Star Trek Introduces a Deadly New Synthetic Alliance

Star Trek: Picard is about to arrive at its highly-anticipated season 1 finale, but the final chapters of the seasonal story arc have also set up a major new threat to the Star Trek universe! Picard has been built on the mystery of the synthetic race rising up against organic life in the universe - and in part 1 of the season finale, "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1", we learn that despite Jean-Luc Picard's sympathies, there was definitely a synthetic threat in the universe worth feeling, all along. No matter how the final episode of Star Trek: Picard plays out, it now seems clear that the threat of the "Synthetic Alliance" is just beginning.

Warning - Star Trek: Picard SPOILERS Follow!

In "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1", we finally get the full backstory on the Romulan shadow cult the Zhat Vash, and why they took up the mission to eliminate all synthetic life in the universe. It turns out an ancient alien culture first developed synthetic life, only to turn on their creations when synthetics evolved into an autonomous race. In turn, the synthetics eradicated that ancient world and all organics on it, before departing to a place in the universe (or beyond it?) where they could exist in safety.

The mistake the Zhat Vash made was thinking the horrific visions of "The Admonition" ceremony were a warning against the creation of synthetic lifeforms; as it turned out, the visions were meant as a beacon for synthetics who discovered it. The Admonition warns synths of the eventual genocide organics will try to unleash upon them, and invites them to join their predecessors in an "alliance of synthetic life," which now exists in a realm beyond time and space.

On the one hand, it seems like this Synthetic Alliance exists like gods, well above and beyond the understanding of mortal/organic lifeforms. However, Star Trek: Picard is quickly barreling toward a finale twist that could see Jean-Luc Picard resurrected (rebooted?) as a synthetic life form himself, free to seek out a bold new frontier: the realm of the Synthetic Alliance. One has to wonder what happens if Picard's noble human ideas of exploration and unity come into first contact with a culture synthetics that see organics as a threat that needs to be either avoided or eradicated. If Picard thought he had problems with the Borg...

Not to mention, with this Synthetic Alliance existing outside the confines of time, who knows what could be awaiting the crew of Star Trek: Discovery in the distant future?

Star Trek: Picard is now streaming on CBS All Access. New episodes are released every Thursday. Star Trek: Discovery will return for season 3 later this year.

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