Star Trek: Picard Review: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1 (Season 1 Episode 9)

Star Trek: Picard Season 1 Episode 9, “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1,” delivers us to Soji’s homeworld, reveals several plot twists, and sets us up for what is sure to be a grand finale. This episode, like many from this first season, expands the world of Star Trek and builds a new story, while continuing to drop pieces of nostalgia and easter eggs that enhance that story for long-time viewers. 

We’re welcomed to this wild and mysterious planet in a way that feels so bizarre and simultaneously so Star Trek, as La Sirena is enveloped in a gigantic orchid that brings the ship to the surface and disables it entirely. It’s an interesting defense mechanism that for me harkens back to the entities at Farpoint Station from the Star Trek: TNG pilot, or the crystalline entity. It might seem a little out of place on this particular series to new viewers but it’s a great little thinking-outside-the-box type of detail that tracks with the innovative franchise. 

The crash sends Picard into a brief coma that forces him to finally reveal his illness to his new crew. This has been a consistent thread throughout this season of Star Trek: Picard leading to an emotional turning point for Picard. Each crew member takes in the information in their own way. 

One of the most moving moments of the entire series comes when Raffi and Picard part ways about halfway through this episode. Both characters have trouble voicing and expressing emotion, and after learning about their relationship all season this tender conversation feels very earned. 

Raffi: After everything you’ve done for me I have to say thank you. I love you, JL. You don’t have to say it back to me. 

Picard: I don’t?

Raffi: Not unless you want to…it’s fine. 

Picard: I love you too, Raffi.

Picard essentially says his goodbyes to each member of this team in as brief a manner as possible, while also managing to give deep emotional weight to these moments. Elnor decides to stay and help Seven with the xBs even though it is difficult for him to leave Picard a second time. Seven and Picard now each have a new understanding of each other as he leaves the saving of the galaxy to her, knowing that they’ll both be fighting the good fight until their dying breaths. 

Agnes is on one hell of a redemption arc now and I’m here for it. I’m no stranger to liking unlikable female characters and I think that Star Trek: Picard is doing a great job with Agnes. It probably helps that I wasn’t particularly attached to Bruce Maddox, to begin with, but I think that Agnes’ journey is fascinating. She was used by the Zhat Vash and she’s got to earn her way back into the good graces of the team as well as the audience. 

To me, Agnes is playing a long con on this episode. She’s taking in this fruition of her life long dream, and celebrating this beautiful community of synthetic life while also having found a real loyalty to Picard and the other crew members of La Sirena. 

I will be shocked if Agnes doesn’t steal Soong’s golem and use it to save Picard. 

Speaking of Soong, it is delightful to see Brent Spiner back as yet another iteration of the Soong/Data dynasty. Like every Soong except Data, Altan Inigo is as morally ambiguous as his predecessors. Creating a new society full of synthetic life is kind of beautiful, but his actions outside of that, and his motivations in doing so, are all questionable. 

On this episode, we also meet Soji’s face-claim and Jana’s sister, Sutra. Sutra is sultry, intelligent and morally ambiguous. She pulls the admonition out of Agnes’ mind and reveals it’s true intent. It was left by a race of synthetic life forms, not a race destroyed by them, as a promise to protect synthetic life at any cost, even the destruction of all biological life in a star system. 

Essentially the message still means the same for both sides of this battle. It’s a warning/threat to biological life, and it’s a terrifying promise to synthetic life, pitting the two against each other in an endless war that only leads to death and devastation on both sides. The true subversion of the Admonition would be to join as one, having the Federation, and all other biological life, accept synthetic life as a lifeform to be valued and cared for just like any other. 

Picard: Hope and the odds make poor bedfellows.

There’s a bit of hero-worship in regards to Data on Coppelius as many of the synths have modeled themselves to look like him. It will be interesting to see the divide in their belief system as we head into the finale? Do some of them carry the love for humanity that was so inherent in Data? Will they turn against Sutra and Soong as they call upon a god-like synthetic race to destroy their enemies?

Soji is overwhelmed and torn between two worlds as she struggles to understand which choice is the right one. Sutra takes advantage of that indecision to push her into making the choice that she wants her to make. Sutra has notes of Lore (Data’s morally grey twin), and the metaphor here extends beyond humanity, showing us that pretty much every life form has the potential to be both good or bad. 

It’s so satisfying to see Soji let Narek have it with how much she loathes him, and any feelings she once had for him. 

The final moments of this episode serve to stir your heart and mind into an absolute frenzy as our heroes are left on the wrong foot by pretty much everyone at this point. The synthetics decide to call upon the synthetic gods that left the Admonition, as the Romulans descend upon Coppelius threatening to wipe it out, while we only receive radio silence from Starfleet and the Federation. 

This sets us up perfectly for a heart-racing finale as we find our heroes at their lowest point. To see them succeed as we head into the final moments will only be made more satisfying by this momentary loss. I trust Star Trek: Picard not to let us down here. Life is full of loss but it’s deeply important to hang onto your principles, find hope where you can, and keep fighting the good fight. 

What are your hopes for the season finale of Star Trek: Picard?

Starfleet Communique:

• My fiance believes Picard’s “thank you all for coming” is him speaking at his funeral. It means something. What are your theories on this strange line?
• If the Enterprise-E (or F, what letter are they on now) shows up next week with any familiar faces, I will cry. 
  • Where is Beverly Crusher? Show me her, SHOW ME HER. 
• Y’all, I’m really sad Dahj and Data are dead. Like, really sad. 
• We NEED more Seven. Make her a major player of Star Trek: Picard or give her her own spin-off. Her story is essential right now and so compelling it could carry an entire show if we let it. 
• Do you think the synthetic big bad that left the admonition is a villain that we’ve seen before? Could it be the Iconians from Star Trek: TNG? Or Control from Star Trek: Discovery? Let me know who you think it is in the comments or if you believe this is an entirely new race to the Star Trek Universe.
• I really need Rios and Agnes to kiss again. I ship it a lot, and that goodbye scene only reignited those feelings. 
• Speaking of shipping, more Raffi/Seven, please. It’s what I deserve. 
• I do want Picard to live forever so I am pro-him becoming a synth, to be honest. I’m also pro seeing how all of his friends and loved ones react to that change in him. Because I like to cry. 
• As satisfying as it is to watch Soji verbally destroy Narek it would be even more satisfying to watch her kill him. Star Trek: Picard, do not even think about rehabilitating this man. 
• Please let the finale give me another Narissa/Seven showdown. 

What did you think of this episode of Star Trek: Picard? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Star Trek: Picard airs Thursdays on CBS All Access.

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