Picard Introduced & Quickly Killed Star Trek’s Most Toxic Love Story

Star Trek: Picard season 1 introduced one of the most toxic love stories in Star Trek, but, thankfully, it quickly ended. Star Trek: Picard season 1 was Patrick Stewart's comeback as Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, but without most of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Instead, Admiral Picard teamed up with a new motley crew of characters to save the galaxy. One of Star Trek: Picard's new characters, Soji (Isa Briones), found herself in a disturbing relationship with a Romulan spy named Narek (Harry Treadaway).

Before Star Trek: Picard season 1's characters and storylines converged, Soji was stationed on the Artifact, a derelict Borg Cube turned into the Romulan Reclamation Project. At that point, Soji wasn't aware she was synthetic and believed her programmed cover identity as Dr. Soji Asha, a Borg researcher. However, Narek knew exactly who and what Soji was. The Romulan operative was sent to the Artifact to target Soji and glean the location of Coppelius, Soji and her synthetic race's home world.

Picard Season 1 Introduced Star Trek’s Most Toxic Love Story

A Relationship Like Soji & Narek Is Thankfully Rare In Star Trek

Soji and Narek's toxic relationship in Star Trek: Picard season 1 was new ground for Star Trek. A member of the Zhat Vash, the synthetic-hating sect of the Romulan Tal Shiar, Narek was assigned by his sister, Narissa (Peyton List), to extract the location of Coppelius from Soji. Because Soji was an attractive young woman, Narek decided to seduce the unsuspecting synth. The Romulan gaslighted Soji into a sexual relationship. All the while, Narek knew he was under orders to kill Soji, and he always intended to.

Worse, Narek became obsessed with Soji while toying with her for his own gratification. When Narissa grew impatient with Narek's games and forced her brother to complete his mission, Soji's true nature as a synthetic was activated in Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 6, "The Impossible Box." After Soji escaped the Artifact with Admiral Picard, Narek chased after her with the deluded belief he could still somehow win Soji back. However, Soji would never again fall for the odious charms of her Romulan paramour.

While Star Trek has had its share of questionable character relationships, a tryst as toxic as Soji and Narek was rare. Narek had no redeeming qualities, and even his own sister, a Romulan hardliner, considered him weak. Soji was victimized by Narek until she reverted to her true synthetic identity. Yet the devious Romulan chased Soji around the galaxy, partly to fulfill his mission to locate Copellius, but mainly to regain possession of Soji. Thankfully, Narek utterly fails at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 1.

What Happened To Soji & Narek After Star Trek: Picard Season 1

Both Soji & Narek Disappeared From Star Trek

Both Soji and Narek vanished after Star Trek: Picard season 1. Soji only made a lone, brief appearance in Star Trek: Picard season 2's premiere, "The Star Gazer." Now an ambassador for the synthetics of Coppelius, Soji had dinner with a group of Deltans on the planet Raritan IV. Star Trek: Picard never explored the trauma Soji was left with after her toxic affair with Narek, nor did Soji acknowledge that relationship. Isa Briones later returned in Star Trek: Picard season 2 as Kore Soong, the human basis for synthetic twin sisters Soji and Dahj.

Narek was last seen on Coppelius in Star Trek: Picard season 1's finale, but his fate was left an open question. Star Trek: Picard season 1 showrunner Michael Chabon said that a deleted scene would have shown Narek taken into custody by the United Federation of Planets. Narek was not mentioned again in Star Trek: Picard's subsequent seasons, and it's doubtful Star Trek will touch upon the toxic relationship between Soji and Narek in the future.