32 Years Later, Star Trek Finally Redeems the Enterprise's Worst Captain

Published Sep 12, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT Shaun Corley has been with ScreenRant for over 5 years, and is currently the Coordinator for PR and Outreach for the Comics Team. Warning: contains spoilers for "Manifest Destiny," appearing in the Star Trek 60th Anniversary Special! 32 years later, Star Trek has redeemed the worst captain of the Enterprise. For 60 years, fans have been thrilled by the exploits of the starship Enterprise as it explores the galaxy, encountering many thrills and wonders. It is a dangerous job, but fortunately, the Enterprise has had some excellent captains in her day. The Enterprise is almost always the flagship of Starfleet, meaning only the best get to take a shot at the captain’s chair. Nearly every captain of the Enterprise has made a great contribution to the Federation. Jonathan Archer, the first Enterprise captain, helped take Earth from a backwater planet to a real player in the galactic scene. There is also, of course, Captains Pike, Kirk and Picard, who need no introduction. Yet in between these legends are two other captains, whose careers are still somewhat shrouded in mystery: Rachel Garrett and John Harriman. Yet in between these legends are two other captains, whose careers are still somewhat shrouded in mystery: Rachel Garrett and John Harriman. Rachel Garrett, introduced in the third season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, was the skipper of the Enterprise NCC-1701-C. While not much is known about her time as captain, it is known she was instrumental in brokering peace between the Federation and the Klingons, ensuring her place in history. However, John Harriman, the captain of the Enterprise NCC-1701-B, had a less than stellar start to his tenure, and it has overshadowed the character since. Now, Star Trek redeems John Harriman 32 years later. Stardate 47988.1 · Crew Assessment The Final FrontierTrivia Challenge 🚀ShipsEnterprise! ⭐CrewMake it so ☠EnemiesResistance is… ⚡TechWarp speed! 📖LoreLive long… ENGAGE → 01 The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series? ANCC-1701-D BNX-01 CNCC-1701 DNCC-74656 ✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager. ✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager. NEXT → 02 Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character? AData BSpock CTuvok DSarek ✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise. NEXT → 03 Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called? AThe Temporal Accord BGeneral Order One CThe Omega Directive DThe Prime Directive ✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake. ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols. NEXT → 04 “Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called? AThe Borg BThe Dominion CThe Romulans DSpecies 8472 ✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.” ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.” NEXT → 05 Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him? AWilliam Shatner BAvery Brooks CPatrick Stewart DScott Bakula ✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard. NEXT → 06 Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called? ATranswarp Drive BWarp Drive CSlipstream Drive DSpore Drive ✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive. NEXT → 07 At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called? AThe Prometheus Trial BThe Omega Simulation CThe Corbomite Maneuver DThe Kobayashi Maru ✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario. NEXT → 08 In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain? AKhan Noonien Singh BGeneral Chang CQ DGul Dukat ✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos. REVEAL MY SCORE → Mission Complete Your Starfleet Record / 8 Are you an Admiral — or still a cadet on deck-scrubbing duty? ↻ RE-ENGAGE Captain John Harriman is Finally Redeemed in the Star Trek Universe Unfortunately, How Harriman Achieved Redemption Is Never Explained In the story “Manifest Destiny,” written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Isaac Sanchez, and appearing in IDW Publishing’s Star Trek 60th Anniversary Special, John Harriman finally gets the redemption he deserves. Seven of Nine, who is the new captain of the Enterprise, reflects on the ship’s previous leaders, and the illustrious careers they had. Seven recites a litany of Starfleet greatness. She recalls how Robert April “shattered frontiers” and how Garrett averted an intergalactic war, as well as Picard’s drive and determination. Seven stresses that Pike got three five-year missions and how Kirk returned a “living legend.” Then, Seven comes to Harriman, simply saying he: “made up for early mistakes.” Unfortunately, the story does not dwell on Harriman’s redemption before Seven moves on to other captains. The Star Trek 60th Anniversary Special is a glorious celebration of the franchise, with stories drawn from all its various eras. The story “Manifest Destiny,” which redeems Harriman, is a prologue to IDW’s new Star Trek comic, which will kick off a bold new era for the publisher’s line. It is only fitting that this new period begins by finally giving John Harriman his due. Captain John Harriman's Career Got Off to a Rocky Start Played by actor Alan Ruck, and first appearing in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations, John Harriman’s send-off as Enterprise captain was to have been a routine shakedown cruise, as seen in the film. On board was Captain Kirk, who reluctantly came to see the ship off. During the cruise, the Enterprise intercepted a distress signal, and Kirk was seemingly killed in the rescue effort. That a Starfleet legend would die on a ship’s much-hyped first voyage gave Harriman a black eye out of the gate. Fan reception to Harriman has been mixed at best since. Later Star Trek shows and movies have shied away from following Harriman’s career after the events of Generations, leaving fans wondering if he ever found his groove as a captain. He did not particularly come across as a confident leader in his few scenes: only after watching Kirk’s sacrifice did Harriman begin to realize the scope of his new mission. It is entirely possible Harriman became a great captain in the wake of Kirk’s death, but Star Trek fans will perhaps never know. Actress Kacey Rohl played Rachel Garrett in the Star Trek: Section 31 movie. Star Trek brought Rachel Garrett back to the forefront of the franchise in 2025’s Section 31 film, 35 years after her first appearance. That movie, set when Garrett was still a junior officer, filled in some of the gaps in the lore, by revealing she was a Starfleet liaison to Section 31. The franchise should try a similar approach with Harriman, perhaps showing how he made up for the Enterprise B’s first flight. Will Captain Harriman Ever Appear On-Screen Again? And now, Star Trek has confirmed Captain John Harriman eventually did find his way, perhaps finally becoming the leader he was supposed to be in the first place. The tragedy of the story is it did not reveal how Harriman made up for his past shortcomings. A Star Trek series, be it live-action or comics, that follows Harriman on his path to redemption could be an all-timer for the franchise. Star Trek 60th Anniversary Special is on sale now from IDW Publishing!