Just finished "Defiant" with the wife...

[Kastrol]

My wife and I have been watching TNG in conjunction with DS9, slotted into the correct chronological place, episode for episode.
Having finished All Good Things (which she LOVED!), we made our way along to Defiant for which I told her there was going to be a returning character from TNG. (Sneaky much?)

So anyway, massive shocks when Riker is mean to O'Brien and even more so when he shoots Kira. She then obviously realises that it is Tom Riker. She really enjoyed the episode but asked me afterwards if Kira ever rescued him. I explained that he never returned in DS9 so we don't find out one way or another.

But I'd like to tell her if he returned in any of the novels or comic books. It seems like Tom Riker was really neglected by the DS9 production team. He wasn't forgotten about (obviously!) but it seems like they brought Frakes in for a ratings boost and then ignored the storyline when they didn't need it.

Then again, I can also see it from their perspective. I think time ran out to bring Riker back - the Maquis storyline came to an end (or was ported over to Eddington) and before they knew it, the time had come and gone. I think they might have planned to bring him back but never got around to it.

 

[RainKing]

I think you're right. By the way, I too, enjoy watching Star Trek with my wife. It's two great tastes that taste great together.

 

[Tosk]

Tom Riker does eventually resurface in the novels.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

If I recall correctly, it's in a Titan story, and I believe Tuvok is the one involved?

 

[House Stark]

I watched this before TNG so I don't think it had quite the same affect. As a self contained piece (not knowing too much about Riker) it wasn't the most interesting episode to me.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

To me Tom Riker's story felt pretty closed. He was given life in a Cardassian hard labor camp. He's a tough guy, so maybe he survives a while, maybe he gets executed when the Dominion comes into power, maybe he gets killed in a surface bombardment, maybe he eventually gets rescued or escapes in the confusion of the final battle.

You can justify him getting out of that prison camp, but there's no real loose threads in his story left by Defiant that demand it.

 

[shivkala]

Memory Beta has you covered. He does resurface in a DS9 comic book and then in several novels. The only one I read was Imazdi II by Peter David. He's also appeared in some Titan novels.

 

[ElimGarak.93-99]

If I recall correctly, it's in a Titan story, and I believe Tuvok is the one involved?

Thomas Riker appears in book series The Fall.
- Book 4: The Poisoned Chalice (Titan)
- Book 5: Peaceable Kingdoms (TNG)