Geordi La Forge became a Commodore in Star Trek: Picard season 3, and the seeds for his eventual command were planted early in TNG.
Summary
- Lt. Geordi La Forge’s role as a bridge officer in TNG season 1 set the stage for his eventual promotion to Commodore in Star Trek: Picard season 3.
- Geordi’s greatest test as a commander occurs in TNG season 1, where he must defend the Enterprise against an invisible weapon while the senior officers are away.
- Geordi’s successful command of the Enterprise-D in “The Arsenal of Freedom” demonstrates his leadership skills and justifies his eventual rank of Commodore in Star Trek: Picard season 3.
Star Trek: The Next Generation made Lt. Geordi La Forge’s (LeVar Burton) eventual promotion to Commodore in Star Trek: Picard season 3 feel inevitable. Before Geordi became Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise-D, he spent his time as a bridge officer, often manning the helm alongside Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) in TNG season 1. Many of the characters and actors were still trying to find their place in TNG’s first season, and Geordi’s position on the Enterprise wasn’t fully defined. However, being a bridge officer meant that La Forge was occasionally left in command of the Enterprise when Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the other senior officers were on away missions.
Lt. Geordi La Forge’s greatest test as a commander comes in TNG season 1, episode 21, “The Arsenal of Freedom.” After Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) becomes incapacitated on an away mission on the planet Minos, Captain Picard joins the away team to assess the situation. With Picard, Riker, and Data all down on the planet, Geordi takes over the Enterprise’s center seat. Years ago, Minos had become known for selling advanced weapons systems, and many of the automated weapons on the planet remain active. As the away team faces off against drones on the planet, Geordi must defend the Enterprise against an invisible weapon that learns from every move the ship makes.
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Future Commodore Geordi La Forge Shows He Can Command The Enterprise-D
While Geordi is in command of the Enterprise-D, he not only faces off against a seemingly unbeatable enemy, but also contends with a smug chief engineer who thinks he knows best. When Chief Engineer of the week, Logan (Vyto Ruginis), questions Geordi’s actions, La Forge stays his course and reminds Logan that Picard left him in charge. When La Forge worries about his ability to command, Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) offers advice, reminding him to encourage and show confidence in the officers under his command. Geordi stays calm throughout the entire ordeal and ultimately comes up with the solution that saves the ship.
In the end, Geordi’s plan is successful and the ensigns under his command perform exceptionally well, thanks in part to Geordi’s confidence in them. Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s “The Arsenal of Freedom,” Geordi proves his skills as a leader and a starship commander, and it’s a shame he didn’t get to command the Enterprise-D more often. Still, Geordi’s performance while in command of the Enterprise shows why he steadily climbed the ranks over the course of TNG, and why he had achieved the rank of Commodore by the time of Star Trek: Picard.
During the conflict, La Forge orders the saucer section of the Enterprise to separate, protecting the lives of the civilians on board while he takes on the weapon with the drive section of the ship. This is one of only four times throughout TNG and its films that the Enterprise-D performs a saucer separation.
Commodore Geordi La Forge Was Acting Captain In Star Trek: Picard Season 3
After TNG season 1, Geordi becomes Chief Engineer on the Enterprise-D, a position he holds for the remaining six seasons of the show. Although this promotion meant Geordi became more involved in many of the show’s stories, he no longer got the chance to command the Enterprise. In Star Trek: Picard season 3, Commodore Geordi La Forge presents his old friends with the rebuilt and refurbished USS Enterprise-D, a project he has been working on for years. As the curator of the Starfleet Museum, Geordi had access to all the resources he needed to bring life back into the old ship.
La Forge’s pet project proves to be a galaxy-saving decision on his part, as the Enterprise-D becomes the only ship unaffected when the Borg and Changelings try to take over Starfleet. As Admiral Picard, Captain Riker, and Worf (Michael Dorn) board the Borg cube to thwart their plan, Commodore La Forge takes over the Enterprise’s Captain’s chair. With help from Data’s expert piloting skills and Troi’s ability to sense Riker, Geordi and the Enterprise rescue their crew and destroy the Borg cube. Just like in Star Trek: Picard, when Geordi La Forge commanded the Enterprise on Star Trek: The Next Generation, he did so with exceptional skill, making his eventual rise to Commodore inevitable and well-deserved.
