Object

Riker's Cup of Steaming Tea (Ten-Forward)

A modest ceramic cup on a small saucer, containing a dark, steaming tea. Heat fogs the surface and a faint ring marks the saucer; the liquid sits at a manageable, half-to-three-quarters level. Will Riker holds or cradles the cup between lines of dialogue, lifting it to his lips in moments of private reflection. The cup acts as a tactile anchor in Ten-Forward—warmed, plain, and slightly worn rather than ceremonially ornate—registering use and proximity to the drinker while remaining visually unremarkable to onlookers.

4 appearances

Purpose

To contain a hot beverage (tea) for personal consumption.

Significance

Serves as a compact emblem of comfort and restraint: it steadies Riker during confession and watching family unfold, signals contemplative withdrawal, and punctuates the scene's shift from quiet normalcy to emotional rupture when Kyle arrives.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

4 moments

S2E14 · The Icarus Factor

Kyle's Abrupt Return — A Kiss That Tests Riker

Riker's steaming cup of tea anchors his physical stillness and provides a tactile focal point as he watches the reunion; sipping the tea underscores his attempt at calm and contrasts with the warmth of the embrace across the room.

Before: On the corner table in Riker's possession; steaming and being sipped by him.

After: Still at the corner table in Riker's possession; likely partially consumed and undisturbed by the surrounding commotion.

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S2E14 · The Icarus Factor

Family, Not Career: Riker's Quiet Isolation

Riker cradles and sips from a modest cup of steaming tea while speaking with O'Brien; the cup physically anchors him and signals private reflection. The tea underscores Riker's restraint and provides a tactile counterpoint to the warmth of Pulaski and Kyle's reunion.

Before: On the corner table in front of Riker, steaming and partially consumed, in his hand or within reach.

After: Remains at Riker's table, still containing tea; unchanged materially but now a symbol of his solitude and observation.

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S2E14 · The Icarus Factor

Old Flames, New Wounds

Riker's steaming cup of tea functions as a tactile anchor for Will's introspection and makes his seated separation visible. He sips it while watching the reunion, using the cup to steady his hands and mask emotional reaction.

Before: A half-to-three-quarters filled ceramic cup on a saucer, steaming, in Riker's hand at the corner table.

After: Still in Riker's possession at the corner table; continues to be sipped and acts as a private prop while he observes the public reunion.

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S2E14 · The Icarus Factor

Terse Choices and an Unwelcome Reunion

Riker's steaming cup of tea functions as a tactile anchor during his terse exchange with O'Brien and while he watches the Pulaski/Kyle reunion; its warmth and the repeated sips punctuate his silence and signal an attempt to steady himself amid rising personal tension.

Before: A full or mostly full ceramic cup of steaming tea on a saucer, in Riker's possession at the corner table.

After: Partially sipped; remains on the table or in Riker's hand, serving as an unresolved, quiet prop that underscores his continued guardedness.

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