star trek's most hated captain

Every Star Trek Captain Ranked Worst To Best

There are questions that history's greatest minds have long assumed could never be answered. "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" "If a tree falls in the woods, and nobody is present, does it make a sound?" "Which Star Trek captain is the best?"

Well, "maybe one, but it would hurt," "yes," and "we've got you covered" are the answers, respectively, but the third answer is definitely the most complicated. Star Trek has been, in one form or another, in near constant production since it first aired in 1966. Over the course of seven series, 13 movies, hundreds of novels, and three official themed cruises, the various commanding officers of the franchise's ships and space stations have vied for our nerd affections with bestial aplomb. Here, we'll take a deep, objective look at six decades of Star Trek history to decide, categorically, which Starfleet captains did and did not suck real hard. Let's start at the bottom and work our way forward, keeping in mind that all of these rankings are backed by scientific study and that this puts the whole subject to bed once and for all.

Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager

Coming in at number  terrible  is one Captain Janeway of the USS  Voyager , the only member of this list to get their crew stuck in the inky blackness of space and not get them home for seven whole seasons. 

Janeway, portrayed by Kate Mulgrew of  Orange is the New Black,  had a long road ahead of her from day one. She was the first female captain headlining a  Star Trek  series, and nerds aren't famous for loving change. Then, with that super unfair strike already against her, she took command of the ship just before it was sucked through the Array and spit out 70,000 light years from home. 

But how would you make lemonade if the universe didn't chuck a couple of lemons your way? And yes, she was right. The powers in control of the Array posed a very real threat to the Ocampa. But instead of technobabbling a time bomb together, setting it to "as soon as we leave," and heading back home in time for whatever the post-capitalist version of happy hour is, she blew up her only way back on the spot and condemned the folks under her protection to a long and arduous journey. Combine that with the fact that it took two of her to beat the Borg when it's only ever taken one Picard, and you've got yourself the bottom of the barrel. 

Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek: The Original Series

Captain Pike, as portrayed in the original pilot episode of Star Trek, was less than notable. "There's no such thing as a second shot at a good first impression," folks say, and Pike was living proof. He didn't seem to like his job very much, even complaining about the difficulties of command right off the bat. 

But sometimes a person can shine just by not doing much of anything at all. The captains of all of the ocean liners besides the Titanic looked pretty good the day the Titanic sank, just by right of not hitting an iceberg. And you know what Pike never did? He never got his crew lost 70,000 light years from home. And that, if literally nothing else, puts him higher on the list than Janeway. 

Bonus fact: He got to retire in an illusion free from pain and disability in the original series two-parter "The Menagerie," making his twilight years kind of a proto- Black Mirror spec script.

Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek (2009)

Reboot Pike is a horse of a different color. He gets a leg up on the original Pike on account of how he actually, you know, did something. 

The rebooted Pike had a rare gift that so many leaders stumble without: He had faith in people. He saw the untapped possibilities in his fellow man and encouraged folks to live up to their potential. He was the kind of boss who sought out talent and opened doors for his protégés. 

That said, he put his faith in Kirk as a leader, indirectly causing an awful lot of disasters, including airlock breaches, ill-advised underwater space ship adventures, and, one has to assume, the rapid spread of space chlamydia. We also only got to see him in command for about four minutes before he went and surrendered to time-displaced Romulans in a beefed-up mining ship, which, on the spectrum of ways to judge an employer, even the worst Panera Bread swing shift manager has never had to do. He also let the lens flare situation on his ship get ridiculous. 

Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek reboot series

Nobody is denying that the J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies were a good time, or that, by extension, "Sabotage" isn't a humdinger of a song. But let's look at the Chris Pine Kirk's track record as the commander of a starship.

Part of the problem was always going to be that he had the Shatner Kirk to live up to. Shatner Kirk had a long and illustrious career as a Starfleet captain, spanning three seasons of the original series, a year of the cartoon, and seven motion pictures. Whereas he kept the OG Enterprise running for two whole television shows before it needed so much as a refitting, Reboot Kirk managed to hold the captain's chair for all of two movies before his ship wound up more smashed than Scotty on Whiskey Wednesday. And from a pedantic point of view, it's worth mentioning that when the 1960s Kirk said "red alert," everyone walked calmly to their stations in a collected manner. Chris Pine Kirk's crew, through all three of his movies, was constantly running in a fear-induced panic, which, at least in our experience, isn't the sign of an effective workplace dynamic.

Captain Gabriel Lorca in Star Trek: Discovery

Let's address the (super spoilery) elephant in the room: Yes, Captain Lorca was (again, spoilers) evil, hailing from the troubling Mirror Universe. But sometimes people exhibit personal characteristics that overshadow their flaws. In Lorca's case, he had gravitas. Not a lot of other high-ranking Starfleet officials, Machiavellian or not, could've pulled off that "context is for kings" speech and still gotten away with having a pet tribble. 

And more than that? He was compelling. For over five decades, Star Trek has taken place in a world where characters with a military disposition are, with very few exceptions, severe bad news. From Captain Tracey in the original series to Admiral Robocop in Into Darkness , any time a Starfleet higher-up has made the scene with warhawk intentions, they've wound up causing a stir. Lorca was down to torpedo Klingons from day one and still kept you wondering whether he was really the bad guy for the better part of a season.

Captain Jonathan Archer in Star Trek: Enterprise

Captain Jonathan Archer has a special place in Star Trek history . As the first starring-role captain chronologically, he became a hindsight-fueled model of the traits that other commanders would strive toward. As the man in charge during the chapter of the franchise that would bury any attempts at another series for more than a decade, he tends to be an audience whipping boy. Can we blame him for that? The shows had been running, often two at a time, for nearly 20 years by the time Enterprise went off the air. Fatigue happens. 

Archer helped to create the United Federation of Planets. He made first contact with species that would become staples of the Star Trek landscape. He was the first Starfleet captain to lay waste to the Borg, traveled through time, fought the Nazis, and had a dog who was, if nothing else, weapons-grade adorable (and which Scotty may or may not have murdered .) 

He was also kind of boring. Anyway, he tried.

Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series and the original films

Oh, William Shatner Kirk. Star Trek 's first captain. You ran a loose ship and wore a tight pair of trousers. Kirk has the distinction of somehow being both the most underrated and overrated captain in the franchise's history. On side A, he was a surprisingly thoughtful leader, considering that his show was so frequently "Voyage to the Planet of the Heavy Handed Metaphors." He considered his options and generally came off as hesitant to resort to violence. Bully for him.

And then there's side B. Kirk was, as has been picked up on by some of the show's more observant viewers, kind of a filthy degenerate. He had a penchant for jumping into every situation involving anything lady-shaped, then warping off to get cigarettes and never coming back. Kirk's propensity for leaving in a hurry became such a trope that it wound up being the central and secondary plot points of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It takes a special kind of not-so-great to have an entire movie, in which you're the hero, based solely on your gigantic flaws.

Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek: Discovery

When Star Trek: Discovery started brushing up against the timeline of the original series, it reintroduced Captain Pike, and this time, baby, he was ready to party. It was time for an all-new, all-different Pike. He was brightly clad and having a great time. It was sort of the shot in the arm that a frequently dour, grit-covered, post-Christopher Nolan Star Trek needed.

Thoughtful? For sure. Vulnerable? Yeah, and scared of spiders. He brought a blue-collar panache to his duties that brought him closer to being an audience surrogate than we'd seen from a captain in a while. And in the end, his story, which longtime viewers will know was bookended from the start, was one of self-sacrifice for the greater good. He was tragically mutilated in the line of duty, saving the lives of young cadets and being exposed to delta radiation in the process. What's more, thanks to a premonition given to him by a time crystal, he knew that it would happen if he kept living the way he had been, and the son of a gun kept going. That, friends, is a real champ.

Captain Philippa Georgiou in Star Trek: Discovery

The USS Discovery  has had a small army of captains, but none of them has stood out in quite the same way as Philippa Georgiou. Played by celebrated  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star, Bond girl, and original lineup Guardian of the Galaxy Michelle Yeoh, Georgiou has a lot going for her. She's not "no nonsense," but she's certainly "reasonable nonsense." She's witty, clever, and optimistic to a fault, even when it means getting her neck all sucker Vulcan pinched by her favorite kid in class. 

And as for (more spoilers) her death? She went down Butch and Sundance-style with Michael, the aforementioned neck-pincher, fighting ultra-ribbed Klingons on an ill-advised mission to snatch their leader. The only thing more intense than that, at least in Star Trek, would be to have the Klingons eat your corpse afterwards, which also totally happened to her. Georgiou, man. She's metal to a hard 11. Plus, who else has a Mirror Universe doppelganger that gets sucked into our plane of existence and winds up being offered a job? She really only loses points for having a last name that takes a xenolinguistics expert to spell.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the TNG films

The old tropes are dead. Nobody's arguing over whether Kirk was better than Picard anymore. Picard was better. Don't let the whooshy automatic door hit you on the way out.

Jean-Luc had it all. He was strictly business in the daytime and hardcore, dripping hot, pennywhistle party at night. Picard stuck to his principles. He ran a tight ship. He knew how many lights there were, and he wasn't afraid to say it. He kept a whole on-again-off-again thing going with the ship's doctor for years without making things weird, severely stunting a whole generation of nerds' expectations for what workplace relationships should look like.

And really, he was a great character to put in charge of a starship. He respected other cultures, even when it wasn't easy. He took his bridge crew's feelings into consideration, even when he was just listening to Worf for long enough to tell him "no." He was best friends with Whoopi Goldberg. What didn't he have? 

And in case it slipped your mind, Patrick Stewart is the only actor who's walked away from being a Star Trek captain to have a successful movie career. The next most successful performer on the list had to shill Priceline for a living. Picard reigns supreme.

Captain Benjamin Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Tough love time, nerds. You want to know who the real heroes are? They're the ones who show up to work every day, even when it isn't an adventure. They try their best and keep positive in the face of a crappy nine to five. They're the inner city high school principals who could've gotten a job somewhere else, but they didn't because they recognized that they were needed where they were. They're Benjamin Sisko of the Deep Space 9 space station, and they deserve more recognition than the William Shatner bootlickers are giving them. 

So yeah, let's run down all the stuff that makes Sisko awesome. Kept a multi-species, post-war space station running on fumes and posivibes for the better part of a decade? Check. Helped to keep Quark's Bar — a small business trying to stay afloat in a microcosm of galactic society being run by a government without money — above water and even thriving? You bet he did. And what's more, he commanded a gigantic station with multiple holodecks aboard with, relatively speaking, a minimal number of incidents where said holodeck tried to take over or kill the organics. 

Most remarkably? In  Star Trek' s regularly technicolor world of saccharine, binary morality, Ben Sisko dealt in shades of grey. He made hard choices. He got things wrong. He learned and adapted. He wasn't the perfect human, but he was trying to get better. And that's what  Star Trek  is all about.

30 years ago, the most hated Enterprise captain changed Star Trek for the better

Captain Jellico is back, and the impact Ronny Cox had on the franchise is clear.

On December 21, 1992, Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox) gave up command of the USS Enterprise , handing the proverbial space keys back to Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). The tenure of Captain Jellico during “Chain of Command” Parts 1 and 2 was short but impactful. Now, 30 years later, Jellico is back in Star Trek canon via Prodigy , and sci-fi legend Ronny Cox thinks the legacy of his divisive character is stronger than ever.

In Prodigy , Cox has returned to the Trek fold after three decades to provide the voice of Jellico, now an Admiral and the superior to Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). In Prodigy , Jellico is asserting his renowned acerbic and no-nonsense command style, just as he did in The Next Generation back in the day.

“Jellico has always been a character that people love to hate on,” Cox tells Inverse . “I mean, either they think he's the greatest captain ever, or they really hate his command style. So it was flattering that [Paramount] wanted me to come back.”

In “Chain of Command,” Picard is sent on a covert mission, and the Enterprise temporarily gets a new Captain. Jellico insists on new duty rotations, bosses people around, messes with the decor of Picard’s ready room, and orders Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) to change into a more traditional Starfleet uniform, all of which makes him incredibly unpopular. It’s in his last order that Cox feels like Jellico had a positive impact.

Captain Jellico (Ronny Cox), Troi (Marina Sirtis), and Riker (Jonathan Frakes) in “Chain of Command.”

“Marina [Sirtis] was anxious to get out of that outfit and into a uniform,” Cox says, referencing the catsuit-esque costume Deanna Troi wore before Seasons 6 and 7 of TNG . “So, I think that Jellico having her wear a [standard] uniform was at her request. Totally. Also, we took the fish out of the ready room. Patrick Stewart had always felt that we were doing a series about the dignity of all species. And all of a sudden we’ve got a captured fish in his ready room? What was that about?”

In Prodigy , Jellico is much the same as he was in TNG , though outside of actual Trek canon, the reputation of Cox’s character is much bigger than what’s actually seen on screen. Jellico was a punchline in Lower Decks Season 1 when Mariner (Tawny Newsome) worried about getting a substitute captain who would be “a babysitter Jellico type.” And for the faithful, Jellico is the subject of many memes that paint him as the kind of person who tells horrible pun-laden dad jokes to the crew of the Enterprise.

Cox says he is aware of the other life Jellico has online, and approves of it.

“Oh yeah, the bad puns!” Cox says gleefully. “I love that. That’s sort of in my wheelhouse of humor anyway. It’s fun to groan along with everyone else.”

From RoboCop to Total Recall , Cox has a knack for playing a certain kind of science fiction character. Not a villain, per se, but someone at odds with the protagonist. In Prodigy, he’s giving Janeway a headache, but Cox doesn’t think his characters are wrong , nor do they see themselves as bad people.

“I mean, Jellico did a lot of things that were right,” Cox says. “There are several people on the internet who say Jellico is maybe the best captain they ever had. And you know what? Maybe they’re right.”

Star Trek: Prodigy airs its Season 1 finale on December 29, 2022, on Paramount+.

This article was originally published on Dec. 21, 2022

• Science Fiction

The Main Star Trek Captains Ranked Worst To Best

The "Star Trek" universe is as vast and diverse as the galactic adventures the series has chronicled across film and television. The franchise has left an indelible mark on our humble planet since the original series first debuted in 1966. In the intervening years, a unique and talented crop of trailblazers have assumed the helms of various Federation ships, taking us on voyages to new adventures, battles, and shows of diplomacy.

What has always differentiated "Star Trek" from that other space franchise is its focus on embracing new species and cultures, fostering peace, and learning how to live collectively. Sure, phasers are cool, but weapons never steal the show like lightsabers do. Instead, "Star Trek" paints a picture of a utopian world that's starting to look pretty good to present-day viewers. Accordingly, the captains on this list represent the best of the best that "Star Trek" has to offer, and it is with a gentle pride that I will try to rank them. Each one of these leaders have taught us that space is not something to be conquered, but a realm of possibility that we should do our best to understand.

12. Carol Freeman

Launched in 2020 as part of producer Alex Kurtzman's massive deal with Paramount, "Star Trek: Lower Decks" is the ninth series in the franchise, but the first to focus on the lower-level positions on a starship. That means that we don't spend as much time with the captain as we might on a regular Star Trek series. Still, Captain Carol Freeman keeps us entertained. Voiced by Dawn Lewis, Captain Freeman commands the USS Cerritos in 2380. Her daughter, Ensign Mariner, also works aboard the ship, but the pair have decided to keep this bit of family news a secret to the rest of the crew.

The "Lower Decks" pilot introduces the initial friction between Freeman and her daughter. Freeman doesn't want Mariner on the ship, and enlists Ensign Boimler to help catch her daughter breaking any rules. This family conflict adds a layer of depth to this unique outing in the long-running franchise. How different would "The Next Generation" have been if Picard's mother also worked on board the Enterprise?

11. Gabriel Lorca

Captain Gabriel Lorca became the commander of the USS Discovery after a stint captaining the USS Buran, which was destroyed by Klingon forces. When asked to compare Captain Lorca to other captains on the final frontier at San Diego Comic-Con, actor Jason Isaacs said, "I'm not allowed to say that he's probably more f***ed up than any of them" (via TV Line ). Some fans might recognize Isaacs from his role as the dastardly Death Eater Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, but his performance as Lorca is very different. Here, he plays a secretive and charismatic leader with short black hair that's very different from the long, blonde locks he sported in the wizarding world.

Loca's relationship to the so-called "Mirror Universe" adds some fun twists and turns to the story and definitely livens up this prequel series, which focuses on the Klingon War. Isaacs only appeared on "Star Trek: Discovery" during the first season, which is part of the reason why he comes in at number 11 on this list.

10. William Riker

Although he has appeared on many different Star Trek series, including "Voyager," "Enterprise," "Picard," and "Lower Decks," Riker is best remembered for his time as the USS Enterprise's first officer on "The Next Generation." During his original outing, Riker famously had to take over as captain of the Enterprise when Jean-Luc Picard was captured and assimilated by the ultimate big bad, the Borg.

Riker eventually took over a ship of his own, the USS Titan, and was most recently seen as the acting captain of the USS Zheng He on "Picard." Riker is also married to fan-favorite Deanna Troi, the half-human, half-Betazoid who served as the Enterprise's counselor.

Despite his many appearances across the franchise, Riker has never starred in his own spinoff. However, if the success of the Paramount+ series "Picard" tells us anything, it's that fans are always clamoring for more appearances from "The Next Generation" alumni. Bonus points go to actor Jonathan Frakes, who, in addition to playing Riker, also directed many episodes of various Star Trek series and went on to helm "First Contact," one of the best films featuring the cast of "The Next Generation" (he also directed its follow-up, "Star Trek: Insurrection," but that wasn't quite as successful).

9. Johnathan Archer

Is there anywhere that Scott Bakula hasn't boldly gone before? The veteran actor has starred in such hit shows as "NCIS: New Orleans," "Men of a Certain Age," and "Quantum Leap," the latter of which earned him a Golden Globe and four Emmy nominations . As such, it was no surprise when he joined the Star Trek universe, playing Captain Johnathan Archer, the Earth-born commander of the USS Enterprise NX-01 .

Following the success of juggernauts like "Deep Space Nine," "Voyager," and "The Next Generation," "Enterprise" had big shoes to fill. Scott Bakula's Captain Jonathan Archer does an able job, but this prequel series set one hundred years before the original show couldn't compete with its predecessors, and was canceled after four seasons. "Bakula gives the Capt. Kirk thing his best shot, but the script is riddled with clunkers and jargon," the Washington Post observed when it reviewed the show back in 2001.

We don't usually associate fear with being a good captain, but Saru proves us wrong. Played by the talented Doug Jones, Saru is one of the only non-human captains on our list, even if his reign wasn't long. Before his stint as captain, Saru served as a science officer and lieutenant commander, first on the USS Shenzhou and then on the USS Discovery. He is a Kelpien, which is a prey species that lives in a constant state of fear. He is also adept at sensing threats, particularly impending death, which is a pretty important skill to have when you're leading a ship.

Saru was promoted to first officer by Captain Lorca, but it was during a particularly harrowing debacle in the Mirror Universe that Saru had to step up as acting captain. For his contributions to the war against the Klingons, Saru was awarded the Starfleet Medal of Honor, making him the first Kelpien to receive that award. His brave mission on Qo'nos, which brought about the end of the war, showcased this Kelpien's bravery. His ascendancy was one of the first times that Star Trek gave a non-human the captain's chair (fan-favorite Klingon Worf never made it higher than lieutenant commander), which is why Saru beats out some other captains on this list.

7. Benjamin Sisko

The '90s were a great time to be a Star Trek fan. Between "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," and "Voyager," fans had a Star Trek series to watch for nearly 14 consecutive years. As played by Avery Brooks, Captain Benjamin Sisko was an important trailblazer in the Trek world, too, as it was the first time in series history that a Black actor played the lead.

Prior to his role commanding Deep Space Nine, Sisko had a varied and successful Starfleet career. One of his first assignments was aboard the USS Livingston. A few years later, he was promoted to first officer of the USS Okinawa.

The series was unique in that it was the first Star Trek production to debut after Gene Roddenberry's death, and Captain Sisko is one of the great leaders of the Star Trek universe. Some fans speculate that Brooks has largely retired from acting — his last major role was in 2001 — but this optimist is hopeful for a day when Captain Sisko returns in a new Star Trek series. Would it be so wrong to get all these captains to join forces to help take down the Borg? I would love to see that!

6. Christopher Pike

Christopher Pike is no stranger to the Star Trek universe. He first appeared in the rejected pilot for the original series. In fact, if that pilot had been picked up, the world might never have gotten to fall in love with Captain Kirk. Since then, Pike has been reimagined a few different times, including in recent film adaptations. He had a role on "Star Trek: Discovery" that was so well-received that, in 2022, he received a spinoff of his own, "Strange New Worlds." Jeffrey Hunter, Sean Kenney, and Anson Mount are among the actors who have played this character, who is the super-meta embodiment of alternative timelines.

In Polygon's review of "Strange New Worlds," it called the series " a deliberately old-school Star Trek show, returning the franchise to its roots as an episodic series that takes on a 'problem of the week' and then boldly goes on to the next one." The popularity of Pike, and Mount's interpretation in particular, allows Trek fans to indulge in nostalgia and simplicity, as the show focuses on the same basic tenets of great storytelling that made "Star Trek" so popular in the first place.

While some might dwell on what could have been if we'd lived in a pop culture world dominated by Pike instead of Kirk, his resurgence confirms our fascination with the strong, silent type and our desire to go boldly into space with Captain Pike.

5. Michael Burnham

Born in 2226 to human parents, Michael Burnham was raised by the Vulcan ambassador Sarek and his human wife. They instilled in her a thirst to be a powerful Vulcan, which is part of what inspired to join Starfleet.

Burnham is a unique entry on this list because of her criminal background. After a debacle onboard the USS Shenzhou during which she incapacitated her captain, Philippa Georgiou, Burnham was charged with mutiny, subjected to a court martial, and sentenced to life in prison. Not exactly the ideal start to a hero's journey, but after Captain Lorca invites her aboard the USS Discovery to assist in the Klingon War, her destiny irrevocably changes.

As Burnham, actress Sonequa Martin-Green makes history as the first Black woman to lead a Star Trek series; what makes her rise to the top so exciting is that she doesn't become captain until season 3. Referring to the reactions of Star Trek fans, Martin-Green had this to say to the Associated Press : "The response that I've gotten has been overwhelmingly, overwhelmingly uplifting. There were bits here and there that I was not surprised by. But the stories that I have heard, the heart-to-heart exchanges that I've had with people already, it's mind blowing." Burnham is a Starfleet captain we won't forget for centuries to come.

4. Dal R'El

When Paramount wanted to create an expanded universe of Star Trek series, it put its trust in veteran writer and producer Alex Kurtzman to make these dreams a reality. His $160 million deal has resulted in five new shows for the streaming platform.  "I do believe that the line between movies and television is gone now, and that to me is a tremendous opportunity," Kurtzman told the New York Times .

One of those shows, "Star Trek: Prodigy," is an outlier in the Trek world, as it is a series aimed specifically at younger audiences . Its featured captain, Dal R'El, is voiced by Brett Gray, and worked as an indentured prisoner in the Tars Lemora Mining Labor Camp before assuming the captain's seat in the USS Protostar.

Dal R'El captures the experience of many young viewers when they watch a Star Trek series for the first time. Often, these kids are outcasts who are learning how to make their uniqueness work for them. More than the others who came before him, this spunky captain represents all the weirdness us Trekkies sometimes feel, and we live vicariously through his experiences, letting us see what it would be like to be a young and scrappy captain in space. It's a perspective that we've never seen before in the franchise, which is part of what makes Dal so magical, and the reason why he ranks higher here than some other fan favorites.

We're excited to see what Dal R'El gets up to next, but in the meantime, the standout episodes "Time Amok" and "A Moral Star" should tide you over and give you a good sense of what he's all about.

3. James T. Kirk

You can't have Star Trek without Captain James T. Kirk, which makes it kind of scary that we almost did. If NBC had picked up the original pilot back in 1965, we never would have gotten to know him. Luckily, this franchise has had so many spinoffs, reboots, and new perspectives that there's something for everyone, and I'm happy to live in a world with Kirk as our OG Captain.

Kirk's mustard yellow space suit made him an icon, and he's been a pop culture staple since he first captained the Enterprise back in 2266 — or 1966, depending on your perspective. In addition to his time on "The Original Series," Kirk made appearances in a string of feature films, including the juggernauts "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn" and "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," before passing the torch to Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: Generations." He later returned in J.J. Abrams' rebooted film series, where he was played by Chris Pine, and on "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," where he's portrayed by Paul Wesley .

The actor who first played Kirk, William Shatner, recently went to space in real life. The 90-year-old actor flew to the edge of Earth's atmosphere in one of Jeff Bezos's ships. "That was unlike anything they described," said Shatner in an interview with the Associated Press . Kirk walked so that every other captain could fly.

2. Jean-Luc Picard

There is perhaps no living actor who conveys peace and hope better than Patrick Stewart. The veteran English actor has played Captain Jean-Luc Picard since the late '80s, when he starred in the ultra-popular "Star Trek: The Next Generation." He has since reprised his role as Picard in four films and a continuation series on Paramount+, which is aptly titled "Picard."

No moment in television was scarier than the two-part "The Next Generation" episode "The Best of Both Worlds," in which the Borg capture and assimilate Picard. While many of the episodes of "The Next Generation" are standalone outings, season 4 devoted ample time to exploring Picard's PTSD as he re-acclimatizes to human life. It is a serious and realistic portrayal of trauma, and only further solidifies Picard's leadership abilities; he handles all of life's challenges with a grace and calm that we can only envy and hope to emulate.

"I felt that after 176 hours of television, which is what 'The Next Generation' was, and four feature films, that I had nothing more say," said Stewart in an interview with Rolling Stone before he was approached to star in "Picard." " Picard" is an exciting breath of fresh air for nostalgia lovers, reuniting Stewart with Trek favorites Q, played by character actor John de Lancie, and "Voyager" crew member Seven of Nine, played by Jeri Ryan. Time and time again, Jean-Luc Picard reminds us that resistance is not futile, and that we must keep fighting together.

1. Kathryn Janeway

Before she was doing time on "Orange Is the New Black," Kate Mulgrew was making history in space as the series' first headlining female captain on "Star Trek: Voyager." "Voyager" came at a unique time for Star Trek fans. Airing one year after the conclusion of "The Next Generation," it continued the familiar adventures of Starfleet while also introducing viewers to new alien species. Alongside "Deep Space Nine" lead Benjamin Sisko, Captain Kathryn Janeway added a diversity to the franchise that we still need to see more. Star Trek has the benefit of existing in the future, so it can be ahead of its time — what we needed then, and still need now, are leaders as fierce, strong, and resilient as Janeway.

"I've had probably the single greatest response from my fan base than any other actress because I was the first female captain," Mulgrew said in a joint interview with Sonequa Martin-Green for the Associated Press . "And because I saw it directly, I was deeply and directly affected by it. And over the years it's done nothing but evolve. Very, very few actresses have that. I've had it for over 25 years. It's extraordinary to me."

In the pilot episode of "Voyager," a new recruit mistakenly calls Janeway "Sir," then "Ma'am." Janeway replies, "M'am is acceptable in a crunch, but I prefer Captain." And so, her fate as the greatest captain in the Star Trek universe was sealed. Live long and prosper, Janeway!

6 'Star Trek' Captains, Ranked from Worst to Best

Star trek captains.

The "Star Trek" captains of the USS Enterprise (and in one case, the space station Deep Space Nine) have so many different personalities to them. The ever-scrappy Capt. James T. Kirk. The Shakespeare-quoting Capt. Jean-Luc Picard. Capt. John Archer, the reluctant diplomat. And so on. How are we to take the measure of these captains to figure out who is best? Space.com's Elizabeth Howell, who has watched all of the live-action TV series as well as the Hollywood movies, weighs in on the main captains featured in the live-action TV series and Hollywood movies. (We've ignored some of the characters who become captain temporarily, or who are only shown briefly, such as Capt. Pike.) We're releasing this slideshow just days before "Star Trek: Discovery." In an intriguing twist on the shows' usual format, the star of "Discovery" is not actually a captain, but the first officer of the USS Shenzhou. We're looking forward to learning more about Michael Burnham (played by Sonequa Martin-Green). [ 'Star Trek: Discovery' Premiere Unites Starship Casts Both New and Old ]

6. Capt. John Archer ("Star Trek: Enterprise," 2001-05)

While Capt. Archer comes last on our list, we want to emphasize he is an extremely able captain that was a true pioneer — his ship, the Enterprise NX-01, was the first starship capable of exploring distant star systems. That made Archer host to a number of "first contact" incidents that would have challenged even the best of us. Memorably, when he encounters the Ferengi for the first time, he immediately senses their selfish nature and plays them off against each other to get his captive ship back in "Acquisition." But Archer still struggles with the responsibilities of being a captain in general. Especially in the early seasons, he doesn't know much about diplomacy or the military; it takes repeated encounters with hostile species such as the Klingons or the Suliban to realize the value of tactics. Archer began to hit his stride in Season 3, but, unfortunately, we didn't get to see much of his evolution because the series was canceled after Season 4.

5. Capt. Benjamin Sisko ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 1993-1999)

Benjamin Sisko started his command at Deep Space Nine under very difficult circumstances. His wife was dead — it's a long story involving the evil Borg species, but he held Capt. Jean-Luc Picard responsible for it as Picard was temporarily assimilated into the Borg's collective. Sisko was on the verge of resignation. After his crew members began arriving, Sisko quickly discovered that the situation on Bajor, the nearby planet, would be incredibly difficult to resolve because so many factions were trying to gain control of the government. As Sisko gained confidence in himself, his crew and his mission, he realized there was a unique opportunity due to a wormhole just nearby the station. Sisko quickly realized this would be a welcome opportunity for merchants to come to the station and make it a thriving community. However, Sisko had his hands full dealing with disputes between all the different species, not to mention the Bajor situation. But he prevailed, and mostly kept his temper while doing so. [ The Evolution of 'Star Trek' (Infographic) ]

4. Capt. James T. Kirk ("Star Trek" reboot movies, 2009-present)

The rebooted Capt. Kirk (played by Chris Pine) starts as a much younger captain than the one portrayed in the TV series. This gives Pine the room to make some juvenile-yet-hilarious mistakes, such as getting in bar fights, or being angry with colleague Spock because the logical Vulcan alien — a very by-the-books sort of person — accused Kirk of cheating on a key test when he found a loophole. Kirk's boisterous mistakes as a neophyte captain made him funny to watch on screen in the first movie ("Star Trek," 2009), but by the second movie ("Star Trek Into Darkness," 2012) his mistakes quickly caught him up to him. Among other errors, he broke the First Directive about contact with alien species early in their development, and put too much trust in the terrorist John Harrison (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). Fortunately, Kirk matured by the time "Star Trek Beyond" (2016) was released , and he began to show the crafty gifts of his TV namesake. One of the best sequences was near the end of the film, when he rode a motorcycle around an enemy camp to confuse the aliens there and give his captured crew enough time to escape. We're looking forward to seeing how Kirk progresses in the next "Star Trek" film, which is greenlit but doesn't yet have a release date or a name.

3. Capt. Kathryn Janeway ("Star Trek: Voyager," 1995-2001)

In raw courage, Capt. Janeway may win for her ability to keep the crew focused while her ship was stranded on the far side of the Milky Way galaxy, a 75-year trip away from home. In consultation with a nearby ship, the Marquis, she made the difficult decision to merge the two crews to best preserve their chances of survival. Much later in the show, Janeway entered a controversial temporary alliance with the Borg (a notorious, assimilating alien species) to stay alive in the face of an even stronger enemy. These decisions are all the more courageous given that she was so far from Starfleet's authority at the time. One of Janeway's trademarks was her pure cheek, especially when somebody tried to undercut her authority. "Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch, but I prefer Captain," she says in the very first episode, "Caretaker." Or that time that Seven of Nine (played by Jeri Ryan) disagreed with her in "Random Thoughts." Janeway responded: "I dread the day when everyone on this ship agrees with me. I thank you for your opinion, but our mission is not going to change."

2. Capt. James T. Kirk ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969; "Star Trek" movies, 1979-1994)

The TV version of Capt. Kirk (played by William Shatner) is almost like a modern Odysseus. He's forever wandering across the universe, getting snared by beautiful women, but somehow able to use his wiles to escape trap after trap. Shatner's performance is a joy to watch on screen, although his antics rob him of the gravitas one might think was required in military organizations such as Starfleet. Kirk remains steadfastly optimistic and resolute about exploration, as shown by the famous speech that fans call "Risk Is Our Business" (in "Return To Tomorrow"). Kirk compares the exploits of Starfleet to the previous explorers of the Apollo program , or even the first people to take flight. He also remains friends with and listens to the advice of the core group of his crew, even when Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) continually argue with each other — which is no small feat. Kirk also shows flashes of creative brilliance. In one episode, "A Piece of the Action," he creates confusion among the bad guys by creating card game rules out of thin air. In another episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver," Kirk tells the bad guys that they can't blow up the Enterprise because he will do a reverse-reaction of a secret, imaginary substance called "corbomite." It was just a bluff, but he stopped the Enterprise from imminent destruction.

1. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," 1987-1994; "Star Trek: The Next Generation" movies, 1994-2002)

There's no question that Jean-Luc Picard was in charge of the Enterprise; all it took was a withering look or one well-placed comment to remind a crew member when they stepped out of line. While Picard was very respectful of authority and Starfleet's command, he also wasn't afraid to speak up for his crew when the situation warranted it. Perhaps the best example is in "Measure of A Man," where he speaks up on behalf of Data — an android who wants to be human, and whom Picard argues is just as much of a crew member as anyone else on his ship. Picard's performances likely would have qualified him for an Emmy if he wasn't dressed in an all-body suit as the star of a science-fiction series. Some of his most tear-jerking moments: His defiance under torture in "Chain of Command," when he yells "There are four lights!" after his captor tries to persuade him the number is wrong; his performance in "The Inner Light," where Picard grows old on a quiet rural planet and then is wrenched back to his battleship reality; and his battle cry "No!" in "Star Trek: First Contact" in 1996 (while smashing glass) just before he realizes he will need to let the Borg take over his ship.

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Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, " Why Am I Taller ?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace

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What Happened To Avery Brooks After Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?

The "Star Trek" franchise has had many amazing captains over the years, but one of the most mysterious is Captain Benjamin Sisko of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."  After "Deep Space Nine," fans wondering what happened to Captain Sisko could check out some of his continual adventures in a comic book series. However, there may also be questions about what happened to Avery Brooks, the actor who played the character throughout the show's seven season run.

Brooks led the charge on some of the best "Deep Space Nine" episodes , and he acted in other projects here and there. He had a role in the 1998 film "American History X" and served as a narrator on a 2004 episode of "Bible Mysteries." His last credited acting performance came in the 2006 video game, "Star Trek: Legacy," where he reprised his role as Captain Sisko. For all intents and purposes, it would appear Brooks has effectively retired from professional acting, whether it's by choice or just not being able to secure a gig.

He has appeared as himself in various projects, including a documentary series spearheaded by William Shatner chronicling various actors who played captains across the "Star Trek" franchise. That came out in 2013, but such gigs have been few and far between for Brooks. 

There's debate as to why Avery Brooks hasn't gotten much work after Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Avery Brooks has kept working in various capacities, even if it's not to the extent of other "Star Trek" actors. He recorded an audiobook for "Roots" and even worked as a music supervisor for William Shatner's "The Captains Close Up" series. In 2012, the actor made headlines after getting arrested for allegedly driving while under the influence. There's not much to go off of, and according to one of his former co-stars, it may not be due to Brooks retiring by choice.

Cirroc Lofton, who plays Jake Sisko on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," spoke about Brooks at length on a livestream for the YouTube channel Orville Nation  in 2020. Lofton asserted that Brooks is "kind of being discriminated against" when it comes to other "Star Trek" actors continuing to be part of the franchise and getting work, but he's been largely sidelined. Lofton went so far as to claim that "there's no question that [Brooks is] willing" to come back to acting, but the opportunities simply aren't there. 

Skepticism might be healthy with such claims, as there's no official word from Brooks directly about what he wants in terms of an acting career and if he'd come back to "Star Trek." However, bringing back Captain Sisko would be an ace in the hole for "Star Trek"  to get fans invested again, especially with "Picard" having ended. Who knows what could've happened behind-the-scenes that may have hampered Brooks' career? Regardless of what's actually going on, there's little doubt "Star Trek" fans would welcome Captain Sisko back with open arms should he ever return in live-action.

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Star Trek has brought a plethora of fantastic characters to audiences over the years, from lovable yet stoic starship captains , to some of the most terrifyingly creepy enemies in the sci-fi genre. The franchise is fantastic at crafting protagonists and antagonists, but what sets the fictional creation aside is its ability to create morally ambiguous characters. Plenty of characters straddle the line between right and wrong for various purposes, like the enigmatic Q .

For these reasons, it’s often hard to overtly hate a character, even when they are an antagonist. However, there are a few exceptions. One such character is Deep Space 9 's Kai Winn, and while she is not a typical villain, she is still one of the most intentionally hated characters of the franchise.

RELATED: Star Trek: Why Was Captain Sisko Put In Charge Of Deep Space 9?

Winn is a prominent character from the dark Deep Space 9 show , and she does not at first appear to be a major antagonist. She is a middle-aged Bajoran religious leader, played by Louise Fletcher . Winn was a prominent figure in Bajoran society, and was elected Kai in the 2370s after dedicating her life to serving the Prophets. Despite her role as a fairly pivotal antagonist, she was not all evil. Her motivations were rooted in her anguish at being rejected by the prophets, as well as the traumatic events that transpired during the Cardassian occupation . During this time of turmoil, she bribed a Cardassian official with temple gemstones to stop a bunch of Bajorans from being brutally murdered. However, she was arrested shortly after for refusing to stop teaching others about her faith, which was forbidden by the Cardassian authorities. She spent years being tortured, leading to her becoming the twisted and hard-nosed orthodox leader seen in the show.

While Kai Winn might appear to be all smiles and kindness, this was a carefully calculated facade. There was nothing about her character that was genuine, and many fans hate her for this exact reason. There is no other character in the franchise who would act so pleasant in a person's company, to then turn aside and stab them in the back. Kai Winn would agree with someone and side with them in the moment, then betray them if things got heated. She believed that the Federation had no place interfering in Bajoran affairs. Her anger only increased when non-Bajoran outsider Benjamin Sisko was named emissary to the Prophets. Suddenly, he was allowed to communicate with the being she had dedicated her entire life to. Kai Winn is noted to have never spoken to the Prophets, so to see them communicate with someone who was not only Federation but also human pushed her over the edge. This slowly turned her into the major villain that she became.

Despite her history with the Cardassians, Kai Winn's obsession with power and personal gain meant she often sided with them and their nefarious ways, albeit not publicly. As part of the main story arc, she allied herself with a group called the ‘Alliance for Global Unity,’ otherwise known as the Circle, who were secretly supported by the Cardassian empire. Their goal was to use the Circle to overthrow the existing Bajoran government, and when in power, expel the Federation from their lands. This would leave Bajor open for another Cardassian occupation. The lack of Starfleet presence would make it easy for them to swoop back in and pick up where they left off, but the coup was exposed by the intrepid DS9 crew.

Somehow, despite her strong links with the now exposed organization, Winn managed to remain in her position of power. If anything, she sunk her claws in deeper and became a political force to be reckoned with, taking the position of First Minister when the old one died. However, this did not last long, as another candidate was elected in her place.

Winn turned from a backstabbing, ambiguous antagonist to full-fledged villain when she stopped the event known as the reckoning, a union between the Prophets and the Pah-Wraiths with a radiation field. Her anger toward Sisko being chosen over her had become too much for her to bear. She and Gul Dukat (another well-written villain) turned against the Prophets to worship the Pah-Wraiths, beings of similar power (albeit evil) who actually spoke to her. It was a moment of failed faith, choosing the ‘gods’ that listened to her over the ones who ignored her despite being entities of good. The Pah-Wraith offered Winn even more power, both political and religious.

At this point fans were desperate to see Winn's demise, as she was a constant pain in the backside for the morally ambiguous Sisko and other members of the space station. They were granted their wish, but with a moment of remorse from the complicated and twisted villain. Winn had one redeeming moment before she died: she gave Sisko the book of Kosst Amojan, the key to rectifying the wrongs she helped orchestrate.

Kai Winn was a character that was intended to be hated, not just for her acts of sheer evil, but for what she symbolized. She was the epitome of closed-minded, political power addicts. She hated everybody who wasn’t of the same race as her, and repeatedly backstabbed others to get what she wanted. Every time she appeared, audiences knew she was up to something. She was put in a position where others were required to trust her, all while she abused her power to further her career. She was an instantly relatable villain: not a manic hell-bent on world destruction, but a corrupt politician, like so many in today's world. Her power hunger and xenophobia were her undoing, and while her presence within the show was infuriating, her demise was deeply satisfying.

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Which Star Trek Captain Has the Best Managerial Technique?

It’s impossible to be objective when selecting your favorite Star Trek captain. It requires making a call wrapped up in sentiment and timing. Which captain did you first encounter? Which one best reflected back to you the person you wanted to be? It’s easier to try to attempt a clear-eyed consideration of which one would be the best boss. Sure, there are captains sure to take you on wild adventures, but would you enjoy the ride if your life depended on their decision-making? On the flip side, there are captains that could get the job done without really inspiring that much enthusiasm, the Starfleet equivalent of a decent boss who clearly spends the back half of every shift with an eye on the clock.

It’s a worthwhile thought exercise, and one at the heart of Star Trek: Discovery , which focuses not on a captain but Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), a science officer struggling to work her way back from a snap judgment that ended with her in disgrace. Burnham has so far served under several captains, and the series has depicted the effect this has had on both her and the officers around her. (And, thus, has more entries below than any other version of Trek .) We considered the captains featured in various film and TV branches of the Star Trek universe, including Star Trek: Lower Decks ’ animated captain, and tried to rank them based on who would provide the best work experience — and who would be most likely to bring you back home in one piece.

12. Captain Philippa Georgiou, Mirror Universe (Michelle Yeoh)

Seen in: star trek: discovery.

Managerial style: Imperious and unforgiving, though that description is complicated by the fact that being imperious and unforgiving is baked into her main mirror universe job as emperor of the Terran Empire. (Or, more accurately, her job as Imperial Majesty, Mother of the Fatherland, Overlord of Vulcan, Dominos of Qo’noS, Regina Andor, Philippa Goergiou Augustus Iaponius Centarius.) There, she fought for and won the top spot in a kill-or-be-killed system in which might makes right, and deception and backstabbing are the norm; to that end, she expects those working under her to understand the rules of the game. In other words, she’s awful. But, on the other hand, she really seems to enjoy being awful, not to mention the fringe benefits of having clawed her way to the top (fine food, sex slaves, etc.). Those who can get on her murderous wavelength might also have a good time — for as long as it lasts.

Key career moment: When the always adaptive Emperor Georgiou made her way from the mirror universe to the prime Star Trek universe she used the opportunity to save the day after getting thrown into a battle between the Federation and the Klingons. But this wasn’t a simple heel-face turn; as always, it was more a matter of calculation than altruism. The move won her freedom from those who knew her true origins and earned her a spot in the Federation’s super-secretive deep-state operation Section 31. What could possibly go wrong?

Would she be a good boss? Put simply, working for this Philippa Georgiou, at least in the mirror universe that made her, would mean constantly fearing for your life as part of a pitiless, fascist organization hell-bent on conquering the universe with little regard for its employees’ quality of life. (Actually, when it’s all spelled out like that, it sounds like a pretty easy transition from corporate America.)

11. Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs)

Managerial style: In a word, cryptic. After she’s accepted aboard the Discovery following her mutinous turn against her mentor Captain Georgiou (the prime universe one, not the evil dictator; more below), Michael Burnham spends much of Discovery ’s first season trying to figure out what’s up with her new captain, a man fond of fortune cookies and averse to bright lights and chairs. Pro: Lorca took a chance on her when no one else would. Con: He also seems kind of evil. That likelihood aside — and it’s eventually revealed that, spoiler ahead, he made his way to the prime universe from the mirror universe after somehow taking the original Lorca’s place — he commanded the Discovery with curiosity, a sure hand, and an apparent sense of fairness. Shame about all the murder and scheming.

Key career moment: The season one episode “Into the Forest I Go” captures every side of Captain Lorca as he bravely goes into battle against Klingons, questionably decides to risk the health of a crew member (and with him, the whole crew) to win the battle, then takes everyone into the mirror universe to further his scheme of galactic conquest. It’s quite a journey, and one that reveals his true self at the end.

Would he be a good boss? No, but serving under Lorca would never be boring.

10. Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter)

Seen in: star trek: the original series.

Managerial style: Glum as hell. Some behind-the-scenes info: Jeffrey Hunter’s Captain Pike was supposed to be the protagonist of the original Star Trek series. NBC passed, but gave Gene Roddenberry the unusual opportunity to make a second pilot, this one featuring the now-familiar classic series cast (with only Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock sticking around). But Roddenberry wasn’t done with Pike or the original pilot. It became central to the two-part episode “The Menagerie,” which recounts Pike and the Enterprise ’s adventures on Talos IV, home to the Talosians and their reality-bending psychic powers. Hunter’s a fine actor, but it’s not hard to see why NBC was reluctant to green-light a series focusing on Pike, who’s introduced complaining about the burden of command. “You bet I’m tired,” he tells the ship’s doctor. “Tired of being responsible for 203 lives. Tired of deciding which mission is too risky and which isn’t and who’s going on the landing party and who doesn’t. And who lives … and who dies.” He sounds ready to boldly curl up in a fetal position.

Key career moment: The signature moment for this incarnation of Pike comes at the end of the episode when, having been burned and disfigured beyond recognition, he’s allowed to return to Talos IV and live out his days in the unreal paradise he rejected years before, even though he already seemed pretty much over reality as we know it from the start.

Would he be a good boss? Spock and the others seem to respect him, so perhaps his doubts don’t interfere with his ability to command, even if working under him seems like it would make for a pretty weary trudge through the cosmos.

9. Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula)

Seen in: star trek: enterprise.

Managerial style: Archer’s chill, which is both his greatest strength as a leader and occasionally his greatest weakness. A former Boy Scout, lifelong water-polo enthusiast, and caring dog owner, Archer sometimes seems like he’s happy enough to be exploring the stars but might be even happier if he was just hanging out and shooting the breeze with some pals. This might be more impression than reality; Star Trek lore has him going on to become a decorated admiral and to be regarded as one of the greatest explorers in the early days of Starfleet and he certainly does a lot of exploring during the show’s four-season run. But Scott Bakula rarely plays him as a man who has greatness in his future. Archer usually seems a little annoyed that the Enterprise ’s adventures have cut into his downtime. He’s not as melancholy as Jeffrey Hunter’s Captain Pike, but he occasionally seems just as checked out. Nonetheless, he was always good in a crisis, and could be a surprisingly shrewd diplomatic. It just always seemed to take a major event to stir his interest.

Key career moment: In the second-season episode “A Night in Sickbay,” Archer hangs out with his ailing dog Porthos when he should be tending to his diplomatic duties. It borders on dereliction of duty, even if it is pretty endearing. It’s also a pretty good encapsulation of how Archer’s mind works.

Would he be a good boss? Sure. Probably. Why not? He’d be okay enough.

8. Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine)

Seen in: star trek , star trek into darkness , star trek beyond.

Managerial style: If you like predictability, order, rules, regulations, and military precision, the last place you’d want to be is the Kelvin Universe Enterprise under the command of James T. Kirk. Chris Pine’s just-getting-started Kirk is young, impetuous, and brilliant — but mostly young and impetuous. It’s smart work, playing like the Kirk we know from the original Star Trek run before any of the rough edges had gotten sanded off. Pine’s Kirk is a lot of fun to watch, but it also seems like serving under him would be terrifying most of the time.

Key career moment: Forced to choose between rescuing an alien race and violating the Prime Directive in the opening scenes of Star Trek Into Darkness , Kirk barely seems to consider it a choice at all. It’s just the first of many times he breaks the rules over the course of the film (plus its predecessor and successor). Sure, it all works out (even if Kirk does briefly wind up dead later in the movie), but it could have gone horribly wrong. This Kirk commands from the gut, occasionally while listening to Beastie Boys. He’s cool and fun, but…

Would he be a good boss? … Do you really want to work for a Starfleet captain best described as “cool” and “fun” while exploring the furthest reaches of a dangerous universe?

7. Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis)

Seen in: star trek: lower decks.

Managerial style: Directness defines Captain Freeman’s command style. She knows exactly what she wants and she’s not afraid to ask for it, sometimes forcefully. She’s no-nonsense but not in a power trip–y way. She just wants things to run smoothly even if experience has taught her that it never does. (Or, at least it never does onboard the second-tier U.S.S. Cerritos , the California class starship she commands.)

Key career moment: Commanding a ship on which her gifted-but-rebellious daughter, Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), is serving as an ensign has been a continual challenge for Captain Freeman, forcing her to balance her duties as captain against her concerns as a mother. She’s mostly opted to model good behavior for her daughter by following the rules of Starfleet. In Lower Decks ’ third-season premiere, Mariner and her pals take desperate, and illegal, measures to clear Captain Freeman of a crime she’s been wrongly accused of. Ultimately, the system works, making Mariner’s misadventures unnecessary. Mother/Starfleet knows best.

Would she be a good boss? Probably. She’s terse but fair and clearly knows what she’s doing. But as the head of a ship prone to animated high jinks, it’s tough to judge Captain Freeman against other Star Trek captains. Her informed, steady-handed command doesn’t always work in her favor when dealing with some of the cartoonish absurdity the Cerritos keeps encountering. On the other hand, nothing truly terrible ever happens to those under her command, so serving on the Cerritos would likely be one of Starfleet’s safer assignments.

6. Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner)

Seen in: star trek: the original series , star trek: the motion picture, star trek: generations.

Managerial style: You’re probably better off working for the slightly older Kirk played by William Shatner in Original Series and its accompanying film series. (Okay, he’s significantly older in the film series.) This Kirk hasn’t lost the spirit evident in the younger Kirk, only it’s now tempered — at least a bit — by experience. Working for this Kirk isn’t without dangers of its own, particularly if you’re wearing a red uniform. He’s perfectly willing to send an away team into danger. Just as often, however, he’s the one leading the team, and it’s hard to underestimate the esprit de corps created by a leader willing to put himself in harm’s way mission after mission. Prepare to work hard, and maybe die, but feel like you’re part of a mission that could change the universe for the better.

Key career moment: Prepare also to listen to speeches. Kirk is a man of action and a man of romance, but above all, he’s a man of ideals who’s willing to go to great lengths to protect those ideals. But first, he’ll try to persuade his opponents with words. In “The Omega Glory,” for instance, Shatner’s Kirk lectures the primitive residents of a planet whose development paralleled Earth until it took a wrong turn on the glories of the U.S. Constitution, and he does it one emphatic syllable at a time: “We. The People …” Etc.

Would he be a good boss? Chances are you’d love working for Kirk up to the moment he got you killed.

5. Captain Philippa Georgiou, Prime Universe (Michelle Yeoh)

Managerial style: Collegial but firm, the prime universe Georgiou might rank even higher on this list if we had a large sample of what she was like as a captain. In the early episodes of Discovery she appears to be competent, respected, quick on her feet and close to her crew, especially Michael Burnham.

Key career moment: But not apparently close enough to stop Burnham from committing a mutinous act that she deems necessary to prevent a war with the Klingons. Whether this is a failure on Georgiou’s part — a missed chance to take a key suggestion from a subordinate — or overzealousness on Burnham’s remains a question left open by Georgiou’s subsequent death.

Would she be a good boss? It seems like she would, especially since her death continues to haunt Burnham throughout the series. On the other hand, maybe listen to your trusted shipmate when she says she knows what she’s talking about?

4. Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks)

Seen in: star trek: deep space nine.

Managerial style: Firm, fair, and perpetually distracted. Burned out on Starfleet life after losing his wife in the Battle of Wolf 359, Sisko only reluctantly takes command of Deep Space Nine, a space station located close to a galactic hot spot near a wormhole and, until shortly before he assumed command, ruled by the Cardassians. But Sisko soon finds himself drawn into the leadership of the station and the politics of the region when the spiritual leader of nearby Bajor names him the Emissary of the Prophets. It’s all a lot to balance, even before new adversaries start to show up from the Gamma Quadrant — and on top of it all, Sisko has to serve as a single father to a teenage son. Maybe that’s why he sometimes seems so overworked. He’s a fine, inspiring leader, but he also has a lot on his plate, running a space station while also acting as the first line of defense against enemies known and unknown — and maybe serving as messiah to a whole race of people. Many Deep Space Nine stories require Sisko to be reactive rather than proactive, whether dealing with a tavern keeper running a black market under his nose or the outbreak of a full-scale war. Strong and competent, Sisko could handle anything, but the series made him handle an awful lot.

Key career moment: Deep Space Nine introduced shades of moral grayness to Star Trek only suggested by its predecessors, never more than in the course of the protracted Dominion War arc, a dangerous conflict in which Sisko sometimes had to cheat and bend the truth for the greater good. Brooks’s performance always suggested that Sisko did a lot of soul-searching before making any decision, but once made he never looked back, the mark of a strong leader if ever there was one.

Would he be a good boss? Chances are that, apart from the occasional curt acknowledgment, you might only talk to him once or twice as he moved from one crisis to another. Still, you’d end up respecting the hell out of Sisko.

3. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)

Seen in: star trek: the next generation, star trek: generations, star trek: nemesis, star trek: picard.

Managerial style: Picard manages like a benevolent but firm god. Speaking in an authoritative voice (the accent helps), his every directive sounds as if handed down from above. But there’s a difference between having the trappings of authority and having the record to back it up, and from his first outing on the Enterprise — in which the decision to separate the starship’s saucer section showed just how many lives were depending on him making the right choices — he makes it clear how seriously he took his job and how seriously he expects others to take theirs.

Key career moment: In some respects, the definitive Picard moment can be found in Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s final episode, “All Good Things …” in which Picard, for the first time, joined his senior staff for their regular poker game, with an expression of regret that he’d never gotten around to it before. Except in rare moments, Picard always holds himself at a distance as captain, even if Stewart’s performance always emphasizes the complex, passionate human beneath the commanding exterior. He stays remote by design and it worked, but that choice isn’t without consequences.

Would he be a good boss? Picard would be an awe-inspiring boss in every sense. You’d learn a lot working with him, even if you never felt like you truly knew him.

2. Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount)

Seen in: star trek: discovery, star trek: strange new worlds.

Managerial style: In sharp contrast to Hunter’s Pike, Anson Mount plays Christopher Pike as a man who’s just happy to be out among the stars with shipmates he considers to be more like friends than co-workers. Where on Discovery, Pike was reminiscent of a cool camp counselor who just wants everyone to have a good time — as long as they follow the rules and listen to his orders — Strange New Worlds has layers of soulfulness and empathy only glimpsed before. (Maybe learning you’re headed to a horrific fate does that?) In moments of crisis, Pike comes off as unshaken but commanding, and willing to use force against his enemies when necessary. He’s easygoing until circumstances force him to be otherwise. Then he’s not. He carries himself around his crew with authority while still radiating concern. This is a self-assured, modern captain who cooks an amazing gumbo and doesn’t worry that his subordinates will lose respect if they see him wearing an apron.

Key career moment: In Strange New Worlds ’ first-season finale, Pike believes he’s found a workaround to avoid the accident in which he’ll sacrifice his well-being to save others. Then Pike is visited by an older version of himself who confirms that, yes, he can escape maiming before taking the captain on an It’s a Wonderful Life –like tour of the future created by his attempt to escape his fate. It’s not pretty and it means others will suffer in his place. So, of course, he resigns himself to his destiny without telling anyone. Always the greater good with this guy.

Would he be a good boss? Working for Pike seems like a dream, honestly. He seems like the kind of boss who’d teach you new skills and then suggest unwinding with a game of ping-pong that he wouldn’t try all that hard to win (though he totally could if he wanted to). Two seasons into Strange New Worlds, and the series keeps revealing new layers of competence and compassion. Call him No. 2 with a bullet (or a phaser blast, if that makes more sense).

1. Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)

Seen in: star trek: voyager.

Managerial style: Democratic, at least up to a point. Forced to navigate an unexplored quadrant of the galaxy while commanding a crew made up of enemies forced to work together in an attempt to find their way home, Janeway has the highest level of difficulty of any of the captains on this list. She rises to the occasion by hearing out all points of view, reconciling opposing stances when possible, working toward compromise, then ultimately making an informed decision after listening to her crew. Stuck in an impossible situation, she stays coolheaded and thoughtful no matter how trying the circumstances become.

Key career moment: The biggest challenge faced by Janeway and the Voyager crew comes not in the form of hostile races or dwindling supplies — though those don’t help — but from the many moments that invite them to abandon their principles. In the second season’s “Alliances,” Janeway seeks a way to sidestep conflict with the Kazon (sort of the Gamma Quadrant’s dollar-store version of the Klingons). She considers first an alliance with a Kazon faction, then teaming up with the Trabe, a seemingly much more civilized race. Then, despite the wishes of a faction of her officers, she ultimately rejects both choices when she learns the Kazon can’t be trusted and that the Trabe are just as bad in their own way. It might mean taking longer to get back home, or maybe never getting home at all, but she remains determined that her crew hang on to their best selves no matter what.

Would she be a good boss? Yes. Janeway would be the sort of boss you might have to complain about behind her back, but she’s also the sort of boss you’d end up naming your first child after.

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Resistance Is Futile: Every ‘Star Trek’ Series Ranked From Worst to Best

That’s right folks, it’s time to get down and dirty. Again. There are ten different, separate, and distinctive Star Trek shows that now exist in the universe. Five of them are airing (or are in production) at this very moment. That is a lot of Star Trek ! How is a person supposed to make sense of it all? That’s why I am here. To guide you through the chaos. And to brutally and bluntly rank every single series of my very favorite franchise. 

Yes, it will get ugly, but harsh truths must be shared. This isn’t to be confused with the best Star Trek episodes or the best Star Trek movies . I already upset everyone with that list! We all have our favorite captains and crews, but it’s time to get down and dirty like the Maquis or the Tal Shiar and pit each series against each other. So what is the best Star Trek series? Here’s every Star Trek series ranked worst to best.

10. Star Trek: Picard

Listen, this hurts me, it really does. As a child of the nineties, Jean Luc Picard was my captain. TNG was my introduction to the wonders of the Star Trek universe. But, his triumphant return in Star Trek: Picard , has been well, anything but. Season one was rocky and uneven, with a pretty unsatisfying end, and season two was a straight up disaster almost from the jump. It starts with interesting premises, but they always wind up spinning their wheels and making the least exciting choices instead. Their most egregious sin, however, was bringing back Q and then barely using him except as a de-powered and impotent red herring, and then killing him off! I have some hope for season 3 and the return of the TNG core cast, but honestly not much.

9. Star Trek: Prodigy

I want to give this show a little bit of slack because it’s a kid show and it brought back my gal Janeway, but from the jump, it felt like a show that hated that it was Star Trek . The premise of alien kids escaping an evil hooded lord who wields psychic powers, an evil droid, and a red laser sword blade…. baby that’s Star Wars ! And I love Star Wars , but what I don’t love is a show that desperately wants to be Star Wars and isn’t! The actors even went so far as to say that they didn’t think children would get Star Trek , so they took it upon themselves to try and make it accessible and exciting, which, aside from being deeply insulting to my former childhood self who loved Star Trek , seems to misunderstand the source material! Star Trek is so great because it is able to balance exciting action and more philosophical ethical dilemmas. So it gets second to last place for taking the Trek out of Star Trek .

8. Star Trek: Discovery

I have to be honest, the only reason DISCO isn’t in last place is because it had the decency to take itself 900 years into the future and out of everyone’s way. And also, because the first season was actually fairly enjoyable. Sure, it did away with the episodic nature of Star Trek and focused on one main A plot, but at the time that felt refreshing! It had a big budget and a great cast and it was fun to watch unfold, even if the Klingons got yet another makeover. But every season since has dipped further and further into melodrama (and at times, soap opera.) An episode of DISCO isn’t over until Burnham cries at least three times. It’s exhausting. The crew of Discovery all need serious co-dependency therapy. And some Lexapro. It makes me long for the hey-days of Star Trek as a polite, collegial workplace drama. 

7. Star Trek: Enterprise

The worst of “old” Trek! I mean, just listen to the opening theme. In 2001, the heyday of Trek shows was ending; Deep Space Nine had been over for two years, and Voyager was coming to an end. But CBS was determined to find a way to make it popular in the mainstream again. Unfortunately, their choices were disastrous. They did away with the traditional Trek orchestral opening score, and instead, slapped on a song that sounded like Toby Keith meets Nickelback. And then there was the infamous lotioning scene. In an attempt to make Trek sexy again (which to be fair, is very in the spirit of infamous horn dog Gene Roddenberry), Enterprise sealed its fate with a gratuitous “decontamination” sequence that consisted of T’Pol and Trip Tucker rubbing lube all over each other’s nearly naked bodies. Folks were not having it, and while it did get much better as the series went on, it only lasted four seasons.

6. Star Trek: Voyager

I will admit, Star Trek: Voyager is an acquired taste. My first watch-through, as a teenager, I was not enamored with Captain Janeway or her lost crew. However, when I revisited it as a wisened and mature twenty-something, I found myself quite delighted. And my love for it has only grown. I love that Voyager asks the very important question: “what if Katherine Hepburn was the captain of a starship?” Janeway is a queen, and Tuvok is one of my very favorite Vulcans. It also has the honor of having the darkest episode in Star Trek history, with “Tuvix’—in which Neelix and Tuvix are fused into one new being after a transporter accident. Janeway must then decide whether to keep this new life form or kill it in order to bring back her two crewmen. It is heavy and heartbreaking. 

5. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Strange New Worlds is only halfway through its first season but it has already earned its spot among the best Star Trek shows. Certainly among the best of new Trek. The cast is charismatic and has terrific chemistry and the writing is excellent. It feels like the best of old Trek. The crew have personal dramas and backstories, but each episode is focused on them solving a different moral, philosophical, or life-threatening mystery! There are some canon issues (as with almost all new Trek) that can be frustrating for a true nerd, but overall, it is refreshing to see a crew having fun and being professional! Good lord, I know I’m old because I am very excited to see a professional workplace environment. Plus, the cast is smoking hot. Very good eye candy all around.

4. Star Trek: Lower Decks

Hands down the best of the new Treks . Each episode is packed full of jokes and references and very deep cuts of old Star Trek canon—while still telling a good story—and a good Star Trek story! The characters and premises might sometimes run a bit sillier than a live-action Trek show, but at its heart, it is still telling stories that center around puzzles or dilemmas that the crew needs to solve as diplomatically as possible. The characters are lovable and quirky, the voice acting is terrific, and they get some incredible cameo performances from some iconic Trek actors. Plus, no Star Trek villain will ever be as devious as Badgey. 

3. Star Trek: The Next Generation

The formative Trek show of my youth. Star Trek: The Next Generation is perhaps the show that my generation thinks of first when hearing the words “ Star Trek .” It not only brought Star Trek back into people’s homes, it gave us one of the most iconic core casts. Patrick Stewart’s Picard is many people’s favorite captain. It also gave us Data, Riker, Worf, and my second and third favorite antagonists in Star Trek history, Q and The Borg. (First place goes to Ricardo Montalban as Khan, obviously.) Now, not every episode is a banger, but it gave us so many legendary Trek moments that I can overlook a few stinkers. 

2. Star Trek: The Original Series

The one that started it all! We would not be here today without Gene Roddenberry’s seminal work, the 1966 original series! It might be easy to dismiss it by today’s standards, after all, most of the sets are clearly plywood, styrofoam, and neon lighting, and it carries with it some of the problematic tropes and morals of its time. But it has so much more going for it: it is filmed in beautiful, bright technicolor. The costumes are both gorgeous and hilarious. The sets are flimsy and the action sequences are perhaps not always the most well executed, but it’s campy as hell and so fun to watch. Plus, it set the framework for the Trek that we know and love today. It originated the “trolley problems” and ethical dilemmas Starfleet captains are still facing today. A lot of the writing in it is terrific and it created iconic character archetypes in Kirk and Spock. Look, it spawned an almost 60-year legacy and nine spin-off shows for a reason.

1. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

If the original series and The Next Generation established the tone and the archetypes, Deep Space Nine perfected them. It is the pinnacle of Star Trek shows. Not only does it have a terrific ensemble and great writing, it manages to blend the episodic nature of the Trek procedural with an overarching A-line plot (of the Dominion War) as the seasons unfolded. Avery Brooks’ Captain Sisko is definitely the best Star Trek captain. It has to be said and I stand by it! It also has some of the best episodes in all of Trek, including “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” a heartbreaking episode about Nog’s PTSD. That episode not only took the ramifications of war seriously, but it also flipped the notion of what a comedic sidekick was. Nog was no longer just the silly friend of the captain’s son, he became the heart of the show. And that is why Deep Space Nine remains the best of the best.

(featured image: Paramount)

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Star Trek's Most Hated Series Should Be Made Into An Alternate Timeline

Posted: April 9, 2024 | Last updated: April 9, 2024

Star Trek’s Most Hated Series Should Be Made Into An Alternate Timeline

When Star Trek: Discovery first began as a prequel to The Original Series, it received plenty of criticism for how it constantly changed the established lore that we knew from the adventures of Captain Kirk and crew. The show ostensibly fixed this issue at the end of the second season by having the crew of the Discovery travel from the 23rd century to the 32nd century, but this arguably created more problems than it solved. The main problem is quite simple: by setting a Star Trek show so far in the future, the franchise has removed most of the possible tension from future shows and films.

We Know Earth Is Fine

As an example of what we’re talking about, Star Trek: Discovery establishes that planet Earth is alive and well in the 32nd century. Many Star Trek films (including The Motion Picture, The Voyage Home, First Contact, and the 2009 Kelvinverse reboot) involve some powerful force threatening to destroy the human homeworld and/or everyone on it. Thanks to Discovery, future plot points that put the Earth and humanity in danger will have no real tension or stakes because we know that, the better part of a millennia later, our big blue ball will still be there.

We Know The Romulans And Vulcans Are Now Space Bros

That line of thinking extends to some of the more specific plot points in Star Trek: Discovery’s later seasons. For example, we discover that the Vulcans and Romulans have finally reunified in the 32nd century, and it was very emotionally fulfilling to see that Spock’s long attempt to bring these two rival races back together paid off. At the same time, this revelation undercuts the tension of shows like Picard and Strange New Worlds trying to expand the mythos of the Romulans or the Vulcans because, quite frankly, we now know how their story ends.

We Know The Federation Endures

On a wider level, you could say that about both Starfleet and the Federation–while Star Trek: Discovery shows us how both of these organizations have now changed, it makes it very clear that they have endured into the far future. Previous shows like Deep Space Nine have explored existential threats to Starfleet and the Federation (via the question of whether the Dominion would take over the whole Alpha Quadrant), but the franchise can never go to this well again. Like with Earth, the fact that we know Starfleet and the Federation survive into the far future removes any tension from stories where they are threatened

Discovery Is Still A Good Show

With all that being said, I don’t think that Star Trek: Discovery wa mistake. For all the criticisms the show has received, it has given us complex characters like Captain Lorca, hilarious characters like Empress Georgiou, and empathetic characters like Lieutenant Tilly (we’re Tilly stans for life over here). The show has also given us some great episodes (the Mirror Universe arc alone is worth the price of admission), so my compromise is as simple as it is elegant: future Trek shows should make it clear that Discovery is in its own alternate timeline. 

Star Trek Has Plenty Of Time Travel

Considering how often Star Trek in general and Discovery in particular use time travel to tell stories, it’s not hard to imagine a future plot point that either reveals or (ahem) makes it so that this show is taking place in a splinter timeline: this could be the product of someone (perhaps Michael Burnham) using future tech to bring the time-traveling Red Angel suit back into play. Alternatively, Discovery made the dubious choice of revealing that The Guardian of Forever from The Original Series could move around the galaxy and even assume humanoid form. Someone stepping through this portal could change history forever, but the Guardian himself may be able to ensure that the Discovery events and characters continue to exist in a splinter timeline.

This would let Star Trek fans and writers have their hasperat soufflé and eat it, too: all of the Discovery events fans love would still have happened (as in, they wouldn’t be forever wiped from the franchise), but future stories wouldn’t be beholden to the show’s future history. That means we could once again have tension regarding the fate of Earth, Starfleet, our favorite aliens, and so much more. It could even open the door to the franchise telling more non-canonical tales (like Short Treks, but good) which simply focus on good storytelling rather than trying to perfectly reconcile themselves with over half a century of canon.

We Won’t Hold Our Breath

Given the weird decisions Star Trek execs have made in recent years (including greenlighting both a movie about Starfleet’s divisive wetworks division Section 31 and a teenybopper Starfleet Academy show), I doubt they will take this Discovery suggestion to heart. Still, placing the controversial Trek spinoff into its own timeline would make it easier to tell higher-stakes stories in the future while even winning over fans who hate how this show has transformed franchise canon. It’s what most fans want, and it’s time for Paramount to take a page out of Spock’s book and realize the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

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10 Most Hated Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes

These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise that we dare not embark on.

Star Trek the Next Generation is beloved by Trekkies all over the world and with good reason. It gave us an incredible cast of characters led by the morally upright Captain Jean Luc Picard, the iconic Data, and the charming William T. Riker. It contains a bevy of classic episodes showcasing Star Trek principles and humanity at its finest while expanding on an optimistic future that filled viewers with hope.

10. Manhunt (Season 2, Episode 19)

While undergoing a Betazoid phase that quadruples her sex drive, Lwaxana Troi comes aboard the Enterprise and sets her sights on Captain Picard.

Lover of movies, TV, kdramas, and anime. New dad who can't wait to take his son to the cinema for the first time.

Screen Rant

Star trek names starfleet’s most decorated officer (& it’s not captain kirk).

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10 Non-Star Trek Series Directed By Jonathan Frakes

Star trek expands iconian lore with wild new link to the guardian of forever, i don't care if modern star trek breaks established canon.

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek #7! A new Star Trek comic has revealed the most decorated officer in Starfleet history - and it is not Captain Kirk. There have been many legendary officers in the annals of Starfleet history, but a text piece in IDW Publishing’s Star Trek #7 reveals the one Captain who has had the most medals and decorations for service.

The issue is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, drawn by Mike Feehan, colored by Lee Loughridge and lettered by Clayton Cowles. Captain Sisko and the crew of the Theseus are traveling to the Cardassian homeworld to search for the mythical Orb of Destruction before Kahless and his fanatical Red Path cult can find it. A text piece, titled "The War Record of Benjamin Sisko" reveals that Captain Sisko is the most decorated officer in Starfleet history, just barely topping the record set by Garth of Izar, a hero of the 23rd century Klingon Wars.

For seven seasons, Captain Benjamin Sisko led the crew of Deep Space Nine , shepherding them through some of the most turbulent times in galactic history. The show began with the discovery of a stable wormhole near the planet Bajor, where Deep Space Nine was located. Sisko, who took command of the station around the same time, suddenly found himself in charge of one of the most strategically important places in the galaxy. Two years into Sisko's tenure, the Dominion made their presence known, joining forces with the Cardassians and the Breen to mount a bloody war against the Federation and its allies. As leader of Deep Space Nine , Sisko fought in many of the Dominion War’s first battles, as well as some of its most decisive - and it did not go without being recognized.

Related: Star Trek's First Movie Villain Secretly Joined Starfleet: Theory

Sisko's War Record Makes Him Loved By Some, Hated by Others

Given Sisko’s extensive war record, it makes sense that he is the Fleet’s most decorated officer and a hero to the Federation as a whole - but others see it differently. Readers see the text piece while the USS Theseus is on its way to Cardassia Prime, where Sisko is promptly arrested on war crime charges. Captain Sisko’s medals and decorations came with a price - namely the deaths of countless Cardassians, Jem Hadar and Breen. The Cardassians have not forgotten Sisko’s actions during the Dominion War and whereas his record makes him a hero to the Alpha Quadrant, it makes him the most hated man on other planets.

Star Trek fans may have assumed that Kirk’s multiple legendary five-year missions would make him the most decorated in the fleet, but this is not the case. As a matter of fact, Kirk’s name is never even mentioned in the briefing - just Sisko and Izar’s. While Captain Kirk may seem to be the obvious choice for Starfleet’s most decorated officer, it seems that large-scale conflict is the route to this level of acknowledgment - a potentially damning revelation given Star Trek 's utopian ideals.

Star Trek #7 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!