Who was the best commander of the Enterprise in Picard's absence? I'm not counting Jellico, just members of the command crew. Who was the best by way of tactics, diplomacy, sheer badassery? Riker, Data, Worf, Geordi, Crusher, or Troi?
Geordi does hold his own very well in The Arsenal Of Freedom. Was this the only time we saw him assume 'the big chair' though (apart from that alternative universe in Voyager)?
Going with Data. He's got the intelligence and isn't afraid to lower the hammer. Both times he was in charge of a ship during Redemption and Gambit he won the day. Though if Jellico was in this poll, I'd have voted for him.
It is Riker and it isn't even close. I don't even like his character that much but this is an obvious choice.
Data would've made a much better first officer if Riker hadn't been squatting on the position for fifteen years.
Maybe. Maybe not. That could pretty much be said for every member of the crew that stayed in position for well over a decade.
I went with Data over Riker just for the no whiny, angst riddled "I'm not as good as Captain Picard" bullshit that went along with Riker. Data owned his position, whatever position that was, from minute one, 3rd chair, 2nd chair, captain, college dean, hell...... bartender
I guess I just figured Riker would have a greater understanding of the pulse of the crew. There are subtle nuances that Riker would be able to pick up on before Data with a little bit more empathy. That and during diplomatic sessions you want your leading officer to be somewhat representative of the people he is speaking for. Data is petty much a one of a kind. I know there are many other races besides humans in the Federation but I think Riker would be better and has shown himself to be better at these things during the course of his career.
Easy choice for me in this one. Riker. Will Riker is my second favorite character, right behind Jim Kirk.
Seeing as though Riker saved the [strikethru]whole of Western civilisation[/strikethru] Federation in BOBW, he gets my vote.
Riker - fell for the Pakled trap nearly killing Geordi (and indirectly Picard), despite Worf and Troi's warnings - 0/10 Data - on the Enterprise, apparently never screwed up during the night shift, and on another ship in Redemption II, he completely foiled the Romulan/Klingon plot - 10/10 Worf - didn't do much on the Enterprise, except take control of the saucer in EAF and pretend to be the captain to some unfrozen Klingons, but including DS9, his big moment was being trigger-happy, and falling for a Klingon trap to discredit him - 4/10 Geordi - Defeated the drone in Arsenal of Freedom with a bunch of rookies, stood up to jerk-ass engineer - 8/10 Crusher - destroyed a Borg ship - 10/10, oh...with a skeleton crew, bonus +1 - 11/10 Troi - put Ensign Ro in her place, kept ship together, allowing time for Riker/Data to save the ship 9/10 Wesley (hey, why not?) - He did fake his way into command in The Naked Now - applied his school project into a repulsor beam, despite being under the influence, saving the ship - 6/10 Winner Dr. Crusher!
Technically Picard saved the day with the "sleep" suggestion. Riker gets all the credit for the Picard rescue though. But remember, Crusher also destroyed a Borg ship, but without any other senior crew.