10 best Star Trek characters (and the worst one that everyone loves to hate)

5 of 7

Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Commander Sisko

Nov. 2, 2015 – CBS Television Studios announced today it will launch a totally new “Star Trek” television series in January 2017. The brand-new “Star Trek” will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966. The new series will blast off with a special preview broadcast on the CBS Television Network. The premiere episode and all subsequent first-run episodes will then be available exclusively in the United States on CBS All Access, the Network’s digital subscription video on demand and live streaming service.Pictured: Avery Brooks as Commander Sisko in STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINEScreen grab: ©1998 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. /

4. Captain Benjamin Sisko

Captain Sisko shook up the Star Trek universe in Deep Space Nine. He starts off as a grieving husband and single parent trying to make sense of life and ends up as this monumental figure who’s essential to the Alpha Quadrant. How often do you see a character juggle being a dad, a commanding officer, and basically a religious icon all at once? I felt like I was looking at myself while watching him in Deep Space Nine, minus the whole “religious icon” thing.

Sisko’s journey isn’t just some side plot in the scheme of Deep Space Nine – it’s a genuinely gripping and uplifting main character arc that we all love to watch. He takes all his different roles in stride, dealing with political issues one moment and playing the tricky role of parent the next. Sisko is a living, breathing lesson in growth and adaptability, bringing a flavor to Star Trek that you just can’t get enough of.

Star Trek, Star Wars, Captain James T. Kirk

Chris Pine plays Kirk in Star Trek Beyond from Paramount Pictures, Skydance, Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark and Perfect Storm Entertainment /

3. Captain James T. Kirk

If you’re talking ~~most incredibly handsome~~ Starfleet captains, you’ve got to start with the one and only Captain James T. Kirk ~~but especially the ones played by Chris Pine and Anson Mount~~. Captain Kirk may be an iconic figure in TV and film history, but he is also the entire package – charismatic, daring, and more than willing to bend a rule or two (as long as it gets the job done, of course). Kirk’s got that kind of leadership that makes you want to follow him into battle and kick some serious alien butt while you’re at it.

That’s not to mention the OG dream team —Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. The friendship among these three gives the original series its heart and soul and some of the most unforgettable moments. Whether they’re debating logic and emotion or just doing what Starfleet officers do, their chemistry is the secret sauce that makes the original series still enjoyable to this day, decades after its debut.

Kirk’s not just a great character – he’s the one of a trio that turned Star Trek into the legendary saga that it is today and he is also a very relatable character who tip-toes the line between recklessness and loyalty.

Home/Opinion