Who is the worst Captain?

[TrueMetis]

SGC's excuse is they weren't sending diplomats, they were sending soldiers because it wasn't about allies at first, it was about recon. Unfortunately by the time they got the lay of the land and knew they had to get allies the SG1 team was already Earth's defacto ambassador. They should still have added a diplomat to the team afterwards however. Then again they should have let more countries in on the secret as well.

[CareerKnight]

As bone-headed as Archer was in his first two seasons, he never put the Earth in mortal jeopardy to that extent.

To be clear, that has far less to do with anything Archer did and more to do with the differences in universes and writing (the sg-1 writers actually wrote consequences for bad decisions occasionally). Star Trek wouldn't get anything close to military disparate that SG-1 Earth had with the Goa'uld until the Borg showed up and no amount of bad diplomacy could have made relations any worse.... come to think of it, it could actually have a benefit in that after listening to Archer rant at them for long enough the Borg could decide that humanity isn't worth assimilating.

If you take into account the different level of stakes and danger between the two shows, then Archer has quite a few really bad diplomatic decisions. Lets list a few. He he betrayed Earth's biggest ally to a race that couldn't stop beating the crap out of him, he almost got his crew stranded because he refused to apologize to a race (due to a stupid decisions he made) with the only replacement part he knew of for light years around just because he found them annoying, he responded to pirate raids on human ships by siding with the pirates and ignoring completely the likely possibility of it happening again, his greeting to new aliens they know nothing about includes how to find Earth, and he almost got his crew killed and put earth in great danger because he decided it was vital to stand watch over a ship with a dead crew (which did in the end save them... from the stupid situation he put them in for no reason).

[FaxModem1]

It doesn't help that I can't ever seem to figure out what Atlantis's mission statement is supposed to be. SG-1's was straightforward; the team explored the galaxy, looking for allies against the Goa'uld, as well as new technology. They indeed did make new friends, and acquire new technology, and eventually liberated the galaxy from the Goa'uld, resulting in a safer Earth and a better galaxy. Atlantis, though... it seems they occupied the city, in order to defend the city, which only needs defending because they occupied the city. What is Earth or the SGC supposed to be actually getting from this?

They were supposed to do a bunch of research on Ancient technology, culture, etc. Then they kind of ignited the Wraith culling the galaxy when they went looking for food and shelter because they almost sank it, and their priorities became divided.

[Nessus]

^Yeah, they'd keep telling us he was a trained diplomat and yet he'd keep failing to live up to that.

This. His alleged diplomatic credentials were a textbook case of informed ability. The writers told us he was a trained diplomat, but they made him act like the opposite. Not just in his official encounters: he wasn't very capable in regular social situations either. He'd act like either a wet rag or a spoiled brat, and as if by magic everyone around him would respond as if he was charismatic and reasonable, because the writers said so.

[Nevix]

Can I cast my vote for a three way tie between Zap Brannigan, Duchess, and Janeway?

[thisithis]

Can I cast my vote for a three way tie between Zap Brannigan, Duchess, and Janeway?

Oh Zap Brannigan, we'll never forget his amazing stupidity. OR how he still alive, when Matthew Marcus used that same stupidity, he gets killed. But then again Duchess and Janeway are still unfortunately alive.

[Mindworm]

Janeway actually did seem consistent to me (albeit in an obviously unintentional way). She comes across to me as someone who thinks of herself as a person of iron principle and resolve, but is actually someone who's constantly "reinterpreting" those principles in the moment to justify her impulses. So externally, she has no consistent principles, but if asked, she always has some contorted lawyer excuse for why the thing she's doing is actually totally a direct product of the same iron principles she's always held... even if last week she was doing the opposite with a completely contradictory excuse.

So, essentially, Janeway is Ingsoc?

[animalia]

Depends. Which season Archer are we talking about? Because Season 1 & 2 Archer is a different character from season 3 & 4 Archer.

[Nevix]

Can I cast my vote for a three way tie between Zap Brannigan, Duchess, and Janeway?

Oh Zap Brannigan, we'll never forget his amazing stupidity. OR how he still alive, when Matthew Marcus used that same stupidity, he gets killed. But then again Duchess and Janeway are still unfortunately alive.

Screwball Comedy about Supreme Irony Vs Dramatic Kids Action Series From The 80s.

Zap stays for comedy, but Marcus dies for drama. Or at least Marcus just dies for the good of everyone else, as he'd probably crash a ship into Mars and supercharge the Neosapiens breeding AND make them stronger. Somehow.

Zap would do the same thing, but it would result in peace. Somehow.

And Janeway would try to use the breeding vats for a new Insect Army, while Archer would try to pee in them because they offended him or gave his dog a sneezing attack, or something.

[Durandal_1707]

As bone-headed as Archer was in his first two seasons, he never put the Earth in mortal jeopardy to that extent.

To be clear, that has far less to do with anything Archer did and more to do with the differences in universes and writing (the sg-1 writers actually wrote consequences for bad decisions occasionally). Star Trek wouldn't get anything close to military disparate that SG-1 Earth had with the Goa'uld until the Borg showed up and no amount of bad diplomacy could have made relations any worse.... come to think of it, it could actually have a benefit in that after listening to Archer rant at them for long enough the Borg could decide that humanity isn't worth assimilating.

If you take into account the different level of stakes and danger between the two shows, then Archer has quite a few really bad diplomatic decisions. Lets list a few. He he betrayed Earth's biggest ally to a race that couldn't stop beating the crap out of him, he almost got his crew stranded because he refused to apologize to a race (due to a stupid decisions he made) with the only replacement part he knew of for light years around just because he found them annoying, he responded to pirate raids on human ships by siding with the pirates and ignoring completely the likely possibility of it happening again, his greeting to new aliens they know nothing about includes how to find Earth, and he almost got his crew killed and put earth in great danger because he decided it was vital to stand watch over a ship with a dead crew (which did in the end save them... from the stupid situation he put them in for no reason).

But they do have major differences in the universes, and that matters. The SGC needed allies far more than Enterprise's Earth did, and they absolutely should not have given command of the team that makes all the first-contact situations to a guy with the negotiating skills of a 15-year-old.

It just stood out, especially considering the other team members.

Carter: The smartest human on planet Earth, who routinely deals with alien technology far beyond anyone's comprehension and makes it work. She even invents new gadgets based on said alien technology. She's also tough as nails, so if you're a bad guy who sees her as some egghead that you can easily overpower, she'll whoop your ass. She also knows everything about the Stargate and wormhole physics, and can tech you out of a bad situation faster than Lt. Cmdr. Data. She's a goddamn superhero.

Daniel: Earth's foremost expert on the Ancients, with a seemingly encyclopedic memory for anything related to pretty much every ancient culture on Earth. And not only that, but he knows like every ancient language, with enough room left-over in his brain to learn alien languages they come across well enough to speak them conversationally with amazing speed. Daniel's a goddamn superhero.

Teal'c: Earth's expert on the Goa'uld and the Jaffa, their ways, customs, tactics, and their weaknesses, Teal'c also possesses enough charisma to turn the Jaffa over to his side, gaining Earth a powerful ally. Teal'c also possesses the diplomatic skills to be our go-to guy when we need to maintain that alliance. Oh, and Teal'c is also amazingly buff, immune to all disease and just about anything else that might compromise the other team members, and able to beat just about anyone in a fight, even if he's just gone through agonizing torture that would cause most people to be barely able to walk. Teal'c is a goddamn superhero.

Jack: He... can... uh, shoot things. I mean, so can Carter and Teal'c (and, eventually, Jackson), but, um, that's... something?