On-Screen Documents

[GSchnitzer]

"Some officers have had a difficult time dealing with the fact that she is a genetically perfect being. On her planet, Ilyria, excellence is the only criterion that is accepted. She is technically designated as being the best of her breed for the year she was born."

"I see. She therefore would receive the appellation 'Number One' even if she were not the executive officer."

"You have it."

That backstory for Number One is from Vulcan's Glory--the one Star Trek novel that was written by D.C. Fontana.

^ There was one Trek novel which had a kind of weird-ass backstory for Number One, that she came from some planet of genetically engineered intellectual giants or something like that, and their names are all "Number [xxx]" depending on how smart they are.

Me, I prefer the simpler version, that Number One is actually

Spoiler: New Frontier I think

Morgan Primus or Lefler or whatever the hell her last name is this week.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

"Some officers have had a difficult time dealing with the fact that she is a genetically perfect being. On her planet, Ilyria, excellence is the only criterion that is accepted. She is technically designated as being the best of her breed for the year she was born."

"I see. She therefore would receive the appellation 'Number One' even if she were not the executive officer."

A character like that cries out for better casting.

 

[GSchnitzer]

Well, you don't really cast novels. And after Dorothy wrote her novel in 1988, it would have been a challenge to go back to 1964 to recast the character for "The Cage" with an actress more in line with what the novelist envisioned for the character.

"Some officers have had a difficult time dealing with the fact that she is a genetically perfect being. On her planet, Ilyria, excellence is the only criterion that is accepted. She is technically designated as being the best of her breed for the year she was born."

"I see. She therefore would receive the appellation 'Number One' even if she were not the executive officer."

A character like that cries out for better casting.

 

[Maurice]

"Some officers have had a difficult time dealing with the fact that she is a genetically perfect being. On her planet, Ilyria, excellence is the only criterion that is accepted. She is technically designated as being the best of her breed for the year she was born."

"I see. She therefore would receive the appellation 'Number One' even if she were not the executive officer."

"You have it."

That backstory for Number One is from Vulcan's Glory--the one Star Trek novel that was written by D.C. Fontana.

In a word: ick.

 

[RandyS]

I just don't see why "Number One" has to be anything other than what it obviously is: a way to refer to a ship's XO, as has been done for centuries.

Agreed. Besides, I never understood all the "mystery" surrounding Pike's Number One. The creation of Will Riker explained the concept of "Number One" to my satisfaction. If TOS had continued with The Cage cast, we'd probably (although maybe not since 60's TV did things a little differently) have learned her name at some point.

 

[plynch]

What is a genetically perfect being?

No mutations?

Wings plus fins and seeing the whole spectrum?

Lame.

 

[Shik]

What is a genetically perfect being?

No mutations?

Wings plus fins and seeing the whole spectrum?

Lame.

"Normal human beings have 40 DNA memo groups. This has 200,000 memo groups."

Half-Woman First Officer Number One.

Well-played, good sir!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

"Normal human beings have 40 DNA memo groups. This has 200,000 memo groups."

There is a picture of Milla Jovovich on the wall of my favorite NYC deli. I wonder if, when she handed the checkout clerk her ticket, she said "Mul-ti-pass"....

 

[Wingsley]

I just don't see why "Number One" has to be anything other than what it obviously is: a way to refer to a ship's XO, as has been done for centuries.

Agreed, unless we're expected to believe that "Riker" was just Picard's XO's nickname or something.

 

[Metryq]

A character like that cries out for better casting.

A character like that is like trying to cast Helen of Troy, the most stunning and irresistible woman in the whole world. Aside from trying to find such a performer, notions of perfection vary from one viewer to another.

I also don't see a "genetically perfect" character fitting into the future history of Star Trek with a Eugenics War in its past. But having a "genetically perfect" character who is not all she's intended to be would be a good sounding board for writers. (Gee, sounds like Spock.) The audience is made up of imperfect humans, after all.

 

[Shik]

"Normal human beings have 40 DNA memo groups. This has 200,000 memo groups."

There is a picture of Milla Jovovich on the wall of my favorite NYC deli. I wonder if, when she handed the checkout clerk her ticket, she said "Mul-ti-pass"....

Which deli, where?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Katz's, on Ludlow & Houston

 

[Shik]

Oh, yeah, I've been there. Love their reubens, not so much on the cheesecake.

 

[T'Girl]

"I see. She therefore would receive the appellation 'Number One' even if she were not the executive officer."

Going through Starfleet Academy, all cadets are given "cute" nicknames by the upper classpersons. These nicknames sometime follow officers for years after graduation, often used behind their backs by junior officers and the crew.

The future first officer's Academy nickname was "Urine."

Pike disliked the nickname and declared that her new nickname would be "Number One."

 

[Shat Happens]

^^^

Well, that can explain the "James R. Kirk" too.

 

[Robert Comsol]

Seriously, I vaguely remember (probably a fanon or comic book source) that the "R." stood for "Rice" and supposedly was an academy nickname at the expense of Kirk (one of the two Garys could probably confirm this ).

Bob

 

[Tiberius]

Seriously, I vaguely remember (probably a fanon or comic book source) that the "R." stood for "Rice" and supposedly was an academy nickname at the expense of Kirk (one of the two Garys could probably confirm this ).

Bob

It wouldn't surprise me. Apparently Gene had a thing for giving his characters the middle name "Rice". That's how Captain Paul Rice got his name (Arsenal of Freedom).

 

[mb22]

The title character of Roddenberry's The Lieutenant was "William Tiberius Rice".

 

[Robert Comsol]

You got to be...hold on...oh my goodness, you are correct.

And the character of William Tiberius Rice was played by Gary Lockwood (aka Gary Mitchell)

So former William Tiberius Rice putting an "R." on Kirk's tombstone in WNM was either a deliberate inside joke or Gene Roddenberry hadn't made up his mind, yet, whether Kirk's middle name should be "Tiberius" or "Rice".

Good thing he didn't name his character William Kirk.

Bob

P.S. And I learned something new today.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Maybe he was born James Rice Kirk and hating that name changed it to James Tiberius Kirk when he was able. So while being known an James T Kirk to everyone, Mitchell put James R Kirk on the gravestone just to antagonize him. There canon solved!