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In season 1, episode 4 of Star Trek: Picard, Seven of Nine shows up, and Picard immediately recognizes her, by name. How? As far as I know, they've never met before, or at least we certainly haven't seen them together before. Is she famous, or is it an ex-Borg connection, or what?

(If it's just something we'll have to wait and find out in future episodes, that's an answer, too; what I'm really wondering is if there has actually been mention of their relationship before and I just missed it, or something like that.)

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    I'd imagine that Picard voraciously consumes any Starfleet Intel with the keyword "Borg" attached
    – Valorum
    Commented Feb 18, 2020 at 16:02
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    Also, Seven was probably instantly famous when Voyager came back to the Federation
    – Hans Olo
    Commented Feb 18, 2020 at 16:14
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    @JonClements 2394 is Voyager's "original" return date, before the meddling by Admiral Janeway in the finale, Endgame. The ship actually returned in 2378.
    – T.J.L.
    Commented Feb 18, 2020 at 16:52
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    @T.J.L. ahh... so there's a window of 7 years where Picard was Admiral and the Voyager crew was home... so ample opportunity for Picard to have met or at least recognised Seven then I guess?
    – Jon Clements
    Commented Feb 18, 2020 at 17:20
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    @JonClements, they returned home before Picard made Admiral. Janeway, as an admiral, appeared in Star Trek Nemesis when Picard was still captain of the 1701-E.
    – Keith Morrison
    Commented Feb 18, 2020 at 18:58

2 Answers 2

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Why wouldn't Picard recognize Seven of Nine?

Looking just at the canon of Star Trek: Voyager, we know that the Voyager crew is the only ship to make it to the Delta Quadrant and back. In addition, they had a rather extensive experience with the Borg in the process.

The very fact that they went out to the Delta Quadrant and back means that as soon as they arrived back in Federation territory, they're instantly famous. They've traveled further than anyone else in the Federation. Think of, say, Neil Armstrong - anyone who even took a passing interest in space would, at the time that the crew of Apollo 11 returned to Earth, recognize them.

Picard is a Starfleet Captain, which means he would have gotten briefings and had access to information about Voyager that extend further than your average citizen would have gotten.

In addition, Picard and the Voyager crew - especially Seven of Nine - have had dealings with the Borg. It would make sense that Picard would keep up on any news about the Borg, especially someone who, like him, was assimilated and then removed from the Collective.

Even if you assume they've never met in person before, it's safe to assume that Picard would have seen news and briefings and other information about the entire Voyager crew and especially Seven of Nine.

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    And the Borg implant above her eye would be a clue. :-)
    – Wallnut
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 9:00
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    But Voyager's return was more than 20 years ago by this point. Any fame would've worn off long ago, and everyone is older and looks older.
    – Martha
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 19:46
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    Janeway was noted as an Admiral in Star Trek Nemesis; though I do not remember if that scene persists in all edits of the film. I would imagine that Picard and Janeway would also have had conversations about Voyager and Senior Officers (including Seven).
    – sonnik
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 22:18
  • In episode 5, Captain Rios' reaction is more in line with what I'd expect for someone who was a celebrity briefly 20+ years ago: he knows she's famous and ex-Borg, but can't come up with her name to save his life. Even if Picard was more closely acquainted/involved with Voyager's return, remembering Seven of Nine's full name, in stressful circumstances where she's the last person he expects to encounter, is hard to believe.
    – Martha
    Commented Feb 21, 2020 at 17:44
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    I just watched "Inside Man" (from the last season) and during that time Voyager was in contact with Earth on a regular basis. Part of dialogue suggested that everyone on Earth was aware of Seven's heritage and that she was famous for being a Borg that escaped the collective.
    – Peter M
    Commented Mar 9, 2020 at 13:18
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In Voyager Infinite Regress, we see that Seven develops a form of dissociative identity disorder, with multiple personalities surfacing. We later learn that these are all people she's assimilated, which is noteworthy because one of them is a woman from the USS Melbourne from the Battle of Wolf 359. (How Seven survived the battle deserves its own question on this site.)

The point being that Seven wasn't entirely unknown to Locutus. And as Mithical's answer states, when Seven arrived, she surely would have garnered some fame, and would have stood out doubly to Picard as he may have recognized her by that point already. (In the sense that we might recognize an old schoolmate or something, not that he knew her, just that he saw her around).

TL;DR: Seven somehow was at and survived Wolf 359, which is probably enough distinction on its own for Picard/Locutus to remember her.

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    Great answer! I doubt however that picard/locutus knows every face of every involved drone well enough to recognize them immediately years later without any implants
    – Philipp
    Commented Mar 9, 2020 at 13:35
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    Just to add... it has never been canonically stated that 7of9 was at Wolf359. The people she assimilated were but they were somehow transported back to the delta quadrant after or before the Borg cube was destroyed at Wolf359, both of which has also not been canonically stated in any of the TV shows.
    – Jared
    Commented Apr 2, 2020 at 10:45

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