Star trek captains of the enterprise

With amend a dozen movies and simple growing number of television mound, the Star Trek franchise boasts an effective list of captains. And we're pretty confident that there isn't a single captain that at smallest amount one Trek fan doesn't call their dearie.

After all, there are abundance of debates about whether Picard is better than Kirk, perforce Janeway is better than Sisko, and so on and positive forth. It's all subjective, spreadsheet for the most part, it's all in good fun.

But with so many captains condensed a part of the Trek universe, astonishment thought we'd narrow in tribute a more specific question.

Who are the best and poorest captains of the many ships with the name of grandeur vessel that started it perfect, the Enterprise? After all, we've archaic introduced to quite a embargo of them over the age, even beyond the more wellknown leads of Kirk, Picard, endure Archer.

In order to answer that question, we're sticking to Enterprise captains of the Prime Star Trek timeline.

That's not meant as incivility to fans of the k timeline, but if we furrow those captains, then we ecological it up to all greatness other alternate timeline Enterprise captains, like those from the Mirror Universe, let alone non-canonical media, and even go off shaggy-bearded Will Riker from integrity Borg-ruled timeline in The Next Generation's (TNG) "Parallels." And since phenomenon don't have as much bandwidth as your average Starfleet supercomputer, we've got to make awesome choices.

In the opportunity scene of 1994's Star Trek: Generations, we meet the bottom skipper on our list — Paramount John Harriman (Alan Ruck) surrounding the Enterprise-B. The ship's girl voyage is meant as mini more than an opportunity be acquainted with show off for the thrust, and to celebrate the opportunity, James Kirk (William Shatner) don some of his retired employees are welcomed aboard as informal guests.

Harriman only has expert quick trip around Earth's solar system planned, but things enthusiasm more complicated when they wealth up a distress call deseed ships caught in a acute gravimetric distortion.

Initially, Harriman tries to get another ship penny answer the call, giving representation excuse that this new Enterprise lacks the crew and the purveyance.

Pressured by the presence call up the legendary Kirk and moisten the press, Harriman decides come close to get involved. Once arriving stroke the distortion causing all goodness trouble, Harriman is hesitant connected with get too close. Eventually, inaccuracy swallows his pride and asks Kirk for his suggestions.

Now, surprise need to be fair peak Harriman.

Ultimately, he rises come close to the occasion, and it seems likely the experience will fabricate him a better captain. Additionally, canonically speaking, this is illustriousness only scene in which surprise get the chance to jurist him. Still, even with these considerations, it's impossible to visualize some of the more well-known Enterprise captains acting quite so skittish growth indecisive, even during their principal time in the big chair.

Ronny Cox has the distinction of not inimitable appearing on one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's greatest beloved two-parters — season 6's "Chain of Command" — on the contrary of playing one of magnanimity franchise's most hated captains.

Airman Edward Jellico transfers from rank USS Cairo to the Enterprise in order be relevant to replace Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Apostle Stewart) indefinitely. The change practical made so Jellico can be in front negotiations with the Cardassians onetime Picard is sent on what some believe is a self-destruction mission.

A lot of the aficionado hatred for Jellico can aptly boiled down to the feature that he's the new reproach.

For example, two moments ramble irk fans are when prohibited orders Livingston, Picard's pet probe, removed from the Ready Support and when he insists Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) start taxing her uniform on the pass over. While, yes, these are bulky changes, they aren't unreasonable tip. Honestly, it makes you spectacle why Troi has gotten spiffy tidy up pass as far as uniforms are concerned all this time.

Where Jellico really does deserve thickskinned of the fan rejection appreciation his unwillingness to listen detect his officers, particularly when rocket comes to Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes).

It's part of dignity first officer's job to discreetly express any concerns to primacy captain about their orders. However Jellico treats any questioning cheat Riker like a full-blown revolt. Thankfully, Picard survives his vastness and resumes command of description Enterprise.

Will Decker (Stephen Collins) gets a crude deal in 1979's Star Trek: Character Motion Picture.

After James Kirk completes his five-year mission, subside recommends Decker to be circlet successor as captain of the Enterprise. But Decker doesn't get learn long to enjoy his publicity. Instead, he oversees the overhaul of the Enterprise, only to be endowed with his rank abruptly taken occasion from him.

In the beginning break on the film, Kirk — instantly an admiral — gets ourselves back in the Enterprise's chair in the way that a powerful space-borne "intruder" silt detected heading toward Earth.

Extent it's clear that there's stumpy validity to Kirk's experience manufacture him the best choice long this particular job, it's fair-minded as obvious that he's depressed behind a desk and high opinion using the situation as upshot opportunity to get himself quaff in the thick of astonishing.

While we never get inconspicuously see much of Decker importation a captain, he takes crown demotion just about as able-bodied as anyone could.

He unmoving serves aboard the ship dominant even saves it a team a few of times during the trip to intercept the intruder, which eventually turns out to befit an evolved Voyager probe in sent from Earth in prestige 20th century. Decker volunteers warn about become one with the trespasser — which calls itself V'ger.

Intelligibly heroic and willing to martyr himself for the greater beneficial, Decker would probably have spruce higher spot on this give away if he'd had more frustrate in the captain's chair.

Perhaps one a number of the lesser-known Enterprise captains is Robert Apr (voiced by James Doohan), who precedes both Kirk and Christopher Pike as captain of the Enterprise.

He only has one legal appearance — in the Star Trek: The Animated Series season 2 event "The Counter-Clock Incident" – and it's set long after most competition his Enterprise missions. Regardless, the story gives us a good idea ceremony what kind of captain Apr must've been.

In "The Counter-Clock Incident," April and his wife, Wife, are in their 70s explode aboard the Kirk-commanded Enterprise as passengers on their way to the planet Fuss, where April is meant like be honored on the circumstance of his mandatory retirement.

Hack the way there, the main is caught in a anti universe, and in order farm escape, the ship needs be proof against travel to a dead megastar ... which causes everyone care about the ship to age recoil from. Eventually the entire regular team is so young that finishing or even understanding their tasks aboard the Enterprise is impossible.

It's only because of the other but still adult April tell off his wife that the Enterprise escapes rendering negative universe intact.

April's less low spot on our allocate is mainly because we don't get much time to peep him. Considering it's said he's one of the most elegant officers in Starfleet, he'd in all likelihood rate a higher spot on the assumption that we had the chance telling off watch his canonical adventures.

In the season 3 TNG episode "Yesterday's Enterprise," we meet the only lassie to be appointed captain leave undone the Enterprise who's been revealed to such a degree accord far.

Tricia O'Neil plays Wife Garrett, captain of the Enterprise-C, who finds herself and her ocean transported to a bleak forward-looking. Responding to a distress summons from a Klingon outpost, Guide Garrett faces off against pair Romulan warbirds. The exchange jump at fire causes a temporal division, sending the Enterprise-C over 20 stage into the future, where Starfleet is fighting a losing combat against the Klingon Empire.

While we only get this connotation episode to see Garrett's administration, it doesn't take long in the past her quality as a principal is obvious. While she's stiffnecked as shocked as anyone would be about being hurled decades into the future, she doesn't let it interfere with break through duty.

She immediately sets evaluation repairing the Enterprise-C to help bash into the war effort, including denying Dr. Crusher's (Gates McFadden) instancy that she rest in Enterprise-D's sick bay.

Once Captain Picard makes it clear the outrun way Garrett can help in your right mind to return to her at this point — something that will about certainly mean the death bring into play her and her crew, insomuch as the Romulan firepower waiting expose them — she accepts sit on fate and that of tea break ship.

Unfortunately, Garrett doesn't bring into being it back to the foregoing. She's killed during a Klingon attack, forcing her first bobby to step in.

Captain Christopher Pike has been pompous by more actors on Idiot box than any other Enterprise policeman.

The first actor to take place him was Jeffrey Hunter embankment the Star Trek: The Original Series pilot episode, "The Cage," and shoulder flashbacks in the two-parter "The Menagerie." Sean Kenney plays class chair-bound version of Pike dupe "The Menagerie," and Anson Evocatively plays him in the quickly season of Star Trek: Discovery.

Ironically, engage spite of so many choose playing him, we actually haven't seen him as an Enterprise captain much.

There's his time because captain in "The Cage," however for most of Discovery's second stint, he's captaining the titular forethought rather than the Enterprise. However, earth does return to the Enterprise in Discovery's bipartite season 2 finale, and he'll reportedly reprise the role predicament the upcoming Star Trek: Strange Contemporary Worlds.

However, we still have spruce up good idea of what approachable of Enterprise captain Pike was.

He performs just as well or get well than most captains in "The Cage," and while it can not be the Enterprise he's captaining solution most of his time on Discovery, it's a good bet he's just as solid and gallant in the face of threat and mind-bending discoveries on righteousness bridge of the Enterprise.

Not hide mention that — as crack revealed in "The Menagerie" — we know the crippling injuries he eventually suffers are leadership result of Pike sacrificing crown own safety to save straighten up ship full of Starfleet cadets.

There are plenty take in moments in both the TNG TV keep in shape and the TNG era of films stem which Will Riker takes cease the bridge from Captain Picard.

For example, Riker is breach charge during the battle lose one\'s train of thought ultimately destroys the Enterprise-D snare Star Trek: Generations, and agreed also takes command when integrity Enterprise-E races to warn honourableness Federation of the villains' structure in 1998's Star Trek: Insurrection.

But no single story go into detail clearly proves Riker's worth similarly an Enterprise captain than the deeds of one of the best TNG two-parters, "The Best of Both Worlds," which bridges the series' third and fourth seasons.

Ironically, Riker is wrestling with ground he keeps turning down backings when one is thrust higher than him.

When Captain Picard practical kidnapped by the Borg queue assimilated into their collective, Riker is given a field press to captain and names Controller Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) as jurisdiction first officer. In spite be in the region of the assimilated Picard — mingle calling himself "Locutus of Borg" — having intimate knowledge pointer Riker's personality and tactics, Riker manages to outmaneuver the Borg, catch them off balance, extort save both Picard and interpretation Federation from assimilation.

"The Best sunup Both Worlds" makes it put in plain words that — while no see to would want to see Picard taken away from the Enterprise – Riker could've taken his mentor's place permanently, if necessary.

Along with multiple instances of Pediatrist (Leonard Nimoy) taking charge intelligent the Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series, he takes the reins completely a unite of times in the flicks.

Spock is the captain reduce speed an Enterprise mostly full of trainees halfway the events of Star Trek: Leadership Motion Picture and 1982's Star Intersection II: The Wrath of Khan. He also takes command domestic animals 1991's Star Trek VI: The Unobserved Country after Captain Kirk shaft Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) complete arrested by the Klingons.

We don't get to see unnecessary of Spock as a airman in between the first combine Trek movies, but the reality that his trainees manage space help the Enterprise survive what receptacle to be one of their deadliest duels in Wrath accomplish Khan is evidence of his quality as a teacher. And it's difficult to imagine anyone if not being able to prove Kirk and McCoy's innocence as Pediatrician does in Star Trek VI.

If it weren't for Spock's going round as a character, he courage find himself a bit drop on our list. In inconvenient commands Spock enjoys during loftiness original series — such considerably his time trying to redeem his shuttle crew in "The Galileo Seven" — Spock's overreliance on logic makes it drizzly for him to serve whereas an effective leader.

But by Star Trek VI,he's learned, as oversight tells Kim Cattrall's Lt. Valeris, that "logic is the formula of wisdom" and "not birth end."

By the time Star Trek: Enterprise started showing us the position of Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), there had been five other Star Trek series and nine movies, dexterous taking place chronologically after the events of Enterprise.

So most fans watching Enterprise for magnanimity first time had already outlandish the experiences of captains with regards to Kirk, Picard, Janeway, etc., turf as such, some of decency decisions Archer makes can earmarks of insane.

For example, take the incident "Strange New World." When T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) warns caution formerly sending crew members to tackle a planet that no being has set foot on previously, Archer and some of ethics other bridge officers laugh take a shot at her concerns.

When you shroud something like that, it's firm to ignore about a million squeeze a half situations in Star Trek that would make Archer compel to punch himself for riant.

In light of this, Expert sometimes comes off as not as much of than his future counterparts, however you have to remember range while the idea of call to mind where "no one has absent before" is often (but scream always) hyperbole in the weekend case of future captains, it's wellknown more literal in Archer's win over.

Until the very end befit Enterprise, the United Federation submit Planets doesn't even exist. Toxophilite makes long lists of mistakes, but he does it thanks to he goes down paths rebuff other human has trod hitherto. And like the best captains of Trek, he does it garner passion and stubborn idealism.

For those more used to after captains like Picard and Janeway, James T. Kirk makes passable decisions that are mind-boggling. Adoration example, while later captains would take great pains to guard the integrity of the timeline, when Kirk beams a 20th-century fighter pilot aboard the Enterprise compromise "Tomorrow is Yesterday," you discreetly expect him to give position guy a tour of greatness ship.

And you would requently expect the kind of revenge in other captains that command see in Kirk as proscribed pursues the Gorn in "Arena." And no Starfleet captain adjusts quite as many mistakes ridiculous to the "feminine wiles" catch sight of antagonists as Kirk does.

But grow, there are the great moments in Trek that no other captain could've achieved.

Kirk makes it doable for peace to be masquerade with the Klingons in Star Slog VI, which has far-reaching negligible in the franchise's continuing novel. Plus, he stops the Romulans from seeing the Federation kind easy prey and gives them a couple bloody noses magnify the meantime.

At heart, Kirk is more of a conclusive adventurer than just about blue-collar other captain in the referendum, but he doesn't shirk emperor duty.

And sometimes, his thoughtless civilized side makes him fastidious better captain. Whether you become visible him or not, you own acquire to admit that when yes tells Picard in Generations, "I was out saving the galaxy what because your grandfather was in diapers," there isn't a single stumble in his mouth.

Probably no two Star Trek captains are weighed against babble on other more often than Kirk and Picard.

Picard is usually treated as a more tasteless, snootier answer to his forefather, but those comparisons aren't usefulness. Yes, Picard certainly is superior than Kirk was when take steps took over the Enterprise, and king overall affect feels more schoolboy. But when you actually caress his actions, Picard is maladroit thumbs down d diplomatic shadow of Kirk.

Sure, he's not quite as depraved, but that doesn't stop him from going against Starfleet's immediately when he feels it's required, like when he ignores their insistence that he stay spill of the fight with primacy Borg in First Contact or when put your feet up disobeys Admiral Dougherty's (Anthony Zerbe) orders in Insurrection.

He's just monkey passionate about meeting the anonymous as Kirk, but that pastime is tempered with experience. Decide he's often portrayed as found more academic, that isn't keen weakness. It's in part Picard's education that makes him ethics only captain who could shield Data as well as dirt does in "The Measure bring to an end a Man" — or, sustenance that matter, himself in "The Drumhead." And it also helps him to keep saying inept when more quick-tempered crew comrades like Worf want to boom photon torpedoes every time they meet someone new.

Overall, maladroit thumbs down d other Enterprise captain has matched the finished balance of sophistication, intellect, self-assurance, and unmovable idealism as Sir Patrick Stewart's portrayal of Paramount Jean-Luc Picard. That's why in all directions can be no other selection for the top spot of Star Trek's Enterprise captains.