Orphans

[imported_EdOtt]

ok i am defining as an orphan as anyone who lost at least one parent. why is it that STNG seemed to have everyone as an orphan.

Picard both parents dead
Riker mother dead
deana troi father dead
wesley father dead
dr crusher parents dead
data abandoned(ok his a droid but still)
Worf both parents dead
Yar both parents dead
geordi his mother's ship dissappears, she is presumed dead.

[ray gower]

Space is a dangerous place

But it is no different in DS9 or Voyager either. Most of the relevant crew seem to have had a distressed childhood one way or other.

[Eleniel]

Perhaps it's so you can give them all sorts of interesting phsychological problems in the present, due to their troubled childhood? I saw this theory somewhere but can't remember where, unfortunately.

[Kostmayer]

Originally Posted by ray gower

Space is a dangerous place

No kidding. I worked out once that nearly all of the main cast had died, or had appeared to die, at least once.

Picard:- Seemingly vapourised in "Gambit".

Riker:- Seemingly killed by Picard in "Gambit"

Geordi:- Seemingly killed in a transporter accident in "Next Phase"

Wes:- Stabbed to death in "Hide and Q". Apparently he was supposed to have been decapitated in "Yesterdays Enterprise", but budget restraints meant some scenes had to be cut. I'm sure many Star Trek fans would have got together and paid to see that.

Worf. Stabbed in "Hide and Q". Seemingly died in Ethics. Turned out he had a backup system.

Dr Crusher:- Seemingly killed in a shuttle in "Suspicions"

Tasha Yar:- Killed by an oil slick

Ensign Ro:- Seemingly killed in a transporter accident in "Next Phase"

And saving the best till last...

Data:- Seemingly killed by a virus in "Contagion" - he wisely rebooted himself.
Seemingly killed in a shuttle explosion in "The Most Toys"
Killed in "Times Arrow", by having his head seperated by 500 years and a few zillion miles. They just stuck it back on.
Stabbed in the back in "Thine own self", and was literally dead and buried.
Finally kicked Odo's bed in "Star Trek: Nemesis", bit of a pansy arse death, though the leap to the Schimitar was impressive.

[matisamd]

Still if you ever by an android you know its gonna last.

[Kostmayer]

And if it doesn't, there seem to be plenty of replacements lying around. Although some assembly is required, and it may try to kill you.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Kostmayer

Wes:- Stabbed to death in "Hide and Q". Apparently he was supposed to have been decapitated in "Yesterdays Enterprise", but budget restraints meant some scenes had to be cut. I'm sure many Star Trek fans would have got together and paid to see that.

How much did they want? *takes out credit card*

[Kostmayer]

I'm saving my money for the Enterprise D Shakespearean Company production of Hamlet.

Data's removable head is really gonna come in handy for that one.

[Essie]

As (mostly) adults - and not young adults - isn't reasonable that they would have lost one or both of their parents?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Essie

As (mostly) adults - and not young adults - isn't reasonable that they would have lost one or both of their parents?

That's a very good point, but less so if you look at the way they all die -violently (which I think was the original point - I can't really speak for EdOtt here). It doesn't seem to square with the Health & Safety culture on TNG. Or the fact that even in the last 20 years, life expectancies have risen considerably and should be expected to continue to do so into the 24th Century. On the other hand, Space would be a dangerous place to work, just ask any Redshirt. And the Federation does seem to have a lot of Wars. And these people are quite obviously risk-takers.

[manephelien]

Indeed they are, but the points raised are still valid. Surely there must be someone aboard the Enterprise who had a normal childhood and was raised by both parents and who's a main (or mainish) character. O'Brien?