The closest Star Trek ever came to having its own Han Solo was Thadiun Okona, a charming rogue who lived by his wits and didn’t care for protocol. He appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 2, Episode 4, “The Outrageous Okona,” which contrasted his very Star Wars-like persona against the spit and polish of Starfleet and the Federation. More specifically, he appeared as a slightly shadowy mirror of Commander Riker, who he closely resembled physically. And, as it turned out, this wasn't by mistake.
Okona was played by actor Billy Campbell, who impressed the Star Trek producers a great deal, so much so that Rick Berman revealed he was actually cast to play Riker early in The Next Generation's production. Campbell didn’t audition well, however, and one of the producers, John Pike, didn’t feel he had the presence to play a military leader. The role would eventually go to Jonathan Frakes, but Star Trek has a tradition of bringing good actors back in one-offs or supporting roles, and Campbell was perfect for “The Outrageous Okona."
The choice of Riker was delicate, mostly due to behind-the-scenes disagreements about who the captain should be. From the start, fans were skeptical of The Next Generation, especially when it came to the show replacing James T. Kirk. Roddenberry wanted a square-jawed leading man like William Shatner, and Patrick Stewart -- balding, English and in his mid-forties -- didn't fit the mold. Pike and Berman both championed Stewart, however, and his talent was undeniable, which convinced Roddenberry to relent.
At that point, Riker became the compromise for the creative team -- someone who more closely fit the Kirk stereotype and had the ability to lead dangerous away team missions while the captain remained safely on the bridge. Campbell possessed those qualities, and he was starring in Michael Mann’s Crime Story at the time as a dashing young police detective. The actor would go on to play the title role in The Rocketeer and the gun-toting Texan Quincy P. Morris in Francis Ford Coppola’s version of Dracula, both of which were roles that were similar to Riker.
Frakes got the part, however, and now it’s difficult to imagine anyone else as Riker. But “The Outrageous Okona” gave an outstanding platform for both characters to riff off of one another. Campbell even got to revel in the qualities that cost him Riker’s part -- a morally flexible bon vivant who got along well without Starfleet's expectations or responsibilities. But besides just giving the actors a few enjoyable scenes together, the exercise allowed a Star Wars-like character to move around in the Star Trek universe and contrast the thematic differences between the two franchises.
“The Outrageous Okona” has held up over time and remains well-liked by fans, as does Okona as a character. In fact, Campbell is slated to reprise his role for the upcoming Star Trek: Prodigy animated series. Characters like Okona have also become commonplace in Star Trek, including Picard’s Chris Rios and Star Trek: Discovery’s Cleveland. Campbell, it seems, found his niche in the franchise, even if it wasn’t the one everyone was anticipating.