Here are 10 reasons I think Jean-Luc Picard was the best Star Trek captain.
ICYMI: It doesn’t get any more British than Patrick Stewart spoofing Monty Pythonto make a witty point.
Cisco, Janeway and Archer were all brilliant captains and each had unique traits that made them rich characters full of depth and warmth, but I feel as though kirk and Picard were always slightly different from the others. The Kirk versus Picard debate has raged for many years and in 1994, Mad Magazine even had them rolling around fighting to get to the captain’s chair whilst Scotty and Worf looked on in bewilderment.
The 2 captains couldn’t have been more different; Kirk was a brash, quick-witted all-American action hero, who was both a hit with the ladies and possessed knock-out judo chop. He was no-nonsense, kiss-or-fight and ask questions later guy, whilst Picard was a serial thinker. Picard would outwit his opponents and analyze every tiny detail. He used words that Kirk wouldn’t have understood and he studied geology, psychology and various other concepts. UGO Networks ran a poll and found Picard as the fans favorite and one of the best entertainment heroes of all time; “He doesn’t have Kirk’s sense of panache, but he did have a tendency to take everything really, really seriously for years”. Without wanting to get personal, let’s not forget that TNG ran for 7 seasons whilst TOS managed only 3 (Low blow, I know)
So here’s why I think that Jean-Luc Picard is the best Star Trek captain of the franchise:
Picard was a master debater
Jean-Luc Picard was a very moral person, bound by the ethics of the Federation. He was extremely logical, bordering on the point of Vulcan logic and he was a truly intelligent individual. As opposed to Kirk who used panache and brawn, Picard used his diplomacy skills to deals with issues.
He debated with his enemies, rather than punching them, even when the opponent was not easily displaced. He was a remarkably tactful captain and earned the respect from his crew as the seasons went on. His wisdom seemed to develop as the show continued and he even said in an interview that he put more and more of himself into the character, and more of the character into himself.
“Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived.”
Next: He was in his prime