WILLIAM RIKER

'William Thomas Riker' is a fictional human Star Trek character portrayed by actor Jonathan Frakes. He appeared in '' as the ''Enterprise''-D's executive officer from 1987-1994. Following the end of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' the character was also seen in the ''Next Generation'' era films ''Generations'', '', '', and ''. The character was also seen in cameo appearances on '' and ''.

Contents

Character story

Back story

TNG TV story line

TNG movie story line

Alternate timelines and universes

External links

Character story

Back story

The back story for the character states that William Thomas Riker was born in Valdez, Alaska, on Earth in 2335 to Kyle and Betty Riker. His mother passed away at age two, leaving his father, Kyle, to raise him on his own. Kyle raised William until he was fifteen years old, when he abandoned his son. He resented his father for this and the two became estranged for fifteen years. William entered Starfleet Academy at the age of eighteen in 2353. He went on to graduate eighth in his class in 2357.
After graduation, Ensign Riker was posted to the U.S.S. '' as a helm officer under then-Captain Erik Pressman. He served aboard the ''Pegasus'' until 2358, when the ship was mysteriously lost with all hands except himself and Captain Pressman, who escaped in an escape pod. Following the loss of the ''Pegasus'', Riker was temporarily stationed on the planet Betazed. While on Betazed, Riker met, and had a serious relationship, with his future ''Enterprise'' crewmate, Deanna Troi.
Lieutenant Riker chose his career over his relationship with Deanna, left Betazed, and accepted a posting to the U.S.S. ''Potemkin''. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander while serving aboard the ''Potemkin'' following a rescue mission on the planet Nervala IV. Unbeknownst to him, a transporter malfunction created a duplicate Riker, which became stranded on the planet's surface.
Following his posting to the ''Potemkin'', Lieutenant Commander Riker accepted the post of executive officer of the U.S.S. ''Hood'', under Captain Robert DeSoto. While serving aboard the ''Hood'', Riker was offered the command of the U.S.S. ''Drake''. He turned down the captaincy, and remained aboard the ''Hood'' 2364, when he requested a transfer to the newly-commissioned, Galaxy-class, U.S.S. ''Enterprise''-D under Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Picard went through several candidates, and finally selected Will as his "number-one."

TNG TV story line

The Riker character appeared in the pilot episode of ''The Next Generation'' and every episode of that show afterwards.
Commander William T. Riker was transported to planet Deneb IV in 2364 by the U.S.S. ''Hood'', where he was transported aboard the Enterprise, where he assumed his posting as Picard's executive officer. Riker then discovered that his former "Imzadi", Deanna Troi, was posted to the ''Enterprise'' as well, as ship's counselor. The two became close friends again while serving as crewmates.
In late 2366 Riker was offered the command of the Excelsior-class U.S.S. ''Melbourne''. During the Borg incursion the same year, Will passed on the command, and remained aboard the ''Enterprise''. Not long after, the ''Enterprise'' encountered a Borg cube. While trying to outrun the vessel, the Borg overtook the ''Enterprise'' and kidnapped Captain Picard. Riker assumed command of the ''Enterprise'' at this time. In early 2367, with Picard now assimilated by the Borg, Admiral Hansen gave Riker a field promotion to Captain of the ''Enterprise'', Picard was officially declared lost.
Riker commanded the ''Enterprise'' to Wolf 359 after repairs were made from the subsequent Borg attack to join a Starfleet task force in engaging the Borg there. When the ''Enterprise'' finally arrived at Wolf 359, Riker discovered the task force had been obliterated by the Borg, and realized that the ''Melbourne'', the ship he was offered the command of, was one of the destroyed ships. He ordered the ship to follow the Borg to Earth, where he was successful in destroying the Borg cube before it could assimilate the planet. Picard recovered from his assimilation, and resumed his command of the ''Enterprise''. Riker chose to remain aboard the ''Enterprise'' as Captain Picard's first officer, even though his previous first officer, Commander Shelby, noted he would be given his choice of commands.

TNG movie story line

The Riker character has appeared in all the ''Star Trek'' movies since ''Generations'' (1994).
Riker was in command of the ''Enterprise'' in 2371, when Captain Picard became a hostage of the Klingon sisters Lursa and B'etor, in exchange for the return of chief engineer, Geordi La Forge. Unbeknownst to Riker, Geordi's VISOR was altered so the Klingons could acquire crucial information, notably the ''Enterprise's shield modulation. Knowing the shield modulation, the Klingons opened fire, crippling the ''Enterprise''. Riker, with the assistance of Worf and Data, successfully destroyed the Klingon vessel. Following the battle, it was discovered that the attack damaged the warp core, and a breach was inevitable. Riker ordered the evacuation of the star drive to the saucer section, and performed a saucer separation, leaving the damaged star drive behind. The blast from the warp core breach damaged the saucer section, which crash landed on the planet. The vessel was not salvageable, and was declared lost. Riker told Picard he was disappointed that he would never become Captain of the ''Enterprise''. Picard reassured him that Starfleet would likely build another ''Enterprise''.
In 2372, Riker was posted to the newly commissioned Sovereign-class USS ''Enterprise''-E, along with Captain Picard, and the rest of the senior staff, and resumed his role as executive officer. The following year the ''Enterprise''-E followed the Borg back in time to 2063 Earth, to repair the timeline and prevent the Borg from assimilating Earth. Riker led an away team to the planet to locate Zefram Cochrane, and ensure he made his historical first warp flight on time. After Deanna located Cochrane they explained why it was crucial that he make his flight as scheduled. After convincing Cochrane, he assisted with repairs to the ''Phoenix'', and accompanied by Geordi, participated in Cochrane's first warp flight, securing the timeline, as the Vulcans made first contact with Earth following the flight.
In 2375, Riker commanded the Enterprise following Picard's abduction by the Son'a while in orbit of Ba'ku homeworld. While attempting to clear the Briar Patch so he could notify Starfleet of the situation, the ''Enterprise'' was attacked and crippled by two Son'a vessels. It was during this battle that he performed what Geordi La Forge called the "Riker Maneuver." He collected volatile gases in the Bussard collectors and vented it in the path of the Son'a vessels. When the vessels fired on the ''Enterprise'' again, their weapons ignited the gas, crippling one Son'a ship, and destroying the other, allowing the ''Enterprise'' to escape.
Riker and Deanna Troi rekindled their romantic relationship in 2375 during the Ba'ku mission. The two continued there romance following the mission, and became engaged sometime afterwards. In 2379 Riker was offered a promotion to Captain and command of the U.S.S. ''Titan''. Riker accepted the offer and was to be transferred to the '', along with Deanna Troi, after the couple's wedding in 2379.
In 2379 on Earth in a ceremony performed by Jean-Luc Picard, William Thomas Riker married Deanna Troi. While en route to Betazed, where he would assume command of the ''Titan'', the ''Enterprise'' was ordered to Romulus at the request of the Romulan government. Riker remained on board the ''Enterprise'' as Picard's first officer, as his trip to Betazed was postponed. Participating in his final mission as first officer of the ''Enterprise'', he helped prevent Shinzon's viceroy from kidnapping Captain Picard when the ship was boarded. Furthermore, he helped fend off Shinzon's planned destruction of Earth, and later, the ''Enterprise''. Following the mission, Riker was promoted to Captain, and assumed his command of the ''Titan''.
The rest of the character's story line so far comes from novels.
As Captain of the Titan, a vessel specifically designed for exploration, Riker was severely challenged from the outset, which is not surprising considering his unusually long apprenticeship as executive officer of Starfleet's flagship. Deanna Troi became not only Riker's wife, but also counselor and diplomatic officer of the Titan, and together they have already survived several dangerous adventures on-board Riker's new command.

Alternate timelines and universes

Various TNG episodes have explored how the main characters would be different in alternate timelines or universes.
In 2370, the ''Enterprise''-D encountered a quantum fissure, which caused Lieutenant Worf to jump between different quantum universes. In several of these universes Riker is the Captain of the ''Enterprise'', as Picard was lost and never recovered from the Borg cube that invaded Federation space in 2366-2367. Captain Riker of the ''Enterprise'' helped discover a way to close the quantum fissure and return Worf to the correct universe.
Later that year, Q started shifting Picard back and forth between three different time frames, trying to help him close an anomaly that would revert, and consequently eradicate all life on Earth. In the future time frame, Riker was promoted to Admiral, and the ''Enterprise''-D was his flagship. Riker and the ''Enterprise'' rescued Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. ''Pasteur'' from a Klingon attack in 2395. Following this, the reunited crew of the ''Enterprise'' discovered the temporal anomaly, and devised a way to close the anomaly, saving humanity from its inevitable destruction.

External links

★ Character biography at official Star Trek website