Star Trek: 10 Dumbest Decisions By Starfleet Officers
4. Interfering With The Vissian Cogenitor - Charles Tucker
This decision, while decidedly dumb, probably comes from the most benevolent place out of all entries on this list. Trip has a heart of gold, and it is this heart that places him here. When Enterprise meets the Vissians, they are introduced to entirely different ways of living life. The Vissians have technology that Starfleet hasn't yet discovered, while the Enterprise crew are able to teach them a thing or two as well.
The Vissians have a third gender in their society, and this gender serves as the means by which couples reproduce. Cogenitors, as they are named, are not considered equal to the rest of the race, something that Tucker is unable to reconcile. Judging Vissian society by the standards that humans oragnise their relationships and people by, he begins to teach the Cogenitor, who later names themselves Charles after him, to read, write and study.
This has disastrous repercussions. Trip is banned from seeing Charles, though it goes beyond this. Charles asks for asylum aboard Enterprise, which Archer is forced to deny. Armed now with the information that there is a different life out there, Charles takes their own life. Archer pulls Trip to the ready room and gives him the greatest dressing down of his career and their friendship.
This horrific outcome, unfortunately, stemmed from Trip thinking he knew better and decided to interfere. It leaves him with blood on his hands.