Who is the greatest starship captain in science fiction?
After my previous article about the greatest science fiction series ever, I decided to follow up with a list of the greatest starship captains in science fiction. Obviously, many captains from the aforementioned article will be included here. For this list, the captains must have held the rank of "captain" at some point. They will be considered if they were promoted or demoted, just as long as they actually were a captain at some point in their career. Only one captain per series or movie will be considered. It is not limited to one captain per franchise. However, captains in video games or books only will not be considered. The captains listed must have originated in television or movies. Also, individuals who command a starship, but only hold the rank of "commander," will not be included either. No doubt I will probably forget to include a few names on this list. So feel free to add your own. If you want to argue (nicely of course) about why one captain is better than the other, be my guest. Also, the following list is in random order and not listed as personal favorites. Enjoy!
- James T. Kirk (Star Trek: TOS)
- Jean-Luc Picard (ST: TNG)
- Benjamin Sisko (ST: DS9)
- Kathryn Janeway (ST: VOY)
- Jonathan Archer (ST: ENT)
- Ed Mercer (The Orville)
- Kara "Starbuck" Thrace (BSG reboot)
- John Sheridan (Babylon 5)
- William Decker (ST: TMP)
- Hikaru Sulu (ST VI: TUD)
- Malcolm Reynolds (Firefly)
- Han Solo (Star Wars)
- Turanga Leela (Futurama)
- David Bowman (2001: A Space Odyssey)
- Christopher Pike (Star Trek 2009)
- Frank Hollister (Red Dwarf)
- Dallas (Alien)
- Lee Adama (BSG: TOS)
- Buck Rogers (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century)
- Duck Dodgers (Duck Dodgers in the 24th 1/2 Century)
- Sara Lance (DC Legends of Tomorrow)
- Abraham Avatar (Space Battleship Yamato, aka Starblazers)
- Shane Vansen (Space: Above & Beyond)
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Ever notice how ALL Captains involved in STARFLEET, ALWAYS seem to break the "Prime Directive", even though they aren't "Legally" allowed to do so ? 
That's why I posted Duck Dodgers as my fav. captain. At least that was a "Cartoon". The others are supposed to be a look into our futures.
Ever notice how ALL Captains involved in STARFLEET, ALWAYS seem to break the "Prime Directive", even though they aren't "Legally" allowed to do so
Yep. I think Capt. Kirk was the worst offender. Although, he seemed to have rationalizations for it.
Janeway did it pretty often, too, but she probably wouldn't have made it home if she hadn't.
And then there was the Temporal Prime Directive. She broke that one a time or two, as well.
thing is....they always seem to rationalize breaking the law, but never seem to do anything about "Changing" the law.
Well, the PD was always tossed aside or stretched when it came to the greater good, for ship and crew that is. It's good in principle, but sometimes bad in execution.
Solo
Han was great at getting out of a tough situation, but he was great at getting into them, too, so he's not close to the top of my list. The lopsided smile wins him several points, though.
Commander Cain from the original Battlestar Galactica. The reasons being:
1) One of only two Commanders to survive on their own without support from the colonies.
2) Both fighting for survival against overwhelming numbers of opponents.
3) Kept the Cylons in chaos with only a single Battlestar and ZERO support after his fleet was supposedly destroyed
4) Kept a single Battlestar functioning while having only a limited number of pilots for the Vipers and no way of replacing said pilots
5) Scrounging resources from the Cylons during the entire time.
6) Played by Lloyd Bridges.
Commander Cain from the original Battlestar Galactica.
Technically, Cmndr Cain was only a commander, and never actually a captain. That's why I kept him/her (in the BSG reboot) off the list. But Apollo and Starbuck (in their specified series) were actually captains, so they made the list.
Played by Lloyd Bridges.
Well, that is a good enough reason to place him on the list. 
BTW, a little piece of trivia, did you know Lloyd Bridges was originally considered for the role of Capt. Kirk?
did you know Lloyd Bridges was originally considered for the role of Capt. Kirk?
I hadn't heard that. Interesting to think how different the series might have been.
I guess he was considered to be too old. One thing about the TOS crew - they were all so young compared to crews in other series. I mean, I expect an ensign to be young, but it seems it would take a while to work up to the rank of captain, so commanders and captains should naturally be a bit older.
I hadn't heard that.
Yeah, if I remember, Lloyd Bridges turned down the role because he didn't want to get tied up with a sci-fi series. I think he thought it would actually harm his career, especially given the campiness of some sci-fi series up until that time.
One thing about the TOS crew - they were all so young compared to crews in other series. I mean, I expect an ensign to be young, but it seems it would take a while to work up to the rank of captain, so commanders and captains should naturally be a bit older.
Technically, Spock and McCoy were probably the oldest crew members. Spock should have made captain before Kirk, even though Kirk was one of the youngest officers to become captain.
I believe Kirk was supposed to have been the youngest captain ever, to that date, right?
I had to laugh at the Abrams universe - Kirk somehow made captain almost without ever graduating from Starfleet Academy, skipped right past ensign, lieutenant, commander, and all the rest to captain. Seriously?
I believe Kirk was supposed to have been the youngest captain ever, to that date, right?
Yes. I believe he assumed the captaincy at the start of TOS. So he was about 33 years old at the time. Kirk was 11 years old when the Enterprise was first launched (Trek Prime universe)
Kirk somehow made captain almost without ever graduating from Starfleet Academy, skipped right past ensign, lieutenant, commander, and all the rest to captain. Seriously?
Well, when you save Earth, the Federation, and civilization as you know it, you do get some perks. Like a fast track to captaincy.
Technically, Cmndr Cain was only a commander, and never actually a captain.
Ranks on Battlestar Galactica are confusing, Commander Adama did outrank Colonel Tye
Adama outranked everyone in the original series, as he was one of the Twelve. The Twelve were the leaders of each colony and the commanders of the Battlestars, You really need to watch the pilot movie to get that part. Baltar was also one of the Twelve.
I was just going by military rank, not counting council rank
they went COL>Major>Captain>Lieutenant, Army style so Commander was a different higher rank I guess
Galactica are confusing, Commander Adama did outrank Colonel Tye
BSG commander seems to be the equivalent of naval captain. And the rank up from commander is admiral. But Starbuck was a captain and was outranked by Adama. So are viper pilots considered the colonial air force while Battlestars are considered colonial navy, and Col. Tigh would be part of the colonial army/marines? And they all (different armed forces branches) collectively work together? But Cmdr/Adm. Adama seems to have final authority over all of them.
Jeffrey Hunter was also up for the role. His wife convinced him that it would be a career killer so he turned it down. He did play Christoper Pike in the pilot though.
I wish he hadn't listened to his wife. I thought he did great as Pike, and I was glad they followed up on the pilot episode the "The Menagerie".
I bet he wished he hadn't of listened to her either.
I keep seeing the movie Airplane and seeing Lloyd Bridges in that personality playing Captain Kirk..........picked a great day to stop sniffing glue......... LOL
Capt Sheridan of Babylon 5 because he was only earth Captain to defeat a Mimbari ship and because he became President of the Interstellar Alliance
Zaphod Beeblebrox
He used his position as President of the Galaxy to steal and Captain the Heart of Gold , a spaceship taking advantage of Infinite Improbability Drive ,
Yes, but you may end up vomiting yarn when you return to normal space...
Seems to be a lot of confusion here on what a "Captain" of a ship actually is.
It has nothing to do with military rank.......
A captain of a ship is the person in charge of the ship, "In Command" The person responsible for the ship, it's missions and it's crew. His or her actual military rank doesn't matter. Star Fleet used the navy designation of ranks with a combined military. Others like Babylon 5 used a combination of ranks with a divided military, Battlestar Galactica used the army designations up to Colonel as the senior lower ranks with Commander being the supreme rank.
But military ranks go like this.......
Army, Air Force & Marines Navy
- O-1: Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt) Ensign (ENS)
- O-2: First Lieutenant (1st Lt) Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTjg)
- O-3: Captain (Capt) Lieutenant (LT)
- O-4: Major (Maj) Lieutenant Commander (LCDR)
- O-5: Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Commander (CDR)
- O-6: Colonel (Col) Captain(CAPT)
- O-7: Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Rear Admiral (RADM lower half)
- O-8: Major General (Maj Gen) Rear Admiral (RADM upper half)
- O-9: Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Vice Admiral (VADM)
- O-10: General (Gen) Admiral (ADM)
- O-11: General of the Army (Gen) Fleet Admiral (FLT ADM)
Overall....
- O-12: General of the Armies (Gen)
interesting side note.......
Only two men have held this O-12 rank John J Pershing was the first, (and only one who held it on active duty) and George Washington (posthumously awarded in 1978 with date of rank July 4th 1789)
In case anyone want's to know. Washington outranks all others by act of congress and will forevermore. Second is Pershing, Third is US Grant (first 4 star General with title as General of the Armies, he was followed by Sherman and Sheridan in that rank) Then come your five star Generals and Admirals from WWII. This is the way the Military's office of heraldry and ranks orders them. They do not expect to ever issue the O-12 rank ever again. (the last person considered for it was Douglas MacArthur during the run up to the invasion of Japan. He would have had command of the largest military force ever assembled and been in command over several five star Fleet Admirals and Generals and several Field Marshals of other nations, the idea was dropped with Japan's surrender)
Chart
That's very informative, thanks. But for the purposes of this article, I was specifically referring to individuals who held the actual rank of captain at one point or another. Whether they were in command of a vessel or other force under a different rank is irrelevant. They needed be a rank of captain.
Then specifically the point is worthless, Everyone you have rejected should be included.... And the ones that never were in the military have to be included...
A ship captain is a ship captain.....He/She be the person in command....
John Robinson?
Ha!
Well, to be fair all we ever saw of his skills was how lost he could get.
I think, (in earth terms), he'd be referred to more as a "Skipper" than a captain. (lol)
After reading gordy's criteria, I would like to pull back my mention of John Robinson. I believe he was technically a Commander.
Sadly, one that could have been a great Captain of the Starship wasn't allowed the opportunity to take command.
It was obvious bias on the part of the writers simply because of his name, Captain Nonsense and his boss, General Fuck up.....
Politics permeates the entire process, all because of a name. Sad.
One that got left off the list was Jason Nesmith aka Captain Quincy Taggart from Galaxy Quest. In a take the shirt off contest, he made Kirk look like a wanna be.
He was a captain at the start of Episode IV. General came later.
That is the point I made, Has Solo cannot be counted, the only military rank he held was as a general. He was the owner of the Millennium Falcon a civilian pilot and captain.
The specifications were "Hold the military rank of Captain"
You cannot include Captain Apollo either, he never commanded anything except a starfighter and that is not a "Command"
It's why I haven't commented on the article. My attempt at clarification and injecting logic into the conversation was rejected by the OP.
So it is all discordant illogical personal opinion, which is fine, if your into such...
mIwwIj, pagh qang waw' qech.
Qapla'
Has Solo cannot be counted, the only military rank he held was as a general. He was the owner of the Millennium Falcon a civilian pilot and captain.
I included Han Solo as a technicality. Even though he wasn't military, he did refer to himself as "Captain of the Millennium Falcon."
I think Vader called him Captain Solo
That's good enough for me. A captain he was then. Hey, who am I to argue with Darth Vader? 
Yes, after the first movie, when he joined the rebellion he was made a captain and, then later a commander.
Okay, I will go 'there,' because immediately after 'clarifying' in my mind that Deep Space Nine had a black lead actor, I was thrust into wondering why the rank of Commander for damn near the whole series. Also, Sisko's (love that name) station chiefs, talked back and forth with him more as a "cooperative" and he back, as more of a counselor than Star Fleet officer. It was subtle yes, maybe even necessary, to give perspective and solace in some parts of the real world, but anybody who has ever served knows the truth is what a 'CO' says goes. Damn all the "sweeteners."
I wonder if that is why the DS9 was so critically hailed? Because of Sisko's patience of a 'saint.'
General Chang - Captain of a Prototype "Bird of Prey Starship" - from "The Undiscovered Country".
Cool, Calm....and a BAD ASS ! 
"To be or not to be?" That is the question which preoccupies our people, Captain Kirk. We need breathing room."
"I can see you, Kirk....can you see me ?"
"Cry havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War."
"Tickle us, do we not laugh? Prick us, do we not bleed? Wrong us, shall we not revenge?"
Captain Kathryn Janeway was superb. She accomplished a great deal and the series was surely advanced by her character. (Big Smile.) NOTE: Her voice was 'complicated.' But, she could carry the sexy-romantic any time she wished. It was believable and I loved the writer's for not rushing her character into it with a sense of "desperation."
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While each captain is probably good in their respective shows or universes, overall the greatest captain has to be Capt. Jean-Luc Picard. Capt. Kirk is a close second.
Picard is a weinie! James Tiberious Kirk is number one, first, now and always!
Are you trying to pick a fight? Thems fightin' words! LOL
I have your back with this one. Kirk was little more than an over hormonal teenager who liked to mix it up. JLP had intelligence, style, and class.
And ended up being much sexier for that reason, IMO.
Neither...
Benjamin Sisko was the best. Wise, kind, warm, clever, diplomatic, sexy with a great voice, and a demi god.
E.A LOL I bet NO Prejudice at ALL in that statement right :-)
I never could warm to Sisko. He did have a great voice, though.
I think Kate Mulgrew's voice was her main weakness. It sounded like she mixed ground glass in her coffee.
And he can quote Shakespeare and philosophy like no other.
Indeed. And he could kick some serious Klingon or Jem' Hadar @ss too! Not to mention, he actually punched a "god" (Q) in the face too. Now that takes some serious captain's balls right there! LOL
In the original Klingon?
Her voice is the main reason I did not watch the show very often.
You are so spot on.
I just tried to think of her as Katherine Hepburn, whom I think she did resemble, and who had a similar voice, IMO.
I wouldn't be surprised if he could. After all, one cannot truly experience Shakespeare until one has read it in the original Klingon.
I totally agree!
Commando Cody rules !
"It is the near future as seen from the perspective of the early 1950s. Earth is in radio contact with civilizations on planets in our solar system, as well as planets in other, distant solar systems, and Commando Cody has just built the world's first spaceship."
Remember, Kirk was a starship Captian in the mid-to-late 60s. For those who were young adults, you may remember that time fondly and understand the Kirk that was........
I liked Picard, but again, I'm a Firefly Fan, so.........Malcolm Reynolds.
I would have to choose Janeway. She had to deal with an incredible number of unfriendly alien species, and even another Federation Starship that got tossed into the Delta Quadrant along with Voyager....for seven years. Some of these species had technology more advanced than Voyagers, such as Species 8472 with their "fluidic space". Bringing Seven of Nine aboard helped to develop ways to defeat the Borg.
Also, she stayed true to the Federation mission of research and exploration while trying to get home. I liked her character, and how Mulgrew played her, but didn't care all that much for Kate herself.
I liked Kate Mulgrew for the most part. It could have been much worse. Have you seen the footage with Genevieve Bujold? Terrible.
However, captains in video games or books only will not be considered. The captains listed must have originated in television or movies.
I believe Buck Rodgers originated in a novella. I'm certain he appeared in Amazing Stories years before either the radio or film adaptations.
David Bowman (2001: A Space Odyssey)
I've never read the books, but weren't the films based on them?
As to the question, based on what they actually accomplished it would have to be John Sheridan.
Hmm, good point. I had the TV series in mind when I thought of Buck.
I would put Ericsson ahead of Sheridan if going only on Babylon 5. Ericsson went on a suicide mission to get the Shadows and Vorlons to Coriana 6. It also helps that Bryan Cranston portrayed him.
Yes, I'll give you that Ericsson died bravely, but it was Sheridan and Delenn that ended the cycle of war, and enabled the coming of age for the younger races.
It was reading The Early Asimov that got me interested in the Golden age of American Science fiction. I also enjoyed the Before the Golden Age books he edited.
So you are a nerd too? I knew it!
I own far too many fiction books not to be a geek, so guilty as charged.
Thinking about it I'd go further than that, and say it was his scheme. Do you remember Lorien said he'd "waited a long time for someone to find me", I suspect that if you're billions of years old, long term planning would become a habit. This shouldn't be seen as taking anything away from Sheridan or Delenn, or as a suggestion it was somehow preordained.
Jason Nesmith!
Picard all the way!!!!
Then it was Archer. I've always adored Scott Bakula since Quantum Leap
My choice is Capt. Jean-Luc Picard.
Good choice.