Editing Zefram Cochrane

{{short description|Fictional character from the Star Trek universe}}
{{Infobox character
| name        = Zefram Cochrane
| series      = [[Star Trek]]
| image       = File:ZphrmCochrane (TOS).jpg
| image_size  = 200px
| caption     = [[Glenn Corbett]] as Zefram Cochrane with [[Elinor Donahue]] as Nancy Hedford in the 1967<br>''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' episode "[[Metamorphosis (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Metamorphosis]]"
| first       = "[[Metamorphosis (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Metamorphosis]]" (''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'')
| portrayer   = [[Glenn Corbett]] <small>(1967)</small><br />[[James Cromwell]] <small>(1996–2022)</small>
| species     = Human
| origin            = Earth
| significant_other =Nancy Hedford}}

'''Zefram Cochrane''' is a fictional character in the ''[[Star Trek]]'' [[Setting (fiction)|universe]]. Created by writer [[Gene L. Coon]], the character first appeared in the 1967 ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' episode "[[Metamorphosis (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Metamorphosis]]", in which he was played by [[Glenn Corbett]]. [[James Cromwell]] later played Cochrane in the 1996 feature film ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'', the 2001 ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' pilot, "[[Broken Bow (Star Trek: Enterprise)|Broken Bow]]", and the 2022 ''[[Star Trek: Lower Decks]]'' Season 3 premiere episode, "Grounded". Footage of Cromwell from ''Star Trek: First Contact'' was used in the ''Enterprise'' episode "[[In a Mirror, Darkly|In a Mirror, Darkly Part I]]".

As first mentioned in ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', and further established by the events of ''Star Trek: First Contact'', Cochrane is the first [[human]] to create a [[warp drive (Star Trek)|warp drive]] system, and in 2063, his successful warp speed flight draws the attention of the [[Vulcan (Star Trek)|Vulcans]], leading to humanity's [[first contact (science fiction)|first official contact]] with an alien race.

==Fictional character biography==
Cochrane was born in 2030, according to ''Star Trek: First Contact'' (though the novelization of that film gives his year of birth as 2013). He constructed humanity's first warp-capable vessel, the ''[[Phoenix (Star Trek)|Phoenix]]'', in [[Bozeman, Montana]], out of an old [[LGM-25C Titan II|Titan{{nbsp}}II]] [[nuclear fission|nuclear]] [[ballistic missile|missile]].<ref name="Encyc">{{cite book|title=[[The Star Trek Encyclopedia]]|author=[[Michael Okuda|Okuda, Mike]] and [[Denise Okuda|Denise]], with Debbie Mirek|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=0-671-53609-5|year=1999}}</ref><ref>''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'' referenced only "central [[Montana]]"; Bozeman was later identified by [[Hoshi Sato]] in the 2002 ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' episode "[[Desert Crossing]]".</ref> He started the project for financial gain, and found the accounts of his future accolades as told by the crew of the ''Enterprise-E'' from the future disturbing and embarrassing.<ref name="Encyc"/><ref name="firstcontact">Cochrane's statements in ''Star Trek: First Contact'' (1996); [[Paramount Pictures]]</ref>

On April 5, 2063, Cochrane made [[Earth]]'s first warp flight. The ''Phoenix's'' warp flight was detected by a Vulcan survey ship, the ''T'Plana Hath'', which then made peaceful first contact with humans, including Cochrane, at the ''Phoenix's'' launch site.<ref name="Encyc"/>

The [[aphorism]] "Don't try to be a great man, just be a man. And let history make its own judgments," is attributed to Cochrane, who is said to have uttered it in 2073.<ref>Riker mentions this to Cochrane as they prepare for the ''Phoenix''<nowiki/>'s launch in ''Star Trek: First Contact''.</ref> In 2119, Cochrane was present at the dedication of Earth's first Warp{{nbsp}}5 Complex, as seen in a video viewed by the characters in the 2001 pilot episode of ''Star Trek: Enterprise''. On that occasion, Cochrane stated, "This engine will let us [[To boldly go where no man has gone before|go boldly where no man has gone before]]", making him the earliest known person in the fictional timeline of ''Trek'' to say that phrase.<ref>[[Berman, Rick]]; [[Braga, Brannon]]. "[[Broken Bow (Star Trek: Enterprise)|Broken Bow]]"; ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' ([[UPN]]). September 26, 2001.</ref>

The ''Phoenix'''s launch facility became a historical monument. A 20-meter marble statue was erected there, depicting Cochrane heroically reaching toward the future. Cochrane's name became revered among humans, with entire universities, cities and planets named after him.<ref>[[Gene L. Coon]]. "[[Metamorphosis (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Metamorphosis]]"; ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]''; November 10, 1967</ref> ''[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|Enterprise-D]]'' and ''[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)|Enterprise-E]]'' [[Chief Engineer]] [[Geordi La Forge]], for example, attended Zefram Cochrane High School.<ref name=GeordiSTFC>[[Geordi La Forge|Geordi LaForge]] mentions this to Cochrane during the Earthbound scenes of ''Star Trek: First Contact''.</ref>

According to the original ''Star Trek'' episode "[[Metamorphosis (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Metamorphosis]]", Cochrane was presumed dead after disappearing from [[Alpha Centauri]] in 2117 (though the ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' episode "[[Broken Bow (Star Trek: Enterprise)|Broken Bow]]" later [[Retconned|retcons]] the year of Cochrane's disappearance to be 2119 or later). [[James T. Kirk]], [[Spock]] and [[Leonard McCoy]] find Cochrane living on an asteroid with a being he calls the Companion, an ethereal presence of pure energy who rejuvenated the aged, dying Cochrane 150 years earlier, and has held him captive— and in a state of youth and vigor— ever since. Nancy Hedford, who was traveling with the three [[Starfleet]] officers, is an ill [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]] commissioner. The Companion, who loves Cochrane, merges with the commissioner, ridding her of her illness and providing the Companion with a corporeal (but now mortal) form. The combined entity no longer has the power to force Cochrane to stay with her, but Cochrane chooses to stay out of love and gratitude. Before departing, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy promise not to reveal Cochrane's existence.<ref name="Encyc"/>

===Mirror Universe===

In the [[Mirror Universe (Star Trek)|Mirror Universe]], rather than reciprocating the Vulcans' peaceful greeting, Cochrane and the other humans kill the Vulcans and loot their ship.<ref>{{Cite episode|title="[[In a Mirror, Darkly|In a Mirror, Darkly, part I]]"| series= Star Trek: Enterprise|credits = [[Mike Sussman (TV series writer/producer)|Mike Sussman]], [[James L. Conway]]|network=[[UPN]]| airdate= April 22, 2005}}</ref> Humans conquer other worlds as part of the brutal Terran Empire.<ref>{{Cite episode|title="[[Mirror, Mirror (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Mirror, Mirror]]"|series= [[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]|credits = [[Marc Daniels]], [[Jerome Bixby]]| network= [[NBC]]| airdate= October 6, 1967}}</ref>

==Appearance==

[[File:ZeframCochrane1.jpg|thumb|Zefram Cochrane as portrayed by [[James Cromwell]] in ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'']]

In "[[Metamorphosis (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Metamorphosis]]", Cochrane was played by [[Glenn Corbett]], who was 34 at the time of that episode's airing. In ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'', Cochrane was played by the 56-year-old [[James Cromwell]], at a point when the character, in 2063, would have been approximately 33 years old.<ref>The character was stated in "Metamorphosis" to have been 87 years old in 2117, and was therefore born in 2030, as pointed out by ''The Star Trek Encyclopedia''. Page 26 of ''The Star Trek Chronology'' (second edition) also gives 2030 as his year of birth.</ref> ''The Star Trek Encyclopedia'' explains this discrepancy by theorizing that Cochrane's aged appearance in 2063 was the result of [[radiation poisoning]], and that when he encountered the Companion, the Companion reversed these effects, and restored his youthful appearance.<ref name="Encyc"/>

==Non-canonical treatment==

In the 1994 novel ''[[Federation (novel)|Federation]]'' by [[Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens]], whose publication predated the release of ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'' by two years, Cochrane had been portrayed as a human of Earth origin. The novel suggested he retired to Alpha Centauri at some point between his first warp flight and his disappearance.<ref name= "Fed"/> This follows a suggestion made in the ''Star Trek Chronology'', on the assumption humans could not have settled the Alpha Centauri system prior to the warp drive's invention.<ref name="Chron">{{cite book|title=Star Trek Chronology|author=[[Michael Okuda|Okuda, Mike]] and [[Denise Okuda|Denise]]|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=0-671-79611-9|year=1993|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/startrekchronolo00okud}}</ref>

In the novel, Cochrane's warp experiments are the result of a mysterious billionaire's financial and idealistic support in the period between the [[Timeline of Star Trek#Eugenics Wars and World War III|Eugenics Wars]] and [[Timeline of Star Trek#Eugenics Wars and World War III|World War{{nbsp}}III]]. His self-identification with [[Alpha Centauri]] results from it being the destination of his first warp voyage and his subsequent founding role in the first colony in the system. His life's story beyond his encounter with Kirk at Gamma Canaris in "[[Metamorphosis (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Metamorphosis]]" is depicted up to his death during the events of the [[Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3|third season]] of ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''.<ref name="Fed">{{cite book|title=Federation|series=Star Trek|last=Reeves-Stevens|first=Judith and Garfield|isbn=0-671-89422-6|publisher=[[Pocket Books]]|date=1994-11-01}}</ref>

In the 1989 reference book ''[[Worlds of the Federation]]'', author [[Shane Johnson (author)|Shane Johnson]] writes of Zefram Cochrane being a native to the Alpha Centauri system (which is populated by humans transplanted from Earth in antiquity) who is contacted by the United Nations spaceship ''Icarus'', a sublight vessel which is the first human ship to travel to another solar system.

Lacking a common language and before the invention of the [[universal translator]], he used mathematics alone to communicate his ideas for a faster-than-light drive system and its prototype, the WD-1.<ref name="Worlds">{{cite book|title=Worlds of the Federation|series=Star Trek|last=Johnson|first=Steve|isbn=0-671-70813-9|publisher=[[Pocket Books]]|date=1989-11-01|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/worldsoffederati00shan}}</ref>

Cochrane also appeared in issue #49 of Gold Key Comics's ''Star Trek'' series, along with Nancy Hedford and the Companion.<ref name="GoldKey">{{cite book|title=Star Trek #49 ("A Warp in Space")|author=Kashdan, George|author-link=George Kashdan|publisher=Gold Key Comics|year=1977}}</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==

{{Memory Alpha|Zefram Cochrane}}
* [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Federation_%28novel%29 Article about ''Federation'' (novel)] at Memory Alpha
* [http://curtdanhauser.com/St49.html Article about Cochrane's appearance in Gold Key Comics]

{{Star Trek recurring characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cochrane, Zefram}}
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1967]]
[[Category:Fictional aerospace engineers]]
[[Category:Fictional alcohol abusers]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from Montana]]
[[Category:Fictional characters incorrectly presumed dead]]
[[Category:Fictional inventors]]
[[Category:Fictional nuclear physicists]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 21st century]]
[[Category:Star Trek: The Original Series characters]]
[[Category:Star Trek (film franchise) characters]]