- This page details Jonathan Archer in the primary universe; for the Jonathan Archer in the mirror universe see Jonathan Archer (mirror); for the Jonathan Archer in all other alternate universes see Jonathan Archer (alternates).
| Jonathan Archer | |
 Jonathan Archer in 2162 | |
| Full name: | Jonathan Beckett Archer |
| Species: | Human |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.84 Meters |
| Weight: | 81.7 Kgs. |
| Birthplace: | New York, United States of America, Earth |
| Born: | October 9, 2112 |
| Died: | July 5, 2245 |
| Icon: |   
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| Family | |
| Mother: | Sally Archer |
| Father: | Henry Archer |
| Career | |
| Occupation: | Starfleet officer United Earth Starfleet officer (formerly) |
| Serial number: | SA-022-9237-CY |
| Previous Assignment: | Starfleet Chief of Staff |
| Rank: | admiral |
| Insignia: | 
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| Office Held: | President of the United Federation of Planets |
| In Office: | 2185–2193 |
| Preceded By: | Avaranthi sh'Rothress |
| Succeeded By: | Gralless |
| Home Member State: | United Earth |
| Previous Offices: | Federation Councillor for United Earth; Federation Ambassador to Andoria |
- "...We are all explorers driven to know what's over the horizon, what's beyond our own shores. And yet the more I've experienced, the more I've learned that no matter how far we travel, or how fast we get there, the most profound discoveries are not necessarily beyond that next star. They're within us, woven into the threads that bind us, all of us, to each other...."
- — Jonathan Archer, 2155
Jonathan Beckett Archer (October 9 2112-July 5, 2245) was a Human male, and one of the most historically significant figures of the 22nd century. Archer commanded the Earth starship Enterprise (NX-01), where his captaincy earned him the description by 23rd century historian John Gill as the "greatest explorer of the 22nd century". His career in Starfleet and later in a variety of other positions also allowed him a prominent position in political history; as a keen diplomat and one of the founding fathers of the United Federation of Planets.
The son of famed warp specialist Henry Archer, Jonathan was appointed captain of Enterprise, Starfleet's first Warp 5 starship, in 2151; his leadership aboard Enterprise helped establish United Earth as a legitimate interstellar power and pave the way for a whole-scale revolution in Alpha Quadrant politics, leading to the establishment of the Coalition of Planets and later the United Federation of Planets. During his Starfleet career Archer rose to the rank of Admiral and position of Chief of Staff, before retiring from Starfleet to take on a string of political positions; Federation Ambassador to Andoria, a Federation Councillor, and as one of the Federation's earliest Presidents.
History[]
Early life[]
Jonathan Archer, the son of Henry and Sally Archer, was born in Upstate New York in 2112.
When Jonathan could not get sleep during his childhood, his mother would often recite The Song of the Wandering Aengus. He did not learn that it was a poem by W. B. Yeats until he was much older.
In December 2120, Jonathan decided to hike Nacaijin Gorge before he and his parents would leave for San Francisco. However, his parents wanted him to take their dog, Maska but Jonathan decided to go without him. As he approached the gorge, he was following a Suliban Cabal agent. Jonathan was then kicked into the gorge and fell through the ice. However, he was then saved by Maska. Jonathan then saved the beagle from falling through the ice. However, he then realized that the beagle was not Maska when it vanished. Jonathan then went home and made sure his parent would bring Maska along with them to San Francisco.
Jonathan Archer as a boy in 2121
From an early age, Jonathan had an interest in space flight and technology, such as the model starship that he built with his father when he was nine in 2121.
His paternal great-grandfather, Nathan Archer, was a captain in the United Nations Peace Directorate who served in North Africa during the Eugenics Wars (1992-1996).
Earth Starfleet[]
Early career[]
In the 2130s, Archer attended Earth Starfleet Flight School based in San Francisco; he was accepted into Starfleet and the NX program in 2132. During his time there, he had a relationship with Margaret Mullin. The day before graduating from Flight School in 2136, the 24-year-old Archer proposed to Mullin outside of her apartment on Westgate Avenue, but she turned him down, stating that she did not want to become a "Starfleet widow."
Jonathan Archer in 2143
By 2143, Archer was a Commander working on the NX Program, the legacy of his now-deceased father's work. There he met A.G. Robinson and Charles Tucker III, both of whom became close friends. The first prototype, the NX-Alpha, with a mission to break the Warp 2 barrier, was destroyed during flight. Robinson, piloting the flight, became the first person to eject in an escape pod while at warp. On the suggestion by Vulcan advisers that the engine design required further simulation and bench-testing, the NX Program was canceled after this incident. Convinced the design was already sound, the cancellation did not stop Archer and Robinson, with assistance from Tucker, from making an unauthorized test flight using the NX-Beta prototype. They successfully launched the Beta and used the ship to reach a speed of Warp 2.5. With this obvious success, the program was reconsidered and subsequently reinstated by Starfleet Command; however, as a result of their actions, Archer and Robinson were grounded for three months, pending an inquiry.
Captain of Enterprise[]
Jonathan Archer in 2151
By 2151 Archer was a Starfleet Captain and was poised to take command of the Enterprise NX-01, the first ship to utilize his father's warp five engine design. Archer persuaded his superiors to bring the launch of the Enterprise forward three weeks when a Klingon, Klaang, crash landed on Earth; Archer wished to return the injured Klingon home to Qo'noS. The mission resulted in Archer and the Enterprise becoming entangled in the Temporal Cold War, as Klaang had been shot down by the Suliban Cabal when he was trying to deliver evidence that the Suliban were manipulating the Klingons into Civil War. Archer successfully outmaneuvered the Suliban and delivered Klaang to Qo'noS, averting the civil war. With the Enterprise already out into space Starfleet granted Archer permission to commence the ship's mission of exploration.
The first Class M planet discovered by Archer on the Enterprise's mission was in the 61 Ursae Majoris. While a toxic pollen in the atmosphere caused problems for the initial landing party from the Enterprise a cure was later discovered and the planet, named Archer IV in Jonathan's honor, was colonized.
The Xindi[]
Archer considers his new mission in the wake of the Xindi attack
On March 22, 2153, a prototype Xindi weapon appeared in Earth orbit, cutting a swath from Florida to Venezuela, killing seven million people. Enterprise was recalled and outfitted with new weapons. With a tip-off from the Suliban and their temporal benefactor Archer then took the Enterprise into the mysterious Delphic Expanse to find the Xindi and stop them launching an even more powerful weapon which threatened to destroy Earth and Humanity.
In the Expanse the crew discovered that the Xindi had been manipulated into attacking Earth by the Sphere Builders, a faction from a possible future timeline who were attempting to alter their history so that Humanity was wiped out and unable to found the Federation; which had been responsible for repelling a Sphere Builder invasion in their version of the 26th century.
Archer and his crew successfully destroyed the Sphere Builder artifacts responsible for the Expanse's existence, convince the majority of the Xindi Council that Earth posed no threat, and managed to destroy the Xindi superweapon before it could destroy Earth.
The Romulan War[]
Jonathan Archer in 2155
During the Earth-Romulan War, Archer led a task force to liberate Berengaria VII from the Romulan Star Empire. On July 22, 2156, Archer went to the Klingon Empire to ask them to aid United Earth against the Romulans.
In May of 2159, Archer and Enterprise saved a Vulcan scientist named T'Uerell from the Romulans. After this, there were a series of missions that Archer was assigned to, and came to learn that T'Uerell was behind many disasters in the Alpha Quadrant, including infecting planets with toxins, destroying a Starfleet facility with crew members on board, and attempting to use toxins to annihilate Earth. This plan was thwarted by Archer and his task force. T'Uerell went into hiding and was not heard from until the late 23rd century, where she was intercepted by James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise.
In 2160, Archer commanded the Starfleet forces at the Battle of Cheron. After fierce fighting, Starfleet emerged victorious with the timely arrival of Andorian, Tellarite and Vulcan ships, but Enterprise was badly damaged and had to be towed home.
Federation Starfleet[]
Admiral at large[]
Jonathan Archer in 2161
Shortly after the war, Enterprise was decommissioned because her spaceframe was judged to be too compromised. Not long after this Archer was diagnosed with decaying neurological damage and was deemed unfit for captaining another starship so he accepted a promotion to the rank of Admiral. He initially wasn't too happy with this change, but once he grew accustomed to the earthbound assignment, he realized that he could do much good in his new position for Starfleet and the Federation.
As of September 2162, Archer had assigned the USS Endeavour as his personal flagship and would sometimes be called upon to meet leaders of other species on behalf of Starfleet. He was also authorized to offer help, as done in the case of the Tandarans who had lost people to kidnappings. Occasionally, Archer would be invited to meetings with the higher echelons of Starfleet Command for his input as a former starship captain, and his opinion was highly respected. After the Tandaran mission, Doctor Phlox determined that Archer's condition was caused by the transporter technology, and he wasn't the only one. Thus the use of transporters were suspended in the Federation.
During the Vertian crisis, Archer would encourage Admiral Shran, now Chief of Staff for the Imperial Guard portion of Starfleet, and Federation Defense Commissioner Min glasch Noar not to jump headlong into a war. Which almost happened thanks to the manipulations of the Orion Syndicate and the Raldul alignment. With the help of his old friend, Charles Tucker, agent of Section 31, Archer uncovered the Orion's plot to manipulate many officials, including Noar.
By 2164, Phlox managed to halt Archer's neurological degeneration and repair most of the existing damage. In March of that year, he and Commissioner Soval traveled to Rigel V to meet with the leaders of the Rigelian Trade Commission about their interest to join the Federation. They addressed a number of topics, and the Directors decided to send a delegation to the ambassadorial conference held on Babel Station a few months later.
During the talks, Archer spent much time with Director Sedra Hemnask and eventually the two slept together. However, Hemnask felt that they should keep their relationship secret, fearing that people would think that Archer seduced her in effort to influence her into joining the Federation. Archer agreed and respected her wish even when he was accused with the assassination attempt of Federation Councillor Anlenthoris ch'Vhendreni. All evidence pointed to Archer, but his only alibi would have been Hemnask so he choose to stay silent. Eventually, Lieutenant commander Astellet ch'Terren and former investigator T'Rama cleared Archer's name, and they discovered that Hemnask could be involved.
When Archer confronted her, Hemnask revealed that she was indeed trying to discredit him but in a different way. She seduced Archer, and intended to reveal their relationship to the same effect she said she tried to prevent earlier. She also confessed that she was doing this out of concern for her family who was in the possession of the criminal organization First Families of Rigel, but wouldn't have carried out the plot after she got to know Archer and fell in love with him.
After everything settled, the delegates eventually worked out the details and at the end of the year, the reformed Rigel system officially entered the Federation with the name United Rigel Worlds and Colonies. Archer, after realizing how much he desired a partner, but looked for one in the wrong place, he finally asked out his childhood friend Danica Erickson.
Chief of Staff[]
In 2165, Admiral Samuel Gardner retired from Starfleet and Admiral Archer succeeded him as Chief of Staff of the UESPA branch of the Federation Starfleet.
After Starfleet[]
On January 1, 2169, Archer retired from Starfleet, continuing his work as a diplomat by taking on the position of Federation Ambassador to Andoria.
He served as Ambassador to Andoria until 2175, when he was elected to the position of Federation Councillor for United Earth. He ascended to the presidency in 2185, serving two terms.
- An additional screen of biographical information created by Mike Sussman for the ENT episode In a Mirror, Darkly (seen here), but not used in the final production, revealed that Archer died in his home in New York in 2245, one day after attending the christening of the USS Enterprise. However, an alternative image (seen [1]) not mentioning this was used instead. This renders this event apocryphal.
- The movie Star Trek mentions an "Admiral Archer" in the alternate reality created by the Romulan Nero in 2255, who allowed Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott to test his theory on transwarp beaming on his prize beagle. Although this is implied to be Jonathan Archer, his life prior to the diverging reality (i.e., being a former President rather than an Admiral) and likely great age at this time (146 years) make this doubtful. See Admiral Archer for this character and more information.
Legacy[]
Starfleet biographical file of Jonathan Archer, circa 2268
John Gill described Archer as the "greatest explorer of the 22nd century". A century later Elias Vaughn considered Archer to be one of Earth's most eminent explorers alongside the likes of Leif Eriksson, Ferdinand Magellan, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and Neil Armstrong. (ENT episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly"; DS9 novel: Twilight)
As of the mid-23rd century Archer was the only Human to have two planets named in his honor: Archer's Planet in the Gamma Trianguli sector, and Archer IV in 61 Ursae Majoris. (ENT episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly")
In 2154, several dozen North American schools were renamed for Jonathan Archer following the successful resolution of the Xindi crisis, including the former high school of Erika Hernandez. (ENT episode: "Home")
A building at Starfleet Academy's Command Staff College was named after Jonathan Archer.
The State University of New York system was renamed Archer University in his honor as one of New York State's most famous natives. There were many campuses in municipalities throughout the state, including Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Cortland upstate, and Stony Brook on Long Island. (ENT episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly")
By 2256, Archer was considered one of the most decorated captains in Starfleet history, along with Robert April, Matt Decker, Philippa Georgiou and Christopher Pike. (DSC episode: "Choose Your Pain")
Up to at least the mid-24th century, cadets at Starfleet Academy had to learn about Archer in their studies, as Ro Laren had during her attendance.
In 2385, Altek Dans read about Archer while researching Federation and Bajoran history. (DS9 novel: Sacraments of Fire)
Archer's Comet and the Federation starships USS Archer and USS Archer were also named for the former captain. In 3190, Archer Spacedock was named in his honor when the Federation began retro-fitting their existing fleet in order to carry out Starfleet's original mission of exploration. (ENT episode: "Breaking the Ice"; Star Trek Nemesis; DIS episode: "Kobayashi Maru")
The type 9 shuttlecraft Archer was named after him. (Star Trek: Intrepid)
Alternate timelines[]
Archer in an alternate timeline
In an alternate timeline, while in the Delphic Expanse in 2153, Archer sustained injuries which crippled his brain's ability to form new long-term memories, leaving him unable to recall more than the last few hours (and the whole of his life up to the point of injury). In this condition, he was unable to continue in command. The Enterprise was unable to stop the Xindi plot against Earth in time, the planet was destroyed and the Xindi exterminated every human colony they could locate. Archer, under the care of T'Pol, was one of the survivors who relocated to a secret colony on Ceti Alpha V.
In 2154, Enterprise was flung to the year 2037 while en route to the Xindi Council planet. Archer decided that the ship would become a generation ship, and that the crew's descendants would be the ones to complete the ship's mission and stop the Xindi superweapon. Archer eventually married an Ikaaran woman named Esilia. One of his descendants was Karyn Archer.
In another alternate timeline in which John Frederick Paxton destroyed Starfleet Command and ended the talks for the Coalition of Planets in 2155, Archer continued to work toward creating a political alliance between Vulcan, Andoria, Tellar and other worlds, with the belief Earth would eventually join as well. His actions were opposed by the Isolationist Party, who had him recalled to Earth after they took control of the Parliament in 2161 and put before a court martial. He performed the marriage between Trip and T'Pol, and himself married Erika Hernandez prior to 2199. He died at some point after 2244.
In the Kelvin timeline, caused by Nero's temporal incursion in 2233, Archer returned to Starfleet and was given the rank of Admiral. Sometime prior to 2258, his prized beagle, Porthos, was lost in a transport acident while Montgomery Scott was trying to prove that transwarp beaming was possible.
Personal timeline[]
| location | assignment/event | dates | rank or rate | assignment insignia | rank insignia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upstate New York | born | 2112 | |
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| Flight School | student | 2136 | 
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| NX Program | test pilot | 2143 | Commander | 
| |
| Omega training mission | 2140s | ||||
| Enterprise (NX-01) | commanding officer | 2150-2156 | Captain |  |
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| Commodore of the Fleet | 2156-2160 | Commodore | 
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| Starfleet Command | Flag officer | 2161-2165 | Admiral | |
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| Appointed honorary member of the Andorian Imperial Guard | 2164 | ||||
| Starfleet Chief of Staff | 2165-2168 | ||||
| Andoria | Federation Ambassador to Andoria | 2169-2175 | Ambassador |  |
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| Federation Council | Federation Councillor for United Earth | 2175-2183 | Councillor |
| |
| Palais de la Concorde | Federation President | 2184-2192 | President |
|