Star Trek: 10 Times Captains Lost Control

There are times in a captain's career when the pressures of command can become too much. Where then should the line be drawn on what they should and should not do? In the name of peace, how much war can they wage?

The captains in Star Trek have faced this question on many occasions. Those wars may be external, involving several ships and a lot of firepower. They may also be internal wars, raging in the soul.

In the many years of Star Trek's history, the times that captains have really lost control tended to be few. The point of commanding a starship is to be the calm head on what could be a chaotic body. Those in command need to be able to weather the most difficult of times and steer their crews to safety.

However, sometimes that does mean wading into murky waters. The things that they teach in captain's school do not always apply to the events in space. They may think that they are trained for every eventuality, but what is a captain to do when the ship is dead in space and the mission must be completed, by any means necessary?

Some captains, with their position and power, choose to wage a private little war. While it is up to history to condone or condemn, it happens with a surprising frequency in Starfleet.

In the series finale, Picard is bounced backward and forwards in time by Q, trying to figure out the mystery of the anomaly in the Devron System as he does. In each different time period, Jean-Luc is portrayed with all of the control that he would muster at that time in his life.

In the scenes set in the past, he is the newly appointed captain of the Enterprise, though, barely seven years younger than his present day self. Both versions of Picard are controlled and keep a cool head.

The same cannot be said for the future version of Picard. In what has become something of a prophecy, depicted by his portrayal in Star Trek Picard, Jean-Luc is shown to have far less patience with the universe and other people around him. He pushes his way through situations, insisting on resolutions while others may hold back.

Never is this more evident than his determination to remain in place and continue the scans in the Devron System, despite the threat of attack by the Klingons. He overrides Beverly, insults Worf and impatiently waits for the Pasteur to scan the area.

This is exacerbated once the Klingons finally launch their assualt, resulting in the destruction of the ship and the death of several crew members. Though saved by the Enterprise, he implores Admiral Riker to the point of hysteria to remain where they are, citing their departure as a danger to all of humanity.

Despite the later outcome, the crew watch in sadness as the once great captain goes to pieces in front of them.