We’ve known since before the show was out that Star Trek: Picard would explore the fallout of the destruction of Romulus, depicted at the beginning of 2009’s Star Trek movie. In doing so though, the series has created a major change all its own that completely alters the landscape of the galaxy by removing a concept that’s been used in the franchise since its very beginnings.
We learned in the first half of Picard‘s first season that Romulus’ destruction has set off a chain reaction of events that’s turned the galaxy into a much darker place. One of these events is that the Neutral Zone has collapsed. As first introduced in The Original Series episode “Balance of Terror,” the Neutral Zone was the vast region of space that separates the Alpha Quadrant, which houses the United Federation of Planets, and the Beta Quadrant, home to the Romulan Star Empire.
Due to the hostility between the Federation and the Romulans, the Neutral Zone had been created to temper peace, with it decreed that either side violating the agreement would be seen as an act of war. Over the years, Trek has drawn much tension from the Neutral Zone being compromised, with Captains Kirk and Picard often having to step in and stop war from breaking out. Now that the Zone is no more, though, the region has become a lawless, crime-infested place.
With the Romulan Empire transformed into the much less powerful Romulan Free State, the Neutral Zone has devolved into a hotbed of pirates and warlords. Vigilante group the Fenris Rangers – with Seven of Nine among their number – stepped up in an attempt to clear up the region, following the Federation’s withdrawal from the Romulan refugee effort. The complicated politics around the Neutral Zone were dangerous enough, but now it’s even deadlier.
Star Trek: Picard dropped a new episode today on CBS All Access and will continue for the next four weeks.