Star Trek: 10 Riker Romances That Were A TOTAL Security Risk
3. Personal Leverage
To be clear from the outset, no finger of accusation is being pointed at Riker for this one. In fact, if Worf needed backup rescuing Deanna from Vadic, we'd have been ready to lock and load.
The last time we saw Will and Deanna in Star Trek: Picard, they were enjoying the cosy life, baking pizza and tending the garden. But by Season 3, Riker's been pulled into the latest threat to the galaxy, and unfortunately, Deanna gets dragged along with him.
Their newest adversary, Vadic, is trying to prise intel from Riker, but he refuses to talk despite the brutal and bloody methods being used. But then, Vadic reveals she's captured the one person he couldn't bear to see tortured. Deanna.
There may have been some things that Star Trek: Picard didn't get quite right, but one thing it definitely nailed was making Vadic an antagonist that gets right under your skin.
Riker's relationship being used against him in such a repellent way is unforgivable. And we'd be behind Riker going to the ends of the galaxy to save Deanna. But it does highlight the security risk of Will and Deanna having served together on the USS Titan after marrying. Their relationship gave any enemy looking for leverage an obvious target.
We're going to give Riker a pass on the Vadic saga, though. Deanna would still have been safely at home if it wasn't for Picard's family drama.