Why Riker and Troi’s Relationship Almost Ended in Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Revealed!

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In the first season’s seventh episode, titled “Nepenthe,” which premiered in 2020, viewers discovered that William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) returned. The tragic news was that their son, Thaddeus “Thad,” had passed away due to a rare disease known as mendaxic neurosclerosis. This meant that the Troi-Rikers, who got married in 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis, were left as a family of three, with their daughter Kestra.

Leap ahead several years to Picard’s third season, where we find The Next Generation team reassembling for a joint mission against the Borg. Initially, when Admiral Picard enlists Riker to assist him, it becomes apparent that there’s a noticeable tension in the relationship between Captain Riker and Counselor Troi.

Lately, we’ve discussed the reasons behind the strained relationship between Riker and his partner Deanna throughout Season 3 of Picard. Despite their grief over their lost son, they remained together. However, it was disclosed that Troi’s Betazed empathic abilities hindered Riker’s grieving journey by taking on some of the pain he was experiencing.

The Writers Handled the Subject of Grief in a Smart Way

On a particular podcast, Frakes discussed the topic alongside its host, Adam Malin who is also the co-CEO of Creation Entertainment. He acknowledged the Season 3 writing team for their courage in exploring the emotionally challenging theme of child loss.

Frakes commented, “I believe the writers showed great intelligence in this plot twist. The storyline involved Riker and Troi’s son suffering from an unknown illness and seeking a cure on Nepenthe, a planet believed to have healing properties. Unfortunately, even though Nepenthe was beneficial for their son Thad due to his disease, they were unable to find a cure because of the Federation’s prohibition on synthetics.

Frakes went on to say, “For a couple of years, he was nowhere to be seen. Interestingly, when Riker joins Picard, he’s distant from Troi. As the season progresses, we learn that it was due to an aspect of her Betazed empathy that had hindered Riker from fully grieving.

Star Trek: Picard (Season 3)

Rotten Tomatoes Critic ScoreRotten Tomatoes Audience Score
97%88%

Frakes: They Found Their Happily Ever After

After delving into some studies, it’s worth mentioning that I had once studied psychiatry, which sparked my interest in this topic. It seems that many parents who tragically lose a child often face difficulties and may even consider divorce. This was the underlying theme in the relationship between Riker and Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation. That heart-wrenching event had put immense strain on their marriage. By the end, (Riker) expressed his feelings by saying, ‘You didn’t give me the chance to grieve properly,’ implying that they might find happiness together again.

Once more, the task at hand was writing. If it’s not written down, as stated by Terry Matalas, our leading figure, referring to the showrunner of the upcoming Picard Season 3.

Things Got Fleshed Out in Season 3

At last, the eighth episode of Picard’s third season, named “Surrender,” showcased Riker and Troi being held captive on the Shrike, an adversary vessel commanded by Vadic (Amanda Plummer). While they were detained on the Shrike, they addressed Thad’s demise openly and also discussed their dissatisfaction with life at Nepenthe. In the closing episode of Picard, the relationship between Troi and Rikers appears to be stronger as they are even talking about going on a holiday together.

Star Trek: Picard is streaming on Paramount+

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2025-06-06 23:50