Star Trek's admirals often serve as foils who make the franchise's capable captains look more perceptive and decisive. The storytelling purpose is clear, but it raises the question of how Starfleet could survive if its senior command routinely functions this badly. Captains cannot compensate indefinitely because they already have ships to run and lack the staffs needed to coordinate whole fleets. The point separates a useful character-writing device from a plausible model of military organization.
Notable Point · 59:11-59:47
Bad admirals as a narrative foil for good captains
The conclusion recognizes why fiction makes admirals inept - to elevate heroic captains - while showing how that device undermines the credibility of the institution around them.