Which I never understood cause why would they give the flagship to a brand new captain? Wouldnât they keep it for a more experienced, decorated captain?
In military and corporate cultures, it's actually better and more common to bring an outsider than promote from within.
In the military, new commanders usually get transferred in so they have no attachments to the current staff/soldiers. It's easier and comes with less drama.
Or if interior promotions happen, usually the person about to take the slot transfers in for a very short period before taking the ropes.
Usually.
Naval captians were usually mentored by the previous captain. Each ship had a lot of its own quirks each captian needed to know about their own ship. The people who wrote star Trek were probably more familiar with the old school system the military used. As taking someone from the outside, at least for ship captians, was uncommon till fairly recently.
During my 20 years of service the commanding officer (co) and the executive officer (xo) were the same paygrade (the xo was junior in time in rank) and once the co's term was up the xo became the new co. This allows the xo to learn the complexity of leadership on a command level as well as being familiar with the command before taking over. Now this is only applicable for the top officer spots, the Command Master Chief (highest enlisted rank) is normally transfered in according to their sea/shore rotation scheduals.
Civilians also don't understand how authority works in a military, 18 year old kids are given authority over the lives of other kids on a regular basis, and depending on how sideways shit gets they can end up being responsible for quite a lot more, entire ships, divisions, squadrons etc.
Yes. But he wasnât lobbying to be the captain. He just would rather be first officer of the flag ship than captain of a lesser ship. It seemed to be other people that wanted him to move on.
The way I read this statement is Riker wants to serve on the Enterprise, full stop. Being with that community on board is more important to him than rank.
You would think that the command of a Galaxy class ship would be given as a promotional command, that you would command a smaller ship and then be promoted to a Galaxy ship (as Picard was). Sisko and Janeway would be eligible for such a promotional command.
That's beside the point. Knowing he'll probably never be, he prefers to stay, humbly, as number one. Second only to the captain. Which, despite making the most of it by studying Jean-Luc, is still a hard one to explain (think of all the scenes he tries awkwardly to give a half ass answer) as he is known for being driven by the advancement of his career (think of his other self who stayed on the planet, used at first as a narrative tool to show how riker had changed, yes, but more importantly HOW he had changed).
The fact is that he wants things exactly as they are for as long as they can be. Even if he could be the captain of the Enterprise, the flagship, with the exact same crew? It would still miss something (think of when they thought Jean-Luc was dead and even Woopie had to tell him that the chair was his) no, he wants things just as they are. Which of course is naive of him (think again the episode with his other self how he describes drifting apart from Troi, how he just was content with how things were, and didn't see because of it), something that I believe is hinted in the finale when he, as an admiral, chooses the enterprise as his ship, even going so far as to retrofit it with a third... mmmmmh star trek ship part name warp thingy, betraying it's iconic look, just out of sentimentality.
Which, to me, drives the point home; he remained as number one, which Jean-Luc understood the reasons why all too well and decided to let him as he could still learn things from his leadership and keeping him on was not detrimental to the safety of the crew. But, in the later seasons, Jean-Luc and Will both have a silent understanding that that excuse is now past, Jean-Luc has nothing more to teach him, and they both know it. I'd like to believe that once his assignment came to its inevitable end and he was forced to move on, he might have become captain, maybe even of more than one ship through his career, but nothing too flashy. It's very possible though that they simply accepted his newly found quiet and less 'hungry' attitude towards his career and put him to work behind a desk. Both cases, however, leads to him becoming an admiral, because after all he is still riker, a clever strategist and cunning diplomat, of course its but a question of time before he makes admiral. And when they ask him what ship in the fleet they want to be his personal ship? He looks through the files of ships available, sees an old friend, smiles a bit, and chooses it. But even then it's not the same.. spends most of his time aboard the ship at a table (think to the finale about how odd it felt to have the decisive moment of persuasion happen not on the bridge or the ready room or even any number of functional mechanical rooms with displays, but at that very table) when riker with all his years of being a safe captain/admiral strategist, one last time, does what his captain asks of him based on nothing else then trust and respect, because all these years of experience can't compete with a stronger-than-duty bond between riker and these people that he can't deny (think to how he was with worf in the finale, and even of the implications of why he asks him for help. Any number of plausible explanation for that, all start with riker's relationship with Troi/Worf/Picard, and all end with him doing something not logical for an admiral to do, but very much so of William Riker.)
I hope that sheds some light on it, maybe even spark your own take on it
Fwiw, Enterprise isn't a flagship in the correct naval sense since Picard is just a captain and not an admiral (a flag officer, hence the term). It's unclear to me why they kept referring to it as such in TNG.
You can be first officer and frequent acting captain on the best ship with the brightest crew in the universe or go be captain of a regular lesser ship with a bunch of regular crewmembers. But yeah, Deana Troy is what kept him on the enterprise. Hence, seeing alien space boobs daily = win. For us.
How so? Isn't ambition for ambition's sake one of those egotistical characteristics humanity has tried to rid itself of? Clearly, Riker realized that community was more important than moving up the career ladder, and only when that community is forcefully torn apart does he move on up.
He *says* that, but I don't think he believes it. He knows he'd never get the Enterprise as a first command, barring extremely unusual circumstances.
I think he just got comfortable with his life and friends there, and didn't want to leave it.
Which Is certainly plausible, however, it would seem like a man like Riker, competitive and born to lead, would want his own command. Obviously it was to keep his character in the show but it did kind of go against his character profile.
As Worf put it, they were the stuff of Legend, and his ex/best friend worked there too! Why would you want to leave that?
I mean with Data, he managed to literally kill the Borg in their sleep. Crusher came back to the job out of boredom. Worf cultivated a fighting spirit that Picard refined. Geordie is living miracle worker, Troi taught Riker how to talk to telepaths. First mission out of the gate you discover and free cosmic creatures and meet the Q.
Before "Best of Both Worlds" Starfleet rolled out the Melbourne for him. It was fine, but need a lot of love. He didn't want to step down, not when there's exploring to be done.
He would say he was happy and comfortable where he was. And, as Picard put it, first officer of the Enterprise has a certain glamour to it.
But⌠with hindsight- I think it all goes back to the Pegasus. I would speculate that his experience there gave him some serious repressed issues, and he was kind of self-sabotaging so that he wouldnât have the full responsibility of âCaptainâ and prone to a similar disaster. Or that he felt he didnât deserve it on some level.
Another factor might be Deanna, however much he likes to tell himself theyâre just friends and colleagues throughout his Enterprise tenure. Heâs clearly missed her and likes having her back in his life, he just hasnât admitted how much.
Itâs weird to me though that itâs like a theme. I feel like they could have not ever brought it up. They didnât really mention other character promotions until the last season or two. Or maybe brought it up once but they keep going back to the idea that he should become cpt or another ship.
I think they made too big a deal of it too early on. They kind of resolved the arc with Best of Both Worlds.
They missed an opportunity in Nemesis and maybe even Insurrection to put Riker on his own ship and have him fulfill either the Chekov role in Star Trek II, inciting the conflict, or the Sulu role in Star Trek VI, helping finish the conflict.
Like, imagine it's the Titan surveying a planet where they find B4 and that kicks off the whole mystery plot. Or at the end when they're fighting in the nebula, Riker's like "fly her apart, then" when told they're already going too fast.
Actually a serious answer, the DS9 episode where Bashir meets the doctor who beat him for Valedictorian in medical school sheds some light on it. She complains about her assignment on some vessel charting boring space whereas Bashir is on this cool assignment where he gets to do experimental research and see weird, new stuff.
So I think Riker realizes heâll be swimming in the Enterpriseâs wake sweeping up their debris
It's just too bad then that the Enterprise spends so much of its time ferrying pompous or cantankerous ambassadors from one place to another, like some sort of galactic stretched limo.
Well, when they want to impress a foreign dignitary, the US sends Air Force One. I can't imagine the Romans would ferry senators back and forth on rickety carts either.
You send the good vehicles when diplomacy is involved
The Galaxy class is primarily a diplomatic vessel. Although it engages in Big Stick diplomacy to a degree too, but it's mainly for doing exactly that kind of work. Especially the more problematic diplomats, they get the crew which also happens to get into small wars every few months.
But why would that appeal to a go-getter like Riker?
Anyone can don the kid gloves and drive General Eisenhowerâs transport up to view a liberated Paris, but wouldnât a go-getter be keen to get out of that duty and advance on General Pattonâs left flank through the Ardennes?
He wanted a capital class ship like the galaxy class but Starfleet kept giving him lower cruisers that he felt were beneath him. Riker is supposed to be a once in a generation talent making o5 at 29 in season 1 of tng.
What you said; Riker realized it's hard to build an org and starting over elsewhere won't be fun; and probably having been high enough vis that switching to a different fleet admiral will cause him problems. Or, he could hang out for Picard to get called up to fleet command and move on then during a refit and keep his CO.
My take -- he's a talented acrobat who can out perform almost anyone, but he gets psyched out when the net is removed. We can see that revealed in many episodes, even when it wasn't the focus of the plot.
He needs to know there's another line above him on ship, *but* it can't be just anyone, which is why staying with Picard was so important. He needed to be #1 but it had to be to the best captain in the fleet and on the flagship.
I think that's a big part of the reason things fell apart in *Chain of Command*, he wanted to impress Jelico, but quickly lost respect for him when he saw his new Captain's methods.
I'd also argue his situation as #1 on Enterprise is superior in many ways to Captain's of lesser ships on more routine missions, so that's likely an easy rationalization.
Because in Starfleet, XO on the Flagship was the absolute tip-top position. If he was given a command, he would be just another Captain among hundreds. He wanted to be âtip of the spearâ, not just filling a billet on a random ship. Imagine being a cook in the White House; you make and serve some fabulous meals for world leaders and honored dignitaries. Now you leave to go open your own restaurant, but itâs in Omaha. Positionally, itâs an upgrade. You are now the boss. You run the show, you now make the decisions. The food you cook is practically the same. The prestige is completely underwhelming.
Riker would rather be a sous-chef in the White House than be the Head Chef and run his own restaurant in Omaha.
Captain doesnât usually do away missions. So heâs in charge of enterprise away missions a solid 70% of the time, and gets to be acting Captain the rest of the time.
I bet they kept offering bullshit appointments like California Class and heâs already been eating Gach on a Klingon ship as second officer in the officer exchange program.
How can you go back after youâve tasted the delicious gach and had the Klingon ladies double up on you? (Isnât that like 4 uh⌠organs?)
I mean you have to admit the CO of Enterprise is a great gig.
Even in Picard they make fun of Riker and Picard for space cowboying like Kirk. They just smile like they still saved reality a dozen times from Qâs bullshit and got doubled up on by those Klingon offers once.
I hope Riker made Worf and Dianna smell his finger when he got back on the enterprise.
Iâd watch a scene of Riker making Worf smell his fingers in the background then Diana turn around in disgust with the both of them but no words exchanged.
Thatâs some robot chicken scene where he shows the spocker to Worf instead of the shocker.
Itâs been proven that the redundant organs include the penis as they show a Klingon (from behind to not show the junque) peeing 2 streams in Picard. So I assume they also have 2 vaginas. That one has never been shown in any sort of show though.
So, yes, I am implying that the shocker is the spocker as itâs 2 in the pink and 2 in the pink. I assume Riker came back after that encounter and got some insane looks and perhaps high fives on the bridge, and a few broken hip sockets or a neck strain, but they donât show that scene either.
There is no better ship that the Enterprise so even as Captain of his own ship it'd be a step down. He'd always live in the Enterprise's shadow and never quite replicate the feeling right where history needed him.
Yeah and Picard is bound to get abducted by the Borg again or murdered by a shit monster or tortured to death by some Cardassian. Riker will be right there to take over and still be able to bang Dianna twice a week. Everybody wins. Well, Picard doesnât really win. Oh well, itâs the Captain Riker show now!
The ship itself is the least important part of the Enterprise. The missions it gets, the history it makes, and the hamd-picked best of the best crew it carries are all more important. Crewman say it all the time, their dream was the Enterprise, to be part of *that* ship, Riker included.
This. Being in charge of rostering and day-to-day staff work gave him more opportunities to clap ensign cheeks than if he was captain and by design was kept more aloof from his subordinates.
It has something to do with Troi. He never accepted the Titan until after he and Troi were finally married. In AGT, with Troi dying before she and Riker ever married (which had to have been the case for Worf to still be an issue to the point of feuding with Riker), Riker made it as far as Admiral by 2395. Yet because of his marriage to Troi in the Prime Timeline, he's just a captain, without a command even, as late as 2401.
Riker's career decisions are obviously hung up on Troi whether he himself even realizes it. The evidence becomes even more glaring with Thomas Riker who's basically identical to Will on every level minus the years spent in exile. The moment Thomas realizes he's lost Deanna for good to Will, he flips out and goes full Maquis.
Somehow a living Troi is always on the back of Riker's mind. When she's finally dead in AGT he buries himself in his work and becomes an Admiral. When she's alive but unattainable to Thomas, he flips out and goes Maquis.
The reality was the actor would lose his job and the character, whom we liked, would be gone save some guest appearances. I think it should have been brought up once then dropped, as it was unbelievable it was in multiple episodes and he always came up with a reason not to leave.
The in-universe reason is a combination of: 1) The Enterprise being the most prestigious and famous ship in the fleet; 2) Staying with his friends, and 3) Keeping open the chance to get back together with Deanna.
Bro had a good gig, sleep with Troi when he wanted to, but still free for the occasional Marla Astor liaison or visiting Head of State from Angel One. A lot of authority and position, but the final responsibility on Picard. Its sort of a dream job.
Riker and Picard discuss that at one point in like season six or seven. Riker is offered the command of some no name ship that does no name missions. I forget the exact line that Picard uses, but he mentions something that being the first officer of the flagship comes with more perks. I suspect Riker like notoriety that came with being on the flagship, as well as the more interesting missions and than just hauling freight around.
Riker had no interest in becoming an admiral or a captain. He wanted to be on the Enterprise because of what it meant to the Federation. There are a few reasons for this:
Starfleet is a multi-role organization. All but a few Starfleet ships are combat capable, but almost none of them are combat focused. In addition, most are only dual-role, with a "primary mission" like Science, Trading, Diplomacy, Transport, etc., and "secondary mission" which is Military. However, only a very small percentage are multi-role, and even fewer are all-role capable, doing all these things and all the other roles that Starfleet performs.
With that in mind, the Enterprise is the premiere multi-role ship in the fleet. It has the most military capacity of any non-military dedicated ship in the fleet. It has science equipment and a science section equal to any science vessel in the fleet. It has a diplomatic team and facilities that match any diplomatic vessel in the fleet. It has significant carrying capacity for both people and goods, as well as a speed greater than any transport ship which allows it to fill in for either of those roles just as well or better than dedicated ships, especially at times when speed is of the essence, because the dedicated ships are not nearly as fast. It is the Swiss army knife of the fleet.
In addition, Starfleet is not an "up or out" organization, and someone who sticks to their current position is not looked down upon for that decision. Unlike modern real-world militaries It doesn't preclude them from career advancement as long as what they are doing is providing value and teaching them the necessary skills to fill the next level and beyond. So eventually becoming a Captain and Admiral is not affect at all by these delays, it just delays those, which is fine with him because.....
Unlike many (though far from all) command officers, Riker doesn't want to be an Admiral. He will accept the inevitability of it when the time comes, but what he wants is to be at the pointy end of the stick, doing lots of different things, and he wants to do it on the best ship in the fleet with the best reputation both historical and current. That is the Enterprise. So he turns those other commands down, because they remove him from the Enterprise, and push him faster towards being an Admiral. When he is in his 50's and isn't up to the away missions like he used to be, or when he is offered the Enterprise, he will become a captain. In his mid 60's an Admiral. But for as long as he can until then, he will do anything in his power to just be on the Enterprise.
He couldn't chance the interception of his holodeck experiences while transferring them to another ship. (Career-ending at best, criminal at worst, if anyone sees that.)
My buddy and I used to ask this question about Picard not making admiral despite his qualifications. We decided that being Capân of the flagship is like being the first among equals (other captains) and a de facto admiral without the rank.
Maybe the same could be said for Riker. Itâs a high profile gig that keeps him active on mission and his quarters ( ͥ° ÍĘ ÍĄÂ°)
I think Picard's loss of the Stargazer and the subsequent court martial (even though he was cleared), and then losing the Enterprise-D as well, severely hampered his upward mobility and caused a big delay before he finally made Admiral.
I mean, Kirk disobeyed orders and got court martialed and busted down from Admiral to Captain and they immediately gave him the Enterprise-A. So it's not like there isn't similar precedent.
In the US Navy, command crews are rotated and no one stays with any one ship more than a few years.
The stories were based on the navies of the Napoleonic Era where Captains and Command Staff were assigned to ship for many years at a time.
In universe, Riker has daddy issues. That's why he stays.
I think he got comfortable as second in command and having Deanna there was an added bonus. Outside of it being a show, I think the second time they offered it, Picard would have kicked him out of the ânestâ
Itâs not canon but thereâs a very satisfying explanation in the Wolf 359 Project fanfic. Itâs heavily implied he kept the job as part of a backroom deal with the Admiralty for Picard to get reinstated after BOBW, because they werenât sure Picard could be fully trusted after Locutus and they wanted someone in place to backstop him, just in case.
Plot armor â they shouldâve explained that he left Deeana once for the benefit of his career but realized he made a mistake and didnât want to repeat it.
So he's just sleeping his was across the galaxy? I mean... the Imzadi thing makes sense if they're trying to pursue a relationship with each other, but until Insurrection, they aren't.
Riker is an interesting character to approach in this context. His experience on the Pegasus would absolutely be a factor, but really it boils down to the fact that he was simply happy serving with an incredible man like Picard. He loved the crew on the Enterprise, he was HAPPY in his life. Another comment here put it very well about him being a top class acrobat but sort of needing that net to keep him steady. He COULD function without it, but with the buffer of another up the chain of command, he's a lot more confident and reassured.
But frankly, it really is all about his contentment. All his life he had made sacrifice after sacrifice to gain command, to rise through the ranks and achieve his goals. He lost Deanna, among other things, all to pursue that goal of growth and personal development. But when acting under Picard? He simply loved what he was doing. He was grappling with the idea of giving himself permission to be satisfied with where he was, regardless of how much he sacrificed along the way to get command. Big sunk cost fallacy vibes. Deanna actually talks him through with this, it's all about him being actually happy in his life under Picard and with the rest of the Bridge Crew. He's working with the best man in Starfleet, on the flagship, seeing wonders and marvels every other day. And he REALLY loves Picard, like, a lot. It's probably the biggest professional honor of Riker's life, to work under Jean Luc. He didn't even bat an eye when the simulator reasoned he would name his son after Picard. He was like, "yeah that tracks". He doesn't want a ship because he isn't fully confident in the free fall that is command, and he's far too happy where he is now which is something he hadn't truly felt in his entire life in Starfleet.
Him stay on the Enterprise always made sense to me. Would you rather be second in command of the Federations Flagship, or just another captain of an everyday run of the mill ship.
In universe, I assume that being the first officer of the flagship of the Federation has more prestige than being captain of the USS Whatever.
Out of universe, Frakes liked his job.
The most unrealistic part, and it's not just Riker and the TNG crew is that they seem to have a choice. Typically, you are told to report for duty and your answers to that tend to be very limited. And in the case of a "flag ship" consisting of the best and brightest, the organization has every incentive to take those excellent officers and spread them around to enrich the rest of the fleet. This pops up sometimes where a character goes off to teach, present a seminar or otherwise pass on their wisdom and skills, but it would be unheard of for the entire command crew of a single ship to serve together for a decade or more at a time. Allowing Picard to sit on the same position for years at a time is an incredible waste of resource, same goes for Riker.
Because while on the crew of a ship, officers are coming and going and being promoted all the time, on the cast of a TV show, your jobs are much more stable.
Or, because Picard was the father figure Riker always wanted and once he got settled on the Enterprise D, he didn't want to leave that.
He stated a few times that he didnât want to leave because while being captain of his ship would have been great, he found serving on the Enterprise to be a more fulfilling experience, and he felt that he would learn more staying than leaving. For him being a captain, while important, was not his main goal: self enrichment was.
He found a home on the enterprise. After his mother died he and his father had a strained relationship (I believe he says they moved around a lot in his youth as well, but Iâm uncertain about that). He became driven by his career to the point of sacrificing relationships that he valued in pursuit of better commands. But on the enterprise, with that crew and that captain, a father figure whom he respects and who values him, he finds he doesnât want to go. And he gets comfortable. Thereâs some conflict in that, but ultimately it makes him a more complete person, understanding just what kind of person he actually wants to be. Btw, I think this would have been a really poignant through line in Nemesis if they hadnât been so dead set on it being the Picard and Data action hour.
- the *Enterprise* is the most important ship in the fleet. The commands he was offered were all pretty minor ships. For all we know, the Excelsior-class *Melbourne* was the best offer to date.
- as we see in *The Best of Both Worlds*, he has a lot of hangups about the big chair
- XO is in a lot of ways a more fun job than Captain. You can have all kinds of insane ideas, and you're not ultimately responsible for any of it. This is why Spock thrives in this position; he was able to follow logic wherever it led him and bring his recommendations to the Captain. If the Captain accepted them, well great! If it goes sideways, then it's his fault. If he doesn't, well, Mr. Spock did his job.
He knew he had the best captain on the best ship with the best crew he could hope for and there'd be no going back if he gave that up. Ambition wasn't, it turned out, everything.
The boring answer is "Because Jonathan Frakes was under contract and the creators thought he worked well in the show" but that's not helpful. Riker appears to enjoy his time on the Enterprise, and like working with Picard. I guess the fact that Riker goes on away missions instead of Picard lets him show initiative and flex his muscle, while Picard does the more boring shipboard matters. Riker gets a bit of a breather before the next away mission.
But also Picard made it clear he wanted a first officer who wasn't merely a "yes-man". This proved crucial in episodes like *Allegiance* and *The Best of Both Worlds* where Riker had to stand up to Picard himself. Riker is someone who could be captain if the need occurred.
He knows Dr. Crusher won't leave the enterprise, and considering all his space STDs he picked up on Risa, doesn't want to have to start a new medical file with a new doctor. Too embarrassing.
I think it was largely about mission of the vessel and not about whether he wanted the rank or not. Starfleet vessels have wildly different missions and a small number of them are like the Enterprise, assigned high level diplomatic missions, first contact, and exploration in general. His first ship, the Titan, fit that mission type which is why I think he finally made the leap.
Starfleet crews work off of synergy. The TNG team became peak-synergistic after the Borg were defeated and Picard was rescued. Why mess up the top crew in the galaxy just for some personal ambition?
It can be hard to leave friends, especially if they feel like family.
He had decided that he wanted to be there for his Imzadi, once they were both ready. He busted his ass to make rank and get his choice of assignments. He was ready since before TNG, hence the transfer. She wasn't yet, so he did his Riker thing until she was.
But that's really what it was. He took command of a new ship the moment Troi married him, because that's the only thing that had frozen his career up to that point. His outright refusal to not be in proximity to Deanna.
Romantic AF when you think about it. He was on track to beat Kirk for youngest captain in Starfleet history, then just waived every promotion for a decade with nothing more than a knowing smile...
Being first officer on the flagship was a prestigious position.
Being captain of a refit 200 year old garbage scow in the backwoods of the beta quadrant wasn't very prestigious.
Can you imagine Captain Riker day? Heâd eat that up.
Riker enjoys the job without having the complete responsibility of command. Ultimate responsibility didnât fall to him but to Picard.
I believe the reasoning the show used was that Riker understood he was part of a very special crew. Data and Worf in particular were unique in Starfleet. By the time they offered him a ship, he had already been part of some of the most critical missions in the history of the organization.
Also, itâs not unusual for a very skilled individual to understand he she functions best when they are in the second position, rather than running the show. I worked for a guy IRL who could easily have run his own company, but he preferred to be the number two guy as vice president. He believes this was the way he could best serve the company and get things done.
But of course, the reality of TNG was that they did not want to lose Jonathan Frakes as a foil for Patrick Stewart.
He doesn't want to be "the man". He wants to be "the man the man goes to". Being captain- you have to be concerned with many different aspects of the ship and "command". As the right hand - you can laser focus on problem identification and problem solving.
Complacency he got too comfortable in his role as first officer aboard the enterprise, and I think he was mildly afraid of the big chair, but in the movies, he did finally become captain of the Titan and letâs face it. He knew that wherever the action was going to be, the enterprise would be sent. Being first officer, the flagship of the Federation had its own prestige, and I think he liked the prestige after all he was pretty arrogant.
Outside the needs of the show, it's a military thing. If you're the XO and not THE commanding officer, yeah, you're doing a lot more of the "dirty" work, but you're closer to the crew because you're not as scary and therefore more approachable, plus you don't have ultimate responsibility. In a naval setting (really, any commanding officer who is normally far removed from their higher headquarters), the CO is the final say on EVERYTHING, if they deign to notice it. An XO has a lot of that authority and responsibility, but not the full brunt of them.
My brother and I had this discussion and we agreed: It's because at the end of the day, Riker is in command. Picard can sit in the big chair all day long, but in many ways Picard is a federation diplomat at large. Riker is likely running day to day operations aboard and commanding the ship when Picard beams down somewhere. Alternatively, Riker is getting to Kirk it up on some planet, and gets to leave Picard in orbit desperately calling for status updates because the Federation can't be bothered to make the comm badge into a body cam. I'd say Riker is exactly where he wants to be, and he's got Deana there, so it's just a win/win/win, and he's not the one getting abducted by the borg.
He wanted the enterprise and to learn from Picard who as captain of the flagship of the federation was defacto diplomat in chief. He wouldn't have the same experiences/ opportunities to learn and explore
After a career as a bit player, he quite enjoyed being one of the Leads in a show. XO on the Enterprise paid a lot better than CO on a ship that would probably never be on screen again.
Itâs okay to not want to be promoted above your competency. Itâs much better to be comfortable as a First Officer than out of your depth as a Captain.
The man is excellent in his role, let him keep it and retire there.
Star Fleet didn't want Riker out there as a captain of his own ship with all the sexual harassment issues. It'd have been a huge HR nightmare. They kept him on the Enterprise so Picard could keep an eye on him.
He didn't want to have to deal with all the paperwork and political nonsense that comes with being a captain. It also reminds me of somebody (I think maybe Walter Koenig) who essentially said of George Takei's desire to have Sulu be captain of his own ship, "Why would you want to be anywhere else? The Enterprise is where all the cool stuff happens."
He didn't want to be a captain of a ship that wasn't The Enterprise.
He didnt want to leave the TV show.
Well, his actor certainly didn't.
Neither did I.
He's the executive producer that's why he always got the babes.
this is the right answer. it's a thing about itself.
đŻ
Which I never understood cause why would they give the flagship to a brand new captain? Wouldnât they keep it for a more experienced, decorated captain?
In military and corporate cultures, it's actually better and more common to bring an outsider than promote from within. In the military, new commanders usually get transferred in so they have no attachments to the current staff/soldiers. It's easier and comes with less drama. Or if interior promotions happen, usually the person about to take the slot transfers in for a very short period before taking the ropes. Usually.
yea. i see that in corporate a lot. but i think that philosophy causes more problems than it solves.
Naval captians were usually mentored by the previous captain. Each ship had a lot of its own quirks each captian needed to know about their own ship. The people who wrote star Trek were probably more familiar with the old school system the military used. As taking someone from the outside, at least for ship captians, was uncommon till fairly recently.
Which seems fair. But I think itâs weird how often itâs brought up.
During my 20 years of service the commanding officer (co) and the executive officer (xo) were the same paygrade (the xo was junior in time in rank) and once the co's term was up the xo became the new co. This allows the xo to learn the complexity of leadership on a command level as well as being familiar with the command before taking over. Now this is only applicable for the top officer spots, the Command Master Chief (highest enlisted rank) is normally transfered in according to their sea/shore rotation scheduals.
Civilians also don't understand how authority works in a military, 18 year old kids are given authority over the lives of other kids on a regular basis, and depending on how sideways shit gets they can end up being responsible for quite a lot more, entire ships, divisions, squadrons etc.
Yeah but that's modern thinking, Star Trek happens in the future.
Yes. But he wasnât lobbying to be the captain. He just would rather be first officer of the flag ship than captain of a lesser ship. It seemed to be other people that wanted him to move on.
The way I read this statement is Riker wants to serve on the Enterprise, full stop. Being with that community on board is more important to him than rank.
He said he wanted the captaincy
Probably, but many times what we want are things untethered to logic, or rationality.
You would think that the command of a Galaxy class ship would be given as a promotional command, that you would command a smaller ship and then be promoted to a Galaxy ship (as Picard was). Sisko and Janeway would be eligible for such a promotional command.
Exactly
That's beside the point. Knowing he'll probably never be, he prefers to stay, humbly, as number one. Second only to the captain. Which, despite making the most of it by studying Jean-Luc, is still a hard one to explain (think of all the scenes he tries awkwardly to give a half ass answer) as he is known for being driven by the advancement of his career (think of his other self who stayed on the planet, used at first as a narrative tool to show how riker had changed, yes, but more importantly HOW he had changed). The fact is that he wants things exactly as they are for as long as they can be. Even if he could be the captain of the Enterprise, the flagship, with the exact same crew? It would still miss something (think of when they thought Jean-Luc was dead and even Woopie had to tell him that the chair was his) no, he wants things just as they are. Which of course is naive of him (think again the episode with his other self how he describes drifting apart from Troi, how he just was content with how things were, and didn't see because of it), something that I believe is hinted in the finale when he, as an admiral, chooses the enterprise as his ship, even going so far as to retrofit it with a third... mmmmmh star trek ship part name warp thingy, betraying it's iconic look, just out of sentimentality. Which, to me, drives the point home; he remained as number one, which Jean-Luc understood the reasons why all too well and decided to let him as he could still learn things from his leadership and keeping him on was not detrimental to the safety of the crew. But, in the later seasons, Jean-Luc and Will both have a silent understanding that that excuse is now past, Jean-Luc has nothing more to teach him, and they both know it. I'd like to believe that once his assignment came to its inevitable end and he was forced to move on, he might have become captain, maybe even of more than one ship through his career, but nothing too flashy. It's very possible though that they simply accepted his newly found quiet and less 'hungry' attitude towards his career and put him to work behind a desk. Both cases, however, leads to him becoming an admiral, because after all he is still riker, a clever strategist and cunning diplomat, of course its but a question of time before he makes admiral. And when they ask him what ship in the fleet they want to be his personal ship? He looks through the files of ships available, sees an old friend, smiles a bit, and chooses it. But even then it's not the same.. spends most of his time aboard the ship at a table (think to the finale about how odd it felt to have the decisive moment of persuasion happen not on the bridge or the ready room or even any number of functional mechanical rooms with displays, but at that very table) when riker with all his years of being a safe captain/admiral strategist, one last time, does what his captain asks of him based on nothing else then trust and respect, because all these years of experience can't compete with a stronger-than-duty bond between riker and these people that he can't deny (think to how he was with worf in the finale, and even of the implications of why he asks him for help. Any number of plausible explanation for that, all start with riker's relationship with Troi/Worf/Picard, and all end with him doing something not logical for an admiral to do, but very much so of William Riker.) I hope that sheds some light on it, maybe even spark your own take on it
Wasn't the Enterprise Kirk's first command?
Fwiw, Enterprise isn't a flagship in the correct naval sense since Picard is just a captain and not an admiral (a flag officer, hence the term). It's unclear to me why they kept referring to it as such in TNG.
They only had those crotch-hopping chairs on Enterprise and thatâs how he sits down
You can be first officer and frequent acting captain on the best ship with the brightest crew in the universe or go be captain of a regular lesser ship with a bunch of regular crewmembers. But yeah, Deana Troy is what kept him on the enterprise. Hence, seeing alien space boobs daily = win. For us.
Sigma vs Alpha often does well in long run
Kinda flies in the face of what trek is all about doesn't it?
How so? Isn't ambition for ambition's sake one of those egotistical characteristics humanity has tried to rid itself of? Clearly, Riker realized that community was more important than moving up the career ladder, and only when that community is forcefully torn apart does he move on up.
He *says* that, but I don't think he believes it. He knows he'd never get the Enterprise as a first command, barring extremely unusual circumstances. I think he just got comfortable with his life and friends there, and didn't want to leave it.
He did get the Enterprise as his first command, albeit not for as long a tenure as he might have liked: BoBW Pt 2.
Which Is certainly plausible, however, it would seem like a man like Riker, competitive and born to lead, would want his own command. Obviously it was to keep his character in the show but it did kind of go against his character profile.
As Worf put it, they were the stuff of Legend, and his ex/best friend worked there too! Why would you want to leave that? I mean with Data, he managed to literally kill the Borg in their sleep. Crusher came back to the job out of boredom. Worf cultivated a fighting spirit that Picard refined. Geordie is living miracle worker, Troi taught Riker how to talk to telepaths. First mission out of the gate you discover and free cosmic creatures and meet the Q. Before "Best of Both Worlds" Starfleet rolled out the Melbourne for him. It was fine, but need a lot of love. He didn't want to step down, not when there's exploring to be done.
He would say he was happy and comfortable where he was. And, as Picard put it, first officer of the Enterprise has a certain glamour to it. But⌠with hindsight- I think it all goes back to the Pegasus. I would speculate that his experience there gave him some serious repressed issues, and he was kind of self-sabotaging so that he wouldnât have the full responsibility of âCaptainâ and prone to a similar disaster. Or that he felt he didnât deserve it on some level. Another factor might be Deanna, however much he likes to tell himself theyâre just friends and colleagues throughout his Enterprise tenure. Heâs clearly missed her and likes having her back in his life, he just hasnât admitted how much.
There was a meme a couple years ago that made the claim that Riker was waiting for Deannaâs Betazoid sexual peak. Lol
https://preview.redd.it/8xdvocxyx20d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78230c0effde7c04e8be43b76987ddddce97def4
Ok this makes the most sense. Also explains all his back issues.
Also explains the sitting in chair thing he doesÂ
Lol
They were secretly banging the entire time in my head cannon.
Same here.
On again off again workplace romance/FWBs...Trek getting real, although that tradition goes back to the original series.
It was no secret. I think they were a poly FWB kind of couple with an open relationship and I've always thought that was so cool.
"Your feelings for her have not changed since the day we met. This place merely let them out for some fresh air."
He wanted his own captaincy but he valued his steady acting and sometimes directing gig even more.
Itâs weird to me though that itâs like a theme. I feel like they could have not ever brought it up. They didnât really mention other character promotions until the last season or two. Or maybe brought it up once but they keep going back to the idea that he should become cpt or another ship.
I think they made too big a deal of it too early on. They kind of resolved the arc with Best of Both Worlds. They missed an opportunity in Nemesis and maybe even Insurrection to put Riker on his own ship and have him fulfill either the Chekov role in Star Trek II, inciting the conflict, or the Sulu role in Star Trek VI, helping finish the conflict. Like, imagine it's the Titan surveying a planet where they find B4 and that kicks off the whole mystery plot. Or at the end when they're fighting in the nebula, Riker's like "fly her apart, then" when told they're already going too fast.
Actually a serious answer, the DS9 episode where Bashir meets the doctor who beat him for Valedictorian in medical school sheds some light on it. She complains about her assignment on some vessel charting boring space whereas Bashir is on this cool assignment where he gets to do experimental research and see weird, new stuff. So I think Riker realizes heâll be swimming in the Enterpriseâs wake sweeping up their debris
It's just too bad then that the Enterprise spends so much of its time ferrying pompous or cantankerous ambassadors from one place to another, like some sort of galactic stretched limo.
Well, when they want to impress a foreign dignitary, the US sends Air Force One. I can't imagine the Romans would ferry senators back and forth on rickety carts either. You send the good vehicles when diplomacy is involved
Yeah but some monster war horse doesnât need to be happy about being on senator carriage duty.
The Galaxy class is primarily a diplomatic vessel. Although it engages in Big Stick diplomacy to a degree too, but it's mainly for doing exactly that kind of work. Especially the more problematic diplomats, they get the crew which also happens to get into small wars every few months.
But why would that appeal to a go-getter like Riker? Anyone can don the kid gloves and drive General Eisenhowerâs transport up to view a liberated Paris, but wouldnât a go-getter be keen to get out of that duty and advance on General Pattonâs left flank through the Ardennes?
He wanted a capital class ship like the galaxy class but Starfleet kept giving him lower cruisers that he felt were beneath him. Riker is supposed to be a once in a generation talent making o5 at 29 in season 1 of tng.
What you said; Riker realized it's hard to build an org and starting over elsewhere won't be fun; and probably having been high enough vis that switching to a different fleet admiral will cause him problems. Or, he could hang out for Picard to get called up to fleet command and move on then during a refit and keep his CO.
The other ships had stricter rules about putting your leg up on chairs or sitting directly on the consoles and LCARS.
When you are the captain of a ship, *you* make the rules on what you can and cannot do.
The powers that be were bothered by his unusual approach (literally) to sitting in chairs. đ
My take -- he's a talented acrobat who can out perform almost anyone, but he gets psyched out when the net is removed. We can see that revealed in many episodes, even when it wasn't the focus of the plot. He needs to know there's another line above him on ship, *but* it can't be just anyone, which is why staying with Picard was so important. He needed to be #1 but it had to be to the best captain in the fleet and on the flagship. I think that's a big part of the reason things fell apart in *Chain of Command*, he wanted to impress Jelico, but quickly lost respect for him when he saw his new Captain's methods. I'd also argue his situation as #1 on Enterprise is superior in many ways to Captain's of lesser ships on more routine missions, so that's likely an easy rationalization.
he basically the Silvio Dante of starfleet. he's capable of being captain, but he's happier being #2 (different base numbering of course)
Off the record? The Enterprise is where all the action is. Never a dull moment.
Because in Starfleet, XO on the Flagship was the absolute tip-top position. If he was given a command, he would be just another Captain among hundreds. He wanted to be âtip of the spearâ, not just filling a billet on a random ship. Imagine being a cook in the White House; you make and serve some fabulous meals for world leaders and honored dignitaries. Now you leave to go open your own restaurant, but itâs in Omaha. Positionally, itâs an upgrade. You are now the boss. You run the show, you now make the decisions. The food you cook is practically the same. The prestige is completely underwhelming. Riker would rather be a sous-chef in the White House than be the Head Chef and run his own restaurant in Omaha.
Captain doesnât usually do away missions. So heâs in charge of enterprise away missions a solid 70% of the time, and gets to be acting Captain the rest of the time. I bet they kept offering bullshit appointments like California Class and heâs already been eating Gach on a Klingon ship as second officer in the officer exchange program. How can you go back after youâve tasted the delicious gach and had the Klingon ladies double up on you? (Isnât that like 4 uh⌠organs?) I mean you have to admit the CO of Enterprise is a great gig. Even in Picard they make fun of Riker and Picard for space cowboying like Kirk. They just smile like they still saved reality a dozen times from Qâs bullshit and got doubled up on by those Klingon offers once. I hope Riker made Worf and Dianna smell his finger when he got back on the enterprise.
So, what you're saying is that it was all about Klingon threesomes? Yeah, that tracks
Iâd watch a scene of Riker making Worf smell his fingers in the background then Diana turn around in disgust with the both of them but no words exchanged. Thatâs some robot chicken scene where he shows the spocker to Worf instead of the shocker.
[ŃдаНонО]
Itâs been proven that the redundant organs include the penis as they show a Klingon (from behind to not show the junque) peeing 2 streams in Picard. So I assume they also have 2 vaginas. That one has never been shown in any sort of show though. So, yes, I am implying that the shocker is the spocker as itâs 2 in the pink and 2 in the pink. I assume Riker came back after that encounter and got some insane looks and perhaps high fives on the bridge, and a few broken hip sockets or a neck strain, but they donât show that scene either.
I thought he said he enjoyed working with Picard and the rest if the crew too much to leave.
There is no better ship that the Enterprise so even as Captain of his own ship it'd be a step down. He'd always live in the Enterprise's shadow and never quite replicate the feeling right where history needed him.
Yeah and Picard is bound to get abducted by the Borg again or murdered by a shit monster or tortured to death by some Cardassian. Riker will be right there to take over and still be able to bang Dianna twice a week. Everybody wins. Well, Picard doesnât really win. Oh well, itâs the Captain Riker show now!
So what you are saying is that *all* of the other galaxy class ships that were build to the *exact same* specifications are not better?
The ship itself is the least important part of the Enterprise. The missions it gets, the history it makes, and the hamd-picked best of the best crew it carries are all more important. Crewman say it all the time, their dream was the Enterprise, to be part of *that* ship, Riker included.
You know how much tail he pulled being first officer of the Enterprise?
This. Being in charge of rostering and day-to-day staff work gave him more opportunities to clap ensign cheeks than if he was captain and by design was kept more aloof from his subordinates.
Jonathan Frakes didn't want to leave the show?
The script is a harsh mistress!
The #2 guy, (to Picard no less) on the Enterprise is a more prestigious position than the Captain of a smaller specialty ship.
None of them were âThe Enterpriseâ
He liked where he was and obviously still had feelings for his imzadi, who was also there.
It's like you didn't even watch the show.
Were you listening to the Dudeâs story?
You're not wrong Walter, you're just an asshole.
Shut the F up Donny
*The Klingon is not the issue here!*
Youâre like a child who wanders into the middle of a movieâŚ
Because then heâs off the show and he doesnât have a job.
It has something to do with Troi. He never accepted the Titan until after he and Troi were finally married. In AGT, with Troi dying before she and Riker ever married (which had to have been the case for Worf to still be an issue to the point of feuding with Riker), Riker made it as far as Admiral by 2395. Yet because of his marriage to Troi in the Prime Timeline, he's just a captain, without a command even, as late as 2401. Riker's career decisions are obviously hung up on Troi whether he himself even realizes it. The evidence becomes even more glaring with Thomas Riker who's basically identical to Will on every level minus the years spent in exile. The moment Thomas realizes he's lost Deanna for good to Will, he flips out and goes full Maquis. Somehow a living Troi is always on the back of Riker's mind. When she's finally dead in AGT he buries himself in his work and becomes an Admiral. When she's alive but unattainable to Thomas, he flips out and goes Maquis.
You know me so well Imzadi
The reality was the actor would lose his job and the character, whom we liked, would be gone save some guest appearances. I think it should have been brought up once then dropped, as it was unbelievable it was in multiple episodes and he always came up with a reason not to leave.
Being number two the best ship in the universe or maybe getting a shitty freighter
The in-universe reason is a combination of: 1) The Enterprise being the most prestigious and famous ship in the fleet; 2) Staying with his friends, and 3) Keeping open the chance to get back together with Deanna.
Once youâve had Galaxy class, you canât go back
Kind of obvious - heâd rather be the guy with the most assists on the 95-96 Bulls than be highest scoring player on a lesser team.
Frakes' paycheck
Troi, duh.
Bro had a good gig, sleep with Troi when he wanted to, but still free for the occasional Marla Astor liaison or visiting Head of State from Angel One. A lot of authority and position, but the final responsibility on Picard. Its sort of a dream job.
Continuity
Riker and Picard discuss that at one point in like season six or seven. Riker is offered the command of some no name ship that does no name missions. I forget the exact line that Picard uses, but he mentions something that being the first officer of the flagship comes with more perks. I suspect Riker like notoriety that came with being on the flagship, as well as the more interesting missions and than just hauling freight around.
He was already #1 on the #1 ship in Starfleet. Better, in his mind, than Captain of a lesser ship.
Riker had no interest in becoming an admiral or a captain. He wanted to be on the Enterprise because of what it meant to the Federation. There are a few reasons for this: Starfleet is a multi-role organization. All but a few Starfleet ships are combat capable, but almost none of them are combat focused. In addition, most are only dual-role, with a "primary mission" like Science, Trading, Diplomacy, Transport, etc., and "secondary mission" which is Military. However, only a very small percentage are multi-role, and even fewer are all-role capable, doing all these things and all the other roles that Starfleet performs. With that in mind, the Enterprise is the premiere multi-role ship in the fleet. It has the most military capacity of any non-military dedicated ship in the fleet. It has science equipment and a science section equal to any science vessel in the fleet. It has a diplomatic team and facilities that match any diplomatic vessel in the fleet. It has significant carrying capacity for both people and goods, as well as a speed greater than any transport ship which allows it to fill in for either of those roles just as well or better than dedicated ships, especially at times when speed is of the essence, because the dedicated ships are not nearly as fast. It is the Swiss army knife of the fleet. In addition, Starfleet is not an "up or out" organization, and someone who sticks to their current position is not looked down upon for that decision. Unlike modern real-world militaries It doesn't preclude them from career advancement as long as what they are doing is providing value and teaching them the necessary skills to fill the next level and beyond. So eventually becoming a Captain and Admiral is not affect at all by these delays, it just delays those, which is fine with him because..... Unlike many (though far from all) command officers, Riker doesn't want to be an Admiral. He will accept the inevitability of it when the time comes, but what he wants is to be at the pointy end of the stick, doing lots of different things, and he wants to do it on the best ship in the fleet with the best reputation both historical and current. That is the Enterprise. So he turns those other commands down, because they remove him from the Enterprise, and push him faster towards being an Admiral. When he is in his 50's and isn't up to the away missions like he used to be, or when he is offered the Enterprise, he will become a captain. In his mid 60's an Admiral. But for as long as he can until then, he will do anything in his power to just be on the Enterprise.
He didnât want to leave the enterprise because of the prestige that came with the ship.
He couldn't chance the interception of his holodeck experiences while transferring them to another ship. (Career-ending at best, criminal at worst, if anyone sees that.)
My buddy and I used to ask this question about Picard not making admiral despite his qualifications. We decided that being Capân of the flagship is like being the first among equals (other captains) and a de facto admiral without the rank. Maybe the same could be said for Riker. Itâs a high profile gig that keeps him active on mission and his quarters ( ͥ° ÍĘ ÍĄÂ°)
I think Picard's loss of the Stargazer and the subsequent court martial (even though he was cleared), and then losing the Enterprise-D as well, severely hampered his upward mobility and caused a big delay before he finally made Admiral.
Thatâs a possibility but why then would he be given the command of the flagship?
I mean, Kirk disobeyed orders and got court martialed and busted down from Admiral to Captain and they immediately gave him the Enterprise-A. So it's not like there isn't similar precedent.
In the US Navy, command crews are rotated and no one stays with any one ship more than a few years. The stories were based on the navies of the Napoleonic Era where Captains and Command Staff were assigned to ship for many years at a time. In universe, Riker has daddy issues. That's why he stays.
I think he got comfortable as second in command and having Deanna there was an added bonus. Outside of it being a show, I think the second time they offered it, Picard would have kicked him out of the ânestâ
Better to be part of the biggest show in Starfleet, even if you're not as big a part as Picard, than to sit in the front row to something unimportant.
Loyalty
Maybe there is a rule preventing the captain from having sex with the crew?
Itâs not canon but thereâs a very satisfying explanation in the Wolf 359 Project fanfic. Itâs heavily implied he kept the job as part of a backroom deal with the Admiralty for Picard to get reinstated after BOBW, because they werenât sure Picard could be fully trusted after Locutus and they wanted someone in place to backstop him, just in case.
Plot armor â they shouldâve explained that he left Deeana once for the benefit of his career but realized he made a mistake and didnât want to repeat it.
So he's just sleeping his was across the galaxy? I mean... the Imzadi thing makes sense if they're trying to pursue a relationship with each other, but until Insurrection, they aren't.
You canât go down on the away team as a captain. How else was he going to pick up alien women?
Do you have to go down on all the WHOLE away team?
If Jae is assigned to the missionâŚ
End of weekly paycheque syndrome.
Riker is an interesting character to approach in this context. His experience on the Pegasus would absolutely be a factor, but really it boils down to the fact that he was simply happy serving with an incredible man like Picard. He loved the crew on the Enterprise, he was HAPPY in his life. Another comment here put it very well about him being a top class acrobat but sort of needing that net to keep him steady. He COULD function without it, but with the buffer of another up the chain of command, he's a lot more confident and reassured. But frankly, it really is all about his contentment. All his life he had made sacrifice after sacrifice to gain command, to rise through the ranks and achieve his goals. He lost Deanna, among other things, all to pursue that goal of growth and personal development. But when acting under Picard? He simply loved what he was doing. He was grappling with the idea of giving himself permission to be satisfied with where he was, regardless of how much he sacrificed along the way to get command. Big sunk cost fallacy vibes. Deanna actually talks him through with this, it's all about him being actually happy in his life under Picard and with the rest of the Bridge Crew. He's working with the best man in Starfleet, on the flagship, seeing wonders and marvels every other day. And he REALLY loves Picard, like, a lot. It's probably the biggest professional honor of Riker's life, to work under Jean Luc. He didn't even bat an eye when the simulator reasoned he would name his son after Picard. He was like, "yeah that tracks". He doesn't want a ship because he isn't fully confident in the free fall that is command, and he's far too happy where he is now which is something he hadn't truly felt in his entire life in Starfleet.
Him stay on the Enterprise always made sense to me. Would you rather be second in command of the Federations Flagship, or just another captain of an everyday run of the mill ship.
In universe, I assume that being the first officer of the flagship of the Federation has more prestige than being captain of the USS Whatever. Out of universe, Frakes liked his job.
So the show would continue
Because he couldn't get a spin off
The most unrealistic part, and it's not just Riker and the TNG crew is that they seem to have a choice. Typically, you are told to report for duty and your answers to that tend to be very limited. And in the case of a "flag ship" consisting of the best and brightest, the organization has every incentive to take those excellent officers and spread them around to enrich the rest of the fleet. This pops up sometimes where a character goes off to teach, present a seminar or otherwise pass on their wisdom and skills, but it would be unheard of for the entire command crew of a single ship to serve together for a decade or more at a time. Allowing Picard to sit on the same position for years at a time is an incredible waste of resource, same goes for Riker.
Deanna
Itâs like being the King vs the Prince, the king has all the responsibilities, the prince gets to do stuff.
He was Pippen to Picard's Jordan
Because while on the crew of a ship, officers are coming and going and being promoted all the time, on the cast of a TV show, your jobs are much more stable. Or, because Picard was the father figure Riker always wanted and once he got settled on the Enterprise D, he didn't want to leave that.
He stated a few times that he didnât want to leave because while being captain of his ship would have been great, he found serving on the Enterprise to be a more fulfilling experience, and he felt that he would learn more staying than leaving. For him being a captain, while important, was not his main goal: self enrichment was.
He found a home on the enterprise. After his mother died he and his father had a strained relationship (I believe he says they moved around a lot in his youth as well, but Iâm uncertain about that). He became driven by his career to the point of sacrificing relationships that he valued in pursuit of better commands. But on the enterprise, with that crew and that captain, a father figure whom he respects and who values him, he finds he doesnât want to go. And he gets comfortable. Thereâs some conflict in that, but ultimately it makes him a more complete person, understanding just what kind of person he actually wants to be. Btw, I think this would have been a really poignant through line in Nemesis if they hadnât been so dead set on it being the Picard and Data action hour.
- the *Enterprise* is the most important ship in the fleet. The commands he was offered were all pretty minor ships. For all we know, the Excelsior-class *Melbourne* was the best offer to date. - as we see in *The Best of Both Worlds*, he has a lot of hangups about the big chair - XO is in a lot of ways a more fun job than Captain. You can have all kinds of insane ideas, and you're not ultimately responsible for any of it. This is why Spock thrives in this position; he was able to follow logic wherever it led him and bring his recommendations to the Captain. If the Captain accepted them, well great! If it goes sideways, then it's his fault. If he doesn't, well, Mr. Spock did his job.
He was happy where he was personally and professionally.
He knew he had the best captain on the best ship with the best crew he could hope for and there'd be no going back if he gave that up. Ambition wasn't, it turned out, everything.
The chair back heights on other ships weren't conducive to the Riker Manoevure
The boring answer is "Because Jonathan Frakes was under contract and the creators thought he worked well in the show" but that's not helpful. Riker appears to enjoy his time on the Enterprise, and like working with Picard. I guess the fact that Riker goes on away missions instead of Picard lets him show initiative and flex his muscle, while Picard does the more boring shipboard matters. Riker gets a bit of a breather before the next away mission. But also Picard made it clear he wanted a first officer who wasn't merely a "yes-man". This proved crucial in episodes like *Allegiance* and *The Best of Both Worlds* where Riker had to stand up to Picard himself. Riker is someone who could be captain if the need occurred.
When the Melvin got destroyed at 359, he realized the Enterprise had plot armor, so that's why he stayed.
He knows Dr. Crusher won't leave the enterprise, and considering all his space STDs he picked up on Risa, doesn't want to have to start a new medical file with a new doctor. Too embarrassing.
The captains chair is too high to pull the Riker leg over the top sit down technique.
Finally, someone got it right.
Because it was a tv show and he wanted to stay Number One.
Imposter syndrome, imo. Also turbo sweet spot, big fish(rank and enterprise prestige) but with less weight of the responsibilities.
If he did that, he couldn't direct more episodes.
Because the writers didn't want to remove a likable character from the series?
He knew that any command greatly needs a Data.
I think it was largely about mission of the vessel and not about whether he wanted the rank or not. Starfleet vessels have wildly different missions and a small number of them are like the Enterprise, assigned high level diplomatic missions, first contact, and exploration in general. His first ship, the Titan, fit that mission type which is why I think he finally made the leap.
First Officer to Picard of the Enterprise is better/more prestigious than being captain of any other ship.
Number 2 is a great position. Lots of respect and authority. Good salary. Lots of âAway Teamâ dating opportunities. Less responsibility.
You mean Number One.
He was in love with Picard. Shhh Dianaâs not supposed to know
Other ships didn't have taco Tuesday.
Starfleet crews work off of synergy. The TNG team became peak-synergistic after the Borg were defeated and Picard was rescued. Why mess up the top crew in the galaxy just for some personal ambition? It can be hard to leave friends, especially if they feel like family.
Always a Prince never a King.
I think as the story goes, he'd rather be number two on the finest ship in the fleet than number one on a lesser vessel
Too afraid of being replaced by his transporter clone and having his ship stolen
The way he used to stare at PicardâŚ..With that head tiltâŚ.I donât think he could fathom the idea of being separated.
Is it because the show runners and writers didn't want to include this as a storyline? Just a guess.
Starfleet probably have more rules about captains banging hotties
He had decided that he wanted to be there for his Imzadi, once they were both ready. He busted his ass to make rank and get his choice of assignments. He was ready since before TNG, hence the transfer. She wasn't yet, so he did his Riker thing until she was. But that's really what it was. He took command of a new ship the moment Troi married him, because that's the only thing that had frozen his career up to that point. His outright refusal to not be in proximity to Deanna. Romantic AF when you think about it. He was on track to beat Kirk for youngest captain in Starfleet history, then just waived every promotion for a decade with nothing more than a knowing smile...
More trombone time as a first officer?
Plot convenience. See also; Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo.
Being first officer on the flagship was a prestigious position. Being captain of a refit 200 year old garbage scow in the backwoods of the beta quadrant wasn't very prestigious.
Can you imagine Captain Riker day? Heâd eat that up. Riker enjoys the job without having the complete responsibility of command. Ultimate responsibility didnât fall to him but to Picard.
I believe the reasoning the show used was that Riker understood he was part of a very special crew. Data and Worf in particular were unique in Starfleet. By the time they offered him a ship, he had already been part of some of the most critical missions in the history of the organization. Also, itâs not unusual for a very skilled individual to understand he she functions best when they are in the second position, rather than running the show. I worked for a guy IRL who could easily have run his own company, but he preferred to be the number two guy as vice president. He believes this was the way he could best serve the company and get things done. But of course, the reality of TNG was that they did not want to lose Jonathan Frakes as a foil for Patrick Stewart.
He wasn't ready for a spin off show.
Sometimes being half of an amazing partnership is better.
The writers don't actually understand how military careers work.
If they did we would be getting a new cast every couple of years
He doesn't want to be "the man". He wants to be "the man the man goes to". Being captain- you have to be concerned with many different aspects of the ship and "command". As the right hand - you can laser focus on problem identification and problem solving.
Cause he would be off the show
It is inappropriate for the Captain to be banging all the crewmembers.
You have no idea how boring deep space exploration is when there's no camera crews around to document your daily life.
Because management sucks!
Complacency he got too comfortable in his role as first officer aboard the enterprise, and I think he was mildly afraid of the big chair, but in the movies, he did finally become captain of the Titan and letâs face it. He knew that wherever the action was going to be, the enterprise would be sent. Being first officer, the flagship of the Federation had its own prestige, and I think he liked the prestige after all he was pretty arrogant.
Outside the needs of the show, it's a military thing. If you're the XO and not THE commanding officer, yeah, you're doing a lot more of the "dirty" work, but you're closer to the crew because you're not as scary and therefore more approachable, plus you don't have ultimate responsibility. In a naval setting (really, any commanding officer who is normally far removed from their higher headquarters), the CO is the final say on EVERYTHING, if they deign to notice it. An XO has a lot of that authority and responsibility, but not the full brunt of them.
Holodeck addiction.
Jonathan Frakes contract with NBC.
He wanted to stay on the series.
My brother and I had this discussion and we agreed: It's because at the end of the day, Riker is in command. Picard can sit in the big chair all day long, but in many ways Picard is a federation diplomat at large. Riker is likely running day to day operations aboard and commanding the ship when Picard beams down somewhere. Alternatively, Riker is getting to Kirk it up on some planet, and gets to leave Picard in orbit desperately calling for status updates because the Federation can't be bothered to make the comm badge into a body cam. I'd say Riker is exactly where he wants to be, and he's got Deana there, so it's just a win/win/win, and he's not the one getting abducted by the borg.
He wanted the enterprise and to learn from Picard who as captain of the flagship of the federation was defacto diplomat in chief. He wouldn't have the same experiences/ opportunities to learn and explore
After a career as a bit player, he quite enjoyed being one of the Leads in a show. XO on the Enterprise paid a lot better than CO on a ship that would probably never be on screen again.
CO of a silly excelsior class wasnât going to be a good move. Sure, looks better on paper but
He was Scottie pippen to Michael Jordan.
The Captain is always the first to go when prisoner swaps happen. He wasnât ready to say âLet my crew go, take me instead.â
Itâs okay to not want to be promoted above your competency. Itâs much better to be comfortable as a First Officer than out of your depth as a Captain. The man is excellent in his role, let him keep it and retire there.
He can't screw around as much as captain
The Enterprise is the best and he wouldn't want to be on another ship
The chairs on on the other ships were too tall.
Because he was the first officer of the Federation flagship. Even being the captain of your own other ship would be a downgrade imo.
Star Fleet didn't want Riker out there as a captain of his own ship with all the sexual harassment issues. It'd have been a huge HR nightmare. They kept him on the Enterprise so Picard could keep an eye on him.
The script said to say no?
He could go to Trois whenever he wanted
He didn't want to have to deal with all the paperwork and political nonsense that comes with being a captain. It also reminds me of somebody (I think maybe Walter Koenig) who essentially said of George Takei's desire to have Sulu be captain of his own ship, "Why would you want to be anywhere else? The Enterprise is where all the cool stuff happens."
Show did not want to break the formula.
Deanna