"Defiant" Questions...

[2 of 10]

Watched "Defiant" from season 3 DS9, and had a couple of questions. When Will and Kira went on board the Defiant and ran into Chief O'Brian was if ever explained why Will was so PO'ed at the Chief, I suspect that it was ruse to get rid of the Chief asap. Finally, did they ever free Will from the Cardissian Prison as Kira promised him before the Dominion war, or was it never mentioned again???

 

[Peach Wookiee]

It wasn't mentioned in canon, but it was mentioned in Peter David's "Triangle: Imzadi II." First, it was Tom Riker, Will's duplicate and he tried to join the Maquis. But one can assume in canon, he was likely executed.

 

[2 of 10]

It wasn't mentioned in canon, but it was mentioned in Peter David's "Triangle: Imzadi II." First, it was Tom Riker, Will's duplicate and he tried to join the Maquis. But one can assume in canon, he was likely executed.

Thanks, my mistake it was Tom not Will, are you telling me that you can't take Gul Dukat or the Order at their word .

 

[Jono]

Nothing in canon to answer either of these questions. For the 1st one, I tend to lean towards the reason you stated, there was nothing specific in what Tom was saying and he was just confusing O'Brien and getting rid of him to reduce the chance of his cover getting blown.

Tom's fate has been dealt with in various non-canon productions. I can think of three more.

In the Millennium trilogy it is suggested that he was still alive mid-2374 and a prisoner in Cardassian care. When Sisko and co time travel they met a future Thomas Riker who was freed from captivity and then rejoined Starfleet.

In the game Dominion Wars, you do a mission where the objective is to rescue him. I think later on he is said to be in command of a starship.

In Star Trek Online, Thomas was still a prisoner and after the collapse of the Cardassian Union following the Dominion War he and his fellow prisoners were more or less forgotten. He banded them together to form a community. He married and had a son then died at some unspecified point.

 

[The Badger]

When Will and Kira went on board the Defiant and ran into Chief O'Brian was if ever explained why Will was so PO'ed at the Chief, I suspect that it was ruse to get rid of the Chief asap.

I concur. The Chief was the only one who knew Riker well enough to spot the imposter. Tom wanted him out of the way so he couldn't spot anything was up.

 

[heavylids]

When Will and Kira went on board the Defiant and ran into Chief O'Brian was if ever explained why Will was so PO'ed at the Chief, I suspect that it was ruse to get rid of the Chief asap.

I concur. The Chief was the only one who knew Riker well enough to spot the imposter. Tom wanted him out of the way so he couldn't spot anything was up.

Yeah this pretty much sums it up. I really can't think of a situation where O'Brien could have genuinely pissed off Thomas Riker.

 

[Gary 11's]

I really can't think of a situation where O'Brien could have genuinely pissed off Thomas Riker.

Sorry to drag this up but I've been wondering this myself. Perhaps some association of the Chief being a transporter expert. Still makes no sense since he was posing as Wil at the time.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Sorry to drag this up but I've been wondering this myself. Perhaps some association of the Chief being a transporter expert. Still makes no sense since he was posing as Wil at the time.

That would have made no sense, as O'Brien was not the transporter chief who was on duty when the accident that "created" Thomas took place.

No, the only explanation is the obvious one: Thomas just wanted to get rid of O'Brien so he wouldn't start asking questions. Isn't this in the FAQ or something?

 

[saladdays]

Thanks, my mistake it was Tom not Will, are you telling me that you can't take Gul Dukat or the Order at their word .

I actually do think you could take them at the word for that, although this was before Cardassia joined the Dominion, so it's entirely possible the Dominion would have different views on honoring any prior agreement...

 

[F. King Daniel]

I kind of wonder if it was a really awkward thing where Tom hates O'Brien for the transporter accident that copypasted and stranded him, written by someone oblivious to O'Brien not being transporter chief or even on the same ship when the incident occurred.

 

[MacLeod]

As others have said, if there was one person who could blow Tom's cover as Will Riker it was O'Brien. The less interaction he had with O'Brien the better.

 

[Gary 11's]

The accident wasn't on the Enterprise so I understand they O'brien had 0 involvement. A very weak case but the only one I could think of.

Sorry, I just read the FAQ. I'll stop here.

 

[DS9forever]

See the novel The Poisoned Chalice for the definitive return of Tom Riker.

 

[Vanyel]

Maybe Tom was trying to pull a Will move, telling O'Brien, I got a shot at nailing DS9's XO, in the captain's chair, get out now.

 

[kkt]

Tom Riker betrayed Starfleet and stole the Defiant! Starfleet would never let him resume duties after that.

 

[kkt]

I think most likely Tom Riker was killed. Not on purpose by Cardassian authorities, just as a casualy of war. Accidental death due to Federation, Klingon, or Romulan action or, if none of them got him, then the Dominion in their extermination of Cardassia campaign.