A line in Star Trek Generations explains why Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) stays captain when Star Trek: VoyagerKathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) turns into Starfleet admiral. Star Trek Generations begins with Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) publicity tour of the USS Enterprise-B, when a misery name leads Captain John Harriman (Alan Ruck) to relinquish command to Kirk. Harriman's concession echoes earlier movies, when then-Admiral Kirk took command of the Enterprise of USS Enterprise captains Will Decker (Stephen Collins) in Star Trek: the film and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Eight years later Generationsone Star Trek: Nemesis cameo reveals that Star Trek: VoyagerKathryn Janeway was promoted to vice admiral, only one 12 months after returning the USS Voyager to the Alpha Quadrant. The USS Voyager was Janeway's first command, suggesting that Janeway solely spent eight years as a captain. In 2379, when Star Trek: Nemesis Because it seems, Picard spent 15 years captaining two USS Enterprises and 22 years as captain of the USS Stargazer earlier than that. Janeway completely deserves her promotion after Voyager's harrowing 70,000 light-year journey, however it's shocking that Picard hasn't additionally been promoted.
Kirk's recommendation to Picard in Star Trek Generations saved Picard as captain longer
"Don't allow them to promote you."
In Star Trek GenerationsJames Kirk's sage recommendation that retains Jean-Luc Picard as captain longer is: "Don't allow them to promote you."By the point Picard meets Kirk within the Timeless Nexus, Picard has already been captain of a starship for many years, with no plans to retire. Kirk insists that Picard stay captain as a result of Kirk's private expertise as a Starfleet admiral was extra irritating than prestigious. Admiral Kirk continued to search out methods to bypass laws and regain command, together with stealing the Enterprise. Kirk's demotion to captain on the finish of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Residence it was extra reward than punishment.
"Let me inform you one thing. No [retire]. Don't allow them to promote you. Don't allow them to switch you, don't allow them to do something that takes you off the bridge of that ship, as a result of so long as you're there, you may make a distinction."
- Captain James T. Kirk, Star Trek Generations
Jean-Luc Picard remained captain for almost a decade, so it's cheap to imagine Picard adopted Kirk's recommendation. Picard commanded the USS Enterprise-E through the 2370s and accepted a promotion to admiral in 2381. Admiral Picard discovered methods to nonetheless "energy"make a distinction,"reminiscent of funding the Guild of Impartial Archaeologists and main Starfleet's efforts to evacuate Romulus earlier than the Romulan Supernova of 2387. Picard solely confronted the challenges Kirk warned towards later, in Star Trek: Picard. Like Kirk earlier than him, Admiral Picard was solely capable of command a starship briefly and with an inexpensive excuse.
Admiral Janeway proves Kirk's recommendation flawed in Star Trek: Prodigy
Admiral Janeway is in control of the USS Dauntless and the USS Voyager-A
In Star Trek: ProdigyAdmiral Kathryn Janeway proves that Kirk Star Trek Generations recommendation about turning down promotions is flawed. Admiral Janeway's command of the USS Dauntless and USS Voyager-A reveals that being an admiral doesn't preserve a Starfleet officer off the bridge of a starship, as Kirk feared. As a substitute of handing out missions like in Star Trek: NemesisAdmiral Janeway leads a mission to find the lacking Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran). Janeway's instance as a frontrunner redefines the job of a Starfleet Admiral as one that may, in actual fact, actively make a distinction with regards to a command position.
Changing into an admiral means one thing completely different to everybody Star Trek captain, based mostly on their temperaments and experiences. Janeway spent years within the Delta Quadrant making unilateral selections as Starfleet's sole authority, with out the commentary of an admiral. Accepting a promotion earlier than Jean-Luc Picard, regardless of fewer years of expertise, implies that Admiral Janeway doesn't want to alter her management type within the Alpha Quadrant. Picard, having inherited Kirk's legacy, has cause to think about Kirk's perception {that a} promotion means the top of a starship's days, so he follows Kirk's recommendation. Star Trek Generations and stays captain of the Enterprise for an additional decade.