Why Didn't Harry Get Promoted?

[Farscape One]

Lieutenant to Captain.


"The feels" have dominated ranks in Trek for a while now. The idea of being a captain means more than reasonable advancement. People can turn down rank at any time and opt to not advance their career because of their feels. Being a captain is the only place you can really make a difference so don't leave the bridge.

This is not a new phenomenon in Star Trek. Bring a captain is great and being an admiral is horrible. If that isn't about the feels I don't know what is.

Lt. to Captain in one shot is still a ridiculous and stupid move, particularly for such a ship.

Plus, he went from cadet to Lt. immediately... without even finishing the Academy. Just stupid.

And Kirk was in the middle of a disciplinary hearing and quite likely would have been drummed out of the Academy, which makes all of what he was given even more stupid.

So yes... within the same mission, he went from cadet to captain. Utter nonsense and stupidity of that movie. (One of many.)

 

[Lynx]

Lieutenant to Captain.


"The feels" have dominated ranks in Trek for a while now. The idea of being a captain means more than reasonable advancement. People can turn down rank at any time and opt to not advance their career because of their feels. Being a captain is the only place you can really make a difference so don't leave the bridge.

This is not a new phenomenon in Star Trek. Bring a captain is great and being an admiral is horrible. If that isn't about the feels I don't know what is.

But sometimes that is good.

Just look at Picard and Janeway.

Picard remained captain, stayed at the ship, could do what he really wanted to do and were still useful in stories and books.

Janeway was placed behind a desk and faded as a character.

Sometimes fiction has to be different than "real life" in order to create good stories and keep the characters good.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

If that "Deviations" comic is interested in an idea, what if Kelvinverse Kirk washed out like R.M. Merik did in the prime universe and wound up on Kelvinverse 892-IV?

 

[fireproof78]

Lt. to Captain in one shot is still a ridiculous and stupid move, particularly for such a ship.

Plus, he went from cadet to Lt. immediately... without even finishing the Academy. Just stupid.

And Kirk was in the middle of a disciplinary hearing and quite likely would have been drummed out of the Academy, which makes all of what he was given even more stupid.

Of course, which is why he lost command in the next film. Though, I wouldn't use the term stupid. It was clear that nepotism was at play with Pike. I also don't think he would have been drummed out, but have to retake a year. Despite cheating, he had done it three times voluntarily.

But, that's why I like Into Darkness so much. Pike realizes his error and Kirk must actually face his Kobayashi Maru, like his dad did. Love that movie for Kirk alone every time I think about his arc.

But sometimes that is good.

Sure but that's not the lesson taught. Stay were you feel good is the lesson and I disagree with it.

Sometimes fiction has to be different than "real life" in order to create good stories and keep the characters good.

Sometimes. In this case it isn't one of those times.

 

[Oddish]

Being a captain is the only place you can really make a difference so don't leave the bridge.

Unless you're William T. "ambition of a limp waffle" Riker, in which case you spend 15 years as first officer instead.

And technically, DS9 did have an Ensign in their main cast... for 3 episodes. Ezri got her pip at the end of "AFTERIMAGE".

Well if we're being technical, it was two, because Ezri didn't show up until the last few seconds of "Image in the Sand".

But the point remains valid. If TNG's main cast was ensign-free for half its episodes, and DS9's was ensignless for over 98% of its run... yeah, VOY could have done 1-1/2 seasons: Harry get promoted in "Night". Tom gets busted, fills the ensign slot ten episodes later, gets re-promoted at the end of S6. The show is only ensign-free for part of S5, and all of S7. And they could even give Neelix or Seven a uniform at that late date.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Worf was promoted to LCDR in "Generations". He simply moved from the security division to the command division on DS9, hence the red uniform.

And it's probably mostly true in the IRL military. On an actual USN ship in Voyager's position, no one would have gotten promoted unless someone died. But Starfleet is not the IRL military, and people on Voyager were promoted.

40 to 60 people died on Equinox, before making contact with Voyager.

On one hand there would have been plenty of open positions that Harry could have just seized had he the balls of an adult with any gumption, on the other hand, any department with a vacant head, was probably a department with a vacant everything else as well, which would probably require demotion if less was expected of him.

Kane on NuBSG mixed the crews immediately, and promoted Starbuck too.

 

[Oddish]

40 to 60 people died on Equinox, before making contact with Voyager.

On one hand there would have been plenty of open positions that Harry could have just seized had he the balls of an adult with any gumption, on the other hand, any department with a vacant head, was probably a department with a vacant everything else as well, which would probably require demotion if less was expected of him.

Assuming that the Equinox senior staff was in prison for mass murder, yes. I expect Chakotay would have gotten a promotion to captain, and since Harry's their designated guy for building and repair, he'd likely be Chakotay's acting first. And since Chakotay promotes people, Harry'd have that hollow pip in short order.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

While it's true position doesn't always require a higher rank to be in it, there are cases where a somewhat lower rank than we usually see (or believe should be) in a given position is acceptable.

True, though no more than one or at most two levels would be pretty unusual outside of explicitly temporary appointments in an emergency.

Like Sisko being appointed Chief of Earth Security in "HOMEFRONT"/"PARADISE LOST". While a captain is NOT a low rank at all, it is likely lower for that position than we would expect to see.

Given that he was reporting to a three-pip Admiral and the only other example of someone who could be in that role who we see canonically is a Commodore, it's fairly reasonable for an acting appointment (presumably if it had been made long-term he would have been promoted to Commodore).

 

[Oddish]

Sisko should have started as a captain and then been upped to Commodore. Then it would have made more sense that he was ordering around a whole fleet.

 

[Farscape One]

Sisko should have started as a captain and then been upped to Commodore. Then it would have made more sense that he was ordering around a whole fleet.

Ross' last adjutant was also a captain. ("BEHIND THE LINES", he mentions Bennett's promotion came through and he took over her slot.) So rank wise, he's on par being adjutant.

Sisko was given command of the various fleets by Ross. (Operation Return, both Chin'toka attacks.)

He might have been given a field promotion to Admiral, but his actions in "RAPTURE" might have been a roadblock from him getting it. That happened less than a year before "BEHIND THE LINES".

I don't really mind him staying as captain during the war.

(Also, Picard took command of the fleet in FIRST CONTACT after seeing the Admiral's ship was destroyed. So there is precedent for a captain to lead a fleet.)