10 Times Janeway Was The Best Captain In Star Trek

3. She Listens To Her First Officer

Star Trek Voyager Chakotay And Janeway
CBS

Janeway and Chakotay were an excellent duo throughout the seven years that it took Voyager to get back home. They were each a foil for each other, while also becoming close as friends. There was a hint at a romance, yet the writers (thankfully) decided that wasn't in their best interests - and the show was stronger for it.

However, that doesn't mean that they didn't butt heads from time to time, sometimes in extreme ways. In Equinox, they nearly come to actual blows, with Janeway conceding at the end that Chakotay may have had cause to stage a mutiny - yet even in that situation, they knew when to draw the line.

In Scorpion part 2, Janeway has forged an alliance with the Borg, something that Chakotay is vehemently against. However, as first officer, he does his duty. When Janeway is wounded and incapacitated however, he makes the decision to decompress the deck that the Borg are on, though not before Seven of Nine manages to bring them into Fluidic Space.

When Janeway wakes, she is incredibly angry - but still very receptive to Chakotay. She feigns relieving him of duty, keeping him instead as a backup plan for Seven's (inevitable) betrayal.

They may not always agree on everything, but Janeway knew that she had a strong officer in Chakotay, trusting his judgement and advice.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"