“Maps and Legends” is the second episode of the TV show “Star Trek: Picard” and follows “Remembrance“. It’s available in the USA on the CBS All Access streaming platform and in many other countries on Amazon Prime Video.

Note. This article contains some spoilers about “Maps and Legends”.

Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is trying to find out wha’is at the origin of the events that upset his retirement life. Laris (Orla Brady) tells him about the rumors about the Zhat Vash, a secret Romulan organization that spread hatred of synthetic organisms and artificial intelligence.

“Maps and Legends” begins with a flashback showing the attack of synthetics on Utopia Planitia, which occurred 14 years before the events of the show. These are androids that physically have similarities with Data but are considered instruments, not living beings.

The episode digs into the conspiracy element since it concerns a Romulan infiltration into the Federation. Jean-Luc Picard’s housekeepers confide in him but Zhaban (Jamie McShane) seems more cautious regarding the rumors about the Zhat Vash while Laris clearly shows that she believes that such a top secret organization really exists. Her belief that Zhat Vash has existed for millennia sounds strange because if that’s the case it means that it was created on Vulcan, before the exodus of the people who didn’t accept Surak’s teachings. Perhaps explanations will be provided in the next episodes.

The subplots about Picard and the activities in the Borg cube offer some information on what’s happening. It’s a cliche that the hero tries to warn of a danger and is not believed, but it’s almost a tradition in Star Trek that Starfleet admirals are suckers and Kirsten Clancy (Ann Magnuson) confirms it. Commodore Oh (Tamlyn Tomita) and Lieutenant Narissa Rizzo (Peyton List) show that problem even more. Rizzo also shows the connection with the work of Narek (Harry Treadaway) and Soji (Isa Briones).

Altogether, “Maps and Legends” is an episode that starts providing some answers to the many questions of the pilot episode. They’re useful to advance the development of the story-arc that surely will see Picard acting on his own. In essence, some revelations with a lot of substance that will lead to actions by the protagonists.

[ad name=”AmazonPrimeVideo”]