Star Trek: Ranking The Captains Worst To Best

9. Captain Christopher Pike (Kelvin Timeline)

Ship: Enterprise

Without Pike, there would be no Captain James T Kirk. He was instrumental in convincing the troubled young man who was borne out of tragedy to join Starfleet. At that point, he was a Starfleet instructor, but he also served on at least four vessels during his career.

In terms of leadership, Kirk wasn't actually that great a Captain and he was set up as something of a fall guy to make Kirk look better. He was captured as part of the main narrative of Star Trek (2009), after all and this was only on Enterprise's maiden voyage. His most lasting legacy, in that respect was promoting Spock and Kirk and even then, he made the wrong decision on which role to give each.

He's an important part of Starfleet history (as well as Kirk's), but judged on the merits of his captaincy of the Enterprise in JJ Abrams' Kelvin Universe, it's a wonder he was ever promoted to Admiral. And then when he returned as captain of the Enterprise a year after his promotion when Kirk was demoted, his only notable act was being killed and not seeing it coming.

The briefest of nods to Richard Robau, who was the tragic captain of the USS Kelvin, whose destruction would be so important to the young life of Kirk.