Unveiling Treachery: The Shocking Betrayal of Star Trek's 10 Rogue Starfleet Admirals

Starfleet, the prestigious branch of Star Trek, excels in numerous fields, ranging from exploring the galaxy to defending against extraterrestrial invaders. As the Federation's primary force for exploration and defense, it boasts an impressive roster of individuals, such as Spock, Christopher Pike, and Jean-Luc Picard.

Regrettably, Starfleet's admirals often prove to be a disappointment. The presence of sinister admirals is a recurring theme, and this group of high-ranking officers with questionable morals appears to expand with each new installment. In many cases, these admirals showcase the concept that good intentions can lead down a path of destruction. On the other hand, there are also those who demonstrate that humanity in the Star Trek universe still has progress to make before aligning fully with Gene Roddenberry's visionary ideals.

10 Admiral Jameson

When Mark Jameson boards the USS Enterprise-D in 2364 for hostage negotiations, he carries a hidden agenda. Motivated by his past transgression of violating the Prime Directive during a previous visit to Mordan IV, Jameson seeks to rectify his actions.

Having previously provided weapons to Karnas, the leader of a faction on the planet, Jameson attempts to mitigate the damage by equipping Karnas' adversaries with weaponry as well. His intention was for a swift resolution to the ensuing conflict, but sadly, the war persists for a staggering forty years.

9 Admiral Ross

"Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" is just one of the Deep Space Nine episodes that explores the moral dilemma of whether the ends can justify the means, with "In the Pale Moonlight" being the most well-known example. The Latin title of the episode signifies the disregard for the rule of law during times of war. In this case, Admiral William Ross conspires with Section 31 to covertly manipulate Romulan politics.

Even though this manipulation contradicts the core principles of the Federation, Ross contends that it is necessary. Through the strategic elevation of friendly Romulans to the ruling committee of the Star Empire, he believes he can secure their assistance against the Dominion and protect the Alpha Quadrant.

8 Admiral Satie

The courtroom episode, much like the rogue admiral, is a recurring theme in Star Trek. From the classic "Court Martial" in The Original Series to the newer episode "Ad Astra Per Aspera" in Strange New Worlds. "The Drumhead" in The Next Generation showcases Captain Picard defending Simon Tarses, a crew member accused of sabotaging the Enterprise-D due to his Romulan heritage, against the xenophobic Admiral Norah Satie.

Admiral Satie's persecution of Tarses goes against the principles of Starfleet, despite her intention to protect the Federation. While she ultimately fails to destroy Tarses or Picard, her actions highlight the fact that tribalism and prejudice continue to exist in Star Trek's supposedly utopian future.

7 Admiral Dougherty

During the Dominion War in Star Trek, the Federation was desperate to gain an advantage. It comes as no surprise that Admiral Dougherty bends a few rules in Star Trek: Insurrection. In his quest to help the Federation, Dougherty forms an alliance with the notorious Son'a, hoping to obtain the life-saving metaphasic particles produced by the planet Ba'ku.

When Picard uncovers Dougherty's plan to secretly relocate the inhabitants of Ba'ku, the admiral allows Son'a ships to attack the Enterprise-E. However, upon discovering that the Son'a seek revenge for their exile from Ba'ku, Dougherty demands an end to the scheme. Unfortunately, his moral principles lead to a tragic demise at the hands of Son'a leader Ru'afo.

6 Admiral Pressman

In TNG's "The Pegasus," Starfleet Intelligence's Erik Pressman, who previously commanded the USS Pegasus with a young William Riker, reunites with Riker while hiding a secret. It is revealed that the Pegasus served as a test platform for an experimental cloaking device, in violation of the Treaty of Algeron.

Pressman now seeks to recover the Pegasus using the Enterprise-D, but he keeps the mission's true nature concealed from Picard. Riker faces a difficult decision regarding whether to disclose the truth, a dilemma showcased in Star Trek: Enterprise's "These Are The Voyages...". Eventually, Riker chooses to reveal the truth, leading to Pressman's arrest by Picard.

5 Admiral Buenamigo

There are admirals who bend rules with noble intentions, and there are those who break them for personal gain. Les Buenamigo belongs to the latter group. In the third season of Lower Decks, he manipulates the USS Cerritos crew to showcase the superiority of his own starship design, the automated Texas-class, over the California-class.

However, the Texas-class encounters issues due to faulty code created by Ensign Rutherford, causing the AI-powered vessels to malfunction. Buenamigo meets his demise when the USS Aledo mistakenly fires on Douglas Station. Ironically, Buenamigo's project, aimed at advancing his career by sacrificing the California-class, is eventually thwarted by a flotilla of California-class ships.

4 Admiral Janeway

The expression "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again" is well-known, and it was embraced by Katherine Janeway in the final episode of Voyager, titled "Endgame." In the beginning of the episode, we see an older Janeway who has returned to Earth safely, but she acknowledges that not all of her crew members were as fortunate.

In an effort to fix this injustice, Admiral Janeway travels back in time to assist her younger self in escaping the Delta Quadrant. Whether this puzzling paradox is an act of selfishness or compassion is a matter of debate, just as Janeway's moral alignment as a whole. Janeway is not the only Starfleet officer to manipulate time in order to serve the greater good. In the post-TNG novels, Picard also erases his own existence to protect the prime timeline of Star Trek: Picard.

3 Admiral Cartwright

The animosity between the Klingon Empire and the Federation is not uncommon, as both Discovery and The Original Series showcase conflicts between the two powers. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country reflects the real-life winding down of the Cold War with a Federation-Klingon reconciliation. However, not everyone in Starfleet believed that peace was in their best interest.

In this installment, Admiral Cartwright orchestrates a scheme to frame Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy for the murder of Klingon Chancellor Gorkon. He also plots to assassinate the Federation President and shift the blame onto the Klingons, effectively sabotaging any potential for peace. Thankfully, the crews of the Enterprise-A and Excelsior thwart his plan.

2 Admiral Leyton

The Dominion War brought out Starfleet's darkest actions, resorting to deception with the Romulans and developing a dangerous biological weapon to eradicate the Founders. In a time of desperation, following the Dominion's bombing of a Federation conference alongside the Romulans, Admiral Leyton initiates a daring plot to overthrow the Federation President in favor of a military regime.

Leyton's elaborate scheme involves fabricating additional Changeling assaults on Earth and manipulating the Bajoran Wormhole to give the illusion of Dominion cloaked ships. When the crew of the USS Defiant threatens to expose his intentions, he dispatches the Excelsior-class USS Lakota to eliminate the warship.

1 Admiral Kirk

Despite the dangers posed by rogue admirals in Star Trek, there are instances where the show's heroes themselves indulge in such behavior. James T. Kirk, although not fond of being a Starfleet flag officer, is considered one of the best at bending the rules.

Kirk's track record includes numerous unauthorized trips through time, resulting in seventeen temporal violations as documented by Starfleet's Department of Temporal Investigations. Additionally, he has stolen and destroyed the Federation flagship. While his actions may be considered misdeeds, they often yield positive outcomes, such as saving Earth from the enigmatic Whale Probe. In recognition of his successes alongside his disobedience, Kirk is demoted, effectively reinstating him as the captain of the Enterprise.