ALL SCI-FI

[Gord Green]

I know every Trek-Fan has their favorite captain.
Who is yours and why?

For me the choice is simple. As much as I respect Kirk and Picard, Sisco and Janeway, my favorite is Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), from Star Trek : Enterprise.

Star Trek: Enterprise is arguably the least popular of the franchise's live-action series, but it still features a memorable captain in Jonathan Archer. Instrumental in forming the Federation of Planets (which he later serves as president of), the character gives viewers a glimpse of an earlier part of the timeline than even the original series, and it is through his eyes that many key events within the Star Trek canon are explored. Archer is a pivotal character in the franchise's history, and even if the show in which he was the lead wasn't the most notable, he remains a key part of the mythology that serves as the foundation for all that followed.

In ST:Discovery we're presented with another iconic Federation Captain.

In Star Trek: Discovery's "Context Is for Kings," we're finally introduced to Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) who already sets himself apart from the other Trek leaders with his preference for hanging out in his ready room over sitting in the captain's chair.

An experienced military leader, we already know he's willing to break rules in order to win the war against the Klingons as seen with his secret experiments and enlisting ousted Starfleet mutineer Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) as a temporary crew member.

He is a man of both strategy and action, something he shares with Star Trek: The Next Generation's Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), though he'd probably see Picard as a bit of a slowpoke when it comes to putting a plan into action.

What Lorca can learn from Picard, who is often regarded as the "thinking man's captain," is to be mindful of his arrogance or risk endangering the entire Federation like Picard did when he accidentally insulted an omnipotent species who then put him face-to-face with those gnarly Borgs.

Lorca is also a fierce leader, one who refuses to show any weakness or lack of confidence to his crew. "He's a wartime leader," Isaacs tells TV Guide. "It's really important to him that the crew are inspired and slightly afraid and intimidated by him."

It's a fa??ade that Star Trek: Enterprise's Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), the very first captain of the USS Enterprise, would have been well to use. His doubts were not so inspiring for his crew, making him a much less effective leader.

Still, as the progeniter of all the other Starfleet Captains Archer had to learn the hard way. He had no previous examples to whom he could look to as examples for his actions. He is the prototype...the prime model of a Starship commander....and he was sucessful as such.

On the other hand, Lorca uses fear and strength as a means of controlling his crew and while it may be working for him now, it's uncertain how long that will hold up. We're seeing a bit of mistrust among the team already with Lt. Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp), who speaks of him with disgust and refers to him as a warmonger.

Although he confides a bit in Burnham, whom Isaacs says he sees as both his intellectual and strategic equal, Lorca could lean more into his crew like the original series' James T. Kirk (William Shatner). The beloved captain often deferred to First Officer Spock's mind and Chief Medical Officer McCoy's heart when plagued with major decisions, balancing both of their opinions before making the final call. That intimate council -- which usually kept him in check -- helped him out of many sticky situations and could do the same for Lorca. Despite the difference, though, Lorca does share Kirk's penchant for bending the rules in order to do what he feels is right and that will certainly get him far.

Plus, he's pretty resourceful. Through his travels, he's already collected a number of tools which he hopes will aid the Federation in winning the war including Klingon weapons and a menagerie full of eclectic creatures. There's also the spore technology he discovered which, if used the way he wants, has the possibility to transport someone anywhere in the galaxy in an instant.

However, we have yet to see Lorca rely on his diplomatic skills like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), who spent his time aboard the Deep Space Nine station in the Bajoran sector navigating tricky relationships with locals who saw him as a holy man while also dealing with different alien species harboring ulterior motives.

Even Star Trek: Voyager's Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) needed to rely on diplomacy in order to unite two very different crews while stranded far away from Earth in the Delta quadrant. To be fair, Lorca is already at war which calls more for action than words.

It's too early to tell exactly what sort of captain he will turn out to be but so far, it's clear that he is very different from what we're used to seeing. If Lorca can hone the admirable qualities of those that came before, however, he just may find himself listed among the best.

So, untill all facts are known I must rank Archer as number one, followed by Kirk, Picard, Janeway and Sisko.

What do you think? Who is the best....or more pertinent...WHO would you want to serve with?

[Bud Brewster]

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My order of preference is:

Janeway - She's tough, she's smart, she's brave, and she's the ultimate "soccer mom". Kate always gets the kids back home on time!

Kirk - He's cool, he's handsome, he never gives up, never surrenders! The only thing he's broken more often than the Prime Directive are the hearts of young ladies.

Picard - He's British. He's dignified. He gives words like "pattern" and "schedule" class just by saying them in a funny way.

Archer - He's got a gorgeous starship, a hot Vulcan science officer, and a cute Beagle that loves cheese. What's NOT to like about this guy?

Sisco - He's big, he's bad, he's black! That Sisko is one bad mother--- ("Shut yo mouth!") Hey, I'm just talkin' about Sisko! ("We can dig it.")
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[orzel-w]

[bulldogtrekker]

My order of preference is similar to Bud:

Kirk - I loved all of the self doubt he had.

Picard - He had self doubt but we never saw it.

Janeway - Just behind Picard

Archer - I considered ranking him higher since he became President of the Federation. The question was best captain.

Sisco - He raised his voice too often.

Jelico - He was lucky he was not thrown out the airlock.

[Bud Brewster]

[johnnybear]

This is an easy one! It's James T.Kirk as played by the Shat! Then it's Captain Christopher Pike and Jean Luc Picard from TNG, Benjamin Sisko from DS9 and then finally Kathrine Janeway from Voyager!

I don't count ENT as being in the original reality and you can forget about DSC!
JB

[johnnybear]

The original Star Trek TV series can't be equaled and the following series have not made me change my opinion one bit I'm afraid!
JB

[johnnybear]

I've been watching DSC but I can't say I'm that impressed and I refute that it's set before TOS! Maybe in another universe or timeline perhaps but...
JB

[Bud Brewster]

[johnnybear]

Yeah, I hated how they invented this war with the Klingons and later on the Mirror Universe a long time before Kirk first discovered it!!! It should have been set after TOS and maybe we'd all have liked it better!
JB

[WadeVC]

My favorite captain is Picard, followed by Kirk.

There is just an aire about Picard that I enjoy, and he seems a little more dignified in the captains seat.

But as how TNG is my favorite Trek series, it should come as no surprise I like Picard the best.
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"You look like a pooped out pinwheel."
-Robot Monster