Star Trek: Prodigy Almost Featured Patrick Stewart's Picard In Its Series Finale

Published Oct 30, 2026, 5:07 PM EDT Jennifer is a TV and Movie News Editor at ScreenRant. She started her journey in entertainment media in 2022 when she first joined Valnet at CBR before coming to ScreenRant. Jennifer loves TV, especially science fiction. She also loves late-night talk shows, due to her insomnia. Alien: Earth is definitely one of her favorite shows, and she jumps on any chance she gets to write about it. Even on her days off, she will claim an Alien Earth article if one is available. Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon are two of her favorite late-night hosts, and Conan O'Brien before he left his show. Her Alien: Earth coverage for ScreenRant is by far the work that she is most proud of so far. She was initially a finance and political editor, but her passion for pop culture convinced her to transition into entertainment journalism. During her off time, she loves to binge-watch cooking shows such as Kitchen Nightmares. Jennifer also loves spending time with her daughter and cherishes every moment of it. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Star Trek: Prodigy's finale almost featured Patrick Stewart's beloved character. Stewart first portrayed Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which premiered in 1987. Throughout the show's run, the actor established the character as one of science fiction's most iconic characters. He reprised the role in four movies before returning for Star Trek: Picard, which debuted in 2020 and ended after three seasons in 2023. The final season also brought back several actors from The Next Generation. According to the writer and executive producer. Aaron J. Waltke, Star Trek: Prodigy nearly included an appearance from Picard in its very last episode. The revelation comes as the Star Trek community mourns the death of Sir Patrick Stewart, who portrayed the iconic Starfleet captain. In a post on his official X account, Waltke paid tribute to the late actor and revealed that Prodigy's writers had wanted its finale to pay homage to the figures who had influenced their work and the Star Trek universe as a whole. He explained how Picard was a major part of those plans, although the proposed scene ultimately did not make it into the final cut of the episode. It is very important to note that Waltke did not indicate whether Stewart had been approached to reprise his role or whether any dialogue had been recorded. He also did not explain why the scene never made it to the screen. But regardless of the circumstances, the writer made clear that the moment is still very meaningful to him and is canon in his mind. He concluded his message with a touching and heartbreaking farewell, expressing his gratitude to Stewart and the character portrayed. Waltke also shared images of a draft of the finale's script, offering a closer look. The scene takes place at Starfleet Headquarters in 2385, where Admiral Edward Jellico addresses fellow admirals following the destruction of Utopia Planitia. As Jellico discusses Starfleet's decision to prioritize protecting Federation citizens over exploration, Picard interrupts to challenge their plans. Admiral Kathryn Janeway also agrees with Picard and is concerned about what Starfleet would become if it turned away from its mission. The missing moment from Star Trek: Prodigy really showcases the principles that defined Picard throughout Stewart's portrayal of the character, especially his commitment to being compassionate and doing what he believes is right, even under difficult conditions. ScreenRant's condolences go out to Stewart's family and loved ones during this difficult time. Release Date 2021 - 2024-00-00 Network Netflix, Paramount+ Showrunner Dan Hageman Directors Sung Shin, Alan Wan, Andrew L. Schmidt, Ben Hibon, Ruolin Li, Sean Bishop, Steve Ahn, Olga Ulanova, Patrick Krebs Writers Aaron Waltke, Diandra Pendleton-Thompson, Lisa Schultz Boyd, Nikhil S. Jayaram, Julie Benson, Shawna Benson, Chad Quandt, Erin McNamara Franchise(s) Star Trek Creator(s) Kevin Hageman, Dan Hageman