Star Trek: The Next Generationcould have been a completely different show if two massive Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) storylines had played out. As the First Officer of the USS Enterprise-D, Commander Riker served as Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) right-hand man. Riker was known as one of the best officers in Starfleet and was offered numerous chances to command his own ship throughoutTNG’srun.Riker turned these offers downto remain aboard the Enterprise, and he found a family among the ship’s crew.
Manyepisodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generationfocused on Commander Riker, and he played a major role in one of the show’s best two-parters, “The Best of Both Worlds.” When the first half of this two-parter ended, Captain Picard had been assimilated by the Borg, raising the question of whether he would make it back to the Enterprise.TNGwould have been a much different show if Riker had taken over as captain.Later, inTNGseason 6, Riker discovers he has a transporter clone who goes by Thomas Riker, and this clone could have replaced the original Riker aboard the Enterprise.
What If Commander Riker Replaced Captain Picard In Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4?
What Would’ve Happened If Picard Died On The Borg Cube?
Star Trek: The Next Generationseason 3came to a close with one of the best television cliffhangers of all time in “The Best of Both Worlds, Part I.“Captain Picard had been assimilated by the Borgand Commander Riker gave the order for the Enterprise to fire on the Borg ship just before the screen cut to black. AsStar Trek’sfirst true cliffhanger, this episode began the pattern of season-ending cliffhangers that continued throughoutTNG, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,andStar Trek: Voyager,and established several storylines that continue to play a role in modernTrek.
Will Riker’s Complete Star Trek Timeline Explained
Star Trek: The Next Generation’s William Riker had a long and accomplished Starfleet career even after his time on Captain Picard’s USS Enterprise-D.
WhenTNG’swriters penned “The Best of Both Worlds, Part I,“even they were not sure how the two-parter would wrap up. While today’s viewers know that Riker and his crew save Picard in the season 4 premiere, this was not the case when the episode first aired. At the time,there was speculation that Patrick Stewart would not be returning toTNG.If Picard had been killed on the Borg Cube, Riker would have taken over as Captain of the Enterprise, likely with Lt. Commander Elizabeth Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) as his First Officer.
It’s difficult to imagine whatStar Trek: The Next Generationwould have become with Captain Riker in command of the USS Enterprise-D rather than Picard. Many episodes would have been vastly different without Patrick Stewart and Picard, assuming they even happened at all. “The Inner Light,” for example, would not have worked nearly as well with any other character.Picard’s departure fromTNGwould have forced the show to focus more on other characters,perhaps leading to a larger role for Shelby or one of the other series regulars.
As the Captain, Riker would have had to remain on board the Enterprise, while Shelby or Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) or Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) led away missions.
Aside from a few episodes,TNGdid not truly become great until its third season, and Patrick Stewart’s performance as Picard likely kept many fans watching even through the mediocre episodes.Some viewers may have stopped watching altogether if Picard had died on the Borg Cube,perhaps preventingTNGfrom becoming as popular as it did. IfTNGhad been less popular, it’s possible the show would have been canceled early with no films or spin-offs. Even if the films had happened, wouldStar Trekfans have been as excited to see a meeting between Captain Riker andCaptain James T. Kirk (William Shatner)?
What If Riker’s Doppelganger Replaced Him In Star Trek: The Next Generation?
TNG’s Writers Considered Killing Off Will & Replacing Him With Thomas
InStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 6, episode 24, “Second Chances,” the USS Enterprise-D visited the planet Nervala IV, wherethey found an exact duplicate of Commander Riker.Eight years ago, unbeknownst to the original Riker and the crew of the USS Potemkin, a transporter malfunction had created the doppelgänger, who was then abandoned on the planet. This Riker, who chose to go by his middle name, Thomas, spent eight years living alone on the inhospitable Nervala IV, making him a significantly different person from Commander Riker.
I’ve Always Wondered Why Star Trek: DS9 Abandoned Their Plans For Riker’s Clone
Commander Riker’s clone from TNG had massive potential to be a recurring character in Star Trek: DS9, so why did they never bring Thomas Riker back?
Upon arriving on the Enterprise, Lieutenant Thomas Riker immediately clashed with Commander Will Riker, as both men felt like the “true” Riker.Thomas rekindled his romance with Counselor Deanna Troi(Marina Sirtis), which for him had never officially ended.TNG’swriting staff considered killing off Will Riker and replacing him with Thomas.Thomas would have then taken a position at the helm while Data moved up to First Officer. While this would have been an interesting storyline, it would have drastically changed the dynamics ofTNG.
If Will Riker had died and been replaced by Thomas,the USS Enterprise-D crew would likely have had difficulty working with Thomas while mourning Will.Thomas would surely have had complicated feelings about his doppelganger’s death, too, which would have led to some interesting storytelling possibilities. Thomas would have had to get to know his crew members while trying to separate himself from Will. As Thomas Riker settled in as helmsman aboard the Enterprise,Star Trek: The Next Generationcould have explored his romance with Deanna Troi, which likely would have progressed more quickly than her romance with Will.
The writers of Star Trek: The Next Generation made the right call in keeping Will around.
As revealed inStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 3, episode 9, “Defiant,” Thomas Riker eventually left Starfleet to join therebel group known as the Maquis. If Thomas had remained on the Enterprise instead of Will, this storyline would not have happened at all or would have happened differently. Ultimately, the writers ofStar Trek: The Next Generationmade the right call in keeping Will around, and everything worked out for the best. (Well, for everyone except Thomas Riker, who ended up in a Cardassian prison.)
