Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas draws a parallel between Seven of Nine's relationship with Raffi, and Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) relationship with Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Commander Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) and Commander Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) were separated for the majority of Picard season 3, leading viewers to question whether the couple were still together. Terry Matalas has been very comfortable engaging with such fan questions and provided an answer that also teased a fascinating Seven/Raffi dynamic should his Star Trek: Legacy project get the green light.
During a Reddit AMA, Matalas was asked about the lack of romance in season 3, which was one of the showrunner's biggest Star Trek: Picard regrets. The question focused on Raffi and Seven's apparent estrangement during Picard season 3, and whether the couple could pursue romance aboard the USS Enterprise-G. Read Terry Matalas' response, and his comparison to Kirk and Spock, below:
I think Starfleet regulations have a lot to say about them being officially together which is why we had them apart to begin with. We knew we were ending here and that would be a big conflict of interest on the bridge. Are they together in secret? Will this ABSOLUTELY be a story you want to tell in the future? A story about a Captain who loves her First Officer and vice versa? Absolutely. Kirk literally stole the Enterprise to save Spock’s life. It cost him his son. The best Treks are stories about love and family.
