Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) is famous in Star Trek: Discovery’s 32nd century, but it’s the events of Star Trek: Picard that are responsible for making Seven of Nine notoriety as a Starfleet officer, not her years on Star Trek: Voyager. Despite being part of the USS Voyager crew, former Borg Seven of Nine was likely regarded as a curiosity after Captain Kathryn Janeway’s (Kate Mulgrew) starship returned to Earth. Only Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) had been successfully de-assimilated at that point, and Picard had only been Locutus briefly. Seven of Nine’s true claim to fame would occur 20 years after Star Trek: Voyager.
Star Trek: Discovery proves that Seven of Nine’s legacy persists 800 years after the original journey of the USS Voyager when the USS Discovery’s Commander Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) mentions making a drink called “Seven of Limes” as a relief bartender. Reno admits that bartending experience was used to “pad the resume”, but it’s one of the more likely elements of Reno’s alleged areas of expertise, so there’s no reason to expect that Reno’s cocktail named after Seven of Nine is just a coincidence. In fact, the Seven of Limes is a big hint as to what most likely happened during Seven of Nine’s Starfleet career.
Seven of Nine got a drink named after her because of Star Trek: Picard, not Star Trek: Voyager. The crew of the USS Voyager were hailed as heroes upon their return to the Alpha Quadrant, but Seven of Nine was regarded with suspicion and outright discrimination as an ex-Borg. Despite being completely severed from the Borg Collective, Seven of Nine’s application to join Starfleet was rejected, even with Admiral Kathryn Janeway’s (Kate Mulgrew) support backing her up. Determined to help people with or without Starfleet’s help, Seven of Nine joined the Fenris Rangers vigilante organization and left the Alpha Quadrant for 20 years. That’s not exactly a real lasting legacy… yet.
Instead, Seven of Nine really makes a name for herself in Star Trek: Picard, which picks up with Seven of Nine at the end of her Fenris Ranger days, joining the La Sirena crew with Admiral Jean-Luc Picard. In Star Trek: Picard season 2, Seven finally achieves a Starfleet commission granted by Admiral Picard. In Star Trek: Picard season 3, Commander Seven is First Officer of the USS Titan-A. After saving the galaxy from an advanced Borg threat, Captain Seven of Nine takes command of the Titan, rechristened the USS Enterprise-G, making Seven of Nine a member of a very elite club: people who were Captain of the USS Enterprise. Those are the people you name drinks after.
Star Trek: Discovery makes Star Trek: Legacy, the potential Star Trek: Picard spinoff about the USS Enterprise-G, even more important. It’s not enough that Seven of Nine becomes Captain of the USS Enterprise-G, even as an ex-Borg. Captain Seven must have been a significant figure in Star Trek history who did more than simply command Starfleet’s flagship, no matter what hardships were faced before earning the Enterprise-G’s center seat. If made, Star Trek: Legacy would show exactly what Captain Seven of Nine did during the Enterprise’s adventures in Star Trek‘s 25th century to make Seven of Nine a household name in the 32nd century.
Commander Jett Reno is one of the Star Trek: Discovery characters originally from the 23rd century, so Captain Seven of Nine must have been part of the USS Discovery crew’s required reading to catch up on 900 years of history between Discovery’s original time and the 32nd century. Only the most significant names in Starfleet history would have made the list. To be famous enough to have a cocktail named after her, and for that pun to make sense, Captain Seven of Nine had to have made a huge impact on the 25th century after Star Trek: Picard.
Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Discovery are streaming on Paramount+.