Warning! Spoilers for Season 2 Episode 9 of Star Trek: Picard
Star Trek: Picard star Jeri Ryan confirms that her character, Seven of Nine, will return to the series for its third and final season. Ryan originally played the role on Star Trek: Voyager for four seasons from 1997 to 2001. She subsequently joined the cast of Star Trek: Picard in a recurring capacity in the first season before being promoted to series regular for season 2.
Star Trek: Picard follows Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart,) protagonist of Star Trek: The Next Generation, as he's called out of retirement 20 years after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis. Seven of Nine appears as a member of the Fenris Rangers after the events of Voyager, in which she was de-assimilated from the Borg collective, a race of cybernetic organisms linked through a hive mind. Star Trek: Picard season 3 will also see the return of many of the cast members from The Next Generation.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan confirms that she will return for the show's final season. In the most recent episode, "Hide and Seek," Seven is mortally wounded while fighting the Borg Queen, with the Queen then deciding to save her life by re-adding her to the collective and then fleeing to the Delta Quadrant. Ryan confirms not only that she'll return, but says that the last episodes will be a worthy sendoff to all the old characters and that fans won't be disappointed by the scope of the narrative. Read her quote below:
Yes, you’ll see Seven again, I can tell you that. I think the fans will not be disappointed. The season is huge, and it is a very worthy sendoff for all of these characters.
Though it's unsurprising Seven will return to Star Trek: Picard, the real twist is having her reassimilated to the species she spent decades trying to move on from. To completely forget about the character when she's at the biggest dramatic development of her arc would be nonsensical. The big question is how the writers will resolve Seven's storyline in the remaining episodes.
Seven of Nine was one of the strongest parts of Star Trek: Voyager, with her journey of learning to become human again being one of the most fascinating character arcs in the entirety of the Star Trek franchise. To forget about the character now would be a disservice, and given the cliffhanger the writers of Star Trek: Picard left fans on, it's clear there are big developments in store for the show's climax. Star Trek: Picard is sure to go out with a bang, and Seven of Nine will be a key factor in that resolution.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter