star trek voyager original janeway

Star Trek: Who Was The Original Captain Kathryn Janeway?

The Starship Voyager was nearly captained by an entirely different face.

There are many characters in the seemingly ever expanding universe of Star Trek that are so intrinsically tied into the actors who play them that it’s impossible to imagine anyone else play them. Picard is Patrick Stewart through and through , and Sisko is almost by definition Avery Brooks. Some characters have been recast over the years, like Kirk from the Kelvin timeline and Pike through necessity in Discovery and Strange New Worlds ; however, it’s still hard to forget the old, well known faces of the originals from the characters. It might be a shock, then, that almost all the most well known captains from the franchise were almost played by different people. High on that list is Voyager ’s Captain Kathryn Janeway .

While characters like Picard were, at the start of filming, concreted in the actors playing them, Janeway was slightly different. Today, it’s hard to imagine the shiny black shoes filled by anyone other than Kate Mulgrew, who did a fabulous job on a show that has received a lot of criticism over the years. The original actress for the role, however, was Geneviève Bujold, French Canadian actress who was famous for her role as Anne Boleyn in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969). She was the producers' first chose for the role, which at this point was to be Captain Nicole Janeway. But after two episodes were filmed, Bujold left the show. Producers then had to refilm the episodes with their second choice, TV veteran Mulgrew, who stepped up and delivered a wonderful performance. She suggested the name change the Kathryn and the rest is history. So why exactly did Bujold leave?

RELATED: Star Trek: Why Do Captains Fear Promotion So Much?

There are two reasons, one from the crew and one from a much more personal perspective. Rick Berman, executive producer at the time, has gone on record saying that Bujold was not a good fit for the role. She was not up to the hectic and fast-paced nature of television filming; she was much more used to movies where everyone was much slower, and often obsessed over small, time-consuming details. In the world of TV, episodes needed to be filed as quickly as possible, not allowing for a gentle introduction into the role. Rather, she was thrown in at the deep end. Berman has also talked about some of the issues he had with her on set, such as Bujold finding it difficult to memorize the needed seven pages of dialogue a day. He also noted that she took issue with having her hair redone multiple times during takes, another necessity for the quick shooting environment of television

There are clips from the first two episodes that can be found on YouTube, and while it’s jarring to see someone who isn’t Mulgrew as the morally ambiguous Janeway , that's not the only reason it doesn't feel right. There is an uncomfortableness and meanness to Bujold's performance that seems off, awkward, and just unaccustomed to the environment she is acting in. In addition to everything else, it was also rumored that she took issue with working with a director she didn’t know. Instead of jumping onboard on the day with the director's needs and instructions, she did so begrudgingly. After the second day of filming, Bujold stormed off set in tears, upon which Berman and the director both agreed that she was to go home.

Of course, this is all largely Hollywood gossip. It's a very impersonal version of the struggles and events that took place for Bujold to leave the role of Janeway, and one that did not fully take into account personal issues the actress faced. When talking about his time on the iconic ship, Garrett Wang, who played the forever un-promotable ensign Harry Kim , was asked about whether the rumors about her being fired were true. He cleared up the situation somewhat, clarifying that she quit. He continued to talk about how she acted strangely on set for the short time she was there, never wanting to socialize with the rest of the crew, instead running off set the moment she was not needed. One day he stopped her, and asked if she was okay, to which she replied, rather cryptically, that she didn't trust anyone there.

Dramatics aside, it’s said that when Bujold agreed to play the role, it was going to be all about ‘Captain first, woman second’ a fanatically progressive position she felt honored to play. When she started, however, the crew kept fussing over making her hair perfect, and putting lots of makeup on, something she never truly felt comfortable with. Instead of playing this powerful captain, she felt they were trying to dress her up, and give the character sex appeal (something the shows did a lot) rather than show her to be a strong leader who just happens to be a woman. All this made her feel instantly lied to, and that she didn’t truly understand where she stood. The character she was so keen to play was objectified and diminished before her eyes. Wang did confirm, however, there was also truth to Berman’s words. Bujold was not truly prepared for the toll filming would take on her, and she was becoming increasingly aware that she would be away from her two young children for large portions of time.

At the end of the day. Bujold could have made a fantastic captain. While her performance in the first two episodes left much to be desired, this is true of the majority of the main protagonist captains in the franchise. Sisko didn't get good until he grew the beard, and Picard was uncomfortably strict in the first few episodes . If she could have struck at it, audiences might have grown to love her, but now Mulgrew is so iconically Janeway it’s impossible to imagine anyone else.

No matter what the issues with her character are, it’s amazing she existed in the first place. With Bujold leaving there were serious talks of making Janeway a man - a decision that thankfully never materialized.

MORE: Star Trek: What Is The Kobayashi Maru?

• View history

Cavit was a Human male who served as a Starfleet officer in the late- 24th century .

In 2371 , Cavit held the rank of lieutenant commander and was assigned as Captain Kathryn Janeway 's first officer on the newly-commissioned USS Voyager .

During Voyager 's maiden voyage to the Badlands to locate the Maquis raider Val Jean , Cavit manned the bridge tactical station alongside Ensign Rollins , in Lieutenant Tuvok 's absence, as he was undercover in the Maquis . Cavit also had to interact with Tom Paris for the mission, who was brought on board Voyager to act as a mission observer . Cavit, like several other officers, immediately displayed contempt for him, believing his criminal past did not afford him the right to be on board. Cavit readied Voyager and coordinated its departure from Deep Space 9 to head to the Badlands. There, it was hit by a massive displacement wave , later found to have been generated by the Caretaker's array . As a result of the impact , Cavit was killed instantly and Voyager became stranded in the Delta Quadrant .

Cavit was later replaced as first officer by Chakotay . ( VOY : " Caretaker ")

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Cavit was played by actor Scott Jaeck who, despite having dialogue, received no screen credit for this appearance.

He filmed his scenes on Tuesday 6 September 1994 , Wednesday 7 September 1994 , Friday 9 September 1994 , Thursday 22 September 1994 , and Friday 23 September 1994 on Paramount Stage 8 . His work from the second and third day had to be re-filmed due to the replacement of Genevieve Bujold . This took place on Monday 17 October 1994 on Paramount Stage 8. He also filmed an additional day on 2nd unit on Wednesday 9 November 1994 on Paramount Stage 8 and some bridge re-shoots on Friday 18 November 1994 on Paramount Stage 8 and is listed as "Cavit" on all call sheets .

Apocrypha [ ]

The novelization of Caretaker states that in the year 2358 he served on the USS Kingston , a Federation colony-relief transport, during which time his commanding officer was killed by the Orions. It also notes that, during the events of the episode, Captain Janeway makes a mental note to speak to him regarding his attitude towards Paris on the basis that he is a Starfleet officer and needs to act more professional.

Cavit also appears in the The Brave and the Bold, Book Two novella "The Third Artifact", which gives his first name as "Aaron". The story recounts the Voyager 's shakedown cruise in the year 2371. Cavit is revealed to have had a romantic relationship with USS Hood first officer Dina Voyskunsky before an acrimonious breakup in 2359 . When the Hood comes to the Voyager 's assistance following a series of system malfunctions, the two of them agree to get together at the conclusion of their current missions. Unfortunately, due to the events of "Caretaker", this never happens.

The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway mentions Cavit, giving his first name as "John".

In an alternate timeline featured in the Star Trek: Myriad Universes novella A Gutted World , Voyager was never stranded in the Delta Quadrant and Cavit served as its first officer until it was destroyed by the Cardassians in 2373 .

His name was spelled "Cavitt" in the short story The Ones Left Behind .

External links [ ]

• Cavit at StarTrek.com
• Aaron Cavit at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)
• 3 Star Trek: The Next Generation

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Resolutions

• Episode aired May 13, 1996

Captain Janeway and Chakotay contract an incurable virus and they can only survive if they stay behind together on a planet which negates the effects of the disease. Captain Janeway and Chakotay contract an incurable virus and they can only survive if they stay behind together on a planet which negates the effects of the disease. Captain Janeway and Chakotay contract an incurable virus and they can only survive if they stay behind together on a planet which negates the effects of the disease.

• Alexander Singer
• Gene Roddenberry
• Rick Berman
• Michael Piller
• Kate Mulgrew
• Robert Beltran
• Roxann Dawson
• 11 User reviews
• 6 Critic reviews

• Capt. Kathryn Janeway

• Cmdr. Chakotay

• Lt. B'Elanna Torres
• (as Roxann Biggs-Dawson)

• Lt. Tom Paris

• Ensign Harry Kim

• Dr. Danara Pel

• Ensign Swinn

• (uncredited)
• Crewman Fitzpatrick
• Michael Piller (showrunner)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia The primate is a Geoffroy's (a.k.a. black-handed) spider monkey native to Central America.
• Goofs It's stated that a shuttlecraft is left behind with Janeway and Chakotay when Voyager leaves the planet; however, at the end, they simply beam up with no mention of it.

Captain Kathryn Janeway : I think we need to define some parameters... about us.

Commander Chakotay : I'm not sure I can... define parameters, but I can tell you a story, an ancient legend among my people. It's about an angry warrior who lived his life in conflict with the rest of his tribe, a man who couldn't find peace, even with the help of his spirit guide. For years he... struggled with his discontent, but the only satisfaction he ever got came when he was in battle. This made him a hero among his tribe; but the warrior still longed for peace within himself. One day, he and his war party... were captured by a neighboring tribe, led by a woman warrior. She called on him to join her, because her tribe was too small and weak to defend itself from all its enemies. The woman warrior was brave and beautiful, and very wise. The angry warrior swore to himself... that he would stay by her side, doing whatever he could to make her burden lighter. From that point on, her needs would come first, and in that way... the warrior began to know... the true meaning of peace.

Captain Kathryn Janeway : Is that really... an ancient legend?

Commander Chakotay : No, but that made it easier to say.

• Connections Referenced in Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force (2000)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: Voyager - Main Title Written by Jerry Goldsmith Performed by Jay Chattaway

User reviews 11

• Nov 7, 2022
• May 13, 1996 (United States)
• United States
• Official Site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 46 minutes
• Dolby Digital

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published Apr 29, 2023

How Captain Janeway Became Star Trek's Caretaker

Janeway defied tropes to become a caretaker and leader for generations.

StarTrek.com

Captain Kathryn Janeway came into my life, when I was an angry teenager, trying to prove myself to the world. She's had a bigger influence on me and some of my life choices than I thought was possible.

While we imagine that the Federation has a world view of a better future, all Star Trek is written in the present; in the now that we know. And for more than 50 years, Star Trek has followed the changes in our own society, especially with regards to on-screen depictions of gender and archetypes. For the 1990s, that meant introducing a woman as captain who didn't match any of the other women we usually saw on television.

While Western storytelling was full of the archetypical stereotypes — maiden, mother and crone, Star Trek: Voyager gave us a career woman. While Janeway consistently proves her ability to make clear cut decisions, she is not portrayed as being emotionless or cold, as the media typically portrays career women to be. Critics at the time judged Janeway for her emotional episodes, not wanting the first woman leader in Star Trek to be a negative depiction. While she was a woman, most of her behavior was not defined by gender throughout the series, setting her apart from the women of The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine who were her counterparts at the time. Even the other women on Voyager had traditional feminine pursuits during its series run. Yet every time Janeway would display a trait considered feminine, both cast and critics complained.

With 2020's hindsight (pun intended), I'd argue that those pesky emotions were actually what made Kathryn Janeway great, and a captain most worthy of modeling oneself upon.

In the first Voyager episode “ Caretaker ,” Janeway cements the core of her leadership intentions, “We are their commanding officers, we are entrusted with their safety. They are our responsibility.” Janeway has no sense of glory or self-gratification; she's a scientist, an explorer, a teacher, and a guide. She's also a friend, a family member, and a leader. Janeway, simply put, is the archetype of a Caretaker.

Janeway leads a crew of Starfleet's least likely heroes — she picked up Tom Paris from prison, and Chakotay and B'Elanna Torres from the Maquis. Neelix was a scavenger who lied to the Voyager crew to manipulate them into rescuing Kes, and Seven of Nine used to be Borg. In appointing Torres as chief engineer, Janeway even admits her own mistake in judging a book by its very angry cover.

In “ Learning Curve ,” Janeway asks Tuvok to instruct some wayward Maquis into the ways of Starfleet. Not only does she defer to the former Starfleet instructor’s experience in the matter, but she also gives him excellent advice, “It's not fair to expect Starfleet behavior from people who never went to the Academy.” And that they, as officers, need to earn the respect of the crew. Janeway doesn't assume that her position gains automatic respect. She knows that it's Starfleet that needs to show up for the Maquis crewmen, not the other way around.

A similar situation occurs years later in “ Good Shepherd ,” when a few crew members are underperforming, she takes them on an educational Away Mission, in order to get to know them better and see how she can help them gain both skills and confidence.

Janeway listens to her crew, and understands that their point of view might be different than her own; that's a good thing. She puts her trust in people, who have not only learned from their unique paths in life, but who are better people because of those paths. The role of a captain doesn't always mean that you're right or that you should be the one leading the way on every mission. Janeway is a great captain because she knows when to take a step back and let others come into who they are.

While accepting that the Voyager is going to become a generational crew, Janeway is left with a dilemma first encountered in “ The Cloud ,” the episode which gave us the iconic coffee in that nebula quote. But the episode is not about the coffee. In her Captain’s log, she realizes that she is lonely and has been distant from her crew. With this journey home, she will have to learn how to get to know them. And as Harry Kim says to Tom Paris, “Who is she supposed to get chummy with out here? It's not like there are other captains or admirals around.”

Throughout Voyager , Janeway never embarks on a romantic relationship. While dating one’s crew is against protocol, she could give herself the captain’s approval, but she doesn't. This is not to say that she’s never been in love; “Caretaker” reveals her talking to a significant other who is watching her dog while she’s away. Throughout Voyager ’s journey home, she never falls in love with a crew member or with anyone she encounters on her travels. However, a brief and risqué encounter with Inspector Kaskyk in “ Counterpoint ” hints at Janeway’s flirting abilities. Still, her lack of romance sets her apart from other captains at the time.

She’s content with her preferred holonovels and their fictional characters, especially the charming Irish bartender in “ Fair Haven .” It’s here where she famously deletes his wife from the program, settling into the idea that a fictional man is good enough. This captain has other things to prioritize over the notion of romantic partnerships. She was captain first and Kathryn second. She even entered into friendships with the crew in that order, always slightly at a professional distance.

In current Star Trek series, we meet the women Janeway led the way for — Captain (and Emperor) Philippa Georgiou, Captain Michael Burnham, Vice Admiral Katrina Cornwell, Captain Carol Freeman, and Lieutenant Commander Una Chin-Riley. All of them have come a far way from the outdated ideals presented in The Original Series’ finale episode, “ Turnabout Intruder ,” which claimed women aren’t fit to be Starfleet leaders because they are too emotional. Michael Burnham's emotions might guide some of her choices, but it is her capacity for love that’s her defining trait. And like Janeway, Burnham leads a crew very far away from home that becomes a family, much like the Voyager did.

Janeway's lack of romance kept the focus on her as an individual, without the attachment to another. During the 1990s, any relationship would have taken focus away from that. Thankfully, times have changed; not only does Burnham fall in love (twice), but Freeman is a captain and a mom on the same ship.

While Star Trek 's male officers all had sexual and romantic relationships, Janeway's lack of romance not only emphasizes her role as a Caretaker who puts the crew and mission before her own needs, but it leads the way for modern women characters to be equal to their male counterparts.

It's not entirely true that no one saw Janeway as a maiden or a mother. However, Q wasn't meant to be taken seriously when he tried (and failed) to seduce her into becoming the mother of his child. Instead, he came to his senses and named her godmother. And when Q Junior showed up in “ Q2 ,” Aunt Kathy is exactly who he needs. While measuring against a low bar, Q calls Janeway “a million times better parent” than he is. To which Janeway replies, “I am not a parent!” Q factually states, “Well maybe not in the biological sense, but you're certainly a mommy to this crew...”

Where The Original Series was a child-free zone, The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine had children as part of the core ensemble. Star Trek became a family-friendly show with parenthood being a recurring theme. Though on Voyager , Naomi Wildman had a mother, Samantha, who only appeared in eight episodes throughout the series, while Naomi appeared in 16.

For a long period, Naomi was the perfect example of a Federation child and a future cadet, with Icheb being the only one of the Borg-orphans who matched her eagerness to please Captain Janeway. The only other Star Trek child to respect and admire a Starfleet officer like that is Nog, who sought apprenticeship with Commander Sisko. While Nog admired Sisko, his apprenticeship was centered on his personal ambition to join Starfleet.

On Voyager , Naomi, Icheb and eventually even Q Junior all wanted Janeway's personal attention. And unlike Picard, Janeway respected the children and gave them room to grow.  By giving structure and stability, Janeway helped raise the Voyager children in her own way. She didn't mother any of the children. She remained their captain, their teacher, and their Aunt Kathy.

In her free time, Janeway actually chooses the role of a 19th Century governess in the holodeck program Janeway Lambda One, in order to “get away from being captain for a while.” I always smile at that notion, as if a governess isn't a caretaker and a children's captain. With the professional balance of a caring teacher, the Voyager children all look for the captain's guidance and approval.

Star Trek is going through a revival with the latest series Discovery , Picard , Strange New Worlds , Lower Decks , and most important for this piece, Star Trek: Prodigy .

With old and new characters entering our present-day lives, Janeway is revived, not in nostalgia like Spock, Pike and Picard, but as the officer leading future generations of our fanbase. With Prodigy , Janeway is brought back in near perfect condition as a hologram based on one of the most decorated captains in Starfleet history. To emphasize the point, Starfleet has chosen Captain Kathryn Janeway to be the captain leading future fans to the franchise.

Janeway, not only did she drink all the black coffee in the Delta Quadrant and beat the Borg, she guided all of the Voyager ’s children. Janeway is the choice as Caretaker of the franchise because children listen to their teachers. She's definitely not a mom; but as captain, governess and Holo-Nanny (as Dal calls her), Captain Kathryn Janeway ensures that children, Starfleet, Maquis, Borg, Q's and delinquent runaways all become the best that they can be, the only way she knows how — the Jane-way.

Get Updates By Email

This article was originally published on June 16, 2022, as part of Captain's Week, where StarTrek.com highlighted the leadership and the courage that sets each captain apart.

TJ Cederlöf did not intentionally model her life on Janeway, but she's a soldier, a special needs teacher, and a caretaker. She is also an Educational Anthropologist and children's book author.

Star Trek: Prodigy Season 1 is available to stream on Netflix outside of markets including Canada where it is available on CTV.ca and the CTV App, France on France Televisions channels and Okoo, in Iceland on Sjonvarp Simans Premium, as well as on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Central and Eastern Europe. Star Trek: Prodigy is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

I Think Robert Beltran Is Wrong About Star Trek: Voyager's Problems

• Star Trek: Voyager follows a familiar formula of sci-fi exploration, akin to The Original Series, focusing on episodic tales of unknown alien encounters.
• Commander Chakotay actor Robert Beltran critiques Voyager's lack of deeper serialization, missing the opportunity for more compelling storytelling.
• The routine bridge scenes criticized by Beltran are integral to Voyager's comforting appeal, following Star Trek's tradition of solving insurmountable problems.

Star Trek: Voyager 's Commander Chakotay actor, Robert Beltran, has strong opinions about the problems with Voyager, but Beltran's issues seem to be rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of the type of show that Star Trek is in general, and that Voyager is in particular. Ever since Star Trek: The Original Series , Star Trek has used consistent dramatic convention to tell episodic tales of explorers seeking out new life and new civilizations. TOS created a blueprint that Star Trek: The Next Generation followed and improved upon, and after Star Trek: Deep Space Nine took place on a space station, Voyager was meant to be a return to form.

And it was. Star Trek: Voyager had more in common with TOS than DS9 or even TNG , since the USS Voyager's unplanned survey of the Delta Quadrant put Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) in the position of making First Contact with previously unknown alien societies on a near-weekly basis, not unlike Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) leading the USS Enterprise's 5-year mission a century earlier, when the Alpha Quadrant was the unexplored frontier. Voyager was never supposed to break new ground ; it was meant to embrace Star Trek 's tried-and-true storytelling method to continue the legacy of exploring the human condition through sci-fi.

Best Star Trek: Voyager Episode From Each Of The Show's 7 Seasons

Chakotay actor robert beltran criticizes star trek: voyager’s “inviolable traditions”, criticizing star trek for dramatic bridge scenes is like criticizing the twilight zone for twist endings..

In The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years - From The Next Generation To J.J. Abrams by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Robert Beltran explains that his greatest issues with Star Trek: Voyager come from so-called "inviolable traditions" :

My greatest criticism of the show was these inviolable traditions. For instance, scenes on the bridge were always the same: “Captain, the shields are down.” “Well, reroute this, and we’ll be good.” “Captain, we did that. Thank you, we’re saved.” And then manufacturing some kind of crisis on the bridge ... but the audience knows we’re coming back next week, so why spend an ungodly amount of time on the bridge with this manufactured crisis when we know we’re going to make it? And maybe one of us will get knocked out and will have to be taken to sickbay. “Is he going to make it? We don’t know. We’ll see after the commercial.” Well, of course we’re going to make it, because we are going to be back next week.

The things Beltran criticizes about Star Trek: Voyager are the same things that make Voyager a comforting show. In other words, Voyager 's routine is a feature, not a bug. The formula of Voyager 's sci-fi problems follows the same tradition of TOS and TNG before it. Star Trek characters face seemingly insurmountable problems and survive, often learning lessons and coming out stronger on the other side. The entire USS Voyager crew is lost in the Delta Quadrant, far from Starfleet Command and easy answers, with only each other to rely on, but they always get through challenges. How is that not a reassuring metaphor for viewers uncertain about their own future?

Could Serialization Have Fixed Star Trek: Voyager’s Problems?

Voyager's minimal serialization focused on interpersonal stories, not epics..

Robert Beltran suggests that a deeper form of serialization may have made up for the formulaic presentation of Star Trek: Voyager 's weekly episodes . Once again, in The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , Beltran says:

They refused to allow anything to be serialized. I guess it was their way of separating us from DS9. But you better have something as good. I think that they did have some good episodes here and there, but in general, I thought that it was a missed opportunity. The show could have been better, and I feel, as just about everybody feels who watched the show, that it missed the possibility of something much bigger and much better.

It's possible tighter serialization could have helped Star Trek: Voyager become more compelling to a wider audience. Serialization was one of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's greatest strengths, and a natural consequence of a setting that stayed in one place instead of moving on from each week's adventure. Compared to DS9 , Voyager 's serialization was minimal, but it did exist. Voyager 's arcs usually focused on character growth and relationships, rather than grand sweeping epics, and in Voyager season 4 , the USS Voyager made contact with the Alpha Quadrant via a Hirogen subspace relay station, kicking off subplots with the Hirogen and "letters from home" that wove throughout the season.

Star Trek: Voyager is by no means perfect, it is nonetheless a beloved entry in the Star Trek franchise for fans who seek comfort in it.

It seems that Robert Beltran is looking back on Voyager through a modern lens, after television has evolved a measure of realism that usually wasn't present when Voyager was made. In the 1990s, DS9 's cinematic serialization was the exception, not the norm, and a huge risk that was only possible because of the focus on Voyager as Star Trek 's new flagship show after Star Trek: The Next Generation ended. While Star Trek: Voyager is by no means perfect, it is nonetheless a beloved entry in the Star Trek franchise for fans who seek comfort in it, despite its issues, and in some cases, because of them.

Source: The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years - From The Next Generation To J.J. Abrams by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross

Star Trek: Voyager

Cast Jennifer Lien, Garrett Wang, Tim Russ, Robert Duncan McNeill, Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo

Release Date May 23, 1995

Genres Sci-Fi, Adventure

Network UPN

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Showrunner Kenneth Biller, Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga

Rating TV-PG

A Complete Timeline of the Borg in Star Trek

The Borg are among Star Trek's most terrifying villains, having assimilated Captain Picard and Seven of Nine, but what is their timeline of events?

Quick Links

The creation of the borg through star trek: enterprise, star trek: the next generation is when starfleet engaged the borg, star trek: voyager traveled through borg space and almost destroyed them, the borg returned in star trek: picard for one last battle.

Throughout the six-decade history of Star Trek , there have been many iconic villains, but perhaps none more so than the Borg. Created by Maurice Hurley, the head writer for Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2, the Borg began as an organic species looking attain perfection. They achieved this by merging their organic bodies with cybernetic components. Individuality was erased, creating a hivemind culture of beings that sought only to assimilate more species and their technology in the search for perfection. They are led by a queen, a singular consciousness that can occupy multiple bodies.

The Borg are incredibly powerful and are known to travel via transwarp. They are even capable of time travel, though they don't do it very often. Given all that the Borg have going for them, it's no surprise that they were meant to be the ultimate villains Starfleet could never reason with. Over time, these villains became more complex and some even became Federation allies. Yet, the Borg have a long history in the Star Trek timeline, predating the earliest human space travel.

How Did Star Trek: Enterprise Become a TV Series?

The Borg have existed in their modern form since at least the time of the 15th Century on Earth. During the USS Voyager's travels in the Delta Quadrant, they met members of the Vaduwaur species who had been in stasis for more than 900 years. They had "many encounters" with the Borg who, by this time, had assimilated a few star systems in the Delta Quadrant. However, given the Vaduwaur didn't see them as their worst nemesis, they weren't as advanced as the Borg in the 24th Century.

In 2063, a Borg Sphere emerged from a temporal rift to prevent the Humans from making first contact with the Vulcans. The USS Enterprise-E followed them and destroyed the sphere, though a number of drones beamed aboard their vessel. Captain Picard defeated them, and Zefram Cochrane made his first warp flight . Some 90 years later, in Star Trek: Enterprise , remnants of the sphere were found in the North Pole. A handful of drones were revived and escaped in a space vessel. They were pursued and destroyed by the NX-01 Enterprise, but not before sending a message about Earth's location to the collective in the Delta Quadrant.

10 Star Trek Time Travel Stories That Changed Canon

The El-Aurian Guinan was saved by the USS Enterprise-B in 2293, along with fellow survivors of her people. Her planet had been assimilated by the Borg, and this was when Starfleet learned the species' name. Erin and Magnus Hansen, tried to study them in the late 2340s before they and their daughter Annika, Seven of Nine, were assimilated. In The Next Generation Season 2's "Q Who," the omnipotent being sent the USS Enterprise-D thousands of lightyears away from Federation space where it encountered a Borg Cube. They were only concerned about technology at the time, but this meeting led them to Federation space.

One year later, in 2366, the Borg sent a single cube to assimilate Earth. They captured Captain Jean-Luc Picard and assimilated him, giving him the name "Locutus." He was meant to demoralized Starfleet to prevent humans and the rest of the Federation from fighting back. He was freed of their control, but not before the Battle of Wolf 359 which destroyed 39 ships and killed 11,000 people. Among those were the wife of Commander Benjamin Sisko and the crew of the USS Constance of which Captain Liam Shaw was one of ten survivors. Commander Data briefly connected himself to the collective, ordering the Borg drones to enter regeneration and initiating the self-destruct sequence.

In 2368, the USS Enterprise-D encountered the Borg again, discovering a crashed scout ship. The drone Third of Five survived . Picard wanted to use the drone to implant a deadly virus into the collective. However, separated from the collective, the drone became an individual named "Hugh." He was returned unchanged to the collective, though Hugh's individuality caused a meltdown in the collective. A year later, Data's brother Lore found the cube and became their leader. He tried to replace their organic minds with positronic brains like his. The rogue Borg eventually overthrew him with help from the Enterprise. Five years later, another Borg cube was sent to Earth and was eventually destroyed, but not before sending the Sphere holding the Queen back to 2063.

How Did Star Trek: Voyager Become a TV Series?

In 2373, the USS Voyager entered Borg space on their journey home from the Delta Quadrant. At the same time, the Borg tried to assimilate Species 8472, which hailed from a dimension of "fluidic space." The assimilation didn't work and war broke out. Because 8472 was so hostile, Captain Janeway was able to enter into an alliance with the Borg to help defeat them, specifically with the help of the ship's holographic Doctor. The Borg betrayed them, which Janeway anticipated. The drone Seven of Nine was freed from the collective and became a member of the crew. Though she wished to rejoin the collective and tried to do so twice, she eventually chose to stay with Voyager .

In 2375, a transporter accident involving the Doctor's mobile emitter (based on 29th Century technology) and Seven of Nine's Borg nanoprobes. A drone was "grown" in the tank and designated One. The Borg tried to assimilate him and he willingly ended his own life. Later that year, the USS Voyager salvaged a transwarp coil from a destroyed Borg vessel. This led the Borg to enact a trap meant to bring Seven of Nine back into the collective as a replacement for Locutus. Janeway and the crew rescued her. A year later, while trading with the Brunali, Voyager was attacked by Borg vessel. However, they hid a photon torpedo in a captured Brunali vessel that destroyed the Borg ship, allowing Voyager to escape.

In 2377, Seven of Nine was reunited with other Borg in "Unimatrix Zero," a digital plane where drones retained their individuality. Captain Janeway used this opportunity to plan an attack on the collective and start a resistance movement. Captured by the Borg, many of Voyager's crew were assimilated. Thanks to the Doctor, they retained their individuality freeing thousands of drones and starting a Borg civil war. In 2378, a time-traveling Admiral Janeway showed up on Voyager with a plan to get the ship home. The plan succeeded, but the Admiral was assimilated. She carried a virus that decimated the collective to nearly the point of destruction. Five years after the return of the USS Voyager, the rag-tag crew of the USS Protostar found a Borg Cube, but they let sleeping Borg lie .

The Picard Blu-ray Underscores Why Each Season Needed the Borg

A Borg Cube that assimilated a Romulan vessel suffered a submatrix collapse, and it was captured by the Romulan Star Empire. In 2399, the ex-Borg Hugh led the Borg Reclamation Project on a ship dubbed "the Artifact." To stop a plan by a cult of anti-synthetic Romulans in the Tal Shiar, Seven of Nine created her own mini-collective and led the Artifact to crash on a planet populated by synthetics. It's presumed the surviving xBs (as they were called) joined the society on that planet. Hugh, however, was killed in the attempt.

In 2401, a Borg vessel of unknown origin appeared and asked to speak with Admiral Jen-Luc Picard. The Queen of this collective was Agnes Jurati, who was assimilated by the Borg Queen of an alternate timeline who took Picard and his allies into the past to save the future they knew. Jurati convinced the Queen to create a new kind of collective in which individuality was maintained and assimilation was voluntary. This new collective applied for provisional Federation membership to stand guard at a rift in space through which a still-unknown threat would emerge.

Also that year, the near-dying Borg Queen allied with Changeling terrorists angry with the Federation after the Dominion War. They infiltrated Starfleet, adding a DNA sequence to Starfleet transporters that would assimilate anyone under the age of 25 once they received a coded message. That message was sent by Jack Crusher , the son of Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher. He was assimilated by the dying Borg Queen and named Võx. New technology added to modern Starfleet vessels allowed these new Borg to assimilate the ships in moments. Using a rebuilt USS Enterprise-D, the command crew of that vessel saved Jack and destroyed the remaining Borg, seemingly defeating them once and for all.

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

• March 25, 2024 | ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Showrunner Drops Hints For Each Season 5 Episode
• March 24, 2024 | Review: Action-Packed ‘Star Trek: Picard: Firewall’ Reveals Seven’s Compelling Quest For Identity
• March 22, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Digs Into Star Trek Business News And Reflects On The New William Shatner Documentary
• March 21, 2024 | Filming On The ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ Streaming Movie Has Wrapped
• March 21, 2024 | Check Out New Posters Celebrating The Final Season Of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’

Review: Action-Packed ‘Star Trek: Picard: Firewall’ Reveals Seven’s Compelling Quest For Identity

| March 24, 2024 | By: Dénes House 7 comments so far

Star Trek: Picard: Firewall Written by David Mack Published by Pocket Books

“No plan ever survives contact with the enemy – and, as far as I can tell, you have no Plan B. What are you gonna do out there when everything starts to go wrong?” “If executed correctly, my plan –” “Forget about correctly. Forget about your plan. Listen to what I’m telling you: People are fallible. Combat is chaotic. We have strict rules of engagement, a duty to use nonlethal force – but our enemies don’t. One mistake up there could get us and the rest of the team killed. Did you account for that?” He wasn’t sure how he expected Seven to react. He didn’t think she would shrink like a violet, or wither in the face of criticism, but he certainly didn’t expect what she did next. She lifted her chin and actually seemed to get taller. “I am aware of the dangers posed by the mission. I’ve weighed the certain costs of failure against the potential gains of success. Imperiling eight lives to save eight hundred thousand is an acceptable risk-reward ratio.” “Gotta give you credit, kid. You’ve got a way with math.”

At the end of the Berman era of Trek, Jeri Ryan’s Seven was last seen returning to Earth aboard the Starship Voyager, involved in a romantic relationship with Chakotay, and anticipating the possibility of joining Starfleet alongside her mentor and mother-figure, Captain Kathryn Janeway. At the character’s next appearance, 20 years later in the first season of Star Trek: Picard , she is detached from Janeway and Chakotay, works for the mysterious Fenris Rangers, and is soon to develop a relationship with Raffaela “Raffi” Musiker. David Mack’s novel Star Trek: Picard: Firewall  is designed to fill part of that two-decade gap in Seven’s story with an adventure set at a key turning point for everyone’s favorite ex-Borg.

Mack’s novel brings Seven out from under Janeway’s shadow and chronicles her struggle to figure out her own identity and chart her own path in a galaxy growing darker by the minute. Feeling left behind as her former Voyager shipmates have all gone on to their new lives, Seven is a drifter, moving from planet to planet, job to job, longing for connection but afraid of being hurt. With the resettlement crisis on Romulus pulling Starfleet’s resources from the Federation’s outer sectors, Seven experiences the growing lawlessness, poverty, and despair of colonies once dependent on Federation aid. Their hopelessness mirrors her own as she, too, has been rejected by a Starfleet terrified of her Borg past. When she’s approached by a shadowy Federation Security agent and recruited to infiltrate the vigilante terrorist organization the Fenris Rangers, Seven sees the opportunity to finally be accepted by Starfleet. But as she gets deeper into the Rangers, she finds that they are not what they have been painted to be—and perhaps neither is the Federation.

This book is a slam-bang action novel, exploring some of the fringes of the Star Trek universe. While embracing Starfleet’s utopian 24 th -century setting, it also acknowledges that even in a utopia, the galaxy is an enormous place, and even good decisions made for the right reasons can have negative downstream consequences. I especially appreciated the detailed look at the Fenris Rangers, their mission, their ethos, and their organization, all of which Mack fleshes out admirably.

While we meet a number of characters from Star Trek: Picard’s three seasons as well as from Star Trek: Prodigy , Mack keeps his Easter eggs subtle and sparse. The focus here is on Seven and her struggle to both understand who she is and to be accepted. While the Seven of Nine character on Voyager , and eventually on Picard , has long been an icon for gay and transgender people, her bisexual identity and connection to trans identification have never been as clear as they are here. Mack describes it as an exploration of Seven as “a newly out queer woman,” and Seven’s exploration of her newfound identity is at turns touching, sad, and hopeful.

Mack doesn’t skimp on the action, which is gritty, bloody, and visceral. Firewall brings elements that feel like Blade Runner , Star Wars , and High Noon into its Star Trek setting. And Mack utilizes his “f-bomb” allotment in an emotionally climactic way. The plot and characters never lose sight of the hopefulness of Gene Roddenberry’s universe, but fans who like their Trek more sanitary may find this novel pushing their boundaries. But in the end, Seven, the Rangers, and Starfleet all have the opportunity to shine as heroes. Good prevails, and evil is defeated over tremendous odds and through cleverness, technology, friendship, and endurance.

Action, inclusivity, and deep character growth: David Mack’s Firewall digs deeply into Seven and gives her clear motivations as she transitions from one Trek series to the next.

Available now

David Mack’s Star Trek: Picard: Firewall from Pocket Books was released on February 27. You can pick it up now at Amazon in hardcover  and  Kindle e-book .

Firewall is also available as an audiobook on CD now and also Audible . You can listen to a sample of the audiobook, read by January LaVoy below:

Find more news and reviews of  Star Trek merchandise .

DISCLAIMER: We may link to product affiliate links that support TrekMovie by earning a small commission when you purchase through them.

Related Articles

All Access Star Trek Podcast , Discovery , Lower Decks , Star Trek: Picard , Star Trek: Prodigy , Starfleet Academy , Strange New Worlds

Podcast: All Access Goes To SXSW For The ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 5 Premiere

Discovery , Review

Early Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Flies Into A New Adventure In Season 5

Star Trek: Picard

‘Picard’ Season 2 Was Rewritten After Paramount Deemed It “Too Star Trek,” Says EP

Awards , Star Trek Universe TV , Star Trek: Picard , Strange New Worlds

‘Star Trek: Picard’ And ‘Strange New Worlds’ Nominated For 8 Critics Choice Super Awards

I haven’t done a Trek novel in years….this may get me back into it! Thanks

This does look good, but I’m saving my latinum for “Pliable Truths” by Dayton Ward, a prelude to DS9 featuring Picard (still reeling from his torture at the hands of Gul Madred), Ensign Ro, and Garak.

Why not both?

Because I’m usually very busy and only get to leisure read a few books a year. :P

I love Trek novels. David Mack is a top-notch storyteller, and he knows how to voice these Trek characters. Can’t wait for this!

I finished reading this novel last week. It was great and I concur with the reviewers comments. Great story!

Dr. Dave ASU planetary science professor President, Phoenix Star Trek fan club

I enjoyed the book, but my question is about regeneration. This takes place only about 4 years after Voyager returned from the Delta Quadrant. There are no references to regeneration, but several to sleeping. Are we just supposed to assume Seven figured out how to do without it?

Picard also ignores this issue, but that is taking place nearly 20 years later, so seems more likely she’d have figured it out by that point.

Screen Rant

Star trek: voyager created 5 starfleet captains & 1 admiral.

Six Star Trek characters from the USS Voyager's 7-year journey through the Delta Quadrant prove they've got it takes to get promoted in Starfleet.

• Voyager's journey through the Delta Quadrant hindered normal career advancement, prompting potential fast-tracked promotions for the crew upon return.
• Characters like Lt. Tuvok and Tom Paris were promoted on-screen, reflecting Starfleet's efforts to make up for lost time in the Delta Quadrant.
• Admirals like Janeway and Captains like Chakotay and Seven of Nine emerged from the challenges and adventures of Voyager's unprecedented journey.

Several Star Trek: Voyager characters earned promotions after returning to the Alpha Quadrant, including 5 Captains and 1 Admiral. The USS Voyager's journey through the Delta Quadrant was a trial by fire for Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran), and the rest of Voyager's crew that required quick thinking and selfless acts of valor, but only two Voyager characters were promoted on-screen. Lieutenant Tuvok (Tim Russ) was promoted to Lt. Commander in Voyager season 4, episode 5, "Revulsion", and Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) was reinstated as Lieutenant Junior Grade in Voyager season 6, episode 26, "Unimatrix Zero, Part 1", after two years demoted to Ensign.

The USS Voyager's unprecedented journey prevented normal career advancement for Starfleet officers, with limited resources, no contact with Starfleet Command, and little chance that new crew members would join Voyager's crew to replace officers promoted to new positions. To that end, Star Trek: Voyager characters may have been fast-tracked for promotion by Starfleet Command, to make up for the time lost to the Delta Quadrant. It's possible that some characters may have even been promoted by two full ranks after returning to the Alpha Quadrant if they elected to remain with Starfleet, to stave off any delays in reaching Captain.

Star Trek’s 10 Best Starfleet Promotions

6 the doctor (robert picardo), aka star trek: voyager's emergency command hologram.

As the USS Voyager's Chief Medical Officer, the Doctor advanced far beyond his initial programming to become a self-actualized individual with aspirations that included command. In Star Trek : Voyager season 6, episode 4, "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy", the Doctor proposes changes to his program that would allow Voyager's EMH to take command of the USS Voyager in the event that Captain Janeway and other command-level officers are incapacitated. Janeway has her reservations, because the risks of introducing command and tactical subroutines to the Doctor's program outweigh the need for the Doctor as a Chief Medical Officer, but the Doctor is able to prove himself when Hierarchy aliens believe the Doctor is Voyager's commanding officer.

The Doctor truly takes command of the USS Voyager in Star Trek: Voyager season 7, episodes 16 & 17, "Workforce", when Commander Chakotay, Ensign Harry Kim, and Neelix are on an away mission; and the rest of Voyager's senior staff, including Janeway, are incapacitated due to Quarren memory wipes. A second encounter with the Hierarchy in Voyager season 7, episode 24, "Renaissance Man", requires the Doctor to take up the post of Voyager's captain once again.

The Doctor's command subroutines likely formed the basis for Emmet (Santiago Cabrera), the Emergency Tactical Hologram of La Sirena, Captain Cristobál Rios' ship in Star Trek: Picard.

5 Captain Harry Kim (Garrett Wang)

The captain who could've been in star trek: picard.

Despite being known as Star Trek: Voyager 's eternal Ensign, it's not that far a stretch to believe that Harry Kim could be a Starfleet Captain by the 25th century . Captain Harry Kim was supposed to be in Star Trek: Picard season 3, according to actor Garrett Wang, but budget constraints limited the number of Star Trek alumni that showrunner Terry Matalas could include in Picard 's final season. Wang also explained that Harry Kim "belongs" to Voyager 's spiritual sequel series, Star Trek: Prodigy, so Kim's 3-episode arc was scrubbed from Picard .

The video game Star Trek Online features Captain Kim of the USS Rhode Island in the early 25th century.

There's evidence in alternate timelines and non-canonical Star Trek works to back up Harry Kim's promotion beyond Ensign. In the alternate future timeline from Star Trek: Voyager season 7, episodes 25 & 26, "Endgame", Captain Harry Kim attends the USS Voyager crew reunion after a 4-year mission commanding the USS Rhode Island. The video game Star Trek Online also features Captain Kim of the USS Rhode Island in the early 25th century, and in The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway by Una McCormack, Harry Kim rises through Starfleet ranks quickly after returning to the Alpha Quadrant, eventually earning the rank of Captain.

4 Captain Tuvok (Tim Russ)

A "secure" starfleet career in star trek: picard.

Tuvok's Starfleet career is long and illustrious, so it's no surprise that the USS Voyager's former security chief attains the rank of Captain before the 25th century. Tuvok is first seen as a Captain in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 7, "Dominion", when Commander Seven of Nine contacts Captain Tuvok for information, and poses a series of questions to test whether Tuvok is who he says he is or a Changeling infiltrator. The sheer possibility that Tuvok might be replaced by a Changeling proves that Tuvok is an important officer at Starfleet Command , and impersonating Captain Tuvok would give the Changelings a tactical advantage.

Lt. Tuvok was seen briefly as Commander Tuvok in Star Trek: Lower Decks , a few years after the USS Voyager's return to Earth.

Captain Tuvok makes an in-person appearance with Commander Seven of Nine on the USS Titan-A in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 10, "The Last Generation", ostensibly to address Seven's reckless actions over the course of the season. Recognizing her errors, Seven tenders her resignation from Starfleet, but Captain Tuvok refuses to accept Commander Seven of Nine's resignation , and prefers to act in accordance with Seven's recent officer review, in which Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) recommends promoting Seven of Nine to Captain.

3 Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)

From borg drone to captain of the enterprise-g in star trek: picard.

Seven of Nine's journey to the rank of Captain is far more fraught than that of others from Star Trek: Voyager , but that's what makes Seven's captaincy all the more rewarding. After the USS Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant, Seven applied to join Starfleet, but even Kathryn Janeway's endorsement couldn't bypass the ex-Borg prejudice on the admissions board . Failing that path, but still determined to help people, Seven of Nine joins the Fenris Rangers, a vigilante organization operating near the Romulan Neutral Zone. As a Ranger, Seven of Nine crosses paths with Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), and joins the civilian crew of La Sirena for 2 years.

In Star Trek: Picard season 2's alternate reality, Annika Hansen never became Seven of Nine and was President of the Confederation of Earth.

With Admiral Picard's blessing bolstering Seven of Nine's reputation, Seven earns a Starfleet commission at the rank of Commander. This is commensurate with Seven's demonstrated skills and the field experience Seven of Nine gained serving on the USS Voyager, as a Fenris Ranger, and on La Sirena. After serving as First Officer of the USS Titan-A, Seven of Nine attempts to resign from Starfleet, but Captain Tuvok insists that Seven accept her promotion to become Captain Seven of Nine , commander of the USS Enterprise-G.

Seven Of Nine Just Matched Sisko & Burnham As Star Trek Captains

2 captain chakotay (robert beltran), lost in time after a delta quadrant return in star trek: prodigy.

Captain Chakotay is an integral part of the plot of Star Trek: Prodigy , even though Chakotay is only seen in flashbacks during Prodigy season 1. The USS Protostar falls into the hands of Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and his unlikely adolescent associates after being trapped in the mines of Tars Lamora for decades, without a crew of its own. Clues pointing towards the Protostar's true mission are revealed slowly, with records made by the Protostar's computer indicating that Chakotay was in command of the Protostar when it vanished.

Captain Chakotay intended to take the USS Protostar on a mission to fix Voyager's mistakes in the Delta Quadrant, but in an echo of the fateful accident that saw Voyager pulled to the Delta Quadrant in the first place, the USS Protostar was pulled through time to the Vau N'Akat homeworld, Solum, in the 25th century. Although Chakotay's plan to save Starfleet from the Vau N'Akat ensures the Protostar arrives back in the present, Captain Chakotay remains trapped in the future , in an alternate timeline.

1 Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)

The heart and guide of star trek: prodigy.

Because of Kathryn Janeway's unfailing leadership in guiding the USS Voyager back home, Captain Janeway was promoted to Vice Admiral not long after Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant , as evidenced by a Star Trek: Nemesis cameo that saw Vice Admiral Janeway speaking with Captain Picard from Starfleet Command. Shortly thereafter, Janeway aids in developing the USS Protostar's mission to return to the Delta Quadrant, which includes the creation of a training hologram in Janeway's likeness built into the Protostar's computer.

Although Admiral Janeway stays at Starfleet Command after attending the Protostar launch, losing the Protostar prompts Janeway to spearhead the search for Chakotay. Commanding the USS Dauntless in Star Trek: Prodigy , Admiral Janeway tracks the USS Protostar , finding not Captain Chakotay, as Janeway had hoped, but a ragtag group of adolescent refugees fleeing the Delta Quadrant. Hologram Janeway had endeavored to show the USS Protostar's new crew a better life by training them as would-be Starfleet Cadets, so Admiral Janeway picks up where her holographic counterpart had left off, and takes the new recruits under her wing for the next stage of the mission to rescue Captain Chakotay.

It's no surprise that several Starfleet Captains and one Admiral came from the USS Voyager.

Many crew members serving on the USS Voyager were worthy candidates for promotion after their return. The pressure of being 70,000 light years from the Alpha Quadrant and facing unknown threats with little to no support from Starfleet honed the skills of Voyager's crew , making them more decisive, creative, and willing to improvise when the situation called for it. Countless first contact missions with new alien races contributed to Voyager establishing a reputation for Starfleet on the other side of the galaxy. With all the unprecedented adventures in the Delta Quadrant on Star Trek: Voyager , it's no surprise that several Starfleet Captains and one Admiral came from the USS Voyager.

Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard are streaming on Parmount+.

Star Trek: Prodigy is streaming on Netflix.

Star Trek: Voyager

Den of Geek

Star Trek Characters Die in the Transporter All the Time. Why Are They Okay With It?

Star Trek's transporters are convenient but deadly, suggesting something surprising about the franchise's take on the human soul.

• Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Linkedin (opens in a new tab)
• Share on email (opens in a new tab)

“Beam me up, Scotty” is a quote as iconic as Star Trek ‘s once-magical automatic doors ― even if Captain Kirk didn’t actually say it. While Star Trek wasn’t the first sci-fi creation to teleport its characters around, its pleasingly sparkly transport scenes quickly captured fans’ imaginations. However, what is beamed up isn’t necessarily what is beamed down.

Simply put, Star Trek transporters, if they were real, would kill their users along the way . No matter the technicalities over moving versus duplicating the bits that make up a Trek crewman, you cannot blast a person into atoms without ending their brain functions and destroying them. You just can’t. Try it (don’t try it). So depending on how lazy a character is, a commute from a starship bridge to the bathroom could be the last thing they ever do. 

It’s something that’s fascinated and vexed overthinkers in the fandom through the decades, with YouTuber CGP Grey among those warning of the “real” nature of starships’ transporters (and validating The Next Generation ’s Reg Barclay’s fear of them).

Despite this, it’s mostly unremarked upon in the show ― even when Captain Picard, in The Next Generation episode “Lonely Among Us,” basically dies in space, with the transporter used to make him a new body for his untethered “energy” to enter. “What the devil am I doing here?” he asks when he reappears. He’s clearly not quite the same man.

Ad – content continues below

Picard’s crew might not care who exactly it is that they’ve beamed back to the Enterprise. But the bait-and-switch of the transporter haunts pop culture consciousness, just as countless versions of crewmen might haunt their starships. One example is China Mieville’s fantasy novel Kraken , in which a Trekkie uses magic to make a transporter, only to end up stalked by dozens of iterations of his own ghost. Author Jason Pargin, too, muses over the horrific implications of transportation in This Book is Full of Spiders .

Mieville and Pargin appear to imply that Star Trek characters don’t know transportation kills them. But Trek ‘s crewmen have scientific training and live in a world that encourages philosophical thinking. If Kirk, Picard, and co. all know that transporters are deadly, why are they happy to use them?

You could argue that we all need a sense of being whole and individual beings, experiencing life as one unbroken continuity, for the world to function. For Star Trek characters to live as they do, lives made infinitely easier by utopian tech, perhaps ignoring their many deaths is a bargain that has to be made.

This would make a starship crewman a kind of cloned pretender. That angle has certainly cropped up in episodes over the decades. In The Original Series episode “The Enemy Within,” a transporter accident creates two Captain Kirks (one comically evil, of course ― though unlike Evil Spock he regrettably doesn’t sport a goatee). Both are different men from the original Kirk, so at the end he is not so much brought back as made whole again. And the fact that the transporter can create two Will Rikers from one in TNG episode “Second Chances” also shows some kind of replication is at play.

Another take would be that Star Trek characters aren’t invested in an illusion at all, but are actually pretending less than we are. Freed from constraints of space and time by starships, freed from the production and ownership of objects by replicators, the next thing to go is the permanent self.

Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan wrote that when a human first recognizes their reflection as their self, they enter an imaginary world mediated by language. This abstraction or layer of removal from the self might be how you live if you’re just one in a long line of yous. Philosopher Jean Baudrillard took the idea of reality as a kind of shared dream further, arguing we live in “hyper-reality,” a set of representations more real than the now-dead aspects of the world they reference. Are starship crewmen hyper-real people? Made anew, carrying more thoughts and experiences than the first version of themselves to die?

Perhaps they have decided to ditch the whole game of pretending humans consist of a structurally sound self that remains one thing. After all, our cells are always renewing, our neurons changing. Consciousness is just one of many functions our brains undertake, and we can experience breaks in it, like the breaks transporters would cause. We are not even each one body, with so much of our mass made up of micro-organisms which have no clue that the city they are part of is a sentient being.

Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

This angle would mean Star Trek characters are living in the aftermath of a huge historical and psychological rupture caused by transport tech. They have a whole different view of what it is to be a person. To them, living a life includes many endings and beginnings, via a multitude of consciousnesses.

A case in point: in Voyager episode “Tuvix,” another transporter accident happens. This time, instead of creating two people, it makes a hybrid of Tuvok and Neelix, with an unsettling combination of Vulcan eyebrows and already-nightmarish Talaxian sideburns. After some conflict over ethics, Tuvix is eventually sacrificed . 

Tuvix is his own person, and Tuvok and Neelix have died by at least some definitions when they merged to create him. But for Voyager ‘s Captain Janeway, Tuvix’s death is seen as necessary so that Tuvok and Neelix’s consciousnesses can continue where they left off. Plus, when the pair of men return, Janeway sees them as the real deal. “It’s good to have you back,” she tells them.

Star Trek characters’ selves, then, are based on carrying memories and a personality, passing it from one body to another, rather than possessing an unbroken consciousness. So what if traveling from point A to point B means a person being consigned to the void, no thoughts assailing them ever again? Their journey through time and space continues anyway, like a relay race. Each body, in Star Trek , is a tiny part of the story of a person. They get to live for a day or a week while building the ambitions that the next them will take forward, and experiencing the memories and personality of their countless ghosts.

Maybe you’d die if you stepped into a Star Trek transporter. But the group project you contributed to, the project called You, would boldly go on ― into experiences no less real for your multitude.

Jen Tombs is a features writer and an avid fan of science fiction and feminist fiction. She lives in the Canadian Rockies because she loves mountains,…