Griffith

**Griffith** was a human officer of the Planetary Union. According to Admiral Tom Halsey, Griffith was "an experienced commander" and, according to Doctor Claire Finn, a highly experienced officer.

In an alternate timeline where Ed Mercer never became captain of the USS *Orville*, Griffith became its captain and served until his death in the Battle of Earth in February 2421.

As the timelines split when young Kelly Grayson chose not to date young Ed, Griffith's status in the main timeline after the year 2414 is unknown.

## Alternate timeline

Griffith assumed command of the Orville in September 2419, replacing a previous captain who had retired. He was introduced to his senior staff in the ship's Shuttle Bay: First Officer Steve Newton, Second Officer Bortus, Chief Engineering Officer John LaMarr, Chief Security Officer Alara Kitan, an unnamed Helmsman, an unnamed Chief Medical Officer, and Isaac. Almost immediately, Griffith spotted an unspoken rivalry between Bortus and Isaac.

Griffith led the Orville on its first mission the same day, 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 Doctor Janice Lee's prototype quantum accelerator, a battle the Orville ultimately won. After, the Orville rendezvoused with Admiral Ozawa and the USS *Watson*.

In January 2421, Isaac suddenly deactivated and Griffith made the decision to return the Kaylon Emissary to his planet. "In the old days, you had a problem with a new car, you took it back to the dealership." During the trip to Kaylon 1, Griffith 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 Griffith. To prove that she had journeyed to the future of another timeline, Kelly divulged private information about each of them and that Isaac was experimenting on a highly secret device known as the quantum accelerator. Griffith 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," and notified Kelly's superior captain of her behavior, though Griffith also decided to arm an electromagnetic pulse as a precaution.

The takeover of the Orville by the Kaylon was much faster in this alternate timeline, and the Kaylon had commandeered the ship, launched their armada, and placed the prisoners, including Griffith, in the ship's Shuttle Bay. Griffith 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. Griffith 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.
* Griffith may speak with a Southern accent, as he says "y'all."

## Appearances

* *Episode 2x14: The Road Not Taken* (mentioned only)
* *Digressions, Pt. 1*
* *Digressions, Pt. 2*

## References

1. ↑ Digressions, Pt. 2
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Digressions, Pt. 1
3. ↑ Episode 1x01: Old Wounds
4. ↑ Digressions, Pt. 2
5. ↑ David A. Goodman, Executive Producer and Writer. Quantum Drive. May 10, 2022.