The captain of the Excelsior-class USS Hood and William Riker's commanding officer before his transfer to the USS Enterprise-D, seen on screen in the 2366 episode Tin Man.
Captain Robert DeSoto is first mentioned in Encounter at Farpoint, when Picard questions Riker about refusing to let his captain beam down to Altair III because he judged it too dangerous. Riker's readiness to stand by that decision helps to win Picard's respect.
DeSoto appears in person in Tin Man, played by Michael Cavanaugh. The Hood makes an unexpected rendezvous with the Enterprise to deliver the Betazoid first-contact specialist Tam Elbrun along with urgent orders concerning a living starship found near Beta Stromgren.
Speaking over the viewscreen, he greets his former first officer warmly, teases him about still not having taken a command of his own, and warns Picard that Elbrun was a difficult passenger.