Star Trek: All 8 captains ranked from worst to best

6. Captain Jonathan Archer (Enterprise NX-01)

Appeared in: Star Trek: Enterprise

Now here’s a captain who had to navigate the uncertain and uncharted waters (or rather, starry voids) of deep space. Imagine being the first to do anything – it’s both thrilling and a tad bit scary.

Jonathan Archer was the first captain to venture into space – he had no rule book, no precedents, just his ship, his crew, and a vast unknown ahead. Sure, he might have come across as a tad naïve and jumped the gun once or twice, but who wouldn’t when you’re meeting brand new alien species and exploring strange new worlds?

And while he might rank sixth on this list, it’s essential to give Captain Archer the credit he truly deserves. Without his early adventures and those baby steps into the universe, the Federation might not have had the foundational stones it needed.

He was the trailblazer, the one who started it all. Just like how we thank our grandparents for some of our coolest family traditions, the Starfleet captains that came after Archer owe him a nod for laying down the first tracks of what would become the interstellar adventures we’ve had the pleasure of watching.