The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll!

Mach5 · July 19 2009, 02:11 PM

So, which of these Starfleet captains do you like the least? Which one do you consider the least competent, least likable, least everything?

In short, which captain is the one you wouldn't want to serve under?
Please explain your choices.

EDIT: either some of you didn't notice that this is multiple choice, or Janeway truly is one of a kind...

DiSiLLUSiON · July 19 2009, 02:31 PM

You first -- you chose Janeway, right?

Janeway and Archer are both the worst, in my eyes; they both have no commanding presence whatsoever. The original Kirk had a distracting swagger and a very irritating way of speaking that the new Kirk doesn't have (he was the least interesting of the three main characters to me). The old Pike didn't have much charisma; it was simply an old, sexist (if I remember correctly) man. Not someone I would want to work under.

I guess if I were to choose one and only one, it would be Archer. Doesn't look like he can command his own two feet, much less a starship.

Dane_Whitman · July 19 2009, 02:32 PM

Janeway, for giving her crew the finger in Night.

Piper · July 19 2009, 02:46 PM

Janeway. For pretty much everything she did once getting to the Delta Quadrant.

Jono · July 19 2009, 02:49 PM

Jame T Kirk from Star Trek XI. The guys an unlikeable douche bag.

Followed by Janeway, mostly because I don't want to spend 7 years in the Delta Quadrant.

Star Trek XI Spock would be bad as well. I'd be worried that if I made a little mistake the guy would fire me out in an escape pod at a planet with a lone Starfleet outpost and not telling the outpost to go get me. How hard is it to beam a person off? Plus if you fire off escape pods when you need to abandon the ship you might have a Titanic on your hands.

C.E. Evans · July 19 2009, 03:01 PM

Janeway for letting her very high ideals frequently get in the way of common sense. Starship captains face tough moral choices very often, but there is such a thing as setting the bar too high and doing onself more harm than good, IMO...

I would also like to give honorable mention to J.T. Esteban of the Starship Grissom for being overly cautious one moment over proper procedures and then getting caught with his pants down when a Klingon ship appeared.

TheGodBen · July 19 2009, 03:14 PM

The original Pike was sexist but he was a product of the era, but he seemed smart and capable and strong-willed. Ultimately, I liked him.

NuPike is likeable enough and seems reasonably competent, he's on the same level as the original Pike.

Shatner's Kirk made many questionable command decisions and would probably have been dishonourably discharged if Starfleet was a real organisation, yet I can't help but like the guy anyway. He's charming and was clearly a competent commander in battles.

Pine's Kirk is an idiot and an asshole and he has no charm, I see nothing redeemable about the character at all. Maybe he will be better developed in future movies, but he is a major factor in why I did not enjoy Trek XI.

Picard is the captain I grew up with, he has his flaws but I still love the guy.

Sisko is The Sisko.

Janeway is a frustrating character for me because she contains the elements which make Kirk and Picard great and their flaws as well. When she is good she is great, but when she is bad she is awful.

Archer was naive and incompetent at the start of Enterprise but he grew over the course of the show to the point where I like him.

Cyke101 · July 19 2009, 04:16 PM

GodBen wrote:

Pine's Kirk is an idiot and an asshole and he has no charm, I see nothing redeemable about the character at all. Maybe he will be better developed in future movies, but he is a major factor in why I did not enjoy Trek XI.

I liken this to how in Batman Begins, Batman wasn't the great martial artist that we would eventually see in the next movie. Even common henchmen were able to get good punches in.

I mention that because while Pine-Kirk was cocky and indeed a jerk, you start to see flashes of the Kirk we know shine through, culminating in his offer to help save Nero & Co. at the end. So yeah, hopefully he'll be better developed later on.

Also, kudos for mentioning NuPike and The Sisko

Furtados_Feet · July 19 2009, 04:53 PM

Archer was just a freakin liability who put his crew in unnecessary danger several times so he wouldn't have his pride damaged. He was just awful.

Yeoman Randi · July 19 2009, 04:57 PM

*sigh* as much as i am trying, DS9 is still my least favorite and by association is Sisko. I positively hate him. (*ducking for cover)

Furtados_Feet · July 19 2009, 05:08 PM

Yeoman Randi wrote:

*sigh* as much as i am trying, DS9 is still my least favorite and by association is Sisko. I positively hate him. (*ducking for cover)

Don't worry, I love DS9 to death but hate Sisko and the actor for that matter.

Bisz · July 19 2009, 05:54 PM

Janeway and Archer.

Archer I just wouldn't want to serve under, Janeway I hate.

apenpaap · July 19 2009, 05:56 PM

The original Pike and both Kirks. I like all the other ones.

LeadHead · July 19 2009, 06:46 PM

I had to go Janeway here. She's the most inconsistent Captain there is. Tough to have confidence in your Captain when she contradicts herself over and over.

AdmiralGarak · July 19 2009, 07:05 PM

Archer. The man was written as the perfect captain for the Bush-era-- a single-minded arrogant twit that never listened to the advice of others and only got his job because his daddy was famous. Bush, at least, never whined so damned much.

View Poll Results: The worst captains are:
Christopher Pike (J. Hunter)	16	10.00%
Christopher Pike (B. Greenwood)	9	5.63%
James T. Kirk (W. Shatner)	8	5.00%
James T. Kirk (C. Pine)	33	20.63%
Jean Luc Picard	3	1.88%
Benjamin L. Sisko	12	7.50%
Kathryn Janeway	69	43.13%
Jonathan Archer	68	42.50%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 160. You may not vote on this poll

July 19 2009, 02:11 PM	#1
Mach5 Rear Admiral Location: 里耶卡	The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! So, which of these Starfleet captains do you like the least? Which one do you consider the least competent, least likable, least everything? In short, which captain is the one you wouldn't want to serve under? Please explain your choices. EDIT: either some of you didn't notice that this is multiple choice, or Janeway truly is one of a kind... __________________ No religious or family tradition can stand in the way of change. Last edited by Mach5; July 19 2009 at 03:21 PM.

July 19 2009, 02:31 PM	#2
DiSiLLUSiON Commodore Location: The Netherlands	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! You first -- you chose Janeway, right? Janeway and Archer are both the worst, in my eyes; they both have no commanding presence whatsoever. The original Kirk had a distracting swagger and a very irritating way of speaking that the new Kirk doesn't have (he was the least interesting of the three main characters to me). The old Pike didn't have much charisma; it was simply an old, sexist (if I remember correctly) man. Not someone I would want to work under. I guess if I were to choose one and only one, it would be Archer. Doesn't look like he can command his own two feet, much less a starship.

July 19 2009, 02:32 PM	#3
Dane_Whitman Captain Location: Dinner to bug.	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! Janeway, for giving her crew the finger in Night. __________________ "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

July 19 2009, 02:46 PM	#4
Piper Fleet Captain	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! Janeway. For pretty much everything she did once getting to the Delta Quadrant.

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July 19 2009, 02:49 PM	#5
Jono Rear Admiral Location: Australia	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! Jame T Kirk from Star Trek XI. The guys an unlikeable douche bag. Followed by Janeway, mostly because I don't want to spend 7 years in the Delta Quadrant. Star Trek XI Spock would be bad as well. I'd be worried that if I made a little mistake the guy would fire me out in an escape pod at a planet with a lone Starfleet outpost and not telling the outpost to go get me. How hard is it to beam a person off? Plus if you fire off escape pods when you need to abandon the ship you might have a Titanic on your hands. __________________ Those who lose dreaming are lost.

July 19 2009, 03:01 PM	#6
C.E. Evans Vice Admiral Location: Saint Louis (aka Defiance)	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! Janeway for letting her very high ideals frequently get in the way of common sense. Starship captains face tough moral choices very often, but there is such a thing as setting the bar too high and doing onself more harm than good, IMO... I would also like to give honorable mention to J.T. Esteban of the Starship Grissom for being overly cautious one moment over proper procedures and then getting caught with his pants down when a Klingon ship appeared. __________________ "Shout, shout, let it all out..."

July 19 2009, 03:14 PM	#7
TheGodBen Rear Admiral Location: Ireland	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! The original Pike was sexist but he was a product of the era, but he seemed smart and capable and strong-willed. Ultimately, I liked him. NuPike is likeable enough and seems reasonably competent, he's on the same level as the original Pike. Shatner's Kirk made many questionable command decisions and would probably have been dishonourably discharged if Starfleet was a real organisation, yet I can't help but like the guy anyway. He's charming and was clearly a competent commander in battles. Pine's Kirk is an idiot and an asshole and he has no charm, I see nothing redeemable about the character at all. Maybe he will be better developed in future movies, but he is a major factor in why I did not enjoy Trek XI. Picard is the captain I grew up with, he has his flaws but I still love the guy. Sisko is The Sisko. Janeway is a frustrating character for me because she contains the elements which make Kirk and Picard great and their flaws as well. When she is good she is great, but when she is bad she is awful. Archer was naive and incompetent at the start of Enterprise but he grew over the course of the show to the point where I like him. __________________ *...so many different suns...*

July 19 2009, 04:53 PM	#9
Furtados_Feet Lieutenant	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! Archer was just a freakin liability who put his crew in unnecessary danger several times so he wouldn't have his pride damaged. He was just awful.

July 19 2009, 04:57 PM	#10
Yeoman Randi Vice Admiral Location: In a handbasket	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! sigh as much as i am trying, DS9 is still my least favorite and by association is Sisko. I positively hate him. (*ducking for cover)

July 19 2009, 05:54 PM	#12
Bisz Rear Admiral Location: Ontario, Canada	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! Janeway and Archer. Archer I just wouldn't want to serve under, Janeway I hate. __________________ "In general, living kills you..."

July 19 2009, 05:56 PM	#13
apenpaap Commodore Location: Cardassia, where only the military metaphors work.	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! The original Pike and both Kirks. I like all the other ones. __________________ The Obsidian Order: Proudly watching you since the 19th century. And looking manly in our purple hats while doing that.

July 19 2009, 06:46 PM	#14
LeadHead The Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot Location: Somewhere with Internet access.	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! I had to go Janeway here. She's the most inconsistent Captain there is. Tough to have confidence in your Captain when she contradicts herself over and over. __________________ Current Caption Contests: TNG TOS Movies I-X

July 19 2009, 07:05 PM	#15
AdmiralGarak Rear Admiral Location: TrekBBS, apparently	Re: The Ultimate WORST CAPTAIN poll! Archer. The man was written as the perfect captain for the Bush-era-- a single-minded arrogant twit that never listened to the advice of others and only got his job because his daddy was famous. Bush, at least, never whined so damned much.