LeVar Burton says he can walk away from Star Trek satisfied now

Star Trek: Picard has given a gift to many Star Trek actors, including LeVar Burton.

LeVar Burton, the uber-talented actor who brought Geordi La Forge to life beginning on Star Trek: The Next Generation, wasn’t expecting to return to the character. In fact, according to an interview with Indiewire, he thought “the opportunity to close the circle” had long passed the crew of the Enterprise.

So putting on the gold uniform and guest-starring in Star Trek: Picard alongside his former colleagues and his daughter was an unexpected gift, especially since Burton says the Star Trek: The Next Generation crew didn’t know Star Trek: Nemesis was going to be their last film. Because of that, there wasn’t really an opportunity to wrap things up with the characters.

"“We went into this thinking this is the chance to close the circle that we didn’t get decades ago, right? We didn’t know that our last film was going to be our last film. And so this is an unexpected gift. And yeah, I feel like I can absolutely walk away satisfied, really satisfied. I feel full.”"

That doesn’t mean LeVar Burton wouldn’t be happy to see the characters continue.

The award-winning actor acknowledges that the third season of Picard has shown the actors that the fans don’t want to let go, especially of this new cast of the next generation. Not that we ever wanted to let go of the previous cast, either, as most of us believe that The Next Generation had many more seasons left in it. Either way, though, Burton is fine with this being the end of the his time in the uniform.

"“And the response to this season of ‘Picard’ has been clamorous in its affirmation that this is pretty special TV. They don’t want to let go of this new cast of the next generation of ‘The Next Generation.’ And so, one never knows, do one? I’m absolutely fine with this being the end.”"

But he’s just as fine with it not being the end of Commodore Geordi La Forge, too.

"“And if it isn’t, that’d be cool too.”"

With the amazing success of this season of Picard, fans can only hope that this isn’t the end of any of these legacy characters or the new ones who’ve really made a home for themselves in the universe.