Commander Hutchinson: a raw deal?

[Ragitsu]

Good evening.

In "Starship Mine", Commander Calvin "Hutch" Hutchinson is the sole friendly casualty of the terrorist plot to raid the Enterprise. Upon reflection, it bothers me that no one acknowledged his death once the crisis had been resolved; bothersome as he may have been to others (i.e., the senior staff of the flagship of The Federation), he nevertheless came across as amiable and, presumably, he would have been just as valorous as any Starfleet officer had he been presented with an opportunity to act. If nothing else, during the episode's denouement, Data could have contributed a line or two concerning the tragedy of the man's death only for Riker to console/advise him in return.

 

[DonIago]

It doesn't seem as though they really had time for another scene at the end of the episode? Are you proposing cutting something out and replacing it?

 

[Finn]

Good evening.

In "Starship Mine", Commander Calvin "Hutch" Hutchinson is the sole friendly casualty of the terrorist plot to raid the Enterprise. Upon reflection, it bothers me that no one acknowledged his death once the crisis had been resolved; bothersome as he may have been to others (i.e., the senior staff of the flagship of The Federation), he nevertheless came across as amiable and, presumably, he would have been just as valorous as any Starfleet officer had he been presented an opportunity to act. If nothing else, during the episode's denouement, Data could have contributed a line or two concerning the tragedy of the man's death only for Riker to console/advise him in return.

Should they had a memorial service, with Sisko saying a few words honoring the crew of the Odyssey after they got back from the Gamma Quadrant?

 

[Tosk]

There was no time to mourn Hutch in the last scene, it was much more important for them to make a Mr. Ed joke.

 

[johnnybear]

Was that the David Spielberg character?
JB

 

[Ragitsu]

It doesn't seem as though they really had time for another scene at the end of the episode? Are you proposing cutting something out and replacing it?

Worf?

Should they had a memorial service, with Sisko saying a few words honoring the crew of the Odyssey after they got back from the Gamma Quadrant?

That seems like a detail fitting for DS9.

Was that the David Spielberg character?
JB

Mm-hm.

 

[DonIago]

I'm not sure what you mean about cutting Worf?

 

[at Quark's]

It's the fate of those that trouble Our Heroes. I can't recall anyone mourning cmdr Remmick after they killed him and the parasite in him in Conspiracy, either.

While he may not have been particularly nice to the crew in Coming of Age, in the end he was just doing his job and trying to be very thorough about it.

 

[DonIago]

Yeah, I think Remmick would have merited a few moments of reflection more than poor Hutch, if it's a toss-up between the two.

Of course, Trek has a proud tradition of not pausing to reflect upon the deaths of characters.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It's the fate of those that trouble Our Heroes. I can't recall anyone mourning cmdr Remmick after they killed him and the parasite in him in Conspiracy, either.

What's to mourn? Remmick was already dead. He was dead as soon as the mother creature took root inside him.

While he may not have been particularly nice to the crew in Coming of Age, in the end he was just doing his job and trying to be very thorough about it.

And that's the difference. THAT was the real Remmick. If HE had died, he would have been mourned. But what was killed in "Conspiracy" was not Remmick. By that time, he was already lost.

 

[Ragitsu]

I'm not sure what you mean about cutting Worf?

Michael Dorn's brief role as spear-carrier wasn't terribly critical, in my opinion.

Of course, Trek has a proud tradition of not pausing to reflect upon the deaths of characters.

Isn't that mostly the unnamed characters? Anyhow, I thought TNG would have been slightly better about this sort of thing post-"The Bonding".

 

[somebuddyX]

I remember being surprised when Hutch got killed. I'd known most of the plot long before seeing it and somehow missed him being whacked. Not that it's bad or I'd change it. The episode isn't about his death and it'd ring false to say something about it, unlike say "The Ship" where death was a big deal. They might make jokes but it's probably like any essential service dealing with tragedy, and then later they all go have a chat with Troi and have a toast to him in private in Ten Forward and then move on.

 

[DonIago]

Isn't that mostly the unnamed characters? Anyhow, I thought TNG would have been slightly better about this sort of thing post-"The Bonding".

I think whether or not the character is named is secondary to whether or not the main characters have any particular connection to the character in question.

Looking over https://listofdeaths.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek#Next_Generation, I believe my theory is supported. There's a fair number of named characters whose deaths aren't particularly reflected upon.

 

[at Quark's]

And that's the difference. THAT was the real Remmick. If HE had died, he would have been mourned. But what was killed in "Conspiracy" was not Remmick. By that time, he was already lost.

I'll grant you that it's highly likely he was already dead given the size of that mother creature.

Even so, I don't think the precise moment of his death matters too much in regards to the observation that apparently he wasn't mourned afterwards. He was still a victim of the parasitic invasion, died in service of Starfleet and therefore still deserved to be mourned after the discovery was made the parasites had taken him over.

 

[DonIago]

I agree. It's obvious that non-implanted people weren't aware that Remmick had been taken over at some point, so it stands to reason that any memorial service for him would occur after the events of the episode.

 

[Ragitsu]

The thing I appreciated about the man was that his small talk wasn't drivel; Hutchinson seemed genuinely intelligent/well-read.

 

[Jellico]

Hutchinson died, but I don’t consider him a throw away character. His death was tragic, even if he could be a bore.

 

[Oddish]

There are a lot of minor characters in Trek who deserved better than they got. Hutch wasn't even the worst shafted.

 

[DonIago]

If Joe Carey counts as a minor character, I'd consider him, if not the worst shafted, at least in the Top Ten.

 

[Oddish]

He does, and he was. He had his nose broken, and the person who did it was promptly promoted over him for it. Then he got redshirted just weeks from home, and Adm. Janeway didn't bother setting the way back machine a little earlier. So he buries Hutch in a walk.