Peyton List praises Jeri Ryan and notes that the Star Trek: Picard fight was cut short.
Peyton List, who played the Romulan villain Narissa in Star Trek: Picard season 1, has praised Jeri Ryan for her performance of Seven of Nine. List revealed that from what was first intended and practiced, the fight scene between Narissa and Seven of Nine in the season 1 finale was much cut back.
One Week of Rehearsals Reduction
List said on an appearance on the D-Con Chamber podcast that the final fight scene, which ran in the season 1 finale, barely reflected the original choreography. List and Ryan spent a week perfecting the long fight sequence—which included stunt doubles, wires, and poles. Though the choreography is complex, only roughly 10–15% of the intended fight makes it to the final cut.
Seven of Nine's Act-Hero Change
From a former Borg drone to a competent action hero, Star Trek: Picard season 1 explored a different side of Seven of Nine. This came to play in the season 1 finale, "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part II," in the epic fight with Narissa. Seven of Nine already showed her fighting skills as a Fenris Ranger earlier in the season. Her struggle with Narissa was a personal grudge aimed at exacting retribution for the Romulan destruction of thousands of innocent Borg drones. Narissa fell deathfully when the two collided on the Borg Cube Artifact.
A memorable villain and a Starfleet captain
Viewers were left with a lasting impression from Peyton List's performance of the merciless Romulan villain Narissa. Her narrative ended, though, with the end of Star Trek: Picard season 1. Seven of Nine's path, on the other hand, changed significantly and finally she joined Starfleet and became the Captain of the USS Enterprise-G in Star Trek: Picard season 3. This elevation prepared the ground for a possible spinoff called Star Trek: Legacy, which centers on Seven of Nine's newly appointed Starfleet Captain.
Legacy of Action
Although the final cut may not have fully captured the intensity of Narissa and Seven of Nine's fight scene, it nevertheless proved evidence of Seven's development into a competent action hero. Her character arc underwent a major change with this development, which also left a legacy for the Star Trek series since it prepared her for her ultimate promotion to Starfleet Captain.
