Riker-O'Brien disagreement?

[highlander]

O'Brien broke up with him. Riker didnt take it well.

Now that's a good explanation!!!

Well at first Riker was afraid. He was petrified. He kept thinking he could never live without O'Brien by his side. But then he spent so many nights just feeling sorry for himself that he grew strong. And he learned how to get along. By stealing the Defiant right out from that two-timing bastard's very nose.

Now if they only had uniforms with bell bottoms, and open chests. Not to mention O'Brien with jeri-curl in his fro!!!

 

[Broccoli]

Also, has anyone else noticed that O'Brien used to wear leiutenants pips and and was called leiutenant in this episoee od TNg and then hes called cheif and only has half a pip........

Really? Hadn't noticed.

 

[Gojirob]

Tom knew that Miles, as a married man, was conditioned to quickly leave the room when an angry 'you know why' was brought up.

 

[moriluk]

Yup. BUMP! Wasn't going to since this thread is so old but this is the main reason I came here, to find the answer to this question.

Usually in a forum a stupid question is asked, a link to the faq is provided (which ACTUALLY has the answer) and a series of overused memes are then spammed with vast amounts of smugness. I know, I've seen it.

The answers provided in the FAQ are not answers. They are weak, speculative, and nonsensical. The scene implies they had some sort of past, that there was an incident. There was no incident. There is no past. It was just a bad scene, bad writing.

I guess hard core trek fans don't like this question. It has been asked a bunch of times. Too bad. There is a reason it's asked a lot. It is a good question and there is NO answer. I am disappointed in the answer, but I am more disapointed in the response. I always find it funny when people hate a thread yet contribute to it bumping it up the ladder with yet another facepalm.

 

[Winterwind]

Some people also hate it when others grave dig a three year old thread... I don't but sometimes the mods get their knickers in a knot.

Valid point though, that the FAQ the OP was referred to didn't answer the question. Oh well...

 

[GNDN]

In the episode "Defiant", Tom Riker dismisses O'Brien when he sees him, and he knows why, supposedly.

Why's that? Was O'Brien responsible for the transporter duplication?

*sigh*

Riker knew that O'Brian had served with his "brother", the man he was impersonating. He knew that any conversation with O'Brian could expose him for the imposter he was. So he ended that conversation before it could begin.

We all know where this'll go. Some people will complain that the scene was poorly written because O'Brian should have stood up for himself. Others will say that the scene was fine and that you don't start drama with your friend in front of your boss. No one will change their minds.

The scene was fine and you don't start drama with your friend in front of your boss.

This is pretty freakin' obvious once you learn which Riker it is, a great mysterious moment which perfectly confuses O'Brien and the audience for just the right amount of time. No explanation needed.

 

[MacLeod]

Amazed at how often this comes up, they even tell us all about the transportation duplication in the episode.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

The scene makes perfect sense. Tom knows that a former crewmate of his duplicate could see through his ruse. He makes O'Brien uncomfortable so he would leave without striking up a conversation. O'Brien obliges, because he doesn't want to start an embarrassing scene in front of Kira.


Or, as a wise man said years ago in this thread, Tom just frakkin' hates transporter chiefs. Personally, I prefer this explanation even though I'm 100% sure the first one is the correct one.

 

[MikeS]

Pretty obvious really and succinctly explained by AdmiralGarak.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Question....

Tom Riker dismisses O'Brien when he sees him, and he knows why, supposedly.

Why's that?

Answer....

I've always thought of it as Tom just trying to get rid of O'Brien, as O'Brien knows WILL Riker pretty well and might have been able to tell the difference between the two before it was revealed.

Short answer: Tom Riker knew he could bullshit anyone on DS9 except the one guy who really knew Will Riker: O'Brien. And he knew O'Brien, despite it all, would respect rank when Tom told him to take a hike while impersonating Will. That's why we see O'Brien give his WTF reaction shot after that incident as he's leaving Defiant.

*sigh*

Riker knew that O'Brien had served with his "brother", the man he was impersonating. He knew that any conversation with O'Brien could expose him for the impostor he was. So he ended that conversation before it could begin.

The scene was fine and you don't start drama with your friend in front of your boss.

This is pretty freakin' obvious once you learn which Riker it is, a great mysterious moment which perfectly confuses O'Brien and the audience for just the right amount of time. No explanation needed.

The scene makes perfect sense. Tom knows that a former crewmate of his duplicate could see through his ruse. He makes O'Brien uncomfortable so he would leave without striking up a conversation. O'Brien obliges, because he doesn't want to start an embarrassing scene in front of Kira.

Case closed. Until next time.

 

[Tiberius]

I honmestly can't understand how some people just don't get that. As Admiral Shran sumarised, there was never any hostility between Miles and Will. Tom was just trying to get rid of him by making him uncomfortable.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I'm a little late for the facepalm moment but....

 

[moriluk]

Some people also hate it when others grave dig a three year old thread... I don't but sometimes the mods get their knickers in a knot.

Valid point though, that the FAQ the OP was referred to didn't answer the question. Oh well...

Hah. It seems so.


And please. More facepalms please. That didn't stop being funny 5 years ago.

I am sure as the chief engineer, whatever he was doing on the most important ship in the area wasn't important at all. Kira's (off duty) unofficial tour with Riker was much more important. He was uncomfortable. Yes. They are old friends. Been in life and death situations. But when Riker tells Obrien he won't even speak to him and he knows why, he would never question him because he is "uncomfortable" in front of Kira. Doesn't want to "start drama". Are you kidding?


This acceptance of that type of reaction says a lot about some of the people in this particular thread. No one here thinks Obrien could possibly have the courage to simply say "no, I don't know why". People here cannot figure out why anyone would do that. That would be so dramatic. Kira might yell at him. Obrien is terrified of Kira. No one in star trek ever questions when an old colleague acts completely out of character. Nope, that never happened in star trek.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Obrien is terrified of Kira.

Isn't everyone?

 

[indolover]

It was a poorly written scene. but in the context of the story, it was needed.

Imagine if Miles asked "Hey Will, you remember when you got caught on that planet by an alien boy? Or the time you thought you were going mental in the alien hospital? Or when you got accussed of murder? Or the time you served as XO on that Klingon ship?" Thomas needed a cover from that. lol.

 

[GNDN]

OMG, it wasn't poorly written in the slightest... and it was hardly 'needed'.

Story-wise, O'Brien didn't even need to be there. It was a deliberate wtf moment that would be made clear as soon as you realize that it's Tom and not Will. It set's up in the audience's mind that something is amiss, but we don't yet know what.

In universe, Tom was just thinking on his feet. He needed to get past O'Brien without a protracted conversation and this was just a way to shut him down quickly and move on.

 

[moriluk]

Obrien is terrified of Kira.

Isn't everyone?

No. Only week underlings and non Star Fleet officers like Quark are afraid of her. I am not even sure Quark is afraid of her. Perhaps at times.

Obrien, Sisko, and Dax are not afriad of her at all. Annoyed at times but not afraid. Technically she is not even Star Fleet. Her role of 1st officer is a bone for the Bajorans. I thought hard core trekkies would have a higher opinion of what it means to be a Star Fleet Officer. Obrien has faced death many times but he is supposed to get "uncomfortable" by some odd behavior just because his "first officer" is there? Really?? That is soo incredibly weak. Not only do these people accept this answer, they are quite smug about it and don't want anyone esle to discuss it ever! Like I said before, it says a lot about the character of the poeple flaming this thread to accept such an answer.

I thought it would be fun to come to the Star Trek forums to pontificate on plot holes and odd scenes. But it seems if some people accept an anwer the rest of us have to. People just cannot resist a thread they hate. And I guess the rest of us are not allowed to discuss it any further. I am disappointed. I grave dug a 3 year old thread and it pissed people off. But the scene is a decade old, not 3 years old! In fact ALL discussions on DS9 are old! The show has been off the air for years! Accept it.

 

[Sean Aaron]

I thought hard core trekkies would have a higher opinion of what it means to be a Star Fleet Officer.

I'm sure even O'Brien would note that he is not an "Officer."

Glad to help move this enlightening conversation along.

 

[MacLeod]

Perhaps, like some people he would wait until he could see him by himself with no one else there to ask. What?

People can react a vareity of ways

1.>Say What are you talking about regardless of who is in the room
2.>Wait until they can see each other one to one.

 

[Distorted Humor]

As a NCO, if a officer tells you to bug off, you bug off. It is how it works.