Among the finest issues about “Star Trek” is that it could possibly get actually, actually bizarre. Science fiction tales all the time lend themselves to weird conditions, because the know-how of the long run permits us to discover concepts that will be completely unattainable in our personal world. Time journey alone has given the varied “Star Trek” crews every kind of (entertaining) complications, however in a season 6 episode of “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology,” a teleporter accident launched a implausible new headache for the crew of Captain Picard’s (Patrick Stewart) Enterprise: Thomas Riker.
After a teleporter accident throughout an away mission whereas William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Potemkin, he was rematerialized as two separate Rikers, and one among them ended up stranded for eight years earlier than reappearing within the episode “Second Possibilities,” claiming to be the “actual” William Riker. Doppelgangers from teleporter accidents had occurred earlier than, like when Captain Kirk (William Shatner) was cut up in two within the unique sequence episode “The Enemy Inside,” however this gave the impression to be one thing new. In any case, Kirk had been cut up into good and evil variations, whereas each Rikers gave the impression to be the identical man, simply with eight years of various experiences. And as an alternative of fusing the 2 Rikers again collectively, like what occurred to Kirk, the “new” Riker took the identify of Thomas and went off to steer his personal Starfleet profession aboard the usS. Gandhi. However what occurred subsequent?
Thomas Riker returned on Star Trek: Deep House 9
Thomas Riker returned in fairly spectacular vogue within the “Star Trek: Deep House 9” episode “Defiant,” revealing that he was much more rebellious than his teleporter-clone by stealing the newly commissioned and extremely vital ship, the Defiant. (It is exhausting responsible him, as a result of the Defiant might be the good ship within the entirety of “Star Trek,” even when it appears like a horseshoe crab.) It turned out that he was sympathetic to the Maquis, a Federation separatist group who rebelled in opposition to the Cardassian occupation of former Federation planets, and he tried to make use of the Defiant to attempt to discover a secret fleet of Cardassian ships. He was then captured and sentenced to life imprisonment within the Lazon II labor camp, although Main Kira (Nana Customer) understood his rebel due to her personal anti-Cardassian terrorist previous as a Bajoran resistance fighter and promised to get him out sometime.
It appeared just like the “Star Trek” franchise forgot about Thomas after that, nevertheless, and he was solely talked about within the “Star Trek” novels which can be technically exterior of the canon. Followers of one of many property’s wildest storylines had been left to ponder what occurred to Thomas after his imprisonment. Did Main Kira make good on her promise and get him out, or was he (moderately unfairly) caught there ceaselessly? Fortunately, the workforce behind the animated sequence “Star Trek: Decrease Decks” have given us hope that there is likely to be solutions sooner or later.
The animated adventures of William Riker
On “Star Trek: Decrease Decks,” Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) finally ends up having his personal twin-creating teleporter accident, and the clone Boimler chooses to take the identify William, prone to attempt to impress the ship’s captain, Will Riker (voiced in a cameo by Frakes). William Boimler finally ends up staying on the Titan with Will Riker, and Brad goes again to the usS. Cerritos. Sadly, William Boimler was then recruited into Part 31, the sketchy espionage department of Starfleet, and the group faked his loss of life.
“Decrease Decks” is likely to be planning to unite the 2 transporter twins within the fifth and last season, because the Federation was in search of Thomas Riker in season 4’s penultimate episode. In the event that they had been in search of him, which means he is possible not nonetheless in a Cardassian labor camp. The seek for Thomas was left a little bit of a thriller by season 4’s finish, as a special character burned by Starfleet took middle stage, however the items have been set into play. If anybody has the precise to be upset with Starfleet, it is Thomas Riker, however he may additionally attempt to do proper by Starfleet in the long run anyway, redeeming himself absolutely within the eyes of the Federation. Both means, there’s some main drama that might be mined from this double bother scenario, and loads of comedy too. This is hoping that “Decrease Decks” lastly provides us some solutions to decades-old “Star Trek” questions.
“Star Trek: Decrease Decks” will premiere its fifth and last season on October 24, 2024, on Paramount+.