Star Trek: Top 10 Riker Moments

3. Thad And I Will Be Waiting For You - The Last Generation

Star Trek Picard The Last Generation Riker
CBS Media Ventures

The loss of Thaddeus Riker hit Will and Deanna as hard as anyone could expect. In one of Star Trek: Picard's most realistic storylines, the Rikers are revealed to be somewhat distant, with neither truly having been honest with the other in their grief.

Though Deanna tried to help Will through his pain, her empathic abilities only served to numb him to his loss - thus leading to resentment. By the beginning of Picard's third season, both spouses needed a break from each other.

By The Last Generation, they have been thrust into the middle of a Changeling-Borg plot to take over Starfleet. Riker boards the Queen's Cube, ready to fight to free Starfleet's youth from her control. Things go south and for a moment it seems as though he will be consumed in the explosions surrounding him. He takes that moment, not to bemoan his fate, but to send his love to Deanna - promising that wherever he is about to go, he will be waiting for her with their son.

Not a dry eye in the house.

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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"