Who is Starfleet's biggest fizzle?

[Ithekro]

We I think it was more the whole stealing of the Enterprise bit that effected Chekov. While he was technically the commanding officer of Reliant ofter the death of Terrell, Chekov was subbing for Mr Spock's science station after picking up what was left of Reliant's crew. While some of the cadets had been reassigned, I would think that the remaining crew on Enterprise that brought her into Spacedock was Reliant's crew. After putting into port, the ship was stood down with her crew not yet reassigned (aside from Mr. Scott who was needed at once on Excelsior). Chekov even asked if they would get another ship, even though it is not clear that the Enterprise's bridge crew were even suppose to be assigned to Enterprise following the Training Crews.

Chekov, without his ship and with the death of Captain Spock, might have hoped for consideration by Admiral Kirk to get a posting on Enterprise as either its new XO or even Captain. Enterprise, if she was only a training ship, would be fine if not very prestigious a command. If she was just being used as a training ship to get a new batch of cadets ready to run her, than Starfleet taking her off the line would seen odd despite her damaged state.

Following the destruction of Enterprise, Chekov is assigned to the new Enterprise in his old Navigator's station, but seems to be the ship's new Second Officer under Captain's Kirk and Spock. Captain Scott seems to have removed himself from the command chain and Sulu is still waiting for Excelsior to be commissioned to get his own captian's chair. No telling how long he remained on Enterprise following TFF, or his he transfered to another ship as XO while he waited for Excelsior.

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

Mayweather, Kim, Harriman and Archer were all a bunch of pussies in my book.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

I knew Travis would be a false alarm from the start. He didn't look like he had much to say other than "Hey guys, I've been in space before!" Unfortunately for him that line gets old very quick.

 

[enterprisecvn65]

I really don't see how it could be anyone but Wesley. Introduced as a child prodigy. Knew how to operate parts of the Enterprise form the first episode. Performed many acts that impressed Picard so much he promoted him to acting ensign and became for all intents a member of the crew. ( I had no idea captains had such power they could promote children with no formal training to active duty)
Fulfills lifelong dream of going to the academy. Is a top student until he gives into peer pressure and is part of a stupid stunt that kills a cadet. Lies about it. Carries that yoke of shame with his whole career. Eventually written out on flimsy pretense of traveling the universe with his special abilities. Pretty much goes away.....and no one misses him.

 

[Ghrakh]

Mayweather, Kim, Harriman and Archer were all a bunch of pussies in my book.

Really? What's the title?

 

[eyeresist]

^ "Why I am so macho, even though I am an avid Star Trek fan"

 

[TheSubCommander]

None of them have anything on Wesley Crusher. Mr. Child Prodigy who was written as wanting nothing else but to join starfleet and gets Picard to help him get in, then is partially responsible for a cadet being killed and helped cover it up then Picard intercedes and helps him salvage his career, and then Wesley ultimately quit Starfleet a couple years later.

Second place has to go to Ensign Ro. Dishonorably discharged, given a second chance, then stabs Picard and crew in the back and betrays them before leaving starfleet for good. I hate that character with a passion.

Agrred. They did some weird things with both of those characters. The last we saw Wesley? He was back in Starfleet in a weird deleted scene from Nemesis.

He was at Rikers wedding, acting like nothing ever happened.

Ro-- not only did she betray Starfleet two times, but in the novels, they let her back in, and made her the head of DS9 security.

Yeah the Wesley thing in Nemesis was weird for sure. The last we saw him was TNG season 7 where he apparently went off with the Traveler in Journey's End. That by itself I guess is worth leaving SF for, but it was Wesley's whole SF career up to that point that was the biggest disappointment. After we were hit over the head for 3 seasons how he was some super genius. He was a disgrace as a cadet who should have been jailed right next to Paris, I mean, Lacarno.

But for nepotism and Picard's interference, he not only escaped jail, but stayed in SF. But that wasn't apparently enough because by Journey's End, he was acting like an ungrateful and pissy little prick. Had the traveler not given him a cop out, Wesley would have likely quit starfleet and done nothing with his life. Definitely not Starfleet material. So, why he came back to it was beyond me, and there wasn't even a throwaway line like Riker saying "Thanks for showing. How are you adjusting to re-enlistment/reactivation/whatever, after spending x amount of time with the Traveler?"

Ro was a disgusting excuse of a humanoid. Plain and simple. And I never understood the hype about Ro, other than she was the would-be Kira. I neither liked Ro, or Forbes, and I am glad they didn't just recast Ro with Visitor and they did go to the trouble of creating a new character for Visitor to play, instead.



Finally, as for Riker, I have to defend him a little, here. If one expected to see him as captain sometime during TNG (IE after BOBW), yeah I see how a young officer on the fast track to captain who all of a sudden turns it down 3 times to stay XO under picard can be argued as an under achiever. if nothing else,a static character.

But the guy SAVED EARTH. He was told he could basically do what he wanted at that point. So, I guess he chose to stay on a ship with his friends, and his on again off again girlfriend, Troi. I mean after saving Earth, the guy probably figured he wouldn't have a problem making captain when he was ready to move on, at that point. In fact, he probably really WAS waiting to command the Enterprise-D, as evidenced by AGT. But Generations put a kink in that. And really, if that is what he wanted to do, Starfleet SHOULD have held a slot for him when he as ready. That SHOULD have been his reward, because saving 10 billion people like he did EARNS that little perk. So story wise, that explained to me why he stayed on the Enterprise (both of them) all those years.

 

[Ithekro]

Riker wanted the best ship to be his command. The best ship, to him, was USS Enterprise. (NCC-1701-D) He wanted that chair Picard sat in. After it was lost, I don't think he warmed up the next Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) While he stayed onboard for eight years or so, it might have just been that no "best ship" came up for needing a captain during the Dominion War. When one finally came up, it was USS Titan. This would mean the CO billets for the remaining Galaxy-class ships never opened following the loss of USS Enterprise, and Riker didn't want a Soveriegn-class or Nebula-class starship. Or the rest of the Galaxy-class were just old news to Riker. They were not the Enterprise. Yet somehow USS Titan perked up his interest.

Riker may have still had an open invitation to command whatever ship he wanted, assuming their wasn't already a captain on that ship. He just never played that card until Titan came along.

 

[Nightdiamond]

Yeah the Wesley thing in Nemesis was weird for sure. The last we saw him was TNG season 7 where he apparently went off with the Traveler in Journey's End. That by itself I guess is worth leaving SF for, but it was Wesley's whole SF career up to that point that was the biggest disappointment. After we were hit over the head for 3 seasons how he was some super genius. He was a disgrace as a cadet who should have been jailed right next to Paris, I mean, Lacarno.

But for nepotism and Picard's interference, he not only escaped jail, but stayed in SF. But that wasn't apparently enough because by Journey's End, he was acting like an ungrateful and pissy little prick. Had the traveler not given him a cop out, Wesley would have likely quit starfleet and done nothing with his life. Definitely not Starfleet material. So, why he came back to it was beyond me, and there wasn't even a throwaway line like Riker saying "Thanks for showing. How are you adjusting to re-enlistment/reactivation/whatever, after spending x amount of time with the Traveler?"

There are some strong signs of nepotism in Wesley's case.

He resigns, saying he doesn't want it anymore, then later on changes his mind and wants back in--and he's back in Starfleet with an instant rank promotion, no questions asked.

He was made an acting ensign by Picard and then put in authority over academy graduates.

In Parallels, (alternate reality) Wesley would have been a 21 year old security chief with the rank of full lieutenant.

Either Starfleet is a very unfair place, or it is a very fair place.

You have to wonder if his mother and the rest of the crew pushed being a Starfleet officer down his throat.


I always got the impression Ro wasn't all that enthusiastic about being in Starfleet. She never seemed that comfortable wearing a uniform and following regulations.

So it seemed like an unfair and wasted opportunity being given to her, when so many other would only dream about getting those chances she got--especially when you consider she was getting 2nd chances.

Like I said, either Starfleet is a very unfair place, or a very fair one.

But-- the thing I like about her though, was that she followed her conscience and fought the Cardassians. They were jerks at this point.

If she didn't we would have thought of her as cold robot with no heart .

She was kind of like that anyway, but in a way, she did the 'wrong' thing for the 'right' reason.

But three strikes and you're out--she can't be trusted by Starfleet anymore.

 

[IrishNero]

I don't think they really explored some of the hidden potential of some of the characters. For example, with the exception of an episode or two, we really didn't get much backstory on Mayweather (along with Hoshi and Phlox, for that matter) and Enterprise began to focus on the 3 main characters over the last couple of seasons. I think I'd read somewhere that there was some planning to change that if Enterprise got the go-ahead for season 5. Riker was superfluous to me when TNG began. It wasn't after watching for a few seasons that I began to understand the compelling need for his presence. I served in the military for 23 years, so no one should understand the need for a good 'XO' (Executive Officer) more than me. -Especially if you're beaming your captain down to dangerous planets and such.

 

[IrishNero]

I really don't see how it could be anyone but Wesley. Introduced as a child prodigy. Knew how to operate parts of the Enterprise form the first episode. Performed many acts that impressed Picard so much he promoted him to acting ensign and became for all intents a member of the crew. ( I had no idea captains had such power they could promote children with no formal training to active duty)
Fulfills lifelong dream of going to the academy. Is a top student until he gives into peer pressure and is part of a stupid stunt that kills a cadet. Lies about it. Carries that yoke of shame with his whole career. Eventually written out on flimsy pretense of traveling the universe with his special abilities. Pretty much goes away.....and no one misses him.

...including his mom.

 

[enterprisecvn65]

I really don't see how it could be anyone but Wesley. Introduced as a child prodigy. Knew how to operate parts of the Enterprise form the first episode. Performed many acts that impressed Picard so much he promoted him to acting ensign and became for all intents a member of the crew. ( I had no idea captains had such power they could promote children with no formal training to active duty)
Fulfills lifelong dream of going to the academy. Is a top student until he gives into peer pressure and is part of a stupid stunt that kills a cadet. Lies about it. Carries that yoke of shame with his whole career. Eventually written out on flimsy pretense of traveling the universe with his special abilities. Pretty much goes away.....and no one misses him.

...including his mom.

Yeah no kidding even his mom, who has some pull with Picard, never does anything to really help get his career back on track. I'm sure she could have worked out some kind of deal for Picard to help Wes out in exchange for performing certain "duties" for Picard.

Seriously though if Wes was back in Starfleet as was implied in nemesis he had no future. Assuming Starfleet academy is like today's service academies, even though he wasn't kicked because of the starburst accident and cover up. The fact he was involved in such a serious incident would be a big ass black mark on his record that would assure the highest responsibility he probably ever achieve is checking and replacing burnt out light bulbs on a starship. Any kind of important position like command or engineering would be a dream.

 

[Cyke101]

We I think it was more the whole stealing of the Enterprise bit that effected Chekov. While he was technically the commanding officer of Reliant ofter the death of Terrell, Chekov was subbing for Mr Spock's science station after picking up what was left of Reliant's crew. While some of the cadets had been reassigned, I would think that the remaining crew on Enterprise that brought her into Spacedock was Reliant's crew. After putting into port, the ship was stood down with her crew not yet reassigned (aside from Mr. Scott who was needed at once on Excelsior). Chekov even asked if they would get another ship, even though it is not clear that the Enterprise's bridge crew were even suppose to be assigned to Enterprise following the Training Crews.

Chekov, without his ship and with the death of Captain Spock, might have hoped for consideration by Admiral Kirk to get a posting on Enterprise as either its new XO or even Captain. Enterprise, if she was only a training ship, would be fine if not very prestigious a command. If she was just being used as a training ship to get a new batch of cadets ready to run her, than Starfleet taking her off the line would seen odd despite her damaged state.

Following the destruction of Enterprise, Chekov is assigned to the new Enterprise in his old Navigator's station, but seems to be the ship's new Second Officer under Captain's Kirk and Spock. Captain Scott seems to have removed himself from the command chain and Sulu is still waiting for Excelsior to be commissioned to get his own captian's chair. No telling how long he remained on Enterprise following TFF, or his he transfered to another ship as XO while he waited for Excelsior.

I actually quite enjoyed reading this.

 

[enterprisecvn65]

It's been so long since I've seen the episode where he leaves with the traveler but wasn't Wesley chosen because he could transcend time and space or some crap like that.

So what happened to that special power. Did he f that up too? Did his midichlorean count drop too low?

We see him at the wedding but he doesn't say a single line!!! Talk about the filmmakers pissing in your face. I'm stunned Wheaton would even agree to appear in a scene like that.

 

[MacLeod]

I might be wrong but I think Weaton filmed more scenes for NEM but they ended up on the cutting room floor.

 

[Ithekro]

Perhaps Wes came back to work on Transwarp drives or the Slipstream drives, and just got time off to got to Riker's wedding. While Starfleet might be military-like, they also put people with skills into positions as needed and with promotions to match...regardless of senority. How many young captains have we seen?

 

[MacLeod]

Plus in times of war you might be prepared to overlook some things. Such as a rather less than stellar Academy record.

 

[enterprisecvn65]

I might be wrong but I think Weaton filmed more scenes for NEM but they ended up on the cutting room floor.

That'd pretty much be pat for the course given Wesley's popularity.

Note to any aspiring sci-fi makers out there. Putting a kid or kids as main characters on an adult themed sci fi show pretty much sucks.

 

[MacLeod]

I might be wrong but I think Weaton filmed more scenes for NEM but they ended up on the cutting room floor.

That'd pretty much be pat for the course given Wesley's popularity.

Note to any aspiring sci-fi makers out there. Putting a kid or kids as main characters on an adult themed sci fi show pretty much sucks.

I doubt character popularity had anything to do with it. scenes are cut for a number of reasons running time, it breaks up the narrative etc...

 

[Sector 7]

Agrred. They did some weird things with both of those characters. The last we saw Wesley? He was back in Starfleet in a weird deleted scene from Nemesis.

He was at Rikers wedding, acting like nothing ever happened.

With regards to Wes, perhaps it was the little known seldom used reserve activation clause.

What's that?

That's where the military can reactivate someone "due to your specialized skills and training". If you hire a lawyer, you CAN get out of it. [It kept me from participating in Desert Storm. I owned a rather large business at the time.]

The novels often use characters, like Ensign Ro, to sell books. HOW they are used may not always make sense.