Would Chakotay be a better Captain than Janeway?

[Odie 0]

One could argue if Chakotay wasn't in the Badlands Voyager would haven't got stuck in the Delta quadrant to begin with. B)

[gul_nodrog 2]

It's been so long since I've seen any Voyager, but my impression of Janeway was a rigid, sticking to the prime directive, unwilling to compromise Starfleet principles even when it made sense to do so kind of gal.

 

I'm sure that all of you can probably find numerous examples of why that is NOT true, I am only speaking of my impression of her. Of course, she couldn't be in too much of a hurry to get back to the Alpha Quadrant or the show would have been over in a season! Not good.

 

I think that "early" Chakotay would have done whatever it took to get back home to the MAQUIS .... prime directive be darned. "Later" Chakotay would also have cut some corners, but he would probably have been headed back to Starfleet.

 

I guess the better captain of the two would really depend on what season we are talking about and from whose perspective. Either way, I think that Janeway and Chakotay made a great team.

[MiraxTerrik 0]

Personally I have to say both Janeway and Chakotay had their own unique idea of what it means to lead initally and on many occasions we have seen them clash with each other. But working together they were almost an unstoppable force. They learned from each other and gradually their unique prospectives intertwined to a more common ground. Sure they still had their fair share of conflicts but what captain and first officer hasn't. All in all I believe the seven years together in the Delta Quadrant has made them equally capable captains each with their own strengths.

[master_q 0]

Well, Janeway did get her crew back home....So you have to give her credit!

 

Personally, though, I would think Chakotay would realistically be a better captain while they were voyaging home...

[Guest Voyager]

I said 'no'; Chakotay would be a good Captain, as it was shown in the book 'Spirit Walk', but I definately think Janeway was a better leader. These are the reasons why:

 

1. When Chakotay is in command, things don't seem to run as smoothly, for example in 'Scorpian' he disobeys Janeway's orders, which put their chances of getting out of borg space at risk.

 

2. Janeway sometimes has had more difficult situations to deal with than Chakotay. Such as when they were in Kazon space, she had to have authorit even though she was a woman, where as Chakotay wouldn't have had to contend with that.

 

My main reason has to do with what I said in point 1; there are other examples about that, and I've just always felt that Janeway was the better leader.

[star_rose 0]

Chakotay doesn't possess the same qualities of Janeway, she is more logical and comprehensive.

[GhostofMajorHayes 10]

I think Chakotay would've been better as Captain. He was thoughtful,wise, and determined. Janeway also had these traits, but Chakotay was more a man of action- he would see things carried out.

[TJ Phaserman 2]

but he wouldn't follow starfleet protocals. think about it. if seska stayed on voyager, and janeway was killed off somehow, he wouldn't hesitate for one moment the trade technology to get back to the alpha quadrant. but if janeway had stayed, you know he would followed orders to the letter and made sure it stayed that way.

[jadziaezri 0]

it depends, if janeway had been captain for say season 1-3 and chakotay had been captain from then on then maybe chakotay would have been a better captain. He was too irrational in the first few series. She tempered him. also she stuffed up a few times

[Ezri T 0]

Janeway is better.

 

Chakotay does have the skills to be a Captain, that is a given. It is just that trust with the federation will always be questioned.

[GhostofMajorHayes 10]

but he wouldn't follow starfleet protocals. think about it. if seska stayed on voyager, and janeway was killed off somehow, he wouldn't hesitate for one moment the trade technology to get back to the alpha quadrant. but if janeway had stayed, you know he would followed orders to the letter and made sure it stayed that way.

 

I think that is why Chakotay would've been a better captain. He would'nt be hindered by Starfleet "principles". He would have a plan of action and stick to it until his objective was accomplished. The question being asked is not about who is better at playing by the rules. Rather, it asks if Chakotay would be better than Janeway. Considering his background and history, I feel Chakotay would be a better captain if allowed to do what was necessary to get his crew home.

[CaptainsBeauty 0]

No way! I like Chakotay but he would not in my opinion been the better captain.

[SeeingEyeBorg 0]

Uh...can I get a "Hell, NO"? I mean, make no mistake, I DIG Chakotay and all but...look how many traitors got under his belt when he was in command of his own vessel. He admitted to not doing background checks when it came time to recruit, which is how we wound up with the Schizoid Betazoid.

 

And on another note....uh, NO. Chakotay would sell his soul and the souls of all those under his command for just once chance to roll around in the sack with the first blonde-haired alien to cross his path.

[Bethlehem 7]

Janeway is prettier enought said

[Captain Armstrong 0]

As much as I disagreed with Janeway's decision making most episodes, I have to admit that she usually turned out to be right in the end. Chakotay was an excellent first officer, but he never struck me as being as capable of leading the ship as Janeway. A lot of times he was overly emotional and made decisions based on those emotions rather than clear-headed, level thinking. He needed to get away from that Maquis way of thinking and inject more Starfleet discipline into the process.

 

In fact, Chakotay would only be 3rd on my list of those best suited to command Voyager, after Janeway and Tuvok.

[SeeingEyeBorg 0]

You gotta admit though...he handled the whole "Borg" situation a lot better than Janeway in the "Scorpion" eps. Instead of dealing with them, he just decompressurized the cargo bay. LOL - my man.

[Dabo Queen 0]

Not a frickin' chance.

 

Janeway breaks the Prime Directive at least once an episode, but Chakotay's so stupid I don't see how he can keep from drooling on himself.

 

I seem to remember him having command of a Maquis ship, where he had on board:

 

 

Seska - A Cardassian posing as a Bajoran

 

Tuvok - A Star Fleet officer posing as a Maquis

 

B'Elanna - A Klingon with self-esteem/daddy issues

 

Suder- A schzoid Betazoid who would literally kill you for looking at him wrong

 

 

 

Yeah... as I said before, Janeway's emotional and only follows Star Fleet orders when she feels like it, but Chakotay's seriously an idiot. A supremely hot idiot, but an idiot nonetheless.

Edited March 23, 2008 by Dabo Queen