Jonathan Archer

Jonathan Archer (2112-2245) was the fifth President of the United Federation of Planets and one of the most important historical figures of the 22nd century and in all of interstellar history. Born in upstate New York to famed warp specialist Henry Archer and his wife, Sally, Jonathan was appointed captain of Starfleet's first warp five starship, Enterprise NX-01 in 2151; his leadership aboard Enterprise would help establish United Earth as a legitimate interstellar power and pave the way for a wholescale revolution in Alpha Quadrant politics, leading to the establishment of the United Federation of Planets. As an explorer and peacemaker, his name is among the most recognized in the Federation, and his pioneering voyages aboard Enterprise are known to school children on dozens of worlds, many of which were unknown to Humans in Archer's lifetime. Historian John Gill called Archer the "greatest explorer of the 22nd century."

Early Life
Jonathan Archer, the son of Sally and Henry Archer, was born in upstate New York in 2112. From an early age Jonathan had an interest in space flight and technology, and in 2121 he built a model starship with his father. (ENT novelization: Broken Bow and episode: "North Star").

In the 2130s, Archer attends Earth Starfleet Flight School based in San Francisco. During his time there he has a relationship with Margaret Mullin. The day before graduating from Flight School, Archer proposes to Mullin outside of her Westgate Avenue apartment, but she turns him down, stating that she does not want to become a Starfleet widow. (ENT episode: "Twilight").

By 2143, Archer is working on the NX Test Program with Commander A.G. Robinson and Charles Tucker III, both of who became close friends. The first prototype the NX-Alpha, with a mission to break the warp 2 barrier, is destroyed during the flight, but Robinson becomes the first person to eject in an escape pod while at warp. With this incident the NX Program is cancelled.

The cancellation does not stop Archer and Robinson from stealing the NX-Beta prototype, and using the ship to reach a speed of warp 2.5, and the program is reconsidered and susequently reinstated by command; however, as a result of their actions, Archer and Robinson are grounded for three months, pending an inquiry. (ENT episode: "First Flight").

Captain of Enterprise
Archer IV, which orbits 61 Ursae Majoris was the first M-Class world charted by the famous explorer. Although the planet was uninhabitable throughout the 22nd Century due to toxic pollen in the atmosphere, an antidote to the pollen was discovered early in the 2200s. (ENT episode: "Strange New World.") Today, the population of Archer IV numbers more than seven hundred million.

Perhaps Archer's most historically important mission was the Xindi Crisis. On 22 March 2153, a prototype Xindi weapon appeared in orbit over Earth, cutting a swath from Florida to Venezuela, killing seven million people. The NX-01 was recalled and outfitted with new weapons, then ordered to enter the mysterious Delphic Expanse. There, the crew discovered that the Xindi had been manipulated into attacking United 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. Archer later became known as the man who delivered humanity from the Xindi for this mission. (ENT episodes: "The Xindi," "Zero Hour," et al.)

Archer earned an impressive list of commendations during his career, including a Medal of Valor, with clusters, the Star Cross, the Preantares Ribbon of Commendation, and the Federation Citation of Honor. Archer was also appointed an honorary member of the Andorian Guard by General Thy'lek Shran in 2164. He's the only human to have two planets named in his honor: Archer's Planet in the Gamma Trianguli sector, and Archer IV as mentioned above.

Later Life
After retiring from Starfleet as Chief of Staff, Archer continued working to improve interspecies relations as Ambassador to Andoria from 2169 to 2175, when he was elected to the position of Federation Councillor from United Earth. He ascended to the presidency in 2184, serving two terms before finally retiring.

Archer died peacefully in his home in upstate New York in the year 2245, exactly one day after attending the christening ceremony of the first Federation starship named in honor of his Enterprise, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). (ENT episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly," part 2)


 * Presumably, as the Federation became an integrated nation-state, the need for a Federation Ambassador to one of its own Members later ended and the position later abolished. The presidential succession box follows a conjectural timeline whereby Archer is the fifth president, serving two terms. His predecessor, Avaranthi sh'Rothress, is presumed to have left office one year early, prompting Archer's ascension to the office of the presidency, to account for his term beginning on what would otherwise have been an election year.


 * Note: The information listed as coming from the Enterprise episode In a Mirror, Darkly, comes from a biography of Jonathan Archer written by Enterprise'' series writer Mike Sussman. Most of the info from the bio appeared on screen in the episode.