J.P. Hanson

Vice Admiral J.P. Hanson was a flag officer attached to Starfleet Tactical in the 24th century, and friend to Jean-Luc Picard, commanding officer of the .
== Biography ==
Hanson first made the acquaintance of Picard, upon witnessing him win the Starfleet Academy marathon in April 2323 on the planet Danula II, the only freshman cadet to do so. Extremely impressed, he made a point of getting to know Picard, later commenting "I've never known anyone with more drive, determination, or more courage, than Jean-Luc Picard."
Years later, after Picard and his crew learned of the threat posed by the Borg, Hanson oversaw efforts to develop defensive strategies and new technologies with which to combat the extremely powerful race. Their efforts met with frustration, however, in that the limited information regarding the Borg led to conflicting ideas as how best to proceed. This situation was rectified, however, with the arrival of Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Shelby, who was successfully able to put the project on a productive track. Thereafter, Hanson worked extremely closely with Shelby, spearheading all efforts to develop defenses against the Borg.
In 2366, subsequent to the destruction of the New Providence colony on Jouret IV, Hanson and Shelby traveled to the Enterprise-D together to consult with Picard and his crew, Hanson admitting that, if the Borg were responsible, they were woefully unprepared to deal with them. After confirming that the Borg were, indeed, responsible for the destruction of the colony, Hanson returned to Starbase 324 to discuss strategy with Starfleet Command, leaving Shelby behind on the Enterprise to continue tactical preparations.
After the Enterprises engagement of a Borg cube, and Picard's capture and assimilation, Hanson mobilized a fleet of forty starships to intercept the cube at Wolf 359, in an attempt to prevent them from reaching Earth. When Shelby noted that the Borg would be prepared for the Federation's assault with Picard's assistance, Hanson bluntly informed her that Picard would never willingly 'assist' the Borg, issuing Riker with a battlefield commission to captain and stating that Picard should be considered a casualty of war. Hanson was killed in the subsequent battle as the Borg easily overwhelmed the fleet, destroying his ship and thirty-eight others. ()
By 2401, the Starfleet vessel shared a name with him. ()
== Appendices ==
=== Background information ===
Hanson was played by actor George Murdock.
He was described in the script for "The Best of Both Worlds" as "fifties, high ranking, hard driving". 
Although the script called for Hanson to appear on a bridge, the battle bridge set was used instead during filming.
Hanson was to be mentioned by Benjamin Sisko in the first season episode as having "deployed the , the , and the ". The scene was deleted or not filmed, although the reference remained in the ization of .''
=== Apocrypha ===
In the Marvel Comics Voyager "", Hanson was a close acquaintance of the Paris family, to the point that Tom Paris claimed Hanson was "like an uncle" to him.
In the Star Trek Online PVE mission "The Battle of Wolf 359", Hanson appears in a voice-only role, voiced by an unknown actor, leading the iconic battle. When things are starting to go wrong for the battle, he attempts to parley with Locutus to discuss terms of surrender, which the Borg refuses outright. His last words are the same line he tells the crew of the Enterprise.
In The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard, Hanson is the first captain of the Enterprise-C on its launch in 2323.
=== External link ===
* 
de:J.P. Hanson
ja:Ｊ・Ｐ・ハンソン
nl:J.P. Hanson
bg:Дж. П. Хенсън
Category:Humans
Category:Starfleet personnel (24th century)
Category:Starfleet command personnel
Category:Starfleet flag officers
Category:Deleted and unused material in background