Trek Romance: Voyager
So I've been watching a lot of Trek lately and I wanted to talk about Trek Romance. I am a sucker for a good Romance but most of what has been done on Trek sucks. I've decided to only talk about the one's that I have seen. Which means this post will focus on Voyager and another one to follow will focus on DS9 (I had originally planed to make this one post but this one turned into such a huge one I decided to split it in two).
Please note: that this post will contain spoilers and will be (once I post them) image heavy!
Trek Romances consist of three different types:
Voyager
Reset Button Romances
Now Trek Romance usually tends to suffer from Reset Button Romances. What is the point? As the audience you already know it won't last so it's hard to invest any emotional response into the relationship. Some times, however they can surprise you, but they are exceedingly rare. And none of them are from Voyager.
Chakotay seemed to get the most Reset Button Romances on Voyager. One of those said romances which was from an episode entitled: Unforgettable. In which in Chakotay falls in love with an alien by the name of Kellin. Kellin is a bounty hunter from a species that releases a 'forgettable' pheromone (meaning that if you had been friends with this woman and she were to leave your house after a few hours you wouldn't remember her anymore). So she ends up on board Voyager tracking down a fugitive, Chakotay helps her find the fugitive and they end up fall in love.
Recurring Romance
Voyager only had one recurring Romance. Please note that I am not counting the relationships that started in the Alpha Quadrant (Janeway's Fiance and Tuvok's Wife). Due to being lost in the Delta Quadrant regular romance was hard outside of the regular characters.
Kathryn Janeway and Michael Sullivan
It's somewhat established that as the captain of a ship, it would be inappropriate for her to have a romance with a member of her crew. So in Tom Paris' Fair Haven program Janeway finds herself attracted the character of Michael Sullivan.
I think the point of this relationship was to look at sentience in another way but it just doesn't work for these reasons:
While the Doctor is a hologram, Michael Sullivan is not self aware. He doesn't not know that he is a hologram. Sullivan begins to get suspicious after a while into their romance, when he can never come visit her and only sees her when she pops into the program. When he ends up on Voyager's bridge (in a holodeck mishap); Janeway explains that she is Space Captain from the future and is visiting Fair Haven through a time machine. She never once tells him that he is in fact a hologram and he never learns the truth of his real existence.
Regular Romance
Out of all of Voyager's romantic possibilities, it had three romances relationships and with only one successful pairing. One would think that with a ship stranded 70,000 light years from home that a whole bunch of romance would blossom. Strangely, that doesn't happen. Instead they act like they know they will get home in a few short years. And of course that is exactly what happens. Voyager does try but they don't try hard enough which only leads to one successful pairing. ONE.
That relationship was between:
Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres
Who marry and have a child Miral (who is the only child conceived on board Voyager)! While you could tell they loved each other; I never found them that interesting.
And the horror that was...Less successful romantic pairings:
Neelix and Kes
I usually like May/December romances but this is one that never seemed to work. It's established that Kes is One Year old, and from a species that only lives Nine years. For all intense and purposes Neelix is Kes' first romance and they start off the show already in a relationship. It's never known if that relationship was consummated (because well..squik!) and Kes seemed to have more chemistry with her reset button romances than with Neelix. Despite that they linger on this romance for three years until Kes breaks up with Neelix and ends up leaving the ship when her telekinetic powers expand.
Chakotay and Seven
The Last minute hook up. In "Endgame" (series finale) you learn that in the alternative timeline they end up married, and while on a mission Seven dies in Chakotay's arms. Chakotay is heartbroken and never recovers from her death. In the current timeline Chakotay and Seven realize their feelings for each other extend beyond friendship and decide to enter into a relationship. All of which happen off screen. For three years (ever since Janeway adopts Seven) Chakotay barely tolerates Seven and it's only until "Natural Law" do the two start develop any sort of friendship (which is only three episodes before Endgame). It is established that Seven has an affair in a previous episode with a hologram with Chakotay ("Human Error"), so it could be believe able that she could have romantic feelings for the real Chakotay. If the producers had wanted to hook up one or both of the characters with someone, there were other much more believable possibilities. Which leads us into the failed relationships.
Failed Romance
These romances (or lack their of) are the relationships that had potential but for one reason or another the producers didn't follow through on them. The ones I'm only going to address are between regular members of the crew.
Kes and Tom
For about a year and a half Tom and Neelix fight over Kes. When Kes breaks up with Neelix, her and Tom don't begin a relationship. They do however end up married with a child in an alternative timeline (for one episode). This relationship only happens when B'Elanna dies and Kes consoles Tom.
The Doctor and Seven
In one such particular episode "Someone to Watch Over Me". The Doctor teaches Seven how to approach and interact in a romantic relationship. At the end of the episode Seven realizes that there is no one on the ship that she sees in a romantic light and decides not to pursue a relationship with anyone. The Doctor however, finds himself falling in love with her and ends up telling her how he feels in the penultimate episode "Renaissance Man" when he thinks his program is going to De-compile. Why this romance was never followed through on I'm not quite sure. The two had some great chemistry, and in the Doctor ends up married (in the alternative timeline to a Seven look a like).
Janeway and Seven
Though this pairing was never addressed as a potential romance (Voyager had no balls) many fans see the possibility here. Janeway is a little too involved in her protege's life and risks her crew, the wrath of the Borg queen and an alternative time line (Tuvok and Chakotay as well) for her.
Janeway and Chakotay
The characters have amazing chemistry and flirt like crazy in the first few season. The possibility becomes apparent early season 2 and the end of season 2's "Resolutions" is supposed to put an end that that ever happening. But for the rest of the series the writers ship tease the hell out of them (and spend episodes devoted to their relationship). I've heard that due to Janeway's position on the ship she couldn't pursue a relationship with her subordinate, but I think that was a cop out for the producers. I think they felt that with a woman in charge of the ship having her in a romantic relationship would weaken her position and they struggled for seven years to write a female captain.
Well there you have it, my opinion on the Relationships and Romances on Voyager, with only ONE successful relationship on a show that lasted for seven years lost in the furthest reaches of the galaxy. That's pretty sad.
Please note: that this post will contain spoilers and will be (once I post them) image heavy!
Trek Romances consist of three different types:
- Reset Button Romances (usually known as Alien (Babe/Boy) of the week: Romances that only last for one episode, never to be mentioned again. And in most cases have no impact on the regular character. In 9 times out of 10 the characters don't care and neither do the audience.
- Recurring Romance: When a recurring character hooks up with a regular character. This pairing is much more successful in that the romance usually takes some time to develop.
- Regular/Failed Romance: A Romance that develops between regular characters, which is the most successful as you already have an emotional investment into the characters.
Voyager
Reset Button Romances
Now Trek Romance usually tends to suffer from Reset Button Romances. What is the point? As the audience you already know it won't last so it's hard to invest any emotional response into the relationship. Some times, however they can surprise you, but they are exceedingly rare. And none of them are from Voyager.
Chakotay seemed to get the most Reset Button Romances on Voyager. One of those said romances which was from an episode entitled: Unforgettable. In which in Chakotay falls in love with an alien by the name of Kellin. Kellin is a bounty hunter from a species that releases a 'forgettable' pheromone (meaning that if you had been friends with this woman and she were to leave your house after a few hours you wouldn't remember her anymore). So she ends up on board Voyager tracking down a fugitive, Chakotay helps her find the fugitive and they end up fall in love.
Recurring Romance
Voyager only had one recurring Romance. Please note that I am not counting the relationships that started in the Alpha Quadrant (Janeway's Fiance and Tuvok's Wife). Due to being lost in the Delta Quadrant regular romance was hard outside of the regular characters.
Kathryn Janeway and Michael Sullivan
It's somewhat established that as the captain of a ship, it would be inappropriate for her to have a romance with a member of her crew. So in Tom Paris' Fair Haven program Janeway finds herself attracted the character of Michael Sullivan.
I think the point of this relationship was to look at sentience in another way but it just doesn't work for these reasons:
- You're reprogrammed to be more attractive
- Is not self-aware
While the Doctor is a hologram, Michael Sullivan is not self aware. He doesn't not know that he is a hologram. Sullivan begins to get suspicious after a while into their romance, when he can never come visit her and only sees her when she pops into the program. When he ends up on Voyager's bridge (in a holodeck mishap); Janeway explains that she is Space Captain from the future and is visiting Fair Haven through a time machine. She never once tells him that he is in fact a hologram and he never learns the truth of his real existence.
Regular Romance
Out of all of Voyager's romantic possibilities, it had three romances relationships and with only one successful pairing. One would think that with a ship stranded 70,000 light years from home that a whole bunch of romance would blossom. Strangely, that doesn't happen. Instead they act like they know they will get home in a few short years. And of course that is exactly what happens. Voyager does try but they don't try hard enough which only leads to one successful pairing. ONE.
That relationship was between:
Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres
Who marry and have a child Miral (who is the only child conceived on board Voyager)! While you could tell they loved each other; I never found them that interesting.
And the horror that was...Less successful romantic pairings:
Neelix and Kes
I usually like May/December romances but this is one that never seemed to work. It's established that Kes is One Year old, and from a species that only lives Nine years. For all intense and purposes Neelix is Kes' first romance and they start off the show already in a relationship. It's never known if that relationship was consummated (because well..squik!) and Kes seemed to have more chemistry with her reset button romances than with Neelix. Despite that they linger on this romance for three years until Kes breaks up with Neelix and ends up leaving the ship when her telekinetic powers expand.
Chakotay and Seven
The Last minute hook up. In "Endgame" (series finale) you learn that in the alternative timeline they end up married, and while on a mission Seven dies in Chakotay's arms. Chakotay is heartbroken and never recovers from her death. In the current timeline Chakotay and Seven realize their feelings for each other extend beyond friendship and decide to enter into a relationship. All of which happen off screen. For three years (ever since Janeway adopts Seven) Chakotay barely tolerates Seven and it's only until "Natural Law" do the two start develop any sort of friendship (which is only three episodes before Endgame). It is established that Seven has an affair in a previous episode with a hologram with Chakotay ("Human Error"), so it could be believe able that she could have romantic feelings for the real Chakotay. If the producers had wanted to hook up one or both of the characters with someone, there were other much more believable possibilities. Which leads us into the failed relationships.
Failed Romance
These romances (or lack their of) are the relationships that had potential but for one reason or another the producers didn't follow through on them. The ones I'm only going to address are between regular members of the crew.
Kes and Tom
For about a year and a half Tom and Neelix fight over Kes. When Kes breaks up with Neelix, her and Tom don't begin a relationship. They do however end up married with a child in an alternative timeline (for one episode). This relationship only happens when B'Elanna dies and Kes consoles Tom.
The Doctor and Seven
In one such particular episode "Someone to Watch Over Me". The Doctor teaches Seven how to approach and interact in a romantic relationship. At the end of the episode Seven realizes that there is no one on the ship that she sees in a romantic light and decides not to pursue a relationship with anyone. The Doctor however, finds himself falling in love with her and ends up telling her how he feels in the penultimate episode "Renaissance Man" when he thinks his program is going to De-compile. Why this romance was never followed through on I'm not quite sure. The two had some great chemistry, and in the Doctor ends up married (in the alternative timeline to a Seven look a like).
Janeway and Seven
Though this pairing was never addressed as a potential romance (Voyager had no balls) many fans see the possibility here. Janeway is a little too involved in her protege's life and risks her crew, the wrath of the Borg queen and an alternative time line (Tuvok and Chakotay as well) for her.
Janeway and Chakotay
The characters have amazing chemistry and flirt like crazy in the first few season. The possibility becomes apparent early season 2 and the end of season 2's "Resolutions" is supposed to put an end that that ever happening. But for the rest of the series the writers ship tease the hell out of them (and spend episodes devoted to their relationship). I've heard that due to Janeway's position on the ship she couldn't pursue a relationship with her subordinate, but I think that was a cop out for the producers. I think they felt that with a woman in charge of the ship having her in a romantic relationship would weaken her position and they struggled for seven years to write a female captain.
Well there you have it, my opinion on the Relationships and Romances on Voyager, with only ONE successful relationship on a show that lasted for seven years lost in the furthest reaches of the galaxy. That's pretty sad.