Star Trek Suggests Riker Didn’t Become Great Until He Grows a Beard

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 5, episode 1 – “Dos Cerritos”

Star Trek: Lower Decks it just hinted that Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) didn’t become a great character until he grew a beard. Lower decks Season 5 kicked off with a season opener that found the USS Cerritos face to face (or nacelle to nacelle) with a duplicate ship from an alternate universe. As the Prime Cerritos crew members worked to find a way back to their own universe, they were paired up with their doppelgangers. This scenario provided Lower decks with the perfect opportunity to delve deeper into its characters and explore what makes them tick.

Lieutenant Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) has always been insecure about his place in Starfleet, and finding his much more confident doppelganger certainly didn’t help matters. Boimler’s alternate universe counterpart graced the cover of Starfleet’s 30 under 30 and regularly takes command of her USS Cerritos from Captain Becky Freeman (Tawny Newsome). But the most obvious physical difference between the two is that Boimler’s doppelganger sports a strong beard and mustache combination that bears a striking resemblance to Commander Riker’s.

Riker became a better Star Trek: TNG character after growing a beard

Commander Riker had a beard since Season 2 of TNG

Star Trek fans often joke that Star Trek: The Next Generation It didn’t really become good until Commander Riker grew a beard. This argument makes perfect sense, as the only season to feature a beardless Riker is TNG season 1, which is generally considered the show’s weakest season. But Riker also improved a lot as a character after he grew a beard. In Star Trek: The Next Generation In the first season, many of the show’s characters were still discovering themselves, including Riker. Riker’s TNG the first season plays by the rules and lacks the more fun personality the character would later develop.

Riker’s beard was actually a happy accident. Jonathan Frakes grew his facial hair during the break between Star Trek: The Next Generation seasons one and two and Gene Roddenberry liked his new “nautical” to look. Commander Riker kept his beard for the rest of the TNG’s seven seasons and all but one film, and is the character’s most recognizable look to date. Boimler’s Bearded Star Trek: Lower decks Duplicate radiates the same easy confidence as the bearded Riker, prompting Prime Universe Boimler to try growing a beard.

Why Boimler with a beard in Star Trek: Lower Decks makes sense

Boimler and Riker actually have a lot in common

Lieutenant Brad Boimler and Commander Will Riker have several things in common, and the beard connection between the two characters makes perfect sense. Boimler not only admires Riker, but he served briefly under the command of Captain Riker on the USS Titan in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2. However, Boimler quickly discovered that the Titan’s often dangerous mission was a little too intense for his liking and he was transferred back to the Cerritos. Interestingly, the Titan still had a Boimler on board after a transport accident resulted in a clone choosing William Boimler.

Back Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6, Commander Riker also discovered he had a transporter clone. This clone chose to be Thomas Riker and ended up joining the rebel group known as the Maquis in the same way that William Boimler joined Section 31. With Boimler’s newest duplicate, Star Trek: Lower Decks continues to point out the characters’ similarities to Riker, even giving the duplicate Boimler his own version of the Riker Maneuver when he gets up from his chair.