Why was Picard given the Enterprise?

[Turd Ferguson]

Greetings. I'm a DS9/Enterprise fan, watching Next Gen straight through for the first time (although I've seen many epidodes). I've always though Picard was a pretty seasoned officer.

But, watching through the first season, I got to wondering. Why did Starfleet feel Picard was suited to captain the Federation flagship? This fellow (as far as Starfleet knew), lost his previous vessel, the Stargazer, and shown himself to be quite susceptible to mind control and manipulation.

Is this the guy best suited for command? Like I said, I know he grows into the Jean-Luc of later seasons, but what qualifications did Command see in him? I will say I think it's amusing seeing him fumbling around with his crew like trying to secretly get Beverly transferred off the ship

I'm wondering if somebody pulled some strings ala John Harriman or if maybe Picard had some dirt on people to get this command.

 

[BillJ]

Obviously, he was very highly thought of inside Starfleet Command. He is offered an Admiral's rank later in the first season.

There is a nine year gap between his command of the Stargazer and when he assumes command of the Enterprise that we know nothing about.

 

[Satyrquaze]

How did he "show himself to be quite susceptible to mind control and manipulation" prior to taking command of the Enterprise?

If you're talking about "The Battle" there is nothing about the actual loss of the Stargazer that gives the impression that he was susceptible to any sort of mental control or manipulation.

Quite the contrary.

He was fired upon without provocaton by an unknown assailant which nearly crippled his vessel, and he retaliated with a revolutionary maneuver that destroyed the attacking vessel and saved the majority of his crew at the regrettable cost of the Stargazer herself.

That just says to me that he should have been put in the command of another vessel as soon as humanly possible after his court-martial.

Is there something I'm unaware of in his career prior to commanding the Enterprise-D?

 

[CaptainStoner]

He gave someone the "Picard Maneuver".

 

[lurok]

Greetings. I'm a DS9/Enterprise fan, watching Next Gen straight through for the first time (although I've seen many epidodes).

Exactly the same here. But I never had a prob with Picard, even after the Stargazer incident (hey, we all make mistakes). I guess you just have to believe But if being hyper-critical, I suppose I could go back over episodes and assemble some sort of case for why unfit. As I could for Kirk, Sisko, Janeway and Archer.

 

[Satyrquaze]

He gave someone the "Picard Maneuver".

That's how he got command, not showing how he was unfit.

 

[Vulpes]

He read British poetry at them until they gave in.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I think Picard was someone very well known throughout the fleet--someone who made captain at a very young age and then matured into one of their most respected commanders. There was probably a short list of candidates to command the new Enterprise and Picard won out based on a combination of his skills and command style.

I wouldn't be surprised if Edward Jellicoe had been on that short list too though, and may even had been secretly a frontrunner at one point before the Admiralty made their final decision...

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

Although we don't know what happened those nine years in between commands I wouldn't be surprised if Picard spent it at Star Fleet command doing a little schmoozing. He was on a first name basis with a few of the Admirals on the show so there must have been a period when he was working along side of them. Maybe he had a little inside edge.

 

[Snaploud]

He had been captain of a long-range ship of exploration for a couple decades (building up a decent reputation), and a recent book ("The Buried Age") outlines an interesting history with Starfleet Intelligence during the eight years prior to taking command of the Enterprise.

 

[Subcommander R.]

Greetings. I'm a DS9/Enterprise fan, watching Next Gen straight through for the first time (although I've seen many epidodes).

Exactly the same here. But I never had a prob with Picard, even after the Stargazer incident (hey, we all make mistakes). I guess you just have to believe But if being hyper-critical, I suppose I could go back over episodes and assemble some sort of case for why unfit. As I could for Kirk, Sisko, Janeway and Archer.

I don't see how he made any mistakes. His ship was attacked, and he beat the attacker.

 

[Timo]

I don't think there is any question about him making mistakes. He must have been suspected of making some by Starfleet, or else he wouldn't have been court-martialed.

And then he was cleared, indicating Starfleet's faith in him could be restored. And then he was given the Federation Flagship, indicating the restoration did take place.

As many have already pointed out, Picard must have done some politicking back home so that he could evolve from a hermit explorer to a centrally placed Admiralty favorite. OTOH, his cloak and dagger creds are established in "Chain of Command", his research skills in multiple episodes. Add his service years, and he'd be a palatable choice for commanding a big exploration and combat starship. That the got the Enterprise doesn't necessarily mean he would have been special - after all, she wasn't the first Galaxy or the biggest or the fastest or anything like that.

That he got the Federation Flagship is the one thing that justifies considering him special. But are Federation Flagships unique? Or does the Federation perhaps have something like twelve of them, with Captains Varley and Keogh commanding another two?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[JoeZhang]

He must have been suspected of making some by Starfleet, or else he wouldn't have been court-martialed.

Isn't a court-martial standard when a ship is lost? Wikipedia notes that:

Most navies have a standard court-martial which convenes whenever a ship is lost; this does not necessarily mean that the captain is suspected of wrongdoing, but merely that the circumstances surrounding the loss of the ship would be made part of the official record. Many ship captains will actually insist on a court-martial in such circumstances.

 

[TheLobes]

Because hes an incredibly good diplomat, which is exactly what you need on the flagship of a force like Star Fleet. At the same time, hes already proven himself in battle, so if one is forced upon him, he can kick ass.

 

[Tomalak]

I wouldn't be surprised if Edward Jellicoe had been on that short list too though, and may even had been secretly a frontrunner at one point before the Admiralty made their final decision...

Jellico was clearly a mental case. He was stuck commanding an old ship because Starfleet knew he was one bad night away from a Ben Maxwell incident. Nechayev gave him the Enterprise because she knew he'd put the shits up the Cardassians whilst Picard did his thing. Jellico was as surprised as anyone to find himself on the Enterprise, and couldn't believe his luck.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I wouldn't be surprised if Edward Jellicoe had been on that short list too though, and may even had been secretly a frontrunner at one point before the Admiralty made their final decision...

Jellico was clearly a mental case. He was stuck commanding an old ship because Starfleet knew he was one bad night away from a Ben Maxwell incident. Nechayev gave him the Enterprise because she knew he'd put the shits up the Cardassians whilst Picard did his thing. Jellico was as surprised as anyone to find himself on the Enterprise, and couldn't believe his luck.

Wha?


All indications just show Jellicoe as someone who had a more direct command style than Picard and wasn't one to hear a lot of lengthy explanations or excuses from his officers when he asked them to do something.

"Get it done."

Otherwise, he was one of the few non-regular Trek captains not depicted as being crazy or a victim.

 

[BillJ]

I'm always surprised at the venom spewed Jellico's way on this board. It was the Enterprise crew, except for Data, who came off as unwilling to change.

They came off as petulant children.

 

[Shikarnov]

I'm always surprised at the venom spewed Jellico's way on this board. It was the Enterprise crew, except for Data, who came off as unwilling to change.

They came off as petulant children.

I agree. It would have nice to see the Enterprise crew behave as professionals instead of complaining about how difficult Jellico is. Had the writers been more creative, they could still have had the big blow out between him and Riker (for dramatic effect), but over something more significant than Jellico's inability to "inspire" confidence from the crew.

 

[Lighthammer]

The reason Picard got the Enterprise is pretty straight forward. Enterprise's primary mission was exploration to which they anticipated meeting countless new races.

Picards most well known attributes are as a Diplomat, a Leader and is also a keen strategist when needed. All these attributes are very much needed for someone who is going to take a ship on a long range mission and potentially encounter new races that may make good allies or will overtly be enemies.

When you take in the scope of the mission, Picard was the perfect candidate.

I don't think there is any question about him making mistakes. He must have been suspected of making some by Starfleet, or else he wouldn't have been court-martialed.

It's simply standard protocol. Even in a murder case where you killed someone in self defense, you're still going to go to trial and you are probably still going to be convicted of manslaughter. It doesn't mean you are going to have fines, jail time or any sort of sanctions against you. It's simply documenting the truth.

 

[Satyrquaze]

I don't think there is any question about him making mistakes. He must have been suspected of making some by Starfleet, or else he wouldn't have been court-martialed.

It's simply standard protocol. Even in a murder case where you killed someone in self defense, you're still going to go to trial and you are probably still going to be convicted of manslaughter. It doesn't mean you are going to have fines, jail time or any sort of sanctions against you. It's simply documenting the truth.

Yeah, in "The Measure Of A Man" Captain Phillipa Louvois who serves as the JAG officer prosecuted Picard for the loss of the Stargazer said point blank that the court martial was standard procedure. It was only the relentless nature of her prosecution that Picard took issue with.