Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard Season 3With only three episodes remaining in Star Trek: Picard season 3, showrunner Terry Matalas explains to concerned fans why Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) hasn't had a substantial role in the final season thus far. Troi appeared in the flesh at the end of Picard season 3, episode 6, "The Bounty," as a prisoner of the Changeling Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer), where Deanna reunited with her husband, Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes). But Riker and Troi are absent from this week's episode, "Dominion," which led to Troi fans protesting on Twitter.
Star Trek: Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas responded on Twitter to fan complaints about the lack of Counselor Troi so far. Matalas explained the challenges Picard faced in scheduling Marina Sirtis for season 3 because the actress lives in London, and he hyped up Troi's upcoming storyline. Check out Matalas' Tweet below.
Deanna Troi Is The "Key" To Star Trek: Picard Season 3
Star Trek: Picard season 3 gradually assembled the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Terry Matalas' explanation sheds light on why Marina Sirtis' Counselor Troi hasn't had as large a role thus far. The difficulties in scheduling the large TNG cast in accordance with their availability are logical. To Star Trek: Picard season 3's credit, each TNG icon has a crucial role in the saga's overall story and the way the former crew of the USS Enterprise-D is coming together has been masterfully done as the Changelings' plot to destroy the United Federation of Planets comes to light.
Deanna Troi made two brief appearances in Star Trek: Picard season 3 via flashback and on-screen before she formally joined the story at the end of Picard episode 6, "The Bounty." Earlier this week, Matalas responded to a different fan on Twitter that Troi "may be the key" to Picard season 3's story. Given the limited amount of time Picard has with Marina Sirtis, the creative team lined up big moments for Counselor Troi so that she serves the story in a way only she can.
Given that Troi is a Betazoid with empathic abilities, Matalas' clue that Troi is "the key" points to Deanna possibly being able to help Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers). The son of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is undergoing psychic trauma, and Troi is the ideal candidate to uncover his buried secrets. That is, if Troi and Riker can reunite with their friends on the USS Titan-A in Star Trek: Picard season 3's concluding episodes.
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.