Old villain returning in ‘Star Trek: Picard’

Q is warping back to the final frontier.

The all-powerful villain from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” will return to torment Patrick Stewart once again in the second season of “Star Trek: Picard,” it was announced Monday.

John de Lancie is reprising the role on the series which streams on Paramount+ (formerly known as CBS All Access). He becomes the latest in a string of Trek veterans making a return to the franchise in the popular spin-off series that premiered in 2020.

“I am totally delighted and really looking forward to it,” de Lancie said of his return.

The 73-year-old actor did voice a cartoon-version of Q for a very brief cameo appearance in an episode of the animated series, “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” But insists he was surprised when he was contacted by the “Picard” producers.

“It’s been many years,” de Lance said, so he never expected an opportunity would come up for him to play the role again on screen. But, he added, “It’s been a long time coming, and I’m more than ready.”

De Lancie debuted as Q in the series premiere of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” back in 1987. He would reprise the role regularly throughout the show’s seven seasons, including its finale in 1994. He also appeared in the spin off shows, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: Voyager.”

No details were revealed about the plot for the show’s second season, but Stewart noted Q would return after a great tragedy for the former captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

The upcoming season of “Star Trek Picard,” which is expected to begin production soon, debuts on Paramount+ in 2022.