He was basically Cameron all over again...
The absolute worst captain in Star Trek
- Thread starter Mr Silver
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He was basically Cameron all over again...
He's talking about Robeau and Pike.
What are you talking about?
No, I mean, why is he claiming ST09 "introduced us" to strong, calm and competent captains? That's hardly an innovation of nuTrek. I liked Bruce Greenwood's Pike -- he was warmer and more personable than the original article -- but he was hardly more strong, calm or competent. Robau was great for all four minutes of his living screen-time, but I wouldn't call him more strong, calm or competent than many another guest command officer in TOS (say Robert Wesley) or TNG.
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In the novelization, they state he took that off a Klingon in hand to hand combat. So he was somewhat of a badass, at least in the books.
Captain J.T. Esteban of the Grissom.
I know he was in command of a science vessel with pink bridge chairs, but when that science ship found something (which was why they were there in the first place), he just looked confused and had to pass it up the chain of command before making any decisions.
When Klingon ship decloaked right behind his ship and was arming weapons, his urgent command to save his ship was to order them to "Prepare for evasive maneuvers"??? PREPARE for?- How about 'Raise Shields' and 'Bank Left'? Two separate commands to two different bridge officers, either of which could have bought enough time to warp away and save his crew.
I know he was in command of a science vessel with pink bridge chairs, but when that science ship found something (which was why they were there in the first place), he just looked confused and had to pass it up the chain of command before making any decisions.
When Klingon ship decloaked right behind his ship and was arming weapons, his urgent command to save his ship was to order them to "Prepare for evasive maneuvers"??? PREPARE for?- How about 'Raise Shields' and 'Bank Left'? Two separate commands to two different bridge officers, either of which could have bought enough time to warp away and save his crew.
To be fair, Grissom was not a combat ship. Not much more than an overgrown shuttle craft for science studies, really. So its captain can't be held to the same standard as a captain of a capital ship. Esteban probably just didn't have the training, even if he was an ass. So this is as much a fault of starfleet as anything. If Genesis was such a top secret planet that warranted a quarantine, why wasn't a couple of cruiser ships (Constitution or Miranda class) posted nearby, while the Grissom conducted its studies? Starfleet should have foreseen that the Klingons or some other Empire just might get wind of a new planet being created, after destroying a billions year old nebula, and freak out when the find out Genesis torpedoes can destroy as well as create (as Kruge did).
^^Of course, that would have created a plot hole: why didn't said cruisers intercept the Enterprise before it reached Genesis?
No more a plot hole than a damaged ship crewed by 5 people making a return trip to Genesis in a matter of hours that it took weeks,(if not months) to make to Earth, while crewed by nearly 500 people. 
Be that as it may, if Grissom just had been scaled up some and had a little more teeth to it, it would have made more sense, but it definitely was a Starfleet error not to post a more powerful ship than Grissom.
Be that as it may, if Grissom just had been scaled up some and had a little more teeth to it, it would have made more sense, but it definitely was a Starfleet error not to post a more powerful ship than Grissom.
I'm going to have to agree with the OP - Ronald Tracey.
Harriman was inexperienced, which is no crime, everyone is at some point. Esteban was a stickler for protocol - might have lacked some imagination, but that is actually a plus when performing certain tasks, too. And even though I LOATHE Janeway, she never tried to kill her crew or loose space nazis on everyone - she was "only" guilty of dereliction of duty.
Harriman was inexperienced, which is no crime, everyone is at some point. Esteban was a stickler for protocol - might have lacked some imagination, but that is actually a plus when performing certain tasks, too. And even though I LOATHE Janeway, she never tried to kill her crew or loose space nazis on everyone - she was "only" guilty of dereliction of duty.
Tracey was straight up the most corrupted, though Ransom (captain of Equinox) gives him a run for the money.
Harriman, on screen, is a mystery as to how he became captain in the first place. LT Saavik did better at te beginning of TWOK in the simulator. In the books (if you want to go by them), supposedly he became a decent captain, but then there was the Tomed incident that ruined his career and reputation.
I think the idea was that he was SERIOUSLY intimidated by the presence of Captain Kirk, Scotty, and Chekov. Since these are men who saved THE UNIVERSE *multiple times* and we rarely see them given the proper respect for it (the TNG episode "Relics" was just out and out disgraceful), I didn't mind seeing some awe there.
On top of that, Harriman had to be aware that two previous captains of ships called Enterprise (Decker and Spock) had relinquished command to Kirk on what ended up being a permanent basis for one reason or another - both of which amounted to death, really. (Yeah, I know, Decker didn't DIE, but he also no longer exists as Will Decker.) So, that doesn't help instill confidence.
AND, there were all those reporters and cameras. Starfleet trains for things like the Kobayashi Maru - I'm not sure how much training they get for press junkets and addressing large groups that aren't under one's command.
My justification with Grissom & lack of other capital vessels.... it might be presumed that Klingons and/or Romulans or others are monitoring events...
Grissom shouldn't be on anyone's radar, so Starfleet could get the info they need without controversy. Just a standard science survey, no different than dozens already going on.
"hidden in plain sight"
Grissom shouldn't be on anyone's radar, so Starfleet could get the info they need without controversy. Just a standard science survey, no different than dozens already going on.
"hidden in plain sight"
Archer.
I still feel Archer is attacked for no reason. Everybody complains how he has no experience with dealing with the unknow. It's Earth first warp 5 ship, actually going out there! How can anyone have any experience with it?
I say Styles, mostly because he's a dick. Harriman... I see how people get that he's a bad captain, but I've read Serpents Amongst The Ruins. I know not all fans count TrekLit, and that's fine. But that man deserved to be captain of an Enterprise.
I say Styles, mostly because he's a dick. Harriman... I see how people get that he's a bad captain, but I've read Serpents Amongst The Ruins. I know not all fans count TrekLit, and that's fine. But that man deserved to be captain of an Enterprise.
It's possible to be inexperienced and still have convincing leadership qualities.
I can forgive Harriman. His first mission grew out of a press event, probably something forced upon him.
Had he held out for the tractor beam installation, he may have gotten out of the crisis nicely, but we've seen Kirk accept an imperfectly-equipped ship on some occasions.
Had he held out for the tractor beam installation, he may have gotten out of the crisis nicely, but we've seen Kirk accept an imperfectly-equipped ship on some occasions.
He doesn't have to, and in fact did not have TIME to, "settle nerves". That's not the captain's obligation to do that. It's simply the crew's place to follow orders - whenever the captain wants, and however fast he wants. Jellico was entirely within his prerogative to demand things as fast as he felt like doing it.
As for "worst captain"? Definitely Ron Tracey. Say what you like about any other captain in this thread, at least they weren't power hungry dictators who killed innocent people with phasers.
Tracy was killing Yangs who were attacking the last Khom village. That he shouldn't have taken sides is debatable (Kirk did on Neural), however calling the Yang attackers "innocent" doesn't fit the facts.
^ Still, Tracey had no business getting involved down there in the first place, of course.
And let's not forget that even if you don't believe (as I do) that the Yangs are innocent - the Enterprise security guard whom Tracey killed in cold blood WAS.
And let's not forget that even if you don't believe (as I do) that the Yangs are innocent - the Enterprise security guard whom Tracey killed in cold blood WAS.
And, he was trying to get the Yangs to kill Kirk and crew, too.
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