George Griffith was a human officer of the Planetary Union and former captain of the USS Orville. He retired in 2419. According to Admiral Tom Halsey, Griffith was "an experienced commander"[1] and, according to Doctor Claire Finn, a highly experienced officer.[2]
In an alternate timeline where Ed Mercer never became captain of the USS Orville, George remained its captain and served until his death in the Battle of Earth in February 2421.
Career[]
Nothing is known about George Griffith's early life. He captained the Orville until he retired from the Union shortly before September 2419. George commanded many familiar members of the main crew, including Second Officer Bortus, Chief Security Officer Alara Kitan, Chief Engineering Officer Steve Newton, Navigator John LaMarr, Isaac, and Lieutenant Yaphit.[3] According to John, George tolerated soda on the bridge.[4]
Alternate timeline[]
George Griffith assumed command of the Orville at an unknown date. He introduced Isaac to his senior staff in the ship's Shuttle Bay in 2419. Almost immediately, Griffith spotted an unspoken rivalry between Bortus and Isaac.[2]
George led the Orville on a re-supply run to the Epsilon Science Station of Epsilon 2. While the details of the mission in this alternate timeline are scant, evidently the Krill fought the Orville in the Battle of Epsilon 2 for control of Doctor Janice Lee's prototype quantum accelerator - a battle the Orville ultimately won. After, the Orville rendezvoused with Admiral Ozawa and the USS Watson.[2]
In January 2421, Isaac suddenly deactivated. Because Isaac was a Kaylon, George decided to return him to his planet. "In the old days, you had a problem with a new car, you took it back to the dealership," he figured.[2] During the flight to Kaylon 1, George told Steve that he wondered if the Kaylon would simply use Isaac for parts: "Who knows what they do with their dead?" Soon after, John and Talla received a warning from First Officer Kelly Grayson of the USS Jefferson that the Kaylon would betray the Union, a warning the two forwarded to George. To prove that she had journeyed to the future of another timeline, Kelly divulged private information about each of them (information she could not have otherwise discovered) and said Isaac was experimenting on a highly secret device known as the quantum accelerator. George was greatly interested in how Kelly knew about Isaac and his research but ultimately judged that it "wouldn't be the first time someone with an outstanding record lost their mind." He notified Kelly's superior captain of her behavior, though George also decided to arm an electromagnetic pulse as a precaution.[5]
The Kaylon captured the Orville much more quickly in the alternate timeline than the main timeline. The Kaylon commandeered the ship, launched their armada, and placed the prisoners, including George, in the ship's Shuttle Bay. George orchestrated the detonation of the electromagnetic pulse once the armada neared Earth to kill the Kaylon on the ship. The crew then took over the Orville, sent a message to warn the Planetary Union, and then engaged in the Battle of Earth. George was killed in the ensuing battle. He was succeeded by Bortus as acting captain.
The Orville sank to the bottom of the Mariana trench in the battle. Bortus gave his corpse, and the bodies of the other dead, a burial at sea by opening the Shuttle Bay.
Trivia[]
- Griffith was based on co-executive producer Howard Griffith.[6]
- Griffith may speak with a Southern accent, as he says "y'all."
- His first name of George was revealed in The Guide to The Orville.
Appearances[]
- Episode 2x14: The Road Not Taken (mentioned only)
- Digressions, Pt. 1
- Digressions, Pt. 2