Here's how Star Trek: Picard could be setting up Seven of Nine as a season 2 villain. First introduced in Star Trek: Voyager, Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine immediately became a fan favorite, and though she was partially recruited to inject sex appeal, the character offered so much more to the Star Trek franchise. The central concept of a recovering Borg takes its cues from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but goes further by entrusting Seven with a position on the Voyager's crew. This battle between human and Borg has underpinned Jeri Ryan's cybernetic science officer for the past 24 years.
Born Annika Hansen, "Seven of Nine" was created when the Borg assimilated her entire family of Federation scientists. After years in the Borg Collective, Seven was sent onto the Voyager, initially as part of a joint effort to defeat Species 8472 but, fortunately, Janeway and the crew devised a plan to sever Seven's Borg connection when the partnership turned sour. From there, Seven of Nine would gradually regain her humanity and become a trusted face aboard the ship, riding the Voyager all the way to Earth. As revealed in Star Trek: Picard, she later became a Fenris Ranger, before joining Jean-Luc's merry band of misfits aboard La Sirena.
Since Jeri Ryan made her grand return to Star Trek in 2020, Seven of Nine has been a model sci-fi hero - violent and ruthless when the occasion calls for it, but guided by morality and showing barely any of that early Borg callousness. Based on the footage seen in Star Trek: Picard's season 2 trailer, however, Seven of Nine may not stay that way for long.
The Timeline Has Gone Wrong In Star Trek: Picard Season 2
Star Trek: Picard's season 2 trailer certainly leaves plenty to the imagination, but fans can piece together a broad idea of the threat Jean-Luc and co. will be facing this time around. Q has returned, which is rarely a good sign, and whether by his hand or otherwise, the Star Trek timeline has been disturbed. Picard is, strangely, back on his Earth vineyard despite resolving to live his twilight years more adventurously at the end of season 1, and he's left wondering "what the hell is happening" as events don't quite add up. As a voice-over reveals "time has been broken," the trailer reveals shots of Rios wearing an unusual Starfleet badge, Elnor and Raffi running scared through a post-apocalyptic city, and Picard promising he'll get everyone home safely.
Evidently, something or someone is playing havoc with the timeline, creating an alternate reality which Picard and his friends are fully aware isn't right. Of course, it's the former Enterprise captain trying to restore order, fix the timeline, and save the galaxy once again, and the trailer proves he'll have help from at least some of his Star Trek: Picard pals... but perhaps not all of them.
Seven Of Nine Has A Reason To Oppose Picard
As Forrest Gump more or less said, altering the time-space continuum is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get. From the trailer, it appears Jean-Luc might've been dumped back into the frustrated, miserable existence he was enduring before Star Trek: Picard season 1. Rios was famously cynical of Starfleet after a bad experience with a former captain, so he surely won't be pleased that the new timeline has re-enrolled him. The badge's unusual markings might even suggest some kind of Mirror Universe evil Starfleet, which is even less his cup of tea. Essentially, no one appears to be having a good time, and the gang probably can't wait for Picard to set things right.
In this new reality, however, Seven of Nine looks to have landed on her feet. To begin with, her remaining Borg implants are gone - either because the new timeline has better technology to remove them, or because she never became a Borg in the first place. Seven (or, indeed, Annika) is also in a loving relationship and lives in a plush home full of personal mementos. This level of personal fulfillment and comfort Seven of Nine hasn't experienced since she was six years old. After assimilation, Seven has moved from one battle to another, whether that be for the Borg, for Voyager, as a vigilante, or against the Zhat Vash. Personal relationships have been hard to come by, with Star Trek: Voyager's Chakotay old news and Seven's family history checkered with tragic deaths.
While Picard and the others will be only too keen to restore the timeline, Seven of Nine might try to pump the breaks on that plan. The temptation to live in a world where the assimilation (and every moment of resulting horror and death) never happened is surely too great to pass up without a fight, and this could put Seven in direct opposition to Picard's team. Jean-Luc would be working to fix reality, and Seven would be there every step of the way to stop him.
Seven Won't Be Season 2's Main Villain
The path is open for Seven of Nine to become an antagonist in Star Trek: Picard season 2, and she'll undoubtedly present some formidable opposition. But her surprised reaction proves Seven has no idea how she ended up in these unfamiliar (yet excellently decorated) surroundings. This suggests that Seven retains all of her Borg knowledge, her Starfleet strategy, and her battle experience - something Picard's group will struggle to overcome if Jeri Ryan's character decides to get serious.
Seven of Nine might be an obstacle on the road to saving the day, but she won't necessarily be the main antagonist of Star Trek: Picard season 2. Just as her reaction to waking up in a comfy bed shows that Seven remembers the original timeline, it also confirms she had nothing to do with damaging it. The true villain of Star Trek: Picard's sophomore run is probably the entity responsible for messing up reality, with Q perhaps making himself known because he wants to help, rather than because he's to blame.
The key to defeating this hidden enemy and pinging history back on its intended course could be convincing Seven of Nine to fight for the good guys, rather than against them. Compelling the ex-Borg to leave her idyllic new reality and return to a life of pain, hardship and cybernetic implants will be a tough task, but if anyone can do it, Jean-Luc Picard can.
How Star Trek: Picard Season 1 Set Up Seven's Turn
Though Seven of Nine has been a staunch ally to Patrick Stewart thus far, her turn toward villainy traces back to Star Trek: Picard's debut season. The moral message behind Picard's 2020 solo adventure was acknowledging synths like Data, Dahj and Soji are sentient life forms with basic rights and freedoms. The Federation has outlawed cyborgs completely when the series begins, while a secretive Romulan cabal holds them responsible for the future destruction of the galaxy. With Data's kin enduring such rampant discrimination, it fell to Jean-Luc Picard to prove synths deserved recognition. He succeeded - and good job too, since the veteran admiral became one himself soon after.
That overriding theme of harmony between organic beings and synths carries over nicely into Seven of Nine struggling to let go of her life in the dream-like altered timeline. In Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard season 1, Seven seemed accepting of her remaining connection to the Borg Collective, but experiencing a life free of all implants would almost certainly test that resolve. Picard could ultimately win his friend over by convincing her that returning to her old life as an ex-Borg doesn't mean Seven of Nine can't find the same personal and emotional fulfillment that she's tasting in Star Trek: Picard season 2's mysterious new reality.