Nerds That Geek Comic Book Review – ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Countdown #3

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Sometimes, the ending of a particular story, overshadows everything. Simply because, the audience expects the finale to offer us some important answers, the kind that help us to understand the state of a particular character or the universe in which they inhabit, and it is most certainly safe to say that the ending of IDW Publishing’s Star Trek: Picard Countdown series meets this qualification. Because every Trekker/Trekkie out there was wondering what the ending of this prequel was going to teach us about Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and if the events at this remote colony would serve as a paramount reason as to why he left the service to live a quiet and private life, making wine for the rest of his days. But the sheer fact that this comic came out a week after the premiere of the highly anticipated show, certainly changed the audience’s expectations when it comes to this story.
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For now, we know the exact reason why Picard chose to resign his commission and the direct reason isn’t featured in Countdown #3. So, what then does this comic have to offer the audience that is new and exciting and enthralling? Well, first and foremost, be warned, there are some spoilers ahead for the series. So, if you haven’t watched ‘Remembrance’, it’s best you quit reading now. But for those of us who have started the journey on CBS All Access, let’s continue. For as it turns out, this particular comic sets up a grand tragedy in many ways, one that allows for the reader to fully understand why Starfleet’s decision to withdraw from the Romulan rescue broke Picard’s spirits and his belief in what the Federation stand for. Because the final showdown between Governor Shiana and Picard accomplished the impossible; it brought true understanding between the Federation and the Romulan Empire at last.

Granted, it took a little while to get to that point. Because once Picard and his new allies Laris and Zhaban were able to retake the U.S.S. Verity, new problems arose, and all of them involved the Tal Shiar. For their grandiose plot to destroy the ship and likely kill Picard was revealed, and this twisted plan was grounded in the fact that there were still elements within the Empire that didn’t trust the Federation in the slightest. Who saw them as conquerors and that this quest to save the people of the Empire was a prelude to slavery and well… what made this part of the story so fascinating is that Zhaban had quite the important choice to make. For he followed his secret orders to take command of the Verity, an act that immediately jeopardized the fate of countless lives and the future of this tentative peace between two ancient enemies. 

But thankfully, Zhaban’s actions were not done in malice, but to prove a point. Because he had the audience of both his superiors and representatives of the Empire, and he made it clear that perhaps it was indeed time for th Empire to walk a different path Not because the future of the Empire was paramount above all things. But because after years of hostilities and posturing, Picard’s kindness and genuine desire to save Romulan lives, made Zhaban realize that perhaps there was a better way. That all of this mistrust and fury was woefully misplaced and that perhaps, there could be genuine peace and prosperity between these two galactic nations after all. And so, he returned control of the Verity to Picard, who let Geordi know that the evacuation plan was still in play, and that the future would be in good hands and that is a heartbreaking way to end this comic.

For in the end it was not fine in the slightest and that is why this finale is a grand tragedy. Because had Starfleet and the Federation not given into fear and stepped away from their ideals, there could have been genuine peace across the galaxy, complete with a new ally for both sides. But instead, Picard was robbed of that happy ending and his efforts to broker peace at last and save lives were all for naught and that, along with the horror of watching countless lives perish in the Hobus Supernova are clearly additional contributing factors that bring him to the low point we see him at in the series. And while this comic series did not offer the exact answer for Picard’s exit from Starfleet, having a grand understanding of the finer and more emotional points of his decision, will definitely give the series a new dynamic when we settle in to watch it, and that makes this prequel series, supremely worth your while. 

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