With the release of the new Star Trek movie coming next year, it got me thinking about who the best starship commanders actually are. We have come a long way from Kirk/Picard debate. Some of the commanders that must be considered aren't even in the Star Trek universe. I'm not going to attempt to rank these commanders using strict guidelines or categories. This is simply a list of the best starship commanders judging by their actions made on the shows I love to watch.
10. Worf
Worf is probably more well known for his other positions he has served on board starships, but his abilities and actions as a commander are memorable enough to merit a spot on this Top 10 list. Specifically, his actions in command of the Defiant in Star Trek: First Contact at the Battle of Sector 001 against the Borg stands out. Although he is probably a bit too aggressive of a commander for my tastes, I will always remember his quote in that battle when facing certain destruction. "Perhaps today *is* a good day to die! Prepare for ramming speed!"
9. Kahn
The sole time you get to see Khan's starship command abilities is in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He did appear in the TOS episode 'Space Seed', but I don't think you get to see his starship command abilities in that episode. Certainly his intellect, strength, and cunning are well represented in both appearances. Alas, his weaknesses led to his defeat. Even with his superior intellegence, his lack of experience and two dimensional thinking - along with his determination to hurt and destroy Kirk - ultimately led to his demise.
8. Spock
Spock's logical approach and exceptional intellegence made him a very good starship commander. His command abilities are best represented in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. He showed great loyalty to Kirk, the ability to know when to disobey orders from Starfleet Command, and the deductive abilities to solve the crimes commited on the Enterprise. He never had any ambitions to seek permenant command of a starship and was always content serving James T. Kirk who he regarded with great respect and valued as a friend.
7. Captain Sulu
Captain Sulu learned how to command a starship from one of the best. Along with Spock, Sulu's command abilities are represented in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Like Spock, he showed great loyalty to his former commanding officer, James T. Kirk. He also knew well enough not to aid Starfleet in trying to get the Enterprise to return to headquarters. He knew that he could trust the Enterprise crew from his previous experience and helped prevent interstellar war between the Federation and the Klingons. I love his emphatic orders when trying to join the battle at Khitomer. "Fly her apart then!"
6. Han Solo
Han Solo would have the opportunity to be higher on the list if it were not for this "Who shot first" conspiracy. His piloting abilities of the Falcon alone would put him on the Top 10 list. Add those piloting abilities to his morality, knowledge of the many star systems in the galaxy, and experience getting out of sticky situations being a smuggler, you have yourself one hell of a starship commander. Unfortunately, we have this "Greedo shot first" conspiracy that puts a huge black mark on his image. I don't understand why George Lucas would find it so despicable that a character would shot first when a blaster is pointed right at his face. The fact that there is the possibility that Han waited for an aggressor to fire a shot at his head - ableit a horrible shot - makes me question his command abilities and knocks him out of the Top 5.
5. Captain Picard
The Kirk/Picard debate is over. Kirk is a superior starship commander to Picard. Picard was still a very good captain in his own right however. He did destroy one of the greatest enemies the Federation has ever faced, the Borg - although Data gets a whole lot of credit for killing the Borg Queen. He even has a pretty nifty maneuver named after him. Picard tended to delegate responsibilites a bit more than Kirk did. He depended and trusted his crew to do their jobs and the gather the necessary information so he could make the best decisions. Although I prefer Kirk's hands-on approach, this method of leadership did serve Picard, Starfleet, and the Federation well.
4. Commander/Admiral Adama
Bill Adama embodies almost everything anyone would want in a starship commander. He expresses great courage in situations that appear hopeless. He infuses that courage in those that serve on his ship as is shown in his announcement to his crew that the cylons have attacked the twelve colonies. "What does matter is that as of this moment, we are at war. You've trained for this. You're ready for this. Stand to your duties, trust your fellow shipmates, and we'll all get through this." So say we all. In fact, Adama might be in competition for the number one spot on my list if it were not for the "Bulldog" incident. When in command of the Battlestar Valkyrie, he ordered the destruction of a recon vessel in cylon space piloted by "Bulldog". He did this in an attempt to prevent the cylons from discovering a colonial vessel in their territory and triggering a war, however, I can't help but find that action to be a bit cowardly. Besides this one incident, Adama has shown great leadership abilities.
3. Benjamin Sisko
Sisko's starship command abilities may have been aided in the fact that he commanded one of the toughest little ships in Starfleet. Designed to contend with the Borg threat, the Defiant was built for a single purpose - war. It made for the perfect ship to station at Deep Space Nine and the front line against the Dominion. Although this is a Top 10 list of starship commanders, Sisko's command abilities on the space station DS9 are hard to ignore. As both a starship and space station commander, he showed great diplomatic abilities. However, when confronted with a threat, Sisko revealed a strong determination and will that was not blinded by hate or an uneven temper. He would remain resolute in upholding the best qualities of a Starfleet officer.
2. Captain James T. Kirk
The best captain in Starfleet. There isn't really much more that needs to be said. Picard needed his assistance in defeating Soran. Sisko was so honored to be in his presence, he risked altering the timeline just tell Kirk, "I've been on temporary assignment here. Before I leave, I just want to say... it's been an honor serving with you, sir." Kirk devoted his entire life to Starfleet. In the early days of Starfleet exploration, Kirk was the sole representative of humanity and the Federation to "new life and new civilizations". Starfleet rules and directives had to be treated more as guidelines with the unknown challenges a Starfleet captain might face. He never asked his crew to do anything that he wouldn't be willing to do himself. This explains why he included himself on so many away missions. He showed great loyalty to his crew. Although, if your name wasn't Scotty, I would seriously reconsider putting that red shirt on. He is the only Starfleet cadet to successfully complete the Kobayashi Maru scenario. He saved Earth many times against many foes including V'ger, the genesis device (who knows what Khan would have done with it), an alien probe looking for humpback whales, and a diety living in the center of our galaxy. He even prevented an interstellar war with the Klingons at Khitomer. He possesses all the traits one could desire for a Starfleet captain. In the Star Trek universe, you could ask for none better.
1. Malcolm Reynolds
Malcolm Reynolds possesses every strength you could want for a starship commander with none of the weaknesses. Mal exhibits courage, wits, loyalty, and tenacity. Like Han Solo, his actions are not restricted by a government body. He is guided by his exceptional morality. He looks after his own. Three of his crew were once passengers. He 'adopted' them and considered them as a sort of family. Inara is merely renting on of Serenity's shuttle, but Mal would never let anything happen to her. Zoe has been his loyal 'second in command' ever since the war with the Alliance ended. Wash has proven to be one hell of a pilot. Kaylee is truly a miracle worker keeping Serenity in the air. Jayne...well, Jayne's a whole different story. The point is Mal has had the opportunity to decide who he wants and doesn't want on his ship. If he decides he wants you as part of his crew, he will do everything in his power to look after you. This doesn't stop Mal from doing the right thing even if it puts the entire ship in danger. After all, he is guided by his moral code. This can best be shown in his speech in the Serenity movie.
"Y'all got on this boat for different reasons, but y'all come to the same place. So now I'm asking more of you than I have before. Maybe all. Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten? They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."
If Mal has one weakness, it's that things just don't go smooth. The simplest plan just doesn't seem to go the way Mal wants it to go. Even considering this weakness, there is not a single starship commander that I would choose above him.
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