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Star Trek: Voyager – Season 2, Episode 26

Where to watch, star trek: voyager — season 2, episode 26.

Watch Star Trek: Voyager — Season 2, Episode 26 with a subscription on Paramount+, or buy it on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV.

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Kate Mulgrew

Capt. Kathryn Janeway

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Episode Info

Best Star Trek: Voyager episodes

From battles with the Borg to explorations of humanity, we’ve picked out the best Star Trek: Voyager episodes.

Running from 1995 to 2001, Voyager was a departure for the Star Trek series, journeying into new territory, literal and metaphorical. It was the first in the franchise to feature a woman in the captain's chair, with the strong and stubborn Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) taking the helm. In the pilot episode, Caretaker (January 1995), the Intrepid-class starship Voyager is catapulted to the Delta Quadrant, a hitherto unexplored quadrant of the galaxy. Voyager’s mission (and overall story arc) was simple then: Make it back to Federation space, even though it was 75 years away (spoiler: it didn’t take that long).

During its seven seasons and 172 episodes, Voyager introduced new species, like the Hirogen and the bane of the Borg, Species 8472. It explored emotional and ethical quandaries, such as hologram sentience and reformed drone Seven of Nine’s dating life, and along the way had fun with rogue Klingons and Q. It was a somewhat uneven show and didn’t fully hit its stride until season four, but it still provided plenty of memorable moments.

Although Voyager never quite reached the heights of cast alchemy and narrative depth of its immediate forebear, the iconic The Next Generation, it broke new ground. Most significantly perhaps, it centered, for the first time, on a woman captain – one who commanded with utmost confidence, inspiring the love and loyalty of her crew, helping to pave the way for the gender-breaking 2017 series Discovery. And, it also included some very fine writing, as this list demonstrates (note: spoilers for individual episodes and the series follow, and two-parters will count as one episode for the purposes of this list).

If you want to relive Voyager's best episodes, then check out our Star Trek streaming guide to find out where you can watch the show online. Or if you’re a just big fan of all things Star Trek then check out our list of Star Trek movies, ranked worst to best ,

Now, let's count down our top ten best Star trek Voyager episodes, starting with...

10. Distant Origin

Distant Origin_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Pictures

Season 3, episode 23
Original air date: April 30, 1997

As Voyager was set in a distant part of the galaxy, 70,000 light years away from home, the series was always a touch more whimsical than The Next Generation (TNG) or Deep Space Nine (DS9). In this episode, Voyager, one of the jewels of Starfleet, more than meets its match in a race known as the Voth, when the entire ship is transported inside a massive Voth vessel.

It turns out the Voth might’ve evolved from Earth’s dinosaurs aeons ago in this tale about the importance of scientific curiosity and open-mindedness. “Eyes open” is the memorable line uttered by the trailblazing Voth paleontologist as he tries to prove humans and Voth once shared the same origin.

9. Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Pictures

Season 6, episode 20
Original air date: March 15, 2000

Recalling the The Next Generation episode Lower Decks, Good Shepherd gives viewers the chance to see Voyager from a different perspective – not of the captain and her officers, but from much lowlier crewmen. Focusing on a Bajoran who has trouble with her sums, a hypochondriac, and a misanthropic physicist, Captain Janeway decides to take these three on an away mission, to steer these lost sheep back on course.

It’s a fine episode that shows Voyager as the hierarchical starship it always was, and the importance of its many crewmen that help it to remain running. Fun fact: Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello appears in this episode as Crewman Mitchell.

8. Nightingale

Nightingale_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Television

Season 7, episode 8
Original air date: November 22, 2000

The “lowest ranked officer” Ensign Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) finally gets his chance to shine as he asks Captain Janeway to give him his first command mission. This episode was an efficient education in the finer points of leadership, as the junior officer took command of an alien ship, revealing the Captain and First Officer’s jobs were harder than they looked.

Watch as Ensign Kim undermines the confidence of his new crew and overemphasizes the importance of routine checks, among other lessons in what not to do as a leader.

7. Human Error

Human Error_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Television

Season 7, episode 17
Original air date: March 7, 2001

Human Error finds Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) trying to outgrow her Borg limitations in a bid to become more human. It’s romantic, amusing, awkward, emotionally expansive, and yet oddly claustrophobic. As Seven navigates various social activities such as a baby shower, small talk, and, most poignant of all, dating, this episode unpicks obsession, perfectionism, and Seven’s sensitive interior, which belie her inscrutable drone façade.

With some fine performances by Ryan and Picardo as The Doctor (who is secretly in love with Seven), this episode is slightly flawed, yet more ambitious, and more attuned to human moods than much of Voyager’s oeuvre.

Meld_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Television

Season 2, episode 16
Original air date: February 5, 1996

“You live on the edge of every moment, and yet, in its own way, violence is attractive, too. Maybe because it doesn’t require logic. Perhaps that’s why it’s so liberating” – Suder’s chilling words to Tuvok.

The early seasons of Voyager were patchy as the crew took time to establish chemistry, while antagonists such as the Kazon were uninspiring. But in season two, we were treated to an episode of high drama that didn’t rely on alien battles. Instead, it came via an onboard murder. The resident Vulcan and Chief Security Officer, Tuvok (Tim Russ), is charged with solving the case. Attempting to establish motive, the logical Tuvok is baffled when the murderer, the crewman Suder, replies that he committed the crime for “no reason”. Tuvok mind melds with Suder in order to better understand him.

Needless to say, Tuvok experiences adverse effects from the meld in this study of extreme violence, and grapples with the ethics of appropriate punishment. Anchored by a charismatic performance by Brad Dourif, as the sociopath, Suder even gets a chance at redemption, returning in the two-parter Basics (season 2, episode 26), when he helps to retake the ship from the Kazon.

Equinox_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Television

Season 5, episode 25 & season 6, episode 1
Original air date: May 26, 1999 & September 22, 1999

This season five finale has a grittiness and darkness that later series Enterprise and Discovery would utilise more. Encountering another Starfleet vessel in the Delta Quadrant, Captain Janeway goes to the aid of the U.S.S. Equinox. A much smaller and less powerful vessel, the Equinox is a Nova-class starship not designed for long-range missions.

So, how have they managed to survive this long? In this tense and dramatic two-parter, Janeway is pitted against fellow Starfleet officers and turns vengeful as she discovers the horrifying truth about the Equinox's betrayal of Star Fleet's principles and the Prime Directive.

4. Blink of an Eye

Blink of an Eye_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Television

Season 6, episode 12
Original air date: January 19, 2000

The U.S.S. Voyager investigates a world that rotates 58 times a second, with time passing much more quickly on its surface than in space, but gets trapped as it is caught by the planet’s orbit. Meanwhile, the primitive natives on the surface see a new star in the sky, which happens to be Voyager.

In this enjoyable episode, the crew of the ship, and we the audience, get to see the evolution of a world and its inhabitants before our very eyes. Featuring a pre-Lost Daniel Dae Kim as an alien, Blink of an Eye has a charm and sweetness that is magically expressed in the episode’s final moments.

Endgame_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Television

Season 7, episode 24
Original air date: May 23, 2001

When Voyager’s finale aired, it was met with mixed audience reactions, with a consensus that it wrapped things up a little too neatly. While that criticism is not invalid, in retrospect Endgame was more of a treat than a sour note. After all, over its 86-minute runtime the two-parter finally gave its characters a little more room to breathe. This generosity extended to include the return of the wonderful Alice Krige as the Borg Queen, who first appeared in the role in the Star Trek: First Contact movie.

Involving a Borg showdown, among other delights, Endgame treated us to the sights of a Voyager crew in old age, as we learn of the crew’s destinies, the wonders of even more futuristic technology, and a white-haired Janeway coming to terms with how stubborn her younger self could be.

2. Year of Hell

Year of Hell_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Television

Season 4, episode 8 & 9
Original air date: November 5, 1997 & November 12, 1997

This two-parter is among the darkest and grittiest Star Trek has ever gotten. This was Voyager in distress and Captain Janeway at her most grim. Voyager gets embroiled in an interspecies conflict, but finds itself drawn into a more personal story. Kurtwood Smith delivers an authoritative performance as the villain Annorax – a brooding figure who commands a temporal weapon ship capable of erasing objects and civilizations from the timeline.

Year of Hell had an epic quality, a sense of awe and real peril as it was difficult to imagine Voyager surviving through the onslaught. Full of memorable imagery – from Janeway as a gung-ho militaristic figure to a devastated ship with holes in its hull – this was Voyager at its most hellish.

1. Timeless

Timeless_Star Trek Voyager_Paramount Television

Season 5, episode 6
Original air date: November 18, 1998

A mini-masterpiece. For Voyager’s 100th episode the show’s producers and writers Brannon Braga, Rick Berman, and Joe Menosky created something special. With Levar Burton (of Geordi La Forge and The Next Generation fame) as director, Timeless had the majesty of a movie. The 45-minute run-time included the extraordinary image of Voyager encased in ice and a plot that was as satisfying as it was compelling (as well a cameo from Burton as a Starfleet captain).

What was even more surprising was Garrett Wang playing an older, grizzled Harry Kim, in probably his standout performance, for a story that was full of pathos and regret. Can the older Kim send a message back through time to correct a huge mistake and avoid the deaths of his crewmates? Timeless really does have a timeless quality to it, since it’s the finest episode of Voyager ever produced.

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Lu-Hai Liang is a British Chinese writer and reporter. He has a degree in multimedia journalism and has written about culture for The Atlantic, BBC, CNN, Eurogamer, IGN, and Wired among others. He was based previously in Beijing for six years and reported on China’s changing society and development in business and technology. Generally, he likes sci-fi, video games, and space.

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The Ballad of Lon Suder | Star Trek Tackles Mental Illness

The one-off Star Trek: Voyager character's appearance gave this fan a someone they could relate to.

StarTrek.com

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of mental and/or behavioral disorders and violent ideations to follow .

One of the hardest things a Vulcan might ever cope with is emotions. They are conditioned to suppress their feelings so that they can focus on the logic of every scenario.

As one Star Trek: Voyager character aptly said to Commander Tuvok, “It must be difficult for you, knowing violence as I know it.”

That character was Lon Suder , a Betazoid Maquis who eagerly helped the human-led rebellion eliminate Cardassians. However, Suder had a secret — he wasn’t there to free anyone. He joined the Maquis because he had a brain imbalance that cut off his empathic abilities and gave him violent, difficult-to-control impulses. All his life, he tried to self-medicate with hologram programs and synaptic therapy, but none of them worked. With no one to help him, he settled on joining the Maquis, where his violence could be an acceptable tool.

Once he joined Voyager , though, where things were back to Starfleet regulations, Suder struggled to keep his impulses in check. He suppressed them for an entire year and a half before he broke and, in the episode “ Meld ,” ended up killing a fellow shipmate. Suder, Tuvok, and the Voyager crew spent the rest of the episode coping with the repercussions.

And he is the character I identify most with in all of Star Trek .

Episode Preview: Meld

Suder’s diagnosis was always left vague. Though Suder’s actor, Brad Dourif, described his condition as sociopathy (which from this point on, I will be describing as the more professionally defined Antisocial Personality Disorder , ASPD), I believe the situation is a little more complex. Instead of ASPD, I’ve always read Suder as living with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood swing episodes that range from depressive lows to manic highs. The disorder is further complicated by intrusive thoughts and impulses that feed the depression and mania. This disorder affects approximately 2.3 million Americans (1% of the population) and usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood.

The Doctor and Tuvok consider the case in Sickbay on Star Trek: Voyager

While the Doctor and Tuvok never clearly define what Suder has in the episode, and even deliberately say he doesn’t have bipolar disorder, there is a lot of evidence to the contrary. The oscillating impulses, his disregard for his own life, and the clear unfathomable depths of his rage speak to something different.

Because, despite Suder describing a lack of emotion and the writers implying ASPD, he does feel remorse and rage and self-hatred. People with ASPD are described as manipulative, callous, risk-taking, and charming. Suder was a man who hid away, kept to himself, all in an attempt to stave off his own impulses. He did not have a grandiose self-worth, criminal versatility, poor behavioral control, or a failure to accept responsibility. Many of ASPD’s most important indicators don’t exist in Suder. All he had was a self-described lack of empathy. Furthermore, he took complete responsibility for himself and wanted to rid the world of a “monster” just as much as they did.

A sitting Suder is questioned by a standing Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager

Now, let’s apply his behaviors to bipolar disorder. Much like bipolar disorder symptoms, Suder was bombarded by complex moods and impulses. For example, he liked to bury his feelings and insist they didn’t exist, but when he killed the other ensign, he said at first it was “just because he didn’t like how he looked at him.” But as Tuvok pried, Suder got slightly more agitated and upset, clearly trying to keep those parts of him he didn’t like at bay. He eventually admitted the ensign looked at him like everyone else does, like he is a monster. And Suder himself agreed with that assessment. He was a monster, and he was more than willing to die for his crimes.

That’s not a self-important, manipulative man who doesn’t care about others. That’s someone who thinks he’s the scum of the earth and everyone would be better off without him; he was just trying to hold it in. And now he doesn’t feel like he has any right to keep trying anymore.

While this is a fictional character, I do think there is a serious case for Suder having more in common with bipolar disorder than ASPD. But, either way, he was a rare case of representation on screen for any severe mental disorder, and the way the show approached Suder’s illness matters more than the average person will ever know.

While Lon Suder is an extreme, uniquely violent example (which can be problematic in itself), the way that Voyager treated Suder was also uniquely humanizing. At first, Tuvok felt the captain’s choice of confining Suder to his quarters was too kind. But, in his efforts to support her decision, he melded with Suder and got a real taste of who he was. He felt the anger, the seething, incessant thoughts, and the self-loathing.

The episode proved how oppressive Suder’s disorder was by sharing his thoughts and emotions with Tuvok. Even against the most level-headed of minds, those violent impulses and intrusive thoughts were aggressive and unrelenting.

The only thing that shook Tuvok out of it was Suder’s own experienced self-reflection on the disorder in their brains. In one of Voyager ’s most powerful scenes, Suder explained that Tuvok killing him wasn’t really justice. The mental gymnastics going through Tuvok’s mind didn’t change the nature of what he was doing. This violence towards others was a form of self-harm. Tuvok felt like he and Suder were these twisted monsters and he was trying to kill them both.

Tuvok mind melds with Suder on Star Trek: Voyager

It was only when Tuvok gave into that truth of his emotions and stopped fighting that Suder was able to call for help and save them both.

Once he experienced Suder’s suffering and Suder saved his life, Tuvok became his loudest advocate. To Tuvok, Suder went from a hardened criminal on death row to a man trapped in an unbalanced mind that he couldn’t control. Afterwards, The Doctor and Tuvok fought for rehabilitation and management instead of ending Suder’s life.

Tuvok feels intensity while mind melding with Suder on Star Trek: Voyager

With time, the Doctor and Tuvok helped Suder find balance and peace with medication, meditation, and self-soothing hobbies. Suder started growing plants to help the aeroponics bay and was making a lot of therapeutic progress with Tuvok. Tuvok even wanted to give him more freedoms, proving how far he’d come along in roughly less than six months. Getting that kind of support finally gave Suder the agency to become a well-rounded person for the first time in his life. That is, until his untimely death.

Even though Voyager only knew the real Suder for a short time, he grew from a violent, unstable person who couldn’t handle the screaming in his head into someone trying to get healthier and contributing to his community. That doesn’t excuse murder, but it does speak to the person behind the disorder.

While Suder deserved to be saved before it ever came to murder, it was revolutionary for the series to insist upon his worth and his potential even after he did such a horrible thing. That kind of complex narrative isn’t what you normally see for someone who has anything looking like bipolar disorder, or ASPD, especially not in science fiction.

For comparison, in 2019 films, two different bipolar characters killed family members and themselves ( Midsommar , The Goldfinch ) and the vaguely mentally ill Joker murdered multiple people and incited a violent, city-wide anarchy movement. Drama series have gotten better about mental disorders, but sci-fi/horror tend to act like its proof of villainy. And don’t even get me started on how many disabled villains are used in Shyamalan films .

Suder looks up while sitting in front of his plants on Star Trek: Voyager

That hard truth makes Voyager ’s portrayal all the more impressive. Let’s say it plainly — Not only did the series not turn Suder into a cheap and easy monster, but they also showed how overwhelming the effects of his disorder can be. And they did it brilliantly, by loaning it to a well-understood, well-balanced, beloved character. Though his death was premature, Voyager ended his story by letting Suder improve and become a savior. Voyager went above and beyond to prove there was a person underneath the unchecked darkness that plagued him. That the illness was a chemical imbalance, a bundle of neurons, and not a personal, damning flaw of Suder’s own fault.

After all, the episode does imply that if Suder hadn’t been afraid to get help, and had been helped, he might have never hurt anyone.

Suder sits in the Brig with one leg bent on Star Trek: Voyager

Now, Lon Suder is still a bit of a problematic figure. Voyager did take his disorder and experiences to the extremes, turning an unbalanced man into a murderer. And they also, though several episodes later, still managed to turn him into a martyr. Neither of those things are redeemable. People with intense psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder deserve stories where they don’t have to be a criminal or a killer to be noticed. After all, only a rate of roughly 8.4% of patients with bipolar disorder have committed a violent crime after diagnosis. That means, going by that statistic and the number of bipolar people in America, over 2 million members of the community have never had a history of violence. Even then, most all of those committing crimes were ones who struggled with the disorder and substance abuse. And yet, even though the vast majority of bipolar people don’t commit crimes, it is that loud minority that the greater society has used to damn us.

Lon Suder lives in a rare in-between; a space where he was a criminal and person who needed help and patience. It was something I’ve never seen before. And it was something I absolutely needed, when I watched it as a struggling young adult coping with my own disorders.

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013, when I was 17. And even then, I didn’t get a decent handle on it until I was 22. That same year, I was struggling with my transition from a miraculous college grad, to a lost writer cleaning my house too much because my boyfriend had his life together and I felt like a mess.

Suder sits in the Brig with his hands interlaced on Star Trek: Voyager

I figured binging Voyager while trying to scrub my pain away wouldn't be a bad idea. Star Trek had always been proverbial comfort food for my little nerd heart. I threw it on, got to folding laundry, and didn’t give a second thought to (what I thought was) a typical 50-minute, sci-fi crime story.

I stopped cleaning the second Suder and Tuvok talked for the first time about their meld. Suder said, “It’s like I can observe the violence within me without letting it get too close.” That’s almost exactly what I thought after my first month on stabilizer meds. I put my towels down. All I could do was stare, unblinking, at this man who all of a sudden looked so much like me. The first man on TV I’d ever seen who looked like me. I hadn’t joined a rebellion to sate my impulses, but I tried to run away from home to spare my family my suicidal ideations. I didn’t kill a man, but I did barely sleep for a month and told someone I was willing to die for my writing.

Going in, I thought I didn’t like looking at Suder. But seeing Tuvok glare at him, I saw every face that suddenly saw me as a stranger when I disclosed my disorder. I felt Suder’s words echo against my ribcage — and he was right. I certainly didn’t like the way he looked at me.

“ You’re right; it is disturbing. Never knowing when that impulse may come. Or whether or not you can control it when it does. You live on the edge of every moment ," Suder described, talking about his disorder.

And there I was, on the edge of my couch, and he was right.

By the end of the episode, after seeing his struggle, the person it made him, and the person he wanted to be, I was sobbing, horrified, and relieved all at once. Lon Suder was more violent, more dangerous, but still just a person who needed help with the things in his brain he struggled to control.

That mattered more to me at that moment than any of the rejection letters in my inbox or the projects I wasn’t sure I was getting right. In a fictional, utopian future out there, someone looked like me and Starfleet, the moral arbiters of the galaxy, wanted him to get better.

I only wish they gave him more time to enjoy the stability he always deserved. Many stories like to show the monsters or the inspirational heroes of mental illness. Suder wasn’t that. He wasn’t only pitiful or unforgivable or full of lost potential. In his short time on Voyager , Lon Suder got to be the rarest thing someone with a mental disorder on-screen gets to be — a person.

This article was originally published on November 16, 2020.

Stephanie Roehler (they/she/he) is a freelancer who loves to write about video games, books, movies, TV shows, comics, and especially Star Trek.

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Screen Rant

Tuvok's voyager & star trek history explained.

Tuvok's Starfleet career goes beyond the USS Voyager, and here's his Star Trek timeline from the USS Excelsior to Star Trek: Picard's 25th Century.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 7 - "Dominion" Tuvok (Tim Russ) has an extensive history in the Star Trek universe both before and after Star Trek: Voyager 's timeline. Tuvok was the closest friend and a trusted advisor of Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) during their time navigating the Delta Quadrant aboard the USS Voyager. Janeway's loyalty to Tuvok led her to make the controversial decision to end the life of Tuvix (Tom Wright), the hybridized version of Tuvok and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) created by a transporter malfunction.

Janeway was the second legendary Star Trek captain that Tuvok served under during his Starfleet career, which stretches from the 23rd to the 25th centuries. This time span rivals that of the USS Enterprise's Spock (Leonard Nimoy), who continued to play an integral role in Federation politics after he resigned his Starfleet commission. As revealed in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 7 , Tuvok continues to serve in Starfleet in the 25th century, but has been captured and replaced by a Changeling infiltrator, with his whereabouts currently unknown. Here is Tuvok's Star Trek history, from the early days of his Starfleet career to his capture by the Changelings.

RELATED: Voyager's Tuvok Was Almost TNG's Geordi

Tuvok In Star Trek's 22nd Century

Tuvok's first Starfleet posting was aboard the USS Excelsior, commanded by Captain Hiraku Sulu (George Takei), and the Vulcan was present during the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . Despite being a junior Science Officer, Tuvok strongly objected to Sulu ignoring Starfleet orders to rescue his friends Captain James T Kirk (William Shatner) and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley). In later years, perhaps influenced by his experiences aboard the USS Voyager, Tuvok reflected that he had possibly been wrong to object to Sulu's actions.

After spending three years on the Excelsior, Tuvok had grown tired of interacting with Humans, whom he believed were egocentric and intent on making the universe more like them. As a young Vulcan, Tuvok had been pressured into joining Starfleet by his parents, and he had a negative experience. Tuvok resigned from Starfleet and returned to Vulcan in 2296. For fifty years, he taught archery at the Vulcan Institute for the Defensive Arts, prepared for an aborted attempt to undergo the kolinahr ritual, married T'Pel (Marva Hicks), and became a father to four children.

Tuvok In Star Trek: Voyager

By 2349, raising four children made Tuvok better appreciate the struggles that his own parents had experienced, and he decided the time was right to return to Starfleet. Tuvok felt that he could learn more about Humans and other species by serving as a security officer in Starfleet. He worked his way up the ranks from an Ensign on the USS Wyoming to an instructor at Starfleet Academy. Tuvok's strict adherence to Starfleet security protocols led him to embarrass Kathryn Janeway in front of three Starfleet admirals on their first meeting after she failed to observe the proper protocol.

Despite this, Tuvok and Janeway became friends, and she often looked to him for advice throughout her Starfleet career. Janeway selected Tuvok to be her security officer on the USS Voyager around the same time that he was sent to infiltrate the Maquis terrorist organization. It was during this covert mission that Tuvok and the crew of the Maquis ship, the Val Jean, went missing in the Badlands, requiring Voyager to investigate. This investigation led Voyager to the Delta Quadrant and the eventual merging of the Maquis and Starfleet crews as they set out to return home. Tuvok went further than any Vulcan had ever gone before, continuing the legacy of those historic Vulcans that helped prepare Humanity for space travel.

RELATED: Voyager's Maquis Becoming Starfleet Right Away Was A Mistake

Tuvok played an integral role in turning his former Maquis comrades into Starfleet officers, drawing on his formidable record as an instructor at Starfleet Academy. As Janeway's Chief of Security, Tuvok was often called upon to investigate crimes committed aboard Voyager and consulted on how best to punish the guilty parties given how far away they were from Federation space. One of Star Trek: Voyager 's most interesting characters , Lon Suder (Brad Dourif), was a Betazoid murderer, whom Tuvok attempted to rehabilitate by reconciling his violent tendencies during a mind meld.

Tuvok used a Vulcan mind meld to assist Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) to finally sever her connection from the Borg Collective, and he also attempted to stabilize the increasingly dangerous psychic powers of Kes (Jennifer Lien), to no avail. In the final year of Voyager's journey through the Delta Quadrant, Tuvok was part of Janeway's dangerous mission to implant a pathogen inside the shared mind of the Borg Collective by willingly accepting assimilation alongside Janeway and Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson). Tuvok's experiences as a father also helped him to advise Lieutenant Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) on his own impending fatherhood.

Tuvok In Star Trek: Lower Decks

In the Star Trek: Voyager finale, "Endgame", it was revealed that Tuvok had contracted a degenerative neurological condition that could only be cured by a mind meld with a family member. Stranded in the Delta Quadrant, it was likely that he wouldn't arrive back in the Alpha Quadrant in time. Thankfully, Voyager returned from the Delta Quadrant after seven years, and Tuvok continued his Starfleet career after returning to the Alpha Quadrant.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3 revealed that Starfleet promoted Tuvok after S tar Trek: Voyager . Commander Tuvok assisted with the exoneration of Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) when she was framed for bombing Pakled Planet. It was Tuvok who extracted the information that the holorecording of Freeman's attack had been falsified. Hilariously, and typically for Lower Decks , this heroic tale of espionage involving Tuvok and Captain Morgan Bateson (Kelsey Grammer) took place while the Lower Deckers were busy trying to steal the USS Cerritos to launch their own rescue mission.

Tuvok In Star Trek: Picard Season 3

Captain Tuvok appears in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 7, as Seven reaches out to her former friend for help locating Captain William Riker (Jonathan Frakes). However, there's a heartbreaking twist as it's revealed Tuvok is a Changeling imposter. The Tuvok Changeling taunts Seven and the crew of the USS Titan-A by saying that, while Tuvok is still alive, he'll pray for death once the Changelings' plans for Frontier Day are enacted. It's possible, therefore, that the real Tuvok may appear in the Star Trek: Picard season 3 finale, rescued from the Changelings by Seven.

Tuvok's appearance in Star Trek: Picard season 3 is the second time that the Vulcan has been name-checked in the spinoff series. In Picard season 2's Confederation reality , Tuvok's name appears in an intelligence report that reveals his role in the dark Star Trek timeline. He's listed as a Fleet Commander, and the leader of the Vulcan Defense Forces during the Confederation's war against the Vulcans. Like his Vulcan forebear Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Tuvok continues to have a rich history beyond Star Trek: Voyager in multiple timelines.

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Voyager hit a home run with Lon Suder

S tar Trek: Voyager made a bold decision to create and utilize the Lon Suder character, played marvelously by one of the most fantastic actors of all time; Brad Dourif. Many fans will know him as the voice actor of the famed Chucky character from the Child's Play/Chucky franchise. A role that he's played from its inception in 1988, all the way up until currently with the series on Peacock.

He's also been in the Alien franchise, featuring in the fourth film, Alien Resurrection, as well as the Lord of the Rings franchise. He's also played numerous great one-off characters in television shows for decades. He's an iconic actor, and you've likely seen something he's done.

Yet, to Star Trek fans, Dourif will always be Lon Suder, the psychopath on the U.S.S. Voyager. Originally a member of the Maquis, Suder joins the Voyager crew when the ship arrives in the Delta Quadrant. For nearly a year and a half, Suder reigns in his violent tendencies, but eventually, he ends up murdering another crew member, causing Tuvok to volunteer to mind-meld with Suder in an attempt to help cure him of his urges. It goes badly but it does create a wonderfully unique character and arc that Star Trek really has never explored before or sense.

Suder from that point on, starts to work hard to suppress his urges and desires while remaining loyal to the Voyager crew, despite being on restricted duty and house arrest. He'd eventually become instrumental in saving the crew and helping them re-take the ship after Seska and the Kazon stranded the crew.

In doing so, however, he returns to his violent ways and kills nearly a dozen Kazon soldiers on his own before ultimately being shot down. He would later be remembered fondly by some of the crew, who saw the man he was, and the man he was hoping to be.

Suder remains a complex figure, a murderer redeemed in death, that poses a question; can one truly be forgiven for truly heinous crimes? Voyager stops short of answering that question, and instead let a handful of characters pay their respects to Suder for his act of bravery and loyalty. It remains to this day one of the most compelling three-episode arcs a Trek character has ever had.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as Star Trek: Voyager hit a home run with Lon Suder .

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Star Trek: Voyager

“Meld”

Air date: 2/5/1996 Teleplay by Michael Piller Story by Michael Sussman Directed by Cliff Bole

Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan

"Do you know what a mind meld is?" "It's...that Vulcan thing where you grab someone's head." — Tuvok and Suder

Review Text

Nutshell: It's the inevitable "Tuvok gets emotions" episode, and it has a surprising amount of depth and a wonderful guest character.

When a crew member is murdered, Tuvok finds himself in over his head in an argument of logic versus emotion as he discovers the perpetrator has no motive or remorse—only the simple explanation that the arbitrary killing was the only option available in his mind. In a search for answers, Tuvok mind melds with the killer, only to cause his own dark side to emerge.

Well, I knew it had to happen eventually: the "Tuvok exhibits emotions" show. Face it—it's something that Tim Russ and the writers have probably been looking forward to since the onset of the series. After all, TOS had its fair share of "Spock exhibits emotions" episodes. And weren't they always something we enjoyed seeing? I'm surprised Voyager went an entire year before finally breaking down and giving this to us.

Whether you see Tuvok losing control of his emotions as completely gratuitous or not, "Meld" is an effective bottle show, featuring an admirable performance by Tim Russ and a reasonably compelling story, courtesy of resident cerebral scripter Michael Piller, from a story by Michael Sussman.

The plot centers around Tuvok's attempts to dissect the circumstances surrounding an unprovoked murder performed by Crewman Suder (Brad Dourif): a quiet, disturbed Betazoid from Chakotay's Maquis crew with a history of repressed violence and antisocial behavior.

If not stranded in the Delta Quadrant, Suder would probably be a case study. He's quiet and soft-spoken, and one day out of the blue he beats a man to death simply because he didn't like the way the man looked at him. After the killing, he covers it up and doesn't give it another thought. However, he doesn't cover his tracks well enough, and when the body is discovered, it takes Tuvok very little time to piece the clues together and arrest him.

But this murder puzzles Tuvok's logic to no end. Suder fully admits to the deed once he realizes he isn't going to get away with it. He does not, however, have any feelings of the matter, nor does he have a reason for what he did. Tuvok is not willing to leave it at this. He's curiously troubled, and wants to understand why someone would do something like this for no apparent reason.

In essence, "Meld" asks: Why does a killer kill? If for no other tangible reason, what does a person seek to gain by murdering? It's a fascinating question, I'll have to admit—and serial killer analysis is something not very often seen on Star Trek . "Meld" does a respectable job of bringing up this issue and exploring it through the Suder character, and Tuvok's frustrated perplexity over this cold-blooded killer is both an interesting and appropriate idea. Cliff Bole's direction is very good, featuring some use of shadows that accentuate the dark mood in scenes between Tuvok and Suder.

The results of Tuvok's mind meld with Suder proves entertaining and effective, even if not completely justified. While I don't quite understand why a mind meld would have such a profound effect on a Vulcan (Tuvok's virtually instantaneous transformation from his usual self into a person with even less control than Suder remains a little bit hazy to me), I do like the manner in which the episode shows Tuvok's inability to cope with the experience.

First of all (and, personally, my favorite scene), there's the holographic simulation where Tuvok strangles Neelix to death. It's simultaneously unexpected, disturbing, and hilarious in a macabre kind of way. (Haven't we all wanted to strangle Neelix on occasion when he gets annoying?)

Then there's the scene where Tuvok goes to see Suder, only to find Suder is suddenly less at the mercy of emotional impulses than he is. Here Tuvok is the victim of a classic irony: The lunatic begins appearing more sane than the psychologist.

There's also a very well-played scene where Janeway goes to Tuvok's self-destroyed quarters to find out why her security officer has isolated himself from the ship. (Naturally, it's for everybody else's protection.) Tuvok sits quietly in the corner of his room, covered in sweat, looking like a proximity bomb that could go off with the slightest provocation. Tuvok's unforgettable line, "Captain, please do not come any closer," is said and then repeated with such a calm, unemotional urgency that Janeway seems almost foolish (or really bold) to take the one more step to get within conversational distance.

Then, of course, there's the culmination in sickbay, where the Doctor puts Tuvok behind a force field and subjects him to some "therapy" to reverse the effects of the mind meld. This therapy involves temporarily disabling the part of Tuvok's brain responsible for inhibiting his emotions. The result is basically a "Tuvok uncensored," who condescends to everybody and treats Janeway with surprising disrespect. Sure, this therapy angle is no more than an excuse to give Tuvok emotions for a while, but the ends justify the means. Here Russ delivers the goods with a sense of lunacy but without going completely over-the-top, playing Tuvok as an angry, intelligent person who isn't afraid to tell everybody else what's on his mind—no matter what they're likely to think of what he says.

The episode's finale features Tuvok's choice of whether or not to use uncondoned vigilante justice on Suder for his crime. Suder turns out to be a surprisingly dimensional character, brought to life with Dourig's compelling presence. He really sounds like a guy speaking from experience on violent impulses; he understands Tuvok's dilemma, and knows that the demons within will not be silenced by just one murder.

This is somewhat highbrow storytelling. "Meld" has a number of effective subtexts in the issues of violence and antisocial behavior. There's also the relevant question of what to do with a murderer among the crew (although a polemical statement concerning capital punishment seems preachy and is introduced without the necessary depth). Giving Tuvok emotions was the easy, superficial part. But "Meld" also has the shining moments of depth.

Personally, I think that incarcerating Suder in his quarters for what he did is a fairly adequate punishment. He'd be a man isolated with no purpose. I doubt there's much more you can take away from a person.

By the way (I almost forgot), "Meld" also has a completely pedestrian B-story involving Paris running a gambling pool using replicator rations. This is the show's most notable weakness—just forgettable filler that sits there and shrugs. Chakotay shutting down the pool and putting Paris on report has an unfortunate "who cares" effect. Let's not dwell on it, though. The show more than makes up for it.

Previous episode: Threshold Next episode: Dreadnought

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Comment Section

94 comments on this post.

Tuvok killing Neelix was the best moment in Voyager up to this point.

David Forrest

I enjoyed this episode and enjoyed your review. I agree with a majority of it in that I liked how they solved the murder fairly quickly and then it "Why did he do it?" I thought it was fascinating to see on Star Trek, that Suder killed just "because he looked at him the wrong way". Brad Dourif was excellent as the guest star and it was defintely an enjoyable hour. As for the filler B-part, I do like how the writers were attempting to set the stage for Paris's "leaving the ship".

Anthony2816

"Tuvok killing Neelix was the best moment in Voyager up to this point." The only way it could have been better would be if it hadn't been a simulation.

Maybe I'm missing something, but how did the holographic characters have replicator credits to bet with in the first place?

The sad part is, this story gets reused as "Random Thoughts". Still, at least Tuvok gets to stand in the limelight for once, shame it was one of the last times.

I have mixed feelings about the episode. It's great to see Tuvok go through all of these changes and get emotional. It really adds a lot to his character. Tim Russ does a really great job throughout the whole episode. The "death" of Neelix is an exceptional scene, because I think many of the audience members want to see Neelix dead. Maybe it's our own violent impulses that the story is trying to tell us about that are being confirmed within us through this scene ;) On the other hand, I just found myself not caring about the plot. Who is this unknown Maquis that's been on the ship for the last 1.5 years? He's just a convenient crew member to use a plot device. I've never seen him, even in the background. Beyond that, this Maquis murdered someone, we found out who did it, and it was all wrapped up fairly quickly. Beyond that, the plot is fairly uninteresting. There's no really interesting climax here. We know Tuvok is going to be reset. So he didn't give in to the violence... big deal? It didn't do anything for me. It's also disappointing to watch an episode with some promise only to have a lack-luster ending. And in this case, the premise of the story is not believable either - due to the convenient guest star we've never seen before (who I think members of the crew would have noticed or talked about in 1.5 years of traveling in space). Ultimately, bad beginnings and bad endings make bad episodes.

I saw this for the second time yesterday and I think it's an amazing episode- probably the best work Voyager has done to date. It's not just a decent episode, it's actually a very deep study into violence and justice, where they come from, how they are inter-related. Amazing work from Dourif, Russ and Mulgrew, and it all ties together in a very interesting, intelligent way. Regarding Ken's comment, it seemed that Suder worked on a different shift, so it's certainly possible we'd not have seen him in the 11 months the ship has been in the DQ.

I suppose he could work on a different shift, but that's rationalizing things. There were still many times B'Elanna would work throughout the night or on different shifts and we would not see him. It's really not as if we haven't seen different shifts on this show - we have.

Carbetarian

@Ken I think you're nitpicking a little too hard here. I believe it was established in the 37s that Voyager has a crew of 150. Realistically speaking, we aren't going to see all of them. That Voyager would seem to go on to have a crew closer to 1,000 and about 50 shuttle crafts to burn by the end of the show's run though is, for me, a more pertinent matter to nitpick about. Feel free to tear that one apart as much as you want. Anyway, third me in for praising the scene where Neelix gets throttled! Every episode should have a scene like that. In fact, Neelix should have been like Kenny on South Park. Every week he dies a new death! They could have had some scenes like this: *Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok stand in cargo bay 2* Janeyway: What are we going to do about this wacky spatial anomaly that's threatening our ship this week? Chakotay: Well, I was thinking we just kind of do whatever we did the first 50 times this happened. Tuvok: Logic dictates that we should consider not flying into spatial anomalies all together in the future. How about that? Amiright? *enter Neelix* Neelix: Well hello there Captain, Chuckles, Mr. Vulcan! I brought you all some leftover pieces of my Jabalian Omelets from breakfast! Can't think without sustenance after all- Chakotay: Captain, Tuvok - QUICK, GRAB HOLD OF SOMETHING STRONG! *Cargo bay door opens, Neelix is sucked out into space* Chakotay: WHOOPS! My finger must have slipped... Or how about this... *Janeway, the doctor, Neelix and Kes are all in sickbay* The doctor: I've been working on a new cortical supplement that would vastly improve the crew's brain power. Janeway: That's great! How does it work? Kes: I've convinced Neelix to be our first test subject. Neelix: Anything for you, my sweet. The Doctor: Yes, and as Neelix is the dumbest person currently on board the ship, he also stands the most to gain by this working. Janeway: Agreed. Let's try it. *the doctor injects Neelix in his temples, Neelix immediately drops dead* The Doctor: Oh well, needs work. *end scene* Anyway, in all seriousness, this was a good episode. Three stars from me too!

@carbetarian I've never laughed so hard in so long! That was heck of funny. All star trek should at least do 1 comedic episode per season. Your suggestionwould work if they do it using a Frame Story/metanarrative strategy.

This is the kind of story that was just begging to be told. The character of Tuvok has some interesting built-in contradictions. He is Vulcan - born and bred to prefer non-violent solutions, yet he is Voyager's Security/Tactical officer. Quite often violence is his job - applied logically, of course. Unfortunately, this is one of the only times they really explore how much it takes for a Vulcan to suppress their inherent violent tendencies. The psychological study of a serial killer is the perfect outlet for that exploration. I give this episode 3 & 1/2 stars.

The violence in Vulcans and their suppression of it for the sake of having civilization is a metaphor for the superego's suppression (repression) of the id in human psychology. Freud shed light on this long ago. The Klingon is pure id, but the superego comes out in his concern for honour - another metaphor for the human condition. I thought this was one of the best episodes insofar as it explored violence and the battle for good and evil within all of us. It was nothing short of brilliant, in fact. Suder's commentary was very incisive: the idea that once acted on, violence takes over -- very true. Violence is at the heart of our society in many ways (structural violence against animals, war, prejudice), but the inclination to good is also present in us -- an eternal battle within, reflected in our laws and customs and traditions. All of us are capable of murder but few act on it because of laws, and because of "the moral law within" that tells us it is wrong. This question was explored through Tuvok's plight, which was exacerbated by the isolation of Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, far from Starfleet's justice system.

Ditto, Paul. The discussion of the irony of capital punishment being an act of vengeance was worth the lukewarm B story. And Dourif is a great actor who's been underused since his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. No background extra could have pulled that off.

LOL @ Carbetarian *Neelix walks into Tom Paris' darkened holodeck bar* Neelix: Tom? Harry? Is anyone here? Entire Crew: (jumping out from hiding places) Surprise! Neelix: (surprised and smiling) Hey! Well! *Entire crew screams, runs forward, and beats Neelix with various blunt objects until he is a bloody pile of unrecognizable flesh* Chakotay: WHOOPS!

Tuvok really seems to be a poor excuse for a Vulcan compared to the few others seen. But his being unsure about the motive for murder actually resembles part of the story from TOS "Journey To Babel." Spock also is confused by seeming random acts of murder until the Andorian ambassador says quite simply "Forget logic and concentarte on motivations of passion or gain, THOSE are reasons for murder..."

ProgHead777

"Tuvok really seems to be a poor excuse for a Vulcan compared to the few others seen." Shut yo mouth, son! Tim Russ' depiction of Tuvok is, in my opinion, the second best rendition of the Vulcan archetype after Leonard Nimoy himself. Voyager was surely a severely flawed series in many ways, but I've never heard anyone accuse Tim Russ' Tuvok as one of the major contributing factors. Until now.

I fully agree with ProgHead... I think that other than Nimoy, Russ is THE Vulcan. He perfectly conveys the ancient struggle that Vulcans endure to supress their emotion, but unlike T'Pol, does it with humor, irony, wit, mystery. For me he saved the Vulcans from the savaging they got in later trek series.

>I fully agree with ProgHead... I think that other >than Nimoy, Russ is THE Vulcan. While I agree that Russ' performance was fantastic, I've truthfully always viewed Tuvok as an outcast, where Vulcans are concerned. We pretty much find that out in "Gravity." Tuvok, vocationally and temperamentally speaking, is a warrior, in a society which completely abhors violence. Granted, Spock and several other Vulcans went through a certain amount of self-deception where their own emotions were concerned, but I never saw any of them express anywhere near the degree of internal conflict that Tuvok does. He *hates* being Vulcan, if he would only be honest with himself; it makes him miserable. If he hadn't been married, then after Voyager got home, part of me would have advocated having Janeway recommend to him, that he move to Romulus. I think he would have been *much* happier as one of them.

I'm sure I saw this one when it was first run but only now, seeing it again after the release of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, do I appreciate just how fortunately Voyager was to have Brad Dourif guest star. For me, "Wormtongue" steals the show away from Tim Russ and, in another "Voyager First", I might even suggest that Suder poisons Tuvok much like Wormtongue poisons Theoden. Coincidence?

I was blown away by this episode. Cerebral and highrow indeed--more, please! Are Piller's other episodes commensurate with this one?

@SlackerInc Piller was definitely an asset to the franchise and was responsible for "Best of Both Worlds", without which, both DS9 and Voyager (and late TNG, for better or worse) would be unrecognisable. That said, he definitely had his slump episodes on all three series for which he wrote : "Rascals", "If Wishes Were Horses" and "Ex Post Facto" all come to mind. He also did great work (besides BoBW) for those three series including "Yesterday's Enterprise", "First Contact" (the episodes), "Whispers", "Death Wish" and "Meld", which you mentioned.

They should have kept Dourif around for longer, in a recurring role. He was awesome as Suder. Shame they killed him off in 'Basics Part 2'

Is it just me or is Tuvok ALWAYS frowning and angry, in EVERY episode? He seems to be perpetually "ticked off".

HolographicAndrew

Totally agree with this positive review. The scene with tuvok going out of control on Janeway blew me away. This has to be one of the best episodes up to this point in the series, not to mention one of the best vulcan centered episodes.

Absolutely intriguing and probing episode that utilizes the two characters inner struggles with violent tendencies in a conceptually brilliant way. The interplay between Suder and Tuvok where they slowly "mirror" each other is nothing short of fantastic. Questions of rehabilitation versus punishment; vengeance versus justice; when it comes to the individual is it truly black and white in every case? Or is it another gray area like most things in life? Philosophically speaking, this is one of the most unique episodes of Star Trek as it's presented here. A lot of credit to the writers is due. I really can't see any fault with this one. Some very meaty dialogue in many scenes, great directing, standout performances, and an attention-grabbing premise. I disagree with Jammers nitpick about the ease of which Tuvok's mental disciplines were shattered. Suder is a Betazoid. There was a comment above on how the episode fails because there's crew members involved that have never appeared on screen. Really? There's over 150 people on the ship at this point. All with varying shifts in their respective departments. I guess you would have to discount a lot of other ST episodes that involve crew members you've never seen. I make it a habit to not say anything on older comments, but I found this particular one rather...silly. No offense. The B story for me is a non-issue. It simply is what it is and there's not enough of it to interfere, for better or worse, with the main plot. This is one of my favorite episodes of Voyager and is also the first one to hit it out of the ballpark. Not phenomenal but extremely well done. Kudos. 4 stars.

"Haven't we all wanted to strangle Neelix on occasion when he gets annoying?" Did you ever see the episode where they almost get off the island but Gilligan screws it up?

i really like this one. one of the best voyager episodes... I wish they had kept the guest character longer. having a serial killer psycho type locked up in one of the rooms of voyager is actually kinda cool. Remember when Neelix tell the Borg kids the story of the nebula alien in the cargo bay. Can you imagine how scary it would be for the borg kids and naomi wildman growing up in the ship and knowing that there is a killer in room 237. They totally needed an episode where the kids dared each other to walk by and touch the locked door to Suder's room.

Oh, good old Trek... forcing its anti-death penalty propaganda on an episode.

Although I really enjoyed Russ' acting and script while not having emotions. That was well done and at least the writers didn't make the Vulcan culture conform to trendy liberalism.

BEst line of the episode: "TUVOK: It would be safer for the crew if I were to remain in these quarters. I remind you, I am trained in the martial arts of many Alpha quadrant cultures. Sitting here, attempting to meditate, I have counted the number of ways I know of killing someone using just a finger, a hand, a foot. I had reached ninety four when you entered." I'm reading ahead while rewatching Voyager. I'll be back in a couple weeks with my cut.

Easy 4 star episode here. Not sure how Jammer can knock it down to 3. Outstanding performances all around! Interesting thought... didn't Janeway rule in favor of Q (Quinn) in 'Death Wish' - knowing full well what his intentions were if he was granted asylum away from the Q Continuum? ...but no "execution" for our mentally unstable Betazoid huh? ... even if he desires it with a sound mind? Interesting. I just love this episode. Tuvok just can't come to grips with a murder with no motive, well a motive that is acceptable to him... Brad Dourif was phenomenal here, as he was in many other sci-fi bit parts. Bravo! He plays an outstanding mental case. (see the character "Brother Edward" in BAB5) Just watched this last night and loved it as much as the first time I saw it. I remember the first time I saw it I actually thought Tuvok schwacked Neelix :-) That scene made he think of Data choking out the Borg drone. Then Janeway forgiving her friend and fellow officer at the end was classic. "TUVOK: Captain, I must apologize for my inappropriate behavior. JANEWAY: I'm just glad we have you back, Mister Tuvok. TUVOK: I was most insulting to you. JANEWAY: Don't worry about it. I've been insulted before. TUVOK: I hope you understand that I have always had the greatest respect for you as a Captain, and consider you a friend. JANEWAY: That means a great deal to me. Enough said. Get some rest. Tuvok. No more mind melds without my permission. Understood?" Especially Betazoids :-) Again, easy 4 star episode for me.

FromHolland

One of the best Voyager episodes.

I don't understand why Tim Russ was so underutilized on the show. I thought he and Robert Picardo were the standouts. Picardo at least got the recognition he deserved but Russ seems to remain an unsung hero. His portrayal of a Vulcan was easily on par with Leonard Nimoy but with a bit more logic applied to his judgements (tho to be honest Spock was half human). He also remained the most consistent on the show from start to finish. Sometimes in season 7 everyone seemed to just go thru the motions (the aforementioned two being the exception, as well as Jeri Ryan). And whenever he was actually given screen time he easily stole the scenes he was in. I felt he actually had more presence than even Avery Brooks, and that's saying a lot. He would have been a fine addition to the Next Gen crew. At least the doctor got a little screen time with Enterprise.

^^ Couldn't agree more! ^^

45 RPM, Tim Russ can act circles around Avery Brooks.

LOL @ DLPB! "Trendy liberalism?" You're kidding, right? The original series was probably the most liberal show on TV back in the 60s. If one is gonna watch Trek, one is gonna see liberalism. I don't know how any conservative can watch any Trek episode what with all the “trendy liberalism” of women doing man work, non-whites in positions of leadership, and trying to reason with one's enemies before attacking them with armies. “Trendy liberalism.” Now that is funny. Anywho, I didn't comment on this before, but watching this episode again made me realize that there is no way in hell that the question of why a person seems to kill for no reason wouldn't have been asked and dealt with by the universe long before Voyager got sucked into the delta quad. Vulcans have been around a long time and would have mind-melded with psychopaths long before this. Even today, we know that people who seem to kill for no reason have some kind of psycho/emotional/social brain problem that gives them more violent impulses than normal, difficulty controlling those impulses, and, in some cases, a lack of ability to feel bad about their violent acts. Our only questions now are how does a person get that way (nature or nurture or both), and can we repair it and/or stop it from happening? I still like the episode a lot, but it does seem unreasonable that any of this would happen at this point in history.

@ Lt. Yarko - "I don't know how any conservative can watch any Trek episode what with all the “trendy liberalism” of women doing man work, non-whites in positions of leadership, and trying to reason with one's enemies before attacking them with armies." It might be because conservatives don't actually have a problem with those things. They did, after all, nominate a woman as their vice-presidential candidate back in 2008 (like her or not, she was, after all, a woman). They also currently have 22 women in the U.S. House of Representatives and 6 in the Senate (how could they have been elected if conservatives don't like women doing "man work"?). Also, the current crop of Republican presidential candidates contains people like Ben Carson (a black man), Ted Cruz (a man with Hispanic ancestry), Carly Fiorina (a woman), Marco Rubio (a Hispanic man) and Bobby Jindal (a man with Indian ancestry). Jeb Bush is married to a Hispanic woman. For a while the numbers 2 and 3 candidates were Carson and Fiorina. As of now it looks like the numbers 2 and 3 are Cruz and Rubio. But, apparently, that all proves that conservatives hate having "non-whites [or women] in positions of leadership"? Also, correct me if I'm wrong here, but I seem to remember not too very long ago Obama wanting to attack Syria in order to topple the Assad government and the opposition that forced him not to came from the right, most notably from Rand Paul. What I don't know is how anybody can be a fan of Star Trek with it's overarching message of tolerance and understanding and be unwilling to offer it to people on the other side of the political spectrum.

Not getting into this political discussion but yes 50 years ago in the climate that bred TOS those were things that would have made conservatives of the time uneasy. Do conservatives of today oppress women and practice racism? That's a really, really complicated question that would be horrible to answer and even if you did it would pretend that there is only one kind of conservative. But back then? Before I was born? Ya, Uhura was a very liberal creation.

@Luke - I just really wanted to point out that Yarko was talking about TOS in the 60s being liberal for having those things and you're talking about Republicans in 2008/2015... which is post Berman Trek... Let alone TOS. I just don't want to give the impression of disagreeing with you because I don't. My philosophy is that there is room for all philosophies on this station. IDIC and all that good stuff. If anything conservative Trek fans must be relatively open minded... a lot of it does lean left. It takes a open minded person to be able to enjoy entertainment that doesn't align with them.

Diamond Dave

A strong episode, back with superb performances from Tim Russ and Brad Dourif (I remember him doing a spectacularly creepy turn on The X-Files around this time and he doesn't disappoint here either). There's always something to enjoy when Vulcan's lose their shit, and I will defy anyone to say that Tuvok strangling Neelix is not a highlight of the series so far. Of course the set up is a giant contrivance, you have to wonder what drove Tuvok to get so involved, and the B-story is a nothing. So solid rather than spectacular - 3 stars.

Release the force fieeeeeeld!

A who cares crew man kills another who cares crew man and the Vulcan guy has a meltdown. Who cares

dreamlife613

Tuvok is one of the most likable characters on the Voyager crew, so I was glad to see him be the star of an episode for a change. I'm not as familiar with Star Trek lore as the others here, so this episode felt fresh for me. Tuvok and his Vulcan lack of emotion were mentioned before, but I never realized that Vulcans actually suppress their emotions until B'Elanna mentioned it a couple episodes back. That is fascinating of itself, but when Tuvok mind melds and ends up capable of letting out his darker emotions, things get really interesting. While it would have been easy (and lazy) to just have Tuvok become an uninhibited, crazy jerk for the hour, I am glad the writers stayed close to his true character. He didn't drastically change his morals, they only intensified. He became determined to have Suder pay for the crime of murder. This is not inconsistent with Tuvok's stated mindset before he was influenced by the mind meld. Bonus: Neelix getting murdered by Tuvok, lol. The fact that Tuvok created a special holosuite program where Neelix becomes more and more annoying to the point where the only option is to strangle him is amusing on so many different levels.

I'm quite surprised that no-one here has commented on the fact that the dead crewman is named "Darwin". Is his name a reference to the butcher job they did with evolution in the previous episode (Threshold)?

The Doctor lampshades out loud almost everything I felt about this episode: "Vulcan mind melds. Utter foolishness. Anybody with an ounce of sense wouldn't share his brain with someone else. Would you? I certainly wouldn't. And of course, when something goes wrong, and believe me it does more often than they'd like to admit, the first thing they call out is DOCTOR!" - The Doctor, to Captain Janeway It was completely illogical for Tuvok to even suggest a mind meld with a psychopath, especially for so flimsy a reason as he wonders why irrational creatures commit irrational acts. Just ask the doctor to explain psychopathy to him. This flaw in the premise of the episode basically torpedoed the whole experience for me. The only thing to enjoy in the episode were the performances from Tovok and the psychopath. I love seeing nut job Tuvok berate Janeway as much as the next man. However, this glaring hole in the plot was inescapable. All they had to do is give a good reason for the mind meld. Perhaps the psychopath sabotaged the ship in an escape attempt and Tuvok absolutely needed critical information on how this was done with no time to spare. ANYTHING would've been better than oh, I'm really curious about why violent amoral psychopaths with known neurological empathy deficiencies kill people so I want to invite one to become a part of me for the rest of my life, because... you know... that's how mind melds work, as has been explained to us all throughout Star Trek history. (Spock-McCoy, Sarek-Picard, really?!? ) It was quite frankly a ridiculous motivation, given the KNOWN consequences.

RandomThoughts

Hello Everyone I really liked this episode, as it showcased the acting talents of Tim Russ and Brad Dourif. I sometimes wonder how TNG would have been different if Tim had come in first, instead of second, behind LeVar Burton. I really do like LeVar, but it's fun to think about. He did have some name recognition from Roots after all, and that series showed some of his range (I think) but I don't believe we'd have been steered wrong if Tim had been there instead. It's something how a great actor like Brad was typecast, at least for a while, as a serial killer (or close to it), for a while. As was mentioned before, he was in an X-Files episode where he was one and was about to get his comeuppance (Beyond the Sea), then as Brother Edward in Babylon 5 (where he was a killer who was sentenced to "Death of Personality", and was made a priest/friar (Passing Through Gethsemane, great episode, highly recommended)), and then this episode where he again played a killer. I think Chatokay's description of him as someone who was This Close to killing him when he made him stand down, is a great description of what Brad is able to convey with his acting. Some people just have great eyes, and can show a great deal with just a twitch or narrowing of them. Heh, and I thought he was perfect in Lord of the Rings (extended version or nothing!). At least they (minor spoiler) brought him back later in Voyager. If you get the chance, watch those two episodes from the other series, you don't have to really know anything about those series to enjoy those two episodes. My humble opinion. :) I believe I've come to the conclusion that sometimes, I just have to watch the actors portrayals and enjoy them, rather than worry too much about how they add to the overall series. I really do like long story arcs, even if they can be Excruciating while waiting for the eventual climax. For series that don't have as many arcs, with stories that seem to reset, I have found myself really watching the performers. My recent re-watch of all things Trek has me looking at things with a different eye, and TNG's Half a Life came to mind. I left my comments there a bit ago on the acting, in my humble opinion of course. Have a great day Everyone... RT

@Quincy While it is illogical from Doctor point of view (risky and unorthodox treatment) and to viewers. I dont see that it's illogical coming from Tuvok point of view. Tuvok as Vulcan always undermine the logic and reason behind everything that goes around him. So i can relate for him not being able to see the reason (motive), give him trouble and unease feeling that he feel the need to resolve it. For him it's only logical to do mind meld so he can understand the motive. ==== This is a real gems, and its rare on Voyager. The stories are deep and executed very well. Outstanding performance from Brad Douriff and Tim Russ also doint great. Suder : "We both now that I'm prepared to die, but are you prepared to kill?" [Spoiler] The B stories involving Paris is annoy me at first as it's totally unrelated. But since it's revealed in later episodes that this is part of the plan to uncover the spy/traitor on Voyager, I come to appreciate that. Coming from Voyager who's notorious for having minimal to no continuity, planting this B stories for later episodes to be resolved is really good. [/Spoiler] To top it off, we got that hillarious scene Tuvok choking Neelix to death.. :D I dont see anyless than maximum 4 star for this episode

Samantha Bradley

I just watched this episode for the first time and I thought the main part was awesome. About Suder, what I got was: You know Deanna Troi lost her empathic powers only temporarily. Now imagine the Betazoid who never had any empathic powers, who perpetually sees other beings (including, even, himself) as flat, with no dimension whatsoever. (This is what I get when asked if he had any feelings on the matter, Suder says, "Nothing.") Being as such, I think that for Tuvok to have experienced the extra impact of the meld (struggling even more than usual for a Vulcan to suppress those violent thoughts), Ensign Suder had to have just enough telepathic ability to imprint (or trade) that violent tendency for more self-control. Also, thinking about Suder's punishment makes me think that executing him would have been too easy, so just keep him in isolation under armed guard would be more of a real punishment for him.

Yeah, this is undermarked. Fantastic episode, fantastic performances. And the Paris/Chakotay thread dismissed by Jammer forms part of the longer arc. And the fact Jammer didn't notice or realise that shows how well he was worked. Maximum I think - 4 stars.

I don't remember any words of caution in Star Trek before about mind melds. It was interesting but the sudden change in canon annoyed me. I like the comments that the justification for the mind meld was weak. Best and most chilling moment for me: when Russ/Tuvok threatens the Doctor, saying you are not indestructible hologram; a few well-chosen commands to the computer would eliminate the Doctor.

Tuvok knows lots of Alpha Quadrant martial arts. I wonder if one of them is the lame Ambo-Jitzu from The Icarus Factor.

The actual plot of this episode is sort of silly, but it's well done. I like it. It's kind of odd that one of the better Voyager episodes follows what is pretty much the worst one. 3 stars.

Anything would have been an improvement after the hilariously awful 'Threshold'...but if any Voyager episode is legitimately great and thought-provoking on its own merits, it's 'Meld'. Tim Russ and Brad Dourif carry the episode with great skill, leading the audience into a study of the spontaneous, cold-blooded violence that can and does occur in life--particularly with people like Lon Suder, who is portrayed as a textbook sociopath. And even though I don't hate Neelix, I can imagine how irritating he would be if I were Tuvok, so I did take some sick pleasure in watching the strangling scene. As usual, Janeway did something to drive me insane: stubbornly continuing to advance on a homicidal, barely rational Tuvok in his room even though he warns her to stay away. But Janeway's character never made sense before, so why would it start now? The overwhelming tension of the main story is periodically broken by the mildly amusing but inconsequential subplot, where Chakotay cracks down on a rather harmless office pool in the holodeck because, to paraphrase him, "StarFleet would have a problem with that." Dude...you're STRANDED! In the middle of the Delta Quadrant! If you're lucky enough to get back to Earth someday, do you honestly think HQ is going to care that some of your crew members gambled with replicator rations?! Why would any commander in Chakotay's position be so concerned about this? This is just another example of Voyager not being true to its premise. It pays lip service to the whole "lost indefinitely in space" thing, but the crew don't behave like it, the ship doesn't look like it, and the writers don't want to deal with it. (Ron Moore hit the nail right on the head.) Those caveats aside, I really like this episode. It underscores the great potential of Tuvok's character and adds an interesting new wrinkle to the Vulcan mind-meld. It's one of the show's finest hours and worthy of three and a half stars.

I re-watched this one twice in the last week. The premise is great and both Dourif and Russ give solid performances. I would have liked to see more of Suder prior and more of the rest of the crew in general since it is one lone Federation ship with a relatively sparse crew. The filler in this episode could have been scripted to feature another crew member we'd see later down the warp trail. Oh, and imagine if Tuvok had assaulted the real Neelix? Or if Neelix had discovered Tuvok's desire to kill him?

A disturbing and compelling episode -- not sure I can say I thoroughly enjoyed it but I have to respect it. Russ's performance is fantastic and the examination of violent/anti-social behavior is accurately portrayed (from what little I know of it). Great guest actor performance for Suder as well -- this is an intelligent episode and one Voyager should be proud of coming after "Threshold". The Suder character as a psychopath does send chills down the spine -- he's cold, heartless and those black contact lenses make him look totally deranged -- looks like Hannibal Lecter in "Silence of the Lambs". And the scenes with Tuvok talking to Suder while he's in the brig is very much reminiscent of that movie. And what does Voyager do with someone who deserves life in prison? Janeway again sticks hard and fast to Star Fleet principles -- no death penalty so she confines Suder to quarters with added security measures even if he is fine with being executed. But at least this is Janeway staying true to her character. Tuvok's performance as a Vulcan is very accurate for me. Like Odo he does a great job as an investigator. Thought it was pretty cool how Tuvok set up a holodeck program to be annoyed by Neelix as a test for himself -- and the viewer watches it thinking it's the real thing. But Tuvok unchained was awesome to watch -- the scene behind the forcefield didn't make me think of Spock with emotions as this was much darker, but seeing a good Vulcan portrayal of emotions is quite the welcomed sight. Doc's sarcastic/pragmatic way of dealing with things is fun to watch. Picardo's a joy to watch. At least him and Janeway become very skeptical about mind melds. Bit bogus in the ending with Tuvok being unable to complete the murder of Suder as being a sign of his recovery. How this is actually reasoned is bizarre -- perhaps the 1 weakness of the episode. But this comes after another good dialog between Suder and Tuvok about how the violence takes over the person. Solid 3 stars for "Meld" -- great acting performances / dialogs, an intelligent examination of the serial killer / violence phenomena, and a test of Janeway's character and support for her crewmember (Tuvok). This has a lot of what makes Star Trek so good, only that formula is applied to a dark social phenomena.

It's exciting to see a Vulcan 'unmasked', especially one as closely-guarded as Tuvok. A great performance from Tim Russ, and from one of my favourite actors, Brad Dourif. If you haven't seen HBO's "Deadwood", it's a masterpiece, and Dourif is exceptional in it. And, for once, he doesn't play a psychopath, traitor, or murderer!

SouthofNorth

I love the fact that Tuvok has a "Kill Neelix" hologram program, though I suspect it's part of the ship's general library for any crew member to use.

A great one! Tim Russ is wonderful in it, as is our guest star. Agree that Russ is a standout as a Vulcan. Really good. Many wonderful moments, especially Tuvok and Janeway. I think the B plot was meant to mirror the A plot. Why is Paris always driven to break the rules, what's the appropriate punishment, and the like. It's Aug 2018, and I see the political discussions above didn't age too well. Nevertheless, I am hoping humanity will somehow achieve a Trekian future. A four star ep.

Startrekwatcher

2 stars Very boring I didn’t care for the Paris gambling subplot on its own it was filler. Only worthwhile tho g came from it playing into the Paris mini arc. The tuvok and suder story was equally dull. I thought in for an intriguing murder mystery. Nope. That was quickly dispensed with as Suder revealed he did it ten minutes in. The rest was about tuvok’s effects of his meld with suder. The histrionics and temper tantrum as I call it involving tuvok did absolutely nothing for me

I’m disappointed because when I watched this episode I saw the following exchange: Tuvok: is it possible he’s psychotic? Doctor: call up the genetic records... no, it doesn’t show any tendencies towards Bipolar Disorder... Ok, as a person with Bipolar Disorder, I am NOT psychotic. This is very well known even in the 21st century. I’m offended that they had to put this in the show blantantly false discrimination towards mental illness. Bipolar doesn’t make you a murderer. That disgusted and disturbed me enough I didn’t care to watch the rest of the episode.

Karrah, www.healthline.com/health/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-psychosis Doc wasn't making your assertion. He was checking for one symptom. You should watch the rest of the episode.

I have been involved, quite extensively, in an exploration of the unusual mental abilities of the Vulcans, particularly the mind-meld, and I just want to say that the episode "Meld" was one of the very best of the entire Voyager series. It was a beautiful and compelling tale that brought out to the fullest extent the benefits and the risks of this procedure, and the two protagonists did a superlative job in this regard. It is interesting to note that Tuvok, being all Vulcan, may not have been adequately protected against the risk of losing his control, and so when that happened he really blew his top---an incredible display by Tim Russ. They should have used him a lot more than they did. I also enjoyed---to the hilt---how he dispatched Neelix whom I saw as an insufferable nuisance! Incidentally, Tuvok would turn in another tour-de-force of a performance in the fifth-season episode "Infinite Regress" in which he would go all-out with the most powerful---and the most stressful---of all mind-melds, the Vulcan mind-fusion, to rescue Seven of Nine from a life-threatening predicament.

I agree completely with the commenters saying that Tim Russ was underused - he had a solid grasp of his character from the beginning, and this episode demonstrates the depths and nuances that could be drawn out with intelligent writing. The smaller touches Russ committed to his performance really stand out as well - like how his hands were twitching and restless in the scene with Janeway immediately after the mindmeld, which provides a foundation of uncertainty to his suggestion of an execution. It isn't explicitly clear if that is something that Tuvok would ordinarily have believed appropriate, if it is an illogical gut reaction that he would have otherwise reasoned against, or if it's a residue of the violent thoughts Tuvok accepted from Suder during the meld. I also feel like Janeway taking a step forward when Tuvok warned her to not come any closer was very appropriate and in character - at her core, I think she had a Kirk-like arrogance and volatility, and her impulse was always to respond negatively against threats. There are lots of other smaller additions to this episode which stayed in my mind after watching it a couple of times, like the way the Doctor casually walks through the forcefield, or (as that other Voyager review blog pointed out) the artful direction where Tuvok sees the body (which is obscured), and a bar of line shines across his eyes. Lots of small technological details are emphasised: the type of spanner used by Suder to club Darwin, the interaction of holograms and forcefields, the manner in which Tuvok hacks through the force field with an electrical conduit (very in-character for a security officer), the cortical monitor that he sensitively detaches and deconstructs, etc.

Teaser : **.5, 5% We begin back in Chez Sandrines with Harry, fully mammalian Tom, a few scattered Voyager extras and Ricky Lake. Tom wants to put stakes on their pool game, which Ricky notes is an obvious hustle. This tired bullshit eventually leads to Tom starting an “honest” betting pool amongst the crew (they bet in rations). The only bit I find amusing is that Tom tells Harry to write down the names of the gamblers on a PADD and he dutifully complies like the good bottom bitch he is. Meanwhile, Neelix is being his usual charming self. Pledging to Tuvok in the Mess Hall that he has chosen to make it “his duty” to get the Vulcan to smile before they reach the AQ. This is supposed to be really annoying, so I suppose we can call it successful characterisation. The scene does eventually land on an amusing note, with Neelix suggesting resurrecting an ancient Vulcan tradition on the Voyager: greased-up orgy night. I can get behind that. Tuvok is called away to Engineering by Torres, where we learn that a bloody corpse has been left in one of the Jeffries Tubes. People really need to learn to clean up after themselves. Act 1 : ***, 17% The EMH reports to Tuvok the findings of his autopsy. Lt Darwin (the corpse) was murdered, most likely by Ken Ham. In the readyroom, we learn that the only person on duty when Darwin was murdered was a man called Suder. This give Chakotay the willies. CHAKOTAY: Around us he was the quietest, most unassuming guy you'll ever meet. Typical Betazoid, Kept to himself...In combat there was something in his eyes...Sometimes I had to pull him back, stop him from going too far. And once or twice when I did he looked at me with those cold eyes and I just knew he was this far away from killing me. It doesn't have anything to do directly with this story, but it's good to see that the Maquis-integration issues (which as I've said, are the only viable way to explore the topic without veering off into absurdity) are not yet put to rest. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm supposed to say, “Why are there holodecks? Why haven't the Maquis mutinied? Voyager sucks.” So Tuvok calls Suder to his office to question him. Suder is of course being played by the reliably creepy-as-fuck Brad Dourif). Suder tries to turn Tuvok's suspicion around on him by accusing him of harbouring resentment towards the Maquis, but this is pretty useless with a Vulcan. TUVOK: I assure you, I have no feelings about the Maquis. SUDER: No, you just spied on us and were going to turn us all over to Starfleet. TUVOK: As hard as it may be for you to understand, that did not require any feelings on my part. Russ and Dourif have a rather unique and enjoyable chemistry. Both are playing characters who suppress their feelings but for very different reasons, and this lends an interesting subtext to their conversation. Well it turns out that, aside from establishing the creep factor, Tuvok's interview was pointless, as the EMH has used (non technobabble, amazingly) forensics to determine that Suder is the murderer. Tuvok confronts Suder with this news and he immediately confesses, describing in detail how he performed the murder. When Tuvok demands a motive, Suder's only reply is “I didn't like the way he looked at me.” [shudder] Act 2 : ***.5, 17% TUVOK: Crime must have a logical purpose. EMH: Ah yes, I see. How to close the case without understanding the logic of the crime. For a Vulcan, that would be a dilemma, wouldn't it? We establish that most of the former Maquis have genetic markers that point towards violence and aggression, again robbing the entire premise that the Maquis themselves have any logical reason for existing, and aren't just a bunch of temperamental children. EMH: I think you are trapped in your own Vulcan logic, Lieutenant. All of us have violent instincts. We have evolved from predators. Well, not me, of course, I've just been programmed by you predators. The question is, in a civilised world, can we suppress those instincts? Most of the time we can. Vulcans certainly can. You've got your violent feelings buried underneath centuries of control. But the rest of the humanoid races aren't always so skilled at self-discipline. Crewman Suder may have violent impulses that he just can't control. I think most of us can admit that we have shared Tuvok's frustration over this kind of explanation. Everything has to have a reason, doesn't it? So bothered by this is he that he visits Suder in the brig to try and pry some answers out of him. What's more frustrating is Suder's lack of emotion over the incident. Vulcans objectify other cultures (one of the few phrases from Enterprise I feel is worth adopting) and thus, whatever actions they take which have no logical purpose are inevitably the result of a lack of emotional discipline. If objectifiable emotions are not responsible for an otherwise illogical crime, how can Tuvok possibly accept this situation? What's great about this setup is that this premise gives Tuvok a visceral motivation for his actions well before he is actually robbed of emotional control. With Data, it was nearly always his quest to be more human that drove his experiments. Tuvok has no such aspirations, so this is quite clever. Further complicating matters is the fact that Suder has all but volunteered to be executed for his crime, something the Federation doesn't do. With few other options, Tuvok elects to meld with Suder to understand this mystery. He justifies this approach by mentioning that some of Tuvok's mental abilities would be (temporarily) transferred to Suder, which could only aid in silencing his own demons (c.f. “Sarek”). Act 3 : ***.5, 17% We pick up with Paris' daily sweepstakes rewarding no one, and him making off with his booking fee to enjoy a Neelix-free lunch. Anyway, Tuvok reports his findings to Janeway, noticeably agitated after the experience. They theorise that being cooped up on the Voyager with no regular outlet to unleash his anger is what likely drove Suder to this crime. So, they decide to coop him up indefinitely. In seriousness, I'm with Jammer on this point: executing him is barbaric and eternal confinement in his decorated cage is certainly a harsh enough punishment. SFDebris in his review suggested putting Suder in stasis, which seems very strange to me as it would mean he would sleep through his sentence. Seems much less harsh than imprisonment. Tuvok however, puts capital punishment on the table, which strikes Janeway as out of character. She wonders what side-effects may be lingering within her old friend, and orders him to mind his own needs in all this. So Tuvok heads back to the Mess Hall for more punishment from the Morale Officer. Ethan Phillips is extraordinarily talented at playing an insufferable irritant, going so far as to shove his finger in Tuvok's mouth to prompt a smile. Then he threatens to sing, which sends Tuvok into an homicidal rage and, waddaya know, Neelix is strangled to death. Of course, this is just a holodeck simulation, but as others have noted, it is incredibly macabre and darkly humorous to assign Neelix the role of one who could affect Tuvok in this way. You have to wonder in episodes like “Rise” if this memory didn't spring up. Act 4 : ****, 17% We again start out with the B plot, but this time Chakotay steps in to Sandrines to put the gambling act to an end. He puts Paris on report and mentions through his teeth that Janeway will be disappointed with him. There's undoubtedly some schadenfreude involved with Chakotay confirming his own long-held suspicion that Paris is a piece of shit. Meanwhile, Suder awakens in his cell to find Tuvok staring at him from behind the force field. Creepy is as creepy does. Suder is finding himself a bit more Tuvok-like in his objectification of his own emotions, which of course means the inverse is true of Tuvok. The Vulcan lays out the prescribed punishment for Suder, which of course in the enlightened Federation is rehabilitation; he will continue to study Vulcan discipline and be allowed the chance to exorcise his violent tendencies on the holodeck. Suder mentions that holo-violence isn't really satisfying, which of course makes one think of Worf and his Skeletor programme. In Worf's case, however, I think the programme is designed to be a work-out. Klingons have killer instincts, but they aren't blood-thirsty in the same way. Even for them, violence has to have a purpose. And Tuvok already knows first hand that holo-violence doesn't it cut it when it comes to these dark thoughts they now share. TUVOK: I have studied violence for over a hundred years. SUDER: Studying it and knowing it are two different things, aren't they. It's attractive, isn't it. TUVOK: Attractive? SUDER: Violence. TUVOK: On the contrary. I find it disturbing. The unique chemistry between the actors is again put to excellent use here. It's a common theme in Vulcan stories to explore the idea what makes us evolved humans is really just a concerted effort to suppress our natural instincts. In the Vulcans' case, the instincts are radically more intense, and thus the discipline must be radical to match. Seeing Tuvok so vulnerable to this beady-eyed Betazoid wonderfully disturbing. Suder wants to meld again, but Tuvok recognises that this is probably a bad idea. Feeling himself slip away, Tuvok retreats to his quarters, erects a force field and deletes his security codes. Act 5 : ***.5, 17% Janeway is summed to his quarters by the computer and she arrives to find the place completely trashed by the heaping mass of quiet rage which used to be her security chief. It's a very visceral little scene that relies almost entirely on the actors' delivery and the directing, with Tuvok crouched in the darkness and Janeway haloed in angelic light from the corridor. He's sedated and brought to the sickbay, where the EMH confirms that the meld has caused some problems (duh), due to some incompatibilities with the Betazoid telepathic centre in Suder, which is a soft touch that I like very much. There's a brief moment for Picardo to be his usual grumpy self over Vulcan arrogance, which is always welcome, but his only prescribed treatment is a kind of neural shock therapy. Tuvok is awakened. Again, I'm reminded of “Sarek” a bit; there's no more logical reason (ironically) for Tuvok to be awake for this procedure than there was for Picard after his meld, but it's a great excuse for some impressive acting. In his state, he takes the opportunity to berate Janeway for her choice of punishment regarding Suder. What's great about this is that this makes clear that the rationalisation for capital punishment is purely emotional and thus, unjustifiable: TUVOK: Admit it! Part of you feels as I do. Part of you wants him to die for what he did...He has killed and you know he deserves to die! On behalf of the victim's family, Captain, I beg you to reconsider. Give them the satisfaction of his execution. After the episode, Tuvok is sedated and left alone in the surgical bay. That night, unmonitored, he manages to break himself free from the Doctor's devices AND the force field. Nifty. And where does he go but straight to the brig to resume with Suder. SUDER: Have you come to kill me? TUVOK: To execute you for your crime. SUDER: To execute me. I see. And calling it that makes it more comfortable for you... Understand one thing, Tuvok. I can promise you this will not silent your demons. If you can't control the violence, the violence controls you. Be prepared to yield your entire being to it, to sacrifice your place in civilised life for you will no longer be a part of it, and there's no return. Tuvok attempts the meld again, which may kill them both it seems, but in the end Tuvok finds himself unable to go through with it, and collapses. There's a brief coda, where things are put back where they belong, Tuvok and Janeway make up, the EMH gets another quip and Suder is stored away for another day. A nice touch is Janeway replicating the gesture from “Twisted” that Tuvok used to demonstrate his affection for her (one of the few good moments of that trash pile). Episode as Functionary : ***.5, 10% Tim Russ is finally given a story that fires on all cylinders. We've got a bit of Tuvok the investigator, which were bright spots in several Season 1 stories; we've got Tuvok unhinged, which serves to show just how hard Russ is working every week to maintain that characteristic Vulcan cool; and we've got an effective message show wrapped up in a character piece. Piller's dialogue really sings when he's dealing with complex issues (as opposed to the pedestrian ones we've have often had to endure from him), and unlike last week, the familiar Voyager sets are shot in a way to make them feel fresh and engaging despite the bottleshow limitations in place. The B-story serves its purpose, but feels relatively benign in isolation, with some amusing tension arising between Chakotay and Paris. This finally feels like the show Voyager is capable of being. Final Score : ***.5

@Elliot “What's great about this is that this makes clear that the rationalisation for capital punishment is purely emotional and thus, unjustifiable” Why? We’re humans, not Vulcans, what makes emotions less valid than anything else?

@Dave Emotions are perfectly valid for what they are, but the point is that they are fleeting. They change, usually, and even if they don't, they are completely subjective. Determining whether or not to end someone's life based on emotions is not only illogical, it's immoral.

One of my favorite episodes. On every rewatch, it holds my attention completely and gets my mind working in ways most television cannot. I love it. Now, I disagree with its positions on what violence is, on how violence is irrational and consuming. Sometimes it's rational, sometimes it's not; some people can practice it daily and not get "addicted" to it, some people can't. It's still just television. Nothing in this episode connects violence to power in any meaningful way, or questions the role of instinct, utility, or dominance in social order. The philosophy at work here is radically oversimplified and gives too many people an unjustified superiority complex for looking at an entire dimension of human experience and saying no to it. But as an episode, it's fantastic. Brad Dourif is one of the top five guest stars in Voyager history, and Tim Russ gives a fantastic performance, no surprise given Russ' quality as an actor. Killing Neelix? Kind of satisfying to me, but evidently much more so for other people. I'm glad to see everyone enjoyed it so much. Pretty good for a TV quality social philosophy episode.

Sleeper Agent

There's something about dark and bad ass trek stories that always gets to me. 4 Stars. Easy. PS. "I love the fact that Tuvok has a "Kill Neelix" hologram program, though I suspect it's part of the ship's general library for any crew member to use." Great comment XD

Mark Antony

I love this episode, Tom Russ is an incredible actor and ,as others have said, very underused in ST Voyager. After the meld you can actually see Tuvok beginning to lose his Vulcan control and when he finally does Tim Russ’s performance in his quarters and in the medical bay are first rate. Also the interaction between Russ and Dourif are excellent! On another note I couldn’t help thinking while watching Crazy Tuvok in this episode, remember the DS9 episode where Worf is forced to fight Jem H’adar warriors in single combat I that Dominion prison? Imagine Crazy Tuvok in that scenario......

I enjoyed this one, the main guest star was believable and entertaining. I usually cringe in the "Vulcans gone bad episodes," but this one was better than most.

Sorry, I have to disagree with the consensus. This episode was painfully boring. The premise that someone killed another crewmember because the way he looked at him is as implausible as the creatures at the end of Threshold.

Sarjenka's Brother

I was prepared to not like this as I was thinking this would be another standard "Trek" murder mystery, which they don't do well. But once the mystery was wrapped up in 15 minutes or less, we got this very good emotional journey with Tuvok. One of the best Voyager outings so far.

By the way, I'm now watching these in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Somehow, it makes me even more appreciative of Trekdom to get my mind off things for an hour.

Not a fan of this episode. Hollywood loves to portray murderers as robots that kill without reason...but in reality almost all murderers have very specific reasons. Usually it is a distorted sense of protection or justice. The truly psychotic who actually kill for no reason are extraordinary rare and would not have been as stable and eloquent as Suder was...they would have been disjointed, arrogant, and perhaps with a twisted sense of humour. The motive part of the story just seemed to cliche for me. Tuvoc going mad didn't work for me either. It was too one-dimensional, boring and predictable (like most going mad stories). Tim's acting wasn't top notch...he could have varied his cadence more, used more eye movement, vocal inflections, arm movement etc...even when emotional he came off as robotic. What bugged me was that Tuvoc was only suppressing violent emotions, when in reality vulcons suppress all emotions. Tuvoc losing control should have been more varied and not simply being turned into a robotic killer.

This would be a four star for me. Tuvok getting emotions is of course contrived but the route taken to get to this scene is creatively done. I was surprised Voyager even talked about cold blooded murder let alone devote an episode exploring it. The whole episode feels dark and the scenes between Suder and Tuvok have a malicious undercurrent that feels just below the surface. The direction was effective throughout as well.

Janeway in MELD: "An execution? You're not seriously suggesting we execute him? We are Starfleet officers." Janeway in TUVIX: "Starfleet who? I'll personally carry out the execution!" This is Janeway in a nutshell. She changes her morals constantly to fit the outcome she wants.

@QDouwd "... Janeway in TUVIX: "Starfleet who? I'll personally carry out the execution!" This is Janeway in a nutshell. She changes her morals constantly to fit the outcome she wants." Not close to a fair argument. Janeway was saving 2 shipmates lives when she reversed the affects of a transporter accident.

I find amusing that the murder weapon was a lightsaber.

I wonder if this episode was partially inspired by the case of Russian serial murderer Andrei Chikatilo. Reportedly, after his arrest, he was interviewed for years by ONE psychologist, who (not surprisingly) later suffered a complete mental breakdown and lifelong PTSD. I've read it's part of the reason why psychologists who interview serial murderers are now routinely "switched out"--so they don't suffer damage to their own mental health by getting too involved with these individuals (similar to what happened with Tuvok). Also, I like the subtle touch that Tuvok seems receptive to executing Suter (to the point of almost arguing for it) within hours of melding with the latter. Suder's psychosis clearly had an immediate impact. That's great writing!

This is, more properly, a re-hash of the third season Babylon 5 episode "Passing Through Gethsemane." But it's excellent stuff; Dourif always adds a certain flair, and Tim Russ gets to show off his dramatic chops here. (See also his brief post-torture scene in 'Basics Part II.') Shame he wasn't used more frequently or effectively throughout the series.

Doing a rewatch of Voyager inspired by the pandemic just because it's the Star Trek show I've seen the least of (didn't have UPN until mid-way through). Tim Russ is so good whenever he gets anything to do. It's a shame it didn't happen more often and "Tuvok has emotions" isn't the kind of thing you can trot out all the time, but this was a fine showcase for him.

Mads Leonard Holvik

Suder is MBTI-personality according to someone I know who has fallen into the Meyer Briggs rabbit hole.

He is INFP I mean.

I think it's an interesting episode politically. It presents the argument for capital punishment in a negative light, strongly implying it's just an expression of violent instincts rather than something rational. But it also clearly argues against a certain liberal view that doesn't really accept that some people are violent by nature and that gives little room for motiveless hostility as a driving factor in violent crime. Depending on your politics you'll find different parts of this more v less persuasive, but it's a lot more sophisticated than Star Trek political messaging normally gets.

This episode always struck me as an attempt to ape the masterful, classic X-files episode, "Beyond the Sea," also starring Brad Dourif. And compared to that hour of television, "Meld" looks rather contrived. You know Brad Dourif's character is a mad man (X-files managed to subvert this; Brad was both psycho and hero), you know Tuvok is going to go crazy, you know he's going to lose a grip on his emotions (every Vulcan hero has done the same), you know he's going to turn into a murderous madman, and you know he's going to be brought back from the brink. On a scene-by-scene level - in terms of dialogue, performance and direction - it's a strong episode, but the actual arc of the episode is generic. I think I'd have preferred instead a straight-forward debate on capital punishment. Have Tuvoc arguing for killing the guy (he will murder again, we cannot divert ship resources indefinitely etc) and Janeway argue for life. Maybe they banish the guy to a planet and leave him there. Either way, "Vulcan losing his mind" seems an obvious trope to me, though admittedly it's only really happened a handful of times prior to this episode airing.

Or better yet, take the premise more seriously of them sharing thoughts, and instead of Tuvok randomly going crazy because insanity is apparently contagious, instead have Tuvok see Sudor's point of view as actually being logical, so that Tuvok was unable to escape the logic that random killing is justifiable. Make the episode a moral logic puzzle, where Tuvok isn't trapped in a bad dream so much as a bad argument, that he can't solve until the end. And so long as the logic seems inescapable then we might get the makings of how someone devoted to pure logic might be a very dangerous person - what happens if logic suggests something immoral or unthinkable? But that's just my fantasy head canon talking, I've always wanted to see a Lawful Evil Vulcan story.

You seem to be suggesting an episode in which a Vulcan rationalizes himself into becoming a kind of evil Machiavellian, a stance which Janeway will no doubt try to talk him out of. I love that idea, so long as all these debates take place around tables. My ideal Trek is always MORE GUYS DEBATING STUFF AROUND TABLES.

Yeah, something like that. I always had this idea that a Vulcan could be really scary if their implacable and merciless adherence to logic produced radically different results than what a human would hope for. It's something DS9 mucked up royally with Field of Fire. It would be neat to see a 'crazy' Vulcan, where when it's asked what's wrong with him, the answer is 'nothing'. At least with Sudor, I guess the idea would be something like he had in his mind an insane logic that was technically irrefutable, and only a recourse to human emotion could 'disprove' it. The story I envision would be something like that. And yeah, more talking around tables.

I always remembered this as being one of my preferred episodes of VOY, but it had been many years since I'd seen it. Watching it now, I've got to say that there's just something missing, like a hole in the energy and story. My best guess is that I just don't think Tuvok is able to hold my attention as the star of an episode. Russ has the stoneface down cold, but even back when VOY first aired I thought he wasn't expressive enough. Luckily he has Brad Dourif to send energy at the camera and keep his scenes afloat, but there doesn't seem to be any kind of interesting dynamic between these actors. Looking back, I'm not surprised that they de facto wrote Tuvok out of the show past S4. Seven was much better at the stone face with superior wit routine, among other things. They tried a few times with Tuvok, and maybe a couple were successful, but never great. He just doesn't give enough to inspire a writer IMO.

Suder is a great character played perfectly by Dourif. Suder's Vulcan mode, where he starts inadvertently lecturing and counseling Tuvok is chilling AF. What works so well is that Suder is making a lot of sense here that's difficult to dispute. A meld really can be seen as a form of violence. See Undiscovered Country. It's also quite an interesting notion that mind melding with a diseased mind might actually be dangerous. It would have been interesting if Tuvok were permanently damaged to some degree, could have spiced up the character.

Is there not interesting about the fact that they wrote Suder to be Betazoid and not human, though his species doesn't really bear on the episode? Like they don't want to depict a human psychopath on Star Trek (though an alien one is A-okay)?

While the themes and issues are completely different, "Meld" is reminiscent of "Duet" in DS9. Both are "bottle shows" that concentrate on the dynamics between a regular and a guest actor in the confines of the ship or station as the case may be. It's interesting that these compact "like-a-play" episodes can produce such great results. This is a very good episode and one of "Voyager's" best, even if it has little to do with the premise of finding some means to get back to Sector 001 in something less than a few centuries.

Well I seem to be the odd one out on this. I found it just plain boring. The implication that bipolar disorder could lead to murder was offensive, and for them not to recognize psychopathy when it was literally staring them in the face was unbelievable. Maybe my reaction is because of the advances in psychology in the last 30 years, but it really took me out of the show. Plus, there was really no plot. The case should have been closed as soon as they found the murder weapon right where he said it was. That's an example of why I was bored. I would have liked to see a 30-second scene of them finding the murder weapon, and definitely wanted to see all of the first mind meld. I would have appreciated more question as to whether the murderer really had changed. The ending seemed too pat for me, maybe too rushed. The murderer had no ill effects from that second mind meld? Whereas it apparently cured Tuvok? If I were Janeway, I'd have a hard time trusting him again. I do think the guest star did a great job acting psychopathic, and Tim Russ did pretty well with his difficult part. But I just kept wanting it to be over.

I enjoyed the exploration of dark psyche in this episode. However, what wasn't properly conveyed was why Tuvok could not accept lack of a clear motive in this murder case. History is full of serial killers who simply kill compulsively. Why was Tuvok willing to go to such absurdly great lengths to find a motive when seemingly everyone else around him was content with not having one? Even the doctor gave a good explanation: the lack of control of primitive murdering instincts. All we get from Tuvok is, "I can't accept that." He's almost 100 years old and can't accept that people just murder each other for no reason? Once I was able to suspend disbelief about that, the episode was quite enjoyable. I agree with other commentators above though, that the magic reset button was inevitable and Tuvok returned to normal with seemingly no future consequences.

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Meld (episode)

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Tuvok is plagued by the senselessness of a murder aboard Voyager .

1.2 Act One
1.3 Act Two
1.4 Act Three
1.5 Act Four
1.6 Act Five
2 Memorable quotes
3.1 Story and script
3.2 Cast and characters
3.3 Production
3.4 Continuity
3.5 Reception
3.6 Video and DVD releases
4.1 Starring
4.2 Also starring
4.3 Special guest star
4.4 Guest stars
4.5 Co-star
4.6 Uncredited co-stars
4.7 References
4.8 External links

Summary [ ]

In Chez Sandríne , Tom Paris offers to make a pool game with Harry Kim "interesting" by betting one week's worth of replicator rations on the outcome of the game, but Ricky warns Kim that Paris is hustling him. Instead, Paris starts a lottery-style game with the patrons of Chez Sandríne, wherein the players bet replicator rations and the player who correctly guesses the radiogenic particle count at 1200 hours wins the entire pot – "minus a small handling fee for the bank, of course."

In main engineering , Ensign Hogan has traced a problem with the warp drive to a malfunction in one of the EPS conduits . According to Crewman Suder , there had been nothing wrong with the conduit the day before. B'Elanna Torres goes to investigate.

In the mess hall , Neelix tries to impress Tuvok with his knowledge of Vulcan holidays , much to Tuvok's dismay. Neelix declares that he will not rest until he sees Tuvok smile. Tuvok answers, " Then you will not rest. " Just as Neelix suggests bringing back the ancient pagan festival of Rumarie , Torres urgently calls Tuvok to engineering.

In engineering, Torres has found the body of Crewman Darwin in the damaged EPS conduit.

Act One [ ]

In sickbay , The Doctor tells Tuvok that if the EPS conduit hadn't failed, Darwin's body would have been vaporized. Instead, Darwin received third degree plasma burns to 98 percent of his body. Tuvok supposes that Darwin had entered the conduit to repair it, but The Doctor shows Tuvok a contusion on the base of Darwin's skull. Tuvok then supposes that Darwin fell and hit his head while working on the conduit, but The Doctor says that the coup-contrecoup pattern of breakage on the wound indicates a moving object striking a stationary head, not the reverse. He rules Darwin's death a homicide .

In Janeway 's ready room , Tuvok discusses Darwin's murder with Janeway and Commander Chakotay . Tuvok notes that Darwin had no enemies and that there is no obvious motive for the crime. As Janeway is reviewing Darwin's Starfleet record, Torres arrives with last night's engineering duty logs and reports that Suder was the only person in engineering when Darwin came on duty. Torres and Chakotay tell Janeway and Tuvok that while Suder was, like most Betazoids , normally quiet and unassuming, he seemed a little too eager to kill when he was in the Maquis during times of combat. Chakotay even goes as far to suggest that while many Maquis members joined to protect their homes and family, Suder seemed to be there so he could solely go into battle. Having once just survived a firefight together, Suder had turned to Chakotay, who could see in Suder's eyes that he fully intended to kill him, but then backed down. Tuvok feels that this information should have been included in Suder's crew evaluation , but Chakotay says that he isn't in the habit of including hunches in his reports, and that he didn't want to make life on USS Voyager more difficult for his Maquis crew than it was in the beginning.

Tuvok calls Suder to his office for questioning. Suder claims that he was running a fuel consumption analysis for Torres at the time of the murder, and insists that he did not murder Crewman Darwin. Tuvok dismisses Suder, and The Doctor calls him to sickbay again.

The Doctor shows Tuvok DNA retrieved from Darwin's head wound by nanites he designed to recognize unusual DNA patterns. The nanites found DNA that didn't belong to him, and therefore must belong to the murderer. He hands Tuvok a PADD with the murderer's identity.

Tuvok shows Suder the DNA evidence and reminds him that under Starfleet Directive 101 , he does not have to answer any questions and is allowed the benefit of counsel, but Suder doesn't see any point in continuing to lie, so he confesses to the crime and tells Tuvok where he hid the murder weapon , a two-kilogram coil spanner . He had intended for the EPS conduit to vaporize Darwin's body, but figures that he must have damaged it when he put the body in. Tuvok asks for the motive, and Suder responds, " No reason. " Tuvok refuses to accept that answer, so Suder offers, " I didn't like the way he looked at me. " Tuvok has Suder escorted from his quarters by a Voyager security officer while he contemplates the crewman's answer.

Act Two [ ]

In sickbay, The Doctor confirms that the coil spanner is indeed the murder weapon, but Tuvok cannot close the case until he understands the motivation for the crime. Tuvok asks if Suder could be psychotic . Kes reports that all of Suder's genetic markers are normal and that he has no tendency toward bipolar disorder, but that he has elevated norepinephrine levels, indicating aggressive or violent tendencies. The Doctor notes that these results are not significantly different from those of the other Maquis crewmen and reminds Tuvok that everyone, even Vulcans, have violent instincts and while most people can easily keep them under control, it seems that Suder cannot… indeed, he may be telling the truth that a simple look from Darwin was enough to cause Suder to lose what little control he has. Tuvok still isn't satisfied.

Tuvok visits Suder in the brig with Ayala guarding him, and questions him again about his motive, and Suder gives him the same answer as before. Suder asks Tuvok what his punishment will be, and says that he knows what he would do in Janeway's position – " I guess I'm lucky. The Federation doesn't execute people. "

Tuvok leaves the brig, but returns shortly afterward and suggests a mind meld with Suder, believing it will give him the answer he seeks and will also give Suder some of his Vulcan control. Suder agrees, and Tuvok performs the meld.

Act Three [ ]

In Sandríne's, nobody has won Paris' "radiogenic sweepstakes". Kim is unamused, and notes that Paris is the only person who wins every day. As Kim and Paris leave the holodeck, Paris considers out loud what he will replicate for lunch, thinking of adding a raktajino with whipped cream to drink.

Tuvok tells Janeway about his mind meld with Suder, and reports that Suder was being truthful – he has an incredibly violent nature, with no outlet to express it, and he simply lost control. Janeway and Tuvok discuss Suder's punishment. They agree that keeping him in the brig is not appropriate, nor is leaving him with someone in the Delta Quadrant . Tuvok suggests execution . Janeway will not consider that idea and instead decides to confine Suder to quarters permanently under maximum security. Tuvok objects to allowing Suder the comfort of his own quarters, but Janeway says that it's the best they can do and that Suder may end up being there for years, maybe decades depending on how long it takes them to get home. When Tuvok still presses the point, Janeway (disturbed that her friend would even suggest execution, let alone try to force the idea on her) asks if he is experiencing adverse effects from the meld, and Tuvok admits to being "disconcerted". Janeway tells him to take some time off, but Tuvok believes that he doesn't need it.

In the mess hall, Neelix tries to get Tuvok to smile. Tuvok asks Neelix to leave him alone, but he persists, unusually violating Tuvok's personal space and laughing. Finally, Tuvok snaps and strangles Neelix to death. Then, he ends his holodeck program.

Act Four [ ]

In Sandríne's, Paris asks the computer to announce the winner of today's sweepstakes, but it doesn't respond. Chakotay calls off the game, confiscates the pot, and puts Paris on report. Paris talks back to him, earning him a "thanks a lot" from Kim.

Tuvok visits Suder in the brig. Suder marvels at his new-found emotional control. Tuvok suggests various medical treatments to Suder, but Suder believes that he can learn to control himself with Tuvok's help. Suder guesses that having experienced his violent impulses must be difficult for Tuvok, and tells him how he sees violence as "attractive". He requests another mind meld, but Tuvok refuses. Suder muses that mind melding might be considered a form of violence, and that it might be fatal if the melder lost control.

Tuvok locks himself in his quarters , deletes his security clearance , and tells the computer to inform Janeway that he is no longer fit for duty.

Act Five [ ]

Janeway lifts the security seal on Tuvok's quarters, and enters to find his furniture destroyed. Tuvok, lurking in the shadows, tells Janeway not to come any closer. Janeway convinces Tuvok to let her transport him to sickbay, but Tuvok requests sedation first, for the safety of the crew.

The Doctor diagnoses Tuvok with a neurochemical imbalance in his mesiofrontal cortex, the psychosuppression center of his brain . The Doctor temporarily disables Tuvok's emotional control hoping to shock his emotional suppression systems into functioning again. Tuvok feels euphoric and wants to stay this way for a while, to "study primal Vulcan behavior", but The Doctor cannot allow that. Tuvok threatens The Doctor and tells Janeway that her refusal to execute Suder is a sign of weakness and that she disgusts him. He offers to execute Suder himself and tries to get Kes to release the force field around the surgical bay. The treatment ends and Tuvok loses consciousness . Janeway asks how many treatments will be necessary but The Doctor says that there is no way to know.

Later, Tuvok regains consciousness and breaks out of sickbay, and returns to the brig to execute Suder. Suder asks Tuvok whether he is trying to serve justice or vengeance, and warns him that if he does not control the violence, it will control him, and there will no longer be any place for him in civilized life. Tuvok initiates a mind meld with Suder, but is unable to complete the execution. Suder then contacts the bridge to request help for Tuvok.

In sickbay, The Doctor tells Tuvok that his inability to kill Suder shows that his suppression systems are starting to work again, and he will make a full recovery. Tuvok apologizes to Janeway for insulting her, and tells her that he has the highest respect for her and considers her a friend. Janeway accepts his apology but orders him not to conduct any more mind melds without her permission.

Memorable quotes [ ]

" All of us have violent instincts; we have evolved from predators... well, not me, of course. I've just been programmed by you predators. "

" In the Maquis, we didn't ask for résumés. We needed all the help we could get. "

" I will not rest until I see you smile. " " Then you will not rest. "

" DNA doesn't know how to lie, lieutenant. "

" Why did you kill him, Mr. Suder? " " No reason. "

" Do you know what a mind meld is? " " It's that Vulcan thing where you grab someone's head. "

" You're right, [violence] is disturbing, never knowing when that impulse may come or whether or not you can control it when it does. You live on the edge of every moment, and yet, in its own way, violence is attractive, too. Maybe because it doesn't require logic. Perhaps that's why it's so liberating ".

" You are not invulnerable, hologram. A few well chosen commands to the computer, and you will cease to exist. "

" A perfectly good theory. Unfortunately, it is wrong. "

" I remind you, I am trained in the martial arts of many Alpha Quadrant cultures. Sitting here attempting to meditate I have counted the number of ways I know of killing someone. Using just a finger, a hand, a foot. I had reached 94, when you entered. "

" Now there's a tough job, filling out reports. But... somebody's gotta do it. "

" Vulcan mind melds. Utter foolishness. Anybody with an ounce of sense wouldn't share his brain with someone else. Would you? I certainly wouldn't. And of course, when something goes wrong, and believe me it does more often than they'd like to admit, the first thing they call out is DOCTOR! "

" Understand one thing, Tuvok. I can promise you this will not silent your demons. If you can't control the violence, the violence controls you. Be prepared to yield your entire being to it, to sacrifice your place in civilized life for you will no longer be a part of it, and there's no return",

Background information [ ]

Story and script [ ].

Believing that Tuvok encountering random violence would make for a good story, executive producer Michael Piller sought freelance writers to pitch such a plot. " I had been after freelancers for a year or so to give me a story about Tuvok and random violence, " Piller recalled, " because I felt that the ultimate nightmare for Tuvok, for a Vulcan, would be to bring some logic to the kind of random violence that you see on Headline News . As a fairly intelligent Human being, I don't understand how it occurs and I can't explain it. Imagine what it must be for a Vulcan, who must explain it in order for it to exist within his own personal set of values. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Piller also observed, " There is no logic to this violence. When I watch television at night and hear about people who kill nuns and drop children off bridges, as a Human being I cannot understand that. It doesn't fit the logic of life as I know it. So imagine what it would be to a Vulcan. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 85) Regarding the concept of Tuvok confronting random violence, Piller concluded, " I knew there was a story there. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages )
This is the first Star Trek episode whose development involved Michael Sussman , who was a writing intern on the series at the time and went on to write or co-write ten subsequent episodes of Star Trek: Voyager and twenty-two of Enterprise . This is also the only episode of Voyager 's second season that Sussman worked on.
Before pitching a very similar story idea to how the episode ultimately turned out, Mike Sussman learned of Michael Piller's search for a writer to pitch the idea of Tuvok being confronted by random violence. Piller remembered, " One of the interns, Michael Sussman, somebody who I think has a great deal of promise, listened to me tell that to a freelancer one day, and the freelancer didn't get it, but Michael came in and pitched me a story. Even though it wasn't exactly what we wound up doing, it was close enough that we said, 'Let's pursue it.' " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Regarding this situation, Sussman commented, " One of my duties as an intern was to read scripts that had been submitted by non-professionals, summarize them and then pitch them to Voyager 's showrunner, Michael Piller. Every now and then they'd buy one of these scripts. But Michael didn't like any of the ones I'd read. Our meeting was almost over and he said, 'Is that all you got?' So, I pitched him something I'd been noodling, a story about Tuvok mind-melding with an alien serial killer. Michael stared at the ceiling as I pitched the idea, hands behind his head, then looked at me and said, 'I don't think I've heard an idea like that before,' and he bought it. " [1] Sussman sold the story on the last day of a Voyager internship he went on. [2] Sussman's plot concept was entitled "Genocide" and proposed that the alien serial killer whom Tuvok encountered would be a racist alien; Tuvok's mind-melding with this xenophobic killer would give vent to the Vulcan's own repressed feelings regarding Humans. ( Beyond the Final Frontier , p. 290) At some subsequent point in the development process, the killer's species was changed to Human. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 85)
Despite Mike Sussman having pitched this episode's plot, Michael Piller subsequently chose to personally take up the challenge of crafting the idea into a script. " We felt that Mike didn't have the experience yet to write the script, " Piller recalled, " and we were under a great time crunch. You have to understand that during this section of the season we were writing shows as quickly as we could to get them up on their feet, because we weren't sure what the next show was going to be. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Sussman offered, " Michael Piller […] ended up having to, like, really radically change the story, because there just wasn't enough time [to give the script assignment to a newly arrived writer] [....] Since they'd already kinda given somebody else a shot at it [with another VOY episode], they couldn't afford, at the moment, to do that for me. So, Michael Piller just kinda took the basic idea I came in with. " [3]
Michael Piller conducted research for the script during the writing process. " I hired a consultant for 'Meld,' " he explained, " because I wanted to get to the roots of violence in psychology that I didn't understand. There are things that, as a writer, I'm coming at from the outside and I need somebody to help me get inside. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 76) Piller also said, " I hired a consultant, a psychiatrist with great credentials. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) In fact, the psychiatrist who Piller consulted was from the California Institute for the Mentally Insane. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 85) Remembering how this consultant assisted with the writing of the episode, Piller stated, " I showed him the story, the beat sheet [outlining the plot] and the script. We talked about language and exactly what we were dealing with in this story, and I began to understand the pull of violence, the seductiveness of violence. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) In addition, Piller recalled of their relationship, " He read the story and gave me some tips and we talked about language and about how to achieve what I wanted. He gave me some dark and sad stories. We spent hours on the telephone. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 85)
Another source of inspiration was Tuvok actor Tim Russ , who was instrumental in changing the character of the episode's serial killer from a Human to a Betazoid. Russ recalled about the episode, " I knew it was coming up and [Piller] was open for input. One of the major changes we made was the character I meld with. Originally it was human, but it made more sense to be an alien, because we already had him meld with Humans before and there is no problem with that. When you meld you exchange yourself and this depends on the species. The idea is that this is something Vulcans do in and among themselves, but is not designed for other species. You are really rolling the dice in the game when you do that, and that is what we wanted to explore. I think with a Human he would be able to control their emotions more so than an alien. Betazoids are powerful and emotional and passionate and those elements together in this individual who is dangerous and has a great deal of anger and hostility would make a better character to meld with. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, pp. 85-86)
A scene involving Chakotay "dressing down" Tuvok for not knowing about Paris' gambling operation was cut from the episode. ( Star Trek: Voyager Companion (p. ? ))
Michael Piller initially struggled with deciding precisely how to end the episode, but the other co-creators of Star Trek: Voyager helped with the writing of the story's final act. " I had a very difficult time with act five, where Tuvok goes berserk and tries to get out of the force-field, " Piller commented. " It was because by the time I got there, I couldn't remember what the hell I was writing about. It just seemed dark and grim and mean, and I couldn't figure out for what purpose. What's the point of all this? It was Rick [Berman] and Jeri [Taylor] who really steered me back by taking something that was already mentioned earlier in the script and saying, 'That's interesting, you should explore that more,' which was the capital punishment issue. By making capital punishment what is driving Tuvok to commit violence in the fifth act, it becomes a much more universal show, because everybody then has to say, 'Well, is it my violent instinct that is driving my need for capital punishment to punish the violent?' I think that really made the show work. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Piller also remarked, " I had a terrible problem with that show. I had written the fifth act one time through and released it and I said to Jeri and Rick, 'It's just dark and ugly and mean and I can't figure out what the point of all this is.' They were the ones that brought it back to a little thing in that scene between Janeway and Tuvok where they are talking about execution. That pointed me in that direction and that is what made the episode work. This violence in Tuvok should be not just about killing, but about justice and retribution. That's another way of looking at violence and to me that advice really rescued me from not knowing what the hell to do. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 86)
Michael Piller believed that the mysteriousness of the Maquis was central to the episode's plot. " The whole story, " Piller stated, " is based on the fact that nobody really knows about the backgrounds of these Maquis. Nobody knows where they came from, nobody asks for resumes. The murderer is a man who joined the Maquis because he really, really likes to kill. Finally he kills somebody aboard Voyager . If we had no Maquis on the ship you would never find a Human Starfleet officer – one who's gone through the complete Starfleet training – who would do that. It just doesn't happen. " ( A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager )
Tuvok's exploration of violence was purposely left unresolved. Tim Russ commented, " We didn't get a chance to answer the questions in the episode which was [Tuvok's] original goal; why this occurs. Michael wanted it to be a random unexplainable element. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 86)
The final draft of this episode's teleplay was submitted on 7 November 1995 , although revisions were made to it up to and including the 17th of that month.
In summation of the scripting process, Michael Piller noted, " It turned out to be a very interesting, disturbing experience. " He also noted, " 'Meld' was an important show for me. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) In addition, Piller cited this episode (along with " Lifesigns " and " Death Wish ") as one of a few from Voyager 's second season whose development involved a great deal of enjoyment. " Those shows were more fun to write for me than the big space battle, " he said, " because I like character interaction. I like what the characters are doing to themselves and there are personal stakes involved and character conflicts involved. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 79)

Cast and characters [ ]

The producers decided to cast Brad Dourif in the role of Suder and the actor had a conversation with Neelix actor Ethan Phillips in which the offer was discussed. " My girl friend had known Ethan Phillips for years, " Dourif explained. " We all had dinner one night and the idea of my doing Voyager came up. I said, 'I would love to do it. It sounds like fun.' And we did it. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 9 )
Despite director Cliff Bole liking Brad Dourif as an actor, Bole also felt that Dourif was underused here. " I wish we had given him more to do, " Bole admitted. " I don't think we showed enough duality in Suder as the maniac taking on the Vulcan's calm control. We should have played off that a little more, but there are only 44 minutes. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 15 )
On the other hand, Mike Sussman was pleased with Brad Dourif's performance here, stating, " Brad Dourif did a great job as the Maquis serial killer. " [4]
Robert Picardo , performer of The Doctor, was also impressed by Brad Dourif's work herein. " He was very good in 'Meld', " Picardo enthused. ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 10 )
Michael Piller was pleased with the acting of both Brad Dourif and Tim Russ, referring to them as "two marvelous actors who brought an extraordinary energy and performance level to the show." ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 85)
In fact, the production staffers who were appreciative of Tim Russ' performance in this episode not only included Michael Piller but also Cliff Bole as well as supervising producer Brannon Braga . Concerning the installment, Piller remarked, " The thing that really made it work was Tim Russ's performance, which was just remarkable. " Similarly, Braga commented, " I think Tim Russ made himself known as one of the best actors on the show. Tuvok really broke out in that episode. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Cliff Bole raved, " Tim kicked ass in that show. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 15 )
Tim Russ' fellow performers also found this episode notable for the actor. Brad Dourif enthused, " I thought the work Tim did was beautiful, especially in the scene that he did with Captain Janeway where his ability to constrain his emotions was removed from him and he became violent. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 9 ) In a comment for which Russ was grateful, Janeway actress Kate Mulgrew stated, " I think 'Meld' really gave [Tim Russ] a wonderful opportunity to shine and to explore more of Tuvok, and [he] really took advantage of it. " Robert Picardo , the performer of The Doctor, related, " It […] gave Tim that wonderful opportunity as an actor to really consider what it would be like to have uncontrollable violent impulses that put you at odds with the rest of humanity. " Chakotay actor Robert Beltran added, " Tim got to add to Vulcan folklore, as far as the whole mythology of Vulcans in Star Trek goes. " ( Starlog , issue #231, pp. 48-49)
Indeed, Tim Russ regarded this episode as an opportunity to delve into the depths of Vulcan lore, especially the secretively volatile nature of Vulcans. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 86) Russ was also appreciative of how the episode shows the riskiness of the Vulcan mind meld, referring to it as "a good point for us to bring up." ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 101) The actor was conscious of Tuvok's behavior in the lengthy sickbay scene being completely out of character for the Vulcan, a fact that Russ demonstrated in his portrayal of the scene. " The pacing was uncharacteristic, his hands were fidgeting all the time, he seems agitated, he's fighting to maintain the facade of control and not having an easy time of it, " observed Russ. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 86)
While working on this episode, Tim Russ consulted two friends who were doctors, in an effort to acquire an insight into the workings of the criminal mind. " I gained a great deal of information from them on serial killers and rapists, people who are angry, gang members, " Russ said. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 86) Although he sought out these medical opinions regarding the criminal mindset , the fact that the episode was intended to be unresolved left Russ frustratedly puzzled about Suder's motivations for killing. " The hostility comes from one of several places, " Russ reckoned. " He's pre-disposed to be unable to control it. That is based on what you get from your parents. Then factors of climate to cause this anger to be there in the first place. Most cases are a result of suppressed anger and hostility that was there as a result of childhood. We ruled out in the show psychosis and simple uncontrolled anger that can blow up at any point in time. I think that comes from something in the past and whatever that past could have been – home, environment, any number of things. I got some of the elements of his personality as a result of the meld, but, not coming from his background, just got a taste of what he's about. I wanted to explore the causes of these things more. If it was up to me I would have mentioned the background that he came from. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 86)
Nevertheless, Tim Russ cited this as one of the most powerful episodes in the entirety of Star Trek: Voyager , saying, " 'Meld' was a very violent show. " (Voyager Time Capsule: Tuvok , VOY Season 2 DVD special features) He also listed this episode, midway through the fourth season, as one of five episodes that he characterized as "the defining moments for Tuvok". ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 17 ) Russ enthused, " It was a great kick for me as an actor, as Tuvok was able to be completely unlocked. " This was despite the fact that Russ found the installment to be "tremendously exhausting." ( Star Trek Monthly issue 41 , p. 28) Russ also especially enjoyed his collaboration with Brad Dourif and once commented that, of all the guest stars he had worked with in the first five seasons of Voyager , his favorite was Dourif. ( Delta Quadrant , p. 98)
Brad Dourif was impressed not only by Russ' performance here but also by Kate Mulgrew's. Dourif stated, " Kate Mulgrew had […] what I thought was just an exquisite moment. She did a transition that I thought was enormously complex and extremely fascinating. I was absolutely swept away by it. She was also fun to work with, and we had a really good time. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 9 )
This episode was among Ethan Phillips' favorites (in common with " Heroes and Demons " and " Resolutions ") from the first two seasons to watch. ( Star Trek Monthly issue 21 )
The episode was also a highlight for Robert Picardo. As well as commenting that he believed the episode was a "wonderful opportunity" for Tim Russ, Picardo also enthused, " That's my favorite episode of the [second] year, 'Meld' [....] It was about an issue that had been examined a number of times, capital punishment. To me, though, there was something we learned from it that perhaps we hadn't seen dramatized on TV before. " ( Starlog , issue #231, p. 48)

Production [ ]

Cliff Bole directed this episode several weeks after having directed his first Voyager installment, " Cold Fire ". Recalling how he captured Tim Russ' performance here, Bole stated, " We worked hard on it together, and then a couple times I just said, 'Go for it.' Those turned out to be the takes we kept. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 15 )
This episode is a bottle show . ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 96) Moments after citing this installment (in common with "Lifesigns") as one of a couple of "money savers," Michael Piller explained, " We saved huge amounts of money on those and it's because they were contained. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 79)

Continuity [ ]

This episode begins Tom Paris 's insubordination mini-arc, with the radiogenic particle pot. This mini-arc culminates in " Investigations "
At the end of the third season, Tim Russ cited this episode as one of four or five installments (in the first three seasons) in which Tuvok's "defenses have been breached" and "his control has been taken away or lost", other such episodes being " Cathexis " and " Flashback ". ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 29, No. 6/7, p. 100) Similarly, following the production of the fourth season, Russ observed that – in common with "Meld" – this installment "really pushed the envelope with how outside forces affect Tuvok's character and what happens." ( Star Trek Monthly issue 41 , p. 28)
This episode also has some similarities to the fourth season installment " Random Thoughts ". Tim Russ stated that both episodes "explored suppressed and deep, violent thoughts and the problems those things created for Tuvok." ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 17 )
In this episode, Tom Paris mentions raktajino , Klingon coffee , which is seen many times in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . This marks the only reference to raktajino in Voyager .
This episode marks the first appearance of Voyager 's brig on the series.
After first appearing in this episode, the character of Lon Suder reappears in the second season finale " Basics, Part I " and the third season premiere " Basics, Part II ", thereafter being referenced in the fifth season episode " Counterpoint ". Of an initial unawareness regarding the role of Suder, Brad Dourif related, " I had no idea Suder would be a recurring character. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 9 )
Crewman Darwin 's death in this episode brings the total number of confirmed crew deaths since the series premiere " Caretaker " to 5, the previous death having occurred in " Alliances ". This leaves Voyager with a crew of 148, given Voyager 's crew compliment of 152 established in " The 37's " (after the first of these deaths).

Reception [ ]

Ultimately, Michael Piller believed this episode had an obvious storyline but also a lot to say about violence. He remarked, " The interesting thing about the show was that the plot is entirely predictable. What makes it rise above is the ability to make that story talk about something, to talk about violence and to see the different facets of it. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Piller also speculated, " If you look at it from a distance you or anybody who has ever watched Star Trek could have told me what was going to happen as soon as the episode started and you knew where it was going. As soon as you knew he was going to have a mind-meld with a killer you knew what was going to happen, but the great thing about it is [the quality of performances from the two lead actors]. And within the context of the script you really got a chance to explore theme through the plot. The plot really didn't matter as much as the exploration of the theme. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 85) Additionally, Piller mused of the episode's themes, " To do the meld and ultimately never to understand, but to explore what violence is and how it manifests itself and begins to eat at us as a civilization so that we find ways of expressing violence, like capital punishment, and find ways of framing it in our own comfortable armchair way. That touches me. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 85) Michael Piller also implied that he thought this was an example of an episode that, despite saving some money, was also successful. ( Cinefantastique ', Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 79)
Mike Sussman, too, ultimately held this episode generally in high regard. When asked about which of the Voyager episodes he was most proud of, he cited both this installment and " Author, Author ", enthusing, " 'Meld' turned out to be a pretty good episode. " [5]
Brannon Braga was delighted by the installment. He raved, " Superb. It doesn't get any better than this: melding with a psychopath, and the psychopath starts to take on the Vulcan tendencies and vice versa. An exploration of murderous tendencies and evil. Just absolutely fascinating. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Braga also felt that the issues explored in this episode were very contemporary. He opined, " The random violence, the causes of random violence in 'Meld', these are very Nineties issues. These aren't things that you would have seen in the original Star Trek , because they weren't issues then. " ( Star Trek Monthly issue 20 ) In fact, Brannon Braga enjoyed this episode to the point of citing it as his favorite from the second season of Voyager . ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages )
Cliff Bole was also appreciative of this installment, remarking, " 'Meld' is one of the best shows I've done for Voyager . " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 15 )
This episode achieved a Nielsen rating of 5.1 million homes, and an 8% share. [6] (X)
Cinefantastique rated this episode 4 out of 4 stars. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 92)
Star Trek Magazine scored this episode 2 out of 5 stars, defined as "Impulse Power only". However, Stuart Clark, a reviewer for the magazine, additionally referred to the outing as "a much stronger episode" than the previous one, " Threshold ". ( Star Trek Monthly issue 17 , pp. 58 & 59)
The unauthorized reference book Delta Quadrant (p. 100) gives this installment a rating of 9 out of 10.
When asked if there were any issues that he would have liked the writers to explore regarding Tuvok, Tim Russ stated, " I would have liked to have played him in a situation in which he would have had to resort to taking a Human approach to solve a particular problem once every other method of logic had been exhausted. His early exploration of violence in 'Meld' I felt was unfinished. He never found an answer to the question, 'Why?' " ( Star Trek Monthly issue 94 , p. 32)
In a 2010 interview, Tim Russ admitted that he had included, in a performance reel he could show upon seeking acting work, the scene from this episode wherein Tuvok loses control of himself in sickbay. [7]

Video and DVD releases [ ]

UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 2.6, 8 July 1996
As part of the VOY Season 2 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway

Also starring [ ]

Robert Beltran as Commander Chakotay
Roxann Biggs-Dawson as Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres
Jennifer Lien as Kes
Robert Duncan McNeill as Lieutenant Tom Paris
Ethan Phillips as Neelix
Robert Picardo as The Doctor
Tim Russ as Lieutenant Tuvok
Garrett Wang as Ensign Harry Kim

Special guest star [ ]

Brad Dourif as Lon Suder

Guest stars [ ]

Angela Dohrmann as Ricky
Simon Billig as Hogan

Co-star [ ]

Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

References [ ]

14th century ; 2272 ; accusation ; accuser ; Alpha Quadrant ; Betazoid ; bipolar disorder ; brig ; Cardassian pinochle ; CCF ; combadge ; confiscation ; contusion ; coordinates ; coup-contrecoup pattern ; crew evaluation ; criminal record ; cubic meter ; Darwin's sisters ; Darwin's training instructor ; Delta Quadrant ; density ; Directive 101 ; DNA ; emotion ; emotional suppression ability ; EPS conduit ; epinephrine ; euphoric ; Federation ; fuel consumption analysis ; gambling ; General Orders and Regulations ; handling fee ; heart ; holodeck ; impulse system control panel ; Intrepid class decks ; Jones ; Kal Rekk ; kilo ; knowledge ; Lewis ; limbic system ; logic ; malcontent ; Maquis ; martial arts ; mashed potatoes ; medical tricorder ; meditation ; mercenary ; mesiofrontal cortex ; microscope ; mind meld ; mission ; Mister Vulcan ; morale officer ; motive ; murder ; nanite ; Neelix' mother ; neural control ; neurogenetic marker ; neuropeptide ; neurosynaptic therapy ; norepinephrine ; Officers candidate ; outlaw ; Pagan ; Paris Radiogenic Sweepstakes ; particle ; per se ; prime rib ; psycho-suppression system (aka suppression system ); radiogenic particle ; radiogenic particle count ; raktajino ; replicator rations ; resumé ; Rillan grease ; Rogers ; Rumarie ; Sandríne's ; security clearance ; security seal ; self control ; senior officer ; smile ; species ; spinach ; stakes ; suicide ; Talaxian ; telepathic ability ; training instructor ; Val Jean ; violence ; Vulcan ; whipped cream ; Yorkshire pudding

External links [ ]

"Meld" at StarTrek.com
" Meld " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
" Meld " at Wikipedia
" "Meld" " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
2 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)
3 Star Trek: The Next Generation

Den of Geek

Star Trek Finally Answers One of Deep Space Nine’s Lingering Dominion War Questions

The Battle of Betazed was one of the most important incidents in the Dominion War and Star Trek: Lower Decks finally explains why it was such a vital target for the Changelings.

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Changelings in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

This Star Trek: Lower Decks article contains spoilers.

Backed into a corner by members of the USS Cerritos and affected by the same overwhelming emotions that bombard everyone else, the three Betazoid women pull out their lipsticks. Although they initially seemed like nothing more than party girls abusing their diplomatic privilege, the Betazoids extend their lipsticks into batons and leap into action, revealing themselves to be members of their planet’s secret intelligence corp. And thus, Star Trek: Lower Decks give us the first (canonical) look at the Betazed military.

The question of Betazed’s military power has been lingering since the portrayal of the Dominion War in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . That series seeded the power of the Dominion early on and slowly established the Gamma Quadrant conquerors as a real threat. But it wasn’t until the Dominion, and their Cardassian collaborators, conquered Betazed that the Federation truly took the threat seriously.

To some viewers, the Battle of Betazed might seem like an easy win for the Dominion. After all, Star Trek ‘s two most notable Betazoids are the Enterprise’s Counsellor Deanna Troi and her mother, Ambassador Lwaxana Troi. As beloved as they are (well, Deanna anyway), neither of them presents their planet as particularly powerful warriors.

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Sure, we’ve seen some dangerous Betazoids from time to time, the powerful Tam Elbrun of The Next Generation episode “Tin Man” and serial killer Lon Suder (portrayed by the legendary Brad Dourif) who saved the Voyager from Kazon invaders in the two-parter “Basics.” But for the most part, Betazed seems like a peaceful paradise.

So why in the world would the Dominion want to start with Betazed? Sure, it provides strategic value in establishing a base in the Alpha Quadrant, and the captured Betazoids served as slave labor for the Cardassians. But surely the mighty Dominion would want to demonstrate its strength by crippling a more combat-ready planet? And if they did simply want an easy win, why was the fall of Betazed so chilling to the Federation that Captain Sisko sacrificed his morals to enlist the Romulan Empire, as seen in the amazing Deep Space Nine episode “In the Pale Moonlight” ?

Strangely enough, a sort of answer comes in the latest episode of Lower Decks . Much of the season five episode “Empathalogical Fallacies” plays like a riff on two of the franchise’s more embarrassing entries, “The Naked Time” from The Original Series (aka the one with Sulu and a sword) and “The Naked Now” from TNG (aka the one where Tasha Yar and Data get it on). The crew of the Cerritos begins acting wildly at the same time that a trio of Betazed diplomats visit. However, the script by Jamie Loftus cleverly locates the source of the problem to T’Lyan, who experiences early on-set Bendii Syndrome.

The Bendii Syndrome forces the Betazoid secret agents to reveal themselves and their mission: to investigate a mysterious vessel that has been obliterating other ships throughout the season. Not only do the agents show impressive physical prowess, stopped only thanks to Shax and his unique way of training his security forces, but they also have new information about the ship.

In this short and largely funny episode, “Empathalogical Fallacies” brings into canon something only seen in novels such as The Battle of Betazed by Charlotte Douglas and Susan Kearney. The Betazoids aren’t just telepathic hippies who get married in the nude. They’re a military power whose empathetic abilities make them an intelligence asset. Now it makes a lot more sense why the Changelings wanted to take them out as early as possible in the Dominion War.

Star Trek: Lower Decks is streaming now on Paramount+.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

IMAGES

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Brad Dourif
"Star Trek: Voyager" Meld (TV Episode 1996)
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Star Trek: Voyager Rewatch: “Basics, Part II”
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COMMENTS

Brad Dourif
Dourif played the part of the villain Saavedro in the computer game Myst III: Exile. He lent his voice to the 2002 video game Run Like Hell, as did his Voyager co-star Kate Mulgrew and Enterprise guest star Clancy Brown. Also, both Dourif and Ron Perlman voiced two of the villains in the hit 2005 game Gun.
Catching Up with 'Voyager''s Brad Dourif
Brad Dourif is a character actor's character actor, an Oscar nominee whose credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the Child's Play films, two installments in The Lord of the Rings saga, Dune, Blue Velvet, Mississippi Burning, Jungle Fever, The X-Files, Priest, Deadwood, Once Upon a Time and many more. Thanks to his foreboding voice and sinister features, he's played way more ...
Lon Suder
Lon Suder was a male Betazoid who lived during the mid-24th century. He became a member of the Maquis and later a provisional officer aboard the USS Voyager during its time in the Delta Quadrant. Suder suffered from unusually strong violent tendencies for most of his life. He had tried a number of treatment options for his condition including violent holographic programs and targeted synaptic ...
Brad Dourif
Brad Dourif. Bradford Claude Dourif [1] ( / ˈdɔːrɪf / [citation needed]; born March 18, 1950) [2] is an American actor. He is best known for voicing Chucky in the Child's Play franchise (1988-present), portraying Gríma Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings film series and his Oscar nominated role as Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo ...
Brad Dourif
Brad Dourif. Actor: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Gaunt character actor Brad Dourif was born Bradford Claude Dourif on March 18, 1950 in Huntington, West Virginia. ... Voyager (1995), Millennium (1996) and Ponderosa (2001). He also appeared in the music video "Stranger in Town" (1984) by the rock band TOTO. Born March 18, 1950 ...
"Star Trek: Voyager" Meld (TV Episode 1996)
Meld: Directed by Cliff Bole. With Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Jennifer Lien. Tuvok mind-melds with a murderous Maquis crewman to better understand the roots of serial killing, losing control of himself in the process.
Star Trek: Voyager's Starfleet Serial Killer Explained By Producer
However, one of Voyager's most startling episodes was season 2, episode 16, "Meld," which introduced Lon Suder (Brad Dourif) to Voyager's cast of characters.
"Star Trek: Voyager" Meld (TV Episode 1996)
Crewman Lon Suder : Understand one thing, Tuvok: I can promise you, this will not silence your demons. If you can't control the violence, the violence controls you. Be prepared to yield your entire being to it, to sacrifice your place in civilized life. For you will no longer be a part of it, and there's no return.
Meld (Star Trek: Voyager)
"Meld" is the 32nd episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 16th episode of the second season. In this science fiction television show, a crewman is murdered aboard starship Voyager. Tuvok investigates and the character Suder is introduced. However, when Tuvok conducts a Vulcan mind meld, things go further awry.. The episode aired on UPN on February 5, 1996.
Star Trek: Voyager: Season 2, Episode 26
Janeway surrenders the ship after the Voyager crew loses a battle with the Kazon; only Tom Paris, Lon Suder, and The Doctor are left to retake the ship. guest Brad Dourif.
Best Star Trek: Voyager episodes
Anchored by a charismatic performance by Brad Dourif, as the sociopath, Suder even gets a chance at redemption, returning in the two-parter Basics (season 2, episode 26), when he helps to retake ...
Star Trek Voyager: An Episode Roadmap
Add Basics Part 2 for a great performance (as always) from Brad Dourif. Add Macrocosm if Die Hard on Voyager with giant bugs, starring Janeway in a vest, is your particular cup of tea. Season Four:
Voyager Killed Off Its Most Interesting Character Too Soon
Star Trek: Voyager killed off the troubled Betazoid crewman Lon Suder (Brad Dourif) much too soon, robbing the series of its most fascinating recurring character in season 3. After the events of the Voyager series premiere "Caretaker," the titular vessel became home to both its surviving Starfleet crew and a group of Maquis operatives who also found themselves stranded in the Delta Quadrant.
Every Star Trek: Voyager 2-Part Episode Ranked, Worst To Best
Watching the Voyager crew come together to survive is what the first few seasons are all about, but the resolution to the cliffhanger is muddied with plot points that reverse important elements from the far more entertaining first half, like the paternity of Seska's baby and the potential redemption of Ensign Lon Suder (Brad Dourif).
The Ballad of Lon Suder
Suder's diagnosis was always left vague. Though Suder's actor, Brad Dourif, described his condition as sociopathy (which from this point on, I will be describing as the more professionally defined Antisocial Personality Disorder, ASPD), I believe the situation is a little more complex.Instead of ASPD, I've always read Suder as living with bipolar disorder.
Tuvok's Voyager & Star Trek History Explained
One of Star Trek: Voyager 's most interesting characters, Lon Suder (Brad Dourif), was a Betazoid murderer, whom Tuvok attempted to rehabilitate by reconciling his violent tendencies during a mind meld. Tuvok used a Vulcan mind meld to assist Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) to finally sever her connection from the Borg Collective, and he also ...
Star Trek: Voyager hit a home run with Lon Suder
Star Trek: Voyager made a bold decision to create and utilize the Lon Suder character, played marvelously by one of the most fantastic actors of all time; Brad Dourif. Many fans will know him as ...
To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager
To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager: Directed by David Zappone. With Brad Dourif, Dwayne Johnson, Jeri Ryan, Sarah Silverman. The documentary explores the legacy of Star Trek: Voyager (1995).
"Meld"
The plot centers around Tuvok's attempts to dissect the circumstances surrounding an unprovoked murder performed by Crewman Suder (Brad Dourif): a quiet, disturbed Betazoid from Chakotay's Maquis crew with a history of repressed violence and antisocial behavior. If not stranded in the Delta Quadrant, Suder would probably be a case study.
Meld (episode)
28) Russ also especially enjoyed his collaboration with Brad Dourif and once commented that, of all the guest stars he had worked with in the first five seasons of Voyager, his favorite was Dourif. (Delta Quadrant, p. 98) Brad Dourif was impressed not only by Russ' performance here but also by Kate Mulgrew's.
Appreciation to Brad Dourif : r/voyager
But the Voyager role was a good one. They told a good story with him, and they even made it span a few episodes, which from what I understand Paramount didn't want most of the time. Wish they had done that more. ... Brad Dourif in "The Exorcist III", one of the most criminally underrated performances ever.
Star Trek Finally Answers One of Deep Space Nine's Lingering Dominion
The question of Betazed's military power has been lingering since the portrayal of the Dominion War in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. That series seeded the power of the Dominion early on and ...