All 7 Main Star Trek Captains, Ranked Worst To Best

Star Trek has introduced seven amazing series-leading captains in its nearly 60-year history. While most Star Trek shows feature ensemble casts rather than focusing on one singular character, Star Trek’s various captains often take center stage. When Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) set out to explore strange new worlds in Star Trek: The Original Series, he laid the groundwork for every starship captain who would follow him. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) of Star Trek: The Next Generation was a very different kind of captain from Kirk, but he became just as beloved.

Following Picard, Captains Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) faced very different challenges from their predecessors, but they both rose to the occasion. On Star Trek: Enterprise, Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) was retconned as the first Captain of the Enterprise, helping to found the United Federation of Planets. With its premiere in 2017, Star Trek: Discovery ushered the franchise into the streaming era, introducing Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham. Finally, Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) has become a Starfleet captain for the modern age as the lead of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

7 Captain Jonathan Archer

Played By Scott Bakula On Star Trek: Enterprise

Captain Jonathan Archer commanded the Enterprise NX-01, the first starship launched by Earth prior to the founding of the United Federation of Planets. As Starfleet’s first captain to venture into the unknown on a warp-5-capable starship, Archer often had to make decisions on the fly without any precedent to look back on. Archer made numerous First Contacts with some of Star Trek’s most famous species, including the Klingons and the Andorians.

Captain Archer could be stubborn to a fault, and he made his fair share of mistakes, sometimes compromising his morals when he saw no other options. Star Trek: Enterprise sometimes felt like it wasn’t quite sure what kind of show it wanted to be and Archer’s sometimes made decisions from emotion instead of logic. He often ignored the advice of the more experienced Subcommander T’Pol (Jolene Blalock), but Archer was also more relatable and down-to-earth than some of Star Trek’s larger-than-life heroes.

6 Captain Michael Burnham

Played By Sonequa Martin-Green On Star Trek: Discovery

By the end of Star Trek: Discovery’s final season, Captain Michael Burnham had truly come into her own as a character, but her journey had its fair share of ups and downs. Sonequa Martin-Green never failed to deliver a strong performance, and Burnham had an incredibly compelling story arc throughout Discovery’s five seasons. However, Burnham’s connections with Spock (Ethan Peck) and his family somewhat limited the character in Discovery’s earliest storylines. Burnham had her moments early in Star Trek: Discovery, but she flourished after the USS Discovery traveled to the 32nd century.

Burnham was a different kind of Star Trek captain, and she sometimes made rash decisions, but she helped save the galaxy several times over. Michael’s ability to connect with those around her served her well and her deep relationships with Star Trek: Discovery’s other characters became one of the best parts of the show. From committing mutiny aboard the USS Shenzhou in the 23rd century to helping rebuild the 32nd-century Federation, Burnham has come farther than any other Star Trek captain, in more ways than one.

5 Captain Christopher Pike

Played By Anson Mount On Star Trek: Discovery & Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Anson Mount’s take on Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek: Discovery season 2 was so well-received that Paramount greenlit a series centering on Pike’s USS Enterprise. In its two seasons so far, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has become one of Trek’s most popular current shows and incorporates both new characters and updated versions of classic characters. With so many amazing characters, however, Strange New Worlds often shifts its focus away from Captain Pike. Anson Mount’s Pike is an excellent example of a modern romantic leading man who is unequivocally a hero.

Even after Pike learns about the tragic future that awaits him, he continues to lead missions of exploration with hope and wonder. Captain Pike has a more collaborative command style than other Star Trek captains, as he often defers to his crew for ideas. Still, he can take charge when he needs to and will always put his crew’s safety above his own. Pike has only appeared in three seasons of Star Trek so far, but Anson Mount has already ensured that he will take his place among Star Trek’s greatest captains.

4 Captain Benjamin Sisko

Played By Avery Brooks On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

As commander of the Deep Space Nine space station, Captain Sisko’s job looked significantly different from that of Star Trek’s captains. Sisko was an accomplished Starfleet officer, but he sometimes had to turn a blind eye or find ways to around Starfleet’s more illogical orders. A vibrant space station that hosted aliens from all over the galaxy, DS9 was a far different beast from a starship. Sisko took his job as station commander very seriously, as he tried to balance the wishes of Starfleet with the needs of the Bajorans and others on the station.

Captain Sisko commanded from the front lines during Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Dominion War, and the strategic position of DS9 meant Sisko had to make a lot of tough calls. Sisko was one of Star Trek’s more serious captains, making him a perfect fit for the darker tone of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Between his duties as the commander of DS9 and his role as the Bajoran Emissary of the Prophets, Sisko did not get a lot of free time, but he enjoyed cooking and baseball. Sisko also had an understandable soft spot for his son, Jake (Cirroc Lofton), and the two had one of Star Trek’s best parent/child dynamics.

3 Captain James T. Kirk

Played By William Shatner In Star Trek: The Original Series

As the first Captain of the USS Enterprise viewers met on screen, Captain James T. Kirk helped introduce the world to the Star Trek universe. With his vitality and charm, Kirk became one of the most iconic and beloved characters in all of science fiction. He was a strong captain who never turned down an adventure and was willing to make bold moves when necessary. With Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) at his side, Kirk often felt like an unstoppable force, and he and his crew saved the galaxy several times over.

Some aspects of Kirk’s character, like his tendency to romance alien women, may be somewhat outdated by today’s standards, but he nevertheless remains compelling. William Shatner brought a uniquely arresting energy to Kirk that always made him fun to watch. Kirk has become such an iconic figure that Star Trek has brought him back more than once, with Chris Pine in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek films and Paul Wesley in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Both actors have done an admirable job of bringing the larger-than-life character of Kirk to life for modern audiences.

2 Captain Kathryn Janeway

Played By Kate Mulgrew In Star Trek: Voyager And Star Trek: Prodigy

In Star Trek: Voyager, Captain Janeway became the first female captain to lead a Star Trek show, as the commander of the USS Voyager. On Voyager’s first mission, Janeway and her crew wound up stranded in the distant Delta Quadrant, 70,000 light-years from Earth. With a crew comprised of Starfleet officers and former Maquis members, Janeway then spent the next seven years leading Voyager through the unexplored Delta Quadrant. Without Starfleet to lean on, Janeway faced many difficult decisions and had an entire ship full of people relying on her.

Captain Janeway was undoubtedly a hero, but she was also a realistic character who sometimes struggled with loneliness and depression. Janeway always strove to do what was best for her crew, and Kate Mulgrew embued Janeway with genuine heart and strength. Janeway could be single-minded, but she cared deeply about her crew and did her best to uphold the rules of Starfleet. Captain Janeway achieved a lot of firsts throughout her time on Voyager and, as seen in Star Trek: Prodigy, Kathryn went on to become one of Starfleet’s most impressive Admirals.

1 Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Played By Patrick Stewart In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Picard

As the first main Star Trek captain to follow Captain Kirk, Patrick Stewart’s Picard had big shoes to fill and he more than rose to the task. Picard was a more contemplative captain than Kirk and would rather read a book and enjoy of cup of Earl grey tea than gallivant with alien women. Still, Picard had his fair share of adventures as captain of the USS Enterprise-D, and Patrick Stewart never failed to deliver an incredible performance. With his nuanced and compelling portrayal, Patrick Stewart was a big part of why Captain Picard worked so well as a character.

As one of Starfleet’s most accomplished captains, Picard initiated numerous first contacts and helped save the entire galaxy more than once. Picard could command a room and deliver one hell of a speech, but he could also face down a deadly enemy without flinching. He cared deeply for his crew, listened to their ideas, and always fought to do the right thing. Captain Picard truly exemplifies the ideals of a Starfleet captain, and he remains one of Star Trek’s finest characters, as well as the best captain the franchise has to offer.