With 55 years of Star Trek TV shows and movies to look at, figuring out what it takes to be a Starfleet captain isn't hard to do. A person needs to be confident, smart, courageous, empathetic, strong-willed, and of strong moral standing. The captains of starships and space stations carry a heavy load, with hundreds of lives depending on their decisions, but years of preparation have trained them to do their best.
But, which captains are the best captains Starfleet has ever seen? Who are the ones that make it into the history books? Which captains are held as the benchmarks in leadership, strength, and skill? Here are ten of the best captains to ever appear in Star Trek, be they on a ship, on a station, or in a cartoon.
10 Jonathan Archer
The first Starfleet officer to captain a starship launched by the United Earth, Captain Jonathan Archer is considered to be the greatest explorer of the 22nd century. The son of renowned warp scientist Henry Archer, Captain Archer explored the far reaches of the galaxy using Vulcan star charts, and then he went further than anyone had gone before.
Captain Archer and his crew of the Enterprise NX-01 discovered new worlds and new civilizations. As if that isn't enough, Captain Archer also played a major role in the Temporal Cold War and helped avert a war between the Vulcans and the Andorians, leading to the creation of the United Federation of Planets.
9 Robert April
While stationed in San Francisco, Captain Robert April worked alongside engineer Lawrence Marvick and Doctor Richard Daystrom to create the Constitution-class starship. When the first twelve ships were built, Captain April was given command of the USS Enterprise and given a five-year mission to explore the unknown sectors of the universe.
During his five year mission as the first captain of the USS Enterprise, Robert April became one of the most decorated captains in Starfleet history, standing alongside Captain Archer. After his five-year mission came to an end, Captain April was promoted to commodore and became a Federation ambassador.
8 Christopher Pike
Aside from receiving an 'F' in Astrophysics, Christopher Pike was an exceptional student at the Starfleet Academy. He was also known for being able to drink any other cadet under the table. After graduating, Pike became a test pilot before serving on the USS Antares, the USS Chatelet, and the USS Aryabhatta.
Pike was reassigned to the USS Enterprise, where he served as Captain April's first officer. When Captain April was promoted, Christopher Pike was made the captain of the Enterprise, a position he would serve in for fifteen years. During an inspection tour of a cadet vessel, an accident caused a radiation leak. Captain Pike rushed into the affected area to save as many cadets as he could. He became trapped in the irradiated area and was left horribly disfigured and in need of life support in order to live. Years later, the crew of the Enterprise, including Pike's science officer Mister Spock, would take the retired captain to Talos IV where he would be cared for by the Talosians.
7 Matt Decker
The captain of the USS Constellation, Matt Decker was one of the most decorated officers in Starfleet, alongside Captains Archer and Pike. During a routine survey mission, the Constellation encountered an alien planet killer that was living up to its name. Attempting to protect the planets on the alien machine's path, Captain Decker ordered his ship to attack. In the battle, the Constellation was damaged beyond repair and left to float lifelessly in space.
Captain Decker beamed his crew to a nearby planet, believing that it would keep them safe until help could arrive. Instead, the alien machine turned its attention to that planet and killed everyone on it. Decker was left alone on the Constellation. After the arrival of the Enterprise, the now insane Decker would pilot the Constellation into the alien machine, destroying it and killing himself.
6 James Kirk
Arguably the best known Starfleet captain in history, James Kirk's time in command of the Enterprise is well documented. From the early adventures where he and his crew were the first to see a Romulan in hundreds of years to their battle against former Eugenics War leader Khan Noonien Singh and the creation of the Genesis Planet, Captain Kirk consistently proved that the high standards of Starfleet are true and good. A bookworm during his Starfleet Academy days, Captain Kirk reveled in the opportunity to explore new planets alongside the crew of the Enterprise.
5 Hikaru Sulu
Best known as the senior helmsman on Captain Kirk's Enterprise crew, Hikaru Sulu was a valued member of the team and played an integral role in many historic missions. Following the completion of their five-year mission, the Enterprise returned to Earth to be refitted and given a new captain. Sulu was promoted to lieutenant commander.
Sulu continued to serve under Captain Kirk until he was promoted again, this time to captain, and given command of the USS Excelsior. Sulu and the Excelsior would play a major role in the Battle at Khitomer. His portrait would later be placed in Starfleet Headquarters.
4 Jean-Luc Picard
Something of a rebel during his Starfleet Academy days, Captain Jean-Luc Picard became infamous when he carved the initials A.F. into groundskeeper Boothby's prized elm tree. Boothby would help Picard mature and excel at the academy, helping the young man become one of the most important captains in Starfleet history.
Along with being the first member of the Federation to interact with the Ferengi and the Borg as the captain of the USS Enterprise-D, Captain Picard became the obsession of the omnipotent being known only as Q. After retiring from Starfleet, Picard went on a quest to protect the synth homeworld of Coppelius from the Romulans.
3 Benjamin Sisko
Unlike the other captains here, Benjamin Sisko did not command a starship. As the captain of the space station Deep Space Nine, Sisko was in charge of protecting a stable wormhole that allowed the Federation to explore the Gamma Quadrant with ease. Captain Sisko quickly found himself embedded in the post-war politics of the Bajorans and the Cardassians. The Bajorans believed that Sisko was the Emissary of the Prophets; the beings that lived inside the wormhole, while the Cardassians saw him as the only thing standing in their way of retaking the planet Bajor.
With DS9 at the frontlines of the Dominion War, Sisko found himself being a wartime captain, something he never wanted to be. When the Dominion threatened to kill Sisko, the wormhole Profits stepped in and destroyed the Dominion army, ending the war. At the same time, Sisko was believed to be dead by Starfleet, but, in truth, he had joined the wormhole beings.
2 Kathryn Janeway
Born into a Starfleet family, Captain Kathryn Janeway entered Starfleet Academy, where she excelled at her studies. After graduation, Janeway was stationed on the USS Al-Batani, where she served as the chief science officer. When she was promoted to captain, Janeway was given command of the USS Voyager and given the mission to locate a missing Maquis vessel.
During the mission, the Voyager was struck by a displacement wave and flung seventy thousand light-years into the Delta Quadrant. With no quick way home, Captain Janeway found herself cut off from the Federation and forced to keep the peace between her crew and the Marquis who joined them.
1 William Riker
One of the most impressive people to ever graduate from Starfleet Academy, William Riker served on the USS Pegasus, the USS Potemkin, and the USS Hood before being offered his own command of the USS Drake. In a surprise move, Riker turned down the chance to be captain in order to serve on the USS Enterprise under Captain Picard.
After serving as Captain Picard's first officer and turning down a number of opportunities to captain his own ship, Riker accepted the position of captain of the USS Titan. Stationed at the border of the Romulan Neutral Zone, Captain Riker and the crew of the Titan, which included his wife Deanna Troi and their son Thad, were tasked with keeping the peace.