My favourite Captain has to be Archer. The main reason being the writers of Star Trek: Enterprise had the advantage of going last. In doing so, you can definitely see perhaps the best elements of all of the other Captains in Archer: Kirk's sense of adventure, Janeway's unwillingness to give up, Sisko's tenacity and grit, with Picard's diplomatic sense all tied neatly into one Captain. Archer wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Being the Captain of the first ship heading out, he had to think on his feet and trust those around him. If Enterprise was given the same amount of time that the other series had to develop their characters, I do believe Captain Jonathan Archer would hold a higher place in people's hearts.

My favourite Captain would have to be Janeway for sure. Voyager was the series that first got me into Trek and till this day remains my most favourite. Janeway really was the sort of Captain where at first she came across as a typical Starfleet Officer, adhering to all of the rules set in place for a Captain to follow, but as she came to term with her situation and that of her crews she slowly began to open up and break the walls down, maintaining her presence as the Captain but also as a friend to her crew, doing almost anything in her power to make sure her ship and her crew were safe, even if it meant breaking the Prime Directive and several hundred other regulations in the process. I think ultimately compared to the other Captains she definitely brought something new to the table be it her witty sassyness or her general badass defiance when the odds seemed to be against her, both of which made her and Voyager an incredibly fun series to watch in my opinion.

The series that got me hooked into Star Trek was and is Deep Space 9. Saying that, I'm going to throw a huge curve ball and move away from the predicable answers. Commander Thy'lek Shran from Enterprise is my favourite 'Captain'. Being Andorian his sense of duty is much higher than even Archer, and is willing to as far as he to protect what he knows. Overcoming his initial xenophobia of the 'pink skins' his character grew to trust the Enterprise Captain, each coming to their counterpart's aid several times over the series. Given the relative infancy of ship technology I enjoyed the times when the two very different people - who often came to blows - and races came together to fight for the greater good against a common enemy. Besides, he's played by Jeffrey Combs!

Without a doubt, Picard is my favourite Captain (and I’m talking about TNG Picard, not movie Picard. Movie Picard is a crazed gun-toting lunatic who thinks nothing of the Prime Directive). Sure, he didn't always have the flair of Sisko, the attitude of Janeway or the unpredictability of Kirk - but he almost always remained calm and collected, and when he wasn't, you knew you were in for a bad time. His sense of diplomacy and different ways to defuse situations are admirable, and his end-of-episode lectures never fail to get me thinking. Picard's ability to deconstruct and reconstruct arguments and issues always made his points hard-hitting and difficult to dispute. In keeping diplomatic and peaceful whenever possible, Picard succeeds at being what the textbook example of a Starfleet Captain is to me.

My favourite Captain... that's surprisingly difficult, as they all have their virtues. Kirk was the maverick, Picard the diplomat, Sisko the warrior, Janeway the defiant and Archer the adventurer. I would have to say that out of them all - I would pick Sisko. He moved away from that template of Starfleet Captain that Picard had laid down as the font of Federation values. He proved that he would achieve his aims regardless of what had to happen, and he had the added difficulty of having to manage a starbase that wasn't actually a Federation starbase - but belonged to the Bajorans. He had to be political yet religious at the same time, as well as balancing his Starfleet responsibilities. If I were in a fight - I'd want Sisko at my side.

My favorite Captain currently is - and probably always will be - Benjamin Sisko. In my eyes he encompassed the best of both worlds; taking the decisiveness and rough n' tumble style I liked in Kirk, and mixing it with the intellect and tactical prowess that made Picard so interesting. I also liked seeing him adapt to his place in Bajoran society as part of their faith, and how he tried to balance that position with his Starfleet beliefs.

I suppose it has always been a toss-up. I was first introduced to Star Trek in Deep Space 9 form. One of my best friends in high school made me watch this sci-fi show and I was hooked. After watching it religiously until the last episode, I made the move to TNG and VOY. Each Captain had their take on the Prime Directive. Some chose to follow it to the letter (Picard) while others took a laissez-faire approach (Kirk). I enjoyed the more scientific approach Janeway brought to the show. She always seemed to be the smartest when it came to understanding scientific principles. Then there was Sisko - a man out of time and place, a man thrown into a position he did not want, given a title he wanted even less, all while aboard a rickety old Cardassian space station with no starship! Despite all of this, Sisko showed true grit and determination in protecting Starfleet's way of life no matter the odds. While he wasn't as gung-ho as Kirk, as versed in Shakespeare as Picard, or learned as Janeway, there was something that Sisko had that no other Captain did: a baseball.

My favourite Captain is Picard by far. He seemed to me to be the most versatile and yet noble and loyal. There are multiple episodes where he showed his resolve, but most notably I'd say for me are "Chain of Command", all Q episodes (Farpoint and All Good Things, the end caps), and many others. I loved Picard in Insurrection; my favourite of all Star Trek movies, as he - along with his crew - still show their resolve and military prowess. But due to the metaphasic atmosphere there, they grow a bit more youthful and energetic, and we see a side of them all, especially Picard, seen very seldom before. Picard in the series and the movies shows his respectful and compassionate nature; alongside duty to the Federation, Starfleet, his crew, his family, and everyone he is sworn to protect. And then there's the bit where he dishonored a Klingon, only later to stare him in the face and sincerely apologize - that's a true leader there!

I'm sure some that know me assume that my favorite Captain would be Kirk, having almost nothing to do with our similar command styles, intense dislike for meetings and paperwork, and near legendary 'explorations'...

... but in reality my personal favourite is Jean Luc Picard. This is not solely due to my intense fandom for The Next Generation, but mainly because I find him to be the most un-realistic of the captains.

"Hold your tongue sir!" I hear some cry. I say this because he is inspirational: There is no real failings there, no crippling coffee addiction or 'dark side'. Having someone who always tells the entire truth, who always acts with the greater good in mind, who always holds himself and others to the highest degree of integrity, regardless of the cost, is not really feasible.

I wish I could carry myself with half of his degree of excellence.

... and look that good when I'm in my 70's...

I would have to say, my favourite was Sisko. Battling a religion that was nothing to do with him and his service, the way he wouldn't give up when trying to capture the renegade Eddington. From the loss of his wife, watching him heal and his son grow up, to the loss of crew and the promotion to Captain (all shows started with one but this was the first that didn't). He poisoned an atmosphere in his pursuit of the Maquis, the Dominion War, and going against the "gods" to marry the woman he loved. Damn he was just amazing.