Star Trek: Every First Officer Ranked

9. Michael Burnham - Star Trek Discovery

While she's a compelling character once she arrives on Discovery, Michael Burnham, did, as first office of the Shenzhou, get her Captain killed (and eaten, though in fairness, she didn't know about that).

Burnham is a good example of how strong characters do not always make strong leaders. But, she is also a good example of how a character can grow over time. In the other entries in the franchise, for the most the characters arrive in the roles that they are assigned to throughout the series sun. Riker was first officer from the pilot and Chakotay assumes the role going into the series proper.

Burnham's journey is one told in reverse. She begins the show as a first officer but makes such a calamitous error that she is given a court martial, stripped of rank and jailed. By the end of the second season, she may have all the characteristics needed to assume the role again but, for the moment, she comes in at the bottom of this list.