Summary
- Captain Picard's discomfort with children was established early in Star Trek: The Next Generation and continued throughout the series, but his views on family and children began to shift over time.
- Picard's interactions with children in various episodes of TNG showcased his initial unease, but also his ability to connect with them and develop newfound respect.
- In Star Trek: Picard, Picard's encounter with young Elnor forced a significant change in him as he embraced the role of a father figure, leading to a softer attitude towards children and a reevaluation of his views on family.
Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) made it very clear that he did not care for children, but he had softened a bit by the time of Star Trek: Picard. As Captain of the USS Enterprise-D, Picard could hold his own against god-like aliens, devious Romulans, and the Borg, but he became visibly uncomfortable around children. In the series premiere of TNG, Picard even specifically asks his new First Officer Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) to "keep [him] from making an a** of [himself] with children." Jean-Luc fully acknowledges that he is not a family man, and while he would hold on to this view for a long time, it wouldn't last forever.
The Enterprise-D had families and children aboard, which set it apart from the Starship Enterprise of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in Star Trek: The Original Series. Though only a handful of episodes featured the children of the Enterprise-D, Patrick Stewart brilliantly portrayed Picard's unease whenever he had to interact with young children. Picard had clearly prioritized his Starfleet career, and he considered the crew of his ship to be the only family he needed. Star Trek: Picard revisits Jean-Luc's past, exploring why he made the choices he made and how his views on family and children have shifted over the years.
