Warning: This Article Contains SPOILERS For Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 3 - "Seventeen Seconds"Star Trek: Picard season 3's Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut explains Ensign Sidney La Forge's friendship with the USS Titan-A's First Officer, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). As the helmsman of the Titan, Sidney is proving her mettle piloting the starship in the Ryton nebula, the dangerous expanse of space where Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) rescued Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and her son, Jack (Ed Speleers). Meanwhile, Seven of Nine was punished by her Captain, Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick), for helping Picard and Riker.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut delves into one of Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 3's pleasant surprises: Sidney La Forge has formed a friendship with Seven of Nine. Sidney and Seven's bond is one of the warm spots on Captain Shaw's business-like Titan, and Ashlei details why the First Officer and the helmsman became friends. Read her quote below:
First of all, Jeri is just phenomenal, and I mean outside of Star Trek [too]. But jumping in and finding this relationship because Seven of Nine knows, or Commander Seven as Sidney calls her, knows of Sidney's history and who her father is, and how she's trying to create a name for her own, she kind of takes her under her wing, and kind of helps Sidney realize that she can be outside of her dad's shadow, if that makes any sense, you know?
Sidney La Forge & Seven Of Nine Are Caught Up In Star Trek: Picard Season 3's Titan Chaos
Sidney La Forge's sweet friendship with Seven of Nine is a rare oasis of calm amidst the chaos on the USS Titan's bridge in Star Trek: Picard season 3. After he's injured from an attack by Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) and her heavily-armed vessel, the Shrike, Captain Shaw gave Riker command of the Titan. Meanwhile, Shaw confined his First Officer to her quarters because of her role in getting the Titan into this mess, as a result of Seven's loyalty to Picard.
When Sidney was relieved of duty, she made a beeline to "Commander Seven's" quarters to check up on her friend. Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut's behind-the-scenes revelations add a compelling layer to Sidney and Seven. The ex-Borg taking Sidney under her wing is Seven's attempt to help Ensign La Forge escape the shadow of her legendary father, Commodore Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), as well as Sidney's sister, Ensign Alandra La Forge (Mica Burton), who became an engineer like their father. After all, Seven knows something about being in the shadow of Starfleet legends herself; Seven's mentors are Admiral Picard and Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) from Star Trek: Voyager.
Sidney calling her mentor "Commander Seven" is also a balm to how Shaw insists on Seven going by her human name, Annika Hansen. After all, Sidney knows what it's like to be called a name she doesn't want, as her Starfleet Academy nickname is "Crash La Forge." Sidney's bond with Seven of Nine is definitely one to watch to see how it evolves. " Seven of Nine and Sidney La Forge are a great example of a legacy character passing the torch to TNG's next generation in Star Trek: Picard season 3.
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.