Riker was offered 3 ships early on in his career and he refused them all; his reasoning was that they weren't the Enterprise. Does he think that he is so special that he will only take command of a starship if it is the flagship? Or do you think it was because really he lacked the self confidence to make ALL the big decisions (as inferred by Shelby). I just feel the writers dropped the ball with his character, they established early on he sacrificed a lot to get to the Enterprise, then they have to come up with reasons why he would turn down starship commands. Troi's reasoning in BOBW was a bit hokey, Riker was supposed to be a career officer, making a few friends wouldn't have stopped him becoming captain it was supposed to be his life's ambition. Obviously he took command of the Titan, but he was older and it was probably his last ever chance. Would a slight character change have helped? Not have Riker the best of the best of the best sir! Instead have him a good first officer but not as brash and confident, building up experience for his own command then moving on naturally at the end of the series run.
I’m not a big fan of the old saying “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven”. I think that’s misguided. Being the XO of the fleet’s flagship is better than commanding a much smaller ship, or at least it would be that way for me. I think in the long run all that disappointed me was that TNG didn’t carry on with a Captain Riker series. As far as how the writers treated the Riker character, they did a good enough job for me. Riker is one on my favorite Trek characters.
My view of Riker was that it wasn't so much lack the self confidence to make all the hard calls that kept Riker back, but that also he got too comfortable on the Enterprise. He lost a lot of that "fire in the belly" or ambition that would spur him to take up his own command. I would respectfully disagree somewhat with Spider though in that by not taking his own command, Riker did himself and Starfleet a disservice: He would have been far more valuable as a ship's captain.
In practice, anyone serving on a ship like the Enterprise would be on a career fast track - remember, there are people who waited YEARS just to serve aboard her. That the command crew stayed together for so long without promotion or reassignment doesn't make too much sense... Better to spread out the amassed experience through the fleet instead of cramming it all on one bridge. Realistically, Starfleet should constantly have the crew movie around and get reassigned... Maybe it's because of the families aboard, or just the way Starfleet has become, but for the most part you go where Starfleet tells you to, as Sisko did when he took command of Deep Space Nine. One wonders why they don't have the "up or out" policy they do in todays' military: I can't remember the exact number of times, but if you're passed up for promotion enough times, you're just ordered to retire... Mark
I always just assumed that being on the Enterprise was a guarantee to fast promotion, so Riker worked hard to get there so he could take his pick of a command, then got comfortable and didn't end up leaving until he took command of the Titan, which was only spurred on by his marriage to Troi and related factors. And in my mind, the Titan is a Galaxy class ship.
I agree with what you said about only making Riker a good first officer, but if they did that then they would have to have him get his own command probably in the 5th season. Because really, what are the chances of him getting a promotion on the exact same day that something disastrous happens? (Meaning the series finale).
I suppose Riker being promoted to Captain in the last ep would be a bit far fetched - but it's only the last episode from our point of view, for the characters it would just be another day. Any disaster/extreme plotline for the last ep would be a coincidence as far as the crew were concerned.
I rather like to think that both the fact that Riker was on the fast track to highest possible rank and position, and the fact that he stopped on his tracks, are attributable to the same thing. Namely, his experiences with his father. Abandonment at an early age would make Will Riker a driven individual. The father figures manifest in his captains would in turn give him safety and comfort. And while he was good friends with his earlier COs, Picard and the E-D offered him the perfect balance between high position and psychological security. Becoming a "father" himself, taking command of a starship, would not hold further allure... Timo Saloniemi
I think we're missing the heart here. The TNG characters were all very sentimental in one way or another. Real life may not always be like this, but TNG definitely had a Hallmark card feel to it. I think that's why some of your most extreme shippers (who shall remain nameless, besides myself) are on this forum. Riker didn't leave because the Enterprise was his home, his serogate family, his community, and the home of his Imzadi. His ambition didn't get in the way of staying for that, because he was also very very proud of what they had and his contribution to it. A place like that can be very addictive and very hard to leave, no matter how ambitious you think you are. Eventually, Riker married Troi. He could take one of the two most important parts with him. (I'm referring to Troi and Picard.) One of his friends who was even more attached than he was was moving on. He wasn't getting any younger. He could see it was time to go, time to leave home. He went. Now, mix all of our slanted views together, and you might get something close to cannon.
Agreed 150%!!! Perhaps Riker didn't want to leave the Enterprise because he could get away with this!
The Titan is not a galaxy class ship. He accepted a command when he felt it was best for him to do so. I would like them to make Titan into a series. The pocket books website will have the specs for Titan.
I know that in the novels it is a Luna class ship, but in my thinking it is far more logical for it to be Galaxy class and for this to be a factor in his accepting it.
I tend to agree. the "Titan" novels are a decent read, but I like to think that even the "tamed" Riker wouldn't leave ANY Enterprise for a smaller ship. Galaxy or Sovereign FTW. Mark
I believe that was a photoshopped picture, the real one is floating around the internet somewhere. Frakes was married then, or almost married, so I doubt he would let himself be photographed like that!
Also remember he was offered his own command in "The Best of Both Worlds" and saw the ship he was supposed to serve in destroyed. That could have jostled him into several more years on the Enterprise.
I think the problem was the Enterprise. The Enterprise is the best assignment in the fleet that people push to get onto. It's filled with the best and brightest and it gets all of the good gigs. Really, once you're on the Enterprise why would you want to be on any other ship?
People need to remain challenged to grow. I don't think Riker wanted to BE Picard, nor follow exactly in his footsteps. He would not link his ego to the size of his ship. He was an accomplished first officer and well known throughout both the fleet and the Admiralty for his accomplishments. Perhaps his wedding to Deanna was the crux of his life and resolved any issues in his mind that impeded his opinion of being ready for command. He could now move up and be assured that the one he loved so dearly would be with him no matter what. I just think he was waiting to fulfill bigger priorities in his life than his Starfleet career. Perhaps someone writing a Titan book will grace him with a family of his own, I think he would make an excellent father.