3 classic characters we’re thankful for across Star Trek

With Thanksgiving in America coming around the corner, it’s time to give thanks to three of the many iconic Star Trek characters that gave us hope.

When talking about Star Trek, and what Star Trek means to us, it generally has different definitions depending on who you talk to. For this writer, Star Trek is about giving hope and a future to chase after. So when looking at the three characters who we should be most thankful for this year, it’s wise to look at the characters that inspire such a feeling.

Now, that’s not to say these are the only three characters that can fill you with that feeling, because it’s not. These are merely three of many from the Star Trek universe that can evoke that type of feeling. So don’t take this list as an insult if the one character you thought should be on this list isn’t.

So with that, let’s get into it.

These are the three characters we are thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Miles O’Brien

The chief Miles O’Brien himself is clearly a character that we should be thankful for this year. O’Brien is a man who’s constantly getting tortured by the galaxy and yet still keeps finding ways to not only smile but be a good person. O’Brien is a loyal officer to his captain(s), a dutiful husband and father, and someone who can shake off the worst experiences when it’s needed, in order to step up and do his duty. O’Brien broke the mold.

Neelix

Neelix gets a bad rep. Sure, his character is oftentimes written to be “annoying” but if you look at what he does provide the crew of the USS Voyager, it’s irreplaceable. He’s a moral officer and does a fairly good job of it, oftentimes giving up his own dignity for the sake of the crew. He’s also someone who gives information freely, sometimes without even being asked, in order to help his newfound family navigate their way through the quadrant. He’s also one heck of a chef, being able to take anything that’s possibly edible, and turning it into food. Sure, it doesn’t always go according to plan, but he does his best. Maybe the term “den mother” is outdated but that’s what Neelix is. Someone who takes care of his friends, even when they’re not always on the most agreeable of terms.

Jonathan Archer

He did the impossible and did it before anyone else thought possible. Navigating a rough history with the Vulcans, Jonathan Archer proved that Starfleet, the Enterprise, and humanity was capable of huge possibilities. Even when the Vulcans saw the human race as nothing more than apes throwing mud at one another while pounding on cell phones. He also did it in the middle of two conflicts (one in his era, and one across time) and while navigating the shady Vulcans and their dealings with other alien races, namely the Andorians. Archer had no map on how to succeed in space but set down one hell of a path to follow.