Star Trek: Picard’s Story Continues In Second Self

Star Trek: Picard‘s story continues past its first season finale in a new novel by Uma McCormack, who wrote Stat Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope. Unlike McCormack’s previous Star Trek: Picard novel, and the upcoming Rios-led novel Rogue Elements, Second Self takes place after Star Trek: Picard‘s first season. The novel focuses on Raffi Musiker, Jean-Luc Picard’s right-hand woman during the Romulan evacuation process, who lost her way for a while after that project ended unceremoniously. Now that her fears about Romulan involvement in the attack on the Planitia Utopia shipyard over Mars, once dismissed as a conspiracy theory, have been validated, Raffi is ready to begin a new chapter in her life.

Star Trek: Picard: Second Self will release in 2022, as will Star Trek: Picard’s second season. Here’s the synopsis for the novel:

“A thrilling untold adventure based on the acclaimed Star Trek: Picard TV series! Following the explosive events seen in season one of Star Trek: Picard, Raffi Musiker finds herself torn between returning to her old life as a Starfleet Intelligence officer or something a little more tame—teaching at the Academy, perhaps. The decision is made for her though when a message from an old contact—a Romulan spy—is received, asking for immediate aid. With the help of Cristobal Rios and Dr. Agnes Jurati, and assistance from Jean-Luc Picard, Raffi decides to take on this critical mission—and quickly learns that past sins never stay buried. Finding the truth will be complicated, and deadly….”

McCormack has written 10 previous Star Trek novels: The Lotus Flower, Hollow Men, The Never-Ending Sacrifice, Brinkmanship, The Missing, The Fall: The Crimson Shadow, Enigma Tales, Discovery: The Way to the Stars, Picard: The Last Best Hope, and, most recently, Discovery: Wonderlands. She’s also authored five Doctor Who novels and many other short stories and audio dramas.

It should be interesting to see how Raffi’s adventure in Second Self bridges the gap between Star Trek: Picard‘s first and second seasons. Fans may remember that Raffi appeared to be entering a romantic relationship with Seven of Nine in the final episode of Picard‘s first season. It’s unclear how much that will be covered in Second Self. One of Picard‘s producers confirmed that season two would go into more depth on their relationship.

Paramount+ released a new trailer for Star Trek: Picard‘s second season to celebrate “Captain Picard Day” in June. The trailer offered the first look at Q’s return and teased the season as an adventure through time and alternate versions of reality.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments. Star Trek: Picard: Second Self goes on sale on April 26, 2022.