'Star Trek: Picard': Narek and Soji's doomed romance works a lot better now that it's been put in full context
Spoiler Alert for 'The Impossible Box' - Episode 6 of Season 1 of 'Star Trek: Picard'
Narek (Harry Treadaway) and Soji's (Isa Briones) romance has, up until now, been one of the weaker aspects of 'Star Trek: Picard,' but in 'The Impossible Box' we finally see why. The delayed reveals have been holding the pair back from a very intriguing story, one that necessitates neither actor being able to fully give it their all, and one that looks a lot better in context.
Narek is looking for Soji's homeworld, to find out where other synthetic lifeforms like her have been hiding. However, he's been unable to really push her for more information than she's ready to give - part of that reason is that she doesn't remember. The more pressing concern is that if he pushes too hard, he will activate her automatic defence systems and, in all likelihood, wind up dead. His plan is simple in concept, and extremely tricky in practice - he has been slowly pointing out all the things about her life that don't add up, in order to gently force her to confront her false existence, and by doing so reveal the memories he needs from her.
Narek has been slow, and patient, working with all the cleverness of a safecracker who knows one wrong move means the game is over. Going back to previous episodes, it's a lot easier to see how devious he's been - what looked like shots in the dark were all a part of his plan. Unfortunately, not knowing his plan, it made all of his scenes with her feel aimless. Patience with his storyline pays off this episode, something his sister Narissa Rizzo (Peyton List) is finally made to understand the value of.
Once he's received Soji's memories, Narek is for the first time able to show the full brunt of his emotions. He's able to be honest about what he feels for Soji, and it's clear that he is in love with the person Soji would have been if she was real. The anguish that she's not that is plain on his face, and it makes his betrayal of her heartbreaking to watch.
What will be fascinating in the next few episodes is how Soji deals with his betrayal. He's not simply a pretty face who was using her, he was the one who gently urged her into a realization that shook her world before trying to kill her. He was a catalyst that changed her entire life - which, despite having only existed for 3 years, is a full adult life from Soji's point of view.
Their doomed romance would have been a lot more fascinating if we knew what Narek was doing from the start, but now that the impossible box has been teased open, the beauty of the story inside is out for all to see.
The next episode of 'Star Trek: Picard' airs March 5 on CBS All Access