Porthos (Star Trek)
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Jonathan Archer is a fictional character in the ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' franchise. He is one of the
protagonists A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...
of the television series ''
Star Trek: Enterprise ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', originally titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from September 26, 2001 to May 13, 200 ...
'', where he was portrayed by
Scott Bakula Scott Stewart Bakula (; born October 9, 1954) is an American actor. He played Sam Beckett on ''Quantum Leap'' – for which he was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards (winning one) – and Captain Jonathan Arc ...
. Archer was the commanding officer of the first
starship A starship, starcraft, or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for interstellar travel, traveling between planetary systems. The term is mostly found in science fiction. Reference to a "star-ship" appears as early as 1 ...
''
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...
'' (NX-01) from 2151 to 2161. Archer also played a major role in the formation of
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
and the
United Federation of Planets In the fictional universe of ''Star Trek'', the United Federation of Planets (UFP) is the interstellar government with which, as part of its space force Starfleet, most of the characters and starships of the franchise are affiliated. Commonly re ...
, and was later
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of the
United Federation of Planets In the fictional universe of ''Star Trek'', the United Federation of Planets (UFP) is the interstellar government with which, as part of its space force Starfleet, most of the characters and starships of the franchise are affiliated. Commonly re ...
from 2184 to 2192. According to a computer display in the episode "
In a Mirror, Darkly "In a Mirror, Darkly" is the eighteenth and nineteenth episodes of the Star Trek: Enterprise season 4, fourth season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', and originally aired on UPN on April 22 and&n ...
", historian John Gill considered Archer "the greatest explorer of the 22nd century."


Biography


History

Archer, the son of famed
warp Warp, warped or warping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books and comics * WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher * ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!'' * Warp (comics), a D ...
engineer Henry Archer and his wife Sally, was born on August 4, 2112 in
Upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region of New York (state), New York that lies north and northwest of the New York metropolitan area, New York City metropolitan area of downstate New York. Upstate includes the middle and upper Hudson Valley, ...
, where he spent most of his formative years; he later claimed to have spent the majority of his life in
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
. The second-season episode "First Flight" depicts in flashback that he spent many years as a test pilot in the nascent Starfleet's NX program, based in San Francisco. His dreams of exploring started as a boy. As a youth, Archer earned the
Eagle Scout Award Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over ...
, along with 26
Merit Badge Merit badges are awards earned by members of Scouting America, based on activities within the area of study by completing a list of periodically updated requirements. The purpose of the merit badge program is to allow Scouts to examine subjects ...
s, from the
Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...
. (Mentioned in the episode "
Rogue Planet A rogue planet, also termed a free-floating planet (FFP) or an isolated planetary-mass object (iPMO), is an interstellar object of planetary mass which is not gravitationally bound to any star or brown dwarf. Rogue planets may originate from ...
".) He is an avid
water polo Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...
fan, and often relaxes by watching water polo games. Archer grew up with a distrust of
Vulcan Vulcan may refer to: Mythology * Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...
s, perceiving them as having held back humanity's progress, particularly with regard to his father's warp five project. As a
commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
, Archer served as a test-pilot in the NX warp trials with A.G. Robinson, Duvall and Gardner. (All mentioned in the episode "
First Flight First Flight may refer to: * Maiden flight, the first flight of a new aircraft type * First Flight Airport, in North Carolina, United States * First Flight High School, in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina * ''First Flight'' (sculpture), a sculp ...
". It is assumed it is this Gardner who becomes
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
when
Maxwell Forrest This is a list of recurring characters from the live-action science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Enterprise'', which originally aired on UPN between 2001 and 2005. The television show takes place in the 22nd century of the ''Star Trek ...
dies in " The Forge".) Robinson pushed the limits of a test ship, the NX-Alpha, resulting in its destruction. The Vulcans recommended terminating the warp trials, which Starfleet agreed to, until
Charles Tucker III Charles "Trip" Tucker III, portrayed by Connor Trinneer, is a fictional character in the television series '' Star Trek: Enterprise''. Tucker was the chief engineer on the ''Enterprise'' and also briefly served in the same role aboard at the E ...
(who would later serve as chief engineer under Archer) fixed the intermix ratios, and Archer and Robinson took the NX-Beta, the second test ship, without clearance to prove its readiness. The suspension of Archer did not completely stop the progress of the ''Enterprise'''s construction, as the program eventually resumed after a six-month halt.


Seasons 1 and 2

As a man who loves to travel amongst the stars, Archer learns that being captain is a larger duty than manager and
astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers observe astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, galax ...
. He ran into species from all over the
quadrant Quadrant may refer to: Companies * Quadrant Cycle Company, 1899 manufacturers in Britain of the Quadrant motorcar * Quadrant (motorcycles), one of the earliest British motorcycle manufacturers, established in Birmingham in 1901 * Quadrant Privat ...
trying to kill him and his crew. Encounters with the Mazarites, Xindi, Tholians,
Suliban ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', originally titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from September 26, 2001 to May 13, 200 ...
and
Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon language, Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a humanoid species of aliens in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star T ...
s caused Archer to become more of a military commander. In addition, Archer learns that the duties of captain include being a diplomat. During Seasons 1 and 2, he is somewhat uncomfortable with this role, especially in the episode " A Night in Sickbay" when his pet beagle,
Porthos Porthos, Baron du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds is a fictional character in the novels ''The Three Musketeers'' (1844), '' Twenty Years After'' (1845), and '' The Vicomte de Bragelonne'' (1847–1850) by Alexandre Dumas, père. He and the o ...
, contracts a deadly illness on an alien world. While exploring, Archer becomes an enemy of the Klingons. In a dispute with the
Klingon Empire The Klingons ( ; Klingon language, Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a humanoid species of aliens in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star T ...
in 2152, he is convicted and sentenced to exile on Rura Penthe, even though he is innocent of the charges and despite the Klingons having acknowledged his previous service to the Empire. With his escape, a
bounty Bounty or bounties commonly refers to: * Bounty (reward), an amount of money or other reward offered by an organization for a specific task done with a person or thing Bounty or bounties may also refer to: Geography * Bounty, Saskatchewan, a g ...
is put on Archer's head and tensions with the Klingon Empire increase. Also during this period, Archer has the distinction of making
Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
's official first contact with dozens of
alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, a lifeform with ext ...
races, including the Akaali, the
Andorian Andorians are a fictional race of humanoid Extraterrestrial life, extraterrestrials in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They were created by writer D. C. Fontana. Within the ''Star Trek'' narrative, they are native to the ...
s, Axanar, Suliban, Tandarans,
Tellarite ''Star Trek'' is a science fiction media franchise that began with Gene Roddenberry's launch of the original ''Star Trek'' television series in 1966. Its success led to numerous films, novels, comics, and spinoff series. A major motif of the f ...
s, Tholians, Xindi and
Romulan The Romulans () are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Their adopted home world is Romulus, and within the same star system they have settled a sister planet Remus. Their original home world, Vulcan ...
s.


Temporal Cold War

Although initially optimistic, Archer becomes involved in his first mission as captain of ''
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...
'' in the middle of the
Temporal Cold War ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', originally titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction on television, science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from Se ...
. The Temporal Cold War begins at the beginning of the pilot episode, " Broken Bow". In that episode, the audience is introduced to the
Suliban ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', originally titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from September 26, 2001 to May 13, 200 ...
and a mysterious being from the future (informally referred to as "Future Guy") who is guiding them. As the Temporal Cold War continues, Archer also meets Daniels, whose purpose seemingly is to safeguard Archer in particular and ''Enterprise'' in general. Daniels' comments are that Archer will be the man who helps form the
United Federation of Planets In the fictional universe of ''Star Trek'', the United Federation of Planets (UFP) is the interstellar government with which, as part of its space force Starfleet, most of the characters and starships of the franchise are affiliated. Commonly re ...
, and it becomes apparent by the third season that Daniels is representing the Federation throughout the Temporal Cold War.


Season 3

In Season 3, he was the military commander in the Expanse. Following the Xindi attack on
Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
in 2153, Archer becomes a changed man.No longer a congenial captain, he is now driven and determined to seek out and confront the perpetrators. Archer commits desperate, controversial acts of questionable morality to ensure a future for Earth, including torturing a prisoner, cloning Tucker to harvest body parts to save the chief engineer and thus killing the clone, and stealing a vital warp coil and leaving a ship of aliens stranded in space. While on his mission to locate the Xindi, Archer is briefly transformed into a member of the extinct Loque'eque by a mutagenic virus. Later, he is infected by subspace
parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...
s, creating an
alternate timeline Alternate history (also referred to as alternative history, allohistory, althist, or simply A.H.) is a subgenre of speculative fiction in which one or more historical events have occurred but are resolved differently than in actual history. As ...
in which the ''
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...
'''s mission fails and the Xindi succeed in destroying Earth (although the nature of these parasites mean that this timeline is erased when Phlox's cure for Archer erases the parasites themselves from history). With the help of Daniels, Archer, along with
T'Pol T'Pol () is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. Portrayed by Jolene Blalock in the series ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', she is a Vulcan (Star Trek), Vulcan who serves as the science officer aboard the starship ''Enterprise (NX-01 ...
, travels back in time to the year 2004 to prevent the release of a Xindi-Reptilian bio-weapon. By the end of the season, Archer is
presumed dead A presumption of death occurs when an individual is believed to be dead, despite the absence of direct proof of the person's death, such as the finding of remains (e.g., a corpse or skeleton) attributable to that person. Such a presumption is t ...
when the Xindi superweapon is destroyed, after having convinced three of the five Xindi races that reports of humanity's future conflict with them are wrong. However, in reality, he is transported back to the early 1940s during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, as is the ''Enterprise''.


Season 4

After returning home in 2154, Archer helps a faction of
Vulcans Vulcans, sometimes referred to as Vulcanians, are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. They are noted for their strict adherence to logic and reason and suppression of emotion. Known for their p ...
fight an oppressive government on their planet. During this incident, he is the recipient of the '' katra'', or living spirit, of the great Vulcan philosopher
Surak Surak is a fictional character in the backstory of the ''Star Trek'' television series and franchises. He is portrayed as the most important philosopher in the history of the planet Vulcan (Star Trek), Vulcan. During an Earth-like "modern age", ...
. The ''katra'' is later transferred to a Vulcan priest, and Archer is left unharmed. This leads to the reformation of Vulcan society, and explains why the Vulcans of Archer's time were so different from the Vulcans of Kirk's time. In the process, Archer becomes the first known Human participant in a Vulcan
mind meld Vulcans, sometimes referred to as Vulcanians, are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. They are noted for their strict adherence to logic and reason and suppression of emotion. Known for their ...
. Since that experience, he has used that knowledge at least once: To assist
T'Pol T'Pol () is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. Portrayed by Jolene Blalock in the series ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', she is a Vulcan (Star Trek), Vulcan who serves as the science officer aboard the starship ''Enterprise (NX-01 ...
with conducting her first mind meld to gain information about who kidnapped Dr. Phlox (the episode " Affliction"). Archer is also involved in one of the first, and possibly most significant, treaties yet, being asked to escort Gral, the
Tellarite ''Star Trek'' is a science fiction media franchise that began with Gene Roddenberry's launch of the original ''Star Trek'' television series in 1966. Its success led to numerous films, novels, comics, and spinoff series. A major motif of the f ...
ambassador, to the Tellarite-
Andorian Andorians are a fictional race of humanoid Extraterrestrial life, extraterrestrials in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They were created by writer D. C. Fontana. Within the ''Star Trek'' narrative, they are native to the ...
negotiations. En route, he and his crew run into the Andorian
Shran This is a list of recurring characters from the live-action science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Enterprise'', which originally aired on UPN between 2001 and 2005. The television show takes place in the 22nd century of the ''Star Trek ...
, a long-time friend/enemy/ally. During Shran's stay,
Romulan The Romulans () are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Their adopted home world is Romulus, and within the same star system they have settled a sister planet Remus. Their original home world, Vulcan ...
s attack and cause the fragile alliance to crash to a halt. In the mix-up, a Tellarite kills Shran's lover Talas, and Shran avenges her death by demanding the Tellarite who killed her to fight to the death. In an attempt to protect the fragile peace treaty, Archer takes the challenge instead and Shran is incapacitated. The alliance remains intact, and soon evolves into the
United Federation of Planets In the fictional universe of ''Star Trek'', the United Federation of Planets (UFP) is the interstellar government with which, as part of its space force Starfleet, most of the characters and starships of the franchise are affiliated. Commonly re ...
. (" Babel One", "
United United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
", "
The Aenar "The Aenar" is the fourteenth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Enterprise'', and originally aired on UPN on February 11, 2005. It was written by André Bormanis from a story by Manny ...
", "
Demons A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including fiction, comics, film, t ...
", "
Terra Prime "Terra Prime" is the 21st episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Enterprise'', and originally aired on UPN on May 13, 2005. The story was developed by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, al ...
", " These Are the Voyages...").


Place in history

The time traveler Daniels revealed that Archer would eventually have a major role in the founding of the
United Federation of Planets In the fictional universe of ''Star Trek'', the United Federation of Planets (UFP) is the interstellar government with which, as part of its space force Starfleet, most of the characters and starships of the franchise are affiliated. Commonly re ...
in 2161. He briefly took Archer ahead in time to the point where Archer is about to sign the Federation accords on
Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
, expanded further in the series finale. Archer's fate is revealed in the episode "
In a Mirror, Darkly "In a Mirror, Darkly" is the eighteenth and nineteenth episodes of the Star Trek: Enterprise season 4, fourth season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', and originally aired on UPN on April 22 and&n ...
, Part II" when a computer information screen aboard the 23rd century
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
vessel USS ''Defiant'' is briefly visible. According to the computer profile, Archer was an
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
and Chief of Staff at Starfleet Command at the time of his retirement. He later went on to serve as ambassador to
Andoria "Kir'Shara" is the ninth episode of the Star Trek: Enterprise season 4, fourth season of the American science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Star Trek: Enterprise''. It was writer Mike Sussman (TV series writer/prod ...
from 2165 to 2175. From 2175 to 2183, Archer served as a member of the Federation Council, followed by eight years as Federation
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
(2184–2192). He was also an honorary member of the Andorian Imperial Guard. Historian John Gill considered Archer "the greatest explorer of the 22nd century." The same computer display states that Archer's Planet and Archer IV (mentioned in "
Yesterday's Enterprise "Yesterday's Enterprise" is the 63rd episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''. It is the 15th episode of the third season, first airing in syndication in the week of February 19, 1990. Set ...
" and " Strange New World" respectively) were named after him. Unused production artwork would have shown that Archer dies peacefully in his sleep at his home in
Upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region of New York (state), New York that lies north and northwest of the New York metropolitan area, New York City metropolitan area of downstate New York. Upstate includes the middle and upper Hudson Valley, ...
in 2245, exactly one day after he attends the commissioning ceremony of the USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701). However, this biographical computer display contained a number of discrepancies, including listing 2160 as the year that Archer's captaincy of ''
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...
'' came to an end. The series later established that Archer's command ended in 2161, as seen in the series finale, " These Are the Voyages...". At least three starships were named after him: the ''Archer''-class scout ship featured in the tie-in novel series '' Star Trek: Vanguard'' and its follow-up ''Star Trek: Seekers'', an unspecified ship alluded to in '' Star Trek: Nemesis'' and the USS Archer NCC-627 in the pilot episode of '' Star Trek: Strange New Worlds''. Archer Spacedock from '' Star Trek: Discovery'' is also named for Jonathan Archer. The 2009 ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' film briefly references Archer, as
Montgomery Scott Montgomery "Scotty" Scott is a fictional character in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. First portrayed by James Doohan in the original ''Star Trek'' series, Scotty also appears in the animated ''Star Trek'' series, 10 ''Star Trek'' ...
receives punishment stemming from an incident involving a transporter and "Admiral Archer's prized beagle." There was some confusion as to if this actually referred to Jonathan Archer himself as this would make him 141 years old. ''Star Trek'' writer Bob Orci went on record to clear up the issue, "Admiral Archer is a reference to the Archer we all know and love, and yes he would be over 100, which is a likely life expectancy in a futuristic space faring race of humans (as depicted by McCoy’s (
DeForest Kelley Jackson DeForest Kelley (January 20, 1920 – June 11, 1999) was an American actor, screenwriter, poet, and singer. He was known for his roles in film and television Western (genre), Westerns and achieved international fame as Dr. Leonard McCoy ...
, playing the 137 year old Admiral) appearance in ''The Next Generation''.)" In the '' Star Trek: Discovery'' episode " Choose Your Pain", Archer is shown listed on the Starfleet Database as one of Starfleet's most decorated Captains as of 2256. Also included in the list are: Robert April, Matthew Decker, Philippa Georgiou, and Christopher Pike.


Porthos

Porthos is Archer's dog. One of four males born in a litter of English
Beagle The Beagle is a small breed of scent hound, similar in appearance to the much larger foxhound. The beagle was developed primarily for hunting rabbit or hare, known as beagling. Possessing a great sense of smell and superior tracking inst ...
s, Porthos and his brothers, Athos, Aramis and d'Artagnan, were named after characters from ''
The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...
'' by
Alexandre Dumas, père Alexandre Dumas (born Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas , was a French novelist and playwright. His works have been translated into many languages and he is one of the mos ...
. He has been Archer's faithful companion since the age of six weeks, and has remained so for the duration of Archer's 10-year assignment as
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
of ''
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...
''. Porthos was portrayed by a male beagle named Prada in Season 1. Afterwards, he was played by a further two female beagles, Breezy and Windy, although the character of Porthos remained male. Archer would occasionally leave Porthos in the care of Dr. Phlox when he was away or otherwise unavailable. Archer cares very much for Porthos. In the
pilot episode A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...
,
Travis Mayweather image:Anthony Montgomery in 2007.jpg, upAnthony Montgomery was cast as Travis Mayweather Travis Mayweather is a fictional character, portrayed by Anthony Montgomery, in the television series ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', serving as a navigator and ...
says Archer won't use the transporter for himself and certainly not for his dog. In " A Night in Sickbay", Porthos nearly dies when he contracts a deadly
pathogen In biology, a pathogen (, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of"), in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a Germ theory of d ...
on the Kreetassan homeworld, but is saved when Phlox
transplants Transplant or Transplantation may refer to: Sciences *Transplanting a plant from one location to another *Organ transplantation, moving an organ from one body to another *Transplant thought experiment, an experiment similar to Trolley problem *Tra ...
a gland from a
chameleon Chameleons or chamaeleons (Family (biology), family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 200 species described as of June 2015. The members of this Family (biology), family are best known for ...
-like creature. In " Similitude", Archer explains in answer to the question "Can he do any tricks?" that "I haven't taught him any, mostly what he does is eat, sleep and not fetch." He also commented "there's nothing Porthos likes more than dinner time". Although Porthos is not the first domesticated pet to be featured in a ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' series (
Data Data ( , ) are a collection of discrete or continuous values that convey information, describing the quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted for ...
owned a cat,
Spot Spot or SPOT may refer to: Places * Spot, North Carolina, a community in the United States * The Spot, New South Wales, a locality in Sydney, Australia * South Pole Traverse, sometimes called the South Pole Overland Traverse People * Spot Coll ...
, in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and Captain Jean-Luc Picard owned a
lionfish ''Pterois'' is a genus of venomous fish, venomous marine fish, commonly known as the lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific. It is characterized by conspicuous aposematism, warning coloration with red or black bands and ostentatious dorsal fins tip ...
named Livingston), Porthos has the distinction of being the first pet to maintain an ongoing presence in the series, and even – as illustrated above – become the focus of an episode. In the
Mirror Universe The Mirror Universe is the setting of several narratives in the ''Star Trek'' science fiction franchise, a parallel universe existing alongside, but separate from, the fictional universe that is the main setting of ''Star Trek''. It resembles th ...
depicted in "
In a Mirror, Darkly "In a Mirror, Darkly" is the eighteenth and nineteenth episodes of the Star Trek: Enterprise season 4, fourth season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', and originally aired on UPN on April 22 and&n ...
", Porthos is a
Rottweiler The Rottweiler (, , ) is a breed of domestic dog, regarded as medium-to-large or large. The dogs were known in German as , meaning Rottweil butchers' dogs, because their main use was to herd livestock and pull carts laden with butchered mea ...
. According to the episode's
podcast A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...
on
Startrek.com ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the series of the same name and became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. Since its creation, the franchise has expanded into var ...
, the dog that portrayed the mirror Porthos was known on set as an even bigger "baby" than the dogs which have played the regular Porthos. Episode writer Mike Sussman noted that the animal was "The sweetest dog I have ever met." In the episode " Acquisition", Porthos was interrogated by a group of
Ferengi The Ferengi () are a fictional extraterrestrial species in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They were devised in 1987 for the series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', played a prominent role in the following series '' Star ...
pirates while the rest of the crew were incapacitated, but the aliens'
universal translator A universal translator is a device common to many science fiction works, especially on television. First described in Murray Leinster's 1945 novella " First Contact", the translator's purpose is to offer an instant translation of any language. A ...
could not decipher his barking. The pirates didn't know what to make of the dog, even speculating that he was perhaps food. They then decided they could sell him to a zoo.
Brannon Braga Brannon Braga (; born August 14, 1965) is an American television producer, director and screenwriter. Best known for his work in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, Braga was a key creative force behind three of the franchise's live action series. He la ...
's nephew had a dog named Porthos, which he thought was good name for a dog and took as inspiration for Archer's dog.


Mirror Universe

In the
Mirror Universe The Mirror Universe is the setting of several narratives in the ''Star Trek'' science fiction franchise, a parallel universe existing alongside, but separate from, the fictional universe that is the main setting of ''Star Trek''. It resembles th ...
, Jonathan Archer was first officer of the ISS ''Enterprise'' with the rank of
Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
. In this universe, he served under the command of
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Maximilian Forrest, the alternate version of
Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Maxwell Forrest This is a list of recurring characters from the live-action science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Enterprise'', which originally aired on UPN between 2001 and 2005. The television show takes place in the 22nd century of the ''Star Trek ...
. Unlike in the "normal" '' Trek'' universe, where Forrest and Archer are close friends, the mirror versions of the characters did not get along well at all. Like most characters in the
Terran Empire The Mirror Universe is the setting of several narratives in the ''Star Trek'' science fiction franchise, a parallel universe existing alongside, but separate from, the fictional universe that is the main setting of ''Star Trek''. It resembles th ...
, the mirror Archer was treacherous, cunning and scheming. He led a
mutiny Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military or a crew) to oppose, change, or remove superiors or their orders. The term is commonly used for insubordination by members of the military against an officer or superior, ...
against Forrest and took over ''Enterprise''. However, with the help of
T'Pol T'Pol () is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. Portrayed by Jolene Blalock in the series ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', she is a Vulcan (Star Trek), Vulcan who serves as the science officer aboard the starship ''Enterprise (NX-01 ...
and other
Vulcan Vulcan may refer to: Mythology * Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...
s, Forrest was freed and retook the ship. Archer surrendered, but had locked the ship's navigation controls so its heading could not be altered. His reason for the mutiny was brought to light as he had been informed about a ship that seemed to be from another dimension. With the ship's course unable to be changed and
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
now intrigued by what Archer had become aware of, Forrest was ordered to investigate, he also had Archer punished in the Agony Booth for a then record of ten hours, giving the Commander only one hour to clean up and get ready for a staff meeting after his release. On arrival, they discovered the USS ''Defiant'', a
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
ship from 100 years into the future of the "normal" universe. Archer led an away team to take control of the ''Defiant'' while the ''Enterprise'' was destroyed by the Tholians. He and his team, plus survivors from the ''Enterprise'', discovered the ''Defiant'' was not only from another dimension, but the future and that the alternate dimension never had a Terran Empire. After successfully crushing a rebellion against the Empire, Archer attempted to take the futuristic vessel to
Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
where he would proclaim himself Emperor. However, before he could do so, he was killed by his universe's
Hoshi Sato Hoshi Sato , played by Korean American actress Linda Park, is a fictional character in the science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Star Trek: Enterprise''. In the show Sato, born in Kyoto, Japan on July 9, 2129, is the ...
, who poisoned him, took the ship and claimed the Terran throne for herself.


Reception

In 2019, ''Vulture'' ranked Captain Archer as the 8th ''Star Trek'' captain by their selection criterion, a combination of competency and managerial style. They note Archer as being interested in exploration, but also having a relaxed attitude and that he also enjoys spending times with friends and his pet dog. Space.com rated Archer as the sixth best captain of ''Star Trek''. ''The Washington Post'' ranked Archer as the seventh best Captain of ''Star Trek''. ''Screen Rant'' rated Archer as the fourth best captain, noting that he had to pioneer space without the benefit of the institutions he helped to create, and noted his ability to take on challenges. CBR ranked Archer as the 5th best member of
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
2018, in between
Spock Spock is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterpri ...
(#6) and Captain Janeway (#4) in their ranking. In 2018, ''The Wrap'' ranked Archer as the 29th best main cast character of ''Star Trek'' overall. In 2016, Captain Archer was ranked as the 9th most important character of
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduct ...
within the ''Star Trek'' science fiction universe by ''Wired''.


See also

* List of ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' characters


References


External links


STARTREK.COM: Jonathan Archer

Production artwork showing Archer's biography
from ''In A Mirror, Darkly'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Archer, Jonathan Star Trek: Enterprise characters Fictional characters from New York (state) Fictional aviators Fictional politicians in television Fictional ambassadors Fictional diplomats Fictional presidents Starfleet admirals Starfleet captains Starfleet commanders Starfleet officers Television characters introduced in 2001 Fictional characters from the 22nd century American male characters in television