Jaw-Dropping Star Trek Timeline Alteration in 'Strange New Worlds' Ignites Speculation for Picard Season 2

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 3 - "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"

The recent revelation in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds that Romulan time travelers have been repeatedly visiting Earth's past to alter the timeline seems to contradict an important plot point from Star Trek: Picard season 2. In SNW season 2, episode 3 "Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow," Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) unexpectedly becomes involved in a mission to prevent a time-altering catastrophe on 21st century Earth alongside an alternate reality version of Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley). Throughout the mission, La'an develops romantic feelings for Kirk and confronts the painful truth about her own family's history.

In "Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow," it is eventually revealed that a Romulan time traveler named Sera (Adelaide Kane) initially tried to destroy a cold fusion reactor in Toronto but later changed her plan to assassinate a young Khan Noonien-Singh (Desmond Sivan). La'an successfully defeats Sera, restoring the timeline, but not before Sera discloses the extent of the Romulans' efforts to manipulate humanity's evolution via time travel. The vastness of the Romulans' time travel endeavors appears to contradict a major plot point in Star Trek: Picard season 2, which is deeply connected to the franchise's past.

Strange New Worlds' Romulan Time Travelers Show Picard Season 2's Supervisors Failed

Star Trek: Picard season 2 expanded on concepts from the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Assignment: Earth," which featured Gary Seven (Robert Lansing), a Supervisor from a mysterious organization that maintained order throughout time. The season introduced Tallinn (Orla Brady) as another Supervisor and revealed that Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) was a Traveler, an evolved being overseeing the Supervisors. However, the Supervisors were strangely absent in "Tomorrow And Tomorrow and Tomorrow," despite the Romulan incursions into human history, which they were created to prevent. This could be seen as a continuity oversight, but it is more likely that the Romulans outmaneuvered the Supervisors, leading to the involvement of the Federation's Department Of Temporal Investigations.

Which Romulan Attacks On Earth Strange New Worlds Revealed

The Romulans' time travel attacks on Earth are believed to be much broader than anticipated, with the events of "Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow" only scratching the surface. La'an managed to prevent Sera from killing Khan in his childhood, which restored her original timeline. However, it appears that the fight is far from over. The exhausted temporal investigator who welcomes La'an back hints at a continuing battle, supported by Sera's statement that a temporal war still rages.

The extent of the damage caused by the Romulans to the timeline remains unclear. Sera takes credit for the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the Chernobyl meltdown, claiming that these actions were intended to hinder humanity's progress in space. One significant change implemented by the Romulans was the alteration of the Eugenics Wars, which initially occurred in the 1990s. As of 2022, the Eugenics Wars and World War III are yet to happen. The consequences of this shift on the larger Star Trek timeline are uncertain, and it is unlikely that it is the only modification the Romulans have successfully carried out. Given the history of Romulan time travel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, it will be intriguing to see if La'an Noonien-Singh is called upon once again to thwart their efforts.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.