In “Broken Bow” (S01E01), the series introduction of Star Trek: Enterprise, we meet Captain Jonathan Archer, the first to ever command a starship. He’s intelligent, adventurous, ambitious, and a bit temperamental, especially with the Vulcans who, in his view, have held humanity back from space exploration.
By the time the events in “Broken Bow” occur, the Vulcans still believe that humans are still too impetuous, illogical, and reactionary to venture into space and meet other species. (Of course, Archer doesn’t help by telling T’Pol he’s showing incredible restraint by not “knocking her on her as*” when she points out how volatile humans are.) However, when you examine events from Archer’s viewpoint, does his anger make more sense? Let’s take a look at Archer’s personality, past, and why his grudge against the Vulcans might have been justified.
A human’s point of view
While humans all have their unique personalities, they share certain traits such as natural curiosity, the desire to create, and to build on the success of what they create. Archer is the epitome of humanity in “Broken Bow” because he was practically born to explore space. His father, Henry Archer, created the first engine capable of warp drive up to speeds of warp 5, which made deep space travel possible. However, the Vulcans’ insistence that humanity wait to venture into space at their discretion results in Henry Archer dying before he could see Enterprise take flight with his invention.
While Vulcans can live over 200 years, the average lifespan of a healthy human is about 77 years, according to the latest data from the Cleveland Clinic. While humans might have a longer lifespan by 2151, Archer likely had an increased awareness of what he stood to lose if the Vulcans continued to hold humanity from deep space travel.
Grief often masquerades as anger
Some viewers say that the characters in pilot episodes of television shows, especially a Star Trek series, are works in progress, and that’s why Archer seems so angry and frustrated over the Vulcans' interference with Starfleet. His character is still a work in progress.
However, “Broken Bow” as Star Trek history reminds us how close Archer was to his father and the influence he had on his son’s life. Henry Archer’s death is a turning point for the younger Archer, as the disagreement he has with the Vulcans probably rekindled some of his grief. Like a shape-shifting alien, grief never looks the same twice, and much of Archer’s anger (and that petty-fueled sense of humor he has) is likely his way of dealing with the grief he encounters. When he quotes his father to Mayweather, telling him, “We can’t be afraid of the wind,” it’s a poignant reminder that grief and loss don’t always heal; they only get smaller and travel with us as we move ahead with our own journeys.
What do you think about Archer’s initial grudge against the Vulcans? Was it justifiable? Visit our X or Facebook page and let us know—we’d love to hear from you!