10 Marvel Heroes Who Would Make Great Star Trek Captains
We took a look the 10 best choices from the Marvel Cinematic Universe for heroes who would make great Star Trek captains.
The MCU boasts a long list of impressive heroes, but precious few of those Marvel champions have proven they have what it takes to man the captain’s chair of an iconic Star Trek vessel like Enterprise or Voyager. For example, while you’d definitely want Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk on your side in a fight, his reactions to stress wouldn’t be ideal for a Starfleet captain. Likewise, while Chris Pratt‘s Star-Lord is already a starship captain, the kind of moral grey areas the Guardians sometimes inhabit wouldn’t cut it in Starfleet.
To be a Starfleet captain, one of the MCU good guys would need to have proven themselves to be smart, resourceful, to have possess strong leadership abilities, and to have the kind of ethical fortitude that would keep them within the boundaries of the Federation’s ideals. Here’s 10 Marvel heroes we think would make the grade in Star Trek.
Steve Rogers, aka Captain America
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) would be the first obvious choice of a Marvel hero who could command a Star Trek vessel. He doesn’t have the scientific know-how of Patrick Stewart‘s Picard or Kate Mulgrew’s Janeway, but his ability to inspire as a leader, his courage, and his willingness to sacrifice for the greater good would make him a perfect choice. Not to mention that, when it comes to the ideals promoted by the Federation, no one would be more willing to safeguard them in spite of the consequences.
In all honesty, I do think Rogers would have a lot of difficulty with a concept like the Prime Directive, particularly if violating it helped save lives. But considering how many times the most iconic captains of Starfleet have ignored that directive, he’d hardly be alone.
Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow
Before the events of Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War, it might be difficult to see Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) as a Star Trek captain, particularly considering her former job as an assassin. But Infinity War and its follow-up introduce a changed woman.
In 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, it’s Natasha who takes over leadership of what remains of the team, and by sacrificing herself to obtain the Soul Stone she proves willing to give everything when the situation demands.
T’Challa, aka Black Panther
No Marvel hero would be a better choice as a Star Trek captain than T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman). He’s proven himself a better leader than even Steve Rogers, he’s just as courageous, and the very fact that he was willing to make Wakanda a target for the armies of Thanos (Josh Brolin) for the sake of the greater good is undeniable proof of what he’s willing to sacrifice.
Let’s not forget he also boasts more knowledge of advanced technology than most of the MCU’s earthbound heroes.
Wong
The blip may be the main reason why Wong (Benedict Wong) took the role of Sorcerer Supreme rather than Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), but the reasons Wong nevertheless makes more sense in the role are the same that would the Marvel mystic a great Star Trek captain. Unlike Strange, Wong is an excellent leader who has proven his heroism multiple times.
Valkyrie
If Marvel’s Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) ever did captain a ship for Star Trek, Starfleet would probably want to recruit her after the events of 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, and hence after she stopped drinking quite so much. But as long as they were careful enough to do that, they wouldn’t be disappointed. When Thor (Chris Hemsworth) goes functionally MIA during Endgame as the leader of his people, it’s Valkyrie who takes over as the King of New Asgard, and she continues in her role in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder.
Iron Man
Marvel’s Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) would not be my first choice for a Star Trek captain, and if he got a command I wouldn’t want to serve under him. But it’s impossible to deny he could be captain material. Temperamentally, he’d be more like Todd Stashwick’s Liam Shaw than Picard, but he could definitely get the job done.
All things being equal, I would much rather see Stark in the engine room, but he could make it as a captain.
Vision
Marvel’s Vision (Paul Bettany) may count as artificial intelligence, but we’ve seen examples of similar artificial intelligence in Star Trek — like Brent Spiner’s Data and Robert Picardo’s The Doctor — who have excelled in leadership roles.
His willingness to sacrifice himself during the events of Infinity War showed his heroism, as did the simple fact that he was the first Marvel hero other than Thor who could lift Mjolnir.
Ramonda
If you don’t think Ramonda (Angela Bassett) would make a great Star Trek captain, you obviously missed last year’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Taking over as Wakanda’s monarch in the wake of her son’s death, Ramonda proves herself to be a brave, fierce, and righteous leader who dares to face down Namor (Tenoch Huerta) in spite of not having any special abilities like her children.
Nick Fury
While he might be more at home among the clandestine operatives of Section 31, Marvel’s Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) would also make an excellent captain in Star Trek. The spymaster likes to promote a morally grey image, but when push comes to shove he winds up on the right side of things.
M’Baku
When we first meet M’Baku (Winston Duke), he seems far from the kind of Marvel character you would want captaining a Star Trek ship. But what at first comes off as bluster and apathy proves to be a fierce protectiveness toward his people and a lack of faith in Wakanda’s leadership. Once T’Challa wins him over, M’Baku shows us he’s unerringly loyal, brave, and much cleverer than he appears when he fights T’Challa atop Warrior Falls.
Granted, M’Baku likes his fights more than your average Starfleet captain and he might feel more comfortable in the Klingon Imperial Fleet, but if Starfleet needed him, he would be there.
