Is T'Pol a good captian?

[Admiral Kirk 1]

At the end of the last new ENT episode T'pol is given command. I understand that Enterprise is outmatched and outnumbered but in no time at all the ship is being blown to pieces and T'pol sits there like a deer caught in the headlights. She's not that inspiring either. Tripp has to almost drag her to the bridge. Spock did a better job in tos. Then again Spock probably had more experience dealing with humans and combat situations too. I've been told her behavior is linked to her disease but that was not stated or emphasized in this particular episode. Maybe Tripp should take over in the future. What are you opinions?

[TransporterMalfunction 1]

In my opinion Trip should be given command for long term situations. The reason is because Enterprise is an Earth ship not a federation ship, hence the captain should be human. This would also fit with the fact that humans are still meant to distrust Vulcans to some degree.

[Admiral Kirk 1]

I had thought of that plus she's a civilian. Its interesting Earth would allow a civilian to possibly command a mission that could save or destroy the planet. Perhaps Archer was given a bit of leway.

[Guest Ktrek]

Having watched every episode of ENT I think the writers have allowed T'Pol's character to fall out this way on purpose. She is behaving very un-Vulcan like. We will find out the reasons why here shortly. If she had been in her normal mental state she could have easily taken command of the ship and made the appropriate judgement calls. The mistake lies with Archer who has been blind to her condition.

 

Ktrek

[fenriz275 0]

I think the mind meld really did more damage than everyone thinks, she's been very unVulcan since that happened.

[Red Shirt Volunteer 0]

Yes, could it be an interaction between the Pa'nar syndrome and the trellium?

 

On a side note, why are there so many apostrophes in Vulcan names for things and people?

[Guest Ktrek]

Well I can tell you that the mind meld is not responsible. If you really want to know click:

 

Click for Spoiler:

It is to be revealed in either the next episode or the one after that T'Pol has been experimenting with the Trellium which is what causes Vulcan's to go insane. She has been experimenting on herself by taking small doses, potentially to immunize herself from it's affects. Much like taking small gradual doses of asenic. Over time you can develop a tolerance for this highly toxic poison. However, she now has become addicted to the substance.

 

So I hope that answers some questions as to her behaviour.

 

Ktrek

[fenriz275 0]

That's very interesting, thanks for the spoiler.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Yeah the meld may have also exacerbated an already existing condition but remember The Seventh also, those events occured before Broken Bow and must somehow fit into what's happening to her.

 

So we have The Seventh, the Meld and the Trillium-d all working together against her. We add all those things to the fact Humans run things completely different from the way things would go down on a typical Vulcan ship (the way she was most likely trained) and the result is a recipe for the disaster we've witnessed.

 

Things seem to me to be right on schedule, ENT (and where we are being led to with T'Pol) rocks.

[Trinneergirl 0]

Ktrek I had heard that

 

Click for Spoiler:

T'Pol became addicted to Trellium when she was on the Vulcan ship in Impulse and was so wowed by the emotional experience that she continued to use it.

 

Morpheous, the insider guy over at Trek BBS, claims she is not taking the Trellium to try and accustom herself to it. It is a means to achieving emotional 'highs'.

 

 

No doubt we will find out the truth in the fullness of time!

 

But that said, I agree with the Admiral Kirk. T'Pol is useless in command and always has been, in my opinion. She has no proper rank, no noticable command presence or ability. Also, she's a quitter. Whenever the going gets tough; the Seventh, Twilight, Atazi Prime, The Xindi, she just flakes out or runs away.

 

I agree too, with TransporterMalfunction. Trip should be given command for long term things like the Captain deciding on a suicide run. Not only is Connor so much better as an actor and a presence in the big chair, but to see the civilian catsuit in command is just so silly! I cannot see how the MACO's would even consider taking orders from a Vulcan, civilian passenger.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I've never felt that it was proper for her to take command since she has been more of an "adviser/observer/aid" and not an official Starfleet crew member.

[Guest Ktrek]

TransporterMalfunction[/b]nbsp]

I also agree that Trip has a much better command presence BUT would it not be a break in protocol if you looked over your "First Officer" to give command to someone else?

 

As to what Morpheus has said we will see if that's true or not. Some of the things he has said have been reliable and others not. One thing he said is that Jolene would be leaving and they were going to kill off her character if I remember right. That would be fine with me but I haven't heard anything more since.

 

Ktrek

[Theunicornhunter 2]

As to what Morpheus has said we will see if that's true or not. Some of the things he has said have been reliable and others not. One thing he said is that Jolene would be leaving and they were going to kill off her character if I remember right. That would be fine with me but I haven't heard anything more since.

Oh if only it were true.

 

I've never liked T'Pol as a character but I do have to wonder why no one picked up on her bizarre behavior - other than the crew isn't familiar with Vulcans and doesn't know what to expect. Trip was probably on too much of an ego trip to realize their encounter was very out of place for Vulcans.

 

I too think Trip has more presence in the big chair (still love Cease Fire)

 

The thing is - her incompetence almost got the ship destroyed and cost the lives of several crewmen. I wonder if there will be any consequences for this or if Archer will say "oh there there now...you look too good in a catsuit for us to be mad at you." Can you imagine what would happen if a command rank officer in today's military nearly lost a ship and lost several crewmen because of drug addiction?

[Stelfan 0]

Trip should be second in command, T'Pol is not from Starfleet, she is a civilian and it seems illogical that she should be subcommander (I wonder why she hasn't realized that herself )

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

she's a horrible captain...

[Star Trek Fan 0]

No way, No way...

[Trinneergirl 0]

I think she should have been bumped to a civilian Head of Science when she left the VHC. This whole series her continued prescence as First Officer when she's not even an officer is, to me, just ridiculous.

 

And, although I really, really want a fourth series of Enterprise, if she remains First Officer after being so wilfully incompetent, well, it may just be the straw that gave this dromedary sciatica!! How could anyone trust her? No military, or even civilian scientific ship today would keep as First Officer someone who has a degenerative brain disorder, who's judgment is totally suspect and who's choice to become as affected as T'Pol has done has led to almost total disaster and the deaths of many crew.

 

Would you trust her in a life or death situation to make the right decisions? I'm darned if I would. I wouldn't follow her into an egg and spoon race, let alone battle.

 

But as TheUnicornHunter so rightly says

 

The thing is - her incompetence almost got the ship destroyed and cost the lives of several crewmen. I wonder if there will be any consequences for this or if Archer will say "oh there there now...you look too good in a catsuit for us to be mad at you."

 

It does seem that anyone who looks good in a catsuit can obtain high, (if usually unspecified rank), in the future. Kira in DS9 upon occasion commanded the Defiant although she was supposed to be a Bajoran Major who's whole job was liason between Starfleet on DS9 and Bajor. Seven in VOY seemed to become part of the senior staff and Head of Astrometrics in next to no time, T'Pol is First Officer, because although she and Trip have the same rank, technically, she has held it for longer. Now T'Pol has no VHC rank.... but she's still First Officer. At least Kira was a military person, (and Nana Visitor was an actress who could make you believe Kira was a tough, smart fighter). Seven had knowledge of the Borg space that made her useful. I just don't see any reason for T'Pol to have maintained her position as second in command whens she's got no proper rank, is fatally ill with a degenerative brain disorder and has never been good under pressure. I think Jolene Blalock's been unexpectedly good as T'Pol, but the lietmotif of the catsuit promotion has no place in society now, let alone the future.

 

Give Trip the First Officer's job. Tear him between his duties and the engines he loves. Make T'Pol civilian Head of Science. Have her get used to the fact of her actions having consequences. Have her get used to being sometimes out of the loop. Give Archer and Trip more scenes together. Scott and Connor just spark in any scene together. Scott and Jolene, don't.

 

Just my tuppence ha'penny!

[chunderfish 0]

Very well put Trinneergirl - I agree that it does seem ridiculous that T'Pol is still in her old job and the writer's haven't even bothered to reference the decision making that went on to allow this. Trip seems unconcerned and after having it done to him once in the first ever show one would have thought he might have had something to say about her retaining the position. (Although in Hatchery he did try to relinquish the position in Reed's favour didn't he?). As Ktrek observed - the fact that she is still First Officer after all that has happened is down to Archer's failure to notice anything wrong.