Star Trek: The Next Generation - Ranking Every Major Character Worst To Best

Over the years, Troi has been subject to criticism- some of it justified. As a ship's counselor, she has stiff competition from Guinan. Guinan seems to be better suited for the role, honestly. And, as an empath, her insights can be a little vague. It doesn’t take an empath to guess that a Romulan is “hiding something.”

But, as a character, Troi has a riveting arc throughout the series. A lot of entertaining episodes are Troi-centric. Take, Face of the Enemy, when Troi is kidnapped and forced to pose as a member of the Romulan Tal Shiar. Episodes like this one really pushed Troi out of her comfort zone as a character. Something the other main characters aren't subjected to quite as often.

One of Troi’s most engrossing arcs is when she decides to become a bridge officer. Under the guidance of Riker, Troi undergoes her own version of a Kobayashi Maru- or an unwinnable scenario. In it, Troi has to send La Forge to his death to save the Enterprise. Granted this takes place on the holodeck, but she passes the test and it’s a huge moment of growth for her character.