Scott Bakula has officially accepted the nomination as President of the United Federation of Planets. In Star Trek canon, Bakula’s hero, Captain Jonathan Archer, becomes Federation President more than 20 years after Star Trek: Enterprise ends.
The independent, non-Paramount affiliated fan initiative UNITE4ARCHER was founded to answer the question of how Jonathan Archer became Federation President after his historic voyages as Captain of the Starship Enterprise NX-01. The campaign begins in 2183, with Federation citizens putting Archer forward to become the galactic alliance’s first President.
At Creation Entertainment’s STLV: Trek to Vegas, Scott Bakula appeared on stage with his cast to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Star Trek: Enterprise. When asked by a representative of UNITE4ARCHER whether he would accept the nomination for Federation President, Bakula answered with one word: “Yes!”
Watch the video below created by Nick Hallam of Sci-Finatics:
UNITE4ARCHER established a campaign headquarters at STLV, the biggest Star Trek convention of the year celebrating the franchise’s 60th anniversary. At Archer HQ and the Sol Sector polling station, dozens of fans signed the petition officially nominating Jonathan Archer for Federation President and picked up campaign materials.
In addition to spearheading Jonathan Archer’s fictional Presidential run, UNITE4ARCHER also supports a worthy real-world goal. 100% of campaign contributions support the Astro Society, an organization that has inspired curiosity about the universe through astronomy, STEAM education, and public outreach.
Canadian artist Kavita Maharaj created the stunning President Archer campaign poster seen below, which is available for purchase at Retrospect Studios’ website.
UNITE4ARCHER’s campaign to elect Jonathan Archer as Federation President also naturally connects to Star Trek: United, Scott Bakula’s proposed comeback TV series as President Archer created by Star Trek: Enterprise producer Michael Sussman. Announced at last year’s STLV, Star Trek: United gained popular fan support in hopes that Paramount+ will green-light Bakula’s long-awaited return to Star Trek.
However, opposition to Archer’s presidential campaign arose in the form of Todd Stashwick, who played Talok, an insidious Romulan operative in Star Trek: Enterprise. Stashwick spread his own campaign materials to fans at STLV, denouncing Archer as a “puppet,” and espousing Talok as a “better” nominee. If Star Trek: United happens, Sussman and Stashwick have hinted that Talok would return.
Along with telling the story of how Jonathan Archer was elected Federation President, UNITE4ARCHER’s laudable goal is to bring about the hopeful, diverse, inclusive, and progressive future espoused by Gene Roddenberry that Star Trek is built upon.
UNITE4ARCHER is also a clever and charitable way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Star Trek: Enterprise, and perhaps serve as a step forward towards Scott Bakula’s return as President Jonathan Archer in Star Trek: United.
To learn more about UNITE4ARCHER and join the campaign, visit: UNITE4ARCHER.org.
- Release Date
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2001 – 2005-00-00
- Network
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UPN
- Showrunner
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Brannon Braga
- Directors
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David Livingston, Allan Kroeker, Michael Vejar, David Straiton, Roxann Dawson, LeVar Burton, James A. Contner, Robert Duncan McNeill, James L. Conway, James Whitmore Jr., Michael Grossman, Marvin V. Rush, Patrick R. Norris, David Barrett, Jim Charleston, Michael Dorn, Rob Hedden, Terry Windell, Winrich Kolbe, Les Landau, Manny Coto
- Writers
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Chris Black, Garfield Reeves-Stevens, Judith Reeves-Stevens, David A. Goodman, Alan Brennert, André Jacquemetton, Brent V. Friedman, Fred Dekker, Ken LaZebnik, Maria Jacquemetton, James Duff, Jonathan Fernandez, Paul Brown, Stephen Beck, André Bormanis, Manny Coto, Michael Sussman, Allan Kroeker, Brannon Braga, David Wilcox, John Shiban, Judith Reeves-Stevens, Phyllis Strong, Rick Berman, Tim Finch
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Scott Bakula
Jonathan Archer
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