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Star Trek: Voyager – Initiations (Review)

This September and October, we’re taking a look at the jam-packed 1994 to 1995 season of Star Trek , including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and  Star Trek: Voyager . Check back daily for the latest review.

Broadcast as the second episode of the second season, Initiations was the first episode produced as part of the second season of Star Trek: Voyager . As three of the four shows carried over from the first season – Projections , Elogium and Twisted – were essentially budget-saving bottle shows, the plan was to shuffle some location-heavy episodes into the broadcast order to offer something a bit more exciting and engaging.

Initiations also marked the return of producer Michael Piller to the fold. Piller had left Voyager mid-way through the first season to work on another science-fiction show for UPN. After Legend was cancelled, Piller returned to work on Voyager and found himself presiding over a very troubled second season. The second season of Voyager would be the last time that Piller was actively involved in a season of Star Trek , and so it feels like a pretty momentous occasion for the franchise.

While not spectacular, and suffering from some lingering Kazon-related problems, Initiations is still an effective forty-five minutes of television.

Stargazing…

The Kazon were originally envisioned as a metaphor for Los Angeles street gangs. As Michael Piller explained to Cinefantastique :

The Kazon were intended to be [like] Los Angeles street gangs. We were living in a time still under the influence of the riots in Los Angeles that terrified us all. It seemed to me an extraordinarily interesting idea to have an area of space that was ruled by anarchy, not just anarchy, but young anarchy. My original vision for the Kazon was that none of them would live beyond the age of twenty because they killed each other off in these continuing battles for territory and superiority. Youth was all they knew. When we got there, we were surrounded by these wild, young, street-gang kind of people who were not technically superior to us. But through their massive numbers and ruthlessness, they became extraordinarily difficult for us to deal with.

However, that metaphor never quite worked.

It’s weird how comfortable Janeway is with Paris sitting in her chair…

On a basic level, Star Trek: Voyager was a product of the mid-nineties. It was being produced in a culture that was still unsure how to respond to gangland violence. The Los Angeles riots had left a considerable scar on popular consciousness, and the issue of the city’s gangs quickly became racially charged. It is very hard to find a depiction of street gangs in mainstream nineties television that doesn’t come with uncomfortable racial baggage. Even Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had struggled when trying to deal with the issue through metaphor in The Abandoned .

While the idea of treating the Kazon like street gangs was questionable, the execution was somewhat flawed. Unable to find young actors capable of carrying off these sorts of roles, Voyager typically cast its major Kazon characters as older males. Coupled with their tendency towards violence and their forehead ridges, the Kazon very much seemed like a cheap knock-off of the Klingons. Given that Deep Space Nine was about to kick off a major arc with actual Klingons, this was not ideal for Voyager .

A Maj-or problem…

Discussing the production of Initiations with Cinefantastique , Piller conceded the similarities:

These guys are supposed to be based on this anarchy that comes with street gangs. All these sects are broken off from a common goal. They are now fighting each other over the same kinds of things that L.A. street gangs are fighting over and yet they are coming across as kind of warmed-over Klingons. All this sort of deep warrior, honor stuff is getting tiresome.

As such, Piller took an active hand in trying to get Initiations back into shape.

Kids these days…

That involved trying to push the Kazon back into the mold of the street gangs instead of simply “warmed-over Klingons.” He instructed Kenneth Biller to try and spend some time in downtown Los Angeles, talking with police officers and gang members. While Biller didn’t follow that advice, he did re-work the script to emphasise the elements drawn from Los Angeles street gang culture. The result is that Initiations feels a lot closer to Michael Piller’s original concept for the Kazon, even if that concept remains vaguely troubling.

Initiations spends a lot of time with Kazon youth. Chakotay estimates Kar’s age as about thirteen. While the production team cast twenty-six-year-old Deep Space Nine veteran Aron Eisenberg in the role, the focus on a young is clearly an attempt to evoke the relatively young age of street gang members. Indeed, there’s a scene with young actors playing young Kazon that underscores this point, suggesting that the Kazon are taught to kill from a young age. The eponymous “initiation” – which amounts to little more than “blood in” – and the idea of “earning” a name underscore these similarities.

Spectre of a gun…

As with a lot of nineties pop culture dealing with issues like gangs, there’s a sense of sensationalism in Initiations . The nineties saw an explosion in urban mythology surrounding the street gangs – including various brutal initiations and cruel schemes . Watching the episode – as with most of the other Kazon episodes – it’s hard to imagine what Kazon society must look like. Based on what we see, all the Kazon do is wander from star system to star system trying to murder one another. There’s no wider context for their actions, no exploration of what their culture is actually about.

Despite the fact that the Kazon operate ships that can cross significant distances, there’s no justification for why they are always so resource-starved and desperate. The Kazon should at least be able to transport water across the stars, even if they don’t seem to settle on many of the resource-rich planets that Voyager has encountered on its travels. Initiations carefully codes the Kazon as African-American, offering a history that includes slavery and oppression.

Piecing it all together…

Discussing the Trabe, Kar tells Chakotay, “They had everything, we had nothing, until we took it from them in the revolt, twenty six years ago.” This is a statement that immediately evokes the African-American experience in the United States – and some uncomfortable white anxieties about that experience. Media coverage of the Los Angeles riots were racially loaded – focusing on violence committed by black residents of the city against white law enforcement officials . (While more than half of the arrests made were Latino, prompting Joan Petersilia to observe, “This was clearly not a black riot. It was a minority riot.” )

With this racial element in play, the Los Angeles riots sparked fears among the white middle-class residents of the city. It’s hard not to contextualise the Kazon in light of that sensationalism and uncertainty. Initiations certainly plays into those issues, given the obvious parallels between Kazon history and the history of African-Americans in the United States – to say nothing of comments given by Michael Piller in various interviews.

A rocky relationship…

Unfortunately, this is a very superficial (and racially-charged) way of looking at the Los Angeles street gang issue. While African-Americans have a long history of being abused and oppressed – with slavery standing as perhaps the most obvious example – the riots of 1992 and the emergence of gang culture were not simply a response to historical inequity. They were a result of contemporary pressures rooted in those historical inequalities.

Initiations takes pains to code the Kazon as African-American and as gang members, but with no real insight beyond the obvious. The Kazon are just a curiosity for the audience to gaze at as Voyager travels through their space. In many respects, Voyager feels like a science-fiction throwback – and the handling of the Kazon is certainly part of it. Trying to link gang violence to historical slavery feels like a decision to glosses over a century of history and also avoids any probing examination of modern culture.

A stunning entrance…

That said, Initiations does use the Kazon to make some interesting points. The episode is anchored in moral relativism – the idea that the Federation cannot seek to impose its own values and cultural norms on a civilisation that it believes to be barbaric. Chakotay is appalled by the way that the Kazon raise their young, but he also accepts that it is not his place to impose his own morality on them. This doesn’t mean that he has to partake in their rituals – he refuses to kill Kar – but it does mean he can respect Kar’s own beliefs.

In a confrontation with Chakotay, Razik explains that Voyager’s very presence is a threat to the Kazon. “You may not think you’re at war with us, Federation Commander Chakotay, but everything you are is a threat to us,” he informs Chakotay. “The Kazon fought long and hard for their independence from uniforms like yours.” The victims of self-righteous oppression, the Kazon are understandably uneasy at the prospect of being told how to live their lives by a society that deems itself superior. “Your uniforms, your laws, your technology. You are not welcome here.”

Kar-ry on…

Razik is dealing direction with what he sees as Federation imperialism; he is wary of how foreign values could corrupt and weaken Federation culture. It’s to the credit of Initiations that the episode allows some support for his position. It is quite telling that, for all their advanced technology, Janeway and the away team still walk into a simple trap set by the Kazon. Their technology makes them complacent and over-confident. Janeway doesn’t even feel the need to let Razik lead the way.

The episode doesn’t end with Chakotay convincing Kar to adopt a Federation perspective. As much as Chakotay tries to use his advanced technology to manufacture a happy ending that will satisfy everybody – to the point where he is willing to die to help Kar – things don’t play out as he expects. Kar brutally murders Razik. Kar is almost killed for this crime, but is spared when he swears fidelity to the new Maj. Kar has committed himself to a life of bloodshed and brutality; Razik is dead. This is not a happy ending, at least not from a Federation perspective.

The way of the gun…

It’s a surprisingly effective way of closing out the episode, one which allows the Kazon a bit more integrity than the other stories focusing on these Delta Quadrant aliens. It clever avoids playing to stereotypes of the “noble savage” or any of the other problems that  Star Trek occasionally has with its proud warrior races; the Kazon teach their children to kill, they lie and manipulate and scheme. At the same time, the episode also accepts that there are important moral questions about trying to impose your worldview on other cultures.

In this respect, building Initiations around Chakotay is a very clever decision. Chakotay is a character with whom Voyager has a great deal of trouble; it’s very easy to pander to stereotypes while writing Chakotay. Episodes like The Cloud and Cathexis and Tattoo seem downright exploitative in their use of Chakotay’s Native American heritage. Putting Chakotay in an episode with the Kazon could easily be a massive disaster. However, Initiations wisely steers clear of most of the new age mysticism that has plagued Chakotay’s character.

Shattered expectations…

Instead it finds a way to focus on Chakotay’s Native American origins without turning him into a walking stereotype. Having Razik accuse Chakotay of cultural imperialism is a rather wonderful twist. More than any other member of the main cast, Chakotay can empathise with fear and distrust of those in uniforms. Given the history of Native Americans and also the history of Chakotay’s colony in the DMZ, the character has reason to be wary of outsiders trying to impose their own philosophy on indigenous people – and so accusing Chakotay of that sort of conduct is delicious.

Many of the show’s stronger Chakotay stories are built around this clever juxtaposition of imperialism and expansionism against his own heritage and origin. In the fourth season, the underrated episode Nemesis throws Chakotay into a war not too dissimilar to Vietnam, where Chakotay stands in for the minorities recruited for Vietnam – soldiers effectively fighting an ideological war for a nation that treated them as second-class citizens.

Looks like somebody had a hit on the Nog-gin…

And so Initiations manages to tie all this discussion of perceived Federation imperialism back to Chakotay’s origins and perspective. Having Chakotay – wearing a Starfleet uniform – accused of cultural imperialism is an effective image. It’s a nice way of underscoring how the attitudes of Star Trek as a franchise have evolved over the past few decades. Kirk would not have hesitated to bring the entire Kazon culture crashing down, accepting his own moral authority as unquestionable. Chakotay is a product of a different set of experiences.

When Kar accuses Chakotay of attempting to claim Kazon space, he is infuriated. “Let me tell you something,” he begins. “I have no interest in your territory or anybody else’s. My people taught me a man does not own land. He doesn’t own anything but the courage and loyalty in his heart. That’s where my power comes from.” It’s a cliché speech, but it’s effective. It does a nice job of tying Chakotay’s character origins into the more advanced philosophical outlook of the nineties Star Trek franchise. While Kirk seemed to be trying to expand the Federation’s sphere of influence, Voyager is not on a mission to annex territory or stake claims.

Isn’t it a bit weird we never really meet a female Kazon outside of a group shot in Caretaker?

Initiations had a rather painful gestation process. Michael Piller had returned to Voyager after the cancellation of Legends , and found the writing room in disarray. As he explained to Cinefantastique , he was unsatisfied with the episodes carried over from the first season:

“I felt the four shows from last year were very average shows,” said executive producer Michael Piller. “Of the first three new scripts, the first was already in prep and there were serious problems with the other two. We had to move the number two show to number four and the number three to number two, so we were already having script problems at the beginning of this season. We had no stories in development. We had the first three scripts, one other script, and then nothing after that. We had several nuggets — little threads of stories some of which were okay and some of which were not — but there was clearly a lack of development. I don’t know, I guess I was responding emotionally to a difficult circumstance and I just rolled up my sleeves and said ‘I’m going to throw myself into this body and soul.’ I know what I think makes a TV show work and what makes Star Trek work. The problem is when you are in prep there is a time limit. And when there are 26 shows and no stories in development, there is a voice inside of me that says, ‘Get going!!’ I was willing to be the guy who says ‘It’s not good enough’ and Jeri was very upset that I would take that role, that I would be willing to be a bad guy if that’s what it took to get the things moving here again.”

Piller adopted the same curt no-nonsense approach he had taken on The Next Generation , trying to whip that show into shape.

“Warmed over Klingons? What do you mean? Our hairstyles are completely different!”

As he confessed, this did not earn him many friends. Initiations was a painful process for all involved, although Piller argued that it did produce a better episode in the end:

Remembered Piller, “Basically they had to change the whole thing overnight. By the time that week was over the production people were beside themselves. I said ‘I did it because the script wasn’t good enough and we had to make the show better.’ As I said, I was extremely disruptive. The unit — all the people that sit in production meetings making plans, designing sets — suffered probably for weeks because I was disruptive, but it was a choice of settling, or doing what I considered excellent work. The bottom line is we had a better show, because Ken did research. If you want to look at a success story this year, all you have to do is look at Ken Biller’s work during the last 12 months and see how strong a writer he has become as a result of moving from what we were doing before to writing provocative, thought-provoking material.”

While Piller’s perfectionist approach had helped to save The Next Generation , turning around the quality of the show almost overnight, it did not work the same way on Voyager .

Kar drives home a point…

Piller was a producer who could be difficult at times. Even the writers who have nothing but affection for Michael Piller will concede that he could be a bit rough at times. Ronald D. Moore and Ira Steven Behr have both talked about Piller’s lack of skill at sugar-coating his opinion. (Recalling one script meeting on the In Memoriam feature, Moore remembers Piller’s opening line: “I don’t do good notes, so let’s get straight to the bad…” )

Piller’s lack of delicacy had caused no shortage of controversy on  The Next Generation ; by the end of the third season (in the wake of an infamous  “how to write a teleplay” memo), the more experienced writers – including Melinda Snodgrass, Richard Manning and Hans Beimler – had resigned from staff. There was a massive overhaul of the writing staff on The Next Generation between the third and fourth seasons.

Alliances…

However, the situation on Voyager was a lot different than on The Next Generation . Piller was no longer dealing with relative newcomers working on a show that was floundering from a creative standpoint. Quite a lot of the staff on Voyager had been working on the franchise since The Next Generation . Voyager was a high-profile show at UPN, the only show from the network’s first evening broadcast to return from a second season. The staff probably felt quite comfortable on the prestigious assignment.

In contrast, Michael Piller had been going through a bit of a rough patch with Star Trek . He was not involved in the production of Star Trek: Generations . He had officially handed over the reigns on Deep Space Nine to Ira Steven Behr, another veteran of the third season of The Next Generation . He had left during the first season of Voyager to launch  Legend , his own science-fiction show on UPN; he was returning following the cancellation of that show. It is easy to see how Piller’s return might have ruffled some of the wrong feathers, and why the second season of Voyager would wind up as his last season of televised Star Trek .

“Stick close, I think I saw a Gorn around here…”

Still, all of that lies ahead. As the first script of the show’s second season, Initiations works quite well. It’s not a bold season premiere, but it is a reasonable well-constructed hour of television. Chakotay feels like more of a character here than he has since Caretaker . Indeed, Robert Beltran does quite a nice job with the snarky and sarcastic version of Chakotay we haven’t seen since Caretaker . Although quite similar to Riker, “wry Chakotay” is a much more interesting character than “generically mystical Chakotay.”

The episode also moves relatively quickly, benefiting from a reasonably tight script. Although it certainly doesn’t compare to the action sequences from The Way of the Warrior , there are some nice space action sequences on display. The production design is pretty great; the location work at the Vasquez Rocks (from  Arena , among others) feels like a throwback to good old pulpy Star Trek . It’s nice to get a glimpse of Chakotay as an action hero, especially since “rebel hero Chakotay” is generally downplayed so the show can focus on “stereotypically Native American Chakotay.”

To be fair, most other initiates probably aren’t asked to kill a member of the regular cast of a long-running television show in its second season…

Initiations is not a classic, but it’s a solidly-constructed episode. It’s a lot tighter and more effective than most Voyager scripts to this point. While The 37’s tried and failed to kick off the second season with bold statement of intent, Initiations adopts and accomplishes a much more basic objective: it assures us that the show can produce well-made Star Trek .

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Filed under: Voyager | Tagged: chakotay , initiations , Jeri Taylor , kar , kazon , kazon oogla , kenneth biller , legend , Michael Piller , star trek , star trek: voyager , voyager |

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Initiations

Kazon vessels are harassing a small Talaxian convoy and their distress call is answered by Voyager. With the Kazon in pursuit, the crew is forced to hide in an asteroid field, where they encounter a mysterious alien boy, Kar, who is on a pilgrimage.

Commander Chakotay is chosen to guide Kar on his journey to adulthood. He agrees despite his misgivings about the tradition, as the Kazon remain in the area and threaten Voyager’s crew.

When the Kazon start attacking, Chakotay, Kar, and the rest of the senior staff make their way to the planet where Kar will complete his “initiation.” As they make their way through the dangerous wilderness, Chakotay has to draw on his knowledge of alien cultures to teach Kar about survival tactics and the importance of making ethical decisions.

Meanwhile, the Kazon have surrounded Voyager and threaten to destroy the ship unless Chakotay and the crew return. Captain Janeway and the crew must work together to find a way to escape without sacrificing the safety of Chakotay and the others.

On the planet, Kar faces a series of tests that will determine whether or not he is truly ready to move forward in his life. He succeeds each test, learning more about himself in the process. However, the Kazon arrive and disrupt the initiation ceremony, intent on capturing Kar.

Chakotay and the others protect Kar, allowing him to complete his initiation and become an adult. Kar is able to demonstrate that he is more than capable of standing up to the Kazon, and Chakotay and the crew are able to return to Voyager with the help of the Talaxians.

In the end, Voyager is able to escape the Kazon and the crew reflects on the importance of alien cultures and the power of a ritual like Kar’s initiation. Kar has grown in his understanding of himself and the world around him, while Chakotay has gained a new appreciation for the power of a tradition like Kar’s initiation.

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Star Trek: Voyager – Season 2, Episode 2

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Initiations Stardate: 49005.3 Original Airdate: September 04 1995

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Initiations

Chakotay becomes caught up in a young Kazon’s rite of passage.

In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss “Initiations” and the problem with rebooting the Klingons. Plus! The guys chat about Voyager’s love of the ’90s, the economics of gang violence, and fighting to stay awake.

• Post author By Wes
• Post date 07/05/2022

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Would this episode of Star Trek: Voyager be a good “Initiations” into the franchise as a whole? Or would you end up thinking, “Hey, these Kazon guys remind me of some other alien species that dominate sci-fi pop culture?” The Kazon might be second-tier Klingons and Chakotay might be a second-tier character (so far), but maybe a story combining the two would result in exponential growth?

The Wikipedia plot summary for “Initiations”:

To commemorate the anniversary of his father’s death, Commander  Chakotay  ( Robert Beltran ) takes a shuttlecraft to perform the  pakra  ceremony. Inadvertently straying into  Kazon -Ogla space, he is attacked by a young Kazon, Kar ( Aron Eisenberg ), on his first mission. Chakotay destroys Kar’s vessel, then beams him aboard.

Captured by a Kazon vessel soon thereafter, Chakotay learns from Kar that Kazon earn their titles through conquest or death, and he has robbed Kar of that opportunity by saving him. The vessel’s commander Razik ( Patrick Kilpatrick ) speaks with Chakotay, explaining his disservice to Kar and that the young Kazon is scheduled for execution. When later presented with a weapon to kill Kar as a lesson to other Kazon youth, Chakotay holds Razik hostage in exchange for his shuttle. Kar, seeing no future or opportunities with the Ogla, flees with Chakotay. Unable to elude the Kazon, Chakotay beams himself and Kar to a nearby Class-M  moon , a Kazon training ground. Kar, having eschewed an opportunity to kill Chakotay in his sleep, later explains how he has no options open to him and admits that Chakotay may be his only friend now.

Meanwhile, having tracked the shuttle’s probable course,  Captain Janeway  ( Kate Mulgrew ), Lieutenant  Tuvok  ( Tim Russ ), and  Kes  ( Jennifer Lien ) proceed to the moon’s surface to rescue Chakotay. On the moon, they meet up with Razik and his men who offer to lead the away team to Chakotay. When Chakotay and Kar detect their approach, Chakotay offers to help Kar earn his name by becoming his prisoner. Coordinating with  Voyager  to prepare for  resuscitation , Chakotay tells Kar to shoot him; Kar instead shoots Razik, earning his Ogla name of Jal Karden and promoting Razik’s second-in-command, Haliz ( Tim de Zarn ). The Ogla allow the  Voyager  crew to leave, with Karden’s promise that he will kill Chakotay if they meet again. Later, when performing his  pakra  ceremony aboard  Voyager , Chakotay prays to his father to watch over Karden.

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Star Trek: Voyager - Episode Guide - Season 2

A handful of episodes originally slated to conclude Star Trek: Voyager season 1 instead lead off season 2 in rather ho-hum fashion, excepting maybe “The 37s” which too was marred by the awful characterization of Fred Noonan. Star Trek noobs and hardcore fans alike could have some difficultly trawling through the episodes of season 2, as the low-stakes stories and muted character interrelations of this series continue.

In lieu of proper baddies such as Klingons, Romulans and Borg (and how much better does Voyager get when the Borg enter the scene?), season 2 appears to be an attempt to sell viewers on the badassness of the Kazon. How the Borg have failed to conquer these relative wusses’ space is beyond Star Trek Guide’s comprehension.

And along the way to descending into soap operatics to finally crash and burn in a pretty lame cliffhanger, we’re served up two of the most hideously awful episodes ever in “Tuvix” and “Threshold.”

So, yeah, not one of the better ST seasons.

1. The 37s – The Voyager crew discovers not only an Earth-like colony on a planet where it sure shouldn’t be, but also a handful of individuals from 1937, including Amelia Earhart and obnoxiously-portrayed navigator Fred Noonan. ***

2. Initiations – Chakotay takes a shuttlecraft to perform a ritual (don’t ask) and is attacked by a zealous Kazon youth whose own coming-of-age rite calls on him to kill a stranger. Spirit animal, my people, etc. *

3. Projections – Head trip for The Doctor! (Of course; it’s directed by Johnathan Frakes.) The Doctor comes online to find the Enterprise (nearly) empty of personnel and is then told that it is he who is real and the Voyager is in fact- a holodeck hologram! The first of many episodes is which Robert Picardo gets to shine. ****

4. Elogium – As Voyager passes through a cloud of interesting space cicadas (or something like that), Kes goes though the Elogium, kinda like Pon Farr for her race and … well, just imagine watching a lot of Neelix ruminating over whether he wants to be a father. Yeah. **

5. Non-Sequitur – Head trip for Harry Kim, who wakes up in San Francisco, living an everyday life and having never boarded Voyager. ***

6. Twisted – Time and space are distorting Voyager like Escher in 4D; various pairs and trios attempt to maneuver their way through an ever-changing ship. Pretty good stuff, but we’re denied a potential awesome wideshot of a twisted Voyager and/or the bridge crew running about the ship as though in an Escher illustration. ***

7. Parturition – Neelix reaches an apex of annoying usefulness, as he spends most of this episode arguing with Paris over the affections of Kes. In the end, the boys essentially agree that Kes is already more or less Neelix’s possession. Is this even Star Trek? 0

8. Persistence of Vision – Head trip for everyone … literally! Hallucinations and catatonia for everyone except for the show’s stars, then pretty much everyone. ***

9. Tattoo – When Chakotay encounters aliens with identical tattoos, he thinks he’s found an essential part of his ancestry … or something. **

10. Cold Fire – The Voyager crew discovers a second “Caretaker”; this particular caretaker has been taking care of some Ocampas for about 300 years. Kes attempts to act as go-between for Voyager, who reckon this Caretaker might send them home; unfortunately, she’s not as sympathetic as the original … ***

11. Maneuvers – A group of Kazon board the Enterprise, steal transporter technology and kidnap Chakotay, all in an effort to unite the various Kazon factions. And Seska returns to torment Chakotay and bump the soapiness of her sub-plotline up a notch. ***

12. Resistance – On an away mission, Tuvok and B’Elanna are captured while Janeway is injured. She is nursed back to health by an aged member of the resistance who believes the captain to be his daughter. He is not as he seems, etc. **

13. Prototype – Voyager retrieves a robot adrift in space and Torres revives it. The robot rewards her by abducting her (that’s three episodes in a row with at least one kidnapping; quite a common theme on Voyager, eh?) and forcing her to assist in building new robots. Some interesting – and chilling – plot twists in this one. ***

14. Alliances – In the first of many bad-idea alliances, Janeway reckons that allying the Voyager with one or more Kazon groups might help them more easily transverse the damn Delta Quadrant. Fortunately, she realizes the idea went to hell quickly enough… **

15. Threshold – Often cited as the worst episode of Star Trek ever, the “plot” goes something like this: Paris exceeds warp 10 in a shuttlecraft thanks to new experimental technology. He passes through every point in the Universe, evolves into a giant worm-like thing and impregnates the now worm-like Janeway. Must be seen to be believed. 0

16. Meld – How dark does Voyager get? Well, the story arc of Lon Suder doesn’t get much darker. This psychotically straight-up murders a comrade, then begins a therapeutic process with Tuvok. ***

17. Dreadnought – An episode which answers the question, “Is that an AI missile from Cardassia in your tractor beam or are you just happy to see me?” Trust STG here: That joke was undeniably more fun to compose than sitting through this snooze fest. *

18. Death Wish – Two Q, one the familiar trickster played by John DeLancie and the other a rather bubbly would-be suicide. The two try to hash out the issue of upper-dimensional euthanasia in classic style before bringing Janeway and others to the Q’s Beckettesque homeland. ****

19. Lifesigns – To save a Vidiian woman’s life from the Phage, The Doctor downloads her mental processes into a hologram- soon enough, she proclaims she’d rather not go back to her old body. ***

20. Investigations – A neat bit of espionage engineered by Janeway and Tuvok and involving Paris is nearly blown to smithereens when Neelix decides to start producing a daily television news ‘n’ gossip roundup show. (Why would a group of 150 living in a very small space need a news show about the community, anyway…?) Thank the gods that these cutesy nonsense episodes are soon forgotten. **

21. Deadlock – Ah, good old-fashioned temporal paradoxes! A second, alternate-unvierse Voyager is called into existence and one must be sacrificed to Vidiians for the sake of the other. A surprising twist at the end caps a suspenseful episode. ****

22. Innocence – Tuvok and a Red Shirt crash land on an uninhabited moon. Tuvok finds three children who were also aboard a crash-landed ship. Naturally, the children aren’t simple children … ***

23. The Thaw – The Voyager crew finds a handful of aliens kept in stasis (and a mental hell) by a being of their own creation. Why would they willingly create a creepy clown? Well… **

24. Tuvix – A transporter accident (wow, did Voyager have problems with those transporters) results in a highly stupid physical merger of Tvok and Neelix. We mean *really* stupid. Like “Faces”-level stupid. 0

25. Resolutions – Janeway and Chakotay contract a disease which apparently has no effect if they stay on a given planet. They do so and live together for a couple months before Captain Tuvok returns with the ship and everything’s hunky-dory again. **

26. Basics, Part I – And here the soap opera utterly takes over. Seska has a baby that she claims in Chakotay’s – not made the ordinary way, mind you, but by taking some sample of his DNA – and, after a vision in which his father demands that this baby is one of Their People and he must take it away, Janeway agrees to go out of the way to confront the Kazon she’s hanging with. Naturally – and every viewer surely guessed – that Seska was in league with the Kazon. They easily take Voyager and leave the entire crew on a pretty useless planet with a Stone Age population. **

Alliances (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production
• 4.2 Continuity
• 4.4 Reception
• 4.5 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Guest stars
• 5.4 Co-star
• 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.6 References
• 5.7 External links

Summary [ ]

Crewman Kurt Bendera, mortally wounded in the Kazon attack on Voyager

The USS Voyager is under attack by two Kazon raiders . Voyager is able to destroy one Kazon raider with its phasers , but the other keeps firing as it retreats. Voyager is left with massive damage to its energy systems which causes the engines to go off-line and is left without weapons and shields. As the crew in engineering scramble to repair the damage, Crewman Kurt Bendera is found to have been seriously injured in an explosion and Torres initiates an emergency transport to sickbay which is already full of wounded crew. Bandera's injuries are too severe and all attempts to revive him fail and The Doctor declares him dead . Torres, in shock, reveals that Bendera had saved her life once, near the Cardassian border.

In Janeway 's ready room , Chakotay enters with the news about Bendera's death. Janeway expresses her sorrow and asks him to arrange a memorial service . Chakotay, somewhat hesitantly, begins a discussion about their situation, explaining to Janeway that the rules have now changed in the Delta Quadrant and that maybe Voyager 's crew should start changing too. He understands that Janeway made it clear to the crew from the beginning that this would be a Starfleet ship with a Starfleet crew, following Starfleet rules. However, he argues that while Starfleet works well in the Alpha Quadrant , here in the Delta Quadrant, it is just a different game. He suggests they try to adopt some Maquis policies. Janeway is somewhat taken aback by this, arguing that they should not throw away their principles, simply because they are out of com range with Starfleet. Chakotay bluntly tells her that their approach needs to change because this attack was the fourth in two weeks, three crewmembers are dead and Voyager cannot afford to lose any more personnel or sustain any more damage.

Act One [ ]

In Voyager 's mess hall , crewmembers are seated as Chakotay remembers Bendera. After the speech, the crewmembers gathered stand and the service concludes. As Janeway is about to leave the mess hall, a frustrated Crewman Hogan walks up to her and asks what she is planning to do about the Kazon, now that they have stepped up their attacks. He tells her that most people on the ship think they won't make it out of Kazon space alive. Hogan thinks she should hand over all of the technology that the Kazon want so that they can continue safely with their journey. Janeway reminds him that doing so would be a clear violation of the Prime Directive . Hogan snaps back that he knows all about the Prime Directive but that Starfleet is over 70,000 light years away from Voyager . Janeway, with a serious look on her face tells him that she'll destroy Voyager before she hands any part of it over to the Kazon.

Chakotay follows an upset Janeway down the corridor , telling her that the Maquis on the ship still believe that the Federation abandoned them years ago. He tells Janeway that she may be willing to die for Federation principles, but that they are not and Starfleet procedures may not be applicable to Voyager since being stranded. Although Chakotay certainly doesn't agree with Hogan's view that they should hand over technology to the Kazon, he feels there must be another solution. Janeway realizes that Chakotay has a suggestion in mind and asks him about it. Chakotay finally comes around and tells her she should seek an alliance with a Kazon faction. Janeway is appalled by the very idea of getting into an alliance with the untrustworthy and violent Kazon she has met but Chakotay tells her that she may be blinded by Starfleet protocols but that she still must make the best decisions for the crew, as she is the captain.

Tuvok's hybrid orchid

Later in Tuvok's quarters , Janeway tells him of Commander Chakotay's plan to seek an alliance with the Kazon. She tells Tuvok that it goes against everything she believes. The Vulcan tells her that although she is "quite right" in her opinion, Chakotay's suggestion has some merit. He recalls a time when a great visionary named Spock proposed an alliance between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire . Tuvok himself spoke out against such an alliance, as the Klingons were outlaws, employing violence and brutality. Despite his objections however, the alliance was forged and the Alpha Quadrant enjoyed a new peace between Klingons and Humans . Tuvok tells her that since Voyager is on its way home an alliance with the Kazon would only be temporary, and could in fact end up stabilizing the whole region as the Kazon may come to appreciate peace between the factions. Janeway reflects on this and calls the senior staff to the briefing room for a meeting.

Janeway tells them that after much thought, she has decided to seek an alliance with one of the Kazon factions and, when Ensign Kim voices his objection, that her decision is not up for debate. Neelix informs her that a Kazon faction called the Pommar has a settlement on a nearby planet called Sobras . Kim sarcastically says they should call up Seska and form an alliance with her. Torres thinks that this is actually a good idea, as she would jump at the chance to form an alliance with Voyager , since she has been trying to unite all Kazon factions. Chakotay is aghast at the idea of allying with the Nistrim , but Janeway reminds him that he was the one who suggested the alliance and can't have it both ways by deciding who they should and shouldn't get down in the mud with. Chakotay relents, and offers to contact Seska but Janeway tells him she'll do it herself since he has already been through so much with her.

Act Two [ ]

The exotic dancer on Sobras

Culluh and Seska speak to Janeway and Chakotay. Janeway suggests rendezvousing at designated coordinates. Meanwhile, Neelix, in a Type 8 shuttlecraft , arrives at Sobras. He enters a bar , where an exotic alien woman is dancing. Kazon males populate the bar. Neelix asks around where his Kazon friend, Jal Tersa may be. He eventually finds him. Neelix tells Tersa all about Voyager and about them seeking an alliance with the Kazon. Suddenly, two Kazon take Neelix into custody.

In Voyager 's briefing room, Janeway tells Culluh that she hopes the Nistrim will be an honorable ally and adhere to the conditions of the alliance. Janeway tells Culluh that Voyager will assist any Nistrim ship or colony that is in distress and will provide supplies but reassures him that they will not supply the Kazon with any of their technology or weapons. Culluh agrees and suggests another condition. He asks for an exchange of crewmembers. Janeway tells him that she would never agree to that. Seska, sitting in on the briefing, tries to tell Culluh that that proposal could wait until later but Culluh silences her and tells Janeway he will not have a woman run the negotiations. Janeway tells Culluh that she always thought that seeking an alliance with him was a distasteful idea but that she was willing to explore the possibility. She now realizes that her instincts were exactly correct. She declares the meeting over and Culluh is sent back to his ship. On Sobras, Neelix is held captive in a cavern where several people are being imprisoned, including young children.

Act Three [ ]

Neelix introduces himself to a man named Mabus . He reveals the people imprisoned are Trabe , sworn enemies of the Kazon. Mabus tells Neelix he has been trapped in the cave for five days after he was attacked in space. Mabus tells Neelix that help is on the way and that the Trabe will eventually escape from their prison. Mabus asks Neelix if they can count on him during their escape.

Michael Jonas decides to betray Voyager and contact Seska

Voyager arrives at the rendezvous coordinates. However, Neelix's shuttle is nowhere to be found. Janeway tells Paris to hold position and wait for Neelix for two hours. If he does not show up by then, Voyager will head to Sobras. In engineering, Crewman Hogan asks B'Elanna Torres about the possible alliance with the Kazon. He does not know what to make of the news as there are many rumors flying around the ship. Torres tells him that Seska's talk with Janeway fell apart quickly. Hogan is convinced that nothing will come of Janeway's negotiations with the Kazon. He tries to talk Torres into speaking to Seska and convince her to create an alliance. Torres tells him that isn't possible, since Seska didn't turn out to be what they thought she was and she doesn't trust her. After Torres walks away, Crewman Michael Jonas sits at his engineering console, thinking about what Torres and Hogan just said to each other.

On Sobras, Neelix, along with Mabus and the other Trabe, are preparing to escape when a sudden fire fight erupts outside the cave. Neelix takes as many Trabe children as he can with him and the Trabe escape. On Voyager , Neelix has still not returned, so Captain Janeway orders Paris to set a course for Sobras. She also orders Tuvok to power up weapons, in case Voyager runs into the Kazon again. At Harry Kim's operations console, he reads Kazon ships closing in on Voyager 's position. An armada of Kazon raiders and their weapons are charged.

Act Four [ ]

Mabus, governor of the Trabe

Janeway prepares to go into battle with the Kazon. She has Kim hail them, but Kim reveals that they are being hailed. On screen, it is revealed that Neelix and Mabus are on the lead ship. Chakotay asks what Neelix is doing on a Kazon vessel. Neelix reveals that it is actually a Trabe vessel. The Kazon stole all of the Trabe's technology, including their ships. Neelix tells Janeway that he will explain everything that has happened over dinner on Voyager . While eating, Mabus recalls the way the Kazon were treated by the Trabe when he was eight years old; how the Kazon were treated like animals by the Trabe. The Kazon then became extremely violent. When the Kazon finally realized that the Trabe were their true enemies, the Trabe didn't stand a chance against the Kazon. Mabus managed to escape from the Kazon by leaving on a ship. Janeway relates the story of the Trabe to Voyager and their struggle to find home. Mabus reveals to Janeway that the Kazon's desire for revenge on the Trabe is still as strong as it ever has been.

A Kazon man named Rettik talks to someone on Voyager through a desktop monitor . It is revealed to be Michael Jonas. Rettik is suspicious and wonders how Jonas can talk to him without ship's security finding out. Jonas tells him that he is very experienced in communications protocols. He asks to speak to Seska. He says that he and Seska knew each other for a long time. Rettik still doesn't know if Jonas can be trusted, but he agrees to relay his message to Seska. Rettik asks Jonas to contact him again the next day and he promises to let him know if Seska will want to talk to him.

In Janeway's ready room, Neelix explains that before the Kazon uprising, the Trabe had produced widely admired artists and scholars as well as impressive technology however no one really knew about how the Trabe were treating the Kazon. Janeway remarks that slavery is not the kind of thing that would go unnoticed. Neelix tells her that the Trabe were wealthy and manipulated information about the conditions of the Kazon. Chakotay believes that the Trabe have learned their lesson about the way they treated the Kazon. Tuvok states that it would not be wise to seek an alliance with the Kazon's blood enemies since it may end up uniting all the factions against Voyager . Chakotay reminds them that the Trabe have an impressive number of ships and weapons at their disposal and prefers an alliance with them over none at all. Janeway decides that as they have no friends among the Kazon anyway, they will seek an alliance with the Trabe.

At sickbay, The Doctor and Kes are treating the Trabe who were imprisoned. Most of them are suffering from malnutrition but it is easily remedied by bio-nutrients. Janeway asks Mabus to talk to her about a possible alliance together. Mabus has no objections to her idea but he also has another suggestion: bring all the Kazon factions together and convince them to peacefully co-exist. On Culluh's ship, Culluh receives news that Voyager and the Trabe have developed an alliance together. He wonders how this could have happened. Seska bitterly tells him that it happened because he let Voyager slip away because he wanted an exchange of crews. Seska reminds him they have a spy on Voyager who could prove to be a massive benefit to them in the long-term, but for now there is a way to turn the newfound peace between Voyager and the Trabe to their advantage. She tells Culluh that he will attend a conference of all first Majes. By going to the conference, he can assess the Trabe's weakness and eliminate them once and for all. Culluh is pleased with Seska's plan.

Neelix reveals a Takrit was making a sketch of the conference site on Sobras. Neelix believes that one of the First Majes is going to take a chance to wipe out all of his enemies, since the conference presents a perfect opportunity to bring all of the rival factions together. Tuvok points out that if this is the case, then they'll be able to tell who it is as the one responsible will try and leave before the meeting is finished. Janeway refuses to cancel the conference but has Voyager put them on a constant transporter lock, so they can get beamed away at the first sign of trouble.

Act Five [ ]

On Sobras, Neelix and Tersa inspect the conference site. Tersa tells Neelix he chose a triangle -shaped table for the Majes to sit at. Neelix asks Tersa if he has heard anything else about the matter they discussed. Tersa tells him to be quiet, since the piece of information Neelix asks for could mean his head. Tersa tries to change the subject to the triangle-shaped table again. Neelix tells Tersa that he has a powerful ship in orbit this time and he had better be telling the truth. Tersa assures Neelix that he is and that he is being paid handsomely for having the conference on Sobras. The Maje appreciates the prestige it affords him.

Janeway and Tuvok enter the conference room. Neelix tells them that Tersa has told him everything he knows. Soon after, the first Majes begin to enter. The first to enter is Minnis of the Pommar, Surat of the Mostral , Loran of the Hobii , Valek of the Oglamar , and Culluh of the Nistrim. Culluh talks to Janeway about how they seem destined to run into each other. She introduces Culluh to Mabus. Culluh remarks that he never thought he'd see the day when he would sit at a table with the Trabe. Mabus tells him that times change. The conference begins when all the Majes are seated at the table. Janeway tries to put all of the people at the table at peace. Culluh is very skeptical about the alliance. He gets up from his chair. Tuvok thinks Culluh is leaving to allow the assassination to take place and goes for his phaser. However, Culluh is simply getting refreshment. Janeway affirms that all that Voyager and the Trabe want is peace.

Suddenly, Mabus approaches Janeway and asks her to come with him. Janeway casts a suspicious look at Tuvok. Mabus insists they leave immediately. Janeway gets up to leave and the table starts to shake. Janeway, realizing this is an assassination attempt, warns all the Majes to get down on the floor. She taps her combadge and signals red alert to Voyager . Tuvok, Janeway, and Mabus are beamed up to Voyager .

Voyager fends off the Trabe vessel

Fire blasts from a Trabe vessel pound the conference room. Voyager fires photon torpedoes at the Trabe vessel, until it retreats. All the Kazon Majes leave in anger. Culluh has a smile on his face, realizing that Voyager is now hated by the Kazon.

In Voyager 's transporter room, Mabus tells Janeway she has ruined what could have been the greatest step towards peace in decades. Neelix, disgusted by Mabus' actions, wonders how a massacre could be considered peace. Janeway is furious that Mabus used their good will to make sure he was successful in his plan to kill the First Majes. He calls Janeway a fool and asks her how Voyager is to survive alone in the Delta Quadrant. Janeway replies that she won't make deals with executioners and throws him off the ship, having him beamed to his vessel. Janeway taps her combadge and tells Paris to lay a course away from Sobras before the Kazon attack again. In the briefing room, Janeway tells her senior staff that they are more vulnerable now than ever. Janeway wants to make sure the crew is prepared for any attack by the Kazon. Tuvok tells Janeway that he will schedule battle drills for all hands. Neelix reports that the food supply is in good shape so that they will not have to stop anywhere for several weeks. Torres tells Janeway that their antimatter is in reasonable supply and they will have maximum performance of warp and impulse engines.

Janeway tells her crew one more thing: most of the species the crew have encountered in the Delta Quadrant are peaceful, but some seem governed by their own self-interests. Janeway believes that, in a region where shifting allegiances are common, the crew needs something to lean and rely on, which are the principles and ideals of the Federation. As far as she's concerned, those are the best allies the crew could have.

Log entries [ ]

• " Captain's log, stardate 49337.4. After sending a subspace message to Seska and the Nistrim Maje Culluh, we have received a quick response. "
• " Captain's log, supplemental. We're on our way to rendezvous with Mr Neelix. I can only hope that he had more luck with the Kazon than we did. "
• " Captain's log, stardate 49342.5. Neelix has returned from Sobras, where he learned a disturbing piece of information that may require us to rethink our plans. "

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Make a deal. An alliance. " " With the Kazon? "

" Consequently, after much consideration, I've decided to seek an alliance with one of the Kazon factions. " " Captain, you can't be serious! "

" Holding an entire culture in virtual slavery is not the kind of thing that would go unnoticed. "

" I won't have a woman dictate terms to me! " " Culluh, I found the idea of an alliance with you distasteful. I was willing to explore the possibility, but now I see my instincts were dead-on. "

" I appreciate your concerns crewman, but let me make it absolutely clear; I'll destroy this ship before I turn any part of it over to the Kazon. "

" This isn't a democracy, Chakotay. I can't run this ship by consensus. "

" So that's how the Maquis would do it, hmm? "

" Long range sensors indicate no sign of Mr. Neelix' shuttle within a radius of two light years. " " The Kazon have him. "

" Chief, beam our former guest back to his vessel! " " Captain, don't do this. You're going to need us. " " I don't think so. " " The Kazon will be determined to seek revenge. How can this one ship hope to survive? " " Not by making deals with executioners. Energize! "

" In a part of space where there are few rules, it's more important than ever that we hold fast to our own. In a region where shifting allegiances are commonplace we have to have something stable to rely on. And we do. The principles and ideals of the Federation. As far as I'm concerned, those are the best allies we could have. "

" Do I hear a 'however' coming? " " You are perceptive, Captain. "

Background information [ ]

Production [ ].

• A working title of this episode was "Untitled Kazon". [1]
• Originally, Culluh was to die in this episode. The performer of Culluh, Anthony De Longis , later recalled, " When I got to the end of the script, the last scene was like something out of The Godfather Part III , where all the mobsters are in one room and the helicopter attacks, killing everyone. I went in to see Jeri Taylor the next day and begged her to let Culluh at least be seen twitching at the episode's end. She told me that the script had already been changed and said, 'We've decided not to kill you.' Whew! " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine  issue 18 )
• The creation of this episode made use of a paper – an elaborate, invented sociological backstory for the Kazon, explaining their history (including involvement with the Trabe) and their customs – that originally transpired from research that executive story editor Kenneth Biller did for the episode " Initiations ", for which the document was also used. ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages )
• Tuvok actor Tim Russ was challenged by his character's speech to Janeway regarding the orchid. He later said, " I don't remember the line. It was about a flower I had to describe. They wrote it one way, but the next day they changed it and it was twice as long and it was suddenly all this scientific description of a flower. " ( Starlog , issue #231, p. 51)
• The final script draft of this episode was submitted on 18 October 1995 . [2]
• There are two scenes from this episode in which the character of Hogan appears. A combination of both were used to audition actors for the role. Simon Billig , who ultimately portrayed the character, found the dialogue in the pair of scenes entailed "a lot of technical stuff." ( TV Zone , Issue 93, p. 30) Regarding his work on the installment, Billig said, " I had an evening call, so, I waited around all day and when I got to the studio I was called to the set at five o'clock. We worked from that time until about 10.30 that night. I spent the first hour watching other scenes being shot and then it was my turn. " The second of the two scenes, involving Hogan and Torres in Engineering, was actually filmed first. " I think I was a bit overwhelmed not only by the sets but by all the people, lights and cameras around me. I was also a little scared that I wasn't going to remember my lines, all of which I had studied thousands of times, " Billig laughed. " Everyone there made me feel extremely comfortable including the director Les Landau , who [...] was very helpful. My first day ended up going so well that I almost didn't get any sleep that night because I wanted so badly to go back the next day and do my other scene which was with Kate Mulgrew [....] She [...] gave me a bit of advice while I was doing my scene with her. I was a little worried because it was so confrontational but Kate sort of hinted that what I was doing was OK. She put her hand on my shoulder and said, 'I want you to go for it,' and I did, much to the director's chagrin. " ( TV Zone , Issue 93, p. 32)
• Michael Jonas actor Raphael Sbarge found this episode's production particularly challenging. His difficulty was partly because he felt he was "playing catch-up," due to the principal cast members generally being more prepared and having much more of an idea about what their requirements were. Another reason he found the making of the installment hard was dealing with the technobabble in his character's dialogue, even though Sbarge was otherwise very good at remembering his lines. " It was difficult and it really kicked my ass [...] Garrett Wang [Ensign Harry Kim] was a real friend to me about it, " Sbarge recalled. " He took me aside and told me about the tricks he used to help memorize things when he first started and gave me some tips on how to make things work for me. He said, 'During our first year everyone really had a hard time with the words. It's even harder for the guest-stars because they're saying these things for the first time.' Simon Billig [Mr. Hogan] and I used to get together and commiserate on how hard it was to learn the lines, but all that aside, it was just a thrill to be up there and doing it. " ( TV Zone , Special #29, pp. 25-26)
• Regarding the politics of Chakotay's recommendation to form an alliance with the Kazon, Chakotay actor Robert Beltran mused, " It's no different than the United States giving nation status to China , when we know full well what goes on over there, or any other despotic government that we recognize for our own convenience. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 100)
• At one point of the episode's production, Anthony De Longis made a particular jestful comment to Janeway actress Kate Mulgrew . " I remember working late one night while filming 'Alliances,' " De Longis said. " While we were waiting around for them to set up the shot, I told her, 'I really liked the way you played that last scene. Boy, I thought outer space was cold,' more or less meaning that she could play cold and distant really well. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine  issue 18 )
• It took seven hours for make-up artists and hairdressers to complete their work on Symba Smith ( Sobras bar dancer ). Days before the shoot, a cast was made of her head for her facial applications. Her scene was shot on 30 October 1995. Smith has revealed that " having a cast made of your head is NOT too much fun! But, I really enjoyed playing an alien – that WAS a lot of fun! " She added, " The sad thing is that I shot the show on October 30th... if I could have just shot it one day later... I would have had a really GREAT Halloween costume! " [3] (X)

Continuity [ ]

• This episode revisits Tuvok 's interest in orchids , originally mentioned in " Tattoo ".
• This episode features the second conference between the First Majes of the principal Kazon sects. They were last seen together plotting against Voyager in " Maneuvers ", but this time they are joined by Janeway, Tuvok, Neelix and Mabus.
• The Trabe were mentioned in two prior episodes (specifically, in " Initiations " and " Maneuvers ") before appearing, finally, in this episode.
• This episode introduces the recurring characters of Michael Jonas and Hogan . When first conceived, however, Hogan was not planned to become a recurring character; actor Simon Billig 's performance as Hogan here impressed Star Trek: Voyager 's producers so much that they subsequently began to repeatedly reuse the character. ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 15 )
• This episode introduces a story arc that culminates in VOY : " Investigations ". The arc revolves around Michael Jonas and later Tom Paris .
• Tuvok mentions to Janeway in this episode the actions taken by Spock in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country to unite the Klingon Empire and the Federation as an allegory to the possibilty of an alliance with the Kazon. It was later revealed in VOY : " Flashback " that Tuvok served as an ensign aboard the USS Excelsior under Captain Sulu during that time period.
• Voyager uses 3 photon torpedoes in this episode, having previously used one in " The Cloud ". This brings the total number of torpedoes used to 4, of the irreplaceable complement of 38 established in that episode.
• Following Kurt Bendera 's death in this episode, Chakotay mentions that they have had three deaths resulting from Kazon attacks (the other two not seen on-screen). This brings the total number of confirmed crew deaths since the series premiere " Caretaker " to 4, the previous death having occurred in " Faces ". This leaves Voyager with a crew of 149, given Voyager 's crew compliment of 152 established in " The 37's " (after the first of these deaths).
• On Netflix , when the Majes of the Kazon Sects are being introduced, the sound of trumpets along with fanfare and applause is heard for each one. However, as of December 2017 this seems to have been removed. On Amazon.com 's streaming Prime service, the trumpet fanfare and applause are still present as of September 2021.
• Many of the metal ornaments on the Kazon costumes are pieces of hardware and tack for horses.

Reception [ ]

• Jeri Taylor ultimately had mixed feelings about this episode. She commented, " I liked the dilemma that Janeway was put in; I thought that was interesting. I regret the final speech I put in her mouth, because it came across as exactly that, one of these preachy, Picard -like moments where she has to lecture people about the importance of something. It seemed like a good idea at the time. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages )
• This episode achieved a Nielsen rating of 5.4 million homes, and an 8% share. [4] (X)
• Cinefantastique rated this episode 2 out of 4 stars. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 93)
• Star Trek Magazine scored this episode 2 out of 5 stars, defined as "Impulse Power only". ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 15 , p. 60)
• The unauthorized reference book Delta Quadrant (p. 94) gives this installment a rating of 7.5 out of 10.
• A costume worn by a background Kazon actor in this episode was later re-used by Bob Rudd (as Brell ) in the Season 7 episode " Nightingale " and by stuntman Eric Norris (as an unnamed Illyrian crew member ) in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode " Damage ". The same costume was subsequently sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [5]

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 2.5, 13 May 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

Guest stars [ ]

• Charles O. Lucia as Mabus
• Anthony De Longis as Culluh
• Martha Hackett as Seska
• Raphael Sbarge as Michael Jonas
• Larry Cedar as Tersa
• John Gegenhuber as Surat
• Simon Billig as Hogan

Co-star [ ]

• Mirron E. Willis as Rettik

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Kimberly Auslander as Voyager command ensign
• Michael Beebe as Murphy
• Jeff Cadiente as Loran
• Tracee Lee Cocco as alien bar patron
• Brian Donofrio as Voyager sciences officer
• Tarik Ergin as Ayala
• Heather Ferguson as Voyager command officer
• Ken Gruz as Kurt Bendera
• Kerry Hoyt as Fitzpatrick
• Dennis Madalone as Kazon guard
• Johnny Martin as Valek
• Tom Morga as Minnis
• Louis Ortiz as Culhane
• Dean Rubin as Trabe prisoner
• Lydia Shiferaw as Voyager command officer
• Symba Smith as Sobras bar dancer
• Kazon-Pommar barkeeper
• Two Kazon guards

References [ ]

22nd century ; 2338 ; 2346 ; ability ; alliance ; Alpha Quadrant ; battle drill ; Baxial ; bio-nutrient supplement ; blood enemy ; Calogan dog ; Cardassian border ; cortical stimulator ; damage report ; dancer ; Delta Quadrant ; democracy ; dilithium chamber ; dodecahedron ; dozen ; drawing ; emergency transport ; executioner ; favinit plant ; Federation ; First Maje ; flower tool ; gesture ; governor ; grafting ; Hobii ; homeworld ; hull breach ; hybrid ; icosahedron ; imagination ; impedrazine ; Intrepid class decks ; Kazon ; Kazon fighter ( unnamed ); Kazon Order ; Kazon raider ( unnamed 1 and 2 ); Kazon territory ; Klingons ; Klingon Empire ; lead ship ; lunatic ; malnutrition ; Maquis ; medical tricorder ; memorial service ; Milky Way Galaxy ; milligram ; miner ; Mostral ; navigational deflector ; Nistrim ; nomad ; odds ; Ogla ; Oglamar ; orchid ; outlaw ; photon torpedo ; Pommar ; precept ; Predator -class ( unnamed ); Prime Directive ; puzzle ; red alert ; Relora ; repair crew ; replicators ; sense of humor ; slavery ; Sobras ; Spock ; Starfleet ; Takrit ; Talaxian ; Telfas Prime ; Trabe ; Trabe convoy ; Trabe Governing Council ; transporters ; transporter lock ; triangle ; turbolift ; Type 8 shuttlecraft ( unnamed ); villain ; visionary ; Vulcan ; Vulcan spice tea ; yellow alert

External links [ ]

• Alliances at StarTrek.com
• " Alliances " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Alliances " at Wikipedia
• " "Alliances" " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• 3 Ancient humanoid

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