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Star Trek: The Next Generation: 10 Famous Guest Stars You Forgot

With some big names like Kirsten Dunst and Stephen Hawking, there are also a few surprising guest stars in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Trek: The Next Generation went off the air in 1994, well before today's crop of famous faces made their mark on television. But as old as the series may feel today, there are some cameos that still feel fresh. Here are ten guest stars that took part in that brave, new mission that fans might be surprised to rediscover.

Ashley Judd

The Next Generation provided Ashley Judd with her first on-screen experience. The star and activist earned her stripes playing Ensign Robin Lefler in two Season 5 episodes, "Darmok" and "The Game." Though her role in "Darmok" is small, the episode is a memetic fave that untangles a linguistic riddle through Picard's Shakespearean flair. But Judd gets a taste of the spotlight in her second appearance, where Lefler and Wesley Crusher struggle to resist the lure of a dangerously addictive video game. Wil Wheaton gives Judd her first on-screen kiss by the end of the episode, a charming beginning to her healthy career.

Tony Todd adds a feverish intensity wherever he appears. His starring role in the cult horror classic Candyman  is an example of him at his best. It's a talent that also made him one of the greatest recurring Klingons in The Next Generation , appearing as Worf's ferocious brother Kurn. Kurn first arrives on the Enterprise as part of a practice exercise, quickly going toe to toe with the crew. But his goal is to get close to Worf. Kurn was raised by another family, his lineage a secret due to the cloud over their dishonorable father, Mogh. Kurn appeared three times in The  Next Generation  and returned once in Deep Space 9 's "Sons of Mogh." Todd also played an aging Jake Sisko and, once in Voyager , unrecognizable as a mysterious Alpha-Hirogen hunter.

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Diedrich Bader

Diedrich Bader is still known to many as one of Drew Carey's close buddies in The Drew Carey Show , although his turn as the invasive neighbor Lawrence in Office Space is arguably his most enduring moment. Today he's a popular voice, slated to appear as King Randor in Kevin Smith's take on Masters of the Universe . But 1989's "The Emissary" was his first television role, giving him a little background time on a standout episode that dug deep into Worf's heart. It's not a big role, and Bader's credited only as a Tactical Crewman. But it's still a great bit to have in the resume, as appearing in Star Trek is still a bucket list wish for many actors today.

Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking was one of the modern giants of physics, reshaping the scientific understanding of general relativity and becoming a bestselling author with his layperson-approachable text A Brief History of Time . Hawking was also, like many in his high-tech fields, a big fan of science fiction. According to Stephen Hawking: A Life Well Lived by Kitty Ferguson, it was Leonard Nimoy who discovered that Hawking wanted to guest star on Star Trek , and Nimoy reached out to make it happen. Hawking is the only person to play himself, appearing in the sixth season episode "Descent" as a member of Lt. Cmdr Data's poker game against some of history's greatest scientific minds.

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Famke Jannsen

Famke Jannsen became a hot topic as a Bond Girl in 1995's GoldenEye  and later endeared herself to X-Men fans as the face of Jean Grey in the 2000 film franchise. But Jean and Professor Xavier actually had their first encounter three years before her breakout moment, when Jannsen played the empathetic Kamala in "The Perfect Mate." As a Kriosian metamorph, her destiny was to marry for diplomatic and political purposes. But Kamala falls in love with Jean-Luc Picard. She imprints her personality on his desires instead, though she still marries her arranged partner. It's a terrific episode. Although seeing Jannsen in a gentle, mentoring relationship with Patrick Stewart almost a decade later can be surprising for Star Trek fans.

Mick Fleetwood

Fleetwood Mac's eponymous frontman famously loves two things: his beard and Star Trek . Fleetwood was willing to do anything  to earn a cameo on  The   Next Generation , so long as whatever character he played got to take a jaunt on the transporter. In the second season episode "Manhunt," Mick got his wish. Playing a fishlike Antedian ambassador in prosthetics that required Fleetwood to temporarily sacrifice his beard, his diplomatic contingent beams aboard the Enterprise. The Antedians face-off with Lwaxana Troi, who, in between her vivacious hunt for her latest mate, foils their plans to bomb a diplomatic conference.

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Stephen Root

Stephen Root is the beloved character actor behind O ffice Space 's infamous Milton. He's also the voice behind dozens of today's cartoon characters, heard everywhere from Gravity Falls to Amphibia . He's an unlikely figure to think of when talking about Klingons, but he plays the hostile yet good-natured Klingon captain K'Vada in one of The  Next Generation 's most acclaimed two-parters, "Unification." He's integral to getting Picard and Data behind Romulan lines to search for Ambassador Spock. He even allows Data to access his ship's database to fox the Romulan spies seeking to disrupt their mission.

James Cromwell

James Cromwell is an actor and activist with an extensive film career. For at least one generation, he's the human heart of Babe , and for Next Generation fans, he's Zefram Cochrane, the engineer at the heart of 1996's Star Trek: First Contact . But Cromwell was a Star Trek veteran long before his big-screen hours with the Enterprise crew , first appearing in Season 3's "The Hunted" and returning several seasons later, unrecognizable as a wrinkled Yridian named Jaglom Shrek, in "Birthright." Polite and private, it's unknown how big a science fiction fan Cromwell actually is. However, with dozens of appearances in the genre, it's clear he's put his heart into the work.

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Bebe Neuwirth

Bebe Neuwirth is an Emmy-winning actor best known for playing Frasier Crane's spouse, Dr. Lilith Sternin, on both Cheers and Frasier . She's also a Broadway staple and a reliable fixture on Madam Secretary . But in 1991, she took a quick break from Cheers to appear in the fourth season episode, "First Contact." A huge fan of the franchise, she plays Lanel, a nurse and xenophile who offers to help the transfigured Commander Riker escape hospital imprisonment -- for a sexy price.

Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst became a sensation at age 12 as the too-young vampire Claudia in 1994's Interview with the Vampire  and later built her career on taking chances on films like Lars von Trier's Melancholia . She's best known to many as the Raimi Spiderverse's Mary Jane Watson , long-time true love of Peter Parker. But just one year before her breakout role, Dunst guest-starred on Star Trek in the season seven episode "Dark Page." She plays an alien girl named Hedril, a telepath and one of the first of her species to learn to speak aloud. Her tutor, Lwaxana Troi, has unconsciously connected the girl with her deceased first daughter, Kestra. The experience leads to a traumatic shock for Lwaxana, and eventually, the first steps toward healing.

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Ashley Judd

Series: TNG

Character(s): Ensign Robin Lefler

Ashley Judd played Ensign Robin Lefler in the Star Trek: The Next Generation fifth season episodes “Darmok” and “The Game”.

Lefler served as mission specialist for a mission exploring the Phoenix Cluster. During this time, she had a brief romance with Wesley Crusher while he was on vacation from Starfleet Academy. She and Wesley discovered a plot by a rogue group of Ktarians to take over the Enterprise (and subsequently, Starfleet), using an addictive game to get control over the crew.

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Published Sep 30, 2016

"Darmok" Turns 25 Today

Many memorable episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series are turning 50 this year, but they're not the only hours we'll be celebrating in the coming weeks and months here at StarTrek.com . Some of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's best installments will turn 25 years old this year. Case in point, " Darmok ," which debuted on September 30, 1991 and which tends to always land in the top 10, or often the top 5, of TNG Best-of lists.

Some facts, figures and anecdotes about "Darmok."

"Darmok" was the second episode of TNG 's fifth season. Winrich Kolbe directed it based on a script by Joe Menosky and a story by Menosky and Philip LeZebnik.

According to Memory Alpha , "'Darmok" was filmed between Thursday July 18, 1991 and Friday July 26, 1991 on Paramount Stage 8, 9 and 16, as well as on location at Bronson Canyon."

"Shaka, when the walls fell," spoken by both Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dathon (Paul Winfield), rates as one of the most-memorable lines in all of Star Trek .

We also loved Picard's reply to Riker, when the latter asked, "New friends, captain?" Picard answered, "I can't say, Number One. But at least they're not new enemies."

What did you think of the new captain's uniform, which made its debut in this episode?

Winfield was no stranger to Star Trek , as he'd played Captain Terrell in The Wrath of Khan . The actor, an Oscar nominee and Emmy winner, died of a heart attack in 2002.

Ashley Judd, in "Darmok," made the first of her two appearances as Ensign Robin Lefler. She also played the character in " The Game ."

According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , producer Michael Piller deemed "Darmok" to have had the longest gestation period of any episode made during his tenure: two years.

Blooper time: phaser fire comes out of the forward photon torpedo launcher.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation: The 10 Best Guest Stars in the Series, Ranked

The Next Generation had quite a few memorable, and even a few familiar guest stars during its run.

During its run, Star Trek: The Next Generation had many notable guest stars. Some were already well-known figures beforehand, while others would get their big break later in their careers. Some were the main focus of their stories, while others only appeared for short, yet memorable, scenes. Whether it was their performance or the character they played, these guest roles often left an impression on fans.

A few of these guest stars were also long-time fans of the series who ended up being a part of the franchise they loved. Many of the actors from the original series also made various appearances throughout the series. Quite often, they would reprise their original roles and usually help give their characters one more story for the fans at home.

10 John de Lancie (Q)

John de Lancie 's Q appeared in around eight episodes, arguably making him more of a recurring character, but he left an impression nonetheless. Q belongs to the Q Continuum, powerful reality warpers who treat existence as their playground. Notably, Q appears in the pilot, claiming to pass judgment on humanity, and ultimately claiming to pass the sentence in the finale. Q, at first glance, behaves like a trickster god. In fact, supplementary material suggests he was the inspiration for quite a few of the trickster gods in antiquity. However, rather than being completely chaotic for its own sake, Q wants to keep the Federation humble.

In particular, Q has something of a competitive rivalry with Jean-Luc Picard , which is once compared to a master and his pet. Interestingly, the Q Continuum isn't too fond of Q's actions, once even punishing him by temporarily rendering him mortal.

9 Ashley Judd (Robin Lefler)

Actress Ashley Judd played Robin Lefler in the episodes "Darmok" and "The Game." Lefler serves as a Starfleet officer and engineer. Growing up as the lonely daughter of traveling plasma specialists, Lefler once joked her only friend was a tricorder. While serving as a mission specialist, Lefler briefly became romantically attached to Wesley Crusher. The two notably uncovered a Ktarian plot to overtake the Enterprise with a mysterious yet addictive game. During their investigation, Lefler would fall victim to the game herself, but she managed to analyze enough of the game to help Wesley stop it once and for all.

Lefler was also remembered for "Robin's Laws," a series of over one hundred sayings she used as personal advice. During their final scenes together, Lefler gives Wesley a hardbound copy of these laws, with him suggesting a new one: "A couple of light years can't keep good friends apart."

8 Stephen Root (Captain K'Vada)

Actor Stephen Root played Captain K'Vada in the episodes "Unification I" and "Unification II." A Klingon and an officer, K'Vada was under orders to give transport Picard and Data to the planet Romulus. K'Vada was no exception to the Klingon dislike of humans and tried to make the trip an unpleasant one, from the sleeping quarters to the food. K'Vada also took his orders to the letter, promising no help to Picard and Data once they stepped foot on the planet. Despite this, Picard acts polite and unfazed to K'Vada's face.

Data eventually manages to get Captain K'Vada's help in accessing the Romulan Central Information Net, using Klingon computers, in exchange for sharing any found information. Root is unrecognizable in the part, often surprising viewers when learning he played the character.

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7 David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Timicin)

Actor David Ogden Stiers played Dr. Timicin in the episode "Half a Life." Timicin was an alien whose world's sun is dying out, with Timicin himself believing he can save it. When the Enterprise is tasked with assisting Timicin, Lwaxana Troi also gets involved with the mission. In particular, Lwaxana takes an interest in Timicin, which he appears to somewhat reciprocate, but refuses to act on.

Unfortunately, when the experiment backfires, it comes to light that Timicin won't have time to try again. The people of his planet are euthanized after a ritual known as the Resolution upon turning 60, and Timicin has come of age. Timicin is spurred to seek asylum to at least continue his research, while the planet's fate looms in the background.

6 Kirsten Dunst (Hedril)

A young Kirsten Dunst appeared in the series as Hedril in the episode "Dark Page." Hedril was a member of the Cairn species, who were telepathic to the point of not having a concept of spoken language. Hedril reminded Lwaxana Troi, who served as an interpreter between the Federation and the Cairn, of her late daughter, Kestra. In particular, Hendril falling into a pond of water while playing reminded Lwaxana of Kestra's accidental death by drowning during a picnic. The painful memories of her child's death, which she blamed herself for, eventually drove Lwaxana into a coma.

When Deanna Troi entered her mother's mind to help, a manifestation of Hedril also appeared, representing her sister Kestra. In this state, Hedril appeared with Betazoid eyes and did not recognize her name. Prior to the incident, Kestra's existence had been kept secret from Deanna, who was born shortly before her sister's death. Deanna ultimately helps Lwaxana make peace with Kestra's death.

5 Bebe Neuwirth (Lanel)

Actress Bebe Neuwirth of Cheers and Fraiser fame appeared as the Malcorian nurse Lanel in the episode "First Contact." Unlike other Malcorians, Lanel liked the idea of aliens from other worlds, even living among them and possibly starting a relationship with one. When William T. Riker was exposed as an alien, Lanel offered to help him escape, though she propositioned him beforehand. Riker offered to call the next time he visited her star system.

Neuwirth only appeared in one scene, but the comic relief role left an impression on viewers. Neuwirth had been interviewed over the part for The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine , where she believed that she got the part when the crew learned she was a fan of the franchise, even dubbing herself a "Trekkie."

4 Stephen Hawking (Himself)

In the opening scene of “Descent – Part I,” Data creates holodeck versions of Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking , curious to see what a poker game between the three great intellects would be like. During the game, Hawking complains about having to hear Newton's "apple story" and ultimately beats Einstein in the game, complete with a smirk on his face.

The real life Stephen Hawking plays his own hologram, making it one of the rare times in the series where a guest star played themselves, barring archive footage. Allegedly, the noted scientist, a long-time fan of the franchise, asked Leonard Nimoy to visit the set during a screening of A Brief History of Time , a documentary based on Hawking's book of the same name. Hawking agreed to appear on the series during his subsequent visit. According to the DVD extras, Brent Spiner recounted a story where he later met up with Hawking, who jokingly asked for the money he won in this episode.

RELATED: Why It's Time for a Theatrical Star Trek Movie

3 Mark Lenard (Sarek)

Mark Lenard appeared in the original Star Trek series as Sarek, Spock's father. Notably, Lenard appeared as one of the first Romulan characters in the original series, even before being cast as Sarek. Lenard had made other appearances throughout the franchise, such as the animated series , as well as the Next Generation episodes, "Sarek" and "Unification I."

Sarek appears in his eponymous episode, where he boards the Enterprise as part of his latest diplomatic mission: a treaty with the Legarans. During a concert prepared for him, Sarek displays an unusual amount of emotion, amidst crew members also developing strange tempers. It soon comes to light that a disease is forcing Sarek's emotions to come out and influence the physical world. Picard becomes tasked with melding his mind with Sarek's to ensure the diplomatic meeting goes well. "Unification I" features the death of Sarek, who gives Picard the dying words, "Live long and prosper."

2 James Doohan (Scotty)

Actor James Doohan played Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the original series. Doohan reprised the role in the Next Generation episode, "Relics." The Enterprise uncovers a missing ship, the USS Jenolan, where Scott materializes, saying the ship crashed on the way to his retirement. Scott initially assumes Kirk has come to save him before realizing there's a new crew. After meeting the new crew, Scott is eager to help, but proves too unfamiliar with the new technology. Scott also gets to make a holodeck recreation of the original Enterprise and offers a toast, with Scott soon sharing a drink with Picard. Eventually, Scott even begins to bond with Lt. Commander La Forge.

By the end of the story, Scotty has reconfigured the Jenolan and is loaned an Enterprise shuttle, meaning he will depart for more adventures. Archive footage of Doohan later appeared in the episode, "Trials and Tribble-ations."

1 Leonard Nimoy (Spock)

Leonard Nimoy , who played Spock in the original Star Trek series, among other parts of the franchise, reprised the role in the “Unification” two-parter, where he was billed as a "Special Guest Star." In the story, an Ambassador has disappeared and is suspected of having defected. Soon, it comes to light that the Ambassador is none other than Spock. Picard travels to the planet Romulus to find Spock, encountering him by the end of the first half.

As his actions have spooked the Starfleet, Spock claims to be on a personal peace mission. It soon comes to light that Spock has been caught up in reunification efforts between the Vulcans and Romulans. However, treachery may be afoot, with reunification coming in the form of an invasion. By the end of the story, Spock decides to change Romulan society from the inside, in the hopes of one day paving the way for a proper reunification. As a parting gift, Picard shares Sarek's feelings from their mind-meld with Spock, allowing him to know his father's true feelings.

The Star Trek Character You Likely Forgot Ashley Judd Played

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" is known for its beloved cast of core characters, including Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), and Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), all of whom reprised their roles on the Easter egg-filled series "Star Trek: Picard." There are also plenty of recurring characters that have made a mark on the series, including Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), Moriarty (Daniel Davis), and the popular Guinan, who was played by Whoopi Goldberg in 28 episodes. But when thinking about "Star Trek: The Next Generation" cameos, there is one big name that fans may have forgotten about amid the adventures in the final frontier.

Ashley Judd came aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise in 1991 during Season 5, Episode 2, "Darmok." She played Ensign Robin Lefler, an engineer who works alongside Geordi, assisting him during the fight against a Tamarian deep space cruiser. Robin reappears during Season 5, Episode 6, "The Game," and gets recognized for her engineering skills by receiving a promotion to mission specialist. While working hard to keep the U.S.S. Enterprise in tip-top shape, she also finds herself in a brief romantic relationship with Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton). The episode delves into her backstory, including how she grew up around tech equipment, which has led to her engineering career.

And being cast in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was a whirlwind experience for Judd.

Judd didn't originally audition for Star Trek: The Next Generation

Ashley Judd told Anderson Live that she was asked to be on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" while auditioning for another project. "I auditioned for something else that day, and they started whispering about me, which is usually a good sign that you're like gonna go in and see the producers, the head of Studio, or something. And they said, 'We know you didn't come in for this, but may we cast you in 'Star Trek' right now?'" she said, adding that they wanted her to go directly to wardrobe to prepare parts of her costume.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation," Season 5, Episode 6, "The Game" ends with Wesley Crusher rescuing Robin Lefler from a game that connects to the brain, taking control of much of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew. Robin then bids farewell to Wesley who is headed back to Starfleet Academy, also marking the end of Judd's "Star Trek: The Next Generation" career.

According to the official  Star Trek  website, this was Judd's first professional acting role. While her sister Wynonna and mother Naomi took over country music, Judd was taking the acting world by storm, working on big films including "A Time to Kill" and later playing Tris' (Shailene Woodley) mother Natalie in the "Divergent" film series. She told Roger Ebert in 1993, "I've known from the time I was about 7 years old that I was meant to be an actress ... I know how to figure out what a scene is about, what it means to me, who the other people are to me and what I'm doing."

Robin Lefler was serving aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise-D and became a close friend of Wesley Crusher .

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Darmok (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production history
• 4.2 Story and script
• 4.3 Production
• 4.4 Cast and characters
• 4.5 Continuity
• 4.6 Reception
• 4.7 Merchandising
• 4.8 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Guest stars
• 5.4 Co-stars
• 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.6 Stunt double
• 5.7 Stand-ins and photo doubles
• 5.8.1 Children of Tama language references
• 5.9 External links

Summary [ ]

The USS Enterprise -D is on a mission to attempt to establish communications between the Federation and the Tamarians after several previous attempts by the Federation over the last century had failed. The Tamarians had arrived at the planet nearly three weeks prior and began transmitting a signal towards Federation space . Upon arrival, the Enterprise and the Tamarian vessel make a rendezvous in orbit of El-Adrel IV . The two parties try to communicate but, like the occasions before, neither party can comprehend what the other party is saying. Captain Dathon disarms his first officer of a knife -like weapon and repeats, “ Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra .” Suddenly both he and Captain Picard are transported off of their ships to the surface of El-Adrel IV. Data finds that the Tamarian vessel projected a scattering field in the ionosphere of the planet, preventing both the Enterprise and themselves from using their transporters .

On the planet, Picard watches the Tamarian captain approach. He suddenly holds up two knives.

Act One [ ]

" Sensors show that Captain Picard and the Tamarian are in apparent good health, approximately twenty meters from each other. "

Lieutenant Commander Data also finds that the scattering field is blocking communications. However, sensors can still penetrate the scattering field, allowing either party to monitor Picard's and Dathon's locations. Lieutenant Worf suggests it might be a contest between champions. Seeing that they are in good health, Riker attempts to communicate with the Tamarian first officer, with no success. He has Worf prepare a shuttlecraft to get the captain, betting the Tamarian ship won't fire on it, as blocking transporters and firing on vessels are two totally different things, Riker reasons.

On the surface of El-Adrel IV, Picard and Dathon once again try to communicate, as Dathon passes one of the two knives to Picard, repeating " Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra ." Picard assumes that Dathon wants to engage in combat and refuses to take his knife. Frustrated, Dathon says " Shaka, when the walls fell " but Picard cannot understand the terms that Dathon is using and both men become frustrated with their failure.

As nightfall approaches, Picard is still stuck on the planet's surface. He tries to make a fire but cannot. Dathon then does something akin to prayer and goes to sleep, taking one of his knives out for protection. However, he cannot sleep knowing that Picard will go through the night cold. Dathon takes a branch from his fire and throws it to Picard. He says " Temba, his arms wide. " While Picard does not understand what or who Temba is, he understands that Dathon is trying to help him, and thanks him for the fire.

Act Two [ ]

Worf takes the shuttle Magellan with Ensign Kellogg to the surface of El-Adrel IV to rescue Captain Picard. As they begin to descend, the Tamarian vessel fires upon the shuttle and disables the starboard nacelle , destroying the shuttle's thrusters and forcing it to return to the Enterprise . Data reports that the Tamarian's phaser beam was precisely attenuated for that effect. " Nice shooting, " Riker says.

In the observation lounge , Riker has Data and Counselor Troi analyze the log of the communication between themselves and the Tamarians and consult the ship's computer with the words and names mentioned and find several commonalities. Data and Troi deduce that the Tamarian language is entirely based on metaphors derived from their own experience and mythology , making their language extremely difficult for a non-Tamarian to understand because without knowing the people or things in the metaphor, the metaphor is impossible to comprehend. Lieutenant Commander La Forge and Ensign Lefler then attempt to modify the transporters to transport Captain Picard through the dampening field.

The following morning, on the planet's surface, Picard and Dathon are still no better off in their attempts to communicate with one another. Picard wakes up to find Dathon missing. He examines his things, finding what looks like a captain's log, then he returns, shouting at him. Picard notices that Dathon repeatedly uses the phrase " Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra ", but he does not understand who or what they were. Dathon is still insistent in giving Picard one of the knives, but again Picard refuses.

Act Three [ ]

Picard and Dathon hear a loud roar in the distance and rocks fall from the cliffs behind the two men. Picard realizes that Dathon and he are not alone on the planet's surface. As the creature approaches Picard and Dathon, Picard realizes that Dathon is not offering him the knife to fight him, but to arm him against the creature, and accepts the weapon. When Dathon speaks again, referring to what sounds like a battle plan, Picard suddenly understands that the Tamarians communicate by citing example – by metaphor. Dathon utters a phrase that sounds like he was relieved that Picard finally understands him

Meanwhile, Worf detects a highly localized EM disturbance in fairly close proximity to Picard and Dathon, which is rapidly approaching them. La Forge, Lefler, and Chief O'Brien are almost ready to attempt to beam Captain Picard back aboard the Enterprise . Riker orders them to try early, but La Forge isn't hopeful. They make preparations for Transporter room 1 where O'Brien is ready.

The creature attacks Dathon and Picard wounds it, but the creature strikes Picard, ripping his shirt. Dathon makes a return attack and draws the creature. Just then, O'Brien makes the attempt to transport Picard while the creature is striking Dathon. Picard is furious with being transported as it immobilized him, leaving him unable to help the Tamarian captain. The transport ultimately fails, and Picard is left on the planet as the creature moves away from Dathon. Picard holds him as they say " Shaka, when the walls fell. "

Act Four [ ]

The Tamarians lower the scattering field to a deeper level of the planet's ionosphere, making transport impossible and forcing the crew to devise a new way to bring the captain back to the Enterprise . Riker has La Forge work on a way to disable the field generator on the Tamarian ship. The Enterprise 's sensors show that Dathon's life signs are fluctuating and they know that the Tamarians know this also, but, surprisingly, no action is taken by the Tamarians to save their captain. Troi and Data explain the difficulty with their language, that it is based on narrative imagery. One must know the context as well as the words of the language.

Back on El-Adrel IV, Picard sits down next to a dying Dathon near the fire and asks him about Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra. It seems that Darmok and Jalad were two legendary travelers, strangers who faced and defeated a common enemy on the island of Tanagra. Picard realizes that Dathon knew of the creature on El-Adrel IV and brought them both here so that they could re-enact the events between Darmok, Jalad, and "the Beast" at Tanagra. Dathon's hope was that by facing a common enemy, the two sides could learn to understand one another and bring the two species closer together. Now that Picard understands how the Tamarians communicate, Dathon wants to hear one of his stories. Picard, at first, tells Dathon that he is not much of a storyteller and that he probably would not understand it anyway. Despite this, Picard begins to recite an old story from Earth , very similar to that of Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra, about Gilgamesh and Enkidu at Uruk , and how two enemies became friends through hardship. Dathon appears impressed and amused by Picard's story. Dathon dies during the night, but not in vain, as he has become the first Tamarian to successfully establish communications between his people and the Federation.

Act Five [ ]

Back on the Enterprise , La Forge and his staff have developed a way to disable the Tamarians' scattering field – by firing a highly focused single phaser beam aimed at the generator on the Tamarian vessel. Commander Riker gives the order to fire on the Tamarian vessel. The shot disables the generator, allowing Chief O'Brien to beam Captain Picard aboard just as the creature is about to attack him again. The Tamarians return fire, severely damaging the Enterprise and crippling the ship's warp drive . As Picard returns to the bridge , he orders hailing frequencies to be opened with the Tamarian vessel. The Tamarians reply angrily but they quickly calm down when Picard addresses them in their metaphors. He explains that although the mission was a success as far as establishing communications between the two peoples is concerned, Dathon gave his life to accomplish it. Picard holds up Dathon's journal, and the Tamarians beam it into the first officer's hand, after which he pronounces that this successful contact will henceforth be known as the story of "Picard and Dathon at El-Adrel". Picard offers the knife to the Tamarian officer, but the Tamarian insists that Picard keep it.

Later, Picard is reading the Homeric Hymns in his ready room when Riker stops by with the damage reports for Picard to review. He notices the book and Picard explains that maybe more familiarity with their own mythology may help them relate to the Tamarians. Picard also notes to Riker that Dathon sacrificed his life in hope of communication, and wonders if he would have been willing to do the same. Riker leaves, and Picard picks up the knife and looks out of the ready room window into space while repeating the gestures he saw the Tamarians engage in upon learning of their captain's death, paying his own silent tribute to his fallen comrade.

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2368
• First officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Darmok and Jalad… at Tanagra. "

" Picard and Dathon… at El-Adrel. "

" In my experience, communication is a matter of patience, imagination. I would like to believe that these are qualities that we have in sufficient measure. "

" Shaka, when the walls fell. "

" I have encountered 1,754 non-Human races during my tenure in Starfleet. "

" Temba, his arms wide! "

" That's how you communicate, isn't it? By citing example… by metaphor! Uzani's army… with fists open… " " Sokath, his eyes uncovered! " (meant as a metaphor to comprehension)

" Imagery is everything to the Tamarians. It embodies their emotional states, their very thought processes. It's how they communicate and it's how they think. "

" Our situation is analogous to knowing the grammar of a language, but none of the vocabulary. "

" Darmok, and Jalad… on the ocean. " " Darmok and Jalad… they left together . "

" Temba, his arms wide. " " I'll go along with that. "

" Gilgamesh, a king. Gilgamesh, a king. At Uruk. He tormented his subjects. He made them angry. They cried out aloud, "Send us a companion for our king! Spare us from his madness!" Enkidu, a wild man… from the forest, entered the city. They fought in the temple. They fought in the streets. Gilgamesh defeated Enkidu. They became great friends. Gilgamesh and Enkidu at Uruk. " " At Uruk… " " The… the new friends went out into the desert together, where the Great Bull of Heaven was killing men by the hundreds. Enkidu caught the Bull by the tail. Gilgamesh struck him with his sword. " " (laughing) Gilgamesh… " " They were… victorious. But… Enkidu fell to the ground, struck down by the gods. And Gilgamesh… wept bitter tears, saying, "He who was my companion, through adventure and hardship, is gone forever. "

" Temarc! The river Temarc in winter! " " Darmok…? " " …and Jalad at Tanagra. Darmok and Jalad… on the ocean. " " Sokath, his eyes open! " " The beast at Tanagra. Uzani, his army. Shaka, when the walls fell. "

" Temba, his arms open. " " Temba, at rest. " " Thank you. "

" New friends, Captain? " " I can't say, Number One… but at least they're not new enemies. "

(Sees Picard's book) " Greek, sir. " " Oh… the Homeric Hymns . One of the root metaphors of our own culture. " " For the next time we encounter the Tamarians? " " More familiarity with our own mythology might help us to relate to theirs. The Tamarian was willing to risk all of us just for the hope of communication…, connection. Now the door is open between our peoples. That commitment meant more to him than his own life. Thank you, Number One. "

" Picard of the Federation. Of the Starship Enterprise . Of the planet Earth! "

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

• Story outline by Philip LaZebnik (along with a one-page introductory memo) sent from Michael Piller to Rick Berman (also forwarded to Gene Roddenberry ): 11 December 1989 [1]
• In a two-page memo, Piller suggests Joe Menosky try to tackle this episode's story: 28 August 1990 [2]
• Menosky replies with three-page memo to Piller: 4 September 1990 [3]
• Final draft script: 8 July 1991 [4]
• Filmed: 18 July 1991 – 26 July 1991
• Additional filming at Bronson Canyon : 5 August 1991
• Creature scenes filmed: 8 August 1991
• Second unit footage filmed: 26 August 1991
• Additional second unit shots filmed: 28 August 1991
• Premiere airdate: 30 September 1991
• First UK airdate: 28 December 1994

Story and script [ ]

The location map for the two-day location shoot at Bronson Canyon

• This episode had the longest gestation period of any episode during Michael Piller 's tenure, taking around two years to make it to the screen. Rick Berman hated the premise, but Piller thought it was interesting and was determined to make it work, so he finally gave it to Joe Menosky . ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 228)
• Menosky recalled that Philip LaZebnik 's story involved members of an away team who in turn each met a mysterious alien boy drawing in the dirt. The boy greeted each of the team with the single word "Darmok?" Regardless of the response, the crewmember was catapulted into orbit in a strange cocoon. At the end, Picard realized that "Darmok" meant "play" and sat down in the dirt with the child. Menosky felt this was too similar to the "Bridge of Death" scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and didn't work in the context of the show. However, he did like the word "Darmok". ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 219)
• After being assigned to rewrite the script, Menosky struggled for several days with no results. He recalled, " So when Michael reconvened the staff to talk about it, I truly thought that I might be fired. But Michael was really excited. He'd just seen Dances with Wolves and was completely blown away by the scene with Kevin Costner 's character and the Native American warrior around the campfire, who don't speak a word of each other's language, but finally make themselves understood. Michael announced, 'That's it: one man, one alien, alone on a planet, around a fire. They don't know each other's languages, they struggle to overcome their differences, and finally break through to communication. And maybe there's a big monster.' " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 219)
• Menosky then wrote Piller a memo, outlining themes of language, communication and mythology, which greatly impressed Piller. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 219; Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 228) A copy of this memo is available here .
• In devising the Tamarian language , Menosky was inspired by three sources: the work of psychologist James Hillman (who had emphasized "all is metaphor"), the quote "Every word is a poem" from translator and poet John Ciardi , and the dense historical metaphors present in Chinese poetry and philosophical works such as the I Ching . ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 220)
• The story about Gilgamesh and Enkidu is from one of the world's earliest known literary works, a Babylonian poem entitled the Epic of Gilgamesh (said to have been dated from around 2150 BC-2000 BC). The story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu at Uruk is itself a metaphor for the situation of Picard and Dathon at El-Adrel: two people, initially combatants, come together to become friends and fight a common foe, a battle in which one of them is struck down and the other mourns his loss. ( Mission Overview: Year Five , TNG Season 5 DVD special features) According to Menosky this similarity was a combination of "writer's luck" and inevitability. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 220)

Production [ ]

• "Darmok" was filmed between Thursday 18 July 1991 and Friday 26 July 1991 , on Paramount Stage 8 , 9 , and 16 , as well as on location at Bronson Canyon . An additional day was Thursday 8 August 1991 , on which the blue screen unit filmed the creature scenes with stuntman Rex Pierson on Paramount Stage 9. Second unit for this episode filmed on Monday 26 August 1991 , on Paramount Stage 9 and 16. When the following episode " Ensign Ro " returned to location at Bronson Canyon on Monday 5 August 1991 , another sequence was filmed for "Darmok", involving Rex Pierson and photo doubles Ron Large and Lanier Edwards . Photo double Dana Vitatoe filmed additional second unit shots on Wednesday 28 August 1991 , on Paramount Stage 9.

Cast and characters [ ]

• Patrick Stewart deemed this episode as worthy of winning awards. He stated this was " because it was a brilliantly written episode based on the myth of Gilgamesh and with one of our most distinguished guest stars, Paul Winfield . " ( Mission Overview: Year Five , TNG Season 5 DVD special features) Winfield was previously seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan as the ill-fated Captain Clark Terrell .
• The call sheet dated 18 July 1991 featured an "uncast actress" in the role of Lt. Larson . In the final episode, this role became Robin Lefler , who was played by Ashley Judd .

Continuity [ ]

• This is the first episode which introduces a new captain's uniform : a gray undershirt with an open red jacket. The uniform was designed by Robert Blackman to make Captain Picard stand out from the rest of his crew, at the suggestion of actor Patrick Stewart . [5] Although the jacket has a black yoke like the standard uniforms, the yoke is made of a material that looks like leather and has a quilted pattern. Also, the red portion of the jacket is made from a material that looks like suede. In further episodes, the yoke is replaced with the same material of the rest of the jacket.
• This episode marks the first appearance of the Type 6 shuttlecraft .
• This episode marks the first appearance of Ensign Robin Lefler , who later played an important part in discovering the Ktarian game conspiracy with Wesley Crusher in the episode " The Game ".
• This is also the first appearance of Data's redesigned quarters. The previous set used for Data's room was modified to serve as Kirk and Spock 's quarters in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and was demolished after filming was complete. ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Special Edition) text commentary )
• This episode is also notable as it is the only time a phaser beam is emitted from the main photon torpedo tube. It is admitted to be a post-production mistake in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 177). This was corrected for the remastered version by replacing the shot with a close-up of the phaser array from " The Best of Both Worlds ". The original shot does appear on the Blu-Ray in the trailer for "Darmok".

Reception [ ]

• Michael Piller remarked, " I just think 'Darmok' is the prototype of what Star Trek should be. It dealt with a very challenging premise and many of our best shows are scripts that have been around a long time… He created a whole language for that episode and it's just astonishing. The episode worked on every level; it had the philosophy dealing with language and what it does for us, two great acting performances, it had a monster and a space battle – it had everything. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 228)
• Director Winrich Kolbe commented that he had mixed feelings on the episode. " Storywise, it was a hell of a story. It was almost flawless. It tangled a very interesting subject and a very complicated subject as well, and I think it did it well. " However, he felt somewhat constrained in how he could film the planet scenes with the monster. Furthermore, he noted the difficulty in directing scenes in an alien language. " Can you imagine not speaking Russian and… having to write an article in Russian? It makes it kind of difficult. Even though I had a translation of the dialogue, it wasn't quite there and for me it was like directing a Russian movie without speaking the language, but you work your way through it. So that was an additional challenge. The episode seems to have struck a chord. It's a show we can all be proud of. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 228)
• Despite his initial resistance to the idea, Berman later named "Darmok" as one of his all-time favorite episodes. ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages ) Shortly prior to its initial airing, he commented, " It's a wonderful two-person piece […] It's going to be a terrific episode. " ( Star Trek: The Official Fan Club Magazine  issue 82 , p. 6)
• Patrick Stewart referred to the episode during the funeral service of Gene Roddenberry , who died less than a month after the episode aired. Stewart noted that the cast had just appeared in an episode dealing with the roots of mythology and metaphor. Joe Menosky recalled, " He used it as a way to validate and praise Gene's creation . That moment might have been the proudest I've ever been about anything I've written for Star Trek . " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 219)
• This episode has been used by linguistics teachers to aid in students' understanding of how languages work and evolve. ("Mission Overview: Year Five", TNG Season 5 DVD special feature; [6] )
• Doctor Who writer and producer Russell T Davies liked the billing blurb for this episode so much that he deliberately didn't watch it, later saying, " I love the idea so much, I'd rather think about it. Forever. " Nearly twenty years after the episode first aired, Davies wrote a Doctor Who episode with a premise that he reckoned was similar to this one . ( SFX , issue #200, p. 140)
• A mission report for this episode, by John Sayers, was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 18 , pp. 12-15.

Merchandising [ ]

• A scene of "Darmok" between Dathon and Picard replaced with cats is featured in Jenny Parks ' 2018 book Star Trek: The Next Generation Cats . [7]

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 51, September 1992
• As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek: The Next Generation - 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition under the "Picard" section, 29 September 1997
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 5.1, 24 June 2002
• As part of the TNG Season 5 DVD collection
• As part of both Region 1 and 2 releases of the Star Trek: The Next Generation - Jean-Luc Picard Collection
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Captain's Log collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker

Also starring [ ]

• LeVar Burton as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
• Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
• Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher
• Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

Guest stars [ ]

• Richard Allen as Tamarian first officer
• Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien
• Paul Winfield as Dathon

Co-stars [ ]

• Ashley Judd as Ensign Lefler
• Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Cameron as Kellogg
• Tracee Lee Cocco as Jae
• Gerard David, Jr. as operations division ensign
• Jeremy Doyle as operations ensign
• Norman Hunte as Tamarian bridge officer
• Michael Moorehead as science division ensign
• Teri Noel as Tamarian tactical officer
• Rex Pierson as El-Adrel IV entity
• Keith Rayve as command division ensign
• Joycelyn Robinson as Gates

Stunt double [ ]

• Gerard Williams as stunt double for Paul Winfield

Stand-ins and photo doubles [ ]

• David Keith Anderson – stand-in for LeVar Burton
• Lanier Edwards – photo double for Paul Winfield
• Ron Large – photo double for Patrick Stewart
• Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
• Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner , Colm Meaney and Patrick Stewart
• Lorine Mendell – stand-in for Gates McFadden
• Greg Poole – stand-in for Richard Allen , Paul Winfield and Michael Dorn
• Bill E. Rogers – photo double for Paul Winfield
• Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
• Dennis Tracy – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
• Dana Vitatoe – photo double for Brent Spiner
• James Washington – stand-in for Michael Dorn and Paul Winfield
• Unknown actress – stand-in for Ashley Judd

References [ ]

47 ; 2268 ; " a matter of "; ability ; act of war ; adventure ; aft ; alien ; " all right "; amplification pathway ; analogous ; angry ; annular confinement beam ( confinement beam ); annular convergence ; answer ; arm ; army ; assumption ; " at a loss "; " at the very least "; atmospheric ionization scan ; balcony ; beast ; bioscan ; black ; bluff ; border ; bull ; captain's log ; challenge ritual ; chance ; children ; Children of Tama (aka Tamarians ); choice ; city ; colony ; " come on "; communication ; communications channel ; companion ; computer ; concentration ; confidence ; confinement resolution ; contest ; continent ; country ; " course of action "; court ; creature ; cross reference ; cultural interchange ; D region ; dagger ; damage ; damage report ; danger ; database ; day ; death ; density ; desert ; door ; E region ; Earth ; " educated guess "; ego ; El-Adrel IV ; El-Adrel sector ; El-Adrel system ; electromagnetic disturbance ; electron ; EM carrier ; emotional dynamic ; emotional state ; emperor ; enemy ( foe ); energy output ; Enkidu ; evasive maneuvers ; experience ; eye ; face ; failure ; Federation ; Federation space ; fire ; fist ; " for all we know "; " for instance "; " for what's it worth "; forest ; friend ; frozen dessert ; Gallos II ; generosity ; Gilgamesh ; " go ahead "; god ; grammar ; gray ; Great Bull of Heaven ; Greek language ; ground ; hail ; " hello "; Homeric Hymns ; hour ; hundred ; hunter ; hyperionization ; image ; imagination ; impression ; impulse ; individual ( person ); intention ; ionosphere ( upper atmosphere ); island ; Jalad ; Kanda IV ; kilometer ; king ; knife ; Lerishi IV ; lifeform ; lifesign ; life support linguistic database ; location ; madness ; Magellan ; Malindi VII ; mathematical progression ; maximum range ; meaning ; meeting ; metaphor ; meter ; minute ; motivation ; mytho-historical ; mythology ; nacelle ; name ; narrative ( story ); narrative imagery ; navigational ; NBT ; nonaggression pact ; noun ; Number one ; ocean ; " of course not "; offline ; onboard system ; " out of the question "; overload ; particle beam emitter ; particle scattering field ; particle sustaining beam ( particle beam ); patience ; percent ; phase sequencer ; phase transition sequencer ( phase sequencer ); phaser ; phaser pulse ; place ; plasma reactor ; polarity coil generator ; polaron ; positron ; power surge ; prefire chamber ; proper noun ( proper name ); propulsion ; quality ; race ; Razna V ; red ; red alert ; resonance frequency ; risk ; river ; road ; romance ; Romeo and Juliet ; ruling family ; rumor ; sacrifice ; search index ; security team ; self-identity ; Seventh Dynasty ; Shantil III ; Shiku Maru , SS ; shunt ; Sigma Tama IV ; silence ; Silvestri, A. ; sky ; sleep ; solution ; " sort of "; space ; spacecraft identification file ; " stand by "; starboard ; Starfleet ; status ; storyteller ; strategy ; street ; subject ; subspace carrier ; subspace signal ; surface ; sword ; tail ; tale ; Tamarian deep space cruiser ; Tamarian language ; Tamarian vessel 08 ; tear ; temple ; term ; territory ; thermal input coefficient ; thought process ; thruster ; time index ; " tipped our hand "; " too much "; trade agreement ; transporter ; transporter beam ; Transporter Room 1 ; transporter signal ; understanding ; universal translator ; Uruk ; variable induction field ; vocabulary ; warp drive ; warrior ; week ; " what the hell "; " who the hell "; wild man ; winter ; year

Children of Tama language references [ ]

Anzo ; Bahar ; Bakor ; Bashi ; Callimas ; Chenza ; Darmok ; Darmok (colony); Darmok (emperor); Darmok (food); Darmok (hunter); Jiri ; Kadir ; Kailash ; Kanza ; Kiazi ; Kira ; Kiteo ; Kituay ; Lashmir ; Lowani ; Lungha ; Mirab ; Mo Moteh ; Rai ; Shaka ; Sokath ; Tanagra ; Tanagra (beverage); Tanagra (island); Tanagra (ruling family); Temarc ; Temba ; Ubaya ; Uzani ; Zima ; Zinda

External links [ ]

• " Darmok " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Darmok " at Wikipedia
• "Darmok" at StarTrek.com
• " Darmok " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• "Darmok" script  at Star Trek Minutiae
• " Darmok " at the Internet Movie Database
• 3 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

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A family invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, goes from a dream vacation to a psychological nightmare. A family invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, goes from a dream vacation to a psychological nightmare. A family invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, goes from a dream vacation to a psychological nightmare.

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Star trek: discovery's commander rayner is the new riker.

Star Trek: Discovery's new Number One, Commander Rayner, shares many similarities with TNG's Commander William T Riker that go beyond the beard.

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors "

• Rayner in Star Trek: Discovery shows reluctance to lead, akin to Riker in The Next Generation, emphasizing the importance of strong leadership dynamics.
• Similar to Riker on the USS Enterprise-D, Rayner's style proves valuable in solving critical issues in "Mirrors" episode.
• Burnham's mission and leadership choices parallel Picard and Riker dynamics, showcasing a balance of risk-taking and bold decision-making in Star Trek lore.

Star Trek: Discovery 's new Number One, Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) has a lot in common with Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) from Star Trek: The Next Generation . In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors", written by Johanna Lee & Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan , Rayner has to reluctantly take the center seat while Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) is on an away mission. Rayner's reluctance to take the conn, and his insistence that he lead the away mission in Burnham's stead, draws similarities between him and Will Riker.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 , "Mirrors" reveals that Rayner, formerly the captain of the USS Antares, is unsure that his style will gel with his new crew. However, by bringing the Discovery's bridge crew together, Rayner is able to solve the problem of how to drag the ISS Enterprise out of interdimensional space . With Burnham back on board, Rayner is back to being the USS Discovery's Number One, but satisfied that he can lead from the center seat, much like Riker at the end of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4, episode 1, "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"

Jonathan Frakes Is In Star Trek: Discovery Even If You Don’t See Riker

Star trek: discovery's commander rayner is reluctant to be captain - like riker in tng.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation , Riker turned down several opportunities to become captain, preferring to stay aboard the USS Enterprise-D as second-in-command to Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). However, Riker was often placed in charge of the starship Enterprise , most notably when Picard was assimilated by the Borg Collective. After rescuing Captain Picard from the Borg, and saving the Federation from the Collective, he was happy to step down from Captain to Commander Riker, satisfied that he'd proved his worth as a captain. For Riker, serving as Number One on the Federation flagship was just as huge an achievement as his own command .

Riker finally accepted a promotion to captain of the USS Titan in Star Trek: Nemesis .

Rayner in Star Trek: Discovery was demoted from Captain to Commander in season 5, episode 2, "Under the Twin Moons". The USS Discovery is Rayner's last chance, which is presumably why, like Riker in TNG , he's keen not to chase promotion. His reasoning is different to Riker's because Rayner had already been a captain for years before becoming Burnham's Number One . Rayner is reluctant to take charge in "Mirrors" because it's not his crew, and his command style is very different to Burnham's.

Commander Rayner Is The Riker To Burnham's Picard In Star Trek: Discovery

One of the reasons that Rayner gives for not wanting to take the conn is that Burnham's away mission is " too risky " for the captain of the USS Discovery . Riker leading the away missions in Star Trek: The Next Generation became such a trope that Picard jokes about it in his Star Trek: Nemesis wedding toast . Burnham explains why she and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) are the best crew members to take on the mission, forcing Rayner to concede that she's right. Picard would do the same in later seasons of TNG as he took a more active role in away missions.

Discussing Riker's replacement aboard the Enterprise, Commander Data (Brent Spiner), Picard jokes: " I will be training my new first officer. You all know him. He's a tyrannical martinet who'll never, ever allow me to go on away missions! "

When Burnham offered Rayner the role of second-in-command in Star Trek: Discovery she made it clear that she didn't want a " yes man ". Picard didn't want Riker to be one either, which is why he was so impressed by his fierce opposition to Captain Robert DeSoto (Michael Cavanaugh) leading an away mission on Altair III. Riker risked court martial to convince DeSoto that his away mission was " too risky " for the captain of the USS Hood, something that ultimately led to him becoming the second-in-command of the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation .

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Star Trek: Discovery

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Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.