Star Trek: Picardkilling off Hugh (Jonathan Del Arco) was a big mistake. Introduced inStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 5, episode 23, “I, Borg,” Hugh was a former Borg drone who regained his individuality with the help of the crew of the USS Enterprise-D. Hugh returned in theStar Trek: The Next Generation2-parter, “Descent,” as part of a collective of Borg led by Lore (Brent Spiner). Hugh’s comeback inStar Trek: Picardseason 1 was a pleasant surprise, buthis abrupt death was a big disappointment.
TheBorg-centricStar Trek: Picardseason 1reintroduced Hugh as the administrator of the Borg Reclamation Project. Aboard a derelict Borg Cube controlled by Romulans and renamed the Artifact, Hugh worked to help other Borg drones regain their sense of self. Unfortunately, Hugh was caught in the Romulan Zhat Vash’s plot to learn the location of the synthetics' homeworld of Coppelius from Dr. Soji Asha (Isa Briones), who was, herself, a next-generation android.Hugh was murdered by the Romulan Zhat Vash agent Narissa(Peyton List) soon after his heartwarming reunion with Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart).
Jonathan Del Arco Explains Why Star Trek: Picard Killing Hugh Borg Was A Big Mistake
Hugh’s potential was wasted
In an interview withTrekMovie,Jonathan Del Arco delved into his surprise return as Hugh inStar Trek: Picardseason 1, and his feelings on Hugh’s shocking and abrupt death. While Del Arco was glad to reprise Hugh, he explained how littlePicard’s writers gave him in terms of details about what happened to Hugh sinceStar Trek: The Next Generation.Jonathan also shares his regretsabout whichPicardactors he didn’t have a chance to work with. Read Del Arco’s quote below:
I don’t regret it. I don’t feel bad about it. The only thing I regret is I didn’t get to do stuff with a couple of people, Jeri Ryan and LeVar Burton. Those are the two people I wanted to really have an opportunity to connect with as characters. Creatively, those are the two relationships I really wish I’d gotten to do… I mean, not having to have a scene with Geordi, or to even ask about Geordi was completely misinformed to me. I kept asking, “Shouldn’t I ask about Geordi?” Nope…
Hugh and Admiral Picard seeing each other again and sharing a hug - a moment Jonathan Del Arco says he improvised on set with Patrick Stewart - was a highlight ofStar Trek: Picardseason 1. Hugh also shared scenes withPicard’s new characters like Soji andElnor (Evan Evagora). However,Star Trek: The Next Generationfans, which includes Del Arco, weredeniedPicardreferencing Hugh’s friendship with Geordior more insight about Hugh’s friends from the USS Enterprise-D. But this is due, in part, to Patrick Stewart’s initial decree thatStar Trek: Picardnot be a retread ofTNG.
Why Hugh Not Meeting Geordi & Seven Of Nine Was Such A Loss For Star Trek: Picard
Hugh could have made a new friend and reunited with his oldest
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) was Hugh’s closest friend onStar Trek: The Next Generationand Jonathan Del Arco is right thatHugh not asking Picard about Geordi feels like a glaring omission. InStar Trek: Picard’s defense, however, at that early point in the series, producers did not envision thecast ofStar Trek: The Next Generationreuniting inPicardseason 3. Still, killing off Hugh denied audiences and the actors a chance to see Hugh reunite with his friends on the USS Enterprise-D, especially sincePicardseason 3 was theTNGcrew’s final battle and victory over the Borg.
Star Trek Picard Cast & Character Guide: All 3 Seasons
Star Trek: Picard season 3’s cast includes several new characters and the return of some of the biggest names and iconic characters in Star Trek.
Jonathan Del Arco also didn’t get to share scenes withJeri Ryan’s Seven of NineinStar Trek: Picardseason 1. Despite Jean-Luc, Seven, and Hugh, three ofStar Trek’s most prominent former Borg characters, all in the same season ofStar Trek: Picard, they weren’t all together on-screen. Seven not meeting Hugh at all meansaudiences lost out on what could have been a coolStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Voyagercrossover.Meanwhile, Jeri Ryan and Jonathan Del Arco are also close friends in real life, but they were unable to act together inStar Trek: Picard.
Can Star Trek Bring Back Hugh?
There are always possibilities
Hugh is now dead thanks toStar Trek: Picardseason 1. Of course, this isStar Trek, andcharacters can be brought back by creative sci-fi means if the story calls for it. It’s possible that Hugh could be resurrected ifPicard’s proposed spinoff,Star Trek: Legacy,happens. Hugh could also appear as a hologram or in flashbacks in anotherStar Trekshow set during or after the 24th century, such asStar Trek: Prodigyseason 3 (if it’s renewed by Netflix), as a surprise inStar Trek: Lower Decks' final season, or inStar Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Hugh’s death was short-sighted.
Given the events that followedStar Trek: Picardseason 1, especially the return ofStar Trek: The Next Generation’s cast inPicardseason 3, Hugh’s death was short-sighted.Hugh inPicardwas hardly developed before he was killed off,but his presence was a welcome tether toTNG.Jonathan Del Arco would likely be willing to reprise Hugh ifStar Trekcomes up with a creative and satisfying means for the former Borg to return. If Hugh does make aStar Trekcomeback, hopefully, Del Arco and the fans get the Hugh momentsStar Trek: Picardseason 1 failed to deliver.
