star trek neelix

Why Neelix Leaving The USS Voyager Is A Perfect Star Trek Ending

One of the last Season 7 Star Trek: Voyager episodes has Neelix leave the ship, but what makes it so rare for the franchise is it's really an ending.

• Neelix's departure from the USS Voyager in the final season of Star Trek: Voyager is significant because it represents a clear and rare ending to a Star Trek story.
• Neelix evolved from a comedic hustler to a beloved member of the Voyager crew, embodying the moral center of the ship.
• Neelix's decision to stay behind and continue his important work in the Delta Quadrant showcases the values of Starfleet and the Federation, leaving the door open for fan speculation on his future endeavors.

After seven seasons, Star Trek: Voyager completed their journey home to the Alpha Quadrant after launching the third series in the second wave of the franchise. While the ship made it back to Earth, audiences never actually got to see the characters return home. Well, all but one. Neelix, a Delta Quadrant native turned USS Voyager crewmember, left the ship early after finding a colony of his own species living in an asteroid. It was a surprising choice for Voyager 's final season and a rarity for Star Trek . It was an actual ending.

Star Trek: Voyager introduced Captain Kathryn Janeway , the first woman captain to lead a series, almost 30 years ago. In 2024, she's leading the newest crew of Starfleet heroes in Season 2 of Star Trek: Prodigy on Netflix . She's looking for Chakotay, her former first officer, and she's bringing along the holographic Doctor. Meanwhile, her old friend Tuvok just met with Seven of Nine, the Borg drone she rescued, to promote her to the rank of captain on Star Trek: Picard . All this to say: Star Trek stories rarely ever end. Even if the actors retire the character or the franchise disappears from television or the movies, novels, comic books, and video games tell all-new stories with characters from every series. While the character journey he takes is lovely, the fact that Neelix left Voyager is remarkable simply because it's a clear ending to one Star Trek story.

Star Trek: Voyager Predicted the AI Debate - With a Clever Twist

Who neelix was on star trek: voyager and why he was important, star trek: voyager's seven of nine and chakotay romance was a mistake.

The character was one of the last to be created for Star Trek: Voyager , originally called Felux or Felox in early script drafts. He was introduced in the pilot episode as part of a couple with Kes, an alien whose species only lives for nine human years. "Kes and Neelix were originally intended to operate as a couple, providing different and equally alien perspectives on Voyager's human crew," according to Star Trek Voyager: A Celebration , edited by Ben Robinson. He was a Talaxian. During a war with the Haakonians, Neelix was a conscientious objector facing the death penalty. He ended up surviving a biological weapons attack that left 300,000 dead and destroyed the climate of his moon-based home. He fled the system, leaving his people behind.

Still despite this horrific past, Neelix was cheerful and warm, often serving as the non-Starfleet conscience of the ship. Producer Winrich Kolbe called Neelix "a hustler" and "if you go to Joseph Campbell's mythology, the guide. He's the only who knows [anything about the region of space where Voyager is lost]…he is the sage," in The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman. Starfleet appeals to him because the Haakonians are violent and capitalistic people, while the Voyager crew are peaceful and barely understand how money works.

However, whether because of the sci-fi age difference or actor Ethan Phillips' penchant for humor, Neelix was often paired with other characters. Being 100 percent Vulcan, the emotionless Tuvok often made a good "straight main" for Neelix's comedy. Similarly, his avuncular relationship with Namoi Wildman , the first child born on Voyager's decades-long trip back to Earth, was one of the show's strongest. Other relationships didn't work as well, particularly the one with Kes. The writers wanted a funny love triangle between Neelix, Kes, and helmsman Lieutenant Tom Paris. Yet, according to A Celebration , "everyone involved, in particular, the actors, felt…the storyline…made both Paris and Neelix look bad."

Neelix Went From Alien Con-Man to Star Trek Hero Over Voyager's Run

Star trek can still tell tng-era sequel stories in adult animation.

Neelix was always a brave character. His introduction in the pilot involves him exploiting the Voyager crew to rescue Kes. Kind and funny though he was, he was a fast-talking hustler. He wasn't even as morally gray as the character who inspired him, Deep Space Nine 's Quark, but he wasn't Starfleet material . Still, he was able to talk Captain Janeway into giving him and Kes a berth on the ship. At first, his assignment seemed like part of the gag. He was an ambassador to the Delta Quadrant on behalf of the crew and the ship's morale officer. In short order, it became clear Neelix took this job very seriously.

His time on Voyager was the first time anyone ever put any real trust in him. The crew accepted him for who he was, without any wheeling, dealing or lying necessary. Naomi's mother, Samantha Wildman, named Neelix as her baby's "godfather," something that moved him deeply. Over time, he became a very capable member of the crew. The Season 7 episode in which he leaves the USS Voyager , "Homestead," members of the crew frequently point out how capable and versatile he is. Over seven seasons, he saved the ship and the lives of entire civilizations more than once.

Neelix may have started out like a comedic Han Solo, but he truly became the ship's moral center. During his time as a merchant struggling to survive, he may have broken the occasional law. Yet, he lived up to the values of Starfleet and the Federation effortlessly. After losing his home and his family, he found both on the USS Voyager. Often, throughout the series, he'd talk about what he planned to do when they got to Earth. It shocked fans he left the ship in "Homestead," especially for some Talaxians he'd only just met. However, this was the culmination of an idea Phillips had for his character at least three seasons before.

Why Star Trek: Voyager Producers Had Neelix Leave the Ship

The star wars franchise is in its 'star trek: the next generation' era.

Star Trek is all about exploration for its own sake. Neelix was looking for a steady bed and source of meals when he joined the Voyager crew. However, over time, he was as much a nut for meeting new species and studying new phenomena as the rest of them. Thus, it seems like it makes sense that Neelix would leave behind where he came from for the great unknown. But Star Trek is about other things, too. Throughout the series, it was clear the people of the Delta Quadrant could use an organization like Starfleet and the Federation.

This is what Neelix chooses to do, stay behind and continue to do the important work he had been doing. Only instead, he'd be doing it from the deck of his ship, the Biaxial, instead of the USS Voyager. The Fifty-Year Mission reveals Ethan Phillips wanted Neelix to have a Talaxian romantic partner since Season 4. Season 7 showrunner Kenneth Biller reveals "when somebody pitched… the idea of Neelix falling in love…I said 'The only way I will that episode is if he stays with her.'" He wanted to surprise the audience, and this was the biggest surprise.

In A Celebration Phillips admits he wasn't "overjoyed" by the notion, but came around because Neelix "[is] not from Earth….he has the chance to be a father and a husband and" a man respected by his community. The honor guard in Neelix's final scene is made up of the cast and crew of Voyager . A touching tribute to the character and the actor, and a perfect ending for the character. Neelix leaves the ship a skilled and capable leader, taking with him the grandest ideals of Starfleet and the Federation. He even got Tuvok to "dance."

Neelix's Story Is an Affirmation of Star Trek's Values and a Great Ending

Neelix could've gone with the crew of the Voyager all the way back to Earth, to live out his days in the heart of the Federation . He'd want for nothing, able to do any job he wanted with a roof over his head and food in his belly. The only price would be leaving behind the other Talaxians who also dreamed of a better future for themselves or their children. Neelix could've stayed, but instead, he left the ship to use what he learned to make everyone's lives better.

This is a perfect Star Trek ending because it leaves the door open for fan imaginations to write their own continuation of his story. Neelix spent seven years with some of the best Starfleet has to offer. They made him better, and he's going to return the favor first to the Talaxian colony and maybe the whole quadrant. Captain Janeway makes him a Federation Ambassador, so even though he's leaving the ship, they never have to really leave him.

While Prodigy or a spinoff fans want like Star Trek: Legacy may Bring Neelix back, it arguably shouldn't happen. Bring Phillips back in any number of roles, but perhaps the best thing about Neelix's story is that it ended. How Neelix left the USS Voyager is made even more powerful if audiences view it believing the characters know they're never going to see each other again.

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

• U.S.S. Voyager
• Neles System
• Q's Winter Wonderland
• Talaxian NPCs
• Ambassadors
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• Delta Quadrant
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Neelix is a Talaxian male, leader of the New Talax community, and Federation ambassador to the Delta Quadrant . He is best known for his tenure as the U.S.S. Voyager 's Chef and guide while the ship was lost in the Delta Quadrant from 2371 to 2378.

• 2 Missions involved
• 3.1 Outline
• 3.2 Recipes
• 3.3 Ingredients
• 3.4 Food, Ingredients, Rewards
• 5 External links

History [ | ]

In 2371 Neelix encountered the Federation starship U.S.S. Voyager when the ship was lost in the Delta Quadrant . After proving his knowledge of the region and his skill as a chef to Captain Kathryn Janeway , Neelix was allowed to join the crew as chef and guide to the Quadrant. Neelix would remain on Voyager during the next seven years, until meeting Dexa and joining her on an asteroid colony inhabited by a group of ca. 500 Talaxians located tens of thousands of lightyears away from their homeworld.

By 2410 , the Talaxian community has grown to ca. 3,000 members and moved to a different asteroid colony in the Entaba System . Neelix has become the de-facto leader of the colony and is helping his fellow Talaxians find a new planet to call home. Upon the arrival of the Delta Alliance , Neelix was also made Federation Ambassador to the Delta Quadrant.

Missions involved [ | ]

Events [ | ]

Neelix in Q's Winter Wonderland

• Q's Winter Wonderland (December & January each year): As Q has tasked him to "bake what no one had baked before", Neelix asks players to bring him recipes found in the “Winter Invasion” and ingredients scattered all over the area to create winter-themed foods. The food created with these recipes can be fed to any type of tribble to create a winter tribble . These tasks take the form of missions.

Outline [ | ]

Recipes can be found in Winter Wonderland's “Winter Invasion” mission. Bring these to Neelix who will guide you collect, buy and or replicate certain ingredients to make these winter foods. The food created with these recipes can be fed to any type of tribble to create a Winter Tribble . These tasks take the form of missions.

Recipes [ | ]

Recipes are required to make any of the winter event consumable foods. The recipes are found during the “Winter Invasion” Task Force Operation. It's location is highlighted by a green circle on your minimap and must be collected before the TFO is completed. When someone on your team obtains it you will receive a popup saying that you have found it, but you will not have collected it until you interact with the package yourself.

You can obtain one recipe during Winter Invasion , which will be one of the following;

• Trixian Bubble Candy recipe
• Snaildoodles recipe
• Rum. Buttered. Hot. recipe
• Candied Tube Grubs recipe
• Deka Tea Loaf recipe
• Glazed Ham recipe
• Jellied Gree-Worm recipe

Once collected the recipes will appear in your inventory. When you've obtained a recipe, speak with Neelix to begin the mission and start collecting ingredients.

Ingredients [ | ]

After obtaining a recipe you need the ingredients to make/bake the food. There are two categories of ingredient: those found scattered around the Winter Wonderland, and those that cannot, which you can obtain from your replicator , some of which require specific duty officers, from specific NPCs outside the Wonderland, or both. All the items not scattered around the Wonderland can also be found on the exchange .

• Eggs, Gelatin and Mint can be found on the path leading out from the gingerbread village.
• Chocolate and Milk can be found at the start of the Fast and Flurrious race track.
• Butter and Ginger can be found at the igloo along the Fastest Game on Ice race track.
• Flour and Sugar can be found near the small army of snowmen outside the path to the Tide of Ice area.
• Cinnamon can be found out in the woods near the Panicked Gingerbread NPC.
• Basic Replicatable ingredients : These items anyone can obtain from the replicator in your inventory menu: [ Synthale ] , [ Bajoran Deka Tea ] , [ Bajoran Kava Juice ] , [ Bajoran Mapa Bread ] , [ Klingon Targ Milk ] , [ Klingon Raktajino ] , [ Root Beer ] , and [ Ferengi Snail Juice ] . KDF captains cannot replicate Root Beer, so Neelix will cover that ingredient for them. Neelix also mentions having Ham and [ Heart of Targ ] on hand for the Glazed Ham and Glazed Targ recipes, respectively.
• Special Replicatable ingredients : Two items require having specific duty officers on your roster: For [ Ferengi Jellied Gree-worm ] , you must have a Ferengi chef of Uncommon or higher quality, and for [ Trixian Bubble Juice ] , you must have a bartender of Uncommon or higher quality, though any species will do.
• Purchase/Special Replicate ingredients : These are items you can purchase from specific NPCs or replicate if you have a specific chef on your staff: [ Bajoran Jumja Stick ] , which can be purchased on Bajor or DS9, or replicated with a Bajoran chef; [ Betazoid Uttaberry ] , which can be purchased from many places such as Drozana station or DS9, or replicated with a Betazoid chef; [ Ferengi Tube Grubs ] , which can be purchased on DS9's promenade, or replicated with the aforementioned Ferengi chef; and [ Tranya ] , which can be purchased from the bartender in Paradise City on Nimbus III, or replicated with a Very Rare bartender duty officer.

Once you have all necessary ingredients you can talk to Neelix and complete the mission and be rewarded with several of the food you have created (between 5 and 10) and several holiday commodities such as Bolian Candles , Terran Holiday Ornaments and Targ Fur Earmuffs (between 2 and 5). The exact quantities are random every time.

Food, Ingredients, Rewards [ | ]

† Excluding KDF ‡ Neelix will erroneously claim this recipe requires Gelatin instead of Milk for Starfleet characters.

• Neelix's voice is provided by Ethan Phillips , the actor who portrayed him in Star Trek: Voyager .
• Neelix's role in Q's Winter Wonderland replaced the Winter Wonderland Chef in 2014.

External links [ | ]

• Neelix at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
• Neelix at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek Wiki.
• 1 Playable starship
• 3 Infinity Prize Pack - T6 Ship

Ethan Phillips (I)

IMDbPro Starmeter See rank

• Contact info

• Mitch Gorfein

• Jill's Father

• Jones Three Echo

• 1995–2001 • 168 eps

• Neelix (voice)

• Spike Martin
• 16 episodes

• Mayor Winston

• Judge Benedict Munninger

• Bob (voice)

• Bobby Green

• Dr. Elcourt

• Chief Couper

• performer: "Ej lm-ta fey DE-jai [in Kligon]"
• performer: "Ro-chaloH qech [in Kligon]"
• performer: "O Starless Night" ...

• performer: "Lullaby of Broadway" (uncredited)

Personal details

• Ethan Philips
• 5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
• February 8 , 1955
• Garden City, Long Island, New York, USA
• Patricia Cresswell August 10, 1990 - 2022 (her death, 3 children)
• Relatives Maggie Phillips (Cousin)
• Other works Also an accomplished stage actor, and an anthologized playwright.
• 4 Interviews
• 2 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

• Trivia His father was the owner of the famous New York steakhouse Frankie and Johnnie's, which still serves up "the most delicious sirloin in all of Manhattan."
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• Where was Ethan Phillips born?

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Neelix and Tuvok Become Tuvix - Star Trek: Voyager

"Tuvix," Season 2, Episode 24

"Neelix and Tuvok become 'Tuvix' when a 'minor glitch' occurs in the molecular image scanner." — 8 Of Star Trek 's Most Bizarre Transporter Accidents

Screen Rant

10 star trek actors who were on criminal minds.

Star Trek and Criminal Minds may take place in vastly different universes, but several Trek stars have appeared on the dark crime drama.

• Star Trek stars found unique roles in Criminal Minds, showcasing their range as actors in the dark crime drama.
• Criminal Minds delves into human depravity while Star Trek celebrates optimism and exploration.
• Many familiar Star Trek faces appeared in Criminal Minds, adding depth and variety to the crime drama's cast of characters.

The Star Trek universe may not have much in common with the world of Criminal Minds , but several Trek stars appeared in the dark crime drama. With its focus on exploration and its optimistic version of the future, Star Trek celebrates the best of humanity. Criminal Minds , on the other hand, explores the depths of human depravity, but still has moments of light as the heroes fight to put the bad guys behind bars. The familiar Star Trek faces on Criminal Minds display their range as actors , often playing characters very different (and significantly more homicidal) from their Trek characters.

With the nature of procedural crime dramas like Criminal Minds , every episode has a cast of characters involved in the crime of the week. Criminal Minds follows a group of FBI agents who work as profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) , and take on cases too complex or far-reaching for local law enforcement to handle. After its premiere in 2005, Criminal Minds became a ratings hit for CBS and remains popular today. Whether they were playing a victim or an unsub (unknown subject) or a member of law enforcement, these 10 Star Trek stars all appeared in at least one episode of Criminal Minds .

Criminal Minds was canceled by CBS in 2020 after its fifteenth season, but was picked up by Paramount+ in 2022 for a sixteenth season as Criminal Minds: Evolution . The seventeenth season began filming in January 2024.

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10 todd stashwick, captain liam shaw in star trek: picard, star trek: picard.

Todd Stashwick's Captain Liam Shaw became a surprise fan-favorite in Star Trek: Picard season 3 , thanks in large part to Stashwick's compelling performance. As Captain of the USS Titan-A, Shaw did things by the book and was none too pleased when Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) pulled his ship into a dangerous rescue mission.

Although Shaw sacrificed himself in Star Trek: Picard season 3's penultimate episode, Picard showrunner Terry Matalas has confirmed the character will return if the proposed spin-off, Star Trek: Legacy, ever becomes a reality.

Todd Stashwick has appeared in numerous genre television shows, including a guest spot on Supernatural and a starring role on Terry Matalas's 12 Monkeys . In Criminal Minds season 9, episode 5, "Route 66," Stashwick plays a robber who abducts his estranged daughter and later becomes a spree killer.

9 Jeffrey Combs

Shran in star trek: enterprise, weyoun & brunt in star trek: deep space nine, & others, star trek: enterprise, star trek: deep space nine.

The always versatile Jeffrey Combs has played numerous Star Trek characters across multiple series, and has become one of the franchise's favorite guest stars. Combs appeared in all four seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise as the Andorian Thy'lek Shran, who sometimes butted heads with Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Combs portrayed every Vorta Weyoun clone, a role created especially for him.

Combs also appeared as a couple of different Ferengi, most notably as Liquidator Brunt on DS9, as well as an unknown alien named Tiron and Tsunkatse coordinator Penk. Combs has had a prolific television career, and he appeared in Criminal Minds season 9, episode 12, "The Black Queen" as serial killer and computer hacker John Nichols.

Jeffrey Combs also provided the voice for the computer AGIMUS in two episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks

8 Ethan Phillips

Neelix in star trek: voyager, star trek: voyager.

Ethan Phillips portrayed Talaxian chef Neelix in all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager . Neelix joined the crew of the USS Voyager soon after the ship found itself in the Delta Quadrant , and he acted as a consultant and guide for the unexplored area of space. Neelix's personality contrasted sharply with Security Chief Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) and the two developed an antagonistic friendship.

Neelix and Tuvok became one of Star Trek's best duos, and Neelix developed into a valuable and versatile member of Voyager's crew. Ethan Phillips has appeared in numerous television shows and films, including several crime procedural dramas. In Criminal Minds season 1, episode 17, "A Real Rain," Phillips portrayed Marvin Doyle, a schizophrenic serial killer who believed himself to be a vigilante.

7 John Billingsley

Dr. phlox in star trek: enterprise.

In all four seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise, John Billingsly portrayed Dr. Phlox, the Chief Medical Officer on the Enterprise NX-01 under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). A member of the Denobulan species, Phlox cared deeply about his patients and often used unorthodox methods of treatment to cure their ailments. He kept a menagerie of alien animals in his sickbay to assist in various healing practices.

During his time on the Enterprise, Phlox became good friends with Captain Archer, and Archer often went to Phlox for counseling and advice. Like many television actors, John Billingsly has popped up in numerous crime dramas, including Bones and NCIS: Los Angeles . Billingsley appeared as budding serial killer Hugh Rollins in Criminal Minds season 4, episode 21, "A Shade of Gray."

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6 wil wheaton, ensign wesley crusher in star trek: the next generation, star trek: the next generation.

Fresh off of the success of Stand By Me , Wil Wheaton joined the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation in the show's first season as the young Wesley Crusher. As the son of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Wesley had more freedom on the USS Enterprise-D than most children. Wes was a bit of a child prodigy and often helped the Enterprise crew find solutions when the ship encountered problems.

Wesley left TNG in the show's fourth season to attend Starfleet Academy but later dropped out to join the enigmatic Traveler (Eric Menyuk) on his journeys throughout time and space. Wheaton has since become a fixture of the Star Trek franchise, hosting the official Star Trek aftershow, The Ready Room . In a very atypical role for Wheaton, he portrayed a psychopathic serial killer named Floyd Hansen in Criminal Minds season 4, episode 4, "Paradise."

Wil Wheaton briefly reprised the role of Wesley Crusher as a Traveler in the Star Trek: Picard season 2 finale.

Commander Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager

Lieutenant Tuvok served as the Chief of Security of the USS Voyager for all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager . As a Vulcan, Tuvok often served as the logical voice of reason on Voyager, and he was one of Captain Kathryn Janeway's (Kate Mulgrew) most trusted advisors. Tuvok and Janeway were also close personal friends, who had met several years prior to the Vulcan's assignment on Voyager.

Tim Russ is no stranger to police procedurals, having appeared in episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and NCIS , among others. One of the few actors on this list who didn't portray a suspect in Criminal Minds , Tim Russ appeared in season 13, episode 2, "To a Better Place," as Agent Lawrence. Lawrence was one of the committee members who helped reinstate Special Agent Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler).

4 Connor Trinneer

Commander charles "trip" tucker in star trek: enterprise.

Trip served as the Chief Engineer on the Enterprise NX-01, under the command of his good friend, Captain Archer. Outgoing and down-to-earth, Trip was a gifted engineer who was largely self-taught before joining Starfleet in 2139. Despite their differences, Trip and Vulcan Sub-commander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) developed feelings for one another over the course of Star Trek: Enterprise , but their romance was cut short by the show's cancelation in season 4.

Trip was supposedly killed in Enterprise's controversial series finale , but the events were only seen via holographic recreations on the holodeck. Connor Trinneer had a memorable 10-episode stint on Stargate: Atlantis , and has appeared in 24, NCIS: Los Angeles, and ABC's 9-1-1 . In Criminal Minds season 4, episode 3, "Minimal Loss," Trineer portrayed Dan Torre alongside Luke Perry's cult leader, Benjamin Cyrus.

3 René Auberjonois

Constable odo in star trek: deep space nine.

The late René Auberjonois portrayed the stern but lovable Changeling, Constable Odo, in all seven seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . As Chief of Security on DS9, Odo was a brilliant detective who was aware of nearly everything and everyone on the busy space station. He ran a tight station and often butted heads with Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman) who regularly participated in illicit activities.

Throughout his time on the station, Odo developed feelings for Bajoran Major Kira (Nana Visitor) and she later came to reciprocate those feelings. René Auberjonois starred alongside William Shatner in Boston Legal , and has also appeared in episodes of Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, and Warehouse 13. Auberjonois portrayed attempted proxy killer Colonel Ron Massey in Criminal Minds season 7, episode 9, "Self-Fulfilling Prophecy."

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2 doug jones, mr. saru in star trek: discovery, star trek: discovery.

Used to being covered in heavy prosthetics and make-up, Doug Jones has made Mr. Saru on Star Trek: Discovery one of Star Trek's best new characters. The first Kelpian in Starfleet, Saru has grown and changed a lot over the course of Discovery's five seasons, and even found love in an incredibly sweet relationship with the Vulcan President of Ni'Var, T'Rina (Tara Rosling).

With his tall stature and distinctive look, Doug Jones has had a prolific career playing monsters and creepy creatures in horror films, often working with director Guillermo del Toro. Jones played two different characters in two episodes of Criminal Minds : drug addict Domino Thacker in season 1, episode 11, "Blood Hungry" and fight club captain Beanie in season 4, episode 10, "Brothers in Arms."

1 Jonathan Frakes

William riker in star trek: the next generation & star trek: picard.

Jonathan Frakes began his Star Trek career portraying Commander William Riker , the First Officer on the USS Enterprise-D, on Star Trek: The Next Generation . He played Riker for seven seasons of TNG and four films, before reprising the role in Star Trek: Picard seasons 1 and 3. In TNG season 3, Frakes tried his hand at directing, and he has since become one of Star Trek's most beloved and prolific directors.

Frakes has directed episodes of numerous popular television shows, including crime procedurals like Castle and NCIS: Los Angeles . In Criminal Minds season 5, episode 12, "The Uncanny Valley," Frakes portrayed child psychiatrist and pedophile Dr. Arthur Malcolm , the father of serial killer Samantha Malcolm (Jennifer Hasty). Frakes is just one of the many recognizable Star Trek faces that have appeared on Criminal Minds throughout its fifteen seasons.

Criminal Minds & all of the Star Trek shows mentioned above are available to stream on Paramount+.

Criminal Minds

RBVOY 014 - Jetrel Rebinge Star Trek Voyager

• After Shows

Rebinging Star Trek Voyager: Jetrel Hello Star Trek fans! Welcome to Rebinge Star Trek Voyager S1E15: Jetrel. In this episode, Neelix's past comes back to haunt him in the form of James Sloyan playing an Oppenheimer-like character. Remember Sloyan? Yep, that's Odo's dad (sort of)! Jetrel An alien named Jetrel arrives in search of Neelix. Turns out this guy built a weapon that destroyed the moon Neelix and his family lived on. Neelix wasn't there at the time (obviously), but everyone who did live there was killed. Understandably, Neelix does not want anything to do with Jetrel, but Jetrel convinces Janeway that he is on an important mission to save Neelix. As usual, a stranger that we meet in space isn't being completely honest about his motives. What's this rebinge thing? It’s a re-watch of a thing you’ve already seen but love to watch and talk about. We go deep with every episode, walking you through every scene and analyzing all of the characters and story lines. In each episode we discuss "Women in the Future" and "Janeway's Leadership Corner" while over-analyzing everything. Be sure to listen to our previous episode S1E14: Faces where B'Elanna has to come to terms with her Klingon self (literally). Next time... Join us next week for S1E16: Learning Curve. Be sure and join our Facebook group and Follow Rebinge It on Twitter! We're also on Threads @RebingeIt! Email us at [email protected].

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The Baxial was a Talaxian freighter that was in service in the late 24th century . In the 2370s , the Baxial was owned by Neelix . During his stay aboard the USS Voyager , the Baxial was stored in the starship 's shuttlebay . ( VOY : " Alice ")

When he first saw it, Neelix thought the Baxial was the ugliest thing he'd ever seen. But eventually, he couldn't imagine being without it. ( VOY : " Alice ") A preserved Talaxian Furfly hung in the engine room of the ship for six years. Neelix later gave the fly to B'Elanna Torres as a good luck charm , after the construction of the quantum slipstream drive on the USS Voyager . ( VOY : " Timeless ")

In 2371 , the Baxial was sorting through wreckage in a debris field near Ocampa when Voyager approached it, asking for information on the Caretaker 's array . After successfully rescuing their crew members, Captain Janeway had Neelix's shuttle refueled, and prepared to depart, but Neelix and newly freed Kes requested to remain aboard, which led to the Baxial being stored in Voyager 's shuttlebay. ( VOY : " Caretaker ")

Neelix on the bridge of the Baxial

Shortly after Neelix decided to stay aboard Voyager , the ship encountered a nucleogenic cloud being , which the crew decided to explore. Voyager accidentally damaged the cloud after it left and Janeway decided to return and help it heal. Neelix demanded that the captain not return to it, as he believed it was too dangerous, or to drop him and Kes off and pick them up later. Janeway bluntly stated that there wasn't time to prep Baxial for launch, and he'd have to sit tight. ( VOY : " The Cloud ")

In 2373 , Neelix and a security team broke into an Akritirian prison using the Baxial . Janeway opted to use the Baxial for this task because Akritirian patrols would have attacked Voyager if it had entered Akritirian space. ( VOY : " The Chute ")

In 2376 , when Seven of Nine was researching the possibility of a conspiracy aboard Voyager , she asked Neelix for his ship's sensor logs from the time period around when Voyager was trapped in the Delta Quadrant . Included among the logs were records of 52 vessels, including a Cardassian ship , being brought to the Delta Quadrant. ( VOY : " The Voyager Conspiracy ")

In 2377 , Neelix and Commander Chakotay used the Baxial to get through a Quarren security perimeter, in search of Voyager 's crew, who'd had their memories erased. ( VOY : " Workforce ", " Workforce, Part II ")

Upon discovery of a Talaxian colony which was being bullied by a mining team in 2378 , Neelix used the Baxial to protect another Talaxian ship , which was planting force field emitters in the asteroid 's surface. Following Neelix's decision to stay at the Talaxian colony, he piloted his shuttle there. ( VOY : " Homestead ")

• 1.1 Appearances
• 1.2 References
• 1.3 Background information
• 1.4 External link

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Caretaker " (interior only)
• " The Chute " (first appearance)
• " Workforce "
• " Workforce, Part II "
• " Homestead "

References [ ]

• " The Cloud "
• " The Voyager Conspiracy "

Background information [ ]

In the first draft script for "Caretaker", the Baxial was described as "a strange, small alien pod poking about amid the flotsam , like a scavenger combing through a trash can ." The vessel was scripted to have a "cramped and messy cabin [...] filled with an eclectic assortment of junk."

The studio model of the Baxial was later seen as a background ship in episodes of Joss Whedon 's series Firefly .

The vessel may have been based on Jaheel's ship from DS9 : " Babel ", as per Ex Astris Scientia .

External link [ ]

• Baxial at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

'Discovery's Elias Toufexis Could Be 'Star Trek's Next Jeffrey Combs

Toufexis and Eve Harlow breakdown their Breen backstory and call the 'Discovery' set the best they've ever worked on.

The Big Picture

• Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5, "Mirrors," delves into Moll and L'ak's backstory, revealing their love and the price on their heads.
• Stars Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis discuss fleshing out their romance, joining the sci-fi series for its final season, and L'ak's connection to the Breen.
• The duo also praises the Star Trek: Discovery cast and crew for the warm and welcoming atmosphere, with Sonequa Martin-Green leading the way as a fantastic number one.

A few weeks ago, Star Trek: Discovery kicked off the series' final season with a dazzling new mystery and a pair of wildly compelling antagonists. Seemingly out to cash in on the greatest treasure the galaxy has to offer, lovers Moll ( Eve Harlow ) and L'ak ( Elias Toufexis ) have been neck-and-neck with Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) and her crew as they hunt for clues . This week's episode "Mirrors," sees Burnham catch up with the two as she and Book ( David Ajala ) corner them on an abandoned ISS Enterprise from the Mirror universe.

As the two couples are made to face each other, we also get a glimpse into Moll and L'ak's backstory. Not only do we learn how they fell in love, but we also come to understand why they're on the run — L'ak is a Breen and in their attempt to run away together the duo killed a pair of guards. Now the warlike race has a price on their heads.

Ahead of the episode, I sat down with Harlow and Toufexis to talk about the big reveals in "Mirrors," the complex relationship between their characters, and what they're taking away from their time on Discovery . During our conversation, we also spoke about their personal experiences with Star Trek , when Toufexis learned he would be playing a Breen, and which episodes of Season 5 are their favorites.

Star Trek: Discovery

Taking place almost a decade before Captain Kirk's Enterprise, the USS Discovery charts a course to uncover new worlds and life forms.

Both Harlow and Toufexis have a fair share of sci-fi credits to their names with Harlow having made waves on shows like The 100 and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. while Toufexis appeared in the smash hit series The Expanse as well as having voiced characters in a truly impressive number of video games. When asked what it was like to go from their sci-fi roots to arguably the biggest sci-fi series of all time, Harlow admitted that she'd actually "never seen Star Trek before." She went on to explain, "to me, I was like, 'Oh, cool, another job. Oh, cool, I get to be in space!'"

Meanwhile, Toufexis was a huge Star Trek fan. "And Elias was like, 'No, you don't understand. This is Star Trek .' Even in the sides for the audition, I remember the word “Klingon” being in there, and I'm like, “Wait, how do I pronounce this? What is this?” And on set it was like, “What's a Tribbler?” Harlow joked. "Then Elias was like, 'Okay, let me send you a YouTube video.' So I think for me it was just like, 'Oh, cool. This is fun. This is nice,' and then being told the importance of it by my co-star," she laughed.

For Toufexis, the role was a dream come true. He explained:

"It was great for me. I love sci-fi, and I was happy to do a lot of sci-fi before Star Trek, but yeah, I'm a giant Star Trek fan. Accepting the role was a no-brainer, and I was very, very happy and geeked out every day on set. I would get mad at people who worked on the show who didn't know the stuff that I knew. Not Eve. I would never get mad at Eve."

As actors, both Harlow and Toufexis know the struggle of auditioning over and over for until something sticks. He said, "as an actor, you audition for everything, and you take what sticks, right? That's the nature of the beast." He went on, calling Discovery a career highlight. "So it just happened to be that I have done a lot of sci-fi stuff in my career, so Star Trek is kind of the peak sci-fi . So, it's all downhill from here," he laughed. However, as any good Star Trek fan knows, playing one character is not always the end of the line for an actor in the series. I joked that Toufexis could return on another series in the future, following in the footsteps of actors like Jeffrey Combs and Suzie Plakson , to which he heartily agreed, "I'll play, like, 10 characters."

'Star Trek: Discovery's Moll and L'ak Are Hopelessly Devoted to Each Other

Shortly after we meet these two in the first episode of Season 5 , it becomes very clear that L'ak would do anything to protect Moll, to the point of taking out excessive violence on anyone who threatens her. When asked if that defensive nature was a result of their nature or inherent in them as individuals Toufexis explained, "I think it's inherent in them, but they bring it out of each other. It's a part of their character."

He went on to explain that L'ak was already looking for a way out of his life as a high-ranking Breen when he fell in love with Moll. He said, "I don't know if he was looking for love, but he found it, and then that brought out the guardian in him." He went on to say that one thing he loved about the fifth episode is that, in learning their history, we see that Moll and L'ak are more equals than it seemed in the first four episodes.

"It looks like he's almost her bodyguard, but when they're alone, you see it's not really the case. They're on absolutely equal footing, and he defers to her a lot. He's just protective of her, but she is of him, and that's their love." He went on to explain, " My favorite thing about these characters is their love for each other. It's rare in sci-fi that you have antagonists that have a genuinely good reason to do what they're doing, that I think people would relate to their love and passion for each other and freedom. That's it. We're not bad guys. We just want you to leave us the hell alone." He points out that in this episode, Moll admits they never would have made an enemy out of the Discovery crew if they'd just been left alone, "But you keep on us, and we’re gonna defend ourselves.”

Meanwhile, Harlow explained that the complete devotion Moll and L'ak have for each other is what makes them relatable. She said:

"I do think it's inherent to their nature, and I think that that's what makes them likable, is that there's the love and loyalty there, and they're the first beings in each other's lives that have been, like, he's proven to me that he's worth the love, he's worth the loyalty. Literally, everybody else has either died or betrayed, left. All that stuff. This one being has shown me that it's like, 'No, this is actually where I can store my loyalty, love in this being, and I'm gonna hold on to this being no matter what.' "

With this episode being called "Mirrors," not only for the time spent on a Mirror Universe ship, but for the relationships within, as Moll and L'ak serve as a foil to Book and Burnham. I asked the pair if they felt like their characters recognized themselves in their counterparts. For Toufexis, Book and Burnham are barely even on his radar. He said, "At least as an actor, I never even considered that. I was just like, 'Nah, I don't care about them.' He's very one-track-minded." He then laid out L'ak's priorities, saying:

"At least for me, the way I played it was, 'I just want Moll, and I want you to leave us alone. And if this tech, whatever it is that we may not understand, or even if they understand its power, whatever this tech is, if it could grant us freedom and to be left alone and to just go live our lives in love together, that's all that matters.' So I don't think they're looking and going, 'Oh, they're a lot like us, those two.'"

Meanwhile, Harlow agreed, comparing their characters to "caged animals." She said: "Everyone else are [our] oppressors, and so I don't care what's happening out there. I don't care how similar it is, because ultimately they have the key to the door to freedom, and they're holding here. It’s like, 'Fuck yeah!'"

Elias Toufexis Learned He Was Playing a Breen While Getting His Prosthetics for 'Star Trek: Discovery'

While the Breen have existed since the 90s, having first appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , we know very little about their species. Most notably, we don't know what they look like under their helmets — at least we didn't until this episode. As a fan of the franchise, I had to ask Toufexis if he knew he would be playing a Breen when he first got the role or if he found out when he read the script. He revealed that he actually found out while getting his prosthetics made. But before telling the full story of how he found out L'ak was a Breen, Toufexis took a brief detour to joke about another vast disparity between his Star Trek experience and Harlow's.

He said: "This is a funny story we haven’t told yet. When I auditioned, I knew I was gonna be in makeup because I had already been on the show in the third episode. I played one of the prisoners that's on the show, on Discovery , so I knew I couldn't play with my own face again. I knew I'd be in prosthetics. And I remember, this is like a side thing, but I remember calling Eve and talking about working together, and I said, 'So what's your makeup process?' She's like, 'I don't have any makeup. I don’t have any prosthetics.' 'What? You mean I have to go through five hours of hair and makeup…?'" Harlow chimed in confirming the call, "You were like, 'No, no, no, like prosthetics.' I’m like, 'Yeah, no. Nothing.' And he's like, 'Wait, are you sure?' [Laughs] I’m like, 'I don’t know how to break it to you, but no.'"

He joked that he was "hoping we were both gonna have 2:30 a.m. calls and all that kind of stuff," before diving into how he learned he'd be playing a Breen. He explained:

"But when I found out that he was a Breen was when I went to do the first step of the prosthetics. Being a giant Star Trek geek, I said, 'Can you show me what I'm gonna look like?' Because they’re doing that thing, the plaster mold, where you have to sit there in 20 minutes and try not to have a panic attack. But at that session, I said, 'Do you have any art of what he's gonna look like?' And they showed me, and I said, 'Do you know what race he is?' Because I think I had heard that he was a new race, or an unseen race, or something like that. And they said, 'Yeah, he's a Breen.' I was like, 'Wait, Breen? They don’t take off their helmets.' My geek mind starts going. Then they're like, 'Yeah, you're gonna be the first time that this race is revealed in Star Trek,' and that really got me going. I was like, 'Oh, okay! Let's plaster me up. Let's do this.' And somehow I got through it. But yeah, I was really excited to find that out. Especially [because] Deep Space Nine to me is, like, I love Deep Space Nine . I know the Breen they talk about in TNG a little bit, but Deep Space Nine to me is, like, one of my favorite shows ever, not just Star Treks shows. So, the fact that I was gonna be involved in that. We kind of delve into Deep Space Nine , so I was super happy."

Moll and L'ak Aren't Villains — They're Just Antagonists

In "Mirrors," Moll and L'ak become much more fleshed-out characters as we get a glimpse into their history with each other. Much like the revelation with the Breen, I had to ask Harlow and Toufexis if they had made up any backstory for their characters prior to learning the roots of their love story when they got the script for this episode. Harlow explained that they really only fleshed out the basics like how long they'd been together. She pointed out that sometimes if you make up a backstory for your character it can get entirely undone by the narrative. She said: "The thing is, you could create a backstory, and then you get the next episode and it’s like, 'Ha, joke’s on you. Totally wrong. Everything that we thought…' So, at least this is the way that I work, it's like, 'Okay, what are the stakes? This person is my everything.' That’s just how I’m gonna play it. "

"In terms of the flashback, I mean, it was fun," she grinned. "This might sound really vain, but looks-wise, what did she look like back then? I’ve just got to shout out to the hair and makeup and costume team. Freaking amazing. Such talented people, and also so collaborative, and talking about all this, and being excited about it as well. I think this is what was really cool about the show. Literally every single person is so excited about what they do. Like the props people, they're like, 'This is so awesome,' and then you're like, 'Yes! This is so awesome.'"

Despite not being a Star Trek fan before joining the franchise, Harlow explained that she couldn't help but fall in love with the whole team. "So even though, again, I did not know Star Trek , you can't help it. It's infectious when you're surrounded by that energy, and so it's like, 'Oh, cool. We get to explore our characters’ backgrounds and be in this Breen world.'" She went on to say, "seeing the sets is insane. That screen, the wall, is incredible. You step into the space and you're like, 'Whoa, people created all of this and I get to be a part of it? Incredible.'"

Toufexis was thrilled to get an episode so heavily dedicated to Moll and L'ak's motivations. Having played his fair share of TV baddies , he noted that this is the first time he's gotten to play out the why of what his character is doing himself. He told me:

"The backstory was the best part for me because, I've said this before, but I play a lot of bad guys on TV, and very often it's other characters that are just explaining why my character is doing what he's doing, or make a line thrown here or there, like this is what happened to me, so this is why I'm doing this. Whereas with L’ak, I got to play it. I got to go back and play how he got to where he is, and the great thing is it's justified. What I hope is that the people who watch Episode 5, when they rewatch, they go, 'Oh, yeah, everything they're doing they have a right to do. They're not bad. They're just the antagonists.' I don't mind if they call us villains for promotional purposes, but I’m kind of like, 'They're not villains.'"

Harlow chimed in saying, "They have hearts of gold, okay?" To which Toufexis doubled down on Moll and L'ak's desire to just be left alone.

Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis Reveal Their Favorite Episodes of 'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 5

Again, as a pair of Trekkies, I had to ask Toufexis about the incredible experience of getting to actually spend time on the bridge of the Enterprise in this episode. Naturally, he was delighted. He told Collider:

"Well, you can imagine. I've already said I'm a super nerd. And also, The Original Series , that's what I watched growing up . I'm not that old, my dad had them all on tape — so I'm old, but I'm not that old. My dad had them all on tape in the ‘90s, so I watched them over and over and over again, and the movies, especially. So, for me, that was my introduction to Star Trek was the Kirk Enterprise, right? Even though I know this is not the Kirk Enterprise, but Kirk's on it. So being on that ship, I know story-wise it was the ISS Enterprise, but I'm still like, 'This is the Enterprise. I don't care what decals they put over this. I'm sitting on the Enterprise.' I went and took secret pictures of me on the bridge and stuff like that. I was just freaking out, man. I was like, 'This is like the coolest thing.' How can you not freak out being a fan of something and then suddenly getting paid to be there? It's pretty cool."

While she didn't have any personal connection to the sets herself, Harlow understood the importance through Toufexis' experience. "I had him explain all this to me," she laughed. "It's like this is my very own Star Trek Wikipedia sitting next to me. I'm like, 'Okay, cool, noted. Thank you.'"

When asked what their favorite episodes of Discovery Season 5 were, Toufexis decidedly chose the one we all just watched. "Five for me, for sure," he said, though he was sure to give some praise to the rest of the season as well. "There's a couple of episodes coming up that are really good, too, but for me, it's five because of that, the background and getting to play the background. It's kind of their big episode that reveals everything about her. So for me, it's five. " Meanwhile, Harlow set her sights on the series finale, saying, "I forget which episode it is, but it's later, it's either Episode 9 or 10, and I don't think I can say anything. I'm not gonna say anything, but yes, there is one I like."

The 'Star Trek: Discovery' Set Is Unlike Any Other Thanks to Sonequa Martin-Green

While this is Harlow and Toufexis' first season of Discovery, it's also the show's last. As I noted in my review, despite the writers not knowing Season 5 was the end, they somehow managed to bring the story to a full circle moment. And Toufexis felt the exact same way, he said, "You know what, I was just thinking about this morning. I was thinking about how it's somehow in this weird… The TV gods… Because the episodes that were already written before they knew it was gonna be the last season have this feeling of closure in this weird way, right?" He went on to explain, " Like Episode 4, where they go back and see themselves in the past. That is something that you would do when you would be ending a show, or Doug [Jones], Saru, going off and having these new chapters. That's something you would do when you would end the show. So, it’s this weird kind of thing that happened where it almost was fate that it was going to be the last season . I don't know if that is a sad note or something, but it just worked so well."

"So what I hope people take out of it is just this great feeling of closure of this amazing five years that these people have done. I mean, I'm a fan of the show and I've watched every episode. You're sad that it's ending but at the same time it's ending so well that you just kind of hope everybody just really enjoys the ride of this last season and then looks at everything as five years of what this show actually accomplished, which if you step back and look at it is a lot."

While Harlow admitted that she hadn't "thought about it that deeply, but ultimately I just want people to like it." She had nothing but high praise for series star Sonequa Martin-Green , saying: "The first thing, I stepped on set and everyone, Sonequa was so kind and so welcoming. Every single person on that set was wonderful , and one of the first things that I was told was, 'Welcome to the family.' I just want people to like it, to deserve that title of being in the family, if that makes sense."

For these two, working on Discovery was unlike any other set they'd ever worked on. "I would like to piggyback off of that," said Toufexis. "Eve has worked a lot, I’ve worked a lot, and this is one of the best sets you could work on. From Sonequa and down to the crew, to Michelle [Paradise] and Tunde [Osunsanmi], and all those guys, Alex Kurtzman. You just end up going like, 'All these people are nice.'"

The vibes on set were amazing from the start, to the point that Harlow could hardly believe it to be true, certain that at some point the magic would wear off. However, the warm, familiar atmosphere never faded. She explained:

"When I started, I was like, 'There is no way that this lasts for six months. There's no way.' Because people get stressed. It's just like being on sets — it's chaotic, there’s so many people. And, oh my god, until the very end people were so kind. I feel like a fangirl when I talk about it, and I feel like I've talked about it so much, but it's just because it's lasted, and it just shows what a set can be like. We had this thing, crew appreciation, which is like every single day, a different crew member would be clapped for, and throughout the day, if you saw this crewmember, you could just start clapping for them. So that means that by the time we finished filming, everybody knows everybody's names and what they do and has an appreciation for everybody's job. I've never seen that on any set. And it didn't get in the way of us finishing days. I know that some people are like, 'Oh, it takes time to do this care and appreciation.' Yes, it takes time. It’s, like, 30 seconds, and it lifts everybody's spirits. Anyway, yeah, it's great."

Toufexis confirmed that the source of those good vibes without a doubt comes back to their fearless leader. "It's Sonequa’s set," he said. "Sonequa was the number one, and she's the best number one I've ever worked with. Hands down. Just [the best] of the whole show. She's amazing. I could never say enough good about Sonequa." And Harlow couldn't help but agree: "Every single time I see her, I’m like, 'Sonequa, I love you so much!' I know I'm gushing again for the 50th time, but yes."

"Mirrors" is available to stream now on Paramount+ . New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery hit the platform every Thursday. Stay tuned at Collider for more.