Warning: This Article Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 8 – “Labyrinths”

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) would have loved to vacation at a spot just visited by the crew of the USS Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery. As Captain of the USS Enterprise-D, Picard did not take many vacations in Star Trek: The Next Generation, but he still managed to get away occasionally. Like many Starfleet officers, Picard spent some of his leave time on Risa, a tropical vacation destination often referred to as the “pleasure planet.” Risa, however, wasn’t exactly the perfect vacation spot for Picard, as he often sought a quieter holiday than many of the other visiting tourists.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, “Labyrinths,” written by Lauren Wilkinson and Eric J. Robbins and directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, the USS Discovery visits the Eternal Gallery and Archive, a massive library that moves locations about every fifty years. The continued search for the Progenitors’ technology takes Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Discovery to the volatile area of space known as the Badlands, where the Archive is currently located. Once there, Burnham has to solve the last clue before Moll (Eve Harlow) and the Breen catch up to Discovery. Not only is the Archive a fascinating place in and of itself, but it seems like the perfect vacation destination for someone like Jean-Luc Picard.

Captain Picard In TNG Would Have Preferred To Holiday In Star Trek: Discovery’s Eternal Gallery & Archive Than Risa

The Archive would be heaven for someone like Jean-Luc Picard.

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Picard can be seen reading physical books, a form of entertainment that has become mostly obsolete by the 24th century. With the USS Enterprise-D’s computer database likely containing every book ever written and a holodeck that can recreate any story, it says a lot about Picard that he still chooses to read real books. In addition to his love of the written word, Picard also has an interest in archeology. Between the endless shelves of ancient texts and the collection of artifacts from all over the galaxy, Picard could happily spend years wandering the Eternal Gallery and Archive’s halls.

Known for its resorts and beautiful beaches, Risa makes a perfect vacation spot for many in Star Trek, but Jean-Luc Picard isn’t like most people. Picard did not want to take any time off from commanding the USS Enterprise-D, and even after he retires in Star Trek: Picard, he gets pulled back into galaxy-saving adventures on multiple occasions. The Eternal Gallery and Archive would provide a place where Picard could truly relax and spend time reading and learning. But if Jean-Luc’s history is any indication, he would probably find some way to get caught up in a grand adventure based on a book or artifact he found in the Archive.

Why Captain Picard Vacationed On Risa In Star Trek: TNG

“Is the entire crew aware of this little scheme to send me off on holiday?”

When the crew of the USS Enterprise-D insists that Captain Picard take a vacation in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 19, “Captain’s Holiday,” Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) suggests that he visit Risa, which happens to be nearby. Although Picard asserts he “loathes vacations,” he eventually gives in to the nagging of his crew and heads to Risa. While there, he spends much of his time lying in a lounge chair trying to read his book, but he keeps getting interrupted by the resort’s employees and other tourists. Eventually, Picard meets a woman named Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) who pulls him into an archeological adventure.

Despite Vash’s questionable ethics and reckless attitude, Picard finds himself drawn to her. This romance was part of the real-world reason for Picard’s storyline in “Captain’s Holiday.” According to Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, Patrick Stewart wanted Picard to have more “sex and shooting.” The Captain’s visit to Risa gave him both, as he embarked on an Indiana Jones-style adventure and a whirlwind romance with Vash. While Jean-Luc Picard clearly had a good time on Risa, the Eternal Gallery and Archive introduced in Star Trek: Discovery seems like his true perfect vacation spot.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Discovery are available to stream on Paramount+.

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  Star Trek: Discovery

  Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

  Cast

  Sonequa Martin-Green
  , Doug Jones
  , Anthony Rapp
  , Wilson Cruz
  , Mary Wiseman
  , Blu del Barrio
  , Callum Keith Rennie
  , Eve Harlow
  , Oded Fehr

  Release Date

  
  September 24, 2017
  

  Seasons

  5

  Showrunner

  Alex Kurtzman

  Where To Watch

  Paramount+

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  Star Trek: The Next Generation

  Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

  Cast

  Patrick Stewart
  , Marina Sirtis
  , Brent Spiner
  , Jonathan Frakes
  , LeVar Burton
  , Wil Wheaton
  , Gates McFadden
  , Michael Dorn

  Release Date

  
  September 28, 1987
  

  Seasons

  7

  Showrunner

  Rick Berman
  , Michael Piller
  , Jeri Taylor

  Where To Watch

  Paramount+