Jean-Luc Picard has engaged in diverse relationships, from to the farthest corners of the galaxy. Although the private captain from Star Trek: The Next Generation maintained his rigid posture at work, he became a target to foes, a friend to some crewmates, and enticed ion in the hearts of old crushes.
On a holodeck adventure or covered in mud in La Barre, Jean-Luc Picard has shared significant ties with people, aliens, and even an omnipotent god. What were his most important relationships throughout the franchise?
Robert Picard
Captain Picard has always had a complicated relationship with his family, specifically his brother, Robert. They don't see eye to eye, with Jean-Luc being "the outcast" of the old-fashioned family for choosing to work with spacial technology instead of staying in their vineyard.
The meeting is meaningful, given it happens soon after the traumatic experience Picard had by being transformed into Locutus of Borg in one of the best Trek episodes of all time, 'The Best of Both Worlds". Picard is particularly vulnerable, and though he fights with Robert, the siblings make amends covered in mud. While the Captain isn't close to his family, Picard's relationship with Robert shows that despite disagreements, they care for each other, as brothers usually do.
Sarek
In "Sarek", Sarek's disease requires the delicate ritual of mind-melding to avoid a diplomatic catastrophe. Picard volunteers for the task, keeping the emotional elements of Sarek's mind in his head, which is of immense relevance in Vulcan culture. In season 5's "Unification", the captain reencounters a dying Sarek and pays his respects to the Ambassador.
Although short, the relationship between Picard and Sarek derives from the personal bond they shared through the mind-meld. The technique is uncommon between strangers, which adds to the significance of their temporary melding. While Picard has made several acquaintances during his career, he has only been inside the mind of one of them, and it was Sarek.
Dathon
Friends don't need to speak the same language to share a special bond. Joe Menosky, one of Trek's most prolific writers, proved that with the fantastic episode "Darmok". Trapped on a planet with an alien whose language was unintelligible for the universal translator to decipher, Captain Picard struggled to understand his ally Dathon, who only wanted the Enterprise's help.
The two characters shared fire, fought an enemy together, and laughed as they told stories, without communicating verbally. Dathon tragically dies, but even after death, Picard pays a silent homage to his dead friend, showing that words sometimes are needless to depict feelings. Their friendship is an ode to cultural diversity, which is why it's one of Picard's relationships that are still relevant decades after the episode.
Gul Madred
Jean-Luc Picard has had many enemies across the galaxy, but one of the most vicious foes was Gul Madred. In "Chain of Command", Picard is savagely tortured by the Cardassian, who electrocutes the captain sadistically.
Although he's weak, Picard keeps debating with his torturer and has the upper hand by the end of the episode when he states that there are four lights, against Madred's intention to make him say there are five. The tension between the characters is excellently depicted by Sir Patrick Stewart and David Warner's performances, making this traumatizing dynamic one of the darkest relationships on the show.
Guinan
Guinan's backstory is still one of the most mysterious elements of TNG, but what is not a mystery is her close relationship with the Enterprise Captain. Because she's an El-Aurian, she not only prepares drinks at Ten Forward, but also helps as Picard's consultant.
However, there's more in their connection than meets the eye. In the show, Guinan mentions that she is attracted to bald men, a remark that could be about her romantic feelings for Picard. Lovers or friends, the two share a special bond, given she is usually lending an ear to Jean-Luc, and he is comfortable enough to speak of personal matters with her, which is quite rare for him.
The Borg
"The Best of Both Worlds" is the best Borg episode of Star Trek, and it's by no accident that it was the episode that crafted The Next Generation's identity. The transformation of Jean-Luc Picard as Locutus of Borg is what made the episode a turning point. However, while Locutus stayed behind, the psychological scar of the Borg has followed Picard throughout his entire life.
Thus, Picard's relationship with the Collective is a complex mix of hate and belonging, fear, and loss of individuality. In Star Trek: First , he has nightmares with the alien, and difficulty approaching the entity with the same comion he shows to other species. The Borg is one of Picard's vulnerabilities since the relationship with the remorseless foe can't be left entirely in his past.
Data Soong
In Data, Picard had a friend, and in a way, the android was the son he never had. Jean-Luc was one of the few who treated the android with respect, defending his right to exist in "Measure of a Man" and sharing fun adventures with him on different holonovels.
Off-screen, actors Sir Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner have also shared a unique dynamic through the years, hilariously crashing each other's Q&As in various Star Trek conventions, as YouTube trekqueen ed. Although they never played funny pranks on each other in TNG, Picard and Data have cultivated a connection of mutual respect, with Data being a loyal friend to Jean-Luc until the very end.
William Riker
For years, William T. Riker was Picard's right-hand man on the bridge and later a lifelong friend he could rely on. Riker was never shy about wanting Picard's job, and the Captain appreciated his honesty from their first meeting in "Encounter At Farpoint".
The Captain and his First Officer often had different approaches to the same situation, a dynamic that made their professional relationship better. Picard trusted Riker's skills, and to Riker, he usually was the fatherly figure Riker never had. Ironically, in "Rascals", when Picard becomes a child, Riker pretends to be his father, as the two characters deceived a Ferengi without planning the ruse. This kind of sync encapsulates why they get along so well.
Beverly Crusher
Beverly Crusher might be the only person who knows Jean-Luc better than anyone else. Doctor Crusher not only has been friends with Picard for decades, but the two characters have also shared more than one or two ionate glances during the years and even itted their romantic feelings for each other.
They never engaged in a formal relationship and kept each other as a crush, but their lasting friendship is just as significant as their romantic feelings. Beverly has accompanied Jean-Luc through space, between tears and laughter, drinks, and their particular tradition, breakfast. Whether or not Picard will reencounter Doctor Crusher in Star Trek: Picard is unsure, though the potential for a lovely reunion exists.
Q
"Friends" may be too strong of a word for them, and the term "enemies" doesn't cover nearly half of their interactions. The myriad of words used to define Picard and Q's relationship is a continuum on its own. The best omnipotent alien in Star Trek has a long record with his "capitaine", from their "Encounter at Farpoint" to their anticipated reunion in Star Trek: Picard. To Jean-Luc, Q has been a judge, a trickster, a foe, a helping hand, and the savior of his life.
While Picard has often been frustrated at the godlike entity, he's also the only Starfleet Captain who developed a personal dynamic with Q, making the entity see him on an equal level, at least during debates. As they dwell on their unique dynamics, one thing is for sure: Relationships like the one Jean-Luc Picard has with Q have been highly entertaining to watch.