Whenever I re-watchStar Trek: The Next Generation, I look forward to seeing Chief Miles Edward O’Brien (Colm Meaney) in the transporter rooms of the USS Enterprise. Although Chief O’Brien first enlisted in Starfleet during the war against the Cardassians, during his lifetime of service to the United Federation of Planets, Chief O’Brien served many roles. From Tactical officer on the USS Rutledge, to Transporter Chief duringTNG, to Chief Engineer duringStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chief O’Brien proved capable of rising to any occasion set before him.
So, I was inclined to agree withStar Trek: Lower Decks’tribute to Chief O’Brien, declaring him the most important man in Starfleet history. Chief O’Brien bridged the gap betweenThe Next GenerationandDeep Space Nine, and over his longStar Trektenure,Chief O’Brien had some great episodesin both shows. Nevertheless,I don’t really remember much about Chief O’Brien from the early seasons ofTNG.Since the character didn’t really come into his own until later, I was pleasantly surprised to realize just how long Chief O’Brien has been a part ofStar Trek.
Chief O’Brien Was In Star Trek: TNG Since Its Season Premiere
But He Didn’t Get A Name Until TNG Season 2
In the very first episode ofStar Trek: The Next Generation, “Encounter at Farpoint,” Colm Meaney walks onto the Enterprise’s battle bridge. In the credits for the episode, Meaney is credited as “Battle Bridge Con,” not “Miles O’Brien.” Indeed, in this first appearance, Meaney wears the red uniform of Command Division, rather than Chief O’Brien’s normal gold Operations Division uniform. Colm Meaney would appear in one other episode ofTNGseason 1, “Lonely Among Us,” this time in his classic uniform, credited as “First Security Guard.” So,although Chief O’Brien was there from the beginning, his character was undefined.
In this first appearance, Meaney wears the red uniform of Command Division, rather than Chief O’Brien’s normal gold Operations Division uniform.
Chief O’Brien didn’t receive his surname untilStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 2, episode 7, “Unnatural Selection,“whenColm Meaney finally officially appears as Transporter Chief Miles O’Brien.Not only does Chief O’Brien feature in this episode, but his specialized transporter knowledge is also instrumental in solving the crisis of the episode, just one of the many timestransporters saved lives onStar Trek. From this episode onward, Chief O’Brien became a regular onTNG, even if he wasn’t a part of the bridge crew.
This Great Chief O’Brien Star Trek: TNG Moment Proved Why He Deserved To Become A DS9 Main Character
One moment in Star Trek: TNG proved that Chief Miles O’Brien was a complex character who belonged in the main cast of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
InStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 4’s “The Wounded,” Chief O’Brien gained a backstory, fleshing out his character. It’s not really surprising, then, thatI didn’t draw a connection between the Transporter Chief war veteran and the unnamed command division bridge officerfrom “Encounter at Farpoint.”
Chief O’Brien Appeared In 212 Episodes Of Star Trek Over 12 Years
Making Him One Of The Most Important Men In Star Trek And Starfleet
I thought I loved Transporter Chief Miles Obrien inStar Trek:The Next Generation, but I didn’t know just how epic he could be until I watchedStar Trek: Deep Space Nine. In total,Chief O’Brien was in 52 episodes ofTNGand Chief Engineer O’Brien 160 ofDS9- nearly every episode of the series led by Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks). All told, Colm Meaney had an incredible 12-year run onStar Trekpacked with some of thebest episodes ofDeep Space NineandThe Next Generation.
Although a statue of Chief O’Brien is shown inStar Trek:Lower Decks, Colm Meaney did not voice Miles O’Brien in the episode.
Chief O’Brien more than earned hisStar Trek: Lower Decksshoutout fighting Cardassians voles on Deep Space Nine and battling microbes in the transporter matter stream on the Enterprise. Ultimately, Chief O’Brien got a near perfect ending onDeep Space Nine, returning to Earth to teach at Starfleet Academy, finally finding a balance between his obligations to his family and to Starfleet.
8 Best “O’Brien Must Suffer” Star Trek: DS9 Episodes
“O’Brien Must Suffer” is a subgenre of Star Trek: DS9 episode that gave Colm Meaney new acting challenges. So which of the Chief’s worst days is best?
I may have forgotten that Chief Miles O’Brien was in the very first episode ofStar Trek: The Next Generation, but I could never forget the incredible contributions Chief O’Brien made toStar Trek.
