Star Trek: Top 10 Riker Moments

9. He Doesn't Need To Be God - Hide And Q

Star Trek The Next Generation Hide And Q Riker And Picard
CBS Media Ventures

Imagine being granted the powers of a god, then being told you shouldn't use them. It would be enough to turn any person's head, as indeed it threatens to do to Riker in Hide And Q.

Having already encountered that titular trickster in Encounter At Farpoint, Riker was armed with knowledge that the Q could do almost anything that their imagination could conceive. To then be presented with that power, however fleetingly, would be enough to turn anyone's head. For a short time, it threatens to turn Riker.

In the midst of his developing arrogance, he is brought back down to Earth by Picard. A lesser man might have scoffed at his captain, so puny in their human state, ordering him to anything. But not Riker. He listens, he learns. He may be a little slow on the uptake, but bear in mind, he hadn't yet grown the beard.

With great facial hair comes great wisdom.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"