Star Trek: All 8 captains ranked from worst to best

Among all the incredible Star Trek captains we’ve met, these are the ones that have stuck with us the most for the last 57 years.

Ever wondered who’s in charge when it comes to zipping around space in the world of Star Trek? Well, it’s the captains, of course, who else?

These fierce and fearless leaders are where the real adventures start. Whether it’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard, bringing some serious wisdom (and a serious and rightful love for Earl Grey tea) to the table, or Captain James T. Kirk, with his knack for making friends (and sometimes foes) with just about any alien he meets – these captains have inspired and, sometimes, infuriated us all.

And it’s not just about epic space battles they find themselves and their crews in or dealing with spicy aliens, the little things also count – sometimes even more than all the action we see them involved in. Think about Captain Benjamin Sisko’s cooking skills or Captain Kathryn Janeway’s coffee obsessions – because hey, even captains need their nourishment and caffeine fix.

Each one of the captains we’ve seen grace the screens in the Star Trek universe has their own special flair, their own way of dealing with space oopsies, and their own style of running their ships. Rapport, relationships, and tempers are different and conflicts are approached uniquely, making each captain a major piece of the big puzzle that is Star Trek.

Let’s get to know the captains who make Star Trek the wild, wacky, and wonderful universe we all love and see how they compare with each other.

Engage!

Note: While there have been many captains in the Star Trek lore, this list will specifically focus on the classic captains from the original batch of shows. Other versions of those characters that do appear in the modern adaptations will be grouped together with the original versions, and thus won’t be ranked twice.