Re: Ro Larrens Commision being restored for one mission makes no sense
Ro is a junior officer. That alone means she gets extra rules, so to speak. It's all part of the chain of command - she isn't entitled to leeway unless she earns it. Which she obviously did not. She was a snarky, insubordinate jackass from the word go. The extra-stern attitude that Riker, etc. showed toward her, was justified. She needed to be taken down a peg.
And on top of all that, she got eight crewmembers KILLED on an away mission! Now tell me again, why the hell does she deserve even a scrap of 'leeway'?
Exactly. When someone is like that you don't give them inch lest they take their mile. You double-down on the rules and get them in line.
So why did Nog get to wear his Ferengi headband thing as both a Cadet and Ensign then?
That's production encroaching on the "reality" of the show, unfortuantely. The purpose of the Ferengi headband was to reduce the makeup/prosthetics they needed for the actor (I believe Quark was a very special case.)
If you want an in-show reason? Again, maybe Nog simply ASKED to wear his headband for whatever cultural significance it has to Ferengi. And you continue to miss the point.
Ro was a disgraced officer, had a history of insubordination and had responsibility in the deaths of fellow officers. That doesn't buy you much forgiveness and clearly shows you have no respect for rules, the chain of command, or orders.
Maybe when she started out she got away with wearing the earring like Nog and the head band and Worf and his baldric but when Ro became a trouble maker and GOT PEOPLE KILLED it's time to double down on the rules to whip her into line.
Maybe the uniform code is something Starfleet isn't too serious on by and large beyond some simple formalities (this must be the case give the uniform discrepancies we have) but in Ro's case? She was a problem. She needed to learn that the rules DID apply to her and she needed to get into shape, this means you have to be more strict with her when it comes to the rules.
An employee of mine is 20 minutes or so late for work pretty often but I let it slide because I get good work out of him and he makes his time up. Another employee I don't get much good work out of and he's not good at making up his time so when he's late I want to know why and have had to write him up for being late without calling first.
Am I applying the rules differently? Yeah. But one guy I get good work out of so I let the rules slide for him. I was just as hard on him early on when he was late, he started being on time, worked hard and the time started to slide again after a while but he continued to work hard and make up the time so he bought some forgiveness. If he's late I know I don't have to worry about him because he will show up and he'll work hard to catch-up and make the time up.
This other guy? He runs late, very late, and when he gets to work he still slacks around and doesn't catch up and he's not consistent about making up his time. He gets the whip, which has helped some in getting him in line a bit with his time. He knows he'll be in trouble if he continues to be late.
Rules are going to be applied differently on your history and behavior. One guy I can trust. One guy I can't.
Worf is a disciplined, good, officer. He gets some lax rules on the uniform code.
Ro is insubordinate and is responsible for the deaths of fellow officers. So, yeah, she gets some rules enforced on her.
And, again, by the end of the episode she had proven herself more trustworthy than on first glance and that she was capable. As a result Picard helps her to retain her commission, her service on the Federation flagship AND allows the wearing of the Bajoran earring. That was the arc for her in the episode. That she goes from an undisciplined, not-trusted, officer to a... well still mostly undisciplined but trusted and capable officer. She buys her leeway, gets to wear the earring.
They needed an "officer" on the mission and not a civilian hanging around helping out maybe it made the whole thing a bit more legit or kosher or something.
