Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) has always been scapegoated for crashing the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek Generations, but the truth is that she was never to blame for the crash. Troi served as ship’s counselor on the Enterprise-D for all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but worked in later seasons to expand her role on the ship, obtaining a promotion to commander after passing the Bridge Officers Test in TNG season 7, episode 16, “Thine Own Self”. This new rank included shifts overseeing the bridge as part of her duties, which meant she was present on the bridge more often and occasionally piloted the ship as well.
Unfortunately for Troi, her most memorable time piloting the Enterprise-D ended in disaster. Toward the end of Star Trek Generations, the ship had to separate the saucer section in order to save the crew from a warp core breach. This maneuver was successful, but just as Troi took the helm and was about to engage impulse engines, the shockwave from the exploding warp core disabled the saucer and pushed it into the atmosphere of Veridian III. Troi was forced to pilot the ship into a crash landing on the planet, completing the Enterprise-D’s total destruction since the saucer was irretrievable after the crash.
Why Troi Was Never To Blame For Star Trek Generations’ Enterprise-D Crash
While many still unfairly blame Troi for the Enterprise-D’s destruction in Star Trek Generations, the crash was not her fault, but rather an unfortunate set of circumstances out of anyone’s control. Had the warp core breach that caused the crash not happened prematurely, Troi would very likely have been able to pilot the saucer section out of harm’s way since she engaged the impulse engines quickly. As it was, without helm control and already caught in the planet’s atmosphere, Troi’s only option was to land the saucer on Veridian III with minimal loss of life or injury, something she achieved impressively well under the circumstances.
It is not hard to see why Troi would be blamed, instead of celebrated for saving the crew. She was not a pilot by training, and the Enterprise-D was a beloved ship whose demise was disappointing to many. However, laying the blame solely at Troi’s feet doesn’t take into account all the circumstances. No one could have predicted when the warp core would explode, and Troi was working with a disabled helm and very little time to maneuver. Even Starfleet’s best starship pilot could not have stopped a crash under those conditions. As it was, Troi managed to pull off a mostly by-the-book landing and save hundreds of lives.
Troi Flying The Enterprise Saved Picard In Season 3
Despite continuing to have bad luck at the helm post-Star Trek Generations, including having to destroy the Enterprise-E in Star Trek: Nemesis, things turned around for Troi in Star Trek: Picard season 3. During the climactic battle against the Borg Queen, Troi saved Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), Worf (Michael Dorn), and her husband William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) from certain death, using her empathic powers to locate Riker on the Borg cube and pilot the ship to his location. Not only did Troi ensure that everyone survived, but her piloting skills had clearly improved over the years as she was able to navigate the tight spaces in the cube with no difficulty.
While Troi saving the day in Picard season 3 was seen as a redemption for the crash in Star Trek Generations, the truth is that there was nothing she needed to be redeemed for. The Enterprise-D’s destruction, while sad, was completely unavoidable, and Troi did the best she could with the circumstances she was given. Hopefully, Troi’s rescue in Picard season 3 will finally put the issue of whether she deserves to be blamed for the Star Trek Generations crash to bed.
