10 'What Ifs' That Could Have Changed The Course Of Star Trek
2. ...Tasha Yar Hadn’t Died?
What if Denise Crosby had been given a better opportunity than just firing phasers or opening hailing frequencies?
The franchise might have lost a key part of Yesterday's Enterprise and (love or hate) Commander Sela but could it have gained more?
Yar would have remained as Tactical Officer in turn pushing Worf to Conn and replacing Geordi when he went to Engineering. The dynamic of TNG could have been changed with more main characters and potentially a lesser spotlight on Worf. Would that fling with Data from The Naked Now have turned into something bigger since viewers know he kept her hologram.
We knew about Yar's background but her continuing presence would have added a different dynamic to not just the arrival of her sister but the very fabric of the crew's relationships. There would have been very little need to introduce Ensign Ro or the variety of conn operators that filled seasons four to seven with Worf at that console.
Not just that, but what of Deep Space Nine? Voyager? Might Yar have proved popular enough to have then appeared in later series and even gained a longer recurring role like the other security chief on the Enterprise did.