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The obvious contrast in Mariner’s character is that she’s so experienced and well traveled, but only an ensign when the series begins (she’s had her share of demotions). The sense is that she doesn’t have the temperament to climb the Starfleet ladder — in different ways than you might expect. Sure, she’s louder and more informal than most Starfleet officers and gets thrown in the brig plenty for it, but she’s no selfish lone wolf.
Think back to the pilot, “Second Contact,” where she goes against orders to help the locals of planet Galar by delivering Federation-grade farming equipment to them. Her disobedience is guided by a strong moral compass as well as a refusal to suffer indignity. As Commander Ransom knows, you have to earn her affection and respect before she offers it. She values her friends so much that it’s the very reason she stays a lower decker; she doesn’t want to make command decisions that could cost them their lives. This speech in season 3, episode 9 — “Trusted Sources” — says it all:
“There’s a family you’re born into, right, and then the family you choose. I’ve got both here on the Cerritos. If you’re measuring by heart, this is the strongest ship in the fleet, because we’ve got the best captain at the helm — my mom.”
Mariner’s outlook isn’t that different from the other leads of past “Star Trek” shows. Think of all the times Jim Kirk or Ben Sisko violated the Prime Directive or broke the chain of command for the greater good. In the “Lower Decks” season 4 finale, “Old Friends, New Planets,” Mariner’s mother, Captain Carol Freeman, disobeys orders to rescue her. Mariner is more of a chip off the old block than she often seems.
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