Why Brent Spiner’s Star Trek: Picard character didn’t get a special poster

Last month, Star Trek: Picard released special posters for eight characters

Eight of the characters who would be appearing in the final season of Star Trek: Picard debuted on special posters last month. Five of those were from Star Trek: The Next Generation and three from Picard. But there was one missing from The Next Generation crew. Even though Brent Spiner is confirmed to be a part of the third season of the series, his character didn’t have a poster.

Picard showrunner, Terry Matalas, when appearing on TrekMovie’s All Access Star Trek podcast, offered an explanation that raised more questions. But he specified that if a poster was shown, fans would have a thousand more questions.

"Brent’s character is specifically tied into the plot and the mythology in ways that if you were to show a poster, you would have a thousand more questions. And I think you want to earn it. But he plays a new old character that you have seen and never seen before. it’s, we think, a great way to do this that honors what has come before yet treads new ground."

Star Trek: Picard fans need to brace for more mysteries.

Brent Spiner’s mystery character is just as much of a mystery as the new villain who will be the season-long nemesis for Admiral Picard, his crew, and the returning Enteprise crew from Star Trek: The Next Generation. While the foe is being kept under wraps is a bit more understandable than Spiner’s elusive part, but Matalas insists we’ll understand when we see him and get to konw him.

"The answers to your questions are better told in the context of the story than to say, “And now everybody, here is a link to who this character is.” That plays out. And for those who have seen the season, they’re like, “I’m really glad I learned it this way and not the other way.”… If you see him now and got a name, there’s too many questions tied to “Okay, so who is that now?” Whereas, even as its unfolding and you’re introduced to this character, you’re not quite sure. And then as you learn more about this character, you understand that the answer is not so clear for a bit."

So essentially, it’s a wait and see prospect, but it does make us ask dozens of questions like how can he be a new and old character, one that we’ve seen and never seen before? And why will we be glad we waited to learn his identity? If we’re not going to be sure about him when he’s introduced, does that mean we wouldn’t recognize him on a poster? Is he another Singh? A version of Data? Has B-4 returned? Or is this just a riddle?

The questions could be endless, but they won’t do us any good as it’s clear we’re just going to have to be patient, something most Star Trek fans are well known for.