Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard Season 3Due to the high-stakes events of Star Trek: Picard season 3, it's no surprise that Starfleet saw fit to promote many of the Star Trek: The Next Generation era officers who were involved with foiling the Borg/Changeling plot against Frontier Day. Even the USS Titan-A earned a promotion to flagship of the fleet by being rechristened the USS Enterprise-G in the final moments of the Picard season 3 finale. The Titan was put through the wringer in season 3; it was infiltrated by the Changelings, hijacked by Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer), and assimilated by the Borg Collective. With so many threats to contend with, it was lucky that the Titan had a vast crew of Starfleet legends aboard.
There was a revolving door of Titan captains in Star Trek: Picard season 3 to deal with these multiple threats, and one of those field promotions finally became permanent at the end of the series. The events of Picard season 3 saw a couple of Starfleet outliers commended for their valor with substantial promotions setting up future Star Trek adventures. Here's every character who received a promotion before, during, and after the events of Star Trek: Picard season 3.
11 Lt. Commander Worf Promoted To Captain Worf
Star Trek: Picard season 3 revealed that the USS Enterprise-D's former security officer Lt. Commander. Worf (Michael Dorn) had finally been made a Captain. Captain Worf was working with Starfleet Intelligence at the start of Picard season 3, where he investigated the theft from Daystrom Station. As the season progressed, it was confirmed that Worf was Captain of the USS Enterprise-E, although his command of the starship led to the destruction or disappearance of the Federation's flagship. Whatever actually happened, Worf retained the title of Captain, and the details of the Enterprise's fateful last mission remain highly classified in Starfleet's records.
10 Lieutenant Ro Laren Promoted To Commander Ro Laren
Introduced as a Starfleet Ensign, Lieutenant Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) betrayed Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) for the Maquis because, having lived under Cardassian rule, she believed in their cause. Star Trek: Picard season 3 revealed that Ro eventually handed herself in to the authorities, served her time, and returned to active service within Starfleet. As a Commander in Starfleet Intelligence, Ro uncovered the Changeling infiltration of Starfleet and oversaw Worf and Commander Raffi Musiker's (Michelle Hurd) mission to reveal the truth. Ro entrusted her former mentor, Jean-Luc, with the information they'd uncovered and sacrificed her life so that he and the crew of the Titan could stop the Changelings.
9 Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge Promoted To Commodore Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: The Next Generation's Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) became the latest recipient of Star Trek's Commodore rank in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Tasked with supervising the Athan Prime Fleet Museum, Geordi was responsible for the care and upkeep of some of the most legendary Starfleet ships. Commodore La Forge was incredibly protective of his ships, infuriated that Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) had stolen the cloaking device from his Klingon Bird-of-Prey. Geordi's increased responsibilities and access to the fleet allowed him to secretly work on the restoration of the USS Enterprise-D, a project which would ultimately save the entire Starfleet armada during Frontier Day.
8 Commander Shelby Promoted To Admiral Elizabeth Shelby
Commander Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) was the Borg expert who clashed with Captain William T Riker (Jonathan Frakes) during Star Trek: The Next Generation's iconic season 3 finale, "The Best of Both Worlds". The driven and ambitious Shelby has leapfrogged Riker, becoming the Starfleet Admiral whose speech kicks off the Frontier Day celebrations. Shelby became a Captain, as seen in Star Trek: Lower Decks, and rose to Admiral in Picard season 3. In a dark irony, Riker's hated TNG rival, a tactician who studied the Borg Collective, failed to foresee the problems of Starfleet's Borg-like Fleet Formation Mode, leading to her tragic death at the hands of her assimilated crew.
7 Lt. Commander Tuvok Promoted To Captain Tuvok
Star Trek: Voyager's Lt. Commander Tuvok (Tim Russ) was one of the allies that Commander Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) reached out to in Star Trek: Picard season 3. It was revealed that Tuvok had received a promotion to Captain, and was being impersonated by a Changeling. Tuvok was previously promoted to Commander in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3. Tuvok's responsibilities and his access to Starfleet Intelligence reports suggest he continues to work within the field of Starfleet Security. After Captain Tuvok was freed from incarceration by the Changelings, he had the honor of promoting Seven to Captain of what would eventually become the USS Enterprise-G.
6 Commander Seven Of Nine Promoted To Captain Seven Of Nine
Seven of Nine's long journey to acceptance by the wider Starfleet organization was finally completed by her promotion to Captain in Star Trek: Picard season 3. It's a promotion that makes perfect sense following the events of Frontier Day, which saw the entire next generation of Starfleet assimilated by the Borg. As a former Borg drone herself, Seven of Nine is the ideal figure to lead this new generation from the captain's chair aboard the USS Enterprise-G. Most touchingly of all, even Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) could see the considerable potential of Seven as the person to drive Starfleet forward.
5 Commander Raffi Musiker Promoted To First Officer Of The USS Enterprise-G
Captain Seven of Nine's choice of Number One on the newly-christened Enterprise-G was Commander Raffi Musiker, making them the first-ever LGBTQ+ Star Trek Captain and First Officer. Raffi's dedication to Starfleet and the salvation of the universe had driven a wedge between her and her family. However, thanks to Captain Worf, her son now realizes how heroic his mother truly is, allowing Raffi to reconcile her issues with Starfleet. Having also received spiritual counsel from the more centered Worf, Raffi should be an invaluable First Officer to Captain Seven.
4 Jack Crusher Promoted To Ensign Crusher
Taking the third seat on the Enterprise bridge is Jack Crusher, the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden). Jack's fulfilling the role of "special counselor to the captain" on the new Enterprise, which is a fitting evolution of the friendship he's formed with Seven over Star Trek: Picard season 3. Jack Crusher's fast-track Starfleet career is partly thanks to his friendship with Captain Seven of Nine, but it's likely a product of nepotism; thanks to his legendary parents.
3 Dr. Beverly Crusher Promoted To Admiral Beverly Crusher
Dr. Beverly Crusher was the beating heart of Star Trek: Picard season 3, having spent 20 years outside Starfleet to protect her son, Jack. After her incredible work during Picard season 3, Beverly was welcomed back following the events of Frontier Day. In Riker's log following the defeat of the Borg Queen (Alice Krige), he confirms that Dr. Beverly Crusher was promoted to Admiral and head of Starfleet Medical. Admiral Crusher was responsible for reversing the damage done to Starfleet's transporter code, removing the Borg DNA that had infected every Starfleet Officer under 25. Beverly had also pioneered a new way to root out the evolved Changelings that had infiltrated Starfleet, averting further disaster.
2 Data Promoted To Flesh And Blood Synthetic Humanoid
The resurrection of Data (Brent Spiner) into one of Dr. Altan Inigo Soong's synthetic golems is an existential promotion for Star Trek: The Next Generation's beloved android. Although he's finally able to experience the full range of human emotions and foibles, Data's promotion was hard-fought. In a battle of wills with Data's evil brother Lore - whose consciousness was also stored inside the golem - the two androids finally became one. In absorbing Lore, Data became more passionate and snarkier than his previous self, standing up to Captain Vadic by calling her a "monologuing protoplasm" and delightedly piloting the Enterprise-D into the very heart of the Borg Cube.
1 Dead Q Promoted To Alive Q
In a shocking end-credits scene in the Star Trek: Picard season 3 finale, Q (John de Lancie) returned from the dead. Q did chide Jack Crusher for thinking "so linearly" suggesting that Q's death in Picard season 2 wasn't finite, or perhaps it hasn't even happened yet. Either way, Q has the son of Jean-Luc Picard firmly in his sights, warning Ensign Crusher that his "trial is just beginning". Now that Q is back, it seems that the various promotions across Star Trek: Picard season 3 have put Starfleet in a better position to deal with the omnipotent being's future machinations.
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 is available to stream on Paramount+.