Star Trek Picard: Every Easter Egg & Hidden Reference From 'Absolute Candor'

Cut to an an establishing shot of the Artifact surrounded by a new type of fixed wing Romulan craft. These ships appeared flying towards Mars in the first couple Star Trek: Picard trailers released last year and are different from the Romulan vessels we saw in "Remembrance".

Soji's watching Ramdha on an old Romulan talk show called "Yrrh Mnrrh" (catchy). Ramdha's talking about the Romulan myth of Ganmadan, the "Day of Anhiliation" on which all life, everywhere is ended and "shackled demons break their chains and answer the call of The Destroyer". These shackled demons sound a lot like the Borg drones the Romulans and Soji (said Destroyer) are working to liberate. Or perhaps the demons are the nest of Synths the Zhat Vash are after. Either way, more bad news for the Star Trek Universe after the last time AI almost destroyed all life everywhere (see Star Trek: Discovery season 2).

Later, Soji and Narek have date night and share a bottle of Romulan ale identical the one Bones gave to Kirk for his birthday in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Back then Romulan ale was illegal, but that never seemed to stop any Star Trek crew from enjoying it. The embargo was, however, lifted by the time of DS9's "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" and then reinstated by the time of Star Trek Nemesis.

Narek recounts a little of Soji's history: She allegedly attended Seattle University, which is consistent with her twin's claim she grew up in that city. Star Trek: Discovery's Klingon-in-disguise Ash Tyler said he was from Seattle in "Lethe", but we all know how that turned out. Soji's backstory also claims she left Earth aboard a ship called the Ellison, likely named for famed/controversial science fiction author Harlan Ellison, who wrote the TOS episode "The City on the Edge of Forever".

Incesty sister Narissa (aka Rizzo) later says that Narek has been studying Soji's kind his whole life, waiting for her, planning for her, wondering what it would be like when he finally saw her, indicating this plan has been long in the works. But what do you wanna bet that Borg hallway Slip 'n Slide is a skid towards true love for Narek?