APRIL 3, 2023 - A stirring item saved in Daystrom Station spurred Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas to hint at a potential return of Star Trek’s first captain, James T. Kirk.

The body of Kirk might indicate a resurfacing of the character. Matalas admits that the captain’s Star Trek: Generations death was “not how I would have sent Kirk off.” His death by Soren was his final appearance up until Picard’s March 23 episode, “The Bounty,” which led fans to wonder if Kirk might be revived yet. 

Though Matalas’ response was non-committal, and Kirk’s grave was clearly witnessed by Picard and fans of Star Trek in the first Star Trek: The Next Generation film, a potential inclusion of Kirk on the screen could be indicated for a future animated series. 

It’s possible that this eventual Star Trek series might reveal the specifications of the unexplored “Project Phoenix,” whether it could inspire a resurrection of the beloved captain, or another reconstruction of his body. “The Return,” William Shatner’s first Trek novel, and one that Matalas fondly recommends, might indicate a subsequent series featuring Kirk’s awakening.

As Spock states in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, “There are always possibilities.” Matalas agrees. Upon being utilized in “The Return,” Kirk’s non-canonical adventures following Generations were many. Though Shatner teases #WhereisKirk on twitter, it is still uncertain if he will emerge on Picard, or far in Star Trek’s future.

To read Terry Matalas’ full interview about Kirk’s return, warp on over to TrekMovie. And to catch “The Bounty” and all the other episodes of Star Trek: Picard, click the link below to sign up for Paramount+. Use the code PICARD at checkout to get a free month of the streaming service, where you can binge through every series of Star Trek since 1966. Hurry, though, because this offer ends on 4/30!