Paris makes so many references to a specific mistake he made when he was in Starfleet, and it sounds an awful lot like the "mistake" Nick Locarno made in TNG episode The First Duty. So, I guess my question is, are they the same person, and Paris just changed his name to try to separate himself from this fatal error, or did the writers just make them a bit too similar?
Nick Locarno/Tom Paris
- Thread starter Vorta
- Start date
Knight Templar
Commodore
One of the Voyager creators (Jeri Taylor) I think mentioned the smilarity in backstory for Lacarno and Paris and said they were tempted to just use the same character when fleshing out the Paris background, but her, Berman, and Piller all decided they thought the Nick Locarno character was "too far gone" (exact quote) be be redeemed as a series regular.
Ah, I see I see. So, in a roundabout way, they are indeed the same person.
There are just so many references, and honestly I couldn't remember if anyone just came out and said anything in Voyager.
It's been acknowledged many times that they either originally intended the character to be Nick Locarno or they at least considered it. However, there have been two issues referenced that made them decide against it:
1. The Nick Locarno was considered "beyond redemption" considering his role in "The First Duty."
2. Because "The First Duty" was written by someone who was not (at the time) a staff writer, Paramount would have had to pay royalties for the use of the Locarno character for every single episode of Voyager.
Combining those two things, it made more sense to go with a new character, though Paris and Locarno clearly have a lot in common.
1. The Nick Locarno was considered "beyond redemption" considering his role in "The First Duty."
2. Because "The First Duty" was written by someone who was not (at the time) a staff writer, Paramount would have had to pay royalties for the use of the Locarno character for every single episode of Voyager.
Combining those two things, it made more sense to go with a new character, though Paris and Locarno clearly have a lot in common.
The characters are remarkably similar, even Tom's dad can't tell them apart and displays a picture of Locarno in his office. 
The key difference was the Tom Paris actually did graduate from the Academy and was serving when he did the unspecified incident that got him discharged.
I think Robert Duncan McNeil said the difference between the two to him is that Nick Locarno is a terrible person on the inside and a good guy on the outside, while Tom Paris is a good guy on the inside and a horrible person on the outside.
The key difference was the Tom Paris actually did graduate from the Academy and was serving when he did the unspecified incident that got him discharged.
I think Robert Duncan McNeil said the difference between the two to him is that Nick Locarno is a terrible person on the inside and a good guy on the outside, while Tom Paris is a good guy on the inside and a horrible person on the outside.
Yep. If "The First Duty" had been written by a staff writer, Locarno probably would have been in Voyager.
Early plans for Voyager (memos etc in "A Vision of the Future: The Making of Voyager") mention Nick Locarno by name.
Also name-changed for royalty payment evading reasons, T'Pol in Star Trek: Enterprise. She was originally going to be a young version of T'Pau from "Amok Time" (who eventually did show up, for a story arc in the fourth season. Presumably paying royalites for 3 episodes was more financially agreeable than 98!)
Also name-changed for royalty payment evading reasons, T'Pol in Star Trek: Enterprise. She was originally going to be a young version of T'Pau from "Amok Time" (who eventually did show up, for a story arc in the fourth season. Presumably paying royalites for 3 episodes was more financially agreeable than 98!)
Ian Keldon
Fleet Captain
I think the whole sorry affair just shows how petty studios are...penny pinching when you could be adding to the mythos of the show by featuring or at least referencing recurring characters.
Knight Templar
Commodore
Well, studios want to avoid legal problems as well. People forget that television and movies are governed by an incredible array of laws, labor agreements and regulations.
Nick Locarno is hardly a recurring character and I don't think Voyager would have been any different if they had used him.
Besides, this is nothing compared to what goes on on British television. The people who created all the various aliens on Doctor Who actually own those aliens and are required to be paid whenever the show uses those aliens. Whether it's as prominent as the Daleks or as obscure as the Macra.
Except Tom Paris was a pretty cool dude while Nick Locarno was a total douchebag.
Not a total douchebag.
The rights thing makes sense, seeing as how they are virtually identical. For the longest time I just assumed that Nick Locarno changed his name to escape what he'd done.
^^^ I think there was a fannon retcon along these lines stating that it was Nick who, at the time, was using his middle name "Nicholas" and his divorced mother's maiden name "Locarno". After the academy debacle, he changed it to his father's name "Paris" and started using his real first name "Thomas", so that he might be able to curry some favor while he was in jail as being an "Admiral's Boy". Pretty flimsy, I know, and I probably don't remember it accurately, but I think that was the long-and-short of it. I try to forget most things that happened on Voyager anyway...
Locarno hacked the Federation database and changed his records. He also hired a professional actor to portray Admiral Owen Paris, his "father."
Realistically speaking, I think your second point had far more to do with their decision that the first. Which from a business standpoint is perfectly logical.
