Star Trek proved William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) is a great Captain without the Starship Enterprise. Introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Commander Riker was the First Officer of the USS Enterprise-D led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Riker was the heir apparent to the Starship Enterprise's Captain's chair, and Will waited 15 years to succeed Picard as the Captain of the United Federation of Planets' flagship. But it never happened in Star Trek's Prime timeline.
Commander Riker spent 15 years as Number One waiting to become the Enterprise's Captain. Riker's tenure on the USS Enterprise-D lasted for 7 years of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the feature film Star Trek Generations. Starting in Star Trek: First Contact, Riker continued his role as First Officer of the USS Enterprise-E. Finally, in Star Trek: Nemesis, Riker opted to leave the Enterprise. After marrying Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), Riker accepted a promotion to Captain of the USS Titan. Although it took another 18 years, Star Trek fans finally saw how great Captain Riker is without the Starship Enterprise.
Star Trek Proved Riker Didn’t Need The Enterprise To Be A Great Captain
Riker is a Titan among starship captains
It took Star Trek: Picard season 1 in 2020 for Captain Riker to show off what he can do. Riker and Troi, along with their daughter Kestra Troi-Riker (Lulu Wilson), appeared in Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 8, "Nepenthe" when Admiral Picard brought Dr. Soja Asha (Isa Briones) to his old friends for sanctuary. In Star Trek: Picard season 1's finale, Captain Riker headed up a Starfleet armada, commanding the USS Zheng He. Riker faced down a Romulan fleet poised to destroy Soji's homeworld of Coppelius. It was the first time audiences saw Captain Riker in action on-screen, and it was a true crowd-pleasing moment.
Star Trek: Picard season 1 takes place in 2399, 20 years after Riker left the Enterprise to become Captain of the Titan.
Star Trek: Lower Decks seasons 1 and 2 then brought in Captain Riker and the USS Titan in a wonderful surprise. Riker and the USS Titan came to the rescue of the USS Cerritos, and Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) briefly transferred to Riker's starship. Lower Decks is set just shortly after Star Trek: Nemesis in 2380, and this relatively younger, hilariously rambunctious Will Riker was riding high as Captain of the Titan. Thanks to Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks,Riker was showcased at two different points in his Captaincy, and he brought the house down each time.
Captain Riker Is One Of Modern Star Trek’s Best Additions
We always knew Riker had it in him.
Captain Riker is one of the best Star Trek legacy characters who have been rejuvenated in Star Trek on Paramount+'s TV series. Riker was always popular on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but there was a lingering sense that Will didn't fulfill his potential. Riker was supposed to be an aggressive and ambitious future Captain of the Enterprise, but TNG settled him into his role as Number One. When Riker was finally promoted to Captain, Star Trek: Nemesis never even showed Will take command of the USS Titan, leaving fans to wonder what about Captain Riker's voyages for nearly two decades.
Jonathan Frakes won a Best Supporting Actor Saturn Award for his performance as Captain Will Riker in Star Trek: Picard season 3.
Star Trek: Picard season 3 truly gave Captain Riker his due. Once he took over command of the USS Titan-A, it was Captain Riker's ingenious tactics that defeated Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) and her starship, the Shrike, in the Ryton Nebula. Riker even one-upped Vadic by using the Titan's tractor beam to throw an asteroid at the Shrike, disabling the Changeling's fearsome warship. The Titan wouldn't have survived Vadic's assault without Riker in the Captain's chair. Riker's heroics continued in Star Trek: Picard season 3, leading an away team to Daystrom Station and joining Admiral Picard and Captain Worf's (Michael Dorn) mission to save Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) from the Borg Queen (Alice Krige).
Riker Needs To Finally Become A Starfleet Admiral
When will Riker get his next promotion?
Star Trek has yet to pull the trigger on one more long-awaited reward for Will Riker: a promotion to Admiral. Star Trek: Picard season 3's ending happens in 2402, which means Riker has been a Starfleet Captain for over 20 years. It seems unthinkable that Riker keeps waiting far too long for the promotions he deserves, but this has been the unusual course of Will's Starfleet career. Meanwhile, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) was promoted to Admiral at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 3. Shockingly, Riker did not get his pips to become a flag officer.
Admiral Riker commanding the USS Enterprise-D was seen in the alternate reality future of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's series finale, "All Good Things..."
Jonathan Frakes pitched his ideal scenario if Star Trek: Picard's proposed spinoff, Star Trek: Legacy, happens. Frakes envisions Riker as an Admiral serving the same function as Charlie in Charlie's Angels. Admiral Riker would appear periodically to give Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and the USS Enterprise-G their orders. Ideally, Frakes would also direct episodes of Star Trek: Legacy and be a creative force behind the scenes. If Star Trek: Legacy does become a reality, and Jonathan Frakes gets his wish, it would be fitting for Admiral Riker to oversee the newest generation of the Starship Enterprise, even though Star Trek didn't let Riker be its full-time Captain.
