Star Trek Hero’s Funnier Death Scene That Was Cut
Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas recently revealed an alternate version of Captain Liam Shaw’s poignant death scene. Portrayed by Todd Stashwick, the character was extremely popular with fans during the critically acclaimed third season. In the penultimate, Shaw sacrifices himself so his friends can escape.
A cut version of Captain Liam Shaw’s death scene saw the Captain share a funnier moment with Seven of Nine as he said, “It’s not my ship anymore. It’s yours. But don’t touch my stuff, Seven of Nine.”
In his final moments, Shaw addressed his First Officer, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), using her preferred name and entrusted command of the ship to her. Matalas uploaded a brief video of the unseen ending to his X account, which has since been deleted. This version added some levity to the sad moment, with Shaw saying, “It’s not my ship anymore. It’s yours. But don’t touch my stuff, Seven of Nine.”
In the final version, Shaw said, “It’s not my ship anymore. It’s yours. You have the conn, Seven of Nine.” Throughout Star Trek: Picard Shaw refused to call his first officer by her Borg name. Instead, he insisted on addressing her as Commander Annika Hansen. So the significance of him finally referring to her as Seven of Nine was a big deal in both endings.
Shaw in Star Trek: Legacy
Terry Matalas and actor Todd Stashwick previously told ScreenRant that Captain Liam Shaw would make a comeback in Star Trek: Legacy (despite his death) if the series were given the go-ahead. Envisioned as a spin-off stemming from Picard, the new show will likely expand on several threads introduced in the third season of Picard.
The most obvious way for Star Trek: Legacy to reintroduce Captain Shaw is by placing the show’s timeline before the events of Picard season three. However, Matalas believes this option would be a shortcut. Moreover, transforming Shaw back into the abrasive persona viewers met in the premiere of Picard would undermine his character growth.
From a narrative perspective, delving into the aftermath of the Fleet Formation crisis that resulted in the Borg assimilating the entire armada would be much more interesting. Another way for Captain Shaw to return would be as a hologram, reminiscent of the holographic representation of Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Prodigy. However, only time will tell.
The conclusion of Star Trek: Picard saw Seven of Nine assuming the role of Captain aboard the recently renamed USS Enterprise-G, while Jack Crusher, the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher, encountered the renowned Q (portrayed by John de Lancie). These storylines, among others, hold the potential for further exploration in the series Star Trek: Legacy.
Star Trek: Legacy is reportedly a popular concept with those who work within the wider Star Trek franchise. However, given the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, it might be a while before any official updates emerge. Nevertheless, the notion of the spin-off is still under consideration.
Throughout Star Trek: Picard Shaw refused to call his first officer by her Borg name. Instead, he insisted on addressing her as Commander Annika Hansen.
Although the manner of Captain Liam Shaw’s potential return following his demise remains unclear, those working behind the scenes say they have a promising direction in mind for his character. Stashwick’s portrayal of Shaw added a delightful dimension to the Star Trek realm, and it would be sad if the end of Star Trek: Picard’s third season marked his final appearance for viewers.
