Somehow Star Trek: Picard fumbled the potential return for Chakotay

Somehow Star Trek: Picard fumbled the potential return for Chakotay

As a gamer who has spent countless hours navigating the vast cosmos of Star Trek, I must admit, the prospect of Robert Beltran returning to the franchise was initially intriguing. However, upon learning that his character, Chakotay, would have been transformed into a villain in Star Trek: Picard‘s second season, my excitement quickly turned sour.


Previously, we discussed the rumor that Robert Beltran might reappear in the Star Trek universe through a live-action project. To clarify, as reported by the actor who played Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager, Beltran was slated to come back to the franchise for Star Trek: Picard’s second season. However, before his anticipated return in Star Trek: Prodigy, he was questioned about reprising his role for Picard.

In this alternate scenario, Chakotay would make a reappearance, but with an unexpected change – he would become the antagonist. It’s fortunate for fans that this wouldn’t be our familiar, gentle Prime Chakotay, who served as Captain Kathryne Janeway’s loyal second-in-command for seven years. Instead, we’re talking about a darker, more malevolent version of him, resembling the characters from the Mirror Universe. This altered Chakotay would be married to Seven of Nine and would exhibit a cruel demeanor.

Fortunately, Beltran recognized the flaws in this proposal and declined it. Returning to his old team with the popular series “Prodigy,” he plays a pivotal role in Kathryne Janeway’s quest to find her friend Chakoktay, who has been lost in time and space. In “Prodigy,” Beltran sets events in motion that lead Janeway to encounter the Protostar’s crew, as she searches for her beloved friend.

In the second season, we delve deeper into his past and understand why he became lost. It was a fascinating process to unfold this narrative. Fans were thrilled with his portrayal in the animated series, and Beltran himself seems to prefer this new direction, expressing his appreciation on Twitter (as reported by Slashfilm and Redshirts).

Star Trek: Prodigy’ offers a Chakotay that I AM enthusiastic about.””

In essence, it boils down to this: It’s obvious he’d choose Prodigy over other options! Why wouldn’t he? He gets the chance to embody a character crafted by enthusiasts of the series, who aim to expand the fanbase. All Picard seems to yearn for is spinning tales suitable for season one of The Next Generation, but without the warmth, affection, or dedication that we once had.

To put it simply, many beloved characters from previous series were poorly handled in Star Trek: Picard, often being stripped of their original identities for dramatic effect that seemed more like a cheap ploy than genuine development. The number of secondary and tertiary characters who held special places in fans’ hearts but were either degraded or killed off is substantial and discussing each instance wouldn’t be productive. It’s clear that Captain Chakotay, played by Robert Beltran, would have suffered a similar fate if he had appeared in Picard.

Since the series usually operated in a specific way, wouldn’t it be logical that Beltran and Chakotay also followed suit?

We’re pleased that he chose Prodigy over Picard, because it means Chakotay will have a long-awaited continuation of his character story, which we can’t wait to witness if there’s a possible third season ahead.

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2024-10-15 01:23

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