The last time Sigrid saw Captain Ernoch, his uncle, alive. Before the former captain, along with a small team, sacrificed themselves to save their Ark (that had been captured by pirates). Sigrid was thrust into leadership, while still highly unqualified (in fact he was just an apprentice at the time), and made many mistakes, yet the survivors still not only allowed Sigrid to take over the rest of Ernoch's term, they elected him after he fulfilled the rest of said term.