Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a family?

[DostoyevskyClone]

Wow. I had seen this episode at least three or four times before I popped it in the old DVD player to watch Riker deliver his famous "I said 'Shut Up!' As in close your mouth and stop talking!" line.

After watching the episode, I started to wonder about the whole point of having Riker's birthday at the beginning of the episode. It didn't seem to serve any purpose...until I thought about all those other episodes where they have characters doing something (seemingly) random at the beginning but yet it ultimately echoing the episode's larger theme (case in point - Data painting at the beginning of 'A Matter of Perspective' and the larger theme of interpretation that takes place throughout the episode).

Troi asked Riker what he wished for when he blew out the candles. He jokingly says 'music lessons' but I'm now of the mind that it was for something far more serious - a family. This may be been obvious to everyone on first viewing, but I just now "got it."

In defense, I was always so enamored with this episode because of its sheer creativity and, yes, Riker's line that I don't think I was even thinking about the larger theme (which I oftentimes do in TNG). In my mind, this is a great, great episode, made even greater by this "new" discovery.

Am I the only one who missed it?

 

[LutherSloan]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

Could be. In the 'Titan' novel series that takes place after 'Nemesis', Troi is pregnant with Riker's child.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

I lean more towards thinking the birthday was more of a red herring - that the birthday is included and then Riker seemsto age to make us think the episode is about a plot more about growing old and feeling out of place. Misdirection, to hide the plot about the alien boy.

*shrug* Just a thought.

 

[WillsBabe]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

I think the who birthday thing at the beginning is to set up the theme of age, time passing, that kind of thing - stuff that the episode touches on, too. As an aside, I love the scene on the bridge where Picard wishes Riker happy birthday. Stewart says it in such a heartfelt manner! It's a rare moment of friendship between the two of them.

I think Frakes' deliver of the line "music lessons" is actually a flub. There's something about the way everyone around the table reacts that makes me think that. I don't know if he was even supposed to say that line.

As to whether the ep is saying that Riker subconciously wants a family, I think that it could be saying that. In Silicon Avatar Carmen tells him that she doesn't think he's the settling down type, but he contradicts her. What is interesting is the fact that Troi isn't the boy's mother in Riker's subconscious and is off the ship.

Speaking of mothers. Apparantly when this episode was aired, Frakes mother commented that they had made him up (in his age make up) so that he looked exactly like his father.

 

[Malleus]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

Could be. In the 'Titan' novel series that takes place after 'Nemesis', Troi is pregnant with Riker's child.

Didn't she miscarry, though?

 

[Holdfast]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

Troi asked Riker what he wished for when he blew out the candles. He jokingly says 'music lessons' but I'm now of the mind that it was for something far more serious - a family. This may be been obvious to everyone on first viewing, but I just now "got it."

In defense, I was always so enamored with this episode because of its sheer creativity and, yes, Riker's line that I don't think I was even thinking about the larger theme (which I oftentimes do in TNG). In my mind, this is a great, great episode, made even greater by this "new" discovery.

Am I the only one who missed it?

Well, maybe, but this isn't how I read the ep. I do agree that it's a great episode though!

I rather think Riker is comfortable where he is. If anything, he wants the status quo at the beginning to remain the same. The episode forces him to confront change in his life, rather than being about giving him a family.

But on the other hand, I also think this is reading too much into it. Future Imperfect is a purer story than that to me. Its elegant twists play out similarly to a murder-mystery novel, giving you one red herring and then another before the final reveal. The opening scene is designed to set up Riker's inability to finish the piece of music he plays, which becomes somewhat relevant later. Just like a mystery novel puts little clues and hints into play at the start, to be echoed later.

 

[Lt.Cmdr.LaForge]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

This is a good question. According to the Romulan Admiral who orchestrates the entire illusion of Rikers future (minus 16 years of memory), the illusion was created based upon Riker's own subconscious. This would imply that Riker does desire a family. However in the past Riker has made it quite clear that his career will come first before a family. We all no that Riker eventually marries Troi, so this is probably evidence to suggest Riker did want a family after all =]

 

[Praetor]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

Wow. I had seen this episode at least three or four times before I popped it in the old DVD player to watch Riker deliver his famous "I said 'Shut Up!' As in close your mouth and stop talking!" line.

After watching the episode, I started to wonder about the whole point of having Riker's birthday at the beginning of the episode. It didn't seem to serve any purpose...until I thought about all those other episodes where they have characters doing something (seemingly) random at the beginning but yet it ultimately echoing the episode's larger theme (case in point - Data painting at the beginning of 'A Matter of Perspective' and the larger theme of interpretation that takes place throughout the episode).

Troi asked Riker what he wished for when he blew out the candles. He jokingly says 'music lessons' but I'm now of the mind that it was for something far more serious - a family. This may be been obvious to everyone on first viewing, but I just now "got it."

In defense, I was always so enamored with this episode because of its sheer creativity and, yes, Riker's line that I don't think I was even thinking about the larger theme (which I oftentimes do in TNG). In my mind, this is a great, great episode, made even greater by this "new" discovery.

Am I the only one who missed it?

You know, I've never thought of it before but now that you've said it I think you have a very good point. I don't know what the writer's intention was, but the subtext does definitely seem to be there.

 

[WillsBabe]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

This is a good question. According to the Romulan Admiral who orchestrates the entire illusion of Rikers future (minus 16 years of memory), the illusion was created based upon Riker's own subconscious. This would imply that Riker does desire a family. However in the past Riker has made it quite clear that his career will come first before a family. We all no that Riker eventually marries Troi, so this is probably evidence to suggest Riker did want a family after all =]

But isn't the Admiral himself just an illusion?

 

[RikerLover]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

Could be. In the 'Titan' novel series that takes place after 'Nemesis', Troi is pregnant with Riker's child.

Didn't she miscarry, though?

She had one miscarriage between Sword of Damocles and the first Destiny book. She was in danger of a 2nd miscarriage but the Caeliar healed her and saved the baby and Deanna's life.

 

[Lt.Cmdr.LaForge]

Re: Was 'Future Imperfect' trying to say Riker secretly wanted a famil

But isn't the Admiral himself just an illusion?

Aye, now you point it out, it was that strange alien kid who orchestrated it all along, but he too was only bringing to life what Riker had in his sub-conscious wasn’t he?