Terry O'Quinn's Admiral Erik Pressman appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation's final season as a member of Starfleet Intelligence who had been a major player in a treaty-breaking Starfleet conspiracy. Throughout TNG's seven-season run, the evil admiral became a Star Trek trope. Because of Gene Roddenberry's rule that there could be no conflict among the main crew members of the USS Enterprise-D, admirals and other Starfleet officials were often brought in to create discord. TNG also had some pretty impressive guest stars over the years, including Lost's Terry O'Quinn.
In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 7, episode 12, "The Pegasus," the USS Enterprise-D picks up Admiral Pressman as part of a priority mission. Pressman had once been captain of the USS Pegasus, the ship Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) served on when he first graduated from Starfleet Academy. Although the Pegasus was presumed lost, Starfleet Intelligence reportedly located the ship near the Romulan Neutral Zone. Pressman orders Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to take the Enterprise to find the Pegasus to prevent it from falling into Romulan hands.
Terry O’Quinn’s Evil Admiral Pressman In Star Trek: TNG Explained
Pressman Violated A Federation Treaty & Helped Cover Up His Involvement
Admiral Pressman is clearly hiding something, and "The Pegasus" reveals the truth in pieces as Commander Riker contemplates his past actions. Riker tries to discuss the events of the Pegasus' last mission with Pressman, but the admiral urges Riker to keep quiet. Riker, however, grows increasingly uncomfortable keeping things from Captain Picard. The full truth eventually comes out — Pressman had been testing an illegal cloaking device, which led his crew to mutiny. As an ensign, Riker had sided with Pressman, and a handful of Starfleet Intelligence officers had covered up the truth of the incident.
When the Enterprise finds the Pegasus hidden in an asteroid, Pressman orders Picard's ship to enter a fissure within the asteroid, despite Picard's objections. Pressman and Riker beam over to the Pegasus, which has become fused with the asteroid, and recover the experimental cloaking device. After the Romulans trap the Enterprise inside of the asteroid, Picard uses the cloaking device to escape. Upon learning the full truth, Captain Picard arrests Pressman, who faces a court-martial (alongside his co-conspirators) for violating the Treaty of Algernon.
Star Trek’s Treaty of Algernon & How Admiral Pressman Betrayed The Romulans
The Treaty Of Algernon Established Peace Between The Federation & The Romulans
Although Star Trek has not explored the full scope of the war between Earth and the Romulans, which took place from 2156 to 2160, the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire have always been on shaky terms. About 160 years after the end of the conflict between the Federation and the Romulans, both powers signed the Treaty of Algernon in 2311. This treaty established peace between the Federation and the Romulans, on the condition that both sides kept their ships out of the Neutral Zone and the Federation did not develop or use cloaking technology.
Admiral Pressman asserts that he believes the Treaty of Algernon to be "the biggest mistake [the Federation] ever made."
In Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Pegasus," Admiral Pressman asserts that he believes the Treaty of Algernon to be "the biggest mistake [the Federation] ever made." He had already made his views on the treaty clear years before, while in command of the Pegasus. Pressman directly violated the treaty in 2358 by testing a cloaking device that Starfleet Intelligence had helped develop. While testing the device, an explosion in main engineering killed several crew members, leading many of the remaining crew members to mutiny. Only nine crew members, including Pressman and Riker, managed to escape, while the rest were killed when the faulty cloaking device failed.
Why Star Trek: Enterprise Made Its Series Finale About Riker & Admiral Pressman
Riker & Troi Pop Up In Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4, Episode 22, "These Are The Voyages..."
The polarizing finale of Star Trek: Enterprise actually takes place during Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Pegasus," as Riker contemplates whether to tell Captain Picard the truth about the Pegasus' final mission. When Riker goes to Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) for advice, she suggests that he explore a holodeck recreation of the last mission of the Enterprise NX-01. As Riker interacts with the crew of the original Starship Enterprise and witnesses the birth of the Federation, he resolves to tell Captain Picard the truth despite the fact that it means disobeying Pressman's orders.
Writers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga intended "These Are the Voyages..." to be a love letter to the Star Trek franchise as a whole, but have since admitted it didn't work as well as they had hoped. Enterprise's finale has been criticized by Star Trek fans and cast members alike for focusing too much on the TNG cast rather than the Star Trek: Enterprise cast. Ultimately, "These Are the Voyages..." didn't work as a finale for Star Trek: Enterprise or as an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it did offer some insight into Commander Riker and his thought process during "The Pegasus."
