Do we like Jean-Luc Picard?
A character from Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
Our score: 9 out of 10. Yes. He's wise, principled and fair, and he listens to his crew. He's stubborn and sometimes stiff, but he's one of the most trustworthy captains in fiction.
Picard is the captain of the Federation flagship USS Enterprise-D in the 24th century. Star Trek: The Next Generation follows his crew as they explore strange new worlds, meet new civilizations and face hostile powers like the Klingons, Romulans and Borg. He is a calm, cultured, Shakespeare-quoting leader who prefers diplomacy to firepower and would rather read Earl Grey tea leaves than start a fight.
What earns him the score is how he leads. He asks his officers for their views before deciding, trusts their expertise, and treats everyone, from ensigns to android crewmates, with respect. He holds to Starfleet's principles even when it costs him, and some of his best moments are long speeches defending people's rights in a courtroom or a stand-off. He can be rigid, uneasy around children, and slow to open up emotionally, but those flaws make him more human.
He carries on across four films and the later series Star Trek: Picard. There he is an older, wearier man who has to face old regrets and a Starfleet that has lost some of its ideals. Even then, he's still the person you'd want in the chair when things get dangerous. He faces his worst trauma, an encounter with the Borg that leaves him scarred, and keeps his principles.