In Star Trek: Picard, Captain Seven of Nine commands the USS Enterprise-G, but she’s not the first female captain of the Enterprise in Star Trek.
Summary
- Star Trek has featured three female captains of starships named Enterprise on-screen, showcasing its commitment to an egalitarian future.
- The list of Enterprise captains has expanded beyond the iconic Kirk and Picard, with other captains like Archer and Pike making their mark.
- The intersection of female captains who were also Enterprise captains remains small, with only three women holding this distinction so far, but Star Trek continues to explore new possibilities for female leadership.
In Star Trek history, three women have been the captains of starships named Enterprise on-screen. Star Trek has dreamed of an egalitarian future since its inception, when series creator Gene Roddenberry included the enigmatic Number One (Majel Barrett) as the Enterprise’s female First Officer in the Star Trek: The Original Series pilot “The Cage”. Since then, Star Trek has certainly had several notable female captains, including series leads Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) on Star Trek: Voyager, Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) on Star Trek: Discovery, and Captain Carol Freeman on Star Trek: Lower Decks.
The list of Enterprise captains, likewise, has grown beyond Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), with Star Trek: Enterprise’s Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), and the revival of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Strange New Worlds also saw the live-action debut of Admiral Robert April (Adrian Holmes), the Enterprise’s first Black captain. The intersection of female captains on Star Trek who were also Enterprise captains, however, remains small, with only three women holding the distinction so far.
Tricia O’Neil as Captain Rachel Garrett
Captain of the USS Enterprise-C in Star Trek: The Next Generation
Captain Rachel Garrett commanded the USS Enterprise-C beginning in 2332, after serving as first officer of the USS Carthage. Garrett’s Enterprise was presumed lost in 2344 while outmatched by Romulan forces, but appeared over twenty years into the future, in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 15 “Yesterday’s Enterprise”. The Enterprise-C’s presence in 2366 unintentionally created a dark and foreboding alternate timeline characterized by Starfleet’s ongoing war with the Klingon Empire. Though reluctant, Garrett agreed to return the Enterprise-C to its fateful Romulan battle to restore the timeline. Captain Rachel Garrett’s sacrifice exemplified Starfleet bravery, and ensured the Federation’s peaceful future.
In Star Trek novels, Demora Sulu was captain of the USS Enterprise-B, but was never seen on-screen.
Elizabeth Dennehy as Admiral Elizabeth Shelby
Captain of the USS Enterprise-F in Star Trek: Picard
Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 26 “The Best of Both Worlds” introduced Elizabeth Shelby as an eager lieutenant commander gunning for Commander William Riker’s (Jonathan Frakes) position as the Enterprise’s first officer, brought aboard for her expertise with the Borg. While she didn’t get Riker’s job, Shelby’s steely ambition and forthright confidence helped her rise through Starfleet’s ranks. Elizabeth Shelby’s brief Star Trek: Lower Decks cameo indicates Shelby became a captain before 2381.
As fleet admiral, Shelby took command of the USS Enterprise-F during the 2401 Frontier Day celebration in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 9,”Vox”. Unfortunately, Shelby’s Borg expertise was no match for the newest iteration of Borg, whose assimilation plan was far more insidious than previous attacks. Admiral Shelby was seen to be killed by the Borg, while the Enterprise-F was assimilated while demonstrating Starfleet’s new fleet formation technology.
Jeri Ryan as Captain Seven of Nine
Captain of the USS Enterprise-G in Star Trek: Picard
After the USS Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant at the end of Star Trek: Voyager, Seven of Nine applied to Starfleet with Admiral Kathryn Janeway’s sponsorship. But as an ex-Borg, Seven struggled to find acceptance within Starfleet. Star Trek: Picard season 1 caught up with Seven operating as a Fenris Ranger, determined to render help where she could without being bogged down by Starfleet’s oversight or apparent prejudices. Seven joined Admiral Jean-Luc Picard’s civilian crew aboard La Sirena, which prompted Seven to reconsider Starfleet as a viable option.
By Star Trek: Picard season 3, Seven was Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick)’s reluctant first officer on the USS Titan-A, with Shaw insisting on calling Seven by her former human name, Annika Hansen. Despite Shaw’s Borg-inflicted trauma as a Wolf 359 veteran and the fraught working relationship between Captain Shaw and Seven of Nine, Shaw still recommended Seven for her own command, recognizing Seven’s independence and ingenuity as assets to Starfleet. Picard ended with the Titan-A renamed the Enterprise-G, and the former Commander Hansen in command as Captain Seven of Nine.
All three women who were captains of the Enterprise were also a part of Star Trek: Picard season 3, whether they appeared on-screen or were only referenced. Captain Rachel Garrett was honored with the “Red Lady” commemorative statue outside the Starfleet Recruitment Center on M’Talas Prime as part of Starfleet’s Frontier Day celebration, and Admiral Elizabeth Shelby actively captained the Enterprise-F on-screen. Garrett and Shelby were only briefly seen as the Enterprise’s captain, but the proposed Picard spinoff Star Trek: Legacy could follow the adventures of Captain Seven of Nine, as Star Trek‘s newest female captain of the USS Enterprise-G.
