The promotion of Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) from Commander to Captain at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 3 places her alongside Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa-Martin Green) in Star Trek history. Sisko, Burnham and Seven all took three seasons to earn their fourth pip, before becoming the most important Starfleet Captains in their respective eras. Sisko became a highly decorated military hero of the Dominion War, while Burnham made First with Species 10-C and saved the galaxy. Seven's journey as the Captain of the USS Enterprise-G is only just beginning, but her heroism during the Frontier Day attack has already guaranteed her legacy.
Seven is the perfect Star Trek captain to lead a group of young Starfleet officers grappling with the psychological aftermath of being assimilated into the Borg Collective. In assuming command of the USS Enterprise-G, Seven continues the trend of a Star Trek protagonist earning their Captain rank across three seasons. It was an arc first established by Benjamin Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Seven's Star Trek: Picard journey reflects Sisko's arc. However, while the length of Seven's journey to command is similar to that of Sisko and Burnham, it was also wildly different for several reasons.
Seven Of Nine Needed 3 Picard Seasons To Become Captain Like Sisko And Burnham
The story of Star Trek: Picard was as much about Seven of Nine's journey to being accepted by Starfleet as it was about the twilight years of iral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). When audiences first met Seven in Picard season 1, she was a member of the Fenris Rangers, an independent organization of vigilantes; and her next best option for making a difference after rejection by Starfleet. Having spent years working on the fringes of Federation space, it makes sense that Seven questions Starfleet rules and regulations, realizing that they no longer fit with the contemporary state of the universe.
Star Trek: Picard also ended the conflict between the Federation and the Borg Collective, improving Seven of Nine's chances of acceptance by Starfleet. Seven was finally accepted into Starfleet following the provisional entry of Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) and her benevolent Borg Collective into the Federation. Assigned to the USS Titan-A under Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick), Seven regularly defied orders and questioned Starfleet regulations. This confirmed to Shaw that she was the right Captain to lead Starfleet into a new era. Without the rejection and harsh life experiences depicted in Picard seasons 1 and 2, it's unlikely that Seven would have made the same impression on Shaw.
Why Seven Of Nine’s Captain Journey Was Very Different To Sisko & Burnham’s
Sisko and Burnham's journeys were different from Seven's because they both questioned their place in Starfleet, instead of seeking its acceptance. In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine pilot, grieving widower Cmdr. Benjamin Sisko considered reg from Starfleet until he found a new purpose as the Bajoran Emissary. After spending a year as a freelance courier in the 32nd century, experiencing the aftermath of The Burn first hand, Michael Burnham also wasn't sure if she still fitted into Starfleet.
Thankfully, Sisko and Burnham eventually found their place, accepting their promotions and leading Starfleet and the Federation through some of their biggest challenges. Ultimately, Seven, Sisko and Burnham are all Star Trek Captains who question the status quo of Starfleet and drive it forward during times of crisis. Benjamin Sisko saved the Alpha Quadrant from Dominion rule, and Michael Burnham saved the galaxy from destruction at the hands of Species 10-C. Hopefully, Star Trek: Legacy will give Star Trek: Picard's latest Starfleet Captain, Seven of Nine an equally monumental role in the Federation's long history.