Star Trek: How EVERY Captain Became Captain

11. Captain Gabriel Lorca

Star Trek Discovery Lorca Burnham
CBS Media Ventures

Much of what is known about Gabriel Lorca from the prime universe is somewhat lost to history.

He was from the southern states in America, which influenced his look on life. While a Lieutenant Commander, he was assigned to the Federation Outpost on Tarsus IV.

While there, he was witness to the devastating contagion that began to lay waste to many of the inhabitants of the colony. He was also one of several crewmen who became aware of the Governor of Tarsus, Kodos, and his plan to contain the issue by killing thousands of colonists. By the time Commander Georgiou arrived, Kodos (later nicknamed 'The Executioner') had already implemented his plan.

One of the survivors was a young James T. Kirk.

Lorca would then later serve as the security chief of the USS Helios, under Captain Zachary Matuzas. By the 2250s, Lorca was promoted to captain and took control of the USS Buran. That vessel was later destroyed, though in the fray Lorca was transported to the Mirror Universe.

It is unknown if Lorca survived his exile.

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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"