When Star Trek: Picard wrapped its third and final season, it didn't just close a chapter—it gave Patrick Stewart the send-off he deserved. Showrunner Terry Matalas, the man tasked with steering Jean-Luc Picard's last voyage, recently opened up about the emotional weight of that responsibility. Speaking with Collider's Michael Zimmerman at the finale event for his new Marvel series VisionQuest in New York City, Matalas shared what it meant to bring Stewart's iconic captain home one last time.
Stewart first returned to the role in 2020 after nearly two decades away from the Star Trek universe, following 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis. But it was season 3 that truly delivered the reunion fans had been clamoring for. The entire Star Trek: The Next Generation bridge crew—LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner—assembled alongside Stewart for a final, galaxy-threatening showdown with their oldest enemy: the Borg. To save the day, they even resurrected the original USS Enterprise-D, complete with a meticulously recreated bridge set that had fans cheering.
For Matalas, a lifelong Trekkie who started his Hollywood journey as a production assistant on The Next Generation and later worked as an associate producer on Voyager and Enterprise, the opportunity was nothing short of a dream. "I was honored to be a part of it. I was honored to be able to send that character off," he told Collider. "For me, we left him where I wanted to last see him, with his friends at that poker table, who are, in real life, dear friends and family in all the ways. I'm so thrilled that we were able to do it."
That final poker scene was a direct nod to the closing moments of The Next Generation's acclaimed series finale, "All Good Things...," where Picard finally joined his crew's regular game. It was a quiet, character-driven beat that resonated far more than any explosion could—a testament to the bond between these characters and the actors who brought them to life.
Matalas' affection for the franchise runs deep, and his work on Picard season 3 was a love letter to everything that came before. From the return of the Enterprise-D to the emotional beats between Picard and his former crew, the season served as both a victory lap and a heartfelt goodbye. And while Stewart's time as the captain may have ended, his legacy—and the friendships forged on set—will endure.
As for Matalas, he's already moved on to new frontiers. His latest project, VisionQuest, continues the story of the reconstructed android Vision (Paul Bettany) as he seeks to rebuild his life with the help of other artificial intelligences, including his "father," Ultron (James Spader). The series also features Todd Stashwick as the bounty hunter Paladin and T'Nia Miller as rogue robot Jocasta, with Ruaridh Mollica playing a superpowered teen who may be Vision's son. For more on that, check out our coverage of the VisionQuest finale and WandaVision reunion.
But even as he ventures into the MCU, Matalas hasn't forgotten where he came from. His tribute to Stewart and the Next Generation crew is a reminder of why Star Trek has endured for nearly six decades: it's not just about exploring strange new worlds, but about the family you make along the way. And for Picard, that family will always be waiting at the poker table.
