How come humans are a leading power?

[josborn]

How did humans become one of the most prominent species in the galaxy? Almost every other major race has significant physical advantages over them

The Klingons - physically stronger and larger, fearless, achieved warp capability far earlier than humans. Surely in any war between them and humans the Klingons win every time?

The Vulcans and Romulans - physically stronger and larger, more intelligent and also unencumbered by emotions in the case of the Vulcans. In any war, the Romulans would outsmart the humans. In peace, the Vulcans would simply be smarter so why would you hire a human to do anything?

The Dominion - the Jem’ Hadar are physically stronger and braver, the Vorta are smarter and the Founders have the almost unbelievably superior physical capabilities of shapeshifting as well as incredibly long life. No way humans could compete with them without the aid of the other races I’ve mentioned

The Borg - do I even need to go there?

What do we all think?

 

[F. King Daniel]

Because Space 'Murica! *fireworks explode, flag flutters, eagles soar overhead*

Regardless of how little sense it makes. Vulcans would have made a Federation centuries ago.

 

[NCC-73515]

They formed a vast alliance with other, more developed cultures, instead of conquering them. They became the central power because the Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites trusted them before they trusted each other. That began when the NX-01 put itself between the Vulcan and Andorian fleets and Archer helped end the Vulcan invasion of Andoria.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I think innately Humans are a very inquisitive and social species in general and tend to seek out and rally others to join them. Often, Humans tend to leap without looking and get involved in far-reaching things whereas other species may be more cautious, only be interested in stuff pertaining to them, or just stay neutral, IMO.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Because the fictionalized human race are the nicest most helpful race in the galaxy and they brokered favor with everyone else.

They beat the Borg because the Borg can’t react to novel strategies if they kill them on the first blow, and the Dominion because they had more and better allies and technical skills. And because 4 dimensional super powerful beings prevented them from having to take on their whole fleet.

 

[shapeshifter]

The local area was stuck in the ways of strife and war but then the "HUMANS" brought their unique perspectives (cue angelic choir) for working together in peace and harmony. After a while their philosophy started to catch on.

Someone may ask, why didn't the Vulcans do that? Because they were assholes whereas the Humans could be humble.

MMV

 

[Orphalesion]

I mean it's not unprecedented that a formerly weak culture or country rises to prominence and becomes either an empire or the hub of diplomacy and/or commerce, rising far above older, more established cultures and nations. Happened time and again in our history.
Just look at the rise of the Islamic Empire in the first millennium CE. They owned both the Byzantines and the Sassanid Empires, two super powers of their time.

In Star Trek, (in our corner of the galaxy at least) that just happened to be the humans.

 

[1001001]

Because God chose us.

 

[Vger23]

I don't mean to be a Jerky McJerkface, but because it's Star Trek...a 55 year-old fictional TV show designed by humans, acted and written by humans, with the goal of entertaining humans. It wasn't meant to be a true blueprint for what a realistic future intergalactic society might be like.

 

[Jedi Marso]

It's a Human TV show.

 

[FredH]

Just the right circumstances at just the right time to become the hub around which the Federation formed, as detailed in Enterprise. It could easily have gone another way.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

The out-universe answer is obvious and has been described above: it's a show about the human condition.

In-universe, humans are not the smartest, or the strongest, or the most physically resilient. But what we are, is the most adaptable to new situations, which has allowed us to fill a number of critical niches in galactic society and quickly advance during our relatively short time swimming in the deep end of the galactic pool.

Our extraordinary ability to adapt to new circumstances is why the Borg are so fascinated with us. Other societies like the Vulcans develop much earlier then stagnate for thousands of years yet in a matter of a couple of centuries we've become the dominant species of the dominant power in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, and spread into the Gamma and Delta too. The Q or Agent Smith might say we're like a virus that way.

 

[Kirby]

Because the show is made by humans, and it's infinitely easier and cheaper to have humans make up the cast as opposed to putting fake ears, noses and foreheads on a whole bunch of other people.

 

[Oddish]

They formed a vast alliance with other, more developed cultures, instead of conquering them. They became the central power because the Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites trusted them before they trusted each other. That began when the NX-01 put itself between the Vulcan and Andorian fleets and Archer helped end the Vulcan invasion of Andoria.

What they said. We were the bridge-builders who created the Federation, an alliance that civilized worlds over thousands of light years have sought to join.

 

[Nerys Myk]

They know where all the bodies are buried.

 

[SolarisOne]

'Cuz hewmons are so AWEZOME! /s

 

[eschaton]

I don't mean to be a Jerky McJerkface, but because it's Star Trek...a 55 year-old fictional TV show designed by humans, acted and written by humans, with the goal of entertaining humans. It wasn't meant to be a true blueprint for what a realistic future intergalactic society might be like.

It also seems worth noting that TOS had lots of "human aliens." It's entirely unclear, for example, if Zephram Cochrane was originally supposed to be a human, or if Garth of Itzar is one. Relatively few of the "humans" we meet outside of other Starfleet vessels/bases may actually have been intended as such at all.

 

[Vger23]

It also seems worth noting that TOS had lots of "human aliens." It's entirely unclear, for example, if Zephram Cochrane was originally supposed to be a human, or if Garth of Itzar is one. Relatively few of the "humans" we meet outside of other Starfleet vessels/bases may actually have been intended as such at all.

Even TNG, for example, did this frequently. Aside from black contact lenses that nobody noticed…Betazoids were basically “human aliens.”

 

[MAGolding]

And the prevalance of "human aliens" may have given Earth humans an advantage in interstellar diplomacy since they may seem more familiar and less alien to the largeest group of cultures and planets in the region.

But never forget that there are hundreds of billions of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, and Star Trek indicates that planets with advanced civilizations are very common. There should be millions of planets with intelligent life and civilizations in the galaxy, more like billions.

And each and every one of the space realms seen so far in Star Trek seems to rule only tens, hundreds, or thousands of planets with intelligent life, and so must rule only a tiny little region of the galaxy.. This makes Earth humans, or Klingons, or Romulans, or the Dominion, or the Borg, big fish in little ponds, compared.to the vast ocean of the Milky Way Galaxy as a whole.

 

[Mojochi]

A Toast: to Earthmen... Who despite their faults, have the unique ability to charm women of all races, in all corners of the galaxy.

Where Vulcans have logic, Klingons have honor, Ferengi have profit, Humans, more than any other race in their realm maybe... have the charm. It might be as much a defining quality for them in the show than those others are to their corresponding species, & politically speaking, there is no greater attribute than charm. It greases the wheels, & above is a legit canon quote for one explanation of why Humans rule the roost, so to speak, from a member planet's ambassador no less, who in fact married a Human, & hails from a telepathic, liberal culture. That's a pretty hefty testimonial imho.

I'd even be willing to bet the majority of interspecies breeding going on is also predominantly half human hybrids with other species, over those other species interbreeding with one another. (It's certainly what we've seen) We just talk until everybody goes along. It may be the only thing we're good at, & it may also explain why a LOT of Starfleet ships are captained by humans. Who better to be the ship's negotiator? Just a little theory I have.