Traditionally, at the heart of every addition to the Star Trek franchise is a captain. They lead the crew as they go where no one has gone before, and they carve a place for themselves in audiences' hearts. Some are more memorable than others, of course, but these pillars of the programs are all wonderfully crafted, with distinct personalities and qualities that set them apart from the other captains. While Picard is undoubtedly a fan favorite, unbeatable in the proverbial boxing ring of best Starfleet captain, what about Voyager’s Kathryn Janeway, and Deep Space 9’s Benjamin Sisko?
From 1995 to 2001, Voyager graced TV screens, following the adventures of Captain Janeway, fantastic female protagonist, and her crew of the aptly named USS Voyager, as they are transported over 70,000 light-years away from earth into the distant, unexplored Delta Quadrant. Unable to return home, the show follows their adventures traversing their way back to earth, encountering various new alien species along the way. Deep Space 9 began a few years earlier, running from 1993 to 1999, chronologically overlapping with the events of Voyager. Rather than following the usual template for Star Trek tales, Deep Space 9 was set on a space station of the same name, rather than a spaceship, with Commander (later, Captain) Sisko. It was feared that the stationary aspect of the station, literally unable to "explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations," would be boring. However, the show surprised audiences, highlighting Starfleet and federation politics as well as new aliens through the clever introduction of a stable wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant.
To determine who was the better captain, it is important to understand the term. "Captain" within Starfleet has two meanings, an esteemed military rank but also as a title. One can be referred to as a Captain, if they are commanding a spaceship, or if they are promoted to the rank of Captain. Sisko, during the first two seasons of Deep Space 9, held the military rank of Commander, in charge of all daily operations about a Federations space station. However, when he was aboard the USS Defiant as the most senior officer, he Captained the vessel. He only became Captain Sisko when he was promoted in season 3, decorated and referred to as such even when not aboard the Defiant. Janeway, on the other hand, is introduced right from the beginning as a Starfleet captain in both rank and title; her rise to the rank was not shown to audiences.
With these aspects in mind, talking about who is the better captain, the answer comes in two parts. Firstly, who is the better captain from the perspective of military rank and as an example of the rules and regulations of Starfleet? Secondly, who is the better captain as commander of their crew and the people they are accountable for? While the two overlap quite a bit, there is a slight difference between these aspects that is exaggerated when looking at the different Captaining techniques used by Sisko and Janeway.
They are both put in difficult positions. Janeway has to traverse light years of unexplored space with new dangers — and old dangers in the reccurring form of Q — around every corner, with the moral dampening knowledge that it would take an estimated 75 years to get home. Meanwhile, Sisko is in charge of defending one of the most tactically strategic positions in the federation due to the wormhole, protecting their position from a plethora of villains. These situations make their captaining duties vastly different.
The best way of differentiating each captain is to highlight which aspects of the role they are best at. Picard, coming in much earlier than Sisko and Janeway, was a bright newborn baby. He highlights what Starfleet is and what it should embody, fancy new uniforms and all. There were, of course, problems along the way, especially of the moral kind, that Picard had to tackle head-on, but the vision The Next Generation portrayed was that of a beacon of hope for the future of humanity. This is part of what makes him so beloved. Janeway and Sisko, meanwhile, dealt with other issues.
Sisko was dealing with the detritus left from the decisions Starfleet made, on a much smaller, more personal level. He was more of an every-man, a great leader but with flaws — such as his anger issues, which he is aware of and is constantly struggling to deal with. He deals with morally gray areas and breaks the rules constantly, favoring what is "right" over what is ordered of him. This is a drastic change from Picard who, at least in the early seasons, rarely broke a rule, as the rules and regulations lined up nicely with his moral compass. The Universe is a bewildering place, and a long list of rules does not always apply to every situation. This is exactly what Deep Space 9 explores, throwing Captain Sisko into difficult situation after difficult situation, constantly balancing the line between being good, and doing questionable things for good reasons.
Janeway is also thrown into a difficult situation, and successfully navigates her way home. However, she lacked the same emotional, philosophical, and moral depth that Sisko portrayed. She had the chance for some interesting character development, as she was constantly battling her guilt for getting her entire crew lost 75 years from home. Instead, though, she focused solely on returning home, making the series feel repetitive. She arguably didn't change much throughout the program, and was surrounded by people who actually developed as characters: the Doctor exploring his newfound “alive-ness,” Tom Paris becoming a better person, and of course Seven of Nine and her rehabilitation from the Borg. Janeway was much more like Picard in this way, hardly deviating from the rules, following the Starfleet guidelines as a prime example of good captaining. However, she lacked the calm, diplomatic finesse Picard showed.
Both captains were put into impossible situations and expected to sort things out, often putting those expectations on themselves and carrying the weight of their responsibility through their prospective series. However, it seems audiences have a clear winner as to who was better. Captain Sisko was a better character, with much more emotional depth. He constantly made relatable mistakes, trying, again and again, to make the right choice when there was no clear answer. Janeway gets lost in space, but successfully brings her crew home, saving them time and time again and protecting them from danger along the way, and remained the pinnacle of what a military captain should be along the way: following the rules and regulations of Starfleet. In conclusion, perhaps Janeway is the better Captain in rank, where Sisko is the better Captain in title. One is a shining beacon of Starfleet; the other, a man set on protecting life, but not always playing by the rules.