Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s Starfleet legacy continues into the 32nd century, and his name has come up three times in Star Trek: Discovery.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 1 – “Red Directive”

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) has been referenced three times in Star Trek: Discovery, proving that his legacy extends all the way into the 32nd century. Introduced as the Captain of the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Jean-Luc Picard has become one of Star Trek’s most beloved and enduring characters. Picard commanded the Enterprise for seven seasons of TNG and four movies, and returned years later in three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. With his diplomatic skills and collaborative command style, Picard remains one of Starfleet’s most celebrated and accomplished officers.

As seen in Star Trek: Discovery seasons 3, 4, and 5, Captain Picard’s accomplishments continue to be referenced in the 32nd century. Star Trek: Discovery’s Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) may have a different command style from Picard, but her action-oriented approach works well for the fragile United Federation of Planets of the 32nd century. Even over 900 years in the future, Burnham’s missions sometimes call back to those of Captain Picard. Although Burnham and the Discovery crew are from a time before Jean-Luc Picard was even born, his name has come up three separate times during their adventures in the 32nd century.

3 “Unification III” – Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, Episode 7

References Picard’s meeting with Ambassador Spock in TNG’s “Unification”

The first mention of Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Discovery comes in an episode that serves as a sequel to an iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation two-parter. In TNG’s “Unification,” Starfleet sends Captain Picard to look for Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy), who was last seen on Romulus. Picard eventually finds Spock and learns that the Vulcan Ambassador has been working on a “personal mission of peace” to bring the Romulans and Vulcans back together. Spock has come to realize that his goal cannot be achieved through traditional diplomatic means, but he is pleased to find that many young Romulans are beginning to embrace Vulcan philosophies.

In Star Trek:Discovery’s “Unification III,” Burnham seeks information about a project known as SB-19, which involved the Vulcans and Romulans working together to find a faster form of space travel. As Burnham prepares to make her request, she learns that her foster brother Spock was responsible for starting the process of Vulcan/Romulan reunification. Among the “personal files of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard,” Michael finds footage of Spock as he speaks about his goal. Spock knew that his ultimate goal of reunification would not be achieved until long after his death, but even in the 32nd century, he is remembered as the one who made reunification possible.

2 “Anomaly” – Star Trek: Discovery Season 4, Episode 2

References Picard’s synthetic golem body from Star Trek: Picard season 1

As the crew of the USS Discovery investigate the Dark Matter Anomaly, also called the DMA, Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) and Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) work together to find a way to save Adira’s partner, Gray (Ian Alexander). Despite Gray’s supposed death, Adira was still able to see and speak with him, so Dr. Culber began researching ways to reunite Gray’s consciousness with a new body. Culber came across the experiments of Dr. Altan Soong (Brent Spiner), who had developed a method of transferring a consciousness into a synthetic golem body. Although the Soong Method had a very low success rate, Culber notes that it worked for Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.

In Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 10, “Et in Arcadia Ego: Part 2.” Jean-Luc finally succumbed to his terminal brain disease. Before Picard’s consciousness fully dissipated, however, Dr. Altan Soong transferred it to the synthetic golem body he had constructed. Picard’s new synthetic body was identical to his human one and would allow him to live the life he would have had if not for the abnormality in his brain. Gray receives his own golem body in Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 3, “Choose to Live.” With help from Trill Guardian Xi (Andreas Apergis), Gray’s consciousness was successfully transferred to the synthetic body, allowing him to continue with his life.

1 “Red Directive” – Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 1

References Picard’s meeting with the Progenitors in TNG’s “The Chase”

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5’s premiere, Captain Burnham and the USS Discovery get pulled into a galactic treasure hunt with connections to Captain Picard. The Federation’s Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg) sends Discovery on a top-priority mission classified as a “Red Directive,” to find and retrieve an artifact from an 800-year-old Romulan science vessel. Discovery arrives too late to retrieve the artifact, a Romulan puzzle box, which had already been stolen by couriers Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis). After Michael tries and fails to retrieve the puzzle box, she confronts Kovich for more information about the mission.

Kovich reveals that the Romulan puzzle box contains information regarding the Progenitors, the ancient humanoid race that is believed to have created all humanoid life. In his briefing, Kovich says that Captain Picard “found a message left by a race of ancient beings,” referencing the events of TNG season 6, episode 20, “The Chase.” A Romulan scientist, Dr. Vellek (Michael Copeman), had been present on that day and had continued to research the Progenitors, eventually storing his diary within a Romulan puzzle box. After two episodes, Star Trek: Discovery season 5 already has more connections to Star Trek: The Next Generation and Captain Jean-Luc Picard than any previous season.