Riker's attitude

[Terok Nor]

The Pegasus incident retroactively makes Riker look like a hypocritical dochebag. He spent 7 seasons acting like his shit don't stink and expecting everyone to live up to his standards only for us to find out he was covering up a huge scandal the whole time. It humanized him for once. I'd love to see the reactions of all the people he lorded it over and made feel inferior over the years.

 

[Mojochi]

It also makes it appear like he is overcompensating with heroism, that all his exploits in achieving his stature as a fast rising commander in the making are an attempt to drown out his dishonor, & his bloated ego & self-confidence are all a facade. It is a very interesting story arc... Ret-conned though it might be

It also raises another interesting question. The recently recovered Tom Riker was harboring that same secret. I'd like to think his potential to give testimony as a material witness to the mutiny would not go unrecognized. If nothing else, his perspectives would be interesting, given that he became disillusioned enough to join the Maqui. Hiding a secret for a corrupt captain, left for dead, losing years of his life in solitude, returning to see someone living out his life, losing Deanna, & then coming across that whole Cardassian debacle must have just been too much disillusionment in Starfleet for one guy to take. Clearly not the perfect society of rainbows & miracles that they advertised when he joined

 

[Terok Nor]

^ Good post!

I never even considered Tom Riker in all of this.

 

[Mojochi]

Thanks. I only just thought of it myself

 

[Paradise City]

See, it doesn't overshadow Riker for me as it was all contained in one episode. Next episode was Riker being cool again like it all never happened.

I would've dragged it out a little more, maybe busted the guy down to Lt. Cmdr and have him 'just' surviving as XO because JLP did a song and dance on his behalf.

Or else just do what they did with Worf in DS9 with Starfleet making it clear you ain't ever gettin' a command, bucko. We'd have Riker in the subsequent episodes going from wonder-officer on the make to wondering whether he should quit given that the big chair will never, ever happen for him.

 

[keith2282]

Yeah it was disregarded pretty quickly. Just having Picard go in there and let him out like nothing, when if it would be mostly anybody else he would sit in there and rot.

 

[James T Kirk]

All those years of being teased by Troi in a skin tight bunny suit without getting to pound her into oblivion would eventually catch up to you too.

 

[Terok Nor]

Yeah it was disregarded pretty quickly. Just having Picard go in there and let him out like nothing, when if it would be mostly anybody else he would sit in there and rot.

They mentioned it in the last episode of Enterprise

 

[MikeS]

All those years of being teased by Troi in a skin tight bunny suit without getting to pound her into oblivion would eventually catch up to you too.

I'm pretty sure that Troi wasn't the half of that couple unwilling to let things develop.

 

[keith2282]

Yeah it was disregarded pretty quickly. Just having Picard go in there and let him out like nothing, when if it would be mostly anybody else he would sit in there and rot.

They mentioned it in the last episode of Enterprise

That's evil bringing that up. Evil

 

[Lance]

See, it doesn't overshadow Riker for me as it was all contained in one episode. Next episode was Riker being cool again like it all never happened.

I would've dragged it out a little more, maybe busted the guy down to Lt. Cmdr and have him 'just' surviving as XO because JLP did a song and dance on his behalf.

Or else just do what they did with Worf in DS9 with Starfleet making it clear you ain't ever gettin' a command, bucko. We'd have Riker in the subsequent episodes going from wonder-officer on the make to wondering whether he should quit given that the big chair will never, ever happen for him.

This would've been great if it'd happened.

The big problem with ''The Pegasus'' is that it's a totally awesome episode in itself, and also a 'big picture' episode where (basically) the entire life of one of our regular characters changes forever. But as you say it's all nulified by him never (seemingly) facing any short or long term consequences for it. He's back to being breezy hotshot guy the next week.

At least changing his pips would've been a nod towards him having a black mark on his record.

 

[NigellaDeanna20]

Well, the Pressman stuff is lousy. If the Pegasus had been destroyed and never found, Riker would've presumably 'let sleeping dogs lie' on that one.

I think the idea there was just to show how conflicted Riker was between his friendship with Pressman (who really should have known better as he was the commanding officer of the Pegasus) and his loyalty to Picard.

As for Ro Laren, well she deserved the verbal kicking she got from Riker because of what she had done on board the Wellington.

 

[NigellaDeanna20]

[QUOTE
The big problem with ''The Pegasus'' is that it's a totally awesome episode in itself, and also a 'big picture' episode where (basically) the entire life of one of our regular characters changes forever. But as you say it's all nulified by him never (seemingly) facing any short or long term consequences for it. He's back to being breezy hotshot guy the next week.

The Pegasus is an excellent episode alright. A case of "where exactly do your loyalties lie?" if you like. What saved Riker from court-martial was the fact that he was prepared to stand up at the end and tell the truth something that Pressman had the arrogance not to do which more or less ended his career and as Picard said "and several others at Starfleet Intelligence."

 

[2takesfrakes]

Riker's "attitude" was never a negative trait about him, as some feel it to have been and I don't agree that his part in the Pegasus incident somehow lost his views their legitimacy, when dealing sharply with others, when necessary. Simply put, Pegasus put him into an impossible position. But Riker's not only a natural leader and "Every Man," but also one with a position to maintain. Still in all, Riker, like other characters in the show, has been known to make mistakes, from time-to-time. But that's just part of Life's imperfections, is it not? Riker strove for a balance between commanding respect from his lessers and peers while still being approachable and he succeeded on that front. In fact, if anything, Riker reminded the audience of the difficulties of having a leadership position, in a very entertaining way, thanks to Frakes' nuanced performance of the character.

 

[Paradise City]

[QUOTE
The big problem with ''The Pegasus'' is that it's a totally awesome episode in itself, and also a 'big picture' episode where (basically) the entire life of one of our regular characters changes forever. But as you say it's all nulified by him never (seemingly) facing any short or long term consequences for it. He's back to being breezy hotshot guy the next week.

The Pegasus is an excellent episode alright. A case of "where exactly do your loyalties lie?" if you like. What saved Riker from court-martial was the fact that he was prepared to stand up at the end and tell the truth something that Pressman had the arrogance not to do which more or less ended his career and as Picard said "and several others at Starfleet Intelligence."

Riker only owned up at a point where he pretty much had no choice but to own up. Either own up or rot away in the asteroid. I don't know how a court would look leniently on that.

What's on Riker's side is that he's under tight orders from some of the biggest of the big shots in Starfleet and while that's tough, tough going, it doesn't quite excuse the fact he's concealing the manner in which his fellow Starfleet colleagues died.

I like Riker and I still do. But there's nothing there that absolves him and precious few mitigating factors either. It's just dirty stuff that he has to live with but that's OK as it provides an opportunity to make him a more troubled character.

I don't hold the view that his Pegasus 'dirty laundry' nullifies his other achievements either. Many of the most accomplished people in history also have alot of dirty laundry and Riker fits into that general mould. It makes him more complex and my central criticism I want to make on this thread is that it's a pity they didn't bring that complexity and a measurable fall out into other episodes.

 

[keith2282]

Riker's "attitude" was never a negative trait about him, as some feel it to have been and I don't agree that his part in the Pegasus incident somehow lost his views their legitimacy, when dealing sharply with others, when necessary. Simply put, Pegasus put him into an impossible position. But Riker's not only a natural leader and "Every Man," but also one with a position to maintain. Still in all, Riker, like other characters in the show, has been known to make mistakes, from time-to-time. But that's just part of Life's imperfections, is it not? Riker strove for a balance between commanding respect from his lessers and peers while still being approachable and he succeeded on that front. In fact, if anything, Riker reminded the audience of the difficulties of having a leadership position, in a very entertaining way, thanks to Frakes' nuanced performance of the character.

I agree with this.

I thought he was well balanced, but I know I am not in the majority.
In all actuality he is my favorite first officer, followed by tpol. Again, that makes me in the minority too.

 

[2takesfrakes]

William T. Riker is my favourite First Officer, as well ... followed by Chakotay.

 

[TheGoodStuff]

I like Riker. He makes me laugh with his witty remarks, his highly entertaining methods of sitting on chairs and leaning on anything nearby [wall, console, shelf...anything] and yet I find him...weird.

This thread is actually indicative of it. Many here think he was the consumate professional, stern yet fair whereas others think he is a douche.

His attitude, to me...is more in the middle of both. For five out of ten episodes I interpret him as being utterly reliable, a sensible big dude who is a natural leader: able to be stern and supportive when the situation demands it.

However, for the other 5 out of ten episodes...I start to find him very petty. He seems easily threatened by ANYONE new [even Federation captains and admirals] to the point where he almost becomes belligerent...almost as if his loyalty to Picard and the ENT-D is dominant over his loyalty to Starfleet/Federation. Many on these forums have remarked how he seems to take a very different tone with anyone who is outside of the senoir staff circle. I am sure someone could make a convincing case that he is actually an expert politicker: ready to suck up to the right people but completely disinterested in those who are of no use to him.

In retrospect, Riker is actually one of the most interesting characters on the whole show. He is either an arrogant douche or a really cool dude depending on which way you squit your eyes.

 

[Lance]

There are times when there's something almost child-like about Will Riker. Particularly when he's interacting with Deanna, he seems to get this twinkle in his eye, a kind of playfulness. Like that scene where he's conversing with her using a trombone. But other times he's so stern, you almost have to wonder who put the stick up his ass that day.

 

[MikeS]

I am sure someone could make a convincing case that he is actually an expert politicker: ready to suck up to the right people but completely disinterested in those who are of no use to him.

Or a poor politicker. There is a saying - be nice to everyone on your way up the greasy pole because they'll sure as hell
remember you on your way back down.