Star Trek: TNG Understood Commander Riker Better After Introducing This Controversial Character

Jonathan Frakes' suave first officer of the USS Enterprise, Commander William Thomas Riker, is one of the most immediately recognizable and iconic characters that Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced. When TNG began, the first few seasons were closely tied to Star Trek: The Original Series. Indeed, in season 1, Commander Riker feels like The Next Generation's take on Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner). But The Next Generation improved as it grew away from the mold set by The Original Series, and Commander Riker's best episodes improved as his characterization grew beyond the example set by Captain Kirk.

As TNG progressed, USS Enterprise first officer Commander Riker increasingly proved himself to be one of the best officers in Starfleet. He repeatedly turns down promotion officers that would make him a captain in his own right, choosing, instead, to remain first officer under Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Commander Riker leads away missions, commands the Enterprise when Captain Picard is away or incapacitated, plays the trombone, and absolutely dominates at poker. However, The Next Generation didn't really develop a full understanding of Commander Riker until season 6, when a new character shone a light on who Commander Will Riker is at his core.

Lt. Thomas Riker In Star Trek: TNG Held Up A Critical Mirror To Commander Will Riker

The Lieutenant Shows Just How Far The Commander Has Come

"Second Chances" introduced Commander Riker's transporter clone, Lieutenant Thomas Riker, and in so doing threw open the doors of Commander Riker's psyche. For most of The Next Generation, Commander Will Riker seems almost unflappable, cool and confident, able to handle almost anything the galaxy throws at him. Commander Riker grows a lot over six seasons, but that growth is a subtle thing. When Lt. Riker stands face to face with Commander Riker, it immediately becomes clear just how much introspection and work Will Riker has put into his development.

Because Lt. Riker was trapped on Nervala IV for eight years, all his relationships were arrested in a pre-Star Trek: The Next Generation state. In those eight years, Commander Riker reconciled with his father, Kyle Riker (Mitchell Ryan), ended his relationship with Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), and learned to operate in the chain of command of the flagship of the Federation. Lt. Riker, on the other hand, still resents his father, wants to rekindle his relationship with Counselor Troi, and is willing to go behind his commanding officer's back in order to do what he thinks is right.

Lt. Thomas Riker shows what Commander Will Riker could have been under worse circumstances, and, in so doing, makes it obvious that Will Riker's achievements were not inevitable. Commander Riker is a paragon on the USS Enterprise not because he is naturally gifted, but because he has chosen every day for the past eight years to do his absolute best to live up to Starfleet's ideals.

Star Trek: DS9's Thomas Riker Episode Shows Both Rikers Are Rebellious

It's A Side Of Will Riker That We Don't Always See, But It's Incredibly Important

Lieutenant Thomas Riker walked off the screen at the end of TNG's "Second Chance," and only returned for one other episode of the franchise in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. In season 3's "Defiant," Thomas Riker impersonated the commander while actually working with the Maquis. For Commander Riker, this sort of rebellion and arguable betrayal of Starfleet would be almost unthinkable. But Thomas Riker is willing to die for a cause that is explicitly opposed to the Federation's agenda.

After TNG, Will Riker was promoted to captain of the USS Titan, where he continued his blend of Starfleet principles, exploratory idealism, and adventurous flair that made him such an effective first officer. Star Trek: Lower Decks made it clear that Captain Riker's command of the Titan was legendary in its time. Still, Thomas Riker was not legendary but forgotten. "Defiant" left him in a Cardassian prison, with no clear path to freedom. Thomas Riker joined the Maquis because he thought that Starfleet was incapable of protecting Federation citizens, and he was willing to pay any price to help them.

While Will Riker never joined a rebel movement for the greater good, it is worth recalling he was so insubordinate under Captain Jellico (Ronnie Cox) in "Chain of Command," that he was relieved of duty as first officer of the Enterprise. Seeing Thomas Riker join the Maquis in "Defiant" makes it clear that Will Riker's opposition to Captain Jellico was not just a flash in the pan, and that both Rikers have a moral code that is stronger than loyalty to Starfleet regulations. William Riker simply believes that Starfleet still aligns with his morals, whereas Thomas Riker became disillusioned.

Could Thomas Riker Return To Star Trek?

Signs Point To No

At the end of his appearance on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Maquis Rebel Thomas Riker was imprisoned on Cardassia. Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) was able to negotiate to have his sentence reduced from death to life in prison in the Lazon II Labor Camp. Given what DS9 showed of Cardassian prison, Thomas Riker was not in for a good time in the tender care of Cardassian justice. Lucky for him, there is some evidence that Thomas Riker did not live out the rest of his life in prison.

The Cardassian Empire was decimated by the Dominion War, and, in the chaos that followed, Thomas Riker somehow managed to win free of his imprisonment. In the Lower Decks episode, "The Inner Fight," Thomas Riker is on a list of former Starfleet officers who need to be returned to Earth for security reasons; this implies that he either was rescued, escaped, or was released at some point before 2383. But while this suggests that Thomas Riker is still alive in Star Trek canon, realistically, we will never see Thomas Riker again.

The only Star Trek shows that are coming out in the near future are upcoming seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, neither of which take place anywhere close to the late 24th century. So, the only way Thomas Riker could return is with time travel, and it is highly unlikely that Jonathan Frakes would return for such a role. In the end, Thomas Riker was an excellent addition that Star Trek: The Next Generation made to Will Riker's character, but he will almost certainly remain in the past.