Star Trek: Picard: Who Is Seven of Nine?

Today’s episode of Star Trek: Picard sees Jean-Luc Picard and his new, ragtag crew leaving earth and visiting the Romulan refugee community on the planet Vashti. While getting there is easy enough, they need a little help getting away. That help comes from a fan-favorite Star Trek character. Seven of Nine will be familiar to any fan of Star Trek: Voyager. For those who didn’t transition to that series after the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation, or maybe lost track before its fourth season, Seven of Nine will be someone new. We’re here to get you up to speed.

Jeri Ryan made her debut as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager‘s fourth season premiere, “Scorpion, Part 2.” In the episode, Voyager‘s Captain Janeway made a deal with the Borg in order to pass through their territory in the Delta Quadrant. Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One was sent to Voyager to communicate on behalf of the collective. After their alliance came to an end, Seven attempted to assimilate Voyager‘s crew. The crew manages to sever her connection to the collective. In the following episode, The Doctor removes most of Seven of Nine’s Borg implants, revealing the human beneath.

In later episodes, the crew learns that Seven of Nine — or just “Seven,” as she allows herself to be called — was born Annika Hansen to two scientists who were studying early Borg activity back before the Federation had knowledge of who the Borg were. When Annika was four-years-old, her family was given permission to use the USS Raven to follow leads about this mysterious species’ activities. But they got too close. The Borg found them and assimilated them. Annika became Seven of Nine and lived as a Borg drone for years.

While aboard the Voyager during its journey home, Seven readjusted to life among humans and other individuals, though it took time. Seven had several more showdowns with the Borg, including facing off with the Borg Queen who has kept her father as a personal drone. The Borg Queen claimed that Seven regaining her individuality is all part of a plan to assimilate more humans. Seven was rescued by the Voyager crew, with Seven and Janeway stealing technology that put Voyager 15 years closer to home.

Seven formed a bond with The Doctor, Voyager’s holographic medical officer, as the two of them both felt like outsiders among the crew at times. He helped her learn human etiquette and tried to mentor her in her romantic pursuits, though without much success. Seven was later put in charge of the ship’s newly-built astrometric lab. She also became a mentor to a “mini-collective” of children that had been assimilated by the Borg, but that underwent the same de-assimilation process as she did upon being found by Voyager.

Seven of Nine remained aboard Voyager until it made it’s way back to Earth. We don’t know what happened to her after that other than that she, at some point, joined a group called the Fenris Rangers that helps keep the galaxy safe in areas that aren’t well-policed by established factions. We also know through ComicBook.com’s interview with Jeri Ryan ahead of Picard‘s premiere that this episode’s final scene is Seven’s first meeting with Jean-Luc Picard.

“We can’t tell you a lot, but I can tell you that is the first time we meet,” Ryan said. “They know each other by reputation before. So this is the first time they actually meet face-to-face. But beyond what I already said, I can’t tell you much more than that.”

Are you excited about Seven of Nine’s role in Star Trek: Picard? Let us know in the comments. New episodes of Star Trek: Picard debut Thursdays on CBS All Access.

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