Summary

• The USS Discovery had quite the lineup of Captains, including Mirror Lorca, Killy, Cornwell, Georgiou, Pike, Saru, and Burnham.
• Captain Gabriel Lorca from the Mirror Universe was the Discovery's first Captain, with hidden ambitions and a dark legacy to overcome.
• Michael Burnham ultimately rose to Captain at the end of Season 3, facing challenges and leading the Discovery into the 32nd century.

The eponymous starship of Star Trek: Discovery has remarkably had 7 Captains going into its fifth and final season, and there's even one Captain who Trekkers never got to meet or even learn the identity of. Star Trek: Discovery has been infamous for the game of musical chairs the series has played with the starship's Captaincy. This reached absurd heights in season 1 as the various bizarre circumstances of the Disco's Captain's chair saw 4 people in the role of the USS Discovery's Captain.

The USS Discovery (NCC-1031) is a 23rd-century Crossfield Class starship originally designed as a state-of-the-art science and research vessel. Discovery was equipped with Starfleet's most advanced technology, including the revolutionary spore displacement hub drive. The Disco has saved the galaxy multiple times and, through it all, several people sat in Discovery's Captain's chair. Here is everyone who has commanded (or was supposed to command) the bridge as Captain of the Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery's five seasons.

Captain Gabriel Lorca (Mirror)

Discovery's first Captain was a fraud from the Mirror Universe

Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Issacs) was the first Captain of the Discovery, and he was a fraud. Lorca was actually from the Mirror Universe, and he replaced his Prime Universe counterpart, the former Captain of the lost USS Buran. As Captain of the Discovery, Lorca wanted to weaponize its spore drive with the stated goal of Starfleet winning the Klingon War. But Lorca's vaulting ambition was to find a way back to the Mirror Universe to complete his master plan of overthrowing Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh). Lorca was also obsessed with Michael Burnham, who was his lover in the Mirror Universe. Locra's attempt to overthrow Georgiou failed, resulting in his death.

The Mirror Lorca was, in his way, an effective Captain of the Discovery.

Lorca endures as perhaps Star Trek: Discovery's best villain. The Mirror Lorca was, in his way, an effective Captain of the Discovery. Lorca was certainly adept at hiding his secrets and he was a stern taskmaster who ruffled the feathers of the scientists aboard Discovery, like Lt. Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). However, to his credit, Lorca was also an experienced battle commander who led the Discovery to some major victories over the Klingons. Still, the Mirror Lorca was revealed to be a manipulative liar and his legacy is a stain on the history of the USS Discovery that the crew has moved on from.

Captain Sylvia Tilly

AKA Captain Killy

When the USS Discovery traveled to the Mirror Universe in Star Trek: Discovery season 1, Ensign Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) had to don golden armor and pose as her Mirror Universe counterpart, Captain Sylvia Tilly of the ISS Discovery. Mirror Tilly earned the nickname "Captain Killy" for her homicidal tendencies, and playing this role was an education for the pure-hearted Tilly from Star Trek's Prime Universe. However, Sylvia's brief time in Discovery's center seat as "Captain Killy" did help her confidence to become First Officer of the Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery season 2.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly left the USS Discovery to become an instructor at the newly reopened Starfleet Academy.

Admiral Katrina Cornwell

A rare good Starfleet Admiral

Vice Admiral Katrina Cornwell (Jayne Brook) was the Starfleet flag officer who oversaw the USS Discovery's missions. Cornwell was also an intimate old friend of the Prime Universe Gabriel Lorca; yet, despite her prior training as a therapist, she was fooled by the Mirror Lorca and never suspected he was from another reality. Admiral Cornwell temporarily took command of the Disco from Acting Captain Saru after the starship returned from the Mirror Universe in Star Trek: Discovery season 1.

Admiral Cornwell perished as she heroically saved the USS Enterprise from a missile sent by Control during the final battle of Star Trek: Discovery season 2.

Admiral Cornwell brought the USS Discovery to Starbase 1, only to learn it was conquered by the Klingons, who massacred its personnel. The Admiral's time in Discovery's Captain's chair was short as Cornwell stepped aside for the starship's next, and even more unlikely, temporary Captain, who was even more dangerous than Gabriel Lorca. Admiral Cornwell later perished as she heroically saved the USS Enterprise from a missile sent by Control during the final battle of Star Trek: Discovery season 2.

Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Mirror)

"Captain Georgiou" almost committed genocide

Perhaps the most absurd Captain of the Discovery was the Mirror Universe's Emperor Philippa Georgiou, who pretended to be her dead Prime Universe counterpart, Captain Georgiou. The Emperor proposed that Starfleet end the Klingon war by attacking Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld, and detonating a hydrogen bomb inside the planet's mantle to render it uninhabitable. Desperate to put an end to the costly war, Starfleet Command shockingly backed this plot and Admiral Cornwell even agreed to allow the Emperor to pose as Captain Georgiou, who was "back from a classified assignment," and assume command of the Discovery.

Emperor Georgiou's time pretending to be Captain Georgiou was mercifully brief, and she escaped to Qo'noS after Michael Burnham stopped her plan. Instead, Burnham gave the hydrogen bomb detonator to L'Rell (Mary Chieffo), who used it to unite the Great Houses, end the war, and install herself as Klingon High Chancellor at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 1. Georgiou would resurface as part of Section 31 before joining Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery's trip to the 32nd century. Georgiou was ultimately sent to an unknown time and place by the Guardian of Forever (Paul Guilfoyle) to save her life in Star Trek: Discovery season 3.

Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh will return as Emperor Georgiou in the first made-for-Paramount+ Star Trek movie, Star Trek: Section 31.

Discovery's Unknown Captain

A mystery Star Trek: Discovery will probably never solve

After the United Federation of Planets' triumph in the Klingon War and the reinstatement of Michael Burnham to her rank of Commander, the USS Discovery set a course to Vulcan in order to pick up its new Captain. However, Discovery was intercepted by the USS Enterprise at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 1. Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) came aboard to temporarily take over command of the Discovery. As such, the Discovery never did make it to Vulcan and Trekkers never learned who the mystery Captain was supposed to be. Regardless, whoever it was never got to command the Discovery, which vanished to the 32nd century. Discovery's existence was redacted from Starfleet records by Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) to protect his adopted sister, Michael Burnham.

Captain Christopher Pike

"Be bold. Be brave. Be courageous."

The Captain of the USS Enterprise, Christopher Pike was transferred to the USS Discovery at the start of Star Trek: Discovery season 2. Captain Pike's mission was to investigate and solve the mystery of the red burst signals that appeared across space. Pike's orders intersected with the disappearance of the Enterprise's Science Officer, Lt. Spock, who later joined his Captain and Michael Burnham aboard the Discovery. In addition, Pike learned of his ultimate fate that he would be critically injured by delta rays in a tragic accident in the future — but the Captain courageously chose to continue his Starfleet career and meet his destiny.

Christopher Pike was a welcome throwback to the mold of the classic Star Trek Captain, and Anson Mount's version updated the Enterprise's original master, played by Jeffrey Hunter, who starred in the rejected first Star Trek pilot and was replaced with William Shatner's Captain James T. Kirk when NBC ordered Star Trek to go to series in 1966. Indeed, Mount's Captain Pike was so popular with Trekkers that he, Spock, and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) received their own spinoff aboard the Enterprise, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Captain Saru

The first Kelpien in Starfleet became Captain of the Discovery

After stepping up and filling the big chair as Acting Captain multiple times during the chaos of Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2, Commander Saru (Doug Jones) finally became the official Captain of the Discovery in season 3, episode 3, "People of Earth." Saru had a long road to his well-deserved recognition as the Discovery's Captain. The first Kelpien in Starfleet, Saru was mentored by the late Captain Georgiou, and he was Science Officer aboard the ill-fated USS Shenzhou before he transferred to the USS Discovery and became Captain Lorca's First Officer.

Saru provided calm, steady leadership throughout the USS Discovery's constant leadership turmoil.

Saru's distinguished tenure as Discovery's Number One led to his repeatedly assuming the role of Acting Captain, and Saru provided calm, steady leadership throughout the USS Discovery's constant leadership turmoil. The Kelpien also underwent his people's Vahar'ai ritual, which evolved him and stripped him of his fears, and this only made Saru a more effective leader. There is no doubt Captain Saru has earned the respect and loyalty of Discovery's crew. However, Saru voluntarily left the Disco at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 3, paving the way for a new Captain whom he recommended as his replacement. Mr. Saru returned as the USS Discovery's First Officer in Star Trek: Discovery season 4.

Captain Michael Burnham

"Captain Burnham, that hope is you."

Commander Michael Burnham finally became Captain of the Discovery at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 3. Burnham yielded the Captaincy to Saru early in Discovery season 3 when she had doubts about wanting to remain in Starfleet after spending a year traveling the galaxy with Cleveland Booker (David Ajala). Ultimately, Burnham's heroics led her to her destiny and the Disco's Captain's chair. Michael saved the Federation from Osyraa (Janet Kidder), the leader of the Emerald Chain, who hijacked the USS Discovery. Coupled with Saru's choice to return to Kaminar at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 3, Burnham finally got the promotion she waited almost a thousand years for.

Captain Michael Burnham is the undisputed most important starship Captain of the 32nd century.

The story of Star Trek: Discovery's first 3 seasons was the story of Michael Burnham's redemption and journey to the Captain's chair. In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Captain Burnham faced her gravest test to save the galaxy from the Dark Matter Anomaly while facing political pressure from new Federation President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal) and the end of her romance with Book. Burnham led Discovery into another galaxy to make First Contact with Species 10-C, the creators of the Dark Matter Anomaly. Captain Michael Burnham is the undisputed most important starship Captain of the 32nd century, and her final mission is to seek "the greatest treasure in the known galaxy" in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 premieres in 2024 on Paramount+.