riker has been offered ships of his own to command but decided to stay on the enterprise,how if u were an officer with riker's experience would you have career like the same way as riker or take a promotion and command a starship?.
riker's choices
- Thread starter Mr Pointy Ears
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I don't think Riker turning down commands makes sense for his character, and I heard Jonathan Frakes agrees.
There are some people who would be happier with a supporting role in a crucial ship than a captain role somewhere else. I am one of them, Riker shouldn't have been.
There are some people who would be happier with a supporting role in a crucial ship than a captain role somewhere else. I am one of them, Riker shouldn't have been.
The first turning down was probably a smart career move, as there might be better opportunities for making your mark as the XO of a big starship than as the CO of a small one.
The later ones... Well, Riker turned down the Melbourne at a time he was the king of the Starfleet hill, and nothing, bar nothing, could have reflected negatively on his career. The Aries thing is probably the most significant one here - and it seems related to Riker sorting out his father issues. He's finally left his biological father behind him, and accepted Picard as his adoptive one, so it makes sense to cling on to the good thing and stick with Picard, even if this harms Riker's career.
Without the father issues, any officer would probably choose differently at that particular junction.
Timo Saloniemi
The later ones... Well, Riker turned down the Melbourne at a time he was the king of the Starfleet hill, and nothing, bar nothing, could have reflected negatively on his career. The Aries thing is probably the most significant one here - and it seems related to Riker sorting out his father issues. He's finally left his biological father behind him, and accepted Picard as his adoptive one, so it makes sense to cling on to the good thing and stick with Picard, even if this harms Riker's career.
Without the father issues, any officer would probably choose differently at that particular junction.
Timo Saloniemi
Recall the VOY episode Death Wish where Janeway midly fangirls about meeting Riker. I take it being on board the Enterprise/Flag ship, you are treated as sort of a celebrity to other ships.
Riker unlike Spock was ambitious. Spock had no desire to leave Enterprise, while it always seemed in Riker's character to do so. Given how well Riker held his own, and all the shit he had to swallow with other captains like Jellico. Outside of wanting to keep the TNG crew together on one ship. Riker should've moved on sooner.
Riker unlike Spock was ambitious. Spock had no desire to leave Enterprise, while it always seemed in Riker's character to do so. Given how well Riker held his own, and all the shit he had to swallow with other captains like Jellico. Outside of wanting to keep the TNG crew together on one ship. Riker should've moved on sooner.
The only thing that doesn't make sense character wise was Deanna's quote about him wanting nothing more than to be a Starship Captain. Apparently she was wrong.
I'm surprised, from a money-making standpoint, that the powers that be at Paramount didn't have promote Riker towards the end of the TNG run and have either a spin-off with him as the lead or a couple more seasons of TNG, with episodes alternating between showing him on a new ship (presumably with a few existing characters) and Picard on the 1701.
In Chain of Command, Picard did leave the ship, and someone besides Riker sat down in the Captain's chair.Or he was holding out on Picard retiring or getting promoted to a desk.
Riker was offered other starships, but when the time came, the Enterprise wasn't offered. We have no idea how big or important the Titan was, it might have been fairly medium sized. Having something equal to a galaxy class as your first command might have been an unreasonable expectation on Riker's part.
There's another consideration here. Being a First officer is an stepping stone to Captaincy, why was Starfleet allowing Riker to occupy the first officer's position of the flagship for such a long period of time? Every few years Starfleet should have been assigning a new promising officer to that position to learn from Picard. To be "seasoned."
By not moving up (or out) Riker was preventing other officers from passing through the Enterprise's first officer's chair. If he wanted to decline the opportunity of command that's one thing, but at some point Riker should have been removed by Starfleet.
At the time of Nemesis, Riker could have been under a requirement by Starfleet to leave the Enterprise, one way or another.
You don't fix something that isn't broken and the Enterprise crew was considered the finest. Riker was part of the reason for that. I doubt it would have been allowed on other ships, but the flagship has priority.
Also, in the future, life expectancy seems higher than now, so being in the same rank/position for 10 years might be normal (even though Best of Both Worlds belies that).
In Chain of Command, Picard did leave the ship, and someone besides Riker sat down in the Captain's chair.Or he was holding out on Picard retiring or getting promoted to a desk.
Riker was offered other starships, but when the time came, the Enterprise wasn't offered. We have no idea how big or important the Titan was, it might have been fairly medium sized. Having something equal to a galaxy class as your first command might have been an unreasonable expectation on Riker's part.
There's another consideration here. Being a First officer is an stepping stone to Captaincy, why was Starfleet allowing Riker to occupy the first officer's position of the flagship for such a long period of time? Every few years Starfleet should have been assigning a new promising officer to that position to learn from Picard. To be "seasoned."
By not moving up (or out) Riker was preventing other officers from passing through the Enterprise's first officer's chair. If he wanted to decline the opportunity of command that's one thing, but at some point Riker should have been removed by Starfleet.
At the time of Nemesis, Riker could have been under a requirement by Starfleet to leave the Enterprise, one way or another.
Removed to where? Another XO position on another starship?
As you say by the time of Nemesis, Starfleet probably forced the issue, and promoted a fair few XO's to CO's. But I would say that would be as a consequence of the Dominion War. They would need CO's to command newly built ships and to replace any CO's lost in action.
It would be easy to imagine Riker receiving a commendation of some kind, big presentation ceremony on Earth, the Starfleet chief of staff pinning it on Riker's chest, we just didn't see it.
And Daddy Riker in the crowd taking credit for his son's actions.
Maybe a starbase staff position somewhere, he'd still get his fourth pip on his collar, but not a ship.
And Daddy Riker in the crowd taking credit for his son's actions.
Basically removed to a location where he wasn't blocking the flow anymore.
Maybe a starbase staff position somewhere, he'd still get his fourth pip on his collar, but not a ship.
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Reluctant as I am to agree with you, this makes quite a bit of sense to me. Riker sees Picard as a mentor, and a guide to the adult world of Starship Captaincy after the adolescence of first-officer-hood.
And it certainly adds depth to the way Riker reacts to Picard's apparent death in Gambit.
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