He’s high on the list of favoriteStar Trekcharacters, which might have something to do with his portrayal by the always-popular and highly charismatic Jonathan Frakes. When he was first introduced onStar Trek: The Next Generation, Lt. Commander William Thomas Thelonius Riker was an ambitious young officer with a stellar career ahead of him.
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Riker didn’t disappoint, and his adventures took theStar Trekfranchise and its audience well beyond the exploits of the starship Enterprise, culminating in a future where he finally had his own ship. Despite his continuing popularity, there’s a lot even dedicated fans don’t know about William Riker.
7Frakes Ran A Gaunlet Of Auditions
It might look like Frakes was the perfect and obvious choice,but the reality of it isthat he had to jump through numerous hoops before he got the part. That means seven auditions over the course of six weeks, which included being vetted by the producers of the show and Gene Roddenberry personally.
The series of trials and screen tests finally ended with the Vice President of Paramount and other various bigwigs of the television executive class approving Frakes as Riker.
6Started By The Book
The development of the character itself was a long process that didn’t stop with casting. In the first few episodes, Riker was originally designed after the character of Willard Decker, who appeared in the firstStar Trekmovie that was released in 1970. Willard was more of a boy scout, following the rules and aspiring to be as stoic as his Captain but also standing in opposition to him.
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By the end of the first season ofTNG,Riker had developed as more of a foil to the serious, even bureaucratic nature of his boss. His ambition was also tempered somewhat, and for years he was happy as the first mate and shunned any offers of his own command. This dichotomy was the focus of some compelling character-based episodes featuring Riker.
5Icarus Of Alaska
In theTNGepisode “The Icarus Factor” the fans learn more about Riker’s past. It was an interesting one in the sense that it was rather troubled, consisting of growing up in a harsh environment. That’s partly literal because Riker grew up in the Alaskan wilderness but also objective due to a fragmented and lonely family life.
Betty, William’s mother, died when he was only a toddler and his father raised him alone, at least to some degree. Painful memories of his son’s mother made spending any time with him difficult,and after a few nice momentsof hunting and fishing together, Kyle Riker abandoned his son when the boy was only 15. William held a grudge for decades.
4A Descendent Of Yankees And Mountain Men
It might have been part of the macho persona that writers tried to give William Riker when they decided he was going to be a lady’s man, but the fact is the XO of the Enterprise is descended from a laundry list of bonafide American heroes. One of the better-known is Thaddius Riker, a Union colonel who fought in the American Civil War, a name some viewers might recognize because it’s also the name of Riker’s son.
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Other ancestors include a rugged frontiersman who was his great-grandfather, dying from a rattlesnake bite after three days of intense pain, invoking images ofsettlers and hunters taming a vast wilderness. Something about seeking out new life and new civilizations sounds familiar, even if it comes at great personal risk, is something that runs in the family.
3The USS Pegasus
Riker’s very first assignment with Starfleet was on the USS Pegasus as a communications officer. He was known to his friends by the nickname “Ensign Babyface” and had a reputation for loyalty and duty. His resolve was tested when he discovered that Captain Erik Pressman was using the Pegasus for testing a phasing cloaking device.
It doesn’t sound like much of an issue, but the Treaty of Algeron made the device illegal, and the crew and officers mutinied against Pressman. Riker was one of the few to stand with the Captain and in later years would agonize over if he had done the right thing.
2Worked With LaForge First
Riker would take several assignments before finally landing on the USS Enterprise, and the Starship that preceded that famous posting was the USS Hood. He had been promoted to Lieutenant and served under Captain Robert DeSoto.
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It was Riker’s performance during a crisis that involved the Captainthat made Jean-Luc Picard take notice. The young Lieutenant refused to allow the Captain to beam down to a hostile situation on Altair III, and the incident was featured in theTNGepisode “Encounter at Farpoint.” Riker was eventually commended for his actions, and as a result, was offered command of the USS Drake or as the first officer on a shiny new USS Enterprise.
1Imzadi
Part of the drama that made up more than a fewTNGepisodes was the on-again-off-again relationship that Riker had with Counselor Troi. Some viewers might have even missedthat she was part Betazoid, and it wasn’t something that was explored in the show until later with a few episodes that involved her mother.
Troi’s alien background is where the word “Imzadi” comes from, and it’s a term of endearment that Deanna and William frequently use to refer to one another. It comes into play later in the lore, when the couple has settled into married life and Riker can put his cooking, building, and other survivalist skills to better use.
