Captain Liam Shaw's Interstellar Insight

As the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Titan-A, Captain Liam Shaw tended to give off the impression that he was a no-nonsense, by-the-book leader who preferred to keep his starship in order at all times.

There was truth to that perception, but as we learned throughout 's final season, Shaw's demeanor concealed hard-won wisdom and a grim sense of humor which largely stemmed from his traumatic encounter with the Borg at the . Shaw demonstrated these traits on numerous occasions, providing an array of insightful quotes that could supply both laughter and knowledge in equal measure.

During Captain Shaw's initial meeting with Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and Captain William Riker aboard the Titan-A, Shaw underlined the need for a captain to establish ground rules for their command by chastising his guests for their adventurous reputations.

Of course, Picard and Riker had sought out Shaw for precisely that sort of mission, as the two senior officers hoped to convince him to set course for the Ryton System so they could investigate a distress call from Dr. Beverly Crusher. Picard and Riker had no intention of outlining their true plan, however, choosing instead to try and charm their way into a trip toward their desired destination. Shaw continued setting boundaries for his ship, denying their request with a simple-yet-emphatic response of, "No."

As hesitant as he was to place the Titan-A into precarious situations, Shaw nevertheless opted to swoop in and save the day by preventing from capturing Picard and Riker as they explored the S.S. Eleos XII.

Shaw's dedication to duty aside, he reacted to the news that there were two additional lifesigns — those of Dr. Crusher and her son, Jack — on board the civilian craft in his own signature way. Simultaneously frustrated with the turn of events and aware of his commitment to saving lives, Shaw reluctantly ordered that all four passengers be brought over to his starship, wryly referring to his suddenly guest-filled command as a "hotel."

The ability to accurately assess your situation in order to determine the proper course of action is vital for any Starfleet officer, but captains bear the burden to an even greater extent. As leaders who must weigh the political ramifications of their options while being responsible for the lives of their entire crew, captains are regularly confronted with the need to make complex moral calculations.

Shaw was forced into such a position during his standoff with Vadic in the Ryton System, though as usual, his evaluation of the Titan-A's tactical situation was delivered with sarcastic flair. Unable to flee, outgunned by the Shrike, and with long-range comms disrupted by the nearby nebula, Shaw expressed the irony of feeling cornered in the vastness of space. Not long after this, upon hearing that an energy surge with electrical and biological signatures had been detected within the nebula in "," Shaw punctuated his exasperation by quipping, "Well, that's fun. Anyone else want to throw more weird shit at me?"

Recovering from a severe injury he sustained in the battle against the Shrike, Captain Shaw received a report from Commander Seven of Nine which detailed the presence of a Changeling infiltrator aboard the Titan-A. With Seven having been in the Delta Quadrant throughout the Dominion War, she had no frame of reference for dealing with the shapeshifting beings who could assume the form of nearly any person, animal, or object. Shaw illustrated the value of a concise description, emphasizing the ' fluidic forms with the term "goo-people."

Additionally, Shaw proposed an equally direct-yet-effective solution for the dilemma of tracking down a single Changeling among the Titan-A's complement, "Steal their pot." Clarifying that he was not referring to cannabis, Shaw briefed Seven on the Changelings' occasional need to revert to their liquid state, indicating that the culprit would have such a receptacle in their quarters.

Recounting his grisly memory of facing down the Borg Collective while serving as an engineer aboard the U.S.S. Constance at the , Shaw relayed the haunting experience of being one of the few crew members who survived the calamity. Though succinct and self-deprecating, the remark exemplified the level of personal reflection and self-awareness required for a person to serve in Starfleet, especially someone on the command track.

Sensing that his story, as well as the verbal volley he had aimed toward Admiral Picard for Locutus' role in the Borg victory, had disturbed the junior officers around him, Shaw went a step further in his bid to hold up a mirror to his behavior. Speaking to his subordinates in an apologetic tone, Shaw offered, "Forgive me. At some point, 'asshole' became a substitute for charm."

Despite Shaw's accusatory diatribe, Admiral Picard attempted to make peace with the captain in pursuit of the greater good, even playfully parroting Shaw's "dipshit from Chicago" line back to him. Having vented the anger that had boiled inside of him, Shaw responded by exhibiting the maturity inherent with his rank and position.

Although Shaw essentially let bygones be bygones, he understood that Picard only came to him because he was the lone old-school engineer aboard the ship capable of hot-wiring the nacelles. Shaw acknowledged the value he brought to the table, yet he was willing to put the safety of the Titan-A and its personnel above all else and assist Picard and Seven of Nine with the modifications. As tumultuous as his relationships with those two officers were, Shaw did not hesitate to fulfill his oath and protect his crew.

Having evaded the Shrike for the time being, Captain Riker transferred command of the Titan-A back to Captain Shaw, who had already contacted Starfleet to arrange a rendezvous.

Certain that Picard, Riker, and Seven of Nine would be held responsible for diverting his starship and undertaking their unauthorized mission to the Ryton System, Shaw made them an offer of professional courtesy strongly infused with self-congratulatory gloating. Even as he relished the thought of the officers being reprimanded for their rogue behavior, Shaw still permitted the trio with enough privacy to discuss their next course of action.

En route to meet the Starfleet delegation tasked with investigating Picard and Riker's actions, Captain Shaw filled the turbolift with the sounds of joyful humming and stated that he was feeling "chipper."

Although the former U.S.S. Enterprise-D officers hoped their illustrious careers would soften their punishment, Shaw gleefully referenced the Enterprise-D's destruction at Veridian III in , Picard's romance with Anij in , and the near-catastrophic temporal anomaly in 's "" as examples of exploits that had gone awry. At that point, the Titan-A had endured quite a stressful series of events. So, when happiness struck in the aftermath of those trials, Shaw showcased the wisdom of command and did not hesitate to express those feelings… much to the chagrin of Picard and Riker.

While seeking refuge at Commodore Geordi La Forge's , Captain Shaw revealed a previously unseen reverence for an Enterprise-D legend. As thrilled as Shaw was to meet the iconic engineer, La Forge evaluated the condition of the Titan-A in a manner that seemed as if he did not approve of Shaw's technical proficiency.

However, La Forge related to the effort involved in keeping a starship running through tumultuous ordeals, appearing impressed that Shaw had guided his vessel as far as he had. For Shaw, the honesty present in his confession that it had been a weird week only helped his cause, proving that it is important to have pride in your work and not feel ashamed to show it off. In this case, conversing with his hero turned out to be a positive exchange for the captain.

With Vadic now under control of the Titan-A, Shaw chastised Seven of Nine for not following his order to blow the turbolift, a solution that would have killed Vadic and also taken Shaw's own life. Underscoring the hard calls that every Starfleet officer must face, Shaw radiated a concern for his crew that indicated he would rather sacrifice himself than endanger them in any way. Given their hostile relationship, Shaw's words appeared to fall in line with his gruff attitude toward Seven.

However, we later learned his true impression of his first officer, as his posthumous recommendation that she be awarded her own captaincy noted that any rules she elected to break may have deserved to be broken. In fact, Captain Shaw passed the conn to Seven with his dying breath, displaying one of the most important attributes for any commanding officer: an ability to recognize their officers' individual strengths and afford them an opportunity to exercise their full potential.