Originally introduced on Star Trek: The Next Generation, the planet Risa is a tropical vacation resort world. We first see the planet in a TNG episode titled “Captain’s Holiday.” As the story goes, Captain Picard—who’s always a little bit stuffy and stoic—is in desperate need of some R&R. Riker, being the eternal hornball that he is, suggests Risa.
Riker does make one request of Picard while he’s on shore leave: he wants him to pick up a fertility statue called a Horahgan. Little does Picard know that the Horahgan is the Risian fertility symbol. That’s right, Riker sends Picard to Risa for shore leave in order to get him laid.
A few years later, in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Let He Who Is Without Sin…,” Commander Worf, Dax, Dr. Bashir, Leeta, and Quark go on their own vacation to Risa. This time, we get a little more backstory on the planet: Risa was originally a rainy, swampy mudball. However, years ago, weather control systems were put in place that rendered it a tropical paradise.
Finally, Risa gets a little bit of its own retroactive history when it is shoehorned into the Star Trek: Enterprise series. And because Enterprise basically borrowed heavily from both TNG and DS9, once again our heroes get involved in some bizarre shenanigans under the guise of straight-up hedonism.
The problem with this retroactive addition to the Star Trek canon is that it makes the “Captain’s Holiday” episode of TNG seem a little confusing, as that episode suggests Risa is the galaxy’s best-kept secret. Of course, this is a classic problem with prequels attempting to shoehorn in new elements of continuity.
If I’m being honest, though, my version of a Risian vacation wouldn’t involve any of the off-the-wall shenanigans that every Starfleet crew seems to attract. In every single one of these episodes, the characters run straight into trouble—probably because, let’s face it, Starfleet officers just naturally attract chaos wherever they go.
Instead, I’d probably just want a lounge chair, a good book, some sunbathing, and a chance to splash around in the water. Truth be told, I was never really much of a beach person until I lived in South Carolina. As I like to joke around with people now, after living there, I finally feel like I can appreciate the music of Jimmy Buffett. There was something very alluring not just about that boating and beach culture, but about the ocean itself. I’ve never been surfing, but if I had, I probably would have turned into one of those spiritual surfer dudes—because there is definitely a deep connection to nature out on the water.
So if the likes of Quark, Dr. Bashir, Charles “Trip” Tucker, and Malcolm Reed could all find what they were looking for on this alien pleasure planet, a quiet beach day can’t be too bad, right?
Later this morning, Episode 3.6 of Rebuilding Rob: The Podcast drops right here on the blog. Titled “Everything’s Coming Up Rob,” we’re exploring what happens when you finally stop bracing for impact, break the old conditioning, and accept the earned return.
Stop back by at 10:00 AM for the audio, the full breakdown, and the rest of the story. 🎧
Rebuilding a life takes grit, consistency, and a lot of ‘Option C’ thinking. Having crossed the 1,000-day milestone, I’m now charting the territory beyond. The mission remains the same: No glitz. Just the work. New to the blog? Start your journey here to see the blueprint and the ‘Tricorder’ perspective behind the rebuild.
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- Captain’s Holiday: Why Risa is the Ultimate Sci-Fi Getaway
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The article “Captain’s Holiday: Why Risa is the Ultimate Sci-Fi Getaway” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob
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