After Kira, Odo and Garak enter Cardassian space in S7, they end up liberating Lazon II, freeing Tom Riker and Ro Laren--though one of them doesn't survive the "liberation mini-arc".
Poll Tom Riker
- Thread starter Kilana2
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Did that happen in a novel?
No, just a little wishful thinking on my part
I wish DS9 would have brought Tom back. I enjoyed his introduction and his joining the Maquis, but they should have brought him back since he might be the only Maquis who wasn't killed when the Dominion wiped them out.
Tom Riker was one of the biggest loose ends never properly tied up for DS9, or Star Trek for that matter.
I felt the episode was made to debunk everything written by Peter David in his popular book Imzadi. As for the character of Tom Riker, I liked the character was created to show how much Riker had changed from who he was in earlier seasons. I appreciated how the character was handled as if Tom and Riker were twin brothers.
It was good to see Riker letting Tom know he buried the hatchet with his dad which was well done in the second season episode. I didn't like how Tom Riker was handled on DS9, and how there was never a conclusion to him being arrested. I doubt Will Riker would allow his brother to rot in a Cardassian prison or the Sisko and Kira I once knew would forget about him when they gave their word they'll get him back.
But like everything on that crappy series nothing ever seemed to conclude appropriately.
Well at least in Second Chances, I think Tom Riker was not only intended to show how much Will Riker changed, but also to show how much Troi changed, too. I don't know if the books had any factor in the character's creation, but from a series stand point, it almost seemed like it was one more way to establish Will Riker and Troi were firmly platonic friends.
As to the episode Defiant, I think joining the Maquis was consistent with his character. The way I see it, being stranded alone for 8 years is enough to cause anyone to have psychological issues. Add to that, he had to deal with Will Riker living the life Tom Riker felt he deserved, plus he lost Deanna Troi as a lover, who was the only thing that kept him going for 8 years. So given all that, I buy him being pissed off enough, possibly even mentally imbalanced, to join the Maquis.
What I agree with you on is there was no follow up. No sequel episode on Tom Riker's status. No rescue by Kira. Not even a throw away line to say he died in prison. It was just completely ignored. I don't know I agree with you that DS9 left a lot of loose ends, because I think they tied most of them up by the series finale, but when it comes to Tom Riker, DS9 totally dropped the ball.
Peter David inputted some personality traits for Riker which were Kirk-like and printed what the T. stand for. It wasn't Thomas.
I don't buy it, because Thomas Riker, to me, is still Will Riker and there was nothing in Second Chances showed his ethics altered after being Barron on a deserted planet. But what I liked about the episode was how manipulative Gul Dukat was in his position of the situation. In the end, he got everything he wanted even though the Cardassians' hands were not clean in the story. Ronald D. Moore and Ira Behr failing to make another story of Riker and what was learned in the story makes the tale irrelevant.
Another nice touch was how off putting Riker was with Chief O'Brien; just jaw-dropping. And O'Brien had a look as if he knew what Riker was talking about.
Yeah, the books aren't canon, but according to who? The people who aren't making anymore TV shows?... or movies (at least in this timeline)? F them, the writers of the novels work to make all their stories plausible and consistent. I personally like reading new stories about these characters and places. You read the literature, but really, anyone who's a fan but won't because it's not 'canon' is missing out and for no good reason.
Well, we didn't get anything but that one episode and I agree it is rather thin.
But just because Tom Riker joined the Maquis doesn't make him unethical. Their ranks were flush with many former starfleet officers, Chakotay and Torres among them, who were ethical people. One thing that needs to be remembered is that the Maquis weren't fighting the Federation, at least at first. They were fighting the Cardassians, and felt the Federation entered into a bad treaty that shouldn't have been agreed to in the first place. The Cardassians forced the Federation to go after the Maquis, or they would break the treaty, wipe out the Maquis and other settlers, and potentially start another war.
The point is, most of the former starfleet officers in the Maquis thought they were actually on the right side of history and were ethical people.
Also, just food for thought. It also must be remembered that Will Riker came down on the side of Pressman, believing he was on the moral side, when he actually was on the wrong side. Tom Riker is closer to THAT version of Will Riker, than the Riker of Season 6. Who is to say that Will Riker of 8 years prior wouldn't have sided with the Maquis too?
Hmm, good point.
What a blow it could've been if Riker was the leader of the Maquis?
Indeed. The Maquis commandeering the Defiant, wow what a story!
The Maquis should've coerced their beliefs with the Bajorans or had a chat with the Kai. Winn working her magic with Maquis philosophy, could be a cold day in hell.
Problem is, that there are many fans who aren't interested in reading the novels at all. For them Tom never appeared again.
I've often wondered if Tom Riker became Sisko's nemesis like Michael Eddington ended up becoming, how interesting Tom Riker might have become. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if the reason Michael Eddington was created in the first place was because there was some reason they couldn't get Jonathan Frakes to return as Tom Riker, for whatever reason.
Yeah, Eddington being the leader of the Maquis came out of nowhere; not as if I cared about that terrorist group, but after the Klingons started raiding Cardassian space I would've thought the groups mission would be over. But I thought going dark and later emerging again would've been an interesting path than what was done.
As for Frakes, he seemed opened to appearing on Star Trek shows if his directing schedule didn't interfere. I think the writers didn't have the kind of imagination like we do.
As for Frakes, he seemed opened to appearing on Star Trek shows if his directing schedule didn't interfere. I think the writers didn't have the kind of imagination like we do.
