Deanna Troi and William T. Riker’s decision to have children in Star Trek: Picard is set up in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2. Riker and Troi’s relationship is the stuff of Star Trek legend, beginning in TNG, season 1, episode 1, “Encounter at Farpoint,” and continuing through Picard. The movie Star Trek: Nemesis reveals that they are married, so their having teenage children 20 years later isn’t exactly shocking. How this decision comes about, at least for Troi, can be traced back to before her relationship with Riker became official.
Troi’s journey to motherhood in Picard begins in TNG season 2, episode 1, “The Child.” In one of the more touching episodes of TNG, a life force entity wants to know what it is like to be human. To that end, it impregnates Troi and is born as a male child. Troi names him Ian Alexander, after her father. Ian rapidly goes from an infant to a four-year-old and finally an eight-year-old, which is when he dies. Troi experiences grief at Ian’s death but also fulfillment in being Ian’s mother. This experience undoubtedly influences her later decision to have Kestra and Thaddeus (Thad) with Riker in Picard.
What Happened When Troi Became A Mother In TNG Season 2
Troi’s reaction to having a child in TNG, even temporarily, is profound. She defends her right to be the one to decide to continue the pregnancy and becomes a loving, protective, and attentive mother. She encourages Ian to play and learn and comforts him when he is hurt. However, Ian soon realizes he is the cause of a brewing emergency on the ship and tells Troi he has to leave for the good of everyone on board. Troi realizes he means he is going to die and is immediately grief-stricken over his act of self-sacrifice. Despite this, it is clear that Troi has more fond memories of the experience than sad ones. Troi learns from this unique trial run and realizes that, despite her sadness, she wants children in the future.
Why Troi & Riker As Parents Is So Important To Picard Season 3
20 years on from TNG, Picard shows Troi and Riker living with their family on the planet Nepenthe. They have two children together, but only one lives when Picard visits. Their son, Thaddeus, has died of mendaxic neurosclerosis, which is curable with the help of a positronic matrix. Unfortunately, all synthetic lifeforms, research, and related technology is illegal at the time. This includes positronic matrices. It turns out that Commander Oh, the director of Starfleet security, is a secret member of a society called Zhat Vash, which is dedicated to wiping out all synthetic life at any cost. The cost is millions of lives in an attack on Mars, as well as the life of Thaddeus Riker-Troi.
Riker’s decision to come out of retirement to aid Picard in apprehending villain Commodore Oh at the end of Picard season 1 may be motivated just as much by a desire to get justice for his son as it is by loyalty to Picard. The last viewers see Riker, he is chasing Oh and the Zhat Vash across the galaxy. It will be interesting to see what happens when he catches up to the people responsible for his son’s death.
Regardless of how it happens, the next generation of the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation will factor heavily into the last season of Picard. Perhaps Kestra Riker-Troi will combine forces with Geordie’s daughters in Picard season 3. However it happens, the Riker-Troi children will have a role to play. After all, they were conceived of more than 20 years before the events of Star Trek: Picard. It would be illogical to show them briefly in the first season and then never see or hear from them again.
