The only way I could ever make it work in my head was that Starfleet kept Riker aboard to keep an eye on Picard.
Was Riker a jerk to Shelby?
- Thread starter Gul Bones
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The only way I could ever make it work in my head was that Starfleet kept Riker aboard to keep an eye on Picard.
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
^Someone a few weeks ago suggested that Riker had worked for Section 31 initially on the Pegasus, and later got reenlisted to keep an eye on Picard after Best of Both Worlds. It's an interesting retcon, but it flies in the face of what TNG was supposed to be about (i.e. Roddenberry's edict that "our people don't sneak around" vis a vis the cloaking device, secret agents, black ops, etc.)
That said, it'd be interesting to watch the series again, but with the idea that Riker had worked for Section 31, and from season 4 onward, had resumed doing so.
That said, it'd be interesting to watch the series again, but with the idea that Riker had worked for Section 31, and from season 4 onward, had resumed doing so.
Yeah, frankly I was pleasantly surprised that TNG chose to show a recovery episode. Due to the episodic format, portrayals of PTSD from the main crew are pretty rare for Trek. Nog had a couple episodes devoted to this, and even then it was only on a serialized show.
If I were a senior officer on a hero ship, I'd have the utmost confidence not only in my own abilities, but in the security and camaraderie provided by my shipmates. But if I'm getting kidnapped by robots, stabbed by alien weapons, assimilated by space zombies, disintegrated by anomalies, possessed by noncorporeal gods, trapped in other planes of existence, tortured telepathically, and subjected to Riker's trombone playing, all on a weekly basis, my bouts of PTSD would be pretty frequent!
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
Well said!
Really this strains credibility on so many levels. Suppose a US infantry colonel was captured by Al Qaida today. He was drugged, tortured, broken and force to reveal all his military secrets. Later being rescued and found criminally innocent of any wrong doing, I still can't imagine he'd ever get a command on the lines again.
That's what I like to think too, although I'm not sure about the Section 31 angle. I always found it interesting that according to The Pegasus, Riker was an ensign "12 years ago" and had by that point been XO of the Enterprise for 7, having previously turned down command of the Drake. So he went from ensign to being offered a captaincy within five years, which is pretty amazing even by Kirk's standards, then his career stalls and he remains a First Officer for the next 15. He goes from almost being one of Starfleet's youngest captains to having the longest XO posting in its history!
In my head, Riker starts off as young and ambitious before questioning what he really wants, then the Borg incident happens and Starfleet keeps him as XO of the Enterprise to watch over Picard. That could account for the next few years until his involvement in the Pegasus cover-up comes out, followed closely by his being in command of the Enterprise-D at the time of its destruction. A hearing is standard procedure following the loss of a starship, according to The Measure of a Man, and Riker's incompetence is plain to see; he doesn't even think to; a). Check LaForge's VISOR for possible tampering (especially considering that it had been compromised once before), b). Rotate the shield frequencies once the Klingons had penetrated the shields, or c). eject the warp core! It makes sense to me that he isn't offered another command for a good long while. It's a wonder he isn't drummed out of the fleet altogether.
I wasn't really thinking of Section 31. Just that Starfleet have someone keep an eye on Picard and that Riker simply knew him best since he worked with him for an extended period of time. Riker would know if Picard was truly Picard just by his daily interactions.
It would explain why he was so loyal to Pressman, who I always assumed was a Section 31 operative.
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
I'm sure the fact that Pressman had dirt on Riker also played in to that loyalty as well.
Knight Templar
Commodore
I agree largely with what has been said here. Shelby comes in on fire knowing what she wants and it royally irks Riker who can't seem to make a decision.
What gets me is why Starfleet keeps trying to promote Riker? Based on everything we saw onscreen, he doesn't seem like someone Starfleet would keep offering opportunities at starship command. Four times if you count his promotion to the Titan in ST: Nemesis.
What gets me is why Starfleet keeps trying to promote Riker? Based on everything we saw onscreen, he doesn't seem like someone Starfleet would keep offering opportunities at starship command. Four times if you count his promotion to the Titan in ST: Nemesis.
What is there to "make work?"
Riker was promoted to captain because Picard was presumed a casualty of war. Picard was rescued and resumed his captaincy. Are you saying Picard should have lost his position because he was abducted and violated by the Borg?
As for Riker, as Shelby says, he probably had his pick of any ship to take command of. As usual, he probably turned any such offers down, as absurd as that seems.
That's hardly the same thing as assimilation, and had Picard NOT been assimilated The Federation would have likely been conquered by the Borg. Thanks to Locutus' "inside track" and "sleep" Earth was saved.
I don't know. Riker's character development makes sense to me, even if it doesn't work in a modern military context.
He comes aboard as first officer in season one as an eager, career-minded officer looking forward to advancement. But he quickly becomes very happy aboard the Enterprise. Throughout seasons two and three, he is considered for his own command and is conflicted on more than one occasion about whether or not he should accept it.
At the end of season three/beginning of season four, the Borg incident happens and it is a major event in Riker's life. And he comes to realize that he is happier aboard the Enterprise than he has ever been at any point in his life and that despite his desire to move up in his career, he'd rather stay where he is happy. So from that point forward, he becomes comfortable in his skin and the issue of command does not come up again, until...
Nemesis, when major things are happening in Riker's life, namely his getting married, and he finally decides that it's time to move on to another stage of his life and accepts command of the Titan.
Seems reasonable to me.
He comes aboard as first officer in season one as an eager, career-minded officer looking forward to advancement. But he quickly becomes very happy aboard the Enterprise. Throughout seasons two and three, he is considered for his own command and is conflicted on more than one occasion about whether or not he should accept it.
At the end of season three/beginning of season four, the Borg incident happens and it is a major event in Riker's life. And he comes to realize that he is happier aboard the Enterprise than he has ever been at any point in his life and that despite his desire to move up in his career, he'd rather stay where he is happy. So from that point forward, he becomes comfortable in his skin and the issue of command does not come up again, until...
Nemesis, when major things are happening in Riker's life, namely his getting married, and he finally decides that it's time to move on to another stage of his life and accepts command of the Titan.
Seems reasonable to me.
I'm just saying that it's suspect that Adm. Hansen knew that Riker had declined the promotion and Shelby didn't. He was almost grooming her for a captaincy. Why set her up for failure by letting her think she was almost a shoe-in for XO of the Enterprise?
I don't think Hansen knew. He simply knew that Riker hadn't given an answer yet.
^He knew enough to tell Picard to kick him in the ass.
Enough to tell Shelby not to walk in like she already had the job.
Enough to tell Shelby not to walk in like she already had the job.
The Best of Both Worlds I said:
So they didn't have an answer yet, according to the dialog.
The Best of Both Worlds I said:
Hanson knew well enough.
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