21 replies to this topic

[TheHSBR]

I just started thinking about who I thought would have made the best captain later in their career and thought I would open up a poll. Due to space restraint I left off the TOS crew and most of the ENT crew because storyline wise we know who has and who has not made the rank of captain for the most part. If you want to vote for other and justify it feel free! I also know that characters like Data really cant but I thought id put him up there anyway for all the What if....? people out there. Dont forget to justify your answer!

[slayerone76]

I went for Chakotay. He always seemed like he had his stuff together after Janeway combined the crews. He was usually level headed and fair. I choose him!

[TheHSBR]

I always thought Kim was a great candidate for Captain. We saw him during his early stages and I think that with a little more experience and wisdom he would make a great captain.

[DS9_Fan]

I voted Tuvok. For a Vulcan he would bring a great deal of heart to a captaincy. He has the experience of being lost, thousands of light years from home and knowing what it is like to interact so closely with a crew and at the same time keep professional distance. He'd make an excellent Captain IMO.

Jadzia Dax was a close second for me.

[FHC]

Not to be nit picking LOL but O'Brien could not make rank of Capt. He was more or less an unlisted man.

I went with J DAX. Why? In one life or the other, she's been everything else.

[TheHSBR]

Hey, whos to say OBrien doesnt go back to officer's school or get some kind of special promotion to give him rank? If Chakotay or Torres who arent even part of Starfleet (technically) can or a Hologram who isnt our definition of alive can or Major Kira who just became a starfleet officer with basically no academy experience can, why not OBrien?

That was just my thinking when I put his name on the list.

[DS9_Fan]

In the DS9 Relaunch books Kira is currently a Captain, as Bajor became part of the Federation. Thats why I didn't pick her. Not technically canon but great books non the less.

[A Chimpanzee & 2 Trainees]

You wanted justification, here's my thoughts on everyone when going through the list, and how I arrived at my choice. Ranking them on a 1 - 10 scale 10 being almost certain to reach captain (skipping T'Pol) I find it odd you skipped Nog...

T'Pol - Never watched ENT, so I can't say, but I thought she was official in the Vulcan equivalent of SF, so it would be kinda odd.

Tuvok - Very likely to become a captain (9) especially with someone like ADMIRAL Janeway shepherding his career now. After all, he almost certainly would've been XO of Voyager had Chakotay not been there.

7 of 9 - Not gunna happen. (1) It seems from DS9 that SFA is similar to West Point in its admissions process. (Getting referrals from officers, or in the case of west point, Congressmen, to join, and so forth.) West Point won't allow anyone over 23 admittance. Her only path is to start as an enlisted and enter OTS. She probably won't ever become an officer.

Uhura - I doubt she stayed after the Ent-A was decommissioned. (3)

LaForge - I can't see him wanting Command, but I can see him becoming an Engineering Captain like Scott (8). If he'd wanted command, why would he have switched to gold? For the promotion?

Data - Destroyed as a Lt. Cmdr. with likely postumous promotion to Cmdr, since he was slated to become the new XO (0). Given that XO is in the real Navy the grooming position for command, he likely would have been given a small command after a few years as XO of the Enterprise, so if he'd lived, (9). It would probably have taken him a lot longer in the XO role than the typical officer given likely resistance to a command level promotion for him among some of the admiralty who probably have a mindset like Cmdr. Hobson did in whatever that episode was where Data was in command of the Sutherland. BUT, since his lifespan is really almost unlimited, he'd eventually get the nod.

Worf - DS9 directly stated he was unlikely to ever get a command, and I doubt they would make him a command division Captain without one, so he'll probably never see another promotion. (1)

Crusher - Captain of the Medical ship in All Good Things, but never showed any real ambition to become anything but chief of Starfleet Medical in the real timeline. Is that a Captain's position, probably an Admiralty position honestly, so (8), but like Geordi, not as a starship command Captain.

Troi - Highly unlikely. (2) She's married to Riker and on his ship, possibly not even in Starfleet at that point, as it seems highly dubious that SFC would allow a husband and wife to serve together in a command/subordinate relationship

Bashir - Also unlikely, but moreso than Troi (4). I never saw him as wanting to be a Captain. He's much more focused on his research than he is his Starfleet career, or at least that's what it seemed to me. His genetically engineered background will likely keep him from any command position, but he MIGHT rise to the rank in a non-command capacity by the tail end of his career. Again, given his priorities, probably not.

Ezri Dax - Unlikely. (3) Given that she's a counselor, I don't think she's got any shot at command, but probably will end up becoming a duty officer at some point like Troi did.

Jadzia Dax - Dead (0). If she'd lived, (8). Did exceptionally well Captaining the Defiant on several ocaisions during the war. Not entirely sure that being a full-time captain is what she'd want, but more likely than not, yes she would. Probably has more life experience than many of the ADMIRALS!

Kira - as DS9 fan said, assuming Bajor becomes part of the federation and the bajor defense forces are integrated into starfleet, she likely becomes a Captain. In fact, almost certainly so. (9)

O'Brien - Enlisted man well past the age for entering OTS. (0)

Chakotay - Undeniably has the ability, but Maquis past will keep him from ever attaining the rank. Likely forced out of Starfleet (if he even was officially a part of it on Voyager's return anyway). Rather than getting him a command, his service on Voyager likely just earns him forgiveness for whatever he may have done as a Maquis, and a dropping of any charges against him and the other Maquis crew members. (5)

Paris - Highly unlikely (2). His stint in prison will prevent him from ever attaining the rank, even if his dad is an Admiral (for which he earns an extra point. It doesn't hurt to know people ). Can't really see him interested in it anyway.

Kim - Eventually... he did show great promise (7) but we saw him really too early in his career to tell for sure.

Doctor - Not gunna happen. his experiences on Voyager probably spur the creation of an ECH hologram, but that's as close as he'll ever come. The hologram will have to be almost the only "person" on the ship before it's ever used, and probably never will be. Doc will complain bitterly about it, but will get nowhere. (1)

Torres - Chafes too much under the command structure to function effectively as a flag rank officer, plus has the same Maquis baggage as Chakotay. (2)


Soo... Tuvok and Kira get the nod, with Kira making Captain before Tuvok does based on her Bajoran military record. Tuvok would likely need to switch divisions, making his ascention slower.

So Kira is my pic.

[DS9_Fan]

Interesting insights. If you follow the relaunch books from TNG, DS9 & VOY then it makes this a little easier. In the TNG relaunch Worf has become The E-E First officer. In DS9 Ezri has become first officer of the Defiant and switched to command from sciences. In the upcoming Destiny novels she has acheived the rank of captain and has her own ship. And in VOY Chakotay has been given Command of Voyager, with Tom Paris as his first officer.

But as I said, not everyone classes these as canon or even follows them. I love all the relaunch books though. Have read all the Voyager ones (well all 4 of them), am reading the lastest TNG instalment "Greater than the sum" at the minute, and am making my way through the DS9 novels. I'd highly recomend them.

[A Chimpanzee & 2 Trainees]

I've never read any of the novels, so I don't know. I was just going by the episodes I remember, general impressions of the character, and doing a little forward supposition from where the characters were left off, mixed in with a little "real world" analogies. It's really the only way I can think of to approach the issue...

Tom Paris as XO? I find that strange to say the least. Tom not only was incarcerated at the start of the show, he became an ensign, was promoted to Lt. then demoted back to ensign... he might have gotten back to Lt at the end of the show, but for someone struggled to stay a Lt. to be made XO?!

[JMW326]

Well we knw that Laforge made it. I went with Worf. I think he would make a great Captian. But I wish I could pick two because I also wanted to pick Chakotay. I would like to think that after Janeway became Admiral Chakotay got command of Voyager. I guess it doesnt hurt that he is one of my favorite Trek character too. LOL.

[DS9_Fan]

Tom Paris as XO?

Yeah he wasn't starfleets first choice. they appointed an XO who turned out to be a changeling. So in the end Tom was promoted to Lt Commander and given the XO position.

[DS9_Fan]

I went with Worf.

I was gonna go with Worf, but in DS9 Season 6 episode "Change of Heart" he disobeyed orders to save Jadzia and Sisko told him it would more than likely lead to him never gaining a command of his own.

[data_2006]

Besides the fact that he (aperantly, no one die see hes body now did they) died I wemnt with Data,
I'm sure that if they had made a TNG movie (which I really would love infinity more than the remake they are doing now) I'm sure he would have returned (through B4) and made captain (eventually).

[Wildcard]

Well I voted Kira, but here are my thoughts:

T'Pol - I don't think this would be the career path she would choose. She's more than capable of becoming a captain, but is it something she really desires?

Tuvok - Again same thing. I think he'd be more than capable, but would it be something he would seek out.

7 of 9 - NO WAY! Her personality would never allow for the give and take that a captain would need to have in order to command the loyalty of his/her crew.

Uhura - I COULD see her attaining the rank, but not the command of a ship. I could see her more as a strategic ops and maybe a command coordination position. But regardless she'd be EXTREMELY fierce!

LaForge - I think he would make an interesting captain. He's more than capable.

Data - sans his "death" in NEM, I think he would've achieved command eventually. Just not anytime soon. He still had to learn to deal with the emotional responsibilities of being a captain and he wasn't acclimated w/ his emotion chip yet

Worf - After the incident with Jadzia and the failed Cardassian rescue, I'm not sure if SF would've given him a full command or not. He was more than capable. I wonder if he would switch to the Klingon Defense Force? lol

Crusher - After her little speech in "Thine Own Self" I am more than certain she would've eventually made this move. Maybe in command of a medical facility on a starbase, etc or a medical ship via AGT.

Troi - Although I'm glad to see her taking on more of a command role (especially in the Titan novels), I doubt she would ever seek out the Captain's chair.

Bashir - I doubt he'll go any higher than the Lt.Cmdr rank....maybe Cmdr. I never really got the impression he wanted to be on the command track

Ezri Dax - Well in the continuation novels she switched her track to command was the XO for the Defiant. They've done an interesting job of making her grow and stretch. Once she finally gets her equilibrium I think she would make a good captain. I think the counselor background (not to mention Jadzia's command, Kurzon's ambassadorial, and Leela's senatoral experience) would make her a very strong captain.

Jadzia Dax - Well if she DID live, I think eventually she would have become one.

Kira - Absolutely: In the DS9 continuation novels she's already there.

O'Brien - Well as an enlisted man (still WTF about all THAT hot mess), he really could never attain the rank. But the position, I'm not sure. He'd be a good commander in a crunch.

Chakotay - Well he has the capability, and in the VOY continuation novels he did get the promotion and the chair.

Paris - You know, I think after his experience in the Delta Q, he'd be more than capable. Would it be something he'd seek out? I'm not sure.

Kim - Eventually... but he's in DESPERATE need of further "seasoning"

Doctor - LOL...well, the ECH protocol does exist. Would they make it a LCH? I doubt it unless it was for a mission that was deadly to all other lifeforms.

Torres - I doubt it. Although she reigned in her temper considerably during the series, I doubt she could ever truly be at piece under that sort of pressure.

Other: NOG: I think our little Ferengi would eventually make an interesting captain.

[FHC]

Dang wildcard just killed the thread! LOL

I could never are Ezri as a CO. She was the Barclay of DS 9.

[DS9_Fan]

I could never are Ezri as a CO. She was the Barclay of DS 9.

I know what you mean, but in the Upcoming Destiny novels she has acheived the Rank of Captain.

[Artistix]

Kira

Definately Kira.

[WORF22]

i did not vote, how can you not have NOG on you list. i think that people have so much respect for him and working with the best that Starfleet has, the EX. he got by just living on DS9 then working as a cad. on the station the Klingon war small but it's war. Dom. war ya NOG..

[Commodore Kor'Tar]

Worf all the way.