So Patrick Stewart announced two week ago (at the Las Vegas Trek Convention) he would be reprising his role as the iconic Captain Jean-Luc Picard to the pleasant surprise of many.

He vowed to himself many years ago he would never reprise that role again. Something changed and you can see the in the video below it was quite emotional for him.

The new series is suppose to launch in early 2019 however the script hasn't been written as of yet. Based on what we know of Picard's character in the Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Star Trek Genre at large I'll try to look at the different possibilites the new show may explore.

Picard the Archeologist

Picard had the a chance to become an archeologist in 2339, a chance offered to him by his Star Fleet Academy archeology professor Doctor Richard Galen but Picard chose the life of a Starfleet officer instead rising all the way to the rank of Captain.

We see his archeological interests rekindle in Captain's Holiday(TNG Season 3: Episode 19) where together with a woman named Vash they search for Tox Uthat in the caves on the popular vacation resort on planet Risa. The Tox Uthat is uppose to be an artifact built in the future (27th century) by the a race known as the Vorgons.

In the end it was revealed Vash had already found the Tox Uthat and her meeting Picard was a ploy to deceive a Ferengi by the name of Sovak.

Picard ends up destroying the Tox Uthat after the Vorgons fail to identify themselves when they show up in front of him and Vash.

In The Chase (TNG Season 6: Episode 20) we see him temporarily brake off his diplomatic mission from Starfleet to solve professor's Galen last archeological puzzle - the origin of humanoid life in the Milky Way Galaxy.

On Vilmor II they find a holographic recording of an ancestor Humanoid (progenitor) who claims they have spread their genetic material billions of years ago which lead to the develpoment of other races like Humans, Klingons, Romulans etc.

It seems unlikely that the new series will explore this avenue except maybe as a side story searching for some ancient artifact with some significat importance - maybe a time device or some weapon.

Picard the Diplomat

It's more likely the new series might explore Picard's diplomatic experties.

As Captain of the Enterprise he made first contact with 27 species including the Ferengi and the Borg. He was chief contact point in dealing with the Q Continuum and was also chosen as the Arbiter of Succession where he oversaw the Klingon Rite of Succession which was unusual since Picard wasn't Klingon.

As Arbiter of Succession Picard helped expose Romulan backers of rivals to Gowron who ended up being installed as the new Chancellor of the Klingon Empire.

We might see Starfleet giving Picard an important diplomatic mission with a hostile species or settling a dispute between two waring species.

Picard the Starfleet officer

Picard's main passion was always being a Starfleet officer. Whether it's exploration of new worlds in peace time or being a military commander in times of war he fulfilled his duties.

Since the new series is happening 20 years after Star Trek: Nemesis Picard will most likely be either have rank of Admiral or will be retired. They might even start the series with his official retirement ceremony.

Whatever the case he won't be actively in command of a starship.

But my guess is if they go this route Picard at some point (later in Season 1 or in Season 2) will be commanding a Starship again. Now in what capacity will that be I do not know.

Starfleet could ask Picard to come back out of retirement for a special mission to explore some space anomaly in some distant unexplored part of Space or test some new weapon.

Maybe Picard gets involved with Section 31 and does some rogue mission with them because he's bored in his retirement.

Visiting old crew members

The season will most likely with Picard revisiting some of his old crew. We might see him visitng Captain Riker and Deanna, Geordi, Beverly Crusher for brief cameo appearances.

I only see Worf and B4 (Data's predecessor) as someone they could fit in as a regular if they go on some mission for Starfleet together.

Other than that I think they will explore new charachters with Picard.

Conclusion

In my opinion we can expect a slow start to the new series and then they will start to spice things up with Picard getting involved with something serious.

I doubt they can make several seasons of Picard just exploring philosophical questions of life.

But whatever the case maybe most people will tune in for the Pilot episode of the legendary Captain Jean-Luc Picard's new series.