes.
That journey promptly stops, though, on this First Contact Day. One android, F8, represents the carnage, as we see him violently kill his fellow crew members while he works within the controls of the Martian defense system. After telling us about the tragedy of the last episode, Picard made an effort to show it, and it makes for an effective scene. It could also shed some light on what caused the robot revolution. Watching colored lights whir in F8's eyes could mean that the synths were taking a command from another authority, much like human-android hybrid Airiam in Star Trek: Discovery.
That's just one of the many mysteries presented in this episode, and we follow up on another from the premiere. Picard and his Romulan housekeepers, Zhaban and Laris, are looking into the security footage from Dahj's apparent death, which seemed to erase her and the Romulan assassins' existence. The blame turns to an organization not heard up to this point in Trek canon: The Zhat Vash. They exist as an ultra-secret cabal and the ones pulling the strings behind the Tal Shiar and Romulan politics at large.
They're the ultimate secret-keepers, given their name refers to the dead, the only people Romulans can trust to not reveal anything. Their guiding principle? A "deep unassuageable loathing" of any form of synthetic life. Though no one knows why, it's been a principle that has informed Romulan life for millennia, and the Zhat Vash have placed themselves within multiple societies to spread their message.
We take a break from that mind-blowing reveal for a quick stint of "CSI: Picard." Picard and Laris go to Dahj's apartment to investigate the events that first "awakened" the late android. They find nothing out of the ordinary; Laris theorizes that the Zhat Vash "scrubbed" the place clean to evade any further investigation. Nothing can stop the intrepid nature of Picard, though, and after some subspace jargon, they're able to catch a call log between Dahj and her twin sister Soji. And they find out what we learned at the end of the last episode: If they're looking to protect Soji, they're going to have to go out of this world.
Speaking of Dahj's other half, a cinematic sequence takes us through the Romulan Reclamation site housed in a Borg cube, eventually arriving at Soji and Narek. After their meeting in the premiere, their dynamic has turned romantic, as we see them engage in some playful pillow talk. But when the sobering call for work arrives, Narek suddenly puts up a wall of privacy. True to his Romulan nature, he says nobody can know about their relationship, nor can she know about his new job aboard the cube (it's implied later that he's the Director of the Borg Reclamation Project).
Back on Earth, Picard gets what initially is a friendly visit from Moritz Benayoun, who previously served with Picard on the Stargazer, predating his time on the Enterprise-D. Picard was hoping to get good news from him, specifically the thumbs up that clears him for interstellar travel so he can find Soji. But the doctor is not here for simple approval. He highlights an abnormality in Picard's parietal lobe, something Dr. Crusher diagnosed him with back in the Next Generation series finale.
Though his condition could cause a number of syndromes, as Benayoun dourly puts it, "They all end the same way." But being given a death sentence does not deter Picard. After taking a biting swig of his drink, he plies his friend for the approval, adamant on continuing his mission. When asked if he really wants to go back out in the cold with this information hanging over his head, Picard simply replies, "More than ever, knowing."
It's an incredibly heavy prognosis. But before Picard or the audience can truly sit in the news, we're off again to San Francisco for a visit at Starfleet HQ. The atrium features holograms of previous starships, a testament to Jean-Luc's legacy (even if the worker at the front desk didn't recognize him by face). He soon sits down with Admiral Clancy, who regards him coldly from the jump. Though they've never seen eye-to-eye in the past, the former admiral makes his pitch to the current one, asking for his reinstatement as well as a ship and skeleton crew to find Maddox and uncover more of this mystery.
But an F-bomb of contempt from Clancy changes the mood (and music) of the scene immensely, as we see how Starfleet regards Picard after his resignation. The two discuss the decision to cancel the evacuation of Romulus, with Clancy arguing their need to keep the various parties of the Federation satisfied while Picard vocally and physically stands up for his beliefs in what the organization should be. His request is denied, but not without some cruel final words from Clancy: "There’s no peril here. Only the pitiable delusions of a once-great man desperate to matter. This is no longer your house, Jean-Luc. So do what you’re good at. Go home." The guest badge on Picard's chest is now more of a symbol than ever: He's no longer welcome in Starfleet.
Back on the cube, we're treated to the most intimidating orientation ever as Soji and other workers prepare to enter what's known as the "Grey Zone," where former members of the Collective still reside. True to the Romulans, it's a dramatic series of warnings, which essentially instruct that anything can still be a weapon, and they're on their own should the denizens of what lies beyond reactivate themselves. According to Narek and Soji, though, that seems highly unlikely. When the cube first collapsed, the Collective severed its tie to it, turning it into a veritable Borg graveyard. And Soji is serving as Dr. Frankenstein, hoping to resurrect those who had been assimilated during the Borg's terrifying reign.
Picard meets with Dr. Jurati from last episode, this time over Earl Grey and Asimov. She's done some digging into Dahj, and what she found was a "complete work of fiction." Though she had records showing her education, there's no proof of her existence before three years ago. Whoever created her seemed to have fabricated an entire life to make her naturally integrate into humanity. It can be assumed the same thing happened to Soji, who is working on an autopsy of some Borg "Nameless" (though she disapproves of the nickname). Her earlier conversation with Narek highlighted her interest in life's imperfections, and as she gives parting words to the deceased Borg, she shows her stakes in the reclamation project may be more emotional than professional.
Despite his setbacks, Picard is still looking to the stars, which prompts a furious reaction from Laris. Zhaban takes more of the good cop approach with his boss, saying he'll need the protection of a crew. Picard disputes the idea of bringing in the Enterprise group, not wanting to lose another dear friend on his behalf (and squashing the idea of a huge TNG reunion on Picard). But he does have someone in mind, namely Michelle Heard's Raffi Musiker. As he approaches her desert-side shack, it's clear there's no love lost between them. But Picard providing a friendly face and a bottle of wine is enough for the bristling Raffi to agree to a chat, sans disruptor.
Though Clancy blanched at Picard's request earlier, his words seemed to give her pause, causing her to chat with Commodore Oh. Oh confidently tells her that the idea of undercover Romulans would not exist without her knowing, putting the admiral's mind at ease. But it turns out even Starfleet has its secrets, as discovered when Oh talks with her Lieutenant Rizzo. It becomes clear very quickly that the two are part of a conspiracy to seize the newfound androids, and were behind the Romulans who went after Dahj in the premiere. Oh chastises Rizzo for her mission that destroyed Dahj before they could get to her, and her sloppy attempt to cover up her death. Chewing her out for her impatience, Oh warns her their opportunities end with Soji, and Rizzo affirms she has put her best man on the mission.
That man turns out to be Narek! The episode ends with him talking with his sister Rizzo, who is in disguise from her usual Romulan appearance. Narek's task is to go undercover on the cube and get friendly with Soji to find out where other androids may be located. But Rizzo, true to Oh's performance evaluation, is growing impatient at her brother's subtle and romantic tactics. She continues the chain of threats from the Commodore, menacingly telling Narek that if his approach doesn't work, she won't be afraid to try hers. With force.
Two episodes in, Picard has been the opposite of Narek's slowgoing strategy: fast and impactful. The reveal of the Zhat Vash completely changes the way we look at Romulan dynamics, and their anti-android agenda makes Picard's mission to find Soji even more high-stakes. Oh and Rizzo's work shows a conspiracy within Starfleet not seen since the likes of TNG season 1; we'll see whose head ends up exploding by the end of it all. And as new characters continue to get introduced, Narek's turn shows that they shouldn't all be taken at face value. The plot, and the tension, thickens.
Star Trek: Picard stars Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera and Harry Treadaway. A new episode arrives each Thursday on CBS All Access.