Robert Beltran was right to turn down the opportunity to reprise his role as Star Trek: Voyager's Chakotay in Star Trek: Picard season 2, as it was the best decision for the character. Picard continues the story of Voyager's Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and had previously brought back the character of her protégé, Icheb (Casey King), for a brutal death scene in season 1. Bringing Chakotay back would have been a callback to another of Seven's Voyager storylines, but one that proved to be controversial for both characters.
Robert Beltran revealed via Twitter that he had been offered the chance to reprise the role of Star Trek: Voyager's Chakotay for what eventually amounted to one episode of Star Trek: Picard season 2. Beltran said he "did not like what they had written for Chakotay so I turned them down." TrekMovie sought more information from Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas, who revealed that very early drafts of Picard season 2, episode 2, "Penance" featured Chakotay in the role of the First Magistrate of the Confederation, and the husband of President Annika Hansen a.k.a Seven of Nine. The cameo would have presented a very different side to the former freedom fighter, and would have continued Chakotay and Seven's misjudged Star Trek: Voyager romance.
