Third in Command
- Thread starter Fish1941
- Start date
I think, early on, it was intended that Sulu was third in command. He was, to quote Spock, "an experienced combat officer". But he is outranked by Scotty, who is presumably in command of the ship's "support and services" (redshirt) division. So it makes sense for him to be third in command as well.
Who else did we see in command? DeSalle? Basically, the captain can leave anyone he wants in command (including Chekov). I think Scotty just became his choice due to his experience, rank, and knowledge of the ship.
Nichelle Nichols made the comment that her character Uhura was fourth in command. That I have questions about.
Apparently, even though he doesn't work on the bridge, Scott is an "officer of the line" and qualified for command. An engineering background may not be uncommon for "command" officers, Kirk seems to have been in engineering as a junior officer.
--Justin
But Scotty does work on the bridge. When it suits him. He's one of four who can work wherever they want to... Kirk, Spock, Scotty, & McCoy. But McCoy is out of the running for command, only because he's a doctor and not a starship commander. He's not even a moon shuttle conductor.
Scotty was put in 3rd of Command.
But the rarely appearing Security Chief had the rank of Lt. Cmdr. but was never in command.
And to make things more complicated what about Finney, who had the same rank as Spock!
But the rarely appearing Security Chief had the rank of Lt. Cmdr. but was never in command.
And to make things more complicated what about Finney, who had the same rank as Spock!
I'm sure it would be a Star Fleet regulation that anyone who rises to the Chief of Engineering position would have to be fully qualified as a Bridge officer.
Wasn't that one of the things MLK Jr. told her in their infamous meeting?
"You're 4th in command Miss Nichols, you musn't quit the show."
And it's Kirk's regulation that he can put anyone he wants in charge.
In the novel, The Kobayashi Maru, it is flatly stated that Scotty originally went to Command School, before OFFICIALLY becoming an engineer...
In terms of the show itself, this is something that HAD to be the work of Gene Coon, who greatly expanded the Scott role, and gave Jimmy Doohan a lot of nice things to do.
In terms of the show itself, this is something that HAD to be the work of Gene Coon, who greatly expanded the Scott role, and gave Jimmy Doohan a lot of nice things to do.
I have a hard time with Kirk putting whomever he wants next in command when he's not aboard. That would potentially put a junior in a position over a senior, which is not a good situation and, judging from the rank relationships seen elsewhere in TOS, would probably be contrary to regulation. I prefer to think that examples like Checkov's, mentioned above, are instances of Kirk giving the watch (or "the deck" in USN terms) to an officer present on the bridge, but there would be a more senior officer elsewhere who was actually next in command and could take the conn or the watch from Checkov if necessary.
--Justin
--Justin
Scotty was also a good choice because he was fiercely loyal. He always followed kirk's orders to the word, while at the same time doing everything by the book (requiring verification when needed.) he'd also rather see the ship destroyed than fall into enemy hands. All this together with him knowing the ship inside and out makes him, IMO, the best choice.
Yes, that was right after he told her that she must one day do a fandance in a movie.
Maybe this is an indication of Kirk's unusual Command style?
Does this make Chekov "Second Officer" or just the guy taking the "Con"?
"The guy who takes the conn" It was already established earlier on that Kirk was going to turn the ship over to Scotty. It went to Chekov presumably until Scotty could get up to the Bridge, also James Doohan wasn't in that episode.
As far as we know from the show, there is no 'third in command'. However, if both Kirk and Spock were somehow killed or otherwise incapacitated without a chance to hand over the conn to someone else, it should fall on to the highest ranking command officer of whoever remains, like in that TNG episode where Troi ends up in charge of the bridge (I think the ep was 'Disaster').
Of course, they're faced with that conundrum in the new movie, and Kirk, who had just been kicked off the ship and was still a cadet, takes command... so... what the hell ever.
Of course, they're faced with that conundrum in the new movie, and Kirk, who had just been kicked off the ship and was still a cadet, takes command... so... what the hell ever.
Similar threads
