Does anyone else dislike Raffi?

[100Pic]

I do think Raffi has been a mixed bag. A big problem (IMO) was that she was parachuted into the melee without much backstory, other than being a sad sack with a drug habit. I know this will sound silly, but she becomes a much more likeable character if you read the prequel novel “The Last Best Hope” — because there you see the “old” Raffi, before she fell off the wagon and all that. In the book, she’s actually a huge help to Picard, and something like the breath of fresh air he needs.

Overall, I didn’t really buy the Seven x Raffi bickering lovers thing in season 2. Not through some anti-woke bullshit or anything like that, I just didn’t sense much chemistry between them. A good idea in the abstract that didn’t quite come together. Otherwise, she comes across as a bit of a hothead. We’re usually used the Starfleet being measured and considered. Her attitude was like: “Elnor is dead so screw the timeline!”

That said, I certainly don’t hate the character. Not at all. But she hasn’t been written to her full potential.

 

[TedShatner10]

I think Raffi and Seven relationship has more going for it than with Chuckles (apparently it was last minute suggestion during a convention talk).

 

[plynch]

a low bar

 

[TedShatner10]

a low bar

True and it seems more in character than Spock's partnership with Uhura in the Kelvin universe.

 

[Llywela]

What about Rios?

Rios had served as first officer aboard a Starfleet vessel, one step down from a captaincy, and then captained a private freighter for ten years. How he crewed that vessel is immaterial, really. The years of experience are what count, plus his contribution in the Coppelius crisis, combined with his exemplary service record prior to his discharge, the truth of which has now been revealed. That's why Starfleet took him back as a captain.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Rios had served as first officer aboard a Starfleet vessel, one step down from a captaincy, and then captained a private freighter for ten years. How he crewed that vessel is immaterial, really. The years of experience are what count, plus his contribution in the Coppelius crisis, combined with his exemplary service record prior to his discharge, the truth of which has now been revealed. That's why Starfleet took him back as a captain.

It's what I thought but certain people believe Seven would be more in line to be Captain despite a lack of Starfleet experience.

 

[DarKush]

Rios had served as first officer aboard a Starfleet vessel, one step down from a captaincy, and then captained a private freighter for ten years. How he crewed that vessel is immaterial, really. The years of experience are what count, plus his contribution in the Coppelius crisis, combined with his exemplary service record prior to his discharge, the truth of which has now been revealed. That's why Starfleet took him back as a captain.

One wonders why Raffi also wasn't made a captain in Season 2? Raffi also had been a first officer, to Picard no less. Perhaps it was offered but she rejected it, or there were lingering concerns over her drug use, mental/emotional or physical health? There's just too little canon backstory for some of these characters for me to say one way or the other. However, if Starfleet had concerns seems like they wouldn't have had her as first officer on the Excelsior or allowing her to mentor Elnor.

Since we never saw, or even learned the name of the Excelsior captain, seems like there wasn't any on screen reason to not promote her to the big chair between seasons. She could've been captain of the Excelsior and it would've changed nothing in the story really.

 

[Llywela]

One wonders why Raffi also wasn't made a captain in Season 2? Raffi also had been a first officer, to Picard no less. Perhaps it was offered but she rejected it, or there were lingering concerns over her drug use, mental/emotional or physical health? There's just too little canon backstory for some of these characters for me to say one way or the other. However, if Starfleet had concerns seems like they wouldn't have had her as first officer on the Excelsior or allowing her to mentor Elnor.

I imagine because, unlike Rios, she had spent the intervening years living as a recluse in the middle of nowhere, drowning her sorrows in drugs and alcohol, whereas he was out there captaining a ship of his own, gaining that additional command experience.

Honestly, though, these are the questions that really should have been answered on-screen, the developments that should have been explored on-screen. The most interesting stories S2 had to tell all happened off-screen between seasons, and the show was materially weakened by abandoning all those character stories in favour of a season-long plot that wasn't really connected to any of them.

 

[TedShatner10]

Yeah, the character progression with Picard, Elnor, Seven, Rios, Soji, and Raffi could've been tackled more in the 6 episodes (with montages) then the Confederation/Q/Borg stuff gets tackled in the last 4 episodes with a compressed mini-arc.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

It's what I thought but certain people believe Seven would be more in line to be Captain despite a lack of Starfleet experience.

The opinion was that Seven being permanently assigned as captain was more likely than the alternative of her serving on the Excelsior, not that it was actually likely that she would be permanently assigned as a captain.

 

[Danja]

Honestly, though, these are the questions that really should have been answered on-screen, the developments that should have been explored on-screen. The most interesting stories S2 had to tell all happened off-screen between seasons, and the show was materially weakened by abandoning all those character stories in favour of a season-long plot that wasn't really connected to any of them.

The show would've ground to a halt in court hearings.

It's one thing to have the occasional court-related ep ("The Drumhead", "Measure of a Man"). It's quite another to fill half the season with them.

No one on the Trek writing staff is a match for someone like Aaron Sorkin (And even HE is prone to over-the-top theatrical excesses. People in the real world don't speak the way they do in an Aaron Sorkin movie.)

 

[STEPhon IT]

The opinion was that Seven being permanently assigned as captain was more likely than the alternative of her serving on the Excelsior, not that it was actually likely that she would be permanently assigned as a captain.

Despite the lack of Starfleet experience. The cool factor is more popular than a character earning it. My understanding is Rios earned his commission and so did Raffi.

 

[fireproof78]

he show would've ground to a halt in court hearings.

I'd watch it.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Despite the lack of Starfleet experience

No, it was more about the Excelsior position being that much of a bad fit for Seven. It's something with so little upside that it made the other alternative more likely however far-fetched it was, that's all.

Who knows? Maybe she'll end up being on the Excelsior. I have no say; it's already been shot.

 

[STEPhon IT]

No, it was more about the Excelsior position being that much of a bad fit for Seven. It's something with so little upside that it made the other alternative more likely however far-fetched it was, that's all.

Who knows? Maybe she'll end up being on the Excelsior. I have no say; it's already been shot.

TBH, with the popularity of the character, the writers will do her right and make her a great Captain. If this is the final season, would she as Captain and Raffi, some how explore the new threat and later meets with the new starship Enterprise commanded by Admiral Picard? Possibly repositioning them onto the ship for one final adventure?

 

[Llywela]

The show would've ground to a halt in court hearings.

It is, in fact, entirely possible to explore natural, organic character development without burying the show in court hearings, you know.

Instead, the show decided to grind itself to a halt by completely removing the characters from their natural, organic development so they could spend the entire season running around in circles after a plot that was entirely unrelated to any of them.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Its all about the FLUFF instead of character development. At least the SFX is top notch and watch things explode from time to time.

 

[Jeyl]

Honestly, what was there to like? She's always angry and always arguing. I'm not into investing in miserable characters, especially when it comes to Star Trek.

 

[Lucky]

I can't say I disliked Raffi in the first season, but she did barely interest me. But the second season made me really appreciate the character.

 

[plynch]

She’s not pleasant. But I’m glad not everyone in the show is pleasant. The ninja dude who died early had such potential in that regard, not being unpleasant, but not your standard nice guy. This series was pretty good that way, actually. DSC, characters got less interesting and more nice/general (Saru, Culber, Burnham come to mind).