Best First Officer in the history of Trek

[The Wormhole]

Also, Troi's test was a simulation deliberately designed to get her to order her friend to his death.

At no point is it mentioned that it was about ordering a friend to their death, just someone. The actual quote from the episode:

RIKER: End simulation. Something told me you wouldn't let this go. Congratulations. You passed.
TROI: That's what this was all about, wasn't it? To see if I'd order someone to their death.
RIKER: That's right.

No where do they say anything about ordering a friend to their death. She was only required to send someone to their death. She chose the highly-ranked chief engineer with several years experience to be the one who died as opposed to the low-ranked nobody who can be replaced as you're arguing is the proper choice. That's what turned out to be the right choice which got her her promotion.

 

[Jedman67]

At no point is it mentioned that it was about ordering a friend to their death, just someone. The actual quote from the episode:

No where do they say anything about ordering anyone to their death. She was only required to send someone to their death. She chose the highly-ranked chief engineer with several years experience to be the one who died as opposed to the low-ranked nobody who can be replaced as you're arguing is the proper choice. That's what turned out to be the right choice which got her her promotion.

In that case, if the plan didn't work, everyone would die (holographically). She had to choose the best person to save the ship, which was the Chief Engineer and her friend.

 

[BillJ]

In that case, if the plan didn't work, everyone would die (holographically). She had to choose the best person to save the ship, which was the Chief Engineer and her friend.

It is still the holodeck and she knows it. It is a pretty useless way to measure command ability, much like the Kobayashi Maru.

 

[Cyrus]

Love Saru. But no one can top Spock, ever.

 

[Jedman67]

It is still the holodeck and she knows it. It is a pretty useless way to measure command ability, much like the Kobayashi Maru.

It's fully immersive VR - it feels real. The ship is shaking, you feel the smoke in your lungs, see it in the corridors; etc.
I also figure that it's a much longer test than the last 5 minutes we were shown.

 

[Refuge]

I kind of measure the worth of a first officer probably by their performance when they have to take over as acting captain. Thinking on that, that probably is too selective a way of judgement. Being an acting first officer is a role in itself. Absolutely Spock was extremely efficient and effortlessly reliable. Riker was a GOOD first officer too. I don't recall Chakotay actually behaving poorly as a first officer either. All three of those when they had to covered for their captain or challenged their captain like a second conscience. Can't judge DS9 because it was just a bus station. Enterprise, I didn't see. I don't see Saru confident enough as yet. He has a Lorca for a captain and that is a challenge in itself.

 

[Crazy Eddie]

Top notch supermodel walk, taller than a mountain, lean like a stick

Extremely reserved and well thought, counts his words

Original alien species, and an odd one

Yup. Spock sure was awesome!

 

[Succubint]

Spock. There can be only one.

 

[STR]

At no point is it mentioned that it was about ordering a friend to their death, just someone.

Are you trying to twist the episode, which is very clearly about Troi's reluctance to sacrifice her friend (whom the audience has a history and attachment to as well), into something that isn't about Troi's reluctance to sacrifice her friend?

Because if you're not, I'm confused as to what your point is.

It is still the holodeck and she knows it. It is a pretty useless way to measure command ability, much like the Kobayashi Maru.

Also, seems like a lousy test for a commander-ranked officer. You'd think they'd cover "sacrificing friends for fun & profit & saving the ship" in the academy. Because even ensigns have enlisted crew assigned to them, and Nog might have to send ol' Miles to his doom.

I mean, they cover no-win scenarios in the academy.

 

[cooleddie74]

Spock. There can be only one.

And every other first officer since has been written in an attempt to at least partally live up to the standard set by Spock and Leonard Nimoy. Riker was more of a Kirk clone early on in TNG and he never really lost that "going on the away team just to flirt with and seduce the native alien women" vibe to his character, but Kira and Chakotay had analytical and calculating elements to their personalities that sometimes made them feel like they were mimicking Spock and with T'Pol, well, you had not only another Vulcan as the right-hand officer to a starship captain but a female one at that. Trek's history of second-in-commands is largely an attempt to remind the audience of Spock even if the attempt fails.

 

[BillJ]

I mean, they cover no-win scenarios in the academy.

I wonder if Troi ever attended the Academy in anything more than a truncated way? She was probably already a psychologist when she joined Starfleet. Being in the medical field, she would have likely had different training emphasis than most other cadets.

 

[cooleddie74]

And despite what we saw in the Kelvin Timeline we know that McCoy attended the University of Mississippi and trained at Starfleet Medical, which to a degree is a separate institution of learning from Starfleet Academy and McCoy often sounded as though he was unfamiliar with certain Starfleet terminology and customs, such as not knowing the term "dunsel."

 

[Spider]

Saru should wear red and make more away missions.

 

[cooleddie74]

He's already ahead in the Alabama Senate race. If he wins he can resign his commission.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Spock. I like Saru, but he's not blowing me away as an XO.

 

[hayesc0]

lol even Chakotay was a better first officer at this point.

 

[Agony_Boothb]

Chakotay was good when he was challenging Janeway's more stupid decisions otherwise he was fairly one-note. It's a shame that the writers ended up neutering him so Janeway was always right.

 

[Push The Button]

I wonder if Troi ever attended the Academy in anything more than a truncated way? She was probably already a psychologist when she joined Starfleet. Being in the medical field, she would have likely had different training emphasis than most other cadets.

Medical professionals like Troi and Bones may be "90-day wonders", going through a quick and dirty version of Starfleet basic training, to learn which side of the ship is port, which is starboard, which end of the phaser to hold..

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I like Saru, but right now his character is overly dependent on the 'prey' gimmick. The character has presence, has passed the low bar of Chakotay. And if they can make the character more three dimensional he could pass Riker and T'Pol. But Kira and Spock? Never.

 

[EmoBorg]

I would choose Riker as the best first officer.

BTW did ENT have a first officer ?