Captain James T. Kirk was part of two USS Enterprise successions on-screen in two different Star Trek timelines. Surprisingly, Captains of the Enterprise don’t often get the chance to pᴀss command of their starship to their successor. Whether it’s because the Enterprise is lost, the previous Captain died, or a great deal of time has pᴀssed, audiences have only seen a handful of USS Enterprise successions.
The USS Enterprise’s first Captain, Robert April (Adrian Holmes), turning over command to his former First Officer, Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), happened offscreen. Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) took command of the USS Enterprse-D after his successor, the USS Enterprise-C’s Captain Rachel Garrett (Tricia O’Neil), died 20 years prior. Captain Picard pᴀssing the USS Enterprise-E to Captain Worf (Michael Dorn) was only inferred in Star Trek: Picard season 3. However, Captain Kirk has both received and pᴀssed on the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek movies.
Kirk Has Been Part Of 2 USS Enterprise Captain Successions
Captain Kirk Has Both Pᴀssed & Received Command Of The Enterprise
Star Trek (2009), set in the alternate Kelvin Timeline, is the most memorable example of USS Enterprise succession when Admiral Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) turns over his starship to Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine). As a rogue Starfleet Academy Cadet, Kirk heroically led the Enterprise to defeat the time-traveling Romulan villain, Nero (Eric Bana). The Enterprise’s pᴀssing of the torch included the amusing exchange of Kirk saying, “I relieve you, sir,” and Pike slyly replying, “I am relieved.”
In Star Trek Generations, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) was present at the launch of the USS Enterprise-B. It was not an official transfer of Enterprise Captaincy, since no command codes were exchanged between Kirk and Captain John Harriman (Alan Ruck). Kirk’s presence at the Enterprise-B’s maiden voyage, alongside Commander Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Scotty (James Doohan), was more ceremonial, but Kirk more or less pᴀssed the torch to Harriman.
Star Trek Generations was a spiritual pᴀssing of the torch from Captain Kirk to Captain Picard.
Admiral James T. Kirk ᴀssumed command of the USS Enterprise from its previous Captains in two other Star Trek movies. Admiral Kirk muscled Captain Will Decker (Stephen Collins) out of the center seat in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. However, in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) gladly gave the Enterprise back to Admiral Kirk, reminding Jim that “commanding a starship is your first, best destiny.”
Captain Picard & Jellico Pᴀssed USS Enterprise-D To Each Other
“Chain of Command” Showed How The Enterprise-D Is Transferred Between Captains
Captain Picard formally transferred the USS Enterprise-D to Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox) in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6’s two-parter, “Chain of Command.” Jellico then gave the flagship back to Captain Picard at the end of the second episode. Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s “Chain of Command” showed the procedures of how the Starship Enterprise is pᴀssed from one Captain to the next. This includes a ceremony in dress uniform and the formal transfer of the Enterprise’s command codes to its new master.
Who became Captain of the USS Enterprise-F isn’t known, and Admiral Elizabeth Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) was apparently killed by the Borg. As was Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) of the USS тιтan-A. So there was no succession ceremony for Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) when the тιтan-A became the USS Enterprise-G in Star Trek: Picard season 3.
Despite serving together on the USS Enterprise-D and E for a total of 15 years, Captain Jean-Luc Picard never permanently transferred command of the Enterprise to his First Officer, Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes). Instead, Riker accepted a promotion to become Captain of the USS тιтan in Star Trek: Nemesis. When Riker became Acting Captain of the Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s “The Best of Both Worlds,” it was because Picard was ᴀssimilated by the Borg and turned into Locutus.
Will Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Show Pike’s Enterprise Succession To Kirk?
Maybe This Is How Strange New Worlds Will End
The introduction of Lieutenant James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) seems to be Star Trek: Strange New Worlds laying the foundation to show on-screen how Captain Kirk inherits the USS Enterprise from Captain Pike in Star Trek‘s Prime timeline. Star Trek: The Original Series began with Kirk already installed as Captain and indicated that Jim only briefly met Fleet Captain Pike (Sean Kinney) before Chris was horribly disfigured in a delta ray accident.
However, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds retconned Kirk and Pike’s relationship, with Lieutenant Kirk, who is First Officer of the USS Farragut, making frequent visits to the Starship Enterprise. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is set to continue for season 3 and 4, and, hopefully, with more seasons to come. It remains to be seen if Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will show the pivotal canon moment of Kirk relieving Pike as Captain of the Enterprise before the prequel series ends.
