Current Events > Who was 5th in command of the Enterprise in Star Trek TNG? (spoilers)

(+) Yeah! (+)

I know by the end Troi got promoted but before then it went:

Captain: Picard
1st officer: Riker
2nd officer: Data
Bronze medal: Worf

All of whom had at least some experience and training for the matter.

Troi (pre promotion) and Crusher were senoir officers but had no real experience. I mean Troi crashed the damn thing in the movie.

And I just can't see La Forge commanding the ship, the dude can't even get a girlfriend and loses at poker despite being able to tell when pepole are lying. I mean he was piloting the damn thing in Season 1.

Say season 2 of TNG. La Forge has barely warmed up the Warp core when Cardassians attack and shoot the bridge killing Picard, Riker, Data and Worf instantly. Crusher isn't even on board.

Who takes command of the ship?

Troi? La Forge?
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Wesley

It's probably some officer that isn't really a character.

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pegusus123456 posted...

It's probably some officer that isn't really a character.

You know you're probably right since the ship is supposed to have a 3 shift rotation yet Data/Worf/Picard and Riker all are on the bridge at the same time even when no crisis is happening.

So there's probably like 9 super capable commanders officers we never fucking see.
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whoever levar burton was
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Whoopi Goldberg's character, obviously. She's the smartest person there by a long shot, on a ship full of exceptionally smart and capable people like Picard and Data.

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I like how Troi doesn't understand what a warp core breach would do to the ship.

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In all likelyhood La Forge. Despite his social awkwardness he is generally capable enough to get things done. Sure, he'd probably screw up a few things were he to take command, but he'd do no worse than Worf.

Also, I recently watched the double episode 'Gambit', where Picard and Riker are kidnapped and pressed into a smuggler group.
Meanwhile on the Enterprise, Data takes command and has Worf as his first officer. Worf publicly questions and objects to Data's decisions, which Data eventually reprimands him for, and proposes that if Worf feels he can't get in line as first officer, La Forge could take his place instead.

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UnfairRepresent posted...

You know you're probably right since the ship is supposed to have a 3 shift rotation yet Data/Worf/Picard and Riker all are on the bridge at the same time even when no crisis is happening.

So there's probably like 9 super capable commanders officers we never fucking see.

That would be a great mini-series spinnoff. TNG; Afterhours. Like every episode that currently begins with them finally leaving orbit, it turns out it was the 3rd shifts rotation time down on the planet, while the people we know were having yet another poker party.

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It would probably pass to La Forge, and to Dr. Crusher after that

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MeIon Bread posted...

I like how Troi doesn't understand what a warp core breach would do to the ship.

As an empath, she'd feel it soon enough.

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Technical decision-making typically is separated from command.

In TNG, uniform color is codified as follows...

Red = Command: Picard (C), Riker (1st),... Laren?
Yellow = Operations: Data (2nd) [Security: Yar, Worf; Engineering**: La Forge, O'Brien,... Barkley?]
Blue = Sciences [Medical: Crusher (B), Polaski; Counselling: Troi,... Guinan?]

Otherwise, as senior commanding officer, La Forge.
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Aressar posted...

Meanwhile on the Enterprise, Data takes command and has Worf as his first officer. Worf publicly questions and objects to Data's decisions, which Data eventually reprimands him for, and proposes that if Worf feels he can't get in line as first officer, La Forge could take his place instead.

This is strange. Data was Operations CO (Sec., Eng.) under Picard before Worf replaced Yar. Worf wouldn't know Data's leadership-style for command, but he would for operations.


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Let's face it, trying to make sense of the Star Wars command structure is a lost cause here ;p

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Worf was not in line for command of the Enterprise. He was only a Lieutenant. He didnt become a Lt Commander until Star Trek Generations and he didnt start command training until DS9.

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UnfairRepresent posted...

You know you're probably right since the ship is supposed to have a 3 shift rotation yet Data/Worf/Picard and Riker all are on the bridge at the same time even when no crisis is happening.

So there's probably like 9 super capable commanders officers we never fucking see.

Thats kind of funny. I imagine the other shifts are boring and nothing happens. Then when the featured shift takes command shit magically goes down.

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BeyondWalls posted...

Worf was not in line for command of the Enterprise. He was only a Lieutenant. He didnt become a Lt Commander until Star Trek Generations and he didnt start command training until DS9.

He was still senior staff and I think he had command training. Remember he was command at first until he moved to operations when Tasha went belly up

CapnMuffin posted...

Thats kind of funny. I imagine the other shifts are boring and nothing happens. Then when the featured shift takes command shit magically goes down.

Well this would be the reality.

If a crisis happened the other shift would call Picard and Data and the senior staff to handle it

Although i think in reality Riker, Data and Picard would command seperate shifts.

Despite paying this lip service now and then the only time the show ever tackled the shift rotation to my knowledge was when Star Trek Voyager said Harry Kim works double shifts so he can get command experience and run the bridge at night

and if the Borg turned up, he would call Janeway, he wouldn't handle it himself with a bunch of ensigns.
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I already told you guys

treewojima posted...

Wesley

In S1 Arsenal of Freedom Geordi is put in charge (above Worf IIRC), the current Chief Engineer is there to doubt him, but I definitely think that puts him as 4th or 5th.

Maybe it changes when he is made chief engineer, but it's good evidence he'd be next of the crew we know.

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I'd definitely say LaForge would be next. Although, it's strange when I think about it, but in Voyager Kim takes the night shift command but I can't ever think of a time of B'Elana taking command.

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Ranting Nord posted...

I'd definitely say LaForge would be next. Although, it's strange when I think about it, but in Voyager Kim takes the night shift command but I can't ever think of a time of B'Elana taking command.

It was established that Kim volunteered for that

B'Elana hates everyone and everyone hates her so she's not going to command shit outside of a crunch
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Sure, but you'd think there would be some kind of rule like "Oh hey, you have a higher rank, you're in charge in X situation. Get over youself."

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I think after Data next in command is situational between La Forge, Worf, Troi, and Dr Crusher. For instance I've seen Troi in command when it was more civilian based and Crusher when it's more medical based.
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Alakazamtrainer posted...

I think after Data next in command is situational between La Forge, Worf, Troi, and Dr Crusher.

No. Geordie, Troi, and Crusher all out rank Worf. Theyre Lt Commanders. You guys understand that Worf is only one step above an Ensign, right? Theres a reason he calls Geordie sir.

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BeyondWalls posted...

No. Geordie, Troi, and Crusher all out rank Worf. Theyre Lt Commanders. You guys understand that Worf is only one step above an Ensign, right? Theres a reason he calls Geordie sir.

It gets confusing but rank in a combat or crisis situation doesn't automatically mean command.

If you got Dr Crusher and Worf on the bridge and the Cardassians are attacking trying to kidnap the King of Bolias then you're going to want Worf in charge due to his experience and skill. Even if Crusher outranks him.
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UnfairRepresent posted...

If you got Dr Crusher and Worf on the bridge and the Cardassians are attacking trying to kidnap the King of Bolias then you're going to want Worf in charge due to his experience and skill. Even if Crusher outranks him.

When there's an issue that Picard, Riker, etc. must attend to personally, they assign command to the next ranking officer in-line or on-board according to the needs of the situation.

[ For a tactical situation, Worf likely would assume command. For a medical supplies situation, Beverly likely would assume command. Etc. ]

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Geordi after his promotion

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Are medical doctors even in the command structure in the Star Trek universe?

Atralis posted...

Are medical doctors even in the command structure in the Star Trek universe?

Yes

At least Bashir and Crusher were. I think part of their training is for taking command in a medical crisis, especially on a deep space vessel.

There is more than one time where Bashir and Miles are in a situation in DS9 and Bashir is always in command despite Miles have 17 billion times more experience than him.

Ironically The Doctor wasn't even though he took command.

I think Phlox and McCoy weren't though. I don't even think Phlox went to the academy.

But as the other user said I think it would depend on the situation. You wouldn't put Crusher in charge to handle a Romulan attack on Moon Base 2

And you wouldn't put Worf in command of dealing with a Plague on Rigel IV.

Picard could handle both in his sleep.
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UnfairRepresent posted...

It gets confusing but rank in a combat or crisis situation doesn't automatically mean command.

If you got Dr Crusher and Worf on the bridge and the Cardassians are attacking trying to kidnap the King of Bolias then you're going to want Worf in charge due to his experience and skill. Even if Crusher outranks him.

Absolutely not. No. That's not how it works. Case in point, Troi is automatically given command over everyone on the bridge during the Quantum Filament disaster even though she has no command experience. She carried a courtesy title of Lt Command and she was still recognized as being in charge.

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It's UR, he doesn't really use logic to argue. Don't bother replying to him

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