Memory Alpha

Hope and Fear (episode)

  • View history
  • 1.2 Act One
  • 1.3 Act Two
  • 1.4 Act Three
  • 1.5 Act Four
  • 1.6 Act Five
  • 2 Memorable quotes
  • 3.1 Production history
  • 3.2 Introductory details
  • 3.3 Story development
  • 3.5 Cast and characters
  • 3.6 Props, costumes, and makeup
  • 3.8 Production
  • 3.9 Music and sound
  • 3.10 Visual effects
  • 3.11 Reception
  • 3.12 Continuity
  • 3.13 Video and DVD releases
  • 4.1 Starring
  • 4.2 Also starring
  • 4.3 Guest Stars
  • 4.4 Co-Star
  • 4.5 Uncredited Co-Stars
  • 4.6 Stunt Double
  • 4.7 Stand-ins
  • 4.8 References
  • 4.9 External links

Summary [ ]

Janeway and Seven of Nine after velocity

Janeway and Seven clash

During their off hours, Seven of Nine and Captain Janeway are on the holodeck , playing a game of Velocity . The captain wins six out of ten rounds, frustrating the former drone , who has far superior visual acuity and stamina. Seven believes that, due to her biological enhancements, she should have been able to win every round. Janeway tells her that there's more to winning the game than stamina, including intuition. Seven, however, considers intuition a "Human fallacy". She asks the captain for a rematch as Janeway walks towards the exit. When the captain replies negatively, Seven claims that Janeway is tired and concerned that she will be defeated. The captain replies that she is tired but not concerned. When Seven orders the computer to begin another round, Janeway tells it to ignore Seven's command. The captain tells her that the game's over and leaves.

Act One [ ]

At 0500, Janeway sits in the mess hall , trying to decrypt the message they received from the Alpha Quadrant via the Hirogen communications network . Commander Chakotay enters and Janeway realizes she has been there all night. The commander reports that Lieutenant Tom Paris and Neelix contacted the USS Voyager a short time ago and are preparing to leave a trading colony . According to Paris, he and Neelix managed to obtain such a large quantity of supplies that their shuttle will not be able to travel faster than half- impulse . He also included news that one of the aliens they met, Arturis , was very helpful. Neelix wants to repay him by bringing him onboard Voyager and granting him passage to the next star system . Janeway gives him permission and continues to work on the decrypted message. Chakotay suggests that she enlist Seven's assistance and she agrees that Seven would probably have a few Borg algorithms that could help. However, since she and Seven have been butting heads more than usual recently, Janeway isn't sure it would do any good to ask. Chakotay comments that Seven has learned a lot from Captain Janeway since she was liberated from the Borg a year ago. He hypothesizes that Seven may simply feel that she has surpassed her mentor. Janeway seems uncertain whether that is the case and asks Chakotay to join her for a cup of coffee .

Paris and Neelix return to Voyager from the trading colony and land their shuttlecraft . While Paris directs several officers to unload the cargo, Chakotay, behind him, is puzzled by one of the items. Paris tells Chakotay that he does not know what it is and looks for Neelix.

In a corner, Neelix introduces Captain Janeway to their guest, Arturis. Neelix recalls that, while he was negotiating with a xenon-based lifeform , the universal translator went offline and Arturis saved him from embarrassment by translating the alien's words. Once Neelix leaves to help Paris, Janeway welcomes Arturis aboard, eager to find him some quarters . While leaving the cargo bay , Janeway confesses that she has never met anyone as adept at languages as Arturis, who reveals that he knows more than four thousand different languages . Janeway comments that she still struggles with basic Klingonese . Arturis remains modest and says that most species have natural abilities that others do not – some are born with superior strength. Others, like Janeway's crew, have great generosity of spirit. For another example, Arturis adds that where most people can only see chaos, his people see patterns. This gives Janeway an idea. She asks whether Arturis is equally adept at computational languages as he is at verbal communication. He replies that he finds neither harder than the other. Pleased by his response, Janeway asks Arturis if he would be willing to grant the Voyager crew another favor.

In astrometrics , Janeway, Seven and Arturis review the data stream from Starfleet. Arturis agrees with the captain's theory that the transmission has been badly damaged. As Seven prepares the message so that Arturis can view it again, he learns that she was Borg and comments that she is more attractive than the average drone. Seven explains that she is no longer connected to the Borg Collective . Arturis notices the problem with the message and attempts to reconstruct the data. When Janeway asks Seven if she is familiar with Arturis' people, she replies that the Borg, who know the race as Species 116 , have not been able to assimilate them – yet. Arturis explains that his people don't feel anger towards the Borg Collective, they simply avoid it. Arturis notifies the captain that he has been able to restore most of the undamaged blocks of data. However, several degraded sections of the message are still unrecoverable. The transmission includes footage of Admiral Hayes and a spatial grid . Janeway discovers that the grid is a map of a nearby sector, less than ten light years away. Believing that Starfleet may be trying to direct Voyager to the area shown on the map, Janeway, Arturis and Seven exit astrometrics.

Arturis and Janeway

Janeway and Arturis on the bridge

As Voyager continues at warp speed, the trio arrives on the bridge . At the helm , Paris reports that the starship is approaching the designated coordinates. Janeway instructs him to pilot the ship at a lower velocity and orders Lt. Cmdr. Tuvok to scan the area. When he detects a ship, Janeway orders him to show it on the main viewscreen . Although Tuvok states that he may be mistaken, he reports that the vessel has a Starfleet warp signature .

Act Two [ ]

Tuvok attempts to hail the ship but there is no response. From her station, Seven informs Chakotay that her sensors have detected no organic matter aboard the ship. The vessel is undamaged and all primary systems, including life support , are online. Ensign Harry Kim seems puzzled by the fact that there are no crew onboard but Janeway has faith that an answer can be found in the transmission from Starfleet. When Arturis agrees to help her decode the rest of the message, Janeway orders Chakotay to lead an away team and secure the vessel. The commander asks Tuvok and Paris to join him. As they leave the bridge, Arturis reveals that he is surprised that Janeway doesn't seem more encouraged by the vessel's discovery. She explains that she has learned to be cautious as well as hopeful and adds that Voyager has previously been presented with other opportunities that didn't work out. However, this time, she is slightly more hopeful than cautious. Seven accompanies Janeway and Arturis as they leave the bridge.

Meanwhile, Chakotay, Paris and Tuvok transport aboard the other ship. Chakotay uses a tricorder , while the other two officers carry phasers . Tuvok and Paris agree that the vessel's bridge is impressive as the Vulcan examines a computer console. While Chakotay looks at a detailed schematic of the craft, he remarks that he has never seen another Starfleet ship designed similarly. From the console, Tuvok learns the ship's name is the USS Dauntless , registry NX -01A. He also discovers that it was launched on stardate 51472. Chakotay notes that the ship has traveled 60,000 light years in just three months. Meanwhile, Paris finds that the helm station was set for auto-navigation, leading to the conclusion that the ship probably never had a crew. When the ship experiences small vibrations, Paris reports that the warp core is fluctuating and adds that he is not familiar with the design of the engine. The ship shudders more violently as he and the other officers head to Engineering .

There, they find the Dauntless 's warp core . Although Paris determines that the ship does not use antimatter , he cannot confirm what element it uses for propulsion. Reading from a console, he learns that the ship has a quantum slipstream drive . However, neither of the other officers has heard of that form of technology before. Just then, the ship suddenly powers up and its auto-pilot system comes online.

On Voyager 's bridge, Kim contacts Janeway telling her the Dauntless is moving away at high impulse speed and the away team are not responding to hails . She orders him to initiate a pursuit course.

Aboard the Dauntless , Paris is unable to deactivate the slipstream drive. Chakotay instructs the ship's computer to disable the vessel's propulsion but the computer does not comply with his vocal commands. Working at a console, Paris advises Tuvok and Chakotay to brace themselves. Suddenly, the craft leaps into motion, creating a slipstream in space. On Voyager 's bridge, Kim informs Janeway that the Dauntless has disappeared from sight.

Meanwhile, Paris discovers that energy from the propulsion drive is being routed through the main navigational deflector , creating the slipstream. Using the helm controls, he attempts to stop the flow of energy. His efforts are successful and the craft slows down to impulse. Tuvok determines that Voyager is out of scanning range and that the Dauntless has traveled over fifteen light years in just a few minutes.

Hayes video message, Hope and Fear

The senior staff watch a video recording of Admiral Hayes

Standing in the briefing room , the senior staff watch a visual recording of Admiral Hayes. The admiral explains that while slipstream technology is still experimental, he believes it is safe and encourages the crew to use the Dauntless to return home. After the message ends, Janeway asks The Doctor about any health risks. He replies that the away team suffered no ill effects, such as cell damage or physiological stress, and that long term effects are unlikely. Lieutenant Torres reports that although the ship's primary systems are similar to Voyager 's, it has only one transporter and no replicators , holodecks or shuttlecraft. The crew seems ready and willing to use the vessel but Seven points out that returning to Earth aboard the Dauntless would mean abandoning Voyager . Chakotay asks Paris if the crew could incorporate the slipstream technology into Voyager . When Paris answers that the plan is theoretically plausible, the captain tells him to try making the necessary modifications, so that they can bring the ship with them if possible. She also orders Torres and Kim to accompany an engineering team aboard the Dauntless and learn how to shut down the vessel's propulsion in a moment's notice. The captain plans subsequent test flights and instructs the senior staff to make sure that all of Voyager 's crew becomes accustomed to the Dauntless . She dismisses the officers but indicates to Tuvok that she wants him to stay. When she confides in him that the events of the past few days seem a little too convenient, Tuvok agrees. Janeway says she felt something was wrong since the moment Arturis came onboard but she couldn't put her finger on what exactly. The captain decides to proceed as planned but tells Tuvok to conduct surveillance on Arturis and research his past.

Act Three [ ]

Janeway and Seven make their individual log entries , in which they express their hopes and fears about returning to Earth.

Seven, Kim and Torres work together in engineering aboard the Dauntless and are eventually successful in learning how to drop out of slipstream warp. Kim is excited that the discovery signifies the crew are almost home. Torres seems to share Kim's enthusiasm but Seven remains neutral.

Kim leaves to run a metallurgical analysis of a bulkhead , while Seven and Torres discuss the prospect of returning to the Alpha Quadrant. Seven is puzzled as to why Torres is eager to return home when, as a former Maquis , she is likely to face nothing but adversity. However, Torres tells the former drone that she would rather deal with the consequences of her past than spend the rest of her life in the Delta Quadrant . She then tells Seven that being an ex-Borg, she is likely to face even more adversity than Torres and jokes that they will be outcasts together. Seven is not amused and Torres tells her to work on her sense of humor, as it will help her to make friends on Earth.

Kim calls out to Seven from under the gantry where he is studying his tricorder . He tells Seven there is an anomalous surge of energy emanating from behind a panel but Seven replies that there are no power conduits running through that section. Kim tries to make conversation with Seven, assuring her that she will enjoy Earth, a biologically diverse planet. Seven still seems unimpressed, so he states that there are several other planets to choose from if she finds Earth unpleasant. When Seven notifies Kim that she is going to speak with the captain, Kim senses that she intends to leave the crew of Voyager . He tells her that the crew's return to the Alpha Quadrant won't be the same without her, which elicits a small smile. Kim's attention returns to his work and he opens the panel where the energy readings were coming from. Smoke rises from the technology beneath the panel as it suddenly flashes. Standing back, Kim becomes puzzled by his tricorder readings. Then the portion of the bulkhead he is studying shimmers and very briefly reveals alien technology. Confused by his experience, Kim contacts Tuvok and reports that he has found something unusual on the Dauntless . Aboard Voyager , Tuvok replies that he is on his way.

In astrometrics, Janeway observes a display of Earth, focusing primarily on the North American continent . Seven enters and finds the captain trying to reconstruct the last fragment of the data stream, which Arturis said was too badly damaged. Although Janeway feels that he gave up too easily, Seven dismisses the captain's belief as "intuition". Janeway tells Seven that she has designed a new encryption algorithm, which she begins to test on the message. While she works however, Seven tells the captain that she does not intend to return to the Alpha Quadrant with the Voyager crew. Janeway abruptly stops working on the message.

The captain turns to Seven and says she understands how the prospect of being among billions of Humans must be overwhelming for the former drone, but she is a member of the Human species, and Earth is her home. When Janeway reminds Seven of how much she has achieved in the last nine months and urges her to continue her development from Borg back to Human, Seven becomes defensive. Although Janeway attempted to influence Seven to become more like herself, the former drone claims that the captain has ultimately failed. Seven says that their frequent disagreements are an indication that she does not share Janeway's values. She believes that Janeway's drive to explore space is inefficient, that her need for family connections is a weakness and that her infatuation with Earth is irrational.

When Janeway tells Seven that the crew needs her expertise on their hazardous mission to the Alpha Quadrant, Seven replies that her participation is irrelevant to the crew's survival. The captain disagrees, believing that Seven owes a debt to the crew that should be repaid. However, Seven retorts that she has returned the crew's favor on many occasions and that for once, she refuses. When she tells Janeway that she doesn't know what she will do in the Delta Quadrant, the captain insists that the crew won't abandon her there. Then Janeway realizes Seven's real problem – her fear of returning to Earth.

The discussion is interrupted by an audio signal from a computer console. Janeway discovers that the new algorithm she developed has worked. Initially, the captain is confused when the image of Admiral Hayes appears since the crew had apparently decrypted that section of the message. Seven suggests it may be an addendum, but Janeway knows that she has recovered a completely different message. Clearing up distortion in the recording's audio, Janeway is able to hear as Hayes delivers a completely different message than before; he apologises stating that despite Starfleet's best attempts, they have been unable to find a way to bring Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant. The rest of the data stream consists of all the information Starfleet could provide on the Delta Quadrant which Starfleet hopes the crew can use to possibly shave a few years off their journey, but other than that can provide nothing else.

As the captain hangs her head in disappointment, understanding that the Dauntless is not a Starfleet vessel, Seven comments that her intuition was correct. Anger quickly replaces Janeway's disillusionment when she realizes that Arturis has been lying to them since he came onboard. She hails Tuvok, who is on the Dauntless and notifies him that her suspicions concerning Arturis have been confirmed.

While she walks through a corridor with Seven, Janeway elaborates that Arturis tampered with the data stream and that the Dauntless is not a Starfleet ship. Tuvok concurs with the captain and informs her that he and Ensign Kim discovered concealed alien technology in main engineering aboard the Dauntless . When Tuvok tells Janeway that Arturis is working with Torres on the bridge, the captain orders him to go there and wait for a security team to arrive. Janeway and Seven continue to walk through the corridor and arm themselves with phasers.

Act Four [ ]

Meanwhile, Arturis surveys the bridge of the Dauntless . As he walks over to the helm station, Torres notices and stops him from activating the slipstream drive. Arturis behaves as if he didn't mean to engage the drive and apologizes in Klingonese. When he notices that Torres is surprised, he explains that he didn't know the language until Janeway let him review Voyager 's linguistic database . Tuvok enters the bridge and a few seconds later, Janeway, Seven and a security team beam aboard near his position, each carrying a phaser. Janeway orders Torres to evacuate the repair teams, then proceeds to accuse Arturis of fabricating the Starfleet message. Arturis denies the accusation and tries to blame Seven of tampering with the message. Janeway doesn't believe the alien and orders Tuvok to take him to Voyager 's brig . A struggle ensues but Arturis manages to resist the security officers and pull a panel off the helm station. Although Janeway permits Tuvok to fire his phaser at the alien, the weapon seems to have little effect on him. Arturis flips a switch that replaces the image of Starfleet technology to its true alien form. He then erects a force field and tries to deflect Voyager 's transporters.

On Voyager 's bridge, Kim reports that he has managed to retrieve everyone but Janeway and Seven. When Paris calls out that the Dauntless is creating a slipstream, Chakotay orders Tom to pursue the ship. Meanwhile, Arturis is commanding the helm aboard the Dauntless . The ship is trembling and its engines rumble as Janeway watches the main viewscreen. The vessel glows and distorts shortly before it accelerates to slipstream, vanishing from view of Voyager .

Aboard Voyager , Chakotay tells Paris to bring the warp core modifications on-line in order to pursue the alien craft. Paris responds that the adaptations to the core have not been properly tested yet but Chakotay believes that the starship's pursuit of the Dauntless will be a suitable test.

The appearance of the alien ship has stabilized to its earlier form as it races through a slipstream. On board, Seven wonders where Arturis means to take the Dauntless . He answers simply, "home". Janeway asks whether the alien used holograms to create the image of a Starfleet bridge, but Arturis replies that he maintained the illusion with particle synthesis , a method beyond Starfleet's understanding. When the captain asks if the species that Arturis belongs to frequently preys on innocent ships, he answers that Janeway's use of the word "innocent" reflects her self-righteousness. Janeway tries a diplomatic approach to reasoning with Arturis, but the alien responds angrily and reveals that he blames Janeway for the assimilation of his species. He says that Janeway negotiated an agreement with the Borg: safe passage through their space in return for assistance for helping them defeat Species 8472 .

Arturis continues to explain that his people had outwitted the Borg for centuries. But recently, the Borg started to adapt better to their defenses and were about to break through. The Borg's war with Species 8472 was their last hope of defeating the Collective. However, due to the brief alliance between Voyager and the Borg in 2374 , the Collective defeated Species 8472. They subsequently deployed hundreds of Borg cubes that destroyed the sentry ships , outer colonies and eventually the homeworld of Arturis' people. One of the lucky few that managed to escape, Arturis left his homeworld alone on a vessel. He blames Janeway for his loss and believes that she, a stranger to the Delta Quadrant, had no right to decide whether the Borg or Species 8472 won their war.

Months after the annihilation of his species, Arturis found Voyager . He secretly observed the starship, waiting for a chance to avenge the loss of his people. When Starfleet transmitted a data stream to Voyager , Arturis knew that he could tamper with the message and lure the crew aboard the Dauntless . He planned to then activate the vessel's slipstream drive and pilot the craft into Borg space, where the crew would be assimilated. Although he had hoped to trap the entire crew aboard the vessel, he is willing to settle for just Seven and Janeway. He tells them that in a matter of hours, the Dauntless will return to his homeworld inside Borg space. He believes his own assimilation is irrelevant and thinks that Seven should be grateful that he is helping her achieve her objective of returning to the Borg.

Act Five [ ]

USS Voyager attempting to create a slipstream

Voyager breaking the quantum barrier

In space, Voyager glows and distorts as it prepares to enter a slipstream. However, as the bridge of the starship trembles, Paris reports that the vessel is experiencing difficulty in achieving slipstream velocity. When the bridge shakes more frequently, Tuvok tells Chakotay that he is having trouble controlling the parameters of the quantum warp field and asks for more power to be routed to the deflector. Responding to the tactical officer 's request, Chakotay contacts engineering.

There, Lieutenant Torres replies that she is already working on the problem and tells an engineering officer to supply Deflector Control with auxiliary power. The warp core pulses rapidly as B'Elanna orders another officer to make sure the quantum warp field is stable.

After the bridge shudders violently, Tuvok reports that the deflector is at maximum power and that he is focusing the quantum warp field. Ensign Kim adds that the hull temperature is at critical, shortly before the trembling ceases as Voyager enters a quantum slipstream. Harry informs Chakotay that structural integrity is weakened and that the hull will buckle in less than an hour. Paris aligns the ship's slipstream to directly behind the Dauntless and reports that Voyager is at maximum velocity.

Janeway Seven microfilament Dauntless Brig

Seven watches Janeway remove a microfilament from a combadge while trapped in Dauntless 's brig.

In the brig of the alien ship, Janeway and Seven are unarmed and imprisoned behind a force field , and quickly concoct a plan of escape. They realize that a typical Borg drone can easily pass through force fields. Seven explains that specific Borg nanoprobes enact this ability by altering the drone's bioelectric field , but detailed modification of her cranial implant is required to re-enable this function (disabled after the events of " Scorpion "). The captain disassembles her combadge and removes a microfilament , the only device available accurate enough to tweak Seven's cranial implant. While Janeway makes the adjustments, she admits that she may be hard on Seven at times, but it was never out of anger or regret that she brought her aboard. Janeway says that as captain, she can't always be Seven's friend. Seven replies that she doesn't understand, but will understand perfectly when they are assimilated and their "thoughts become one", then quickly clarifies it as a joke. Seven confesses that she was indeed afraid of visiting Earth. She is no longer Borg but feels unsettled by the prospect of becoming Human . Seven is also unsure about remaining aboard Voyager and considers fending for herself in the Delta Quadrant, but Janeway assures her that she belongs there. With the modifications to her cranial implant complete, Seven escapes the cell and walks to a nearby wall panel to disable the force field.

On the bridge, Arturis discovers that Seven is attempting to shut down the force field, and attempts to counter using another console, but is unsuccessful. Seven facilitates Janeway's escape and both travel to the engine room, where the captain plans on shutting down the slipstream drive.

The Dauntless continues to fly through a quantum slipstream as Janeway and Seven arrive in engineering. When Seven tries to initiate the shutdown procedure, the captain realizes that Arturis is blocking their commands from the bridge. The room shakes as the vessel accelerates. Seven explains that the Dauntless has increased velocity and will reach Borg space in less than twelve minutes. Janeway tells her to send a power surge to the starboard thrusters and attempt to turn the ship in the wrong direction, as a distraction and to change course. Before she goes to the bridge to confront Arturis and as added motivation for survival, Janeway tells Seven that she has scheduled a game of Velocity with her the following day in Holodeck 1.

The Dauntless turns sharply, throwing Arturis to the floor. However, he manages to regain control of the ship and keep it from exiting the slipstream. When Captain Janeway arrives on the bridge, he tells her that she will become a drone in only four minutes. The ship rocks to the side again and Janeway explains that Seven has gained access to the Dauntless 's navigational systems. The captain attempts to reason with Arturis, but the alien claims that the only thing he can understand or feel is revenge. Janeway insists that Arturis can carry on the legacy of his people, that their accomplishments, knowledge and dignity can survive in him. She urges him to end his pursuit of revenge. Arturis takes a moment to contemplate Janeway's words, then taps a control on the helm station.

In the engine room, Seven is working at a console when it suddenly crackles with energy. She recoils when the panel explodes in a shower of sparks, smoke pouring from the station.

USS Voyager at high slipstream

Voyager catches up with the Dauntless …

On the bridge, Arturis informs the captain that he has destroyed the navigational controls so that no-one can stop the ship, not even he. Janeway becomes anxious and Arturis tells her that the Dauntless will arrive in Borg space in two minutes. Suddenly, however, Arturis and Janeway stumble as the vessel jolts.

Dauntless's shields collapse

…and brings down its shields

Voyager has reached the Dauntless and is firing photon torpedoes , attacking the enemy ship. On the bridge of the Starfleet craft, Tuvok reports that the other vessel is defenseless, as its shields are down. Chakotay orders Kim to get a transporter lock on Janeway and Seven.

Meanwhile, the helm station aboard the Dauntless explodes. Arturis realizes that Voyager is in the vicinity. As her atoms begin to scatter, Janeway asks Arturis to join her. The alien refuses and fires a hand-weapon at the captain as she beams off the ship.

USS Voyager avoids Borg space

Voyager avoids Borg space…

Aboard Voyager , Harry Kim notifies Chakotay that both Seven and Janeway are now in Transporter Room 2, returned safely to the Starfleet ship. The commander instructs Paris to change the starship's heading to travel in the direction they came. Tom complies and sets to work. In slipstream, Voyager branches off and moves away from the Dauntless , which eventually drops out of slipstream to impulse, surrounded by Borg cubes.

USS Dauntless in quantum slipstream

…while the Dauntless hurtles towards it

Arturis listens as the Collective welcomes him with a standard Borg greeting – " We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. " In his command chair on the bridge, Arturis braces himself for the inevitable.

In Holodeck 1, Janeway and Seven play Velocity, which the captain consistently wins. Seven wants to leave early to continue her work in astrometrics, but Janeway replies that she has ordered the crew to rest during the next few days. Seven reveals that she is attempting to design a new method of traveling at slipstream without damaging the ship. Janeway is surprised, since Seven has been so intent recently on staying in the Delta Quadrant. The former drone tells the captain that as they approached Borg space, she re-evaluated her future and found that becoming a drone again was unappealing. Janeway tells her it sounds like she's starting to embrace her Humanity. Seven denies this, but admits that nothing is impossible. The captain smiles and tells the computer, " One more game. " She and Seven take their starting places and, as the velocity disc races through the air, Seven fires her phaser.

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Try to be a sport, Seven. Game's over. "

" The Borg Collective is like a force of nature. You don't feel anger toward a storm on the horizon. You just avoid it."

" Wow… " " Wow, indeed. "

" Fascinating. Can you make it stop ? "

" Admiral Hayes! Good man, fine officer, bit of a windbag… "

" We've given you a lot Seven, it's time you gave something in return. " " I have on many occasions. Now I refuse. "

" The algorithm's working. It's reconstructing the datablock. That's strange, I thought we already recovered this part of the message. " " Perhaps it is an addendum from the Admiral. You did designate him a windbag. " " I don't think so. The data index doesn't match. This is a completely different message. "

" You negotiated an agreement with the Borg Collective! Safe passage through their space. And in return, you helped them defeat one of their enemies. " " Species 8472. " " In your colorful language, yes. Species 8472. Did it ever occur to you that there were those of us in the Delta Quadrant who had a vested interest in that war? Victory would've meant the annihilation of the Borg, but you couldn't see beyond the bow of your own ship! " " In my estimation, Species 8472 posed a greater threat than the Borg. "

" My people managed to elude the Borg for centuries! Outwitting them, always one step ahead! But in recent years, the Borg began to weaken our defenses. They were closing in, and Species 8472 was our last hope to defeat them. You took that away from us! The outer colonies were the first to fall; 23 in a matter of hours. Our sentry vessels tossed aside, no defense against the storm. And by the time they had surrounded our star system… hundreds of cubes… we had already surrendered to our own terror. "

" Any ideas? " " Not presently. " " Well we'd better think of something. We come face to face with your former family in less than an hour and that's one reunion I'd like to miss. "

" I'm your captain. That means I can't always be your friend. Understand? " " No. However, if we are assimilated, then our thoughts will become one, and I'm sure I will understand perfectly. "

" You were correct, captain. My desire to remain in the Delta Quadrant was based on fear. I am no longer Borg… but the prospect of becoming Human is – unsettling. I don't know where I belong. " " You belong with us. "

" I can't begin to imagine your loss. But try to see beyond your desire for revenge. " " Revenge is all I have left. " " No. As long as you're alive, there's hope. Your people's accomplisments, their knowledge, their dignity can survive in you. End this. "

" Impossible is a word that Humans use far too often."

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

  • Production number: 011-40840-194
  • Final draft script: 25 February 1998
  • Day 1 – Friday 27 February 1998 – Cargo bay ( Paramount Stage 9 ) and bridge ( Paramount Stage 8 )
  • Day 2 – Monday 2 March 1998 – Captain's ready room and bridge (Paramount Stage 8), Astrometrics lab ( Paramount Stage 16 )
  • Day 3 – Tuesday 3 March 1998 – Engineering (Paramount Stage 9), mess hall and briefing room (Paramount Stage 8)
  • Day 4 – Wednesday 4 March 1998 – Int. Hologrid (Paramount Stage 9) and Dauntless brig (Paramount Stage 8)
  • Day 5 – Thursday 5 March 1998 – Dauntless bridge (Paramount Stage 16), Int. corridor (Paramount Stage 9), Dauntless brig (Paramount Stage 8)
  • Day 6 – Friday 6 March 1998 – Admiral's Office and Astrometrics lab (Paramount Stage 16)
  • Day 7 – Monday 9 March 1998 – Dauntless engineering (Paramount Stage 9)
  • Day 8 – Tuesday 10 March 1998 – Alien bridge (Paramount Stage 16) and Int. corridor (Paramount Stage 9)
  • Day 9 – Thursday 12 March 1998 – Int. corridor and Dauntless engineering (Paramount Stage 9)
  • 2nd Unit – Wednesday 11 March 1998 – Int. Dauntless bridge (Paramount Stage 16)
  • Air date: 20 May 1998

Introductory details [ ]

  • This episode – unlike most of Star Trek: Voyager 's other season finales – is a standalone episode of regular duration. The only other outing of its kind, in fact, is the first season finale " Learning Curve ".

Story development [ ]

  • Much consideration went into deciding what the finale of Star Trek: Voyager 's fourth season would be. Executive story editor Lisa Klink remembered that the series' writing staff " talked about the story a lot ! We [went] […] through lots and lots of different ideas and different feelings about what kind of note we wanted to end the season on. " One of the earliest ideas for the installment – as devised by co-executive producer Brannon Braga and producer Joe Menosky – involved biomimetic lifeforms (aliens ultimately established in Season 4's " Demon " and the fifth season outing " Course: Oblivion ") being welcomed to the Alpha Quadrant in the guise of Voyager 's crew. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 5)
  • The ultimately-used storyline for this episode reuses the concept of ship-generated slipstreams, that idea having temporarily been considered for the third season finale " Scorpion ". " I knew the slipstream idea would come in handy someday, " Brannon Braga noted. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 42) Early in the story's development, Braga began to invent the USS Dauntless , conceiving of it as an unnamed, bullet-shaped and highly advanced craft. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 10) He also envisioned a clash between Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine. Joe Menosky recalled, " Brannon had an image of Seven at the helm of one ship, Janeway at the helm of the other, and them heading toward each other at breakneck speed, as if we were going to bring to a culmination the character arc that had been established between them […] – the struggle, and Seven finding her identity, but it being not at all the identity that Janeway would have preferred. This was supposed to be an exploration of that. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 96)
  • Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky wrote some of their thoughts into a preliminary beat sheet that was deliberately open-ended, offering scene ideas for only the first two of the episode's five acts. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 6) It began with a teaser that was an extremely accurate description of the episode's eventual teaser, though the holographic game played by Janeway and Seven – establishing, in the episode, the conflict between them – was (in common with the installment itself) not yet named. The first two scenes in the first act were also similar to how they ended up, one of the differences being that Chakotay was absent from the second scene. As the character of Arturis had yet not been invented, the key for deciphering the transmission was a frustrated Janeway spilling, during the second scene of the first act, coffee on her desk. She hurried to astrometrics, rousing Torres, Kim, and Seven, to whom she then relayed her revelation: using a "fluid" decryption algorithm. The team excitedly got to work. As Seven was curious how spilled coffee had inspired her, Janeway gave Seven another quick lesson on intuition (much like the one in the teaser). ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 8) Next, Starfleet's message finally played, notifying the crew about slipstreaming. Seven warned that all contact had been lost with every Borg cube that had ever tried to use it. Janeway nonetheless chose to risk using it, accentuating the tension between herself and Seven. The second act featured the crew modifying Voyager for the mode of travel and accessing the nearest slipstream, only to find it was "some kind of intergalactic highway" on which being on Voyager seemed so antiquated as to feel akin to "driving a horse and buggy." ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 6)
  • The beat sheet submitted two main possibilities for the rest of the story. In the first, Seven suffered a seizure and The Doctor realized she was unable to survive in the slipstream. Though Seven was willing to forfeit her own life to enable Voyager 's crew to proceed, Janeway was insistent on saving her entire crew, a judgment that Seven disputed. The beat sheet criticized this possibility by saying it "feels a little like ' One '." In the other possibility, Voyager was attacked by an alien ship, indigenous to the slipstream and occupied by a crew that regarded the newcomers as trespassers. A brief battle ensued, at slipstream speeds (a similar sequence having temporarily been considered for " Scorpion "). Voyager captured the enemy craft, whose alien crew abandoned it. Since Voyager was unable to remain in the slipstream any longer, Seven suggested that the Starfleet crew proceed in the other ship. The conflict between her and Janeway was ignited, Seven herself eventually taking command of the alien vessel. The beat sheet proposed that something would go wrong in the final act, with the two women coming face-to-face in a risky situation but Janeway being proven right, beating Seven at their "game" once more. The beat sheet noted of the second option, " There's a lot to figure out here! " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 7)
  • On 2 February 1998 , a story break session regarding the season finale was held. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 4) Even by the time the meeting began (at 9:30 a.m.), the writing staff was still generally unsure about the season finale. " We didn't have any clear vision of what we wanted to do, " reflected Jeri Taylor, whose office served as the meeting point. " It was a most unusual situation, something that had never really occurred before. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 5) Hence, the story break session began with discussion, for two hours and twenty minutes, about alternatives for the season finale, such as the never-developed plot involving biomimetic lifeforms. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 5) " We were feeling the time crunch, " Jeri Taylor noted, " and we were madly scrambling to come up with something else. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 6)
  • Following this, the group started to consider the beat sheet, with suggestions about the nature of Janeway and Seven's holographic game. The next subject was whether Seven would actually commandeer an alien ship, as proposed in the second offered continuation. Brannon Braga and producer Kenneth Biller agreed that Seven would, by this point in the series, consider herself to be a better captain than Janeway but Braga admitted that he didn't really like the thought of Seven departing alone, despite the fact he had been the one who had devised this possibility. Ken Biller wondered who might follow her, if she did take over the craft. The topic then changed to the identity of the alien menace, who was referred to as one male rather than the group that appeared in the beat sheet. After Biller started to contemplate what the alien's motive might be (suggesting he might want information on Voyager ), Jeri Taylor suggested vengeance, much to the approval of everyone in the room. " Up to that point, " Taylor remarked, " the ideas about this character's motivation were very intellectual. They were in the head, and to me, that's dull […] Revenge is a visceral, emotional, hot-blooded kind of motivation that makes drama pop. That's what made Brannon and everyone else respond. So we began looking around for 'What was the revenge for?' " Still searching for an answer to this question by 11:45 a.m., the staff departed for lunch. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 7)
  • Around this point, Brannon Braga sought advice from executive producer Rick Berman , as the chemistry in Jeri Taylor's office hadn't seemed to be working. " There wasn't a real strong direction in that room. It was kind of all over the place, " Braga related. " So I met with Rick and he really helped put things into perspective. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 8) Owing to Braga's absence, however, Taylor found him difficult to track down and the break session was not reconvened until after he returned. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 7)
  • In the mess hall, Janeway sits working on the coded message;
  • In space, a shuttle brings Neelix back from a supply mission;
  • In the cargo bay, Neelix reveals that he's brought a "guest" back with him;
  • In a corridor, Neelix says "Yoda" could help decrypt the message;
  • In astrophysics, Seven recognizes "Yoda" as Species Twenty-One;
  • Janeway, Paris, and "Yoda" decrypt the message, see that it has technical data as well as a set of coordinates;
  • Voyager races past the camera;
  • Bridge: Everyone is there, including "Yoda." Huge exciting moment. They reach coordinates and see a "Silver Bullet" sitting in space. It's a Starfleet vessel! ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 9 & 10)
  • On 3 February 1998 , a smaller group returned to Jeri Taylor's office, with the omissions of Joe Menosky and Ken Biller (who were each working on " Living Witness " and " One ", respectively). The conversation began with contemplation of the ship's origins, whether Starfleet or alien. However, this session was less productive than its progenitor and, although Brannon Braga started to think up notes for the second act, he also expressed concerns about the episode's degree of drama as well as the task of showing how the crew learned about the ship's workings. Taylor tried to reassure him that Seven and Janeway's conflict would keep the episode dramatically buoyant and suggested the idea that Paris, as a result of tinkering with the ship's controls, might accidentally "send it off." Moments later, a conversation began about Seven, with no decision having been made as to whether she would be part of the first away mission to the ship. It was also still undecided if the craft would be alien or Starfleet. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 9) Reconsidering one of her own earlier suggestions, Jeri Taylor conjectured that it could be Seven, instead of Paris, who set the vessel off. The team thereafter broke for lunch. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 10)
  • Hail ship. Scan ship. Mystery;
  • Space–Silver Bullet;
  • Bullet bridge: Chakotay, Torres, Paris find it empty;
  • Hear rumbling sounds in bullet corridor;
  • Find engine room;
  • Space, bullet emerges;
  • Voyager sees bullet is gone;
  • Bullet engine room trembling in some kind of slipstream;
  • Bullet is ripping through space;
  • C, T, P able to stop bullet engines, discover Voyager ten light-years away;
  • In Voyager briefing room, Janeway understands. Starfleet sent experimental ship. Yoda agrees. They should abandon Voyager to get home. Gung-ho crew starts packing… ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 11)
  • Although the alien was still referred to as "Yoda" in the second-act notes, the character became much younger than first conceived, during the episode's development. " There was never a decision to make him younger; he simply evolved that way, " clarified Jeri Taylor. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 23)
  • Frustrated with the break sessions, Brannon Braga decided to take the notes on the episode back to his office and continue to craft the story there. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 11) He later commented, " It was really the first time we'd hit a wall all season. We had some difficult episodes this year, but it was the first time we just totally short-circuited. It was the end of the season; everyone was tired. But we knew we had to do something special […] And I realized that there were too many voices in the room. I just needed to sort through what I thought the end of the season should be about […] We had the first couple of acts down. But we couldn't figure out where to go from there. It was just figuring out how we would tell it. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 12)
  • In the early hours of the morning on 4 February 1998 , a solitary Brannon Braga was able to concentrate more on what he wanted the episode to involve. " I wanted it to be a bittersweet retrospective of Season Four, " he said, " and yet a good action story. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 12) Braga additionally remembered, " We thought it would be nice to do a show that reflected on the year. We knew we had a strong year, and wanted to do an episode that had some repercussions from the previous year, [and] dealt with some of the themes that year had introduced. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 103)
  • Another of Brannon Braga's aims was that the installment would show "consequences to Janeway's making a deal with the Borg, and to bringing in Seven of Nine." ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 12) Thus, Braga introduced the concept that the alien's quest for justice was not against Seven, but was targeted at Janeway for having forged an alliance with the Borg at about the start of the season.
  • Brannon Braga sensed a leap was made while working out the structure of the episode with Joe Menosky, over the telephone. " Our breakthrough was when we decided that Janeway and Seven shouldn't be on different ships fighting each other, " Braga explained. " That's artificial. We were straining to do something that never would be believable. They should be working together. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 12) In this way, Menosky felt that Braga achieved another objective of his, making the episode less of an exploration of Janeway and Seven's discord. " It ended up being something that was more a recap of that, and a summing-up of the season in a strange sort of way, " Menosky opined, " revisiting that dynamic between them but not forcing it so dramatically and obviously out into the open. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 96)
  • Brannon Braga perceived that the development of co-operation between Janeway and Seven inspired some additional story material for the episode. " After that, we just came up with ideas left and right, " he observed. One of the newly conceived concepts formed the basis of the scene that involves the pair of characters escaping imprisonment via Seven's Borg implants. " They would have to get close. Janeway would have to […] touch Seven. We liked that image, " Braga offered. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 12)
  • The writing staffers took the rare decision for the season-ending story to be in the form of a stand-alone episode. Jeri Taylor remarked that the story didn't "deserve" to be a two-parter or a cliff-hanger and went on to say, " We had something that probably could have been pushed, shoved, stretched, folded, mutilated and turned into a cliff-hanger, but that's just not the way we like to tell stories. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 40 , p. 15) Brannon Braga concurred, " We didn't have a show that demanded a cliffhanger. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 99) He stated further, " [Doing] a cliff-hanger […] felt obligatory […] Instead we had a stand alone story that kind of reflected on the year. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 44 , p. 13) Joe Menosky remembered that another reason why the episode was not forced into becoming a two-parter was that the writing staff tried to avoid doing too many of them in the course of the series. Similarly, Braga said that the decision was made "to mix things up a little bit" and expressed that there was a fear that the episode, if done as the first half of a duology, would not be able to outdo the year's previous two-parters. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, pp. 96, 99 & 103) The decision to have the season finale be a stand-alone episode was welcomed by Paramount Pictures . " The studio called and said, 'If you don't want to do a cliffhanger, we don't mind,' " recalled Menosky. " They weren't pushing for a big two-parter and a big cliffhanger. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 96)
  • On 5 February 1998 , a new beat sheet, consisting of nine pages, was delivered to Star Trek: Voyager 's department heads. The document began with a header that attributed not only Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky with the story but also Rick Berman, a story credit that was ultimately duplicated in the episode itself. " I thought he deserved story credit for his contribution, " Brannon Braga stated. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 12) The revised beat sheet had a total of fifty scenes, forming the required teaser and five acts. The first act had eight scenes and the second had ten. The newly added third, fourth and fifth acts were comprised of five, four and twenty-two scenes, respectively. The only act whose scenes were written very specifically was the final, fifth one. Describing the first act scene in which Voyager first comes across the advanced alien vessel, the revised beat sheet included the statement, " Thrilling moment as we reach coordinates… and discover a sleek, sparkling starship (which we'll call the 'silver bullet') floating in space. Scans reveal – it's a Starfleet vessel! " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 13)
  • By 17 February 1998 , a first draft of the episode's script had been compiled, in which the episode received its title of "Hope and Fear" and the slipstream-capable craft was finally named the Dauntless . On that date, copies of the first draft script, each containing 68 pages, were dispatched around the Paramount lot by a production office assistant on a bicycle. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 20) The final draft of the script was submitted on 25 February 1998 . [1]
  • The script describes the Velocity disk as " an aerodynamic, metallic object, eight inches across, glowing from within, " and the colors of the disk are said to be "angry red" and "a cold blue color." The particular game of Velocity that Seven and Janeway play in the teaser is characterized as "furious" while the game itself is referred to as " a one-on-one competitive sport that's a cross between handball and a firing range […] It's fast-paced, physical, both players in constant motion, ducking, spinning. " The script refers to the clothing that Janeway and Seven wear during their match as simply "workout clothes," with Janeway's outfit being called "a sleek, sleeveless, 'workout' uniform," and Seven specified as having "a few subtle Borg implants along her upper arm."
  • The display of Janeway's desktop computer at the start of the first act is described as "a damaged data stream – a chaotic jumble of symbols and alphanumerics racing across the screen." For the scene in the cargo bay when Neelix introduces Janeway to Arturis, the script notes that "the Borg alcoves remain off-camera." The odd-looking item of cargo that appears in this scene is called "a bizarre-looking alien object – it's covered with gnarled tendrils and spiny projections." Arturis himself, upon being introduced in the script, is characterized as "an exotic-looking humanoid with an enlarged cranium. He's from a highly intelligent species, soft-spoken, charismatic." Subsequent descriptions of his various attitudes, prior to him divulging his ulterior motive, give no indications as to that motive. The description of the wall of information that is supposedly from Starfleet is as follows: " A multiscreen display, each section filled with different kinds of data – schematics, coordinates, and one section shows a Starfleet Admiral talking to a camera, another an image of Earth. All of it is heavily fritzed. Sound fills the room – beeps, clicks, the Admiral's distorted voice, etc. " In the scripted version of the first act, elements of the revised beat sheet's description of the Dauntless 's discovery by Voyager are not only present in lines of dialogue (such as Tuvok announcing that he is sensing the ship to be of Starfleet origin) but are also evident in a scene description specifying, " This is an exciting moment for everyone, " as well as a reference to the mood on the bridge – immediately before the detection of the vessel – as "suspenseful." The Dauntless itself is at first characterized as "a starship, glowing with power, hanging in space." The initial description continues, " It's sleek, bullet-shaped, as though built for speed. And it's roughly half the size of Voyager . (We'll come to know this vessel as the Dauntless. ) "
  • When the Dauntless ' bridge is first shown in the second act, it is described thus: " Gleaming, sexy, cutting-edge Starfleet technology. The room is deep, cylindrical, curvilinear. " The script goes on to note that, despite an absence of crew members, "the room is pristine." The ship's engineering is said to be, " A dimly lit chamber, with an engine dome in the center of the floor. The dome is roughly four feet high, glowing with deep, shifting colors. A circular console surrounds it. " The description of the vessel's engine core states, " A glowing mass of energy. Huge, exotic, powerful. " Detailing the first time that the Dauntless enters slipstream, the scene description reads, " The nose of the Dauntless starts to glow and distort in a strange effect, and the entire ship vanishes from view! " The quantum slipstream itself is initially referred to as both "a torrent of energy whipping past us at blinding velocities!" and a "raging river of energy."
  • Describing the effect of some alien technology momentarily being revealed (as viewed by Kim in the third act), the script comments, " The entire bulkhead shimmers in an alien holographic effect, revealing exotic alien technology beyond. " The schematic of Earth that Janeway views is referred to as "the big blue marble against starry space […] technical data appears all around it." Even though the episode does not firmly establish whether this schematic is part of the data stream, the script confirms this probability, stating, "this is one of the images we saw from the Starfleet message in Act One."
  • Arturis' Klingonese apology to Torres in the fourth act – " Ku cha mee-Roch " – is revealed as translating as "my mistake" in English. When Arturis first shows resistance against Voyager crew members, the script notes, " All hell breaks loose, " and he is said to exhibit "a display of remarkable strength." The transformation of the Dauntless ' bridge reads, " A console shimmers in an alien effect – and transforms into an alien console, surrounded by alien technology […] The entire room has transformed into an alien bridge. Consoles, lighting, bulkheads – they now have strange and unfamiliar configurations. " When Arturis starts to reveal his backstory, it is said he has "been waiting a long time for this moment."
  • Voyager 's entry into a slipstream, as observed by Chakotay on the starship's bridge in the fifth act, is described thus: " The starfield explodes in a burst of light and color as we enter a quantum slipstream. Tunnels of energy roar past. " The Dauntless ' brig is referred to as a "small chamber," and the script also specifies, " There is no bench in this spare setting. " Indirectly following the transformation of the Dauntless ' bridge, the script notes of the ship's engineering, " This is the same set as before, no alien modifications. " The Borg ships that enclose around the Dauntless are described as "five Borg cubes heading right toward us!"
  • Furthermore, the script also consistently refers to the character of Admiral Hayes generically as a "Starfleet admiral," other than him being named in dialogue, and has a couple of remarks about two particular relationships developed in the fourth season. The script says about the connection between Harry Kim and Seven of Nine, " In their own offbeat way, they've bonded over the months. " Of the relationship involving Seven and Janeway, the script states, " A lot has happened between these two characters in the past year… both of them [have] mixed feelings. "

Cast and characters [ ]

  • The fact that this episode required only one main guest star, to play the role of Arturis, was a budget-saving measure. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 10)
  • Having been absent from the series during its first three seasons, Seven of Nine actress Jeri Ryan was (initially, at least) under the mistaken impression that this episode was the first Star Trek: Voyager season finale to not be a cliffhanger. ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 40 , p. 35; Braving the Unknown: Season Four , VOY Season 4 DVD special features) Ryan liked the installment, partly owing to the fact this season finale is a stand-alone episode. " The season was wrapped up reasonably well at the end of the episode, " Ryan stated. " It brought the relationship between Janeway and Seven full circle […] It was an interesting show because the crew's hopes were raised so high that they'd get home and then they were dashed again. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 40 , p. 35) Further praising the episode, she said, " It's just a big, good episode, with a lot of sort of storyline development and a lot of nice character development as well, which is interesting. " ( Braving the Unknown: Season Four , VOY Season 4 DVD special features)
  • Jeri Ryan believed that Seven of Nine seems puerile in this installment. " This is Seven experiencing a lot of growing pains – 'cause emotionally, she's a child, still – and this is her sort of hitting her pre-teen years, " the actress opined, with a laugh, " And not really knowing where she belongs. " ( Braving the Unknown: Season Four , VOY Season 4 DVD special features) Just before filming a scene of this episode, Ryan observed, " The relationship between Seven and Janeway has developed into the mother and the unruly teenager […] Now in the final episode [of the season] I think she's sort of the 13-year-old who doesn't really fit in anywhere, doesn't know where she belongs and is impudent, and acting out and lashing out at Mom. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 77)
  • Janeway actress Kate Mulgrew likened the crew's gradual decryption of the Starfleet message to "a very complicated treasure hunt," (echoing Janeway and Chakotay referencing the transmission as "treasure") and felt that her character's suspicions regarding Arturis gave her a chance to show she was "not the captain for nothing." Summing up her opinion of the installment, Mulgrew stated, " I think it's a very good resolution to what's gone on, all season. " ( Braving the Unknown: Season Four , VOY Season 4 DVD special features)
  • Exemplifying how she typically analyzed character actions and motivations, Kate Mulgrew talked, during production, about Janeway's appeal to Arturis in their final moments together; " The Voyager crew is under duress here. If the captain shows any kind of hesitation under those circumstances, she could lose her support. So there's an action – the action is to 'get out,' right? To save myself. There's an obstacle – the obstacle is 'the guy' – and he's giving me the reasons that he's going to kill me. There's an objective – the objective is to 'make him understand that I did the only thing I could do when I sided with the Borg.' " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 71)
  • Visual effects supervisor Ronald B. Moore was impressed by the acting of Kate Mulgrew and Jeri Ryan in the episode's teaser. " Both Kate and Jeri were just marvelous, " Moore enthused. " They did a perfect job with it […] I think this scene is some of the best interplay we have between Janeway and Seven. The look of Seven's face at the end of the teaser when she gets hit with this disk is priceless. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, pp. 96 & 97)
  • Prior to appearing in this season finale, Torres actress Roxann Dawson had hoped – in November 1997 – that her pregnancy in the fourth season would not cause her to miss any of the season's final episodes. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, pp. 94 & 92) Dawson had also made an unused suggestion about the content of the data stream featured here. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, pp. 93-94)
  • Since she had departed the series in the second episode of season four, this was the first season finale not to feature Jennifer Lien as Kes .

Props, costumes, and makeup [ ]

  • Although the script has Arturis grabbing his hand-gun from "out of a station," it was ultimately decided, as Jeri Taylor notified director Winrich Kolbe , that the exact source of the weapon could be from virtually anywhere on the bridge, as Velcro was abundant there. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 27) Although the weapon was meant to be held with the two heads in line horizontally, Arturis actor Ray Wise decided to hold the gun on its side, with the two heads in line vertically, to give it a more "alien" feel. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 72) Additionally, the hand-gun bears a striking resemblance to the weapons used in the 1979 Disney movie The Black Hole . ( Delta Quadrant , p. 248)
  • Two copies of Arturis' shirt were created, as one had to look partly blackened with a phaser burn. This shirt was worn onto the set by Ray Wise, and key costumer Kimberley Shull then applied the fake scorch. " I used Streaks and Tips, a spray-on hair product, " she revealed. " It will clean out somewhat. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 71)
  • On one of the days when Arturis' makeup was applied to Ray Wise's face, the process began at 7:46 am and ended at 9:23 am. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 66 & 67)
  • On 9 February 1998 (the first day of preproduction on this episode), production designer Richard James identified the section of the revised beat sheet that concerned the Dauntless ' introduction, from which he began to imagine what the vessel's interior might be like. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 13)
  • Although the Dauntless ' bridge and engineering room had to be newly constructed, the starship's brig was merely a redress of the Voyager brig set. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 15) According to the unauthorized reference book Delta Quadrant (pp. 248 & 51), the console outside the Dauntless ' cell was taken from the set for The Doctor's office aboard Voyager and the ship's engine core was previously used in the third season installment " Rise ".
  • Both the bridge and engineering room of the Dauntless were initially, roughly sketched by Richard James. He based the curving walls of the bridge on the ship's description as a bullet-shaped craft and drew a first-pass sketch of the engineering room by modifying a sketch of the bridge, copying its curved architecture. The bridge and engineering then became the subject of blueprints illustrated by set designer Greg Berry and fellow set designer Greg Hooper , respectively. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 14 & 48) To achieve the curvature of the bridge and save costs, the room's walls were designed, by James and Berry, as a series of curving steel grids, covered with muslin through which appropriate lighting could be shone. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 14) Ronald B. Moore remarked, " The Dauntless bridge was a really huge set. The idea of being able to go in and change this set over from Federation to alien, or the other way, was a big job. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98) However, the transformation was made easier by the fact that the color of the walls could be changed simply by altering the color shone through the muslin. The color of orange, for the bridge's alien configuration, was chosen by Rick Kolbe. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 27) Using only orange light, however, proved highly overpowering, so some white light was added to disperse the orange. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 66)
  • The special effects department crafted metalwork, including the bridge's steel grids, the metal steps, catwalk and railings in engineering as well as the fiberglass roof of the latter room. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 16 & 51) The construction department dealt with woodwork, such as the bottom-level floor of engineering and the floor of the bridge as well as the brown-colored curved pillars of both rooms. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 16, 20 & 51) The only difference between the pillars was that the ones in engineering were slightly taller than those of the bridge, in order to make room for the catwalk. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 52) However, in both cases, the pillars were the first part of the walls to be erected. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 19 & 51) Once the steel grids were subsequently integrated into the bridge set, the muslin was attached to the grids by the grip department, stapling 800 square feet of the material onto the grids. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 16) Regarding the project's scale, construction coordinator Al Smutko commented, " This is the biggest show we've done for Voyager so far. And even on Star Trek: The Next Generation , except for the pilot , we never did anything this big. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 20)
  • The Dauntless ' bridge was constructed on Paramount Stage 16 and the ship's engineering room was assembled on Paramount Stage 9 . ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 20, et al.)
  • On 16 February, construction of the bridge was in full swing whereas the engineering room was only starting to be built. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 16 & 20) Construction of the bridge set was completed on 4 March. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 43 & 44)
  • Accommodating one design concept for the engineering room, whereby the characters would be above the engine core with the core directly beneath them, involved some consideration of dramatically increasing the episode's quantity of dramatic visual effects. " That idea got nixed very quickly, " Rick Kolbe later laughed. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 22 & 48)

Production [ ]

  • The production of this episode was preceded by a preproduction meeting on 19 February and, one week later, a production meeting on 25 February. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 22 & 25) The fact that Rick Kolbe had never filmed on the Astrometrics set before caused some consternation at the preproduction meeting. Video supervisor Denise Okuda attempted to describe the set to Kolbe but, as he felt he needed more than a verbal description, a "walk-through" of the set was instead arranged for that afternoon. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 22)
  • Ronald B. Moore and visual effects producer Dan Curry were present at the production meeting. The issue of visual effects was touched upon at that meeting but was not considered to be an immediate concern, so it was expected that a later meeting would be dedicated to that subject and would involve Moore and Curry. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 26) The two did have some input at this early stage, however, participating in the conception of Velocity, storyboards for which were created by both Curry as well as senior illustrator and technical consultant Rick Sternbach . ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 96; Red Alert : Amazing Visual Effects , VOY Season 4 DVD ) The workings of the game were also influenced by some input from Rick Kolbe. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 96)
  • As they had arranged at the production meeting, Rick Kolbe and Richard James met up in the art department on the day after that meeting. This gave Kolbe an opportunity to examine a foam-core model of the Dauntless ' bridge, utilizing the miniature to start planning camera and performer placement on the bridge set. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 27)
  • The episode's production period officially began on 27 February 1998 and ended on 10 March of that year. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 32 & 61; Star Trek Monthly  issue 40 , p. 10) The actual filming of the episode was on eight of those twelve days. Reasons why the episode was filmed over a period of eight rather than the more common seven days were that the episode was the last installment of the season and was a comparatively large production. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 61)
  • On 27 February, the episode was initially scheduled to start filming at 3:30 pm but, due to both second-unit work on the episode " One " finishing late (at 4:30 pm) and the fact that the crew took a half-hour break to have an Italian delivery for dinner, this installment did not enter production until 6:30 pm. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 28 & 32) The first scene of the episode to be filmed featured Jeri Ryan in the last shot of the montage that features overlapping log entries voiced by Janeway and Seven of Nine. The next sequence shot was the one showing the aftermath of Paris and Neelix's return to Voyager , including Neelix introducing Janeway to Arturis. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 30) Both of these sequences were on the cargo bay set on Paramount Stage 9. Afterwards, the filming equipment was moved to the Voyager bridge set on Stage 8 . ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 33)
  • The first of the bridge scenes to be shot was the one in which Harry Kim, Tom Paris, and Chakotay attempt to beam Voyager personnel, including Janeway and Seven, back to their own ship from the Dauntless , just as the latter vessel engages its quantum slipstream drive. The shooting of the Voyager bridge scenes then progressed in the same order they are arranged in the final version of the episode. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 30)
  • The scene in which Paris reports that Voyager is immediately behind the Dauntless took a few hours to shoot. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 33) Early in the preparation of the scene, Rick Kolbe quietly examined the bridge set with a viewfinder and decided that he wanted to use a camera dolly and track for the scene, a conclusion that was then acted upon by the grips, without Kolbe expressing the decision; Key Grip Randy Burgess had interpreted the wish by observing Kolbe's movements. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 33) The filming of the scene wasn't finished until around 12:42 am, in the early morning of 28 February. Although Chakotay actor Robert Beltran and Paris actor Robert Duncan McNeill flubbed their lines in the fifth take of the scene, the sixth take was considered as being perfect and the scene's filming was therefore regarded as being complete. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 32)
  • The next scene to be filmed was the one wherein Tuvok registers a direct hit to the Dauntless and Chakotay instructs Kim to acquire a transporter lock on Janeway and Seven. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 30) After a first rehearsal of the scene, Rick Kolbe opted to show only Tuvok and Chakotay in the shot, implying the presence of Paris (who Chakotay would essentially maneuver around) and Kim. This technique eliminated the need for insert shots of Paris and Kim, saving time and budget. As Director of Photography Marvin V. Rush then checked the lighting of the bridge – directing a member of the electrical crew to add a bulb to the ceiling near Tuvok's station, so as to better backlight the character – several grips positioned the camera, still mounted on its dolly, on a sheet of plyboard that they laid on the floor, just inside of the helm station. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 35) With the lighting almost ready, First Assistant Director Adele Simmons vocally issued a five-minute warning. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 36) Robert Duncan McNeill and Robert Beltran were then consecutively gussied up by makeup artist Natalie Wood and hairstylist Charlotte Gravenor . ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 34) An off-set conversation that was crescendoing to disruptive levels was subsequently quietened by the assistant directors and Unit Production Manager Brad Yacobian announced that Rick Kolbe, much to the director's own surprise, should be the only person talking. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 36 & 37) The shooting company did a second rehearsal of the scene, to which there were no objections. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 37) Kolbe then came up with another idea, however: that Robert Beltran step into the shot from off-camera, just before delivering his line. At Kolbe's command, the filming of the scene began. In a period between 12:55 am and 12:59:30 am, five different takes of the scene were shot. In the first take, Beltran didn't look directly at Kim actor Garrett Wang . In the second, Tuvok actor Tim Russ was not keen on the way he pronounced his own line. The third, fourth, and fifth takes were improvements and Kolbe was especially happy with the fifth. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 38)
  • At one point during the episode's production, Robert Beltran was interviewed by Cinefantastique while on the Voyager set. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 82) Garrett Wang was also interviewed by the magazine, amid the production period. (' Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, 95)
  • The filming of the episode's teaser was a complicated ordeal. " Shooting that teaser was just a logistical nightmare, " Jeri Ryan remarked. " We were supposed to shoot seven other pages that day and only did the teaser sequence. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 40 , p. 35) Ron Moore was involved in the filming of the rounds of Velocity. " I would go out with Rick Kolbe when they were shooting, and we'd have talked out exactly how the game worked, and what would happen in each cut, " Moore reflected. Although the holodeck set contained an item on a stick that could be used to represent the Velocity disc's appearance, Moore was not keen on using it. " I didn't feel that we would be able to get it in the right place at the right time. We couldn't move it that fast. I explained to Jeri and Kate that this thing would cross the room in maybe a second and a half […] We could give them an idea of where it was [though]. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 96)
  • By the time Rick Kolbe called " Cut! " on the last shot to be filmed for this installment, Jeri Ryan was physically exhausted, largely due to a virus she had contracted early in the season. ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 40 , p. 35)
  • Due to the largeness of the Dauntless bridge set, filming its transformation required considerable effort. Ron Moore recalled, " It would take a day to go in and redress everything, all the graphics had to change. " The footage was limited, by budget, so that the whole bridge could not be shown undergoing the changeover. " We had to pick angles that would allow us to see it start to change in a close up, and then back up for a wide shot and see it finish, " Ron Moore remembered. " We were able to pick a part of the bridge where we saw some of the background but not all of it […] It worked out pretty good, and we were able to just have to shoot one shot second-unit. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98)

Music and sound [ ]

  • On 7 April 1998, associate producer Dawn Velazquez , supervising sound editor Bill Wistrom and several members of Wistrom's department met to discuss the sounds effects of this episode, of which the noises to be heard aboard the Dauntless were regarded as being of the highest priority. " It's an alien ship with new alien technology, " noted Velazquez, " so it needs a different ship rumble, different beeps, all different sounds. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 82)
  • 9 April was the first of several days that featured "looping" sessions for the episode. As had been predicted during production, the dialogue in every scene set in the Dauntless ' engineering room had to be replaced. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 83) This was due to the noises of the bubble machine that served as part of the engine core, as well as footsteps on the engineering set's metal catwalk. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 55) " The minute I heard my footsteps, " Kate Mulgrew admitted, " I knew we were dead. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 57) Mulgrew also replaced much of her dialogue for the scene in which Janeway enters the ship's bridge while Arturis is at the helm and tries to persuade him to end his quest for vengeance, including the master shot of the actress making her way into the bridge set. " She was so far back in the master that it would not have been possible to record her and not see the microphone, " explained Dawn Velazquez. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 83) The episode's audio rerecording additionally included Mulgrew exclaiming, " Uh! " upon the impact of Voyager 's photon torpedoes rocking the Dauntless ' bridge as the original version of that exclamation, recorded on the set, was inaudible. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 83)
  • This episode contains 21 minutes and 20 seconds of music. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 84)
  • Decisions about the musical cues of this episode's soundtrack (such as their length and placement) were made by composer Dennis McCarthy , music editor Gerry Sackman and Dawn Velazquez at a music spotting session in Velazquez's office on 21 April 1998. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 84) At that time, McCarthy stated that he would not start composing this episode's music for another week. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 84)
  • Dennis McCarthy found the fact that he much preferred not to read a given episode's script before writing the music for that episode proved to be fortuitous on this occasion. " I didn't know there was a problem with the alien until the characters found out, " McCarthy explained. " Now I'm surprised right along with the audience. Otherwise I might subconsciously have written to it. " ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 83-84) He also said of the score, " I tried to keep the music for 'Hope and Fear' stately, almost 'churchy.' " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 83)
  • Dennis McCarthy included, in the final moments of the episode's music, snippets from Star Trek: Voyager 's theme tune. " I used Jerry Goldsmith 's Voyager theme twice there, " revealed McCarthy. " Obviously I used it full-bore when we cut to the ship in normal space at the very end. But I also used a few seconds of it earlier when we see Voyager firing on the Dauntless . That's in-your-face Voyager theme. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 93)
  • Although the music spotting session deemed the episode's soundtrack would consist of 18 cues, Dawn Velazquez and Gerry Sackman agreed at the session that the episode's longest cue, a composition that covered the episode's final action scene and lasts 4 minutes and 26 seconds, was so long that its recording would be split into 2 parts. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 84) This change was made by the night of 4 May 1998 , almost exactly 2 weeks after the music spotting session, at which point Dennis McCarthy wrote several pieces of the score. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 89, 91 & 92) These portions of the score included the second part of the split cue, which starts in the scene where Janeway sarcastically apologizes to Arturis for the "bumpy ride" and ends in the scene where Voyager is once more shown in normal space. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 91 & 92) Regarding this part of the soundtrack, McCarthy remembered, " I'd finished about thirty percent of it and just said, 'This ain't happenin'!' It went straight into the shredder and I started again. " ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 92-93) As this musical sequence plays during Voyager 's attack on the Dauntless and the retrieval of Janeway and Seven of Nine from the latter vessel, McCarthy named the sequence "The Rescue". He also entitled the first portion of the lengthy split cue, which can be heard as Seven attempts to sabotage the Dauntless ' primary systems while Arturis destroys the controls, as "The War of the Buttons" and a cue that plays after "The Rescue" as "Ode to Summer". Explaining the title of the latter cue, McCarthy stated, " It's the last cue that will play on Voyager this season. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 91)
  • On 5 May 1998, the scoring session for this episode was held at Scoring Stage "M" on the Paramount lot at 2:00 p.m., at which point the soundtrack was recorded by a 44-piece orchestra conducted by Dennis McCarthy. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 89) Although the scoring session was expected to last anywhere between four to six hours, it ultimately took four hours. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 91 & 89) One hour and thirty-four minutes into the session, McCarthy chose to record "The Rescue", announcing, " Let's do the last action sequence. I'm in the mood. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 91) After two bars of the music were rehearsed twice, the piece was recorded for the first time. Even though everyone in the control booth was happy with this initial take, McCarthy felt that several bars at the start of the piece could have been fuller, so he gave appropriate directions to the orchestra members and the cue was recorded again, a take that was considered to be perfect. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 92)

Visual effects [ ]

  • This episode required more visual effects shots than a typical episode of Star Trek: Voyager . Visual effects coordinator Elizabeth Castro noted, " The average Voyager show has about forty optical shots. And one show only had twelve. 'Hope and Fear' has seventy. And that's not counting the stock shots. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 88) However, time was available for the visual effects team to focus on the demands of this installment. " This being the last episode of the year, " noted Ron Moore, " meant that we could concentrate a lot of our energy on that show. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 96)
  • Eleven of the episode's seventy visual effects shots depict the slipstream. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 26 & 88) CGI provider Foundation Imaging worked on visualizing the torrent of energy, a task in which CGI effects director Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz proved to be instrumental. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 77) The slipstream entrance/exit effect was done by animator John Teska . ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 87) The Dauntless ' exterior was designed by Rick Sternbach, digitally modeled by Lebowitz, and textured by Lebowitz and Teska. ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 43, 45 & 47; Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 97)
  • Ron Moore was not only involved in the filming of the Velocity games but also worked on the imaging of the game's disc. " When I had a sequence I knew I could work with, I went over to Digital Magic , and with [Senior Visual Effects Compositor] Paul Hill , just made an oval and flew it around the room, " Moore recalled. " It was no more than a colored ball, but we could change the color from red to blue, and we could show trajectory. There were a couple places that it didn't work very well, but we did the best we could. Then we set out to do the CGI with Foundation [Imaging]. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 96)
  • For the scene in which Kim sees alien technology momentarily reassert itself in the Dauntless ' engineering room, the producers didn't want to specially build a set, so Ron Moore visualized the shot instead. " I took some still photos of alien technology, I used some graphics, that sort of thing, " he remembered, " and built a virtual set in the edit bay to match, just moving things around. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98)
  • The scene in which an engineering console blows up in front of Seven of Nine was embellished by visual effects. Explained Ron Moore, " We enhanced some energy discharges on Seven of Nine by digitally compositing squibs (stock footage of small explosions that Curry and Moore photographed years earlier) onto the practical sparks (the ones shot on the stage). There are two shots in the scene, so I used the squibs to bridge the cut. It ties the two together. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 88)
  • The shots of Voyager attacking the Dauntless were delayed at least until 27 April 1998, as texturing the Dauntless took a considerable duration; Adam Lebowitz wasn't able to finish the shots by the 27 April, as he wasn't given a chance to see what color range the ship's exterior would be in until 24 April. The fact that all the visual effects sequences of the episode had to be completed by 30 April had an impact on the shot; although Greg Rainoff had the photon torpedo element ready by 27 April, the shot was still to be completed on that date. " We have to add the torpedoes before Paul Hill moves it on to our final composition, " Ron Moore explained. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 88)
  • Since Arturis' weapon is alien, the visual effects artists opted to differentiate the hand gun's fire from that of a Starfleet weapon. " We picked up the orange motif of the Dauntless , " Ron Moore said. Greg Rainoff animated the weapon fire in one of Digital Magic's visual effects bays on 27 April. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 88)
  • The most challenging of the slipstream shots to create was the one showing Voyager performing a U-turn inside it. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 26) That shot was frequently on Dan Curry's mind, between the production meeting on 25 February and 2 March. He discussed the shot with Moore and Brannon Braga during that interval. On 2 March, editor Daryl Baskin realized that the same shot could be "cost prohibitive" and discovered that Curry was already concerned about the shot. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 41) Curry's anxiety over the effect was related to the fact that the slipstream was still only at a conceptual stage. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 42) Ron Moore also had difficulty with the idea of Voyager 's course change. " I just couldn't see that, " he remembered. " We're going a ludicrous speed. It would take a really wide turn at this speed to make a U-turn. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98) On 2 March, Moore referred to the option of showing Voyager making such a U-turn inside the slipstream as "the best approach" to the sequence but also said, " I believe that's a very difficult thing to do, and it's gonna take a lot of tries before we can please all of the people who have to approve it. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 42)
  • One alternative suggestion was that the course change not be shown at all, with Voyager instead being suddenly back in normal space accompanying a captain's log entry starting with a statement that the ship turned around while in the slipstream. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 42) Ron Moore suggested to the producers another option – that Voyager instead exit the slipstream first before making its course change. " We all agreed on it, " Moore stated, " because that's cheaper, because we're going to do that same effect a couple of other times in the show. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98) This is the way that the sequence was scheduled on 18 March, with Voyager coming out of the slipstream before banking to starboard. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 76) " Then Rick Berman saw it, " Moore commented, " and he felt differently. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98) Berman consequently sent a note saying that he wanted Voyager 's course change to be inside the slipstream. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 88) Even though Dan Curry and Moore again raised objections to the idea, fearing that the sequence would look "cheesy," there was no other option given to them but to depict Voyager turning inside the slipstream. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98)
  • Ron Moore made a coin-related breakthrough with the conception of the U-turn shot. " Finally, I figured out what the effect needed to look like, " Moore remembered. " I explained to Foundation that I wanted them to essentially lay two dimes on top of each other and then move the top one to the right and see what happens. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 88) Making an indirect reference to himself and Dan Curry, Moore said, " We talked to Mojo, and I told him what I wanted to see happen. He ran a test, sent it to me, and it wasn't quite there, but immediately I saw this is going to work. So I talked to Mojo and […] to John Teska about how I could get what I wanted based on what they had already shown me. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98) Ultimately, the shot was created by animator Koji Kuramura and was done, as Ron Moore explained, with "a double exposure of the slipstream." ( Star Trek: Action! , pp. 86 & 88) Moore remarked, " John [Teska] gave us the shot, and it's really cool. It's another of those times where Rick [Berman] was right […] The show is better for it. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98) On 27 April, while the shot was still being worked on, Moore commented, " We're almost finished with it, and it looks a heck lot better than if we'd followed our initial instinct. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 88)
  • The shot depicting the Dauntless exiting the slipstream in Borg space features a nebula that was actually a modified, high-resolution image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope . The shot involves three-dimensional modeling that was achieved by Emile Edwin Smith and Koji Kuramura. Ron Moore did not do much planning of this effect sequence. " The shot was not in the script or in my notes, " recalled Moore. " When I got the first test of the shot from Foundation, they had just put it in, and it worked great. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 87) On 27 April, the visual effects team was still working on the Borg-related shot. At the time, Moore noted, " I've seen temps but we haven't done the final [version] yet. " ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 88)

Reception [ ]

  • In the lead-up to this episode's initial airing, the installment's teleplay was leaked on the Internet. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98)
  • The date was 13 May 1998 when this episode was transmitted by Paramount's operations department via communications satellite, thereby delivering the installment to its broadcasters. ( Star Trek: Action! , p. 93)
  • This episode achieved a Nielsen rating of 4.1 million homes, and a 6% share. [2] (X)
  • Shortly after working on the episode, Joe Menosky was somewhat uncertain of the installment's success, though he believed the outing had the power to deceive its viewers. " This episode really does take some crazy turns, " he opined. " If you didn't see the promo, and somebody hadn't leaked the script onto the Net, you'd probably be surprised by the twists and turns in it, because you think it's going one way, and then it's really going another way entirely. I'm not completely satisfied with it […] I'm not sure if the strange twists and turns make up a satisfying whole, but they might. I'm still a little too close to it to see it that way. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98)
  • On the other hand, Jeri Taylor, Rick Berman, and Brannon Braga were sure of their own evaluations of the outing, Taylor considering it to be "a wonderful episode." ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 40 , p. 15) Joe Menosky reported, " Rick Berman likes it a lot, and thinks it works pretty well as a season-ender. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 98) " It was a good story in its own right, " Braga enthused, " but it's a nice retrospective on where we stand as a series. " Braga was also of the opinion that the episode has "classic Trek larger-than-life themes." ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 97) He additionally remarked, " I thought it turned out quite nicely […] In some ways, it was a very intimate, reflective episode, which I liked. It played against expectations for the audience. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 44 , p. 13)
  • Cinefantastique rated this episode 3 out of 4 stars. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 30, No. 9/10, p. 110)
  • Star Trek Magazine scored the episode 4 out of 5 stars. ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 47 , p. 62)
  • The book Delta Quadrant (p. 249) gives the installment a rating of 7 out of 10.
  • The spacecrafts of this episode proved to be highly influential when CG artist Mark Rademaker designed the non-canon starship USS Aventine ( β ), as two of the primary starting points for the look of that vessel were the starships Voyager and Dauntless . Regarding how the USS Voyager was especially inspirational, Rademaker stated, " Since it had already used the quantum slipstream drive in 'Hope and Fear', I figured Starfleet would use its data as the basis to optimize the shape of future starships. " ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 156 , p. 40)

Continuity [ ]

  • According to Janeway, the events of this episode take place nine months after the events of " Scorpion, Part II " and five months after those of " Hunters ".
  • The slipstream technology represents the tenth time besides the series premiere (after " Eye of the Needle ", " Prime Factors ", " The 37's ", " Cold Fire ", " Threshold ", " Death Wish ", " False Profits ", " Future's End, Part II ", and " The Q and the Grey ") that the Voyager crew has a possibility of returning home (albeit not immediately).
  • It takes 2 days for Voyager to travel, at "high warp", 15 light years to catch up with the Dauntless . This is equivalent to around 500 million miles per second. Voyager 's speed capabilities have previously been mentioned in " The 37's " and " Maneuvers ".
  • Voyager uses four photon torpedo in this episode, having previously used four in " Scorpion, Part II ". This bring the total number of torpedoes used to 27, of the irreplaceable complement of 38 established in " The Cloud ".
  • According to The Klingon Dictionary , a proper Klingonese rendering of Arturis' apology (with its translation into English being "my mistake") might be "jIQagh" or "jItlhIj" .
  • The Dauntless ' registry is "NX-01A" (which is close to NX-01, the registry of the first warp five Earth starship, Enterprise ).
  • The Dauntless configuration was later seen at the Battle of Procyon V in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode " Azati Prime ".
  • Arturis' datastream includes repeating images of many star charts, planets, planetary surfaces, and a 3D view and master systems display of an Intrepid -class ship.
  • The outfit that Seven of Nine wears while playing Velocity in this episode was her fourth different style of bodysuit. Besides having a new color (navy blue), it differs from previous versions by being sleeveless and having accent strips, which are light blue. It has a lower neckline compared with the silver version, and the shoes do not have high heels, unlike the rest of her bodysuit outfits. This last feature is likely present in order to make it easier for her to play the game.
  • Brannon Braga listed the themes that he believed resonate both throughout the fourth season and in this particular installment: " Seven's arrival, Janeway's actions that brought her there, a character who's bent on revenge and the quest to get home. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 44 , p. 13)

Video and DVD releases [ ]

  • UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 4.13, catalog number VHR 4634, 28 December 1998
  • As part of the VOY Season 4 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

  • Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway

Also starring [ ]

  • Robert Beltran as Chakotay
  • Roxann Dawson as B'Elanna Torres
  • Robert Duncan McNeill as Tom Paris
  • Ethan Phillips as Neelix
  • Robert Picardo as The Doctor
  • Tim Russ as Tuvok
  • Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine
  • Garrett Wang as Harry Kim

Guest Stars [ ]

  • Ray Wise as " Arturis "
  • Jack Shearer as Hayes

Co-Star [ ]

  • Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

Uncredited Co-Stars [ ]

  • Elle Alexander as security officer
  • David Keith Anderson as Ashmore
  • John Austin as operations officer
  • Elizabeth Carlisle as command officer
  • Christine Delgado as Susan Nicoletti
  • Carrie Dolin as operations officer
  • Tarik Ergin as Ayala
  • Keith Estelle as operations officer
  • Ransom Gates as O'Donnell
  • Caroline Gibson as operations officer
  • Jennifer Gundy as sciences ensign
  • Brian Hall as operations officer
  • Kerry Hoyt as Fitzpatrick
  • Diane Lee as command officer
  • Alicia Lewis as sciences officer
  • Laura Millar as sciences officer
  • Donna Morgan as operations officer
  • Trina Mortley as sciences officer
  • Joey Sakata as operations officer
  • Simon Stotler as operations ensign
  • Warren Tabata as operations officer
  • Piper Taylor as operations officer
  • Joan Valentine as operations officer
  • Audra Whaley as operations officer
  • Doug Wilson as command officer
  • Unknown actor as the voice of the Borg

Stunt Double [ ]

  • Rick New as stunt double for Ray Wise

Stand-ins [ ]

  • Sue Henley – stand-in for Kate Mulgrew
  • Susan Lewis – stand-in for Roxann Dawson
  • Brita Nowak – stand-in for Jeri Ryan
  • Lemuel Perry – stand-in for Tim Russ
  • J.R. Quinonez – stand-in for Robert Picardo and Ray Wise
  • Keith Rayve – stand-in for Robert Duncan McNeill
  • Joey Sakata – stand-in for Ethan Phillips
  • Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for Robert Beltran and Jack Shearer
  • John Tampoya – stand-in for Garrett Wang
  • Photo double for Kate Mulgrew
  • Photo double for Jeri Ryan
  • Photo double for Ray Wise

References [ ]

47 ; 2373 ; accusation ; addendum ; algorithm ; Alpha Quadrant ; assimilation ; Astrometrics ; away team ; bioelectric field ; blue ; Borg algorithm ; Borg Collective ; Borg cube ( unnamed ); Borg space ; brig ; cell damage ; Chapman ; chocolate ; coffee ; colony ; computational language ; confusion ; control sequencer ; cranial implant ; crew ; cup ; damage ; data stream ; Dauntless , USS ; Dauntless -class ; day ; decryption algorithm ; déjà vu ; Delta Quadrant ; Earth ; emergency shutdown procedure (aka emergency shutdown ); eternity ; familial connection ; framing ; generosity ; grammar ; heart ; high warp ; holodeck ; hull ; hull temperature ; humanoid species ; iconometric element ; Indiana ; instinct ; joyride ; kiloquad ; Klingonese ; life support ; linguistic database ; linguistically ; main deflector ; Maquis ; marble ; mentor ; microfilament ; natural ability ; online ; opinion poll ; outer hull ; paranoia ; particle synthesis ; photon torpedo ; player ; polarity ; pound cake ; primary system ; pupil ; quantum barrier ; quantum field ; quantum slipstream drive ; quantum stress ; R&R ; recursion matrix ; safe passage ; Sector 001 ; sense of humor ; species ; Species 116 ; Species 116 homeworld ; Species 116 homeworld system ; Species 116 sentry vessel ; Species 8472 ; star ( unnamed ); Starfleet ; Starfleet Command ; storm ; stress ; subspace message ; subspace transmission ; syntax ; Talaxian language ; temperature ; threat ; torsional stress ; transporter ; transporter room 2 ; transporter lock ; transwarp ; trial run ; triaxilation ; trinary syntax ; Type 6 shuttlecraft ( unnamed ); universal translator ; Velocity ; Vulcans ; warp signature ; windbag ; xenon ; xenon-based lifeform

External links [ ]

  • "Hope and Fear" at StarTrek.com
  • " Hope and Fear " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • " Hope and Fear " at Wikipedia
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Star Trek: Voyager

“Hope and Fear”

2 stars.

Air date: 5/20/1998 Teleplay by Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky Story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky Directed by Winrich Kolbe

Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan

"It does seem convenient." — Tuvok, on apparent good fortune (as well as Voyager plotting elements)

Review Text

Nutshell: Despite a number of very good characterizations and intriguing themes, it's a fundamentally pointless, deceptive, contrived, and unforgivably manipulative story.

Somehow, somewhere along the line, between last week's episode and this episode, I actually opened my mind to the possibility that the starship Voyager might actually find its ticket home in the course of "Hope and Fear," a season finale that comes hyped by the promos as "the ultimate homecoming."

Okay, well, sure—I know better than to listen to the trailers; they're over-hyped nonsense and always have been. My first thought was, "Oh, come on , anyway. The crew is obviously not getting home." But some twisted logic in my brain started churning away and it actually began to get the better of me. Ultimately, it managed to convince me not to abandon all hope that the trailers weren't simply lying to us per usual.

Consider: We've already done the "failed attempt to get home" story theme on several occasions (e.g. " Eye of the Needle ," " Prime Factors ," " False Profits ," and even—gag—" Threshold "); doing it again would be pointless and probably unforgivable, so why would they pretend to give it to us yet another time? Maybe they really aren't kidding around this time.

Consider: We have Rick Berman, of all people, garnering a story credit on an episode, something he hasn't done on this series since the pilot, and hasn't done on DS9 since " The Maquis ," which itself was used to set up backstory for the launch of this series. With that in mind, maybe he was involved in preparing something really big—maybe even a completely new direction for the series.

Consider: The plot gives us a ship that could potentially take Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant in a mere three months, bringing the Voyager crew home just in time for the beginning of season five following the three-month summer hiatus.

Consider: We have (in an ideal storytelling world that, admittedly, strikes me as far too daring and long-term for the Voyager creators to touch) the possibility that the fifth season of Voyager could focus on the crew's reintegration into Federation society.

Consider: We have a preview that is so deceptive in its use of visuals and so fundamentally misleading that the only two foreseeable options are that (a) the lie used to hide the reset-button nature of the plot is so audacious that it would be almost too appalling to imagine, or (b) we're actually being told the truth for once and big changes are in store, possibly as the show vies for a ratings boost. For a while, I actually found myself considering option "b."

Okay, so now I just feel like a big dupe—perhaps like the entire crew of Voyager has felt each of the times they realized their ticket home wasn't a ticket home. Once again, the crew of the starship Voyager has seen a potential end to their journey, and once again it ends in utter disappointment as it slips through their fingers. I'm asking myself just what it's supposed to mean to us as viewers. Is the tension in the plot supposed to boil down to "just how can the Voyager crew be foiled this time?"

At its fundamental core, a story like "Hope and Fear" strikes me as almost completely pointless. We've seen over and over again that the crew just nods and presses on—even after a lost dream like this—where they should probably be mutinying and beating themselves with blunt objects under such emotional turmoil. (I'm not even going to start in on how many opportunities this series has abandoned concerning the exploration of normal people's emotional vulnerabilities.) Maybe I should've just turned off my brain and realized that the producers would simply go the route that deep down I knew they'd go: the Trekkian Status Quo. Nothing of any importance ever changes on this series; heck, I learned that back in season two.

But, to be perfectly fair and honest, the trick used this time around is packaged about as reasonably as it probably could've been under the circumstances, as it gives Janeway the role of calm skeptic from the outset. In the process, the story also brings about some very interesting character elements. It's almost enough to make the story workable on its own sneaky terms.

But "almost enough" is not enough, because there are so many other glaring elements here that make the episode's underlying intentions turn out to be nothing more than a big con on the audience—a con that is so seemingly precalculated that it's all but unforgivable.

The story brings This Week's Seemingly Friendly Alien™ named Arturis (Ray Wise) on board Voyager . His people are expert linguists. Give him five minutes with a dictionary and he can speak your language better than you. His unique abilities allow him to help the crew translate the damaged, encrypted file that was sent from Starfleet across the Hirogen-operated communications array back in " Hunters "—a message Janeway has unsuccessfully been working to crack for months.

Before too long, and perhaps too easily, Arturis (whose species resembles the Tenctonese from Alien Nation ) decodes the damaged transmission, the directions of which lead the Voyager crew to a hidden experimental starship that Starfleet apparently sent as a means to bring the crew back to the Alpha Quadrant. It's the USS Dauntless , a ship that operates on a "quantum slipstream drive," capable of making the 60,000-light-year trip home in a mere three months. Might this be the end of the journey? The crew grows excited.

Strangely, maybe because I was partially duped, I actually felt the excitement the crew was feeling. Everything about the episode—Dennis McCarthy's wondrous score, the impressive sets built for the new starship, Winrich Kolbe's stellar direction over the awesome discovery of the new ship, the discussions among the crew that prove more promise of hope than we've seen in years—gives it a larger-than-life feel, as if the show were pulling out all the stops for something truly interesting. I guess I have to give the episode some points for actually having me engaged as it unfolded.

On the other hand, I'm not sure what exactly the creators were going for here. Upon seeing how the episode unfolded, the only possible intended message I can think of is something along the lines of "don't get your hopes up, because deception comes in unlikely packages and getting your hopes crushed hurts a lot." Unfortunately, that's not something I really want to see on this series, because all it does is turn potentially interesting drama into obvious rehashes of "Eye of the Needle" or other examples.

Now I have to ask myself just what the point was for Starfleet to send such a large, encrypted, mysterious, seemingly important message—a message that apparently just said, "Sorry, but we've found no way to bring you back." Come on—that's absurd. Frankly, I find it more believable that a large, encrypted message would reveal the hidden whereabouts of a magical starship than it would simply say "too bad, but good luck." But, of course, this turns out not to be the case. Now I wish I had never known about the encrypted Starfleet message in the first place; it feels like a waste of a perfectly good mystery. If this is the best the Voyager creators can do with a major mystery revelation, then I'm not sure what's left to find in the Delta Quadrant that could possibly be interesting.

For that matter, Arturis' method of revenge really strains credulity. In four words: I don't buy it. It turns out he has been following Voyager around for months, "waiting for an opportunity" to hatch his vengeance. Boy, it sure was lucky for him that the crew happened across the communications array back in " Message in a Bottle ," and happened to also receive an encrypted message from Starfleet command. I wonder where his Master Plan™ would be without these convenient happenstances. Now he hopes to lure the entire Voyager crew aboard this fake Federation ship (which does indeed have a real quantum slipstream drive) so that he can quickly deliver them to Borg space, where they will be assimilated in order to satisfy his perverse need for poetic justice. When he can't get the entire crew, he manages to kidnap just Janeway and Seven, instead.

Basically, what we have here is a plot with pieces that are cobbled together out of unlikely coincidences and prior story events that have been twisted to fit the end result. And the reason for this end result to me seems motivated more by an obligatory need for the creators to revisit the "let's get home" theme rather than to tell a real story.

That's not to say the episode is completely without merit, because working in "Hope and Fear's" favor is a great deal of stellar character work and some surprisingly effective closure. I liked, for instance, a lot of the motivation behind Arturis' need for revenge (even if the methods of his revenge are extremely unlikely). The fact that Janeway's negotiation with the Borg in " Scorpion " had negative consequences on other Delta Quadrant peoples is an interesting idea, and Arturis' pointed accusation that Janeway can't see beyond her own crew's interests brings forth some valid observations. The use of the Borg collective as a dramatic device to bookend the season also works rather well.

Characteristically, this episode continues to capitalize on the growth of Seven as an individual. Seven fearing the prospect of living in a human society is both relevant and interesting. The bond between Janeway and Seven here is played so well that it's actually moving. The argument in the astrometrics lab is beautifully acted and directed. And little moments like when Seven casts a smile in Harry's direction, or catches Janeway off-guard with a joke, make for priceless character scenes. True, the repeated use of Seven continues to demonstrate how little the creative staff seems to care about the other characters, but it's still great stuff in a vacuum.

Despite the cast's best efforts, however, the problem is that the rest of the episode falls apart at the seams. All the mechanics of the plot strike me as being carefully and deceptively manufactured so they can be initially read as a "possible way home," only so they can later be cunningly revealed as a "sinister alien plot." Given the great lengths that the story goes to so that all the clues can be read two ways, and all the plot holes that subsequently arise as a result, I am not happy with the end result of this season finale. I feel like I've watched an hour of manipulative television that set out strictly to make me care about a problem that fundamentally has no right to be cared about.

The contrivances are so pervasive that it borders on the ridiculous. After months of trying, Janeway finally happens to stumble across a way to decode the real message in order to confirm her suspicions that Arturis is lying. How fortunate. Janeway and Seven, locked in a holding cell, manage to escape so they can try to stop Arturis. How fortunate. The Voyager plays deus ex machina by temporarily adapting the slipstream technology to their own engines so they can catch up with Arturis and rescue Janeway and Seven In the Nick of Time™. How fortunate. Naturally, this technology can't be used to get the crew home, because it's too likely to destroy the ship in the process. How fortunate, or unfortunate—depending upon whether you're Captain Janeway or Brannon Braga.

Sure, I'll gladly accept the intriguing, well-realized character themes that arise as incidentals, but if I look at "Hope and Fear" for what it really is, I see an episode that exists simply to bait and hook viewers with a lie and then offer them a meretricious "real truth" in an attempt to make them forget they've been misled. As for the lengths Arturis goes to in order to gain his elaborate revenge—sorry, but as Janeway said, "All of this is just a little too perfect." By episode's end, Ray Wise's performance as Arturis goes so far over the top in trying to convey tortured obsession that it merely becomes hokey.

What we have in "Hope and Fear" is some sincere and probing subplotting at the mercy of a sorely misguided premise. There are moments of the story that work, but I felt far too misled by pointless pretense to see the episode as anything more than a crafty attempt to make me care about a problem that inevitably ends the way every other analysis of this theme ends—in a failure that the crew doesn't even seem to react to. The particulars of the story being told—that of an alien out for revenge—could've been told any number of other ways, so using the theme of getting home is ultimately just a gag to get our attention. I see no reason why it should get our attention anymore.

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Comment Section

107 comments on this post.

The tech-mystery setup is beyond ridiculous, but I found the charges leveled against Janeway by Arturis to be the most intriguing part of the episode. The Captain made a decision that shifted the balance of power in the Delta Quadrant, an area of space not governed by the UFP, and faced none of the repercussions of the choice, especialy since Kes blasted them an additional 9,500 light-years. Another question that is raised again (but again, not answered) is the way in which Janeway insists upon Seven generally becoming human, and specifically, like the Captain, with her-self-righteousness in full blaze. She seems to have conveniently forgotten that she took Seven of Nine by force, much like the Borg did originally. I really liked the design of the Dauntless, thought.

The first time I saw this episode, there was a point in which I was absolutely intrigued. They had me thinking Voyager would end up going backwards. Losing that 10,000 light years Kes had gave them. Putting them back in Borg Space (this was back before the writers decided that Borg Space was wherever Voyager happened to be at the moment). I thought that would have been a great twist. But instead we gained just 300 years and got Janeway's standard log entry at the end of the episode: "Our diagnostics tell us we can't use this technology again" (sigh)

Arturis's technological abilities here were about as believable as those of the Satarran in TNG's "Conundrum," which is to say, not very. In that episode, the aliens were so technologically challenged that they needed the Enterprise to destroy their enemy for them, yet they were able to (1) penetrate the Enterprise's shields, (2) suppress the crews' memories *selectively*, including the crew member with a "positronic" brain, (3) make one of them look human and deposit him on the ship in a Starfleet uniform, (4) reconfigure the personnel information in the Enterprise's database, and (5) presumably -- I haven't seen the episode in a while -- reduce the number of pips on Riker's collar. The situations are not exactly parallel because we have no evidence that Arturis's species (The Linguists with the Big-Ass Heads) are technologically challenged. But still what Arturis was capable of really strains credulity. And not only in a technological sense -- Voyager has been traveling toward the Alpha Quadrant since the events of "Scorpion, Part II" (including a giant push from the departing Kes) and yet Arturis is able to keep up with them and monitor what's going on inside the ship. And if he had the technological capability to create a fake Starfleet ship that fooled Janeway, Tuvok, and Torres for a decent amount of time, he should have been able to just snap his fingers and transport them all directly to "Borg space."

@ navamske...yes, inexplicable technology is a Star Trek hallmark. Another TNG example that comes to mind immediately is the considerable degree to which Ardra and her cronies were able to affect the Enterprise and its operations in "Devil's Due", and then at the end, the episode tried to dismiss it all as just so many parlor tricks, when clearly they were far, far more.

More to come, but really, why on earth are you angry at an episode for making you believe something that later turned out differently? I mean, that's an element in almost any story. Just because it didn't turn out the way you hoped (choice word), doesn't give you the right to say it was a poor choice.

Is there a reason why Voyager sends a shuttle craft to trade/pick up supplies instead of just flying Voyager to the place? Just seems like a waste of time. So this Artis guy can pick up any language just by listening to view words? I wish I had that ability.

"Maybe it's about the journey." Kim in the series finale, stating at the right moment the show's premise and the answer to your question about what the point ultimately is. "We've seen over and over again that the crew just nods and presses on--even after a lost dream like this--where they should probably be mutinying and beating themselves with blunt objects under such emotional turmoil. " I don't see the need to show such an immature reaction in the crew--and I would have a hard time respecting "normal people" who behaved this way. How would such simpering accomplish anything useful? It would be a selfish and devolved display, something inconsistent with Star Trek humans.

I remember, sometime before this episode aired, reading a fan letter to Star Trek magazine suggesting that Voyager should be brought back to the Alpha Quadrant and get involved in the Dominion War. I remember thinking that it was very unlikely that the writers would decide to do it, and also hoping that they wouldn't. When I saw "Hope & Fear" on its first airing (keeping in mind I was twelve at the time), I remember that my biggest disappointment was that it wasn't a cliffhanger. I worshipped cliffhangers back then (and still do, but maybe for different reasons). I don't think I ever actually expected the crew to reach Earth, though, and perhaps that alone made it more entertaining. Thirteen years later, I can see the contrivances and weaknesses in the writing that make this episode sub-par, though as Jammer mentioned, there was some good character work sprinkled here and there. I still really like the idea of Janeway facing consequences for her actions in "Scorpion", which, let's face it, was made with no consideration for its possible impact on other races, but that idea wasn't taken far enough to have any lasting effect on Janeway's character. @Elliott: One of my favorite aspects about Star Trek is that humans have a more evolved sensibility. However, I don't think this should mean sacrificing our emotions. When one's hopes of getting home and being reunited with one's family are crushed like this, one should feel sadness and despair. That is also part of being human. "Mutinying and beating themselves with blunt objects" might be a little over-the-top (in any case I think Jammer was exagerrating for effect), but it would certainly have been more realistic and interesting -- even in the Star Trek universe -- to show the negative impact such an event would have on our characters, particularly Harry Kim, who has always been the most optimistic of the bunch. Don't you think so?

@Elliott, I can't answer for Jammer, but at this point in the series I was getting a little sick of "Gilligan's Island in Space." It was a poor choice because it was an all too familiar one. The most intriguing parts of the story were the vengeance angle, Janeway having to face the consequences of siding with the Borg, and the strengthening of the Seven/Janeway bond. All of that could have and should have been achieved without yet another dashed-hopes-of-getting-home plot contrivance. On another note, Ray Wise should stick with stylized drama like he did in Twin Peaks. Describing his acting as "hokey" is being kind.

I have been rewatching all of Voyager on Netflix (the last time I saw the show was when it aired during my middle and high school years!). Along the way, I have also been reading many of your reviews, Jammer. So far, it seems like you worship DS9 and have a bit of disdain towards Voyager, mostly because it's NOT your beloved DS9... On that note, I think it is hilarious that a Voyager episode finally manages to draw you in enough for strong emotional attachment, and you get seriously PO'ed about it! How whiney. I enjoy your writing style and like recapping each episode afterwards, but I do wish you had had a bit more objectivity at the time. Too bad I didn't catch these when I caught up on DS9 a couple years back. All the trek shows are great, so it's kind of sad that you couldn't enjoy VOY more on it's own merit!

He does enjoy Voyager for its own merits.

Clown penis.

I agree with Elliot and Caitlin. I am surprised you got your hopes high. Just because there is a ship, doesn't mean they can go back. It is highly experimental as per the fake message itself. Also the moment Tuvok says, it is too convenient, I knew it won't work.

Latex Zebra

It's Sci Fi so I'm always willing to let more go, like the ability to create such an illusion in the first place. Decent episode, not as bad as 2 stars but also not amazing. Maybe 3.

This could have been a great episode. It started off as a great episode. But then they blew it with too many ridiculous plot contrivances. Jammer's criticism is interesting but focuses too much on the idea that we were faked out again on the idea of getting home. I don't have a problem with that, but I *do* have a problem when the plot is moved along by the stupidity of the main characters, not to mention galaxy-sized holes in the plot itself. First I'll address the stupidity of the characters: The audience is expected to believe that Janeway just up and hands over this super-secret mega-encrypted message from Starfleet to an alien they just met in hopes that he can decrypt it and find its secrets? Then when they find out Starfleet wants them to proceed to certain coordinates, they take Arturis with them? Why would they not drop him off at his destination first? He had already decrypted as much of the message as he could. Why would they transport Arturis over to the Dauntless? So he can stand around and do nothing? So he can spy on what they thought was highly classified, cutting-edge Federation technology? When they discover the Dauntless is a fake, why does Janeway tell Tuvok to wait so she can meet up with them on the Dauntless? Why wouldn't they transport Arturis directly to the Voyager brig? They identify the Dauntless as having a "Federation warp signature" but then it has a totally different type of engine than anything Starfleet has ever used? Why did this not raise suspicion? Then there's the plot holes. Janeway spends months trying to decode the message, gives up, tries again, and is finally able to get it just in the nick of time? The adapted the Dauntless engine technology to Voyager in what, days? (As an aside, all sorts of major scientific breakthroughs happen way too fast and too easily on this show.) How did the Voyager gain on the Dauntless when they were chasing each other at transwarp or whatever the hell it was called? Can you even use transporters in that realm? Seven just happens to have the ability to walk through a force field by pressing some buttons on her ocular implant. Okay. They managed to take Voyager all the way back to Borg space, then back to where they started, and then an additional 300 light years closer to the Alpha quadrant after that, only THEN did it threaten to damage the ship? Geez. Instead of "Hope and Fear", they should have called this episode "Stupidity and Swiss cheese." There are some positive aspects to this episode. The set for the Dauntless was very well done and I thought the direction was pretty good. I also would like to take note of the exchange between Tuvok and Janeway where they discuss whether or not the Dauntless is a trap, and compare it with the exchange between Chakotay and Janeway in the very previous episode where they discuss whether leaving 7 of 9 in charge is good idea. Janeway and Tuvok have far superior on-screen chemistry, and Tim Russ's line delivery was far more believable and natural. I am not sure if it is the writing or the acting; but probably both. Chakotay: "Tell me this isn't a mistake." Oh please. Could the dialog and delivery be any more bland? (I think the Chakotay character could easily have been killed off and Janeway could then have made Tuvok her First Officer. It would have made a lot more sense. Or they could have made Chakotay ship's counselor. It seems that's the only thing he can do anyway.) Despite its problems, I still enjoyed the episode. I think a two star rating is fair, but I would give it two and a half.

"I think the Chakotay character could easily have been killed off and Janeway could then have made Tuvok her First Officer." Excellent suggestion. And it would've put Beltran out of his misery, given that he mainly took the role for the opportunity to work with Genevieve Bujold.

Completely absurd episode. There is no way that this Bad Guy [TM] could have set up this deception in the way that he did. As someone else said, he would need the powers of a god, and in that case, he could probably just destroy Voyager with a snap of his fingers. What crap.

Well Jammer, it seemed like it got you fairly involved. Imitating a ship with holo-technology does not require the powers of a God. And writing [TM] after something does not immediately make it witty. Any other series would have got kudos for going back to check out the effects of the cast's interference, i.e. this episode, but since this is Voyager, when there is continuity, it isn't recognized but rather Cynically Ignored and Ridiculed [TM]. Hmm, how could this episode have got a 4? Ah, I know, the prophets transport Voyager to a battle between Jadzia Dax and the Jem Hadar during a Klingon wedding using a previously unknown orb and Weyoun recruits the Kazon and the garbage scow aliens into the Dominion. Because that's good science fiction. Who wants to see new aliens and new planets every week in a new part of Space? Heaven forbid we have "Gilligan's Island in Space" ... let's have the same aliens every week for the sake of "realism" or drag out a war over four seasons for the sake of continuity.

Ok no one has made the connection..... This episode is almost a carbon copy of the TOS episode: The Mark of Gideon. In TOS episode, we get an alien culture that goes through incredible lengths, to the point of straining credulity to create a 'double' of the Enterprise. Kirk is lured with the intent to be a sacrificial lamb, to save a dying people. While in this Voyager episode, the Aliens motivation is pure revenge, he still requires capturing the individual (mainly Janeway) to sacrafice them to the Borg to appease his tortured conscience. I find many of the criticisms of Voyager centre on the fact they're noncontinuous, bottle episodes, or self-contained plots. Perhaps it's because I found DS9 incredibly tedious toward its end - I'm of the opinion the much lauded Dominion War is nothing more than a cheap rip-off of B5 far superior story arc. Regardless, this episode provided a great set-up, a bit of mystery, some action, a motivated villain, plenty of exposure for Seven and Janeway interactions, interesting special effects, and a firm conclusion (who doesn't love staring down a bunch of Borg cubes?). What more does one want in a Voyager episode? For a season closer it could have been a whole lot worse, at least they stayed away from the holodeck this time.

Hey T'Paul, it's not Jammer's fault you are morbidly obese.

Bb, don't be rude.

'How would such simpering accomplish anything useful? It would be a selfish and devolved display, something inconsistent with Star Trek humans.' Much as it is related to a different episode. How about Janeway creating a biological weapon against 8472 in Scorpion that she intends to share with the Borg! Lets be totally honest. All this stuff about Trek values is horse crap because apart from TNG... Maybe iBorg... all of the other shows had the crews/Starfleet acting questionably from time to time. Sikso & Janeway both have their good and bad points when it comes to being benchmark Trek Humans. Kirk... Don't like to include a series from the 60's as it portrays him as a bit of a thug and a womanizer. In all honesty Only Picard stands up to the morals that Trek set out to portray.

@Latex Zebra : First of all, you are conflating three different though related topics in your comment to me; 1) human psychological evolution 2) 24th century human morality and 3) Federation law. Janeway's decision in "Scorpion" is absolutely up for debate on the morality front--it is at best one of her patented "amoral" decisions where getting the crew home trumps other concerns. It is, legally speaking, unclear. Based on what we saw over on DS9, I don't really know if Starfleet or the Federation would penalise her or not. At any rate, they ended up promoting her. My comment, which you quoted, was meant to point out that human psychology does change and evolve and it is only a philosophy replete with conservative, reactionary cynicism which refuses to acknowledge this. Humans (when taken together as a species) don't think the same way now that they did 400 years ago. External stimuli like scientific discovery and internal conflicts over God, politics and society have pressured the psyche of the species forward. Just as with biological evolution, there is every reason to believe this trend will continue. Of course, there are large swaths of outliers--there are many people on our planet whose psychological evolution is centuries behind the west's (not that this is a slight against them, but we have lived through and moved past many of the tribalist, geocentric, not to mention woman-hating, fear-baiting, bible-beating oligarchies which still persist in many parts of the world, and in the aspirations of individuals in our parts of the world, too). That humans of the future are psychologically more evolved is not an arrogance nor is it any guarantee that humans will always make better choices, but it does change the expectations we place on people. We hold them to higher standards because we can and should. Jammer and others criticise this notion in drama because it doesn't seem "real" enough--the psychologies of the characters don't fit with our current expectations of our fellow man, but this is THE FUTURE. The tech changes, the sciences changes, the humans also change.

I get what you're saying and yes if you look at mankind now compared to 400 years ago we've evolved massively in how we treat each others... Well some of us have. Some places/people are still massively backwards. You jump forward a few hundred years and yes people, we hope, will have evolved even further but basic human emotions still remain. I like the fact that O'Brien carries mental scars from a brutal war with Cardassia. That, though I've not fought in any wars, gives me something I can relate too. I like the fact that Riker had Dad issues and like Riker I've sorted that out. Whilst I appreciate from a moral perspective we want to see the future as a bright and hopeful place. It can't be so disconnected that it is alien to us. The beauty of Trek is that is able to do both. Present the kind of problems that we face in a futuristic slant and show, mostly, positive solutions. I also like that Kirk is a womaniser, Picard is hellbent on revenge, Sisko is willing to cross the line in the hope of saving the alpha quadrant and that Janeway bends/breaks the the rules when it suits her to get her crew home. These people are real and we can relate to them and that is why I love Star Trek. All of it, even the massively flawed Enterprise.

Well, you can nitpick the episode all you like, but I still say it's greatest flaw is that it's boring. So boring...

HolographicAndrew

I liked this episode a lot and I'm not a fan of most of the season 4 Seven centric episodes. The villain was interesting and brought up some past events. Not exactly a groundbreaking episode but seemed solid to me.

I remember watching this season being in high school and loving it. After watching it twelve year I still enjoyed it. The only episodes I skipped where Concerning Flight, The Killng Game, Vis A Vis and Demon. My favorite episode for this season are Living Witness, Prey, Message in a Bottle, Year of Hell, Hunter, Scorpion, and the Gift. I can understand the complaints people have like Voyager running into another object from federation space, how arturis was able to find voyager and etc, but I was still able to enjoy season 4 as a whole. Tom and Torres as two of my favorite characters and I enjoyed their story arc. I also enjoyed the Doctor and Seven relationship.

Crazy ol' Leland strikes again. 'The Surrey with the Fringe on top!'

There were some things about this episode I liked. Like others have stated, Janeway's actions do not exist in a vacuum. I'm sure the alliance with the Borg and other things that Voyager has done has negatively impacted some species in the Delta Quadrant. It would have been interesting to see several species band together with Arturo to put Voyager on trial. Through the course of the series Janeway gets incredibly self-righteous and sanctimonious. No other Captain has been quite as extreme as Janeway in this respect. Even Picard, who was a stickler for the rules, wasn't self-righteous. I also liked the progression of the Seven/Janeway relationship, although it is overused and at the expense of other characters. My biggest complaint is that Voyager always encounters promising technology that could get them closer to home and it is always abandoned because something is incompatible with Voyager's systems and just forgotten. This quantum slip stream actually works but can't get them all the way home without destroying the ship? Why can't it be modified so that it takes 5-10 years off the trip? Maybe that wouldn't destroy the ship. The same thing happened in Threshold. Why can't they run simulations at warp 9.9999 for a limited time to see if it shaves 10-20 years off? Why is it all or nothing? Also, in Timeless, problems with the slip stream started 17 seconds into the flight - there was a differential or something. Their answer: take the drive offline completely and never work on it again. Really? How much more distance did they cover just using the slips stream for 17 seconds versus warp 6 for the same amount of time? It just gets frustrating that the crew always takes an all or nothing approach to getting home. If they can't get all the way back to the Alpha Quadrant then the technology isn't worth it. It is also very contrived that none of the crew work on any of these problems further after declaring something is incompatible. This is the same crew that took only a month to figure out how to get to warp 10 in Threshold.

"My biggest complaint is that Voyager always encounters promising technology that could get them closer to home and it is always abandoned because something is incompatible with Voyager's systems and just forgotten. This quantum slip stream actually works but can't get them all the way home without destroying the ship? Why can't it be modified so that it takes 5-10 years off the trip? Maybe that wouldn't destroy the ship." Isn't this the quantum slipstream tech they use in Timeless, 6 episodes later?

While I agree some ideas in this episode were pretty good, I can't help shake the feeling of "been-there-done-that" upon viewing. A lot of dialogue worked despite a few obvious weak spots, the pacing was decent, and the villain was slightly intriguing (if not a bit over-the-top at the end). It's unfortunately hampered by one too many contrivances and a tired premise that should have either been utilized with stronger writing behind it or simply ignored all together. It also holds the unfortunate distinction of being a season finale. Episode placement isn't a criteria one way or the other, but it is always sad to end on a low note. 2 stars.

2.5 stars... I would have allowed them to travel in the slip stream for 12 hours, taking them another 3,600 light years closer to home, and setting up Season 5 in a very different region of the galaxy. But that's just me, and I'm not a writer (as too many who post here seem to think they are, but I digress)... This wasn't great, but it wasn't as bad as Jammer is making it out to be. Although he did make a good point about getting them home and spending Season 5 reintegrating into Federation life, but one can only wonder. And I really could care less that they weren't spending time on the other characters, many of whom generate big yawns. Seven, and her relationship with Janeway, was just ripe with story lines... Onto Season 5!!!

Shannon - Wed, Aug 12, 2015 - 3:16pm (USA Central) "2.5 stars... I would have allowed them to travel in the slip stream for 12 hours, taking them another 3,600 light years closer to home, and setting up Season 5 in a very different region of the galaxy. But that's just me, and I'm not a writer (as too many who post here seem to think they are, but I digress)..." Shannon, do you know what your attitude reminds me of? There was an episode of the Simpsons in which the family went to Congress because they wanted to change a law. So they wrote their own law and attached it to another proposed law that was about to be voted on via a paperclip. Then just as the Congress was going to vote on it, one of the congressmen noticed the extra sheets of paper talking about a very different subject. But he then shrugged it off, accepting that they must vote on that unrelated matter as well because, in his words, "after all, it is paper clipped." Your respect of professional writers just because they have certain papers behind their names and disrespect of people with imaginations as good or better than them just because of a lack of paperwork strikes me as autistic. It's how you can fool a computer by separating two identical things by designating one as "official" and the other as "unofficial" due to a technicality. Do you truly believe that the people here lack good imagination or writing skills just because of a lack of official paperwork? Do you truly believe that the Voyager writers have access to some magical mental space that is denied to the rest of us just because they took some writing classes and have "writer" stamped next to their names? You do know that all you need to be a writer is good imagination and the proper talent, right? You don't need "writer" paper clipped to your name in order to unlock an otherwise inaccessible part of your brain. Your worship of "credentialism" in many ways makes you a sheep as you follow those who are "officially" in power based on their own luck and ceremonial technicalities. I strongly suggest you employ a less autistic and more human interpretation of the importance of the almighty "credential." Credentials were made for humans. Humans were not made for credentials. Think about it.

Latex Zebra - Mon, Feb 10, 2014 - 5:21am (USA Central) "Kirk... Don't like to include a series from the 60's as it portrays him as a bit of a thug and a womanizer." There is nothing wrong with being a "womanizer," if by "womanizer" you mean a man with a healthy sex drive who enjoys sleeping with multiple women. Just like there is also nothing wrong with being a "manizer" if you're a woman. In fact, Kirk's healthy sexuality was one of best things about him, as it showed an entire generation just leaving the sexually oppressive and puritanical 1950s that there is nothing wrong with leading a sexually open minded lifestyle. I never saw Kirk disrespecting a woman he slept with for a reason relating to the sex, nor did I ever see any of those women complaining about that aspect of him. I weep for our current prudish feminist culture trying to take us back to the sexual dark ages.

EP, you touched on something I was just about to comment on. Took the words out of my typing. And almost 7 years ago to boot. Rewatching this ep I suppose S5's opener Night did at least show a regretful Janeway whom finally began to question her actions and her judgements. I think this ep was a good catalyst for that. But given all that had happened to this crew before this I'm surprised it would take this long for her to have a crisis of faith. In her self-imposed exile chuckles became the acting Captain. Plot holes are par for the course in too many of these eps so I won't go into those. I tend to look at the overall picture of where they were going with the ep. In this one they were showing an alien individual hell bent on revenge against Voyager due to their part in ending the Borg/8472 conflict. An ending which allowed the borg to refocus their efforts on other planets for assimilation, such as Arturis's. Quite the revenge it was too. Playing with their emotions before setting them up to be assimilated by the borg. Given Voyager's actions which led to the end of the conflict and subsequently his race's assimilation it was not hard to see his point of view on it. Not so easy to forgive and forget planetary genocide. Since once again there is no basis of comparison to draw from concerning his race for all we know they could all be bland in their emotional spectrum and expressing those emotions. Not necessarily Vulcan-like, but maybe low key. I don't know. That's why I didn't say much about his acting. And of course we would never see them again. In their defense however, they were all assimilated. Arturis just closed ranks. I probably would have raised it a half star at least just because the S5 opener actually had her rethinking things in light of all this. I'll say this much. It's a far cry from the Captain we saw at the end of S1's Prime Factors. She was rapidly becoming quite the pragmatist wasn't she? 2.5 stars works.

I suppose if I was watching this at the time, it might be more upsetting about the homeward bound plot (or failed homeward bound plot). Honestly, I don't even remember this episode; I think at this time I was no longer watching the show week to week. But, knowing what we know now, this episode does its job nicely, plotwise. I mean, it's no secret that this is now Star Trek: The Seven of Nine (and Janeway) show. She had by far the most episodes devoted to her this season (as expected for the new girl, especially the popular new girl) and had the most character development this season. Really, the arc of this season was about her becoming a part of the crew. So, needless to say, having the season conclude by showing Seven finally accepting becoming a member of the crew makes sense. She got to butt heads with Janeway one last time and work with Janeway one last time, so it worked. Basically, I liked the episode in general, despite the silliness of letting the guy come along to the brand new experimental Federation starship, or the fact that they magically managed to stay in the slipstream until getting a little bit past where they were last time, etc. One problem/issue I did have was Janeway's defense of the Federation, or lack thereof. Seven gave this big rant about how Janeway was no different than the Borg, no better than a different form of coercion. And Janeway just stood there and took it. What? The perfect defense of Seven's accusations is to say that she doesn't HAVE to follow Janeway, at least not when they get back to the Federation. There are hundreds of worlds and billions (trillions?) of people in the Federation. The vast majority aren't in Starfleet, maybe the majority don't even like Starfleet. Once she gets to the Federation, Seven will be free to explore her new individuality however she please. That's the beauty of individuality, you don't HAVE to be exactly like Janeway! You don't have to conform to the ideal soviet citizen comrade. But Janeway didn't bring that up. Was that because she was just stunned by Seven's accusations, and didn't have a good defense? Is it because she is not the enlightened philosopher like Picard, and never really thought about these issues before and can't come up with a Picard speech at the drop of a hat? Or is the Federation and Janeway really that insidious, really that demanding of conformity? Is there an evil collective beneath their bright bubbly cloying face? OK, I assume that wasn't their intention, but is it the innate biases of the writers? Did they not really understand the desire to be an individual? To not necessarily conform? C'mon, this is Star Trek, the home of nerds and geeks back before nerds and geeks weren't cool! Surely they can understand that one should be able to go against the grain of conventional wisdom? And yes, it's a big issue, because Seven's fear of joining Janeway's collective is the heart of the episode, and indeed the season. That conversation should have been the pinnacle moment of the episode, but instead it just fell flat. Too bad, because otherwise I think this would have been a great one.

I liked this episode because for once there was a sense of Janeway and Voyager's actions having broader ramifications to the universe. In Scorpion, Janeway helps the Borg defeat a mortal enemy, judging that Species 8472 is the greater threat. This is based on a single telepathic emanation to Kes over a space of three seconds, from presumably one individual. On that basis, Janeway chooses to alter the balance of power in the entire Delta Quadrant, helping a malevolent force survive. We even later find out that the Borg were actually the ones that started the conflict! I was cheering when Arturis calls Janeway out on this. Damned right it wasn't her place to do what she did, in a quadrant she knew nothing about! What about the Prime Directive? Chacotay even calls her out on this in Scorpion, accusing her of self-serving logic. We later even learn that Species 8472 aren't nearly as malevolent as they seemed initially, and they can be reasoned with after all. So yeah, Janeway is a war criminal and this episode's only flaw is that she once again escapes from her just comeupponce.

This is a pretty good episode. I liked the way Janeway was cautious from the onset, because really any viewer would be so at this point in the series. I also liked the way Janeway and 7 came together, and especially 7 being dealt the choice of a "human" life or a "Borg" life. The teaser must have been extremely misleading for Jammer to review this the way he did, but I'm sure he knows by now you can never trust a trailer. As for the message of this episode, I think it was coming out of 7, where you choose between a trusted vessel and a long relatively safe ride home or a new vessel and uncertainty. This is episode's full of contrivances, but at least it's entertaining and on point with the series' premise. 3 stars.

Diamond Dave

A big disappointment after a good start. Yes, we know they're not going home but at least the Dauntless offers the opportunity to move them into a new area of space and offers some exciting possibilities. The first half of the episode is genuinely engrossing and offers some nice new tech to look at. And then we discover the alien plot... This is where it falls apart, because the rest is now fairly offensively contrived. Yes, there's an interesting element with the events of Scorpion being looked at from another perspective. But it plays out poorly, and the accompaniments - the slipstream drive works on Voyager, now it doesn't ever again eg - fairly laughable. We get some good character stuff with Janeway and Seven but overall this isn't the best. 2.5 stars.

icarus32soar

Come on Justin, Ray Wise is the best thing in this ep apart from Seven of Nine, who again tells Janeway where to get off with her endless romanticism about Earth. Gotta absolutely love Seven.

@John - I think Kirk, and yes indeed he had a healthy sexual appetite, was more a product of the 60's. It suited is character well even if looking back I can't help think he was a bit of a blaggard! The point I was trying to make is that the TV program will always be a product of the time it was created or what was happening around it. As such pushing one series as more moralistic than others isn't really fair.

I totally agree Jen, Janeway becomes arrogant and self-righteous to the point of throwing those in the brig who disagree with her. And somehow the writers try to play this off as making her one of the legendary captains of all time which is silly.

I genuinely felt sympathy for the "bad guy" in this episode. Because of Captain I'm always right Janeway his civilization got assimilated with only a handful of others left (and god knows how many other civilizations) I'd imagine there's a lot of people who curse Voyagers name as they fled in terror from the Borg Collective. I hope the poor guy was able to kill himself before the Borg got him.

Janeway getting the true message isn't a plot hole or too convenient. When Chakotay finds her in the mess hall she's complaining that 'every time I piece together a datablock, 10 more come unraveled' which I wrote off as Trek computer stupidity until later. It's more like it's a jigsaw puzzle and she's been shoving all sky coloured pieces together roughly until she gets to a bit that proves she got that part wrong so she has to tear it all up and start again. The alien is basically stupid because he is blinded by revenge and also too sure of his superiority over the Voyager crew. He faked his message, then pieces together everything except the real message and makes up an excuse that even he can't find enough there to realign. In doing so he's basically given Janeway the borders of a small jigsaw and all she has to do is fill it in, which is much easier for her. That's how she does it and it's all there in the episode Also, Harry and Tuvok got there at the same time she did, so it was only additional nails in his coffin. I'm sure they would have got the message eventually anyway even if they had beaten her to the punch.

I'm going to have to watch this one before I comment. I can't seem to remember it... which doesn't bode well for the pending review :-)

I guess I don't dig the story as much as Jammer does. Although it was miiiiiighty convenient this super language dude shows up when they needed him to decipher the message. I think Janway or maybe Tuvok should have been a little more suspicious. There were great touching moments in this one. Especially between Janeway and Seven. "SEVEN: You were correct. My desire to remain in the Delta Quadrant was based on fear. I am no longer Borg, but the prospect of becoming human is unsettling. I don't know where I belong. JANEWAY: You belong with us." snif, snif.... I know, I'm a sap. I'm glad Jammer mentioned we got a little smile out of Seven in this one... I'm always looking for pics of Seven and her beautiful smile. I think if I was Janeway I'd do some more research on this "quantum slip drive" thingy... :-) Not a classic season closer by any stretch, but our guest star was a very good performer and I felt for his people. 3 stars from me.

Jammer had a serious grudge against Voyager. The only thing I can think of is that this was not DS9, his favorite series. A series that was ok, but took place on a space station that was ran by a demi prophet (wormhole alien). This was one of my favorite finales on Voyager. Fun episode, 4 stars.

Well, I have a grudge against Voyager too, and for the same reasons as Jammer. The epiosde is okay as 45 minutes of simple Star Trek entertainment. It even has some strong moments. But to enjoy the episode, you have to forget the premise of the show (which the writers have given up early on anyway), the plotholes and the terrible (or often nonexistent) character development. The show could have been amazing, if it had respected its premise and actually dealt with the struggles of a crew that wants to get home, and the episode could have been wonderful, if wasn't for the lousy writing and the fact that we already four or five "homecoming" episode at this point during the journey.

GILLIGAN! PUT THOSE BAGS DOWN! WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE! again....

Ben Franklin

There are a few things that attempt to salvage this episode. However, as to the plot, this dead horse has been beaten so badly, it's bones have been pulverized to a fine powder. Enough already with the "close calls". It's unoriginal. It's boring. It's insulting to the audience. This is the one major reason why I feel Voyager could never measure up to the other series that came before. They could have done anything with this ship but instead, it turned into this "plodding our way home" ordeal. As Jammer said, enough with the teasers. If they aren't going to get home until the series finale, then let's stop with the false hopes BS and get on with other themes. Frankly, I don't care if others don't find the Gilligan's Island plot repetition to be obnoxious. This is bush league writing and fodder for the all-but-discerning viewer. It's especially insulting that the encrypted Star Fleet message from several episodes past was just a "Sorry, no go on any help from us... but good luck!" What a complete waste of a plot device. -2 for yet-another-we-came-close-to-getting-home-but-sorry-not-this-time plot +1 for good dialog and performances from the Voyager crew +1 for great character interactions between Janeway & Seven -0.5 for Ray Wise's lackluster performance -1 for absurd revenge plot and associated contrivances +2 for exploring the effects of Janeway's decision from Scorpion -1 for making us wait for the Star Fleet message decryption for nothing except another Gilligan-in-Space spiel Episode gets a -0.5 stars in my book. Call me picky, but Gilligan's Island barely worked as a serialized sitcom. Stop using its themes in Star Trek.

Who designed that alien ship? Push 1 button and the navigation system blows up? "Sorry captain, it happened again". People seem to be suggesting that Janeway's decision to assist the Borg against 8472 was an error. Let's recap: when they first encountered 8472 Kes was getting messages along the lines of "your universe will be purged". Species 8472 seemed hell-bent on eradicating every species in the universe. They had weapons that could carve through Borg cubes like a hot knife through butter. It was only later that janeway discovered that the Borg had entered fluidic space and attacked 8472. But with the information that was available at the time the decision she made was the only sensible course of action. Sure she can feel bad about unforeseen consequences of her decision, but that doesn't make her decision incorrect. And regardless of the fact that the Borg started the fight with 8472 I would still think that the Borg is the lesser of two evils. It was only in "Prey" that 8472 was depicted as non-agressive and just wanting to be left alone in fluidic space. That doesn't really gel with the way they were depicted when they were first encountered.

Good points Mikey. Got me thinking of Trump/Clinton here... Still can't decide who is who...

@Latex Zebra: yeah, I'm an Aussie but we followed the whole thing. Slow motion train wreck. Can't believe you had to pick from those 2...

I feel like I know what Rom and Leeta's baby would look like now...

@Mikey People seem to be suggesting that Janeway's decision to assist the Borg against 8472 was an error. Let's recap: when they first encountered 8472 Kes was getting messages along the lines of "your universe will be purged"........ ==== It was an error, no matter how you sliced it. Just like what Arturis said : "Cant see beyond her crew interest and the bigger picture" It's not like Voyager is in immediate danger and have no other option, they are not in desperate or survival mode, they can (at that time) : - Retreat for now and analyze the situation properly - Retreat for now and wait the dust to settled - Retreat for now and find another method to get home, wormhole, etc (per Chakotay said) - Go back to safe area and settled (per Chakotay said) - Establish some method to spy/investigate species 8472 more throughly - Establish contact with 8472 and gain info (possibly lead to diplomatic) - Etc Instead.. Janeway chose to donate Weapon of Mass Destruction in form of Biological warfare which has potential erased entire race to the Borg. All based on Kes mental ability (which is not always reliable in the first place) to contact/read a single entity at intermittent time in the heat of a war!, and they even only witness it for just a few hours at best, barely know it! It's even worse than Chakotay situation that is being brainwashed (Nemesis), Janeway made concious decision here. --- If I were to made analogy to our contemporary time of Janeway decision : * 2 Faction on war for Panama Canal rights for months, Janeway must use the canal to pass, otherwise have to go around and possibly spent 5 years or more instead of only 3 days. She decided to cross the battlefied in hurry anyway, because she cant predict tomorrow or a week later how the weather will contribute (for better or worse). On the process of this rushed decision to plunge in the middle battlefield, 1 of the crew got injured and the 1 soldier of the faction who's injured the crew shouting angrily and threaten them. So it's just natural then to give the other faction a weapon of mass destruction to destroy them now (whether or not it can wipe entire race is irrelevant, she dont care). Even if the faction she's helping is known well for something of Hitler/Gengis Khan. DO YOU still honestly believe there's no error/wrong in that? REALLY? ---- Then at the next episode, how the hell one can come back to play 'high moral compass'. ON Equinox, she even have the audacity to judge Capt. Ransom, while at the same time interrogate and threaten to kill one of Equinox crew by exposing him to hostile allien? This thing keep going interchangeably on episode demand by the plot needs. It just made a bad character and as stories overall. The writer trying too hard sell her 'strong authoritative' character with little consistenty, and yet refuse to show any consequences or serious attempt to question her ability/authoritative by the crew. It just made bland/unhuman character or maybe psychotic. Is the entire crew on some kind of drugs not having a committe to replace the captain or mutiny after all of this? HARDLY believable. At some point during season 4 or 5 I can't take the stories seriously anymore and just go straight for entertaiment value. It lost the credibility to have some deep story, moral, and thoughtful episode. Maybe it wont be so bad if the writing being consistent, that they go for this 'At all cost' character from this moment on. She can be character of 'Tragic Hero/Antihero' by the time Voyager got home and 'take one for the team'. Take the blame from Starfleet but regarded highly by entire crew (possible by fans too)

Arturis to Janeway and 7/9: "I was hoping to get your entire crew, but I'll settle for the two of you." Earlier, before the "entire crew" was on board the fake ship, and before Arturis knew his ruse had been discovered: B'Elanna to Arturis "Don't touch that. You almost kicked us into slipstream drive." So, does Arturis want the "entire crew," including his hated Janeway, or does he want a few random crew members who happen to be on board at that moment? Him trying to kick the ship into slipstream did provide for nice tension before we knew what the evil plan was, but more lazy writing that doesn't fit into the whole story.

My biggest complaint about the show is the find and drop aspect of the technology they encounter. At the end of the series they should have a heavily modified Voyager. Instead we get basically the same model as it "rolled" off the line (with slight mods). I agree with some that Justin, Ray Wise was great. Waste of an interesting species though and his plan was needlessly complicated.

@Ildaf I think the main problem is continuity. 8472 were first depicted as an invasive species intent on wiping out life in the universe. They were later shown to be victims who just wanted to be left alone. I think the writers are at fault here.

I would say this is a decent example of a more low-key finale. I enjoyed the interactions between Janeway and Seven, even if they do confirm Seven has pretty much overtaken the show now. I mean, she is a good character and her relationship with Janeway is complex and itriguing, but still, even Data didn't get that much focus on TNG. The fake out didn't reaaaally bother me, although it does feel regressive, especially since this season finally put some effort in giving the show a sense of progression. Voyager trailers are legendarily horseshit, so Jammer probably should have known better, but it's not his fault the network people were being annoyingly dishonest either (no, all trailers don't lie). And I find "you just hate it cause it ain't DS9" people here pretty obnoxious.

This isn't the worst Voyager episode. But I have to say that there is something seriously wrong with a season finale episode if I only notice 3 episodes later that I'm in Season 5. Then I check the episodes in Netflix and go, "wait just a damn minute. The DAUNTLESS episode was the season finale?!"

I feel that this is the episode where Voyager admitted it was stillborn and have up any attempt to be a successful series. With the exception of Seven, all the the characters just atrophy throughout season 4 and become caricatures of themselves. This episode, while it would have been fine mid season, was particularly disappointing as a season finale. The reset button gets hit yet again, nothing happens, and Voyager continues on its way. The end.

Prince of Space

Ooooooo! Strejda up there finds some of y'all obnoxious.... watch out! Oh I kid. I'm sure he/she is a lovely person when not keyboard warrior'ng. I would just like to say hi to my future self, however distant it may be. I expect it will be some time before I get back around to watching Voyager from start to finish once I finish this current pass. But when I do, I plan to read Jammer's reviews and all the comments each and every episode just like I am now. Here's hoping Jammer's site is still up and running then, and here's to my future self. Make it so.

I said this under another episode earlier this season and I will say it again: Everytime Seven and Janeway argue about some ethical issue, why is it that I find myself, everytime, agreeing with Seven? Janeway had a point at the very end with regard to Seven's fear but Seven was right in everything that preceded in that argument.

Count me among this episode's admirers -- to an extent. I admit that years after it aired and knowing its place in the series, I'm particularly prone to be forgiving of the qualities that so grated on Jammer -- the nth iteration of the bait-and-switch "will they get home" story, the endless promise and deferment of actual change to the show's status quo. But really, this isn't False Profits, or even Eye of the Needle (which is a great episode); the way that hope was dangled before the crew only to be grasped away at the last second was not just a cruel twist of fate (or the writers), but a direct consequence of the decision in Scorpion that actually did change the show in a fundamental way. The two major elements to this episode, which bookend Scorpion II (and The Gift), are Janeway's relationship to Seven and the ramifications outside the quadrant of Janeway's deal with the Borg, made to help her and her crew get home. And these two are not even separate, because the reason Seven is on board is because of that deal. My main problem with the episode's ending isn't that Arturis turned out to have a vengeance deal against Janeway and that the way home was a ruse, but that we don't get to see (within this episode) a more direct impact to the guilt trip he lays on her; Arturis may be a villain, but his whole people are dead or assimilated partly because of a choice Janeway made. I don't expect Janeway to crawl into a corner and die, but it feels a bit as if her reaction is a bit too understated. But anyway, having Arturis lure Janeway in with the promise of Getting Home, which he characterizes as a selfish desire, and tying it in with her earlier actions, is really the type of thing that critics like Jammer (correctly!) articulate the show should be doing -- following through on major events, re-examining the unstated and unexamined aspects of the show's premise, and so on. This generally works as a capstone to other elements of the season too, not just to Message in a Bottle/Hunters but also to the implication in Living Witness of an alternate interpretation of Voyager as a ship which destroys whole civilizations as part of Janeway and its crew's monomaniacal pursuit of home. (And for what it's worth, Janeway also *isn't* wrong that Species 8472, in the Borg's colourful language as Arturis says, did seem to be a threat beyond the Borg; the big issue is that the discovery in Part II that the Borg started the conflict didn't lead to a change in strategy, because Janeway was already in too deep, and only indirectly led to her attempt to somewhat make up for it in Prey by defending the 8472 before Seven made the call to ditch it.) What occurred to me, thinking about the episode afterward, is this: I wonder if Janeway's intense attachment to Seven of Nine and her investment in bringing Seven closer to humanity (and maybe "redemption") is related to her deal with the Borg. If she can save Seven, and bring her closer to humanity, does that in some way create a sort of penance for the "deal with the devil" she made? Or is it a way to in some way convince herself that the Borg as a whole are not wholly beyond redemption, if a single Borg drone can be brought back to being a moral actor and an individual? Seven's repeated accusations that Janeway is attempting to bring Seven in line with Janeway's own values have some weight, as do Janeway's repeated assertions that she is attempting to do it for Seven's own sake as well as for the ship's. The underlying reason for Janeway's making Seven a personal project is left somewhat ambiguous in the season, and while it could be an instance of sloppy or incomplete writing (I never rule it out), it makes a certain amount of sense that it's Janeway attempting to own the consequences of her decision in Scorpion in a way that is manageable, so that she doesn't actually go insane. The Janeway/Seven scenes in the episode really work for me overall, especially the one in cargo bay 2 where Seven insists she is not going back to Earth. It's an interesting ambiguity, in that I believe Janeway is essentially correct that Seven is dominated by fear (even before Seven acknowledges such, it's not hard to see in the writing and in Ryan's performance), but I also agree with Seven in almost every individual point -- that she has a right to leave the ship if she pleases, that she already *has* made a series of contributions to the ship and its crew, that her right to self-determination surely must include the right not to go to a place where she may well be hated and scorned, and to which she has no attachment anyway. The scene is electric. And I appreciate Seven's arc throughout the episode, beginning with frustration at her apparent limitations against humans in the velocity game against Janeway at the beginning, finding herself reluctant and eventually terrified when B'Elanna identifies what a whole world of humans against which Seven's need to be perfect and her falling fall short of human expectations would do to her, and longing in some respects for a place of genuine belonging with the Borg but rejecting it when the opportunity really presents itself. What I think holds the episode back for me -- besides the sense of incompleteness in Janeway's reaction to the bombshell that Arturis drops -- is that it really is the Janeway & Seven show. I don't think that's *entirely* true of the season as a whole, but the notion that the rest of the crew besides Janeway, Seven and the Doctor (who doesn't get much material in this episode, which is fine -- he and Neelix are the two characters who have little direct attachment to the AQ) mostly drop out has *some* merit even if it's not entirely accurate. The way in which the majority of the cast's reaction is downplayed even to getting home, let alone abandoning Voyager, and let alone the eventual realization that it was all a trick and especially that it was a trick from a person from an assimilated species who blames Voyager, is kind of a problem, and suggests that, yes, many of the characters are somewhat reduced to props in the Janeway/Seven story, despite a few good moments here and there. Why *does* B'Elanna want to get back to Earth when the Maquis are all dead and she might well get jailed? How is Harry going to react when his hopes are dashed again? The scene where Janeway and Seven's logs overlap really underscores how much this episode is a Janeway/Seven show in intent and structure, and that would be fine if it weren't a story that obviously impacts the entire crew. This is in addition to other weirdness surrounding the plot that I think is attributable to the laser-sharp focus on the Janeway/Seven story (with Arturis as foil/villain), such as the idea that Starfleet sent a mega-encrypted message of Admiral Hayes (who seems to have died in First Contact anyway) saying "sorry"; I get that they didn't want everyone to be able to see the information about the Delta Quadrant they sent in the encrypted message, but surely they wanted the crew to be able to read the message and also not to get their hopes up. So I don't think it's quite a standout, but I think it's like the season overall -- a little unbalanced, some weaknesses, but a strong character core, for the characters that apparently matter. 3 stars.

Too many plot holes/coincidences/contrivances for me. And I'm getting pretty sick of Seven. 1 1/2 stars.

Gul Densho-Ar

Not a great episode, but I really like how it forcefully raised the question of the consequences to Janeway's actions. Janeway, earlier in the show very careful about upholding the prime directive even in the Delta Quadrant, seems to have noticed at some point that after every episode the reset button is pushed and everyone is flashy-thinged, and so probably thought she could do something as terribly questionable and dangerous as allying with the Borg. Because she knew a few weeks later everyone would have forgot about it anyway. Well, not so this time. She helped the Borg(!) getting an advantage, allying with the devil to fend off a supposed greater threat, and later it turns out that had catastrophic consequences for some other people. Sadly, the whole thing is shrugged off too soon again, but at least there were a few very powerful/emotional moments here, a rarity in this show (and the following ones). Again, overall not a great episode, but I found it definitely more enjoyable than the preceding one.

I Hate Janeway

An OK episode. Yes, I sort of agree with criticism of the Gilligan's Island like theme of many episode, but I suppose these kinds of episodes are inevitable given that the crew is looking for a way home, but if they actually get home that would be the end of the series. But the epsisode got a lot better when the alien reveals his true purpose. Finally, someone telling Janeway how horrible she is! When I watched the Scorpion episode, I felt very strongly that Janeway should have let Species 8472 defeat the Borg. I was rooting for the alien to bring Janeway to the justice she deserved, but unfortunately she was saved by Voyager.

@ Prince of Space Oh bug off. I wasn't ordering anybody to do anything and If people here can baselessly accuse Jammer of being biased, I can complain about them.

If someone else pointed it out, I missed it. I wonder how they learned what Voyager did. Is there some news service letting everyone else the latest in the Borg v 8472 conflict?

SouthofNorth

Pity that Janeway didn't have the ability to beam Arturis directly into the Voyager brig and interrogate him there. Oh wait, she did ...

Sure Janeway allowed assisted the Borg in destroying species 8472, but they had pledged to "purge the Galaxy" so it's hardly surprising that she would opt to do that. The Borg might be a formidable foe, but given how easily species 8472 was able to destroy them. I know who'd I'd opt to take my chances against.... Besides, if you're not aggressive towards the Borg apparently they ignore you... Unless it suits the plot otherwise! Also, after Artuis had flicked the lever to uncloak or remove the Starfleet camouflage on his ship, did anyone not find it odd that after Janeway and Seven escaped the (very Starfleet looking) brig, all the controls in engineering were still running on LCARS panels?

Any story will have events and timing-of-events that may seem contrived (although Janeway beaming to the other ship rather than beaming Arturis and her crew off and Seven being able to walk though a force field were a bit much). What I disliked more was the sensationalism of Janeway assuming that if Seven doesn't stay with them she'll just go back to the Borg and Seven saying she might.

Really frustrating conclusion to what was a decent set up. But there's more good Janeway/7 stuff here (as there has been throughout VOY S4). The alien Arturis'srevenge plan is ridiculous -- instead of delivering Voyager to the Borg, why not just blow them up or make them die a slow, painful death? His plan will get himself assimilated in all likelihood, right? But what I did like is how his revenge is related to Species 8472 and how his people wanted the Borg destroyed by 8472. Obviously Janeway had to look out for her crew. "Scorpion" is 1 of the the best things VOY ever came up with. Also liked the idea of Arturis being a living universal translator -- but of course, the "too good to be true" thing is pretty clear at the start of the episode. At least the cast recognizes that, having been burned in the past. Would have been interesting to see characters like Torres/7 adapt to life on Earth but that would be a different series. I don't quite get 7's fear for wanting to be among humans on Earth -- I think the fear some of the Voyager staff initially had of her seemed to dissipate quickly but perhaps going through that over and over again on Earth would be a pain. Her refusal to help Janeway initially seemed a bit out of left field. But Mulgrew was very good in that scene, I thought. So the chase scene in the end -- this is the kind of stuff that bugs me. Just arbitrary stuff. Of course, Janeway/7 break through the forcefield. The quantum slipstream works perfectly for to chase Arturis' ship, rescue Janeway/7, but then they can't use the technology again. High 2 stars for "Hope and Fear" -- bit of a rip off of an episode. The best part is more 7/Janeway relationship development starting with 7 challenging Janeway with the holodeck game and then Janeway challenging 7 with her fear of going to Earth. The episode is a setup for a disappointing end result for Janeway & co. although they do get a lot closer to home. But how it degenerates into a standard kidnap/rescue is underwhelming.

Seven is stunning in her navy blue game outfit. Wow. I liked this one. The alien was interesting as was his ship, with good graphics. Janeway got pounded by Seven and then the alien, but she can handle it. Onto the next season!

Sean Hagins

@John-I completely disagree. Relations are to be between a man and wife only!

Jeffrey Jakucyk

"Also, after Artuis had flicked the lever to uncloak or remove the Starfleet camouflage on his ship, did anyone not find it odd that after Janeway and Seven escaped the (very Starfleet looking) brig, all the controls in engineering were still running on LCARS panels?" There were just a couple of panels in engineering, which I assumed were installed there by the Voyager crew for their shutdown. On the other hand, the ship's exterior look didn't change at all as far as I could tell. They did seem to gaffe with the door into the rear of the bridge retaining the Starfleet badging and distinctive swoosh sound when Janeway comes in ("sorry about the bumpy ride"). Maybe Arturis' magic lever only changed back the primary controls in the bridge, and the mood lighting, hmm. Anyhoo, I always liked this episode. Arturis was so hell-bent on revenge that he ended up getting himself assimilated. Watching him sit there alone on the bridge while the Borg give their standard greeting is terrifying. But yeah, there's so many plot holes and crazy science and reset buttons it does get pretty infuriating. Getting only 300 lightyears closer to home after going all the way to Borg space and back is right up there with Tom's shuttle in Threshold occupying the every point in the universe simultaneously but still only ending up a few days away. I do really like the interior design of the Dauntless. I'm surprised to learn that they built the bridge and engineering sets completely from scratch. I would have thought they'd reuse some of the bridge of the Prometheus, as there's definitely some similarities.

Great looking sets! The Dauntless is cool!

Vengeance and “playing GOD”....two sides of the same coin. I liked this episode. Sure, bits were contrived but isn’t that the ST we’ve come to know and love/tolerate? ‘Writers—you have 45 mins to develop a conflict, characters and conclusion! Ready, set go!” Janeway had two missions— One, find the Maquis and her Security/Tactical Officer (which she accomplished) and then Two, get her ship and crew home. I find it fascinating to watch her walk the line (and, sometimes stumble over the line) to accomplish that mission.... Every choice brings consequences—a life lesson for us all.

I always assumed Janeway was able to decipher the last part of the message bc she based it on Arturis' work. After all, a record of it would've been in the computer and so she based her algorithm on it.

Todayshorse

'You did designate the Admiral a wind bag' Laugh out loud, interesting but maybe a little far fetched with the reasons for Mr huge peanut heads actions along with his super ship. Still, highly entertaining. Plus, Seven gets hotter every week. Bonus. 11/10 😄

I thought this episode was a nice little season finale. Personally I would give it three stars but I’m willing to admit there were a few moments that got a little sluggish. Overall I enjoyed it and I can respect that the writers didn’t go for a huge two parter or a cliff hanger this time. Just a nice little episode that wraps up the season just fine.

Harsh review! I liked this one a lot. 3.5 stars.

I thought "Hope and Fear" was one of the better VOY episodes in that it least had some sci-fi moral tension befitting classic trek - that Voyager has created havoc in the Delta quadrant & Janeway's decisions had significant ripple effects. It's one of the few times the writers forced Janeway to come face-to-face with negative consequences of what she's done. The acting in this one was better than usual from the principals, there were at least two good scenes between Seven and other characters, and the actor who played Arturis was good.

It's nice to have a rare season ending episode in 90s Trek that is not a big, blockbuster cliffhanger or some game-changing story development, but instead bookends the season by looking at some of the consequences of Janeway's decision at the beginning. I enjoy how it picks up the damaged message from Starfleet and brings it back into the storyline, and with the slipstream drive it sets up Timeless, my favorite Voyager episode. The acting was quite good, and the crew behaved intelligently, noting that this "too good to be true" ship could be just that. It's a strong episode for this episodic series, showing once again that Voyager has had a major impact on the Delta quadrant, sometimes to the detriment of the native inhabitants.

If this episode happened midseason I’d give it a pass. But as a finale? Cheap. 1.5/4 stars.

I thought it was pretty good. Janeway got her ass called out, and it was a very good indictment. Come on! “Well we thought 8472 was a bigger threat”! Come on! How self serving can you get?

IMO the biggest plot hole, bigger than any of the ones mentioned above, is how did Arturis, or ANYONE, know that voyager helped the Borg? It’s not like the Borg would have gone around advertising it and it’s unlikely Janeway and co. would talk about it. So how did he know? He couldn’t have known. He has no way of knowing. It makes no sense.

I often wondered that. I think it's more plot omission than plot hole. Perhaps Arcturis has some way of monitoring the Borg (as we see in "The Best of Both Worlds," they don't seem that protective about their signals).

I liked this one a lot, enough for 3 to 3-1/2 stars. I, again, don't care about the plot holes, deus ex machinas, inconsistencies, total lack of logic, suspension of disbelief in the extreme, etc. What jerks MY chicken is this pussified approach of never firing first and never shooting to kill. Sometimes you DO shoot first and ask questions later. Having a clearly sketchy alien, with dangerous technology literally at his fingertips, attacking your security team and struggling with them is surely one such instance. But, then, that would've deprived us of the second half of the episode, the quantum-speed chase, and Lameway and Hooters-of-Nine's bonding moment. Still, not too shabby an ep!

This is one where I do see Elliot’s point of view. Stuff on TNG is let slide, but almost never here. Conundrum, as mentioned, is one of the most equivalent in terms of ridiculous alien technology. This would have probably been a bit better if they gave up the gag to the viewer at the beginning. Though, Conundrum probably only did because there was no way to hide it. It’s definitely flawed in a bunch of ways. The crew should have been a lot more skeptical. Too good to be true and a convenient weirdo. And yes, lots of holes. But it did have some great stuff. As mentioned, the Seven/Janeway stuff is great, with some funny lines. And it was nice to see that Artus had planted evidence against Seven, but Janeway dismissed it out of hand. But, the biggest thing is that there were actual consequences to Janeway’s actions in Scorpion, and Janeway is called out on them. Arturis makes a pretty scorching indictment. He lost his civilization because of Janeway. It might have been nice to up that, saying Arturis’s people had actually been working with 8472— but his comments could mean that. Voyager is often criticized for having endless reset buttons and no consequences, but here one sits, waiting.

"It's a lean ship, Captain. No shuttlecraft, only one transporter, no holodecks, no replicators." This should have been a red flag...especially the "no replicators". Why would Starfleet not include replicators for a three month journey?

Bob (a different one)

Anybody else on Team Arturis? I kind of think it's funny that Jammer got so worked up by the preview for this episode. It's kind of charming to think that in the pre internet age someone could think "This is the week they make it home!" and be genuinely disappointed when they don't. Some posters have mentioned that Arturis' plan strains credulity and that he'd have to "have the power of a god" to pull it off. I think people fall into the trap of thinking that all space faring races are of similar advancement; that there are Q level "gods" and then everyone else. Maybe a little more advanced, maybe a little less. Species 116 stayed one step ahead of the Borg for centuries. Arturis could master languages in seconds after hearing only a few sentences. They may not be Q but they are clearly far far ahead of humanity. Serious question: do the writers want us to dislike Janeway? My impression of her in episodes like "Scorpion" is that she is a dangerous autocratic fool, but I assumed that the producers actually wanted me to think of her as a wiley iron willed leader. But then they write a character like Arturis who harshly, but fairly, rips her apart for blithely wrecking havoc through the Delta Quadrant. Do the writers give Janeway an impassioned speech defending her actions. No. They have her give a lame "I couldn't have known" excuse. Which is a lie because Chakotay warned her in "Scorpion" and suggested that they not make a hasty decision. And then you have the next episode, "Night", which puts the final nail in the coffin of the idea that Janeway is a competent captain. What was the plan here? A couple of more positives: Kate Mulgrew's acting was much more natural this week. No swaggering or exaggerated face/hand movements. Ray Wise did a great job. Final judgment: I liked this episode. I would have liked it more if Janeway was assimilated.

“What was the plan here?” Plan? What’s that? This is VOY. Joking aside, I don’t think that they wanted the audience to dislike Janeway. Quite the opposite actually. They were convinced that people wouldn’t accept the first female Trek captain if she was criticized in any way. So.... what? They thought Trek fans were frothing at the mouth sexists? I’ll go out on a limb and say the answer to that is an unqualified “no”. People won’t automatically disrespect a female character if she’s shown as being in the wrong. That’s because women happen to be these things called “Humans” and are therefore just as capable of error as men. Shocking, I know, right? Yet, because they felt that way but also desperately wanted fans to accept Janeway, they almost NEVER let Janeway be shown as in the wrong. She always had to be right, even when she CLEARLY wasn’t. That’s why Ronald D. Moore had such a short tenure on VOY. He couldn’t stand that there were no consequences for Janeway in the aftermath of her actions in “Equinox, Part II”. It’s also why I hate “Alliances” - Janeway makes exactly the wrong decision and yet gets to pontificate to the audience that obviously she was right all along. If you ask me, in their fear that their own audience were sexist pigs, they ended being the only sexists in the game.

Amelia Batehart

@Luke Completely disagree with you on this one. The problem I had with TNG is that the writers NEVER ever showed Picard to be wrong, or fallible....he was completely incorruptible. Janeway, on the other hand was shown to be ruthless to the point of dangerous in her decision making - something which a lot of male fans continue to judge her for. Picard was way too perfect for me, and I couldn't stand it when admirals came on board the enterprise and he always had to end up morally better than them by the end of the episode.

If you ask me, in their fear that their own audience were sexist pigs, they ended being the only sexists in the game. --- The left always shoot themselves in the foot.

"At its fundamental core, a story like "Hope and Fear" strikes me as almost completely pointless." (Jammer...back in the day). I think the point of the episode was to render homage to the Twilight Zone installment "To Serve Man". This would explain: (1) the gross enlargent of the Ray Wise character's cranium; (2) the 'message decoding' aspect, particularly given the belated revelation that the 'benevolent alien' is actually not all that nice.. AND (3) the entrapment of key figures as the alien shuts the door....so they can be devoured by the Borg. The similarities are stark. The alternate point of the episode, is to teach a lesson about trust vs. FEAR, HOPE vs. illusion, especially using the idea that when it looks too good to be true, it probably is... which is pretty much stated during the Janeway - Tuvok discussion mid-episode. It also teaches the important lesson that uncompromsing quests for vengence are not that intelligent. It is particularly satisfying that Arturis is "Hoist with his own petard". I liked the episode a lot on its own terms. Many good scenes within it allow me to recommend it to others, 3.5 stars!

Random nits: — Janeway specifically refers to the possibility of Seven's "returning" to Earth. Seven said in another episode, "I’ve never even been to Earth." OK, maybe Janeway wasn’t there when Seven said that. — Janeway mentions to Seven her (Seven's) living on Voyager among "150 humans." I thought the crew complement was like 148 (Janeway may have been rounding up), but the real nit is that not all the humanoids on Voyager are humans. There’s a Talaxian and at least two Vulcans. There’s a half-Ktarian. There are at least two Bolians, and one half-Klingon. There were at least two Betazoids (Suder and Stasi, though they were both gone by the time Seven showed up) and could be more. There was at least one Bajoran (Tabor, the guy who didn’t like the Cardassian holo-doctor when Torres had the giant bug on her). There was one Cardassian, but no one knew she was a Cardie when Voyager's journey began; there was an Ocampa too, but both Fresca and Kes were gone by the time Seven came along. Seven and Kes were in two of the same episodes, though, three if you count "Fury," but except for "Fury" they had no scenes together. Yes, I know what Martha Hackett's character's name was.

It's interesting that Arturis doesn't blame the Borg at all because he views them as insects operating on instinctual level, and he judges Voyager because Janeway was operating on reason. Clearly we are supposed to be on Voyager's side here, but I feel safe to assure you that Arturis' view of Voyager's majestic trip through the Delta Quadrant to get home is considered , AT BEST, selfish, but much more likely considered depraved. I believe Voyager's trek would unite the surviving Delta Quadrant's powers against the Feds. Is it any wonder Earth has to fight off whale searching cigars?

The ship is experimental and they were only able to keep it running for five days in the Alpha Quadrant, according to the fake decoded message. Yet the ship was set on auto-pilot and sent across the galaxy, no problem? To me, the hoax was obvious when they didn't send a Starfleet crew along with the ship. Why would Starfleet send such a valuable asset without any crew to the Delta Quadrant? It should have a skeleton crew at the very least.

Seven's joke to Janeway about assimilation made me laugh.

I felt Arturis was the wrong person in the wrong series to arrange his own assimilation. I wanted Dukat to ask to be assimilated.

Were we as the audience supposed to view Arturis as the ‘bad guy’? Or did the writers intend for there to be a debate at the center of this, where both sides have points? I only ask because, for me, Arturis was right. And the way the show played out, Janeway wound up looking pretty stupid. It’s a curious situation from a creative standpoint, I genuinely don’t know how the writers wanted me to see Arturis or Janeway. Which has led me to view the show through a strange prism. Basically I see voyager as being about an incompetent captain thrust into extraordinary circumstances and floundering from one mistake to the next. Sometimes it feels like that’s how the show was actually intended, but I don’t think it really was. In any event, with the exception of the captain Ahab routine, I agree with Arturis. Janeway had way too little information to side with the Borg against species 8472. She and her crew interacted with one, wounded and isolated 8472, in the middle of a war zone. And their primary conduit for contact was kes, whose telepathy was unreliable at best. I understand avoiding further conflict with a species so evidently powerful, but to join forces with a known terror and basically bail out the federation’s worst enemy after one brief pseudo-skirmish? Sheesh.

EventualZen

@Idh2023 >Basically I see voyager as being about an incompetent captain thrust into extraordinary circumstances She literally saved the galaxy from species 8472, amongst other good deeds.

"Sometimes it feels like that’s how the show was actually intended, but I don’t think it really was." It is rather weirdly written. I mean in Scorpion Chakotay, in his best speech of the entire series, sets out in perfectly cogent compelling terms precisely why Janeway was making the wrong decision for the wrong reasons. And hello Prime Directive? Prime Directive anyone? So while I think the writers still expect us to side with Janeway, I have no Earthly clue why. The very fact that Arcturis, a native of the Delta Quadrant from an advanced highly intelligent race (far above the Federation) seems to think helping the Borg was a mistake is pretty damning. And all Janeway can say to the guy is that she judged 8472 the greater threat. Well whoopdie doo. Maybe Arcturis's race knew something she didn't hmm? Maybe she should have followed that Prime Directive thing instead of making a snap judgment to help a known mortal enemy in a war she knew nothing about for completely self serving reasons. "She literally saved the galaxy from species 8472, amongst other good deeds." Highly doubtful in light of what Arcturis tells us (they saw 8472 as their saviours) not to mention the episode "In the Flesh" where 8472 turn out to be completely reasonable and in no way the implacable unreasoning fanatics Janeway assumed based on Kes's three second telepathic transmission.

@Jason R. >Highly doubtful in light of what Arcturis tells us (they saw 8472 as their saviours) not to mention the episode "In the Flesh" where 8472 turn out to be completely reasonable I consider that a ret-con because originally Species 8472 said "We will purge your galaxy". A lot of people complain that the writers de-fanged the Borg and gave them a queen instead of being a hive mind but it's also true that they changed 8472.

Sorry EventualZen, Janeway didn’t save the galaxy in this case. Rather she helped kill an undetermined number of 8472 based off the angry ramblings of one injured member of that species filtered through a novice telepath. Team voyager needed more info before wading into the Borg/8472 conflict. Chakotay basically stated that exact idea fairly eloquently. This was nothing short of a monumental screw up.

Michael Miller

The whole quantum slipstream thing is weird in my opinion. They are talking about propulsion through space and faster than light travel/subspace..etc, that's all general relativity, what the hell does a "quantum drive" have to do with it? Likewise it completely contradicts timeless. In that episode they could barely control their course and the slightest phase values or whatever put them in danger, yet in this one they were firing torpedos while inside the magic tunnels or whatever, and could just swerve to the right into another tunnel when they felt like it. Likewise, and here's the biggest, even more ridiculous plot hole than the alien knowing about their history the person above mentioned..if starfleet really developed this technology and had 47 successful runs, why the fuck did they send an EMPTY SHIP. That right there should have been a red flag! Why didn't at least 1 or 2 admirals bring some supplies and meet them in the delta quandrant? No it totally makes sense they would just send an EMPTY StarShip because apparently they wouldn't have enough room or supplies or whatever for a grand total of 6 months? LOL LOL LOL!!! A comment about the ending however, I think that guy secretly wanted to be assimilated, sort of like survivors guilt, thinking maybe he could somehow be with his family again, via the collective consciousness or whatever. The whole being able to drag captain hard-ass with him as revenge was probably just icing on the cake if anything and not the main reason. But then of course, just as we thought the next season couldn't get more ridiculous, 2 episodes into season 4 we have kes turning into a Q or hyperdimensional God or whatever to just fling the ship across the galaxy with her mind, so I'm not going to complain much about this one..

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Recap / Star Trek: Voyager S4 E24: "Hope and Fear"

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However, as the Voyager crew inspects the new ship and tries to become familiar with it, Ensign Harry Kim discovers that the Dauntless isn't what it appears to be, and Janeway restores a message that Arturis claimed was unrecoverable which indicates that Starfleet never sent the ship at all. Arturis reveals that the ship was a trap intended to capture Voyager 's crew and send them straight into Borg-occupied space to be assimilated as Borg, to punish them for Captain Janeway's decision to side with the Borg against Species 8472 (see "Scorpion").

This episode provides examples of:

  • Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene : Seven and Janeway in the brig.
  • Aliens Speaking English : Arturis doesn't need a universal translator—he is one.
  • Arc Number : Admiral Hayes says the Dauntless conducted 47 trial runs of the slipstream drive before they sent it to the Delta Quadrant.
  • Be Careful What You Wish For : Arturis: This is what you wanted all along, isn't it? To go back to your Collective? You should thank me!
  • Bittersweet Ending : In the end, the Voyager crew learns how to reproduce a quantum slipstream drive that later proves instrumental in hastening the trip home, but Arturis cannot forgive the Voyager crew for the inadvertent assimilation of his race; instead of attempting to rebuild with his people, he attempts a Pyrrhic Victory to get Janeway and Seven assimilated by the Borg along with himself, but fails, and resigns himself to the fate he had initially escaped from. Janeway and her crew now also have to live with the fact that they enabled the Borg to wipe out another civilization due to their alliance against Species 8472 during the events of " Scorpion ".
  • Book Ends : Seven and Janeway playing Velocity.
  • After being thrown in the brig by Arturis, Janeway reminds Seven of their confrontation in the brig in "The Gift".
  • In "Scorpion", Chakotay warned Janeway that providing the Borg with a weapon against Species 8472 would lead to the assimilation of innocent species.
  • The Starfleet admiral in the message is Admiral Hayes, who ordered Picard and the Enterprise -E to patrol the Neutral Zone while he led the defensive battle against the Borg in Star Trek: First Contact . The film never said whether he'd survived after his ship was destroyed , but apparently he did.
  • The Chains of Commanding : Janeway: I'm your captain. That means I can't always be your friend.
  • The encrypted message from Starfleet that Voyager received in "Hunters".
  • Janeway tells the crew to see about adapting the Quantum Slipstream Drive so they can bring Voyager with them. This comes in handy when Chakotay has to chase after his kidnapped Captain.
  • Continuity Nod : Seven flinches when Janeway first goes to adjust her cortical node, a possible reference to " Retrospect ".
  • Conversation Cut : Between the Captain's Log and Seven of Nine's personal log, showing Janeway's hopes and Seven's fears.
  • Cool Starship : Putting aside the fact that it's a trap for the Voyager crew, a quantum-slipstream starship that can cross the galaxy in a matter of months is pretty damn cool.
  • Corrupted Data : Arturis tells Janeway that part of the message is too degraded to be decrypted. Good thing Janeway takes another crack at it, as it's the part that proves Arturis a liar.
  • Deadpan Snarker : Janeway: In case I never get a chance to say this — I realize that I've been hard on you at times. But it was never out of anger, or regret that I brought you on board. I'm your Captain. That means I can't always be your friend. Understand? Seven: No. However, if we are assimilated, our thoughts will become one, and I'm sure I will understand perfectly. (off Janeway's look) A joke, Captain. You told me to work on my sense of humor.
  • Despair Event Horizon : When the Borg no longer had to worry about Species 8472, Arturis says his entire species ultimately suffered this. Arturis: The outer colonies were the first to fall; 23 in a matter of hours. Our sentry vessels tossed aside. No defense against the storm. And by the time they had surrounded our star system, hundreds of cubes. We had already surrendered to our own terror.
  • Does This Remind You of Anything? : Janeway and Seven's relationship continues to be very much like a parent dealing with an angsty teenager. In this case, Seven proposing to leave the ship plays exactly like a teenager threatening to run away from home, despite having no clear plans about where they're going to go.
  • Did Not Think This Through : Seven confronts Janeway and tells her she's not going with them to the Alpha Quadrant. Janeway: What would you do? Go back to the Collective? Seven: I don't know. Janeway: Then what, exactly, do you have in mind? Seven: I don't know. Janeway: That's my point. You're asking me to cast you adrift in the Delta Quadrant alone, without support. I wouldn't grant that request to any member of this crew because it's too dangerous . Seven: I will survive. Janeway: On what — Borg perfection?
  • Do Anything Drone : Seven's nanoprobes save the day yet again.
  • Earth Is the Center of the Universe : For the crew, but not Seven.
  • Don't Touch It, You Idiot! : B'Elanna stops Arturis from 'accidentally' hitting the Big Red Icon that will engage the slipstream drive.
  • Face Assimilation With Dignity : Surrounded by Borg cubes, Arturis waits in the command chair for the inevitable.
  • Fictional Sport : Velocity is first shown here. It can only be described as competitive skeet shooting combined with dodgeball... using phasers.
  • Fly-at-the-Camera Ending : Roll credits on Seven firing at the Velocity disc as it flies toward the screen.
  • Forged Message : Arturis manipulates the message from Starfleet to make it look like they'd sent the Dauntless , as a trap for the Voyager crew.
  • Forgotten Phlebotinum : Averted as Seven wants to keep working on the Quantum Slipstream Drive. This leads to the events of " Timeless ". (It also gets a namecheck 900 years later in DISCO : " That Hope Is You, Pt 1 ," where the technology is reliable, but the fuel source is so scarce as to be practically unattainable. So far the drive's only reliable use is in the not-precisely-canon relaunch novels .)
  • Fragile Speedster : The Dauntless may be extremely fast with her quantum slipstream drive, but her Deflector Shields are no match for a few torpedoes from Voyager .
  • Friendship Moment : From Harry, B'Elanna and Captain Janeway to Seven.
  • Gallows Humor : Right before Seven tries to take control of Arturis' ship, Seven jokes that she will better understand Janeway's motivations if they end up assimilated.
  • Glamor Failure : How Harry discovers the truth about the Dauntless . While poking around engineering he accidentally shorts out a panel, which briefly changes from Starfleet-style to alien tech.
  • Gunship Rescue : Voyager and a few photon torpedoes.
  • For once someone justifies this trope as more than just "follow your hunch because it feels right" when Seven questions Janeway's claim of "intuition" in hitting the target before she could see it. Janeway explains that the intuition was founded on the sound of the disc and knowing its angle of trajectory before she did her Unnecessary Combat Roll , therefore she could reasonably guess where it would be.
  • When Janeway is suspicious and keeps working on decrypting the message, she notes with irony that it's only intuition if she's right. She is.
  • Handwave : Arturis dismisses the technology used to mimic the Starfleet vessel as "beyond your comprehension."
  • Headbutting Heroes : Seven vs. Janeway.
  • The heavily-encrypted message from Starfleet Command, that has been a plot point since " Hunters ". Turns out it's just an apology video from Admiral Hayes and some maps of the Delta Quadrant. Janeway getting her hopes up, only to have them dashed yet again, could well be behind her subsequent Heroic BSoD in "Night".
  • According to Arturis, Species 8472 began waging war on the Borg just as the Collective was closing in on his species. As he says, the war was their last hope to survive.
  • Hyperspeed Escape : Arturis and the Dauntless pull one on Voyager — until our heroes respond with a Hyperspeed Ambush .
  • I Did What I Had to Do : Janeway's response to Arturis' What the Hell, Hero? speech.
  • Implausible Deniability : When his ruse is discovered, Arturis tries to claim that he saw Seven modify parts of the message and insists they'll find proof if they search her logs. Janeway knows it's bogus without even looking at it, because he's asking her to believe Seven somehow procured an entire starship from nowhere.
  • Improvised Lockpick : Janeway removes a microfilament from her commbadge to rewire Seven's cortical implant so she can walk through the Forcefield Door .
  • Irrevocable Order : Arturis burns out the navigation controls to make rerouting the ship impossible, rather than risk Janeway and Seven stopping the ship somehow. Then Voyager turns up .
  • Ironic Echo Cut : Chakotay says that if he knows the Captain, she's already got a plan of escape. Cut to Janeway and Seven behind a forcefield, admitting they can't think of a way out.
  • Kirk Summation : Janeway tries this on Arturis, encouraging him to look past revenge. He responds with a Shut Up, Kirk! and a phaser shot, just when Voyager beams Janeway and Seven aboard.
  • Laser-Guided Karma : Arturis intended to get the entire Voyager crew, but he succeeds in capturing Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine—the woman who made the Enemy Mine decision and a former Borg drone.
  • Ludicrous Speed : The slipstream.
  • Made of Iron : Arturis' people are obviously tougher than they look: he survives being shot by a phaser on a high enough setting that it burns through his shirt, but is seemingly none the worse for wear afterward, even able to overpower two Security officers at once.
  • Multicultural Alien Planet : Harry Kim mentions that Earth has hundreds of alien races living on it.
  • My Brain Is Big : Arturis has a big head, as benefits a living computer (but where are the heat-radiating fins?)
  • Nice Job Fixing It, Villain : Seven gained too much knowledge of the ship with Arturis' help, enabling her to sabotage the Quantum Slipstream drive, slowing it enough for Voyager to catch up.
  • Non-Malicious Monster : Arturis sees the Borg as a force of nature. "You don't feel anger toward a storm on the horizon; you just avoid it."
  • No Sense of Personal Space : Janeway pets Tuvok a lot while talking to him in private.
  • Nothing Personal : Arturis doesn't hold a grudge against Seven, or even the Borg Collective in general. With Captain Janeway though, It's Personal . "I don't blame them. They were just drones, acting with their Collective instinct. (points at Janeway) YOU...YOU HAD A CHOICE!"
  • Old Windbag : Admiral Hayes, according to Janeway.
  • Omniglot : Arturis is a "living universal translator" who knows over 4000 languages.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech : Seven to Janeway. Also, Arturis to Janeway, as part of his Motive Rant .
  • Red Herring : The encrypted message from Starfleet Command that Janeway's been trying to decode since "Hunters"? Turns out it's just a collection of long range star maps of the Delta Quadrant and an apology video from Admiral Hayes.
  • Revenge : Arturis' motivation for the whole scheme, to pay back Voyager for their turning the tide in the Borg vs. Species 8472 war.
  • Reverse the Polarity : B'Elanna: Try reversing the quantum field's polarity.
  • Sean Connery Is About to Shoot You : In the end, as they start their new game, Seven's phaser hits the camera, which fades to the end credits.
  • Shooting Gallery : Velocity is a game in which the players have to shoot a self-propelled, ricocheting energy Frisbee with phasers.
  • Single-Biome Planet : In what's likely an in-joke re this trope, Harry when singing the praises of Earth mentions that it's got "every ecosystem you could imagine."
  • Skewed Priorities : Arturis argues that if Janeway had seen "beyond the bow of her own ship," then she would've recognized that a number of species native to the Delta Quadrant were rooting for Species 8472 to eliminate the most persistent threat in the region.
  • Sore Loser : Seven is not happy when Janeway beats her at Velocity. She demands a rematch and, when Janeway refuses, accuses her of only doing so because Seven has greater stamina and will win in the long term.
  • Status Quo Is God : After sorting out the Problem of the Week and getting Voyager another 300 light years closer to home, the Quantum Slipstream collapses and they conclude that the risk to Voyager 's structural integrity means they can't chance using it again — at least until " Timeless " in the following season, whereupon it is more successful but still ultimately unusable.
  • Stranger in a Familiar Land : Seven is faced with this if she returns to Earth.
  • Techno Babble : More fun with the concept. Arturis: It's just a matter of extracting the iconometric elements and triaxilating a recursion matrix. Janeway: Now why didn't I think of that?
  • There Are No Coincidences : Voyager meets an alien genius who can decode the Starfleet message in a matter of minutes, revealing some nearby coordinates where a prototype Starfleet vessel is waiting to take them home. Janeway lampshades that this seems Too Good to Be True , and is later proven correct.
  • This Is Unforgivable! : When Janeway uncovers that Arturis put one over on her and her crew, needless to say, she is pissed. At the climax, however, she forgoes this attitude and tries to give Arturis one last chance for redemption, which he refuses .
  • This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman : Deliberately invoked by Arturis, who may very likely have orchestrated this whole situation in the first place. He made contact with the Voyager crew and gained their trust, because he just happened to be around when the universal translator failed, his exceptional language skills being exactly what was needed to help them out.
  • Title Drop : Averted; Janeway talks about "hope and caution" in response to the Starfleet vessel. The fear is from Seven of Nine.
  • Done for a Rule of Threes , first as a joke, then seriously. Janeway: Admiral Hayes. Good man. Fine officer. Bit of a windbag.
  • And more seriously during Seven's "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Janeway. "Your desire to explore space is inefficient! Your need for familial connections is a weakness! Your infatuation with this planet is irrational !"
  • Janeway of course doesn't take this lying down. "This isn't about your independence or your superiority...this is about your fear."
  • Too Good to Be True : Janeway finds it a little too convenient that a shiny new Starfleet ship that could ferry everyone home in a few months just dropped into her lap. Not to mention that it somehow auto-piloted itself all the way across a galaxy where dangerous anomalies and hostile aliens are a weekly occurrence, and it sat adrift for who-knows-how-long without being scavenged by someone else.
  • Unfinished, Untested, Used Anyway : The quantum slipstream upgrades to Voyager . They succeed, but prove to be too dangerous for continued use — at least until " Timeless " in the following season, as well as the expanded Star Trek Novel 'Verse .
  • Verbal Backspace : Janeway: Sounds like you're starting to embrace your humanity . Seven: No. ( Beat ) But nothing is impossible.
  • What the Hell, Hero? : Captain Janeway gets this from Arturis, who blames her for the decision to back the Borg against Species 8472. As the latter were forced to retreat, the Borg were able to go on and assimilate his world. Janeway counters that at the time, she considered Species 8472 a far greater threat because of their outright omnicidal campaign of conquest .
  • When She Smiles : Seven of Nine favours Kim with a warm smile when he says things won't be the same without her.
  • Why Don't You Just Shoot Him? : Arturis does this too late; his phaser beam passes through Janeway's body as she's beamed off the ship.
  • Star Trek Voyager S 4 E 23 One
  • Recap/Star Trek: Voyager
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Hope and Fear

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When the Voyager crew discovers an alien vessel in the Delta Quadrant, they rush to investigate its potential, but they find much more than they bargained for. On board the vessel, they discover a man named Arturis, who claims to be the creator of a device that can help the crew get back to their home planet quickly and safely.

However, Arturis’ plan is far from straightforward, as he has seeded the Delta Quadrant with a device that will activate a subspace rift that will take the Voyager crew back to their home planet. But in order to do so, the crew is going to have to take a huge risk and agree to a proposal that Arturis puts forth.

Arturis’ proposal is that he will exchange a person from the Voyager crew for someone from the Delta Quadrant, and that the exchange would be facilitated by a device he has created that can create a bridge between two people. Arturis believes that this exchange could bridge the gap between the two worlds, and that it could lead to a more peaceful future between the Voyager crew and the inhabitants of the Delta Quadrant.

At first, the Voyager crew is reluctant to agree to this bargain, as they are not sure if they can trust Arturis or the device he has created. However, after careful consideration and a bit of discussion, the Voyager crew agrees to the bargain, as they believe that the potential of a better future with the Delta Quadrant is worth the risk they have taken.

With the bargain agreed to, the Voyager crew begins to prepare themselves for the exchange. Once they have done so, they activate the device and begin the exchange process. But suddenly, the device malfunctions and the exchange does not go as planned.

As a result, the crew is left confused and uncertain about what to do. However, they continue to investigate the malfunction and eventually discover that Arturis has been manipulating them. Arturis had planted a device on the Voyager crew that would activate an artificial wormhole, which would trap the Voyager crew in the Delta Quadrant forever.

Although the Voyager crew is ready to fight back against Arturis’ plans, they realize that they may not be able to defeat his device, and so they must rely on hope and faith to get them through this crisis. With that, the Voyager crew engages in a battle with Arturis, using their ingenuity and courage to find a way to defeat him.

In the end, the Voyager crew is able to outsmart Arturis and escape the Delta Quadrant, all the while learning an important lesson: that with hope and faith, anything is possible.

Related Posts

Equinox (part 2), persistence of vision.

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Hope and Fear

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Star Trek: Voyager's VFX Team Fought Hard Against One Hope And Fear Scene

Star Trek: Voyager Ray Wise

In the "Star Trek: Voyager" episode "Hope and Fear" (May 20, 1998), a visiting alien named Arturis (Ray Wise) helpfully translates some coded information that the U.S.S. Voyager had recently discovered on an abandoned communications network. Arturis unexpectedly decodes the location of a nearby empty Starfleet vessel called the U.S.S. Dauntless, an experimental craft that is equipped with a new kind of warp "slipstream" technology. The Dauntless, unbeknownst to the Voyager crew, was sent specifically out to the Delta Quadrant to bring the Voyager crew back to Earth, and Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) is elated.

It will eventually be revealed, of course, that the Dauntless is an elaborate booby trap constructed by Arturis, who had been secretly hellbent on revenge. His species had recently been assimilated by the Borg, and he blamed Janeway for his planet's destruction. About a year earlier, Janeway had allied with the Borg to pass through a portion of their space safely. Rather than destroy the Borg, she let them go on with their destructive plan, and Arturis' world was destroyed shortly thereafter. Arturis planned to use the fake Dauntless to shunt Janeway and her crew directly back into Borg space where they would be assimilated themselves. 

The slipstream technology was real, however, and there are several scenes wherein the Voyager and the Dauntless are soaring through what looks like a cosmic tunnel, traveling at unfathomable speeds. The special effects used to create the slipstream were discussed at length in the November 1998 issue of Cinefantastique magazine, and the crew were proud of what they had created. An issue arose, however, when they realized they needed to show the Voyager making a U-turn at high speeds. Some conflict arose over how that would be visually accomplished. 

TV CGI in 1998

It's worth noting that "Star Trek" was shifting over to CGI technology in the late 1990s, a dramatic change from the physical models the franchise typically employed throughout "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and most of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." CGI looked different but allowed the writers to go a little wilder with their spaceship concepts. The exterior of the Dauntless was designed by longtime Trek designer Rick Sternbach, and it was rendered in 3-D by Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz. The same was done for the Voyager, as both ships would use the slipstream tech. 

The CGI, however, presented new challenges. Special Effects supervisor Ron B. Moore (no relation to longtime "Star Trek" writer Ronald D. Moore) recalled the U-turn scene and wondered how a ship that was traveling at many thousands of times the speed of light could make a hasty about-face without looking silly. His first idea was sound. Moore said: 

"It's described that the Voyager would make a U-turn. I just couldn't see that. We're going a ludicrous speed. It would take a really wide turn at this speed to make a U-turn. I tried to tell them that we'll cut to normal space, we'll see the Voyager pop out, and then we'll go back to the slipstream. And [then] see the Dauntless is still continuing, so we have a direct cut between what the two ships are doing." 

Cutting in and out of the slipstream "tunnel," as it were. That makes sense. Spinning a ship around and going back to where it came from, however, would have messed with the planned geography of the scene. Also, Rick Berman, one of the show's creators, objected to the "tunnel exit" effect, thinking all the action should take place inside the slipstream. Moore hated that.

'It will look cheesy'

It was agreed by the SFX technicians that exiting the slipstream, turning around, and re-entering it would make the most sense visually. Then the boss got involved. Moore continued: 

"Then Rick Berman saw it, and he felt differently. He wanted to see it inside [the slipstream]. Dan Curry and I said, 'We don't want to do it. It will look cheesy.' Well, that's just the way it is. We need to see the turn. So we talked to Mojo, and I told him what I wanted to see happen. He ran a test, sent it to me, and it wasn't quite there, but immediately I saw this is going to work. So I talked to Mojo and I also talked to John Teska about how I could get what I wanted based on what they had already shown me."

Dan Curry was one of the visual effects supervisors on "Voyager," as well as "Deep Space Nine," "Next Generation," and "Star Trek: Enterprise," so he knew the ins and outs of starships better than anyone. He also famously designed the bat'leth, the sword used by Klingons. Luckily, Mojo was able to use his CGI know-how to think outside the box. Teska has become a prolific digital artist for any number of high-profile blockbusters. Between the two of them, a "U-turn in a tunnel" was doable. 

"John gave us the shot," Moore said, "and it's really cool. It's another of those times where Rick was right." 

Berman got what he wanted, and it only took a little innovation to get it right. It was a wonderful case when everything came together correctly. Clips available online may give the reader a good idea of what the episode's final chases were like. 

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Published Feb 7, 2023

Star Trek 101: Seven of Nine

Rediscover the ex-Borg before her return for the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard!

Illustrated banner of Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard

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Seven of Nine returns for the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard , premiering on February 16.

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Key Art Character Poster of Seven of Nine

Portrayed by Jeri Ryan , the series regular joins LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, and Michelle Hurd star alongside Patrick Stewart in the highly anticipated Star Trek original series. Ahead of the series' return, we'll be revisiting the iconic role Ryan portrayed over the years.

Who is Seven of Nine?

"I am no longer Borg, but the prospect of becoming human is... unsettling. I don't know where I belong." — Seven of Nine, Star Trek: Voyager , " Hope and Fear "

star trek voyager hope and fear

Seven of Nine first appeared in the fourth season premiere of Star Trek: Voyager , " Scorpion, Part II ."

The daughter of human Federation exobiologists Magnus and Erin Hansen, the ex-Borg drone was born Annika Hansen on the Tendara Colony. At a very young age, she was captured and assimilated by the cybernetic species known as the Borg, who renamed her Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One.

star trek voyager hope and fear

Seven was liberated by the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager in 2374. She joined the crew and returned to the Alpha Quadrant with the starship in 2378. After her time on Voyager , she joined the Fenris Rangers, helping instill justice in lawless and dangerous regions of the galaxy.

star trek voyager hope and fear

Seven was assigned as the Borg liaison to Voyager when the Collective formed a temporary alliance with Janeway to defeat their mutual enemy, Species 8472. But you can't just trust a Borg; after they got rid of Species 8472, Seven tried to hand Voyager over to the Collective. Janeway responded by destroying Seven's link to the Borg and removing most of her high-tech hardware.

star trek voyager hope and fear

Seven initially resisted Janeway's attempts to restore her humanity, but eventually she came to accept her new life.

Key Episodes

" Scorpion " - The Borg drone designated as Seven of Nine

star trek voyager hope and fear

" Drone " - Seven of Nine's nanoprobes fuse with The Doctor's mobile emitter.

star trek voyager hope and fear

" Dark Frontier " - The Borg Queen attempts to lure Seven of Nine back to the hive.

star trek voyager hope and fear

This article was originally published on February 14, 2017.

Star Trek 101, co-authored by Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann, serves two functions — succinctly introduce Star Trek newcomers to the basic foundations and elements of the franchise and refresh the memories of longtime Trek fans.

Star Trek: Picard streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and is distributed concurrently by Paramount Global Content Distribution on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories, and in Canada, it airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

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Hope and Fear Stardate: 51978.2 Original Airdate: 20 May 1998

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star trek voyager hope and fear

Star Trek: Voyager’s 15 Creepiest Episodes, Ranked Worst To Best

  • Star Trek: Voyager's best episodes feature creepy storytelling, adding horror to the typical sci-fi themes.
  • Voyager's unique setting in the Delta Quadrant allowed for experimenting with unsettling plotlines.
  • Episodes like "Darkling," "The Thaw," and "Scientific Method" showcase exceptionally creepy storytelling.

Some of Star Trek: Voyager 's best episodes rely on creepy or unsettling storytelling. Like many of its sister Star Trek TV shows , Voyager employed a variety of storytelling styles to make its episodes interesting. The Star Trek franchise is known to cover a wide range of genres under the guise of science fiction , and episodes have ranged from comedic to dramatic and everything in between. While the franchise does both comedy and drama very well, a subset that it only sometimes dives into are episodes that rely on horror, suspense, or just generally creepy storytelling.

Although "creepy" isn't a common genre for Star Trek episodes, Voyager had its fair share of storylines that ranged from unsettling to downright horrifying. The show accomplished this so effectively in part by being set in the Delta Quadrant, an uncharted region of space that gave Voyager more free rein to experiment and introduce new alien species to the franchise . Thanks to the inclusion of aliens like the Vidiians, or the introduction of Star Trek 's first Starfleet serial killer, Voyager 's cast of characters was thrust into some amazingly creepy episodes over the show's seven seasons.

Every Upcoming Star Trek Movie & TV Show

Star trek: voyager season 3, episode 18.

Although "Darkling" is not a particularly well-liked Voyager episode, it is still a great example of the show's creepy storytelling. The episode mainly relied on imitating a literary classic, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde , as its inspiration, centering on the Doctor (Robert Picardo) who developed a dark personality after altering his program. "Darkling" was unfavorably reviewed at the time of its release, mainly for some holes in the plot, but there is no denying that Picardo's performance as the dark Doctor is truly chilling , and the Jekyll and Hyde homage is fairly well-done overall.

The Haunting of Deck Twelve

Star trek: voyager season 6, episode 25.

Although not a particularly well-known Voyager episode, "The Haunting of Deck Twelve" used extremely by-the-book creepy storytelling. Many of the tropes employed in the plot, such as Neelix (Ethan Phillips) narrating the episode's "ghost" story to the Borg children while the power is out on the ship, are lifted right from the suspense genre. "The Haunting of Deck Twelve" is technically the definition of "creepy," but its storyline failed to capture audience imagination in the same way that other similar episodes did.

Persistence of Vision

Star trek: voyager season 2, episode 8.

Plagued by some truly bizarre moments — such as Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and B'Elanna's (Roxann Dawson) hallucinated romance — "Persistence of Vision" nonetheless delivered a fairly compelling and definitely unsettling storyline. The concept of a mysterious alien who was able to manipulate perception so completely as to fool all of Voyager 's crew into falling for elaborate visions is creepy enough. However, the fact that the crew never learned who the alien actually was or why he had targeted them added an unpleasant note to the episode's finale.

Waking Moments

Star trek: voyager season 4, episode 13.

Similarly to "Persistence of Vision," "Waking Moments" used the crew's perception of reality as the driving force behind the episode's unsettling story, this time in the context of not being able to tell the difference between dreams and reality. The alien antagonists in "Waking Moments" were some of Voyager 's creepiest by far, especially when they appeared out of nowhere to the crew during their dreams. Additionally, other moments, such as Janeway's nightmare about a table of dead crewmembers in the mess hall, had almost a jump-scare quality that enhanced the episode's chilling vibes .

Every Time Janeway Died In Star Trek

Star trek: voyager season 3, episode 12.

"Macrocosm" combined the horror of an unknown virus with a plot reminiscent of Alien to create a memorable and extremely disturbing Voyager episode. The macrovirus itself was the driving force behind the episode's creepy elements, although the CGI used to create it looks somewhat dated when viewed by modern-day standards. Still, the concept of a massive virus as "Macrocosm's" antagonist was highly unsettling , and Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) arming herself with a phaser rifle and roaming the ship commando-style to take out the virus was definitely the episode's highlight.

Star Trek: Voyager season 3, episode 15

Rather than visiting horror on all of Voyager 's crew, "Coda" focused on Captain Janeway, putting her through the wringer as she was caught up in a Groundhog Day -like cycle of dying and being resurrected. The episode's strength was undeniably Janeway as a character and the dive into her past when the alien antagonist appeared as her father was a great addition to help fill out her backstory. "Coda" also had some truly unsettling moments, such as when the Doctor euthanized Janeway after she supposedly contracted the Vidiian Phage, or when Janeway observed her own death and funeral as a ghost.

Star Trek: Voyager season 5, episode 1

A stunningly suspenseful episode, "Night" kicked off Voyager season 5 with a bang, following the USS Voyager as it traveled through a completely starless region of space. The creepiness of "Night" came mainly from what the crew dubbed "the Void" and the psychological effects the lack of life in the region had on everyone. Seeing Neelix suffering from panic attacks or Captain Janeway's despondency was truly unsettling, and the reveal of the Void's resident alien species was a wonderfully suspenseful sequence of scenes that relied on several jump-scares to make the episode even better.

Star Trek: Voyager season 1, episode 5

As one of Voyager 's earliest creepy episodes, "Phage" introduced a terrifying Star Trek villain into the show's canon. The Vidiians were the epitome of body horror, disfigured as they were by the Phage and also by their morally questionable way of keeping themselves alive. Although Voyager attempted to make the Vidiians at least somewhat sympathetic, "Phage" was a disturbing ride from start to finish, starting with the Vidiians removing Neelix's lungs during an away mission. Introducing such a creepy episode so early on in Voyager 's run set the tone for many of the show's other horror-related episodes going forward.

Star Trek: Voyager Made A Big Improvement Over The Worst TOS Episode

Star trek: voyager season 4, episode 5.

Episodes dealing with sentient holograms were something of a theme on Voyager thanks to the Doctor, but "Revulsion" took the concept in a decidedly more disturbing direction. The episode ended up being almost like a slasher film thanks to its antagonist Dejaren (Leland Orser), a hologram who was so disgusted with organic beings that he turned into a serial killer and murdered his entire crew. Dejaren was truly chilling, and the scenes where he attempted to kill B'Elanna, even reaching into her chest to try and crush her heart, went beyond creepy into genuinely nightmare-inducing .

Scientific Method

Star trek: voyager season 4, episode 7.

Unlike some of its more horrifying counterparts, "Scientific Method" is a great example of creepy rather than scary. That's not to say the episode isn't extremely unsettling, since the core of it centered around invisible aliens performing invasive experiments on Voyager 's crew without their knowledge. Forced medical experimentation is always an upsetting topic , and scenes like Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) finally seeing what the aliens were doing to the crew really drove home the horror of the episode's premise.

Star Trek: Voyager season 2, episode 16

"Meld" was another early-season episode with a majorly creepy plot, introducing Star Trek 's first Starfleet serial killer . Although Lon Suder (Brad Dourif) was the episode's main source of sinister, "Meld" introduced a twist by having one of Voyager 's main characters, Tuvok (Tim Russ), also display a dark side thanks to the mind meld he shared with Suder after the former Maquis was found guilty of murder. Suder carried the unsettling scenes in the first half, but Tuvok brilliantly took up the mantle in the second, and seeing the unflappable Vulcan utterly lose control over his darker impulses was terrifying.

Star Trek: Voyager season 1, episode 14

Although "Phage" introduced the Vidiians, "Faces" took the species to a newly horrifying level. There was likely no more horrigying scene in all of Voyager than the Vidiian antagonist Sulan (Brian Markinson) killing the expendable Lieutenant Durst and removing his face to wear over his own. Sulan was a wonderfully creepy villain, made all the more gruesome by the fact that he believed what he was doing was for the greater good . "Faces" was also a tour-de-force for B'Elanna Torres, giving Roxann Dawson the chance to act against herself as the two halves of B'Elanna's personality.

Voyager Took Star Trek: TOS's Good & Evil Kirk To Another Level

Star trek: voyager season 2, episode 23.

With a cadre of great guest stars, including Michael McKean as the terrifying Clown, "The Thaw" drew on multiple means of scaring viewers. Thanks to a villain who was quite literally the embodiment of fear , the episode beautifully played with themes of the subconscious. Creepy clowns are a staple in the horror genre, and McKean's version was just as unsettling as any from classic horror lore. The ending scene of "The Thaw," which sees Captain Janeway beat the Clown at his own game, was also one of the most intense moments in Voyager history.

Star Trek: Voyager season 4, episode 25

Seven of Nine was the subject of some unforgettable Voyager episodes, but "One" is perhaps her finest performance. The episode focused on the psychological horror of isolation, something that was uniquely suited to Seven given her history with the Borg . As she was forced to pilot Voyager across a nebula alone while the whole crew was in stasis, Seven's nightmare of being completely alone became a reality. "One" played masterfully with the viewer's perception of what was and wasn't real, leading Seven to question everything as she became increasingly more disturbed by the effects her isolation was having on her.

Equinox, Parts 1&2

Star trek: voyager season 6, episode 26, and season 7, episode 1.

"Equinox" is not only one of Star Trek: Voyager 's best episodes but also the show's creepiest by far. The episode combined multiple unsettling factors, including a deadly alien species that was impossible to communicate with. However, "Equinox" actually made the audience feel bad for these aliens when faced with the crew of the USS Equinox's callous disregard for their lives. The Equinox crew committed some astonishing atrocities by using the murdered aliens's corpses to help fuel their ship, and the myriad moral dilemmas the episode raised were beautifully interwoven with an action-packed plot and stellar acting from the cast.

All episodes of Star Trek: Voyager are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Voyager

The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before. 

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

Release Date May 23, 1995

Genres Sci-Fi, Adventure

Network UPN

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Michael Piller, Rick Berman

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

Rating TV-PG

Star Trek: Voyager’s 15 Creepiest Episodes, Ranked Worst To Best

More From Forbes

Ailing voyager 1 spacecraft offers glimmer of hope to nasa.

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A NASA image of one of the Voyager space probes. Voyager 1 and its identical sister craft Voyager 2 ... [+] were launched in 1977 to study the outer Solar System and eventually interstellar space. (Photo by NASA/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

NASA’s pioneering Voyager 1 spacecraft is adventuring beyond our solar system, but all is not well with the elderly machine. Voyager 1 has essentially been speaking gibberish since November and NASA has been involved in a long-distance troubleshooting operation ever since. A new development is giving scientists and engineers some reason for hope.

Voyager 1 launched in 1977 on a mission to study the outer solar system. It just kept on going and eventually crossed into interstellar space in 2012. It’s had a remarkable life, but NASA intends to maintain contact with the probe and continue to gather data from a part of the universe never before visited by an Earth spacecraft. The recent data issue put a pause on Voyager 1’s science work.

The culprit seems to be the flight data subsystem, which gathers data from the spacecraft’s science instruments and also monitors the probe’s health. The FDS is supposed to talk to a telemetry modulation unit that sends the data back to Earth. The data has been unintelligible and unusable, but on March 3, something changed. “The Voyager mission team saw activity from one section of the FDS that differed from the rest of the computer’s unreadable data stream,” NASA said in an update on March 13.

The new signal was confusing, but at least it was different. An engineer working with NASA’s Deep Space Network—the communications and tracking network that talks to Voyager 1—decoded the signal and discovered a readout of the FDS memory. “The FDS memory includes its code, or instructions for what to do, as well as variables, or values used in the code that can change based on commands or the spacecraft’s status,” said NASA. “It also contains science or engineering data for downlink.”

The Voyager 1 team is now engaged in a sleuthing exercise that will compare the readout with previous information from before the glitch. This might help NASA finally diagnose the problem and come up with a fix. The new signal wasn’t just random. NASA sent a command known as a “poke” to the spacecraft on March 1 to prompt the FDS to flex its software and find a workaround to whatever is causing the problem.

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It’s complicated enough to fix a spacecraft when it’s near Earth, but Voyager 1 is 15 billion miles away. A radio signal must travel 22.5 hours to reach the probe and then it takes another 22.5 hours to receive a response. That’s like troubleshooting while swimming in molasses. NASA is also dealing with decades-old hardware, software and documentation. “The team is analyzing the readout,” said NASA. “Using that information to devise a potential solution and attempt to put it into action will take time.”

Voyager 1 and its twin Voyager 2 launched when disco reigned and Star Wars was just getting started. The spacecraft were built to last five years, but have now been in operation for over 46 years. NASA has turned off some of Voyager 1’s science instruments over time, but the spacecraft still has life left in it if the team can work through the data issue. It’s too soon to count the space pioneer out.

Amanda Kooser

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Screen Rant

Star trek actors say ds9 had more fire than voyager (literally).

When it comes to on-set pyrotechnics, DS9 beats Voyager as the hottest Star Trek show, according to actors on The Delta Flyers.

  • Deep Space Nine showcases more fire than Voyager, with pyrotechnics enhancing dramatic tension throughout the series.
  • Major Kira Nerys' bold move to torch Mullibok's home in "Progress" highlights the intense conflict in DS9.
  • The use of fire in DS9, both practical and visual effects, adds urgency and intensity to pivotal moments in the show.

Star Trek actors say that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has more fire than Star Trek: Voyager , and not just in terms of the dramatic tension, but quite literally. Voyager certainly has its fair share of pyrotechnics during its Delta Quadrant journey, but Deep Space Nine has more reasons for fire to play a part in its scripts . The crew of DS9 deals with common miscreants, spies, and criminals, while torpedoes rock the USS Defiant and planets deep in the throes of the Dominion War. The final episode of DS9 season 1, "In the Hands of the Prophets", even centers around a bomb threat at the DS9 station's school.

However, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 15, "Progress", sees Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) take a torch to the home of an elderly Bajoran man named Mullibok (Brian Keith) , in an effort to convince Mullibok to leave Bajor's moon, Jeraddo, before drilling for resources renders the moon uninhabitable. It's a bold move, especially after Kira spends most of the episode appealing to Mullibok's tender side, but Kira and Mullibok are equally stubborn. Mullibok insists he will remain on Jeraddo "as long as that cottage stands" , so destroying Mullibok's home is the only way to keep Mullibok from dying on Jeraddo once the drilling starts.

Major Kira's Best Star Trek DS9 Episodes

The difference between voyager and ds9: "we're pyros", ds9 gives new meaning to the term "hot set.".

On The Delta Flyers podcast, Star Trek: Voyager actors and hosts Garrett Wang and Robert Duncan McNeill discuss the plot and behind-the-scenes information of "Progress" with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Terry Farrell, who played Lt. Jadzia Dax . Kira's thorough pyrotechnic display late in the episode comes as a surprise to the actors, particularly Wang. Read their quotes below and listen to The Delta Flyers , starting at the 1:06:40 time stamp:

Garrett Wang: "To show the difference between Voyager and DS9, never once in seven years did anybody on Voyager torch anything."
Robert Duncan McNeill: "That's a lot of fire."
Terry Farrell: We're pyros."
Garrett Wang: "It was nerve-wracking, watching that scene."
Robert Duncan McNeill: "I think it was a VFX-enhancement, they probably had some fire there."

How Star Trek Shows Used Fire

Ds9 used fire safely, and as part of the plot..

When scripts require fire effects, Star Trek effects artists employ the use of live flames as well as VFX enhancement, and in some cases, both methods, as McNeill suggests on The Delta Flyers. Outdoor, on-location sets are often used in the interest of safety for actors and crew alike, which Farrell surmises is the case in the house-burning scene in "Progress". For interior sets, however, strict safety measures have to be in place . A common practice for enhancing the perceived danger in fire scenes is to film through smaller, contained flames held in front of the camera. The result is a starship or station that looks as though it's actually burning.

DS9' s denouement features the Fire Caves of Bajor prominently, because the popular tourist destination is the legendary habitat of the pah-wraiths, direct adversaries to the Bajoran Prophets living in the wormhole.

Terry Farrell's gleeful admission of being "pyros" comes with tongue planted firmly in cheek, but Farrell isn't exactly wrong, either. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine often calls for pyrotechnic effects of various sizes , creating different levels of urgency in different situations. Throughout DS9, fires range from ceremonial torches at the Bajoran temple to explosions in Ops and only increase from there, with damage to the USS Defiant and disasters on war-torn planets. From Major Kira torching Mullibok's home early in DS9 season 1, to the fierce battles of the Dominion War , fire ups the ante on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Source: The Delta Flyers , season 9, episode 14, "Progress"

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's Start Feels Bittersweet, And Really Drives Home How Much This Show Reminds Me Of Voyager

I don't want the ride to end.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 feels like the show's best season yet, and that's incredibly bittersweet. I was only given the first four episodes to screen of the upcoming Star Trek show , but it's clear that the final adventure of the Sonequa Martin-Green-led series is primed to be the best of the run. While watching, I couldn't help but feel it's bittersweet and be reminded of the same feelings I had when watching Voyager Season 5. 

I think in the years to come, a lot of comparisons will be made to both shows, especially since they're both available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription . Beyond the fact that they're both shows with women as captains of vessels, Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 nails the comparison, similar to how I felt when watching the Season 5 episodes of Voyager . As a note, this is a spoiler-free analysis of the final season, so don't worry about having any bits tarnished before the big premiere on April 4th. 

Both Discovery And Voyager Hit Their Stride Late In The Run

If I've had any criticism regarding Star Trek: Discovery since its beginning, it was that it often suffered from uneven storytelling. Seasons 1 through 3 delivered on building anticipation and delivering some great episodes, but it always felt like the ending never quite lived up to the expectation of what was being built towards. Many times I was left feeling that the show reached a climax weeks ahead of the season finale, and the rest was good, but not quite as thrilling. 

Star Trek: Discovery Season 4, in my opinion, was the first time one of this show's seasons appropriately built toward a satisfying ending that peaked at just the right time. Now imagine that same vibe in Season 5, except it's balls-to-the-wall right out the gate. As promised, the series is delivering on action in Season 5 , but as Doug Jones told CinemaBlend, it's not sacrificing the parts people love about Discovery in the process. This is the perfect blend of action and emotion, and there's even some episodic fun likely inspired by Strange New Worlds ' success . 

It feels like Discovery finally nailed its formula in Season 5, which is exactly how I felt about Star Trek: Voyager . The show gets a big boost with Jeri Ryan joining as Seven of Nine in Season 4, and then by Season 5, we have strong stories with her, The Doctor, Janeway, and everyone else. There's an argument often made that Season 5 of Voyager is the peak of Star Trek storytelling, even if other shows like The Next Generation were more consistently solid. 

That feeling is the same here with Discovery , in that when this show is good, it's phenomenal. Discovery didn't re-invent itself to find this formula either, it just found what will ultimately be the ideal framework for serialized storytelling in the franchise going forward. There's no denying some fans felt it stumbled along the way, but I'm confident they'll be fully on board with this incredible, thrilling adventure that puts them in search of a powerful artifact. 

The Strength Of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Will Have You Wishing We Had More Adventures

The massive downside of Star Trek: Discovery 's incredibly strong start to Season 5 is that for every thrill you have, it'll be in the back of your head that this show is ending. I can't tell you the number of times in the first four episodes that I said to myself, "Damn, if they just had another season or two." I very much have the feeling that the show is going to end its run on top and leave audiences begging for a follow-up and when to expect it.

The Doctor murdering people will haunt my dreams.

At the same time, I do have to wonder if Discovery would've kept this strong momentum or struggled in the same way in successive seasons as Voyager did. Voyager Seasons 6 and 7 certainly weren't bad if you overlook the weird Chakotay and Seven romance, but there's no denying Season 5 was the peak. I can't say  Discovery  would've followed the same pattern as  Voyager , but I can say that if it did, I would've gladly watched the next two seasons and sooner had the show ended like that than get this abrupt ending. 

The good news is that while Star Trek: Discovery will end as a series, the story is never truly over for these characters. Assuming the final scene shot that gave Doug Jones closure isn't the entire crew dying in a violent explosion, there will be opportunities in the future for this crew to appear in other projects and adventures. We also already have the first spinoff movie in development, with Star Trek: Section 31 's production kicking off , so it's not like the franchise is shying away from developing new projects based on it. 

And just to reiterate, these are just my thoughts and feelings on the first four episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5. Paramount+ did not provide the remaining six episodes of the season so far, though based on what is set up in these episodes, I'm optimistic the quality will continue throughout the rest of the season. There are some big surprises in store for viewers that make themselves known from the first episode, and it's the kind of surprise that, again, makes you wish there were just more episodes for more moments like this to happen. 

Star Trek: Voyager has yet to get a movie, though I'd argue now is the perfect time for one. Star Trek: The Original Series , however, ended up getting six movies years after its cancellation. I can't say for sure what's possible in the modern streaming market, but I would wager that if the fans want it and the cast is available and willing, there are going to be opportunities in the future to bring back the Discovery crew for movies set in the 32nd century. For now, we have ten more episodes to enjoy, and I think fans definitely will like them. 

Star Trek fans can stream the first two episodes of Discovery Season 5 when they premiere on Paramount+ Thursday, April 4th. Keep with CinemaBlend in the coming weeks as we talk more about the upcoming season and share all we learned from the cast in our interviews about the past, present and future of Discovery !

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Mick Joest

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series)

Hope and fear (1998), kate mulgrew: capt. kathryn janeway.

  • Quotes (20)

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Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, and Ray Wise in Star Trek: Voyager (1995)

Quotes 

Arturis : You negotiated an agreement with the Borg Collective: safe passage through their space, and in return you helped them defeat one of their enemies.

Seven of Nine : Species 8472.

Arturis : In your colorful language, yes, Species 8472. Did it ever occur to you that there were those of us in the Delta Quadrant with a vested interest in that war? Victory would have meant annihilation of the Borg, but you couldn't see beyond the bow of your own ship!

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : In my estimation, Species 8472 posed a greater threat than the Borg.

Arturis : Who are you to make that decision? A stranger to this quadrant!

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : There wasn't exactly time to take a poll. I had to act quickly.

Arturis : My people managed to elude the Borg for centuries - outwitting them, always one step ahead - but in recent years, the Borg began to weaken our defenses, they were closing in, and Species 8472 was our last hope to defeat them. You took that away from us! The outer colonies were the first to fall, twenty-three in a matter of hours. Our sentry vessels tossed aside, no defense against the storm, and, by the time they surrounded our star system, hundreds of cubes. We had already surrendered to our own terror. A few of us managed to survive - ten, twenty thousand. I was fortunate, I escaped with a vessel, alone, but alive. I don't blame them. They were just drones, acting with their collective instinct. You! You had a choice!

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : All of this is just a little too perfect. The alien genius with the answers to all of our problems; the message from Starfleet telling us everything we want to hear; a starship delivered to our doorstep - what more could we ask for? They even turned down the beds. The only thing missing was chocolates on the pillows.

Tuvok : It does seem convenient.

Seven of Nine : [after losing a match of velocity to Janeway]  You are a frustrating opponent. During the final round, after you dropped your phaser, you did not even look at the disk, and yet you were able to acquire the target.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Intuition.

Seven of Nine : Intuition is a human fallacy, the belief that you can predict random events.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Oh, belief had nothing to do with it. At some level, conscious or otherwise, I was aware of several factors: the trajectory of the disk after I hit the wall, the sound it made on its return, and the shadow it cast on the hologrid.

Seven of Nine : Intriguing but implausible.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : I won, didn't I?

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : A way home. We've been waiting for this moment for years. Why don't I feel more enthusiastic?

Tuvok : Perhaps my mental discipline is rubbing off on you.

[Janeway and Seven have been kidnapped by Arturis] 

Chakotay : [aboard Voyager]  If I know the Captain, she's already got a plan.

[on Arturis's ship, the Captain and Seven are held behind a force field] 

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Any ideas?

Seven of Nine : Not presently.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : We'd better think of something. We come face to face with your former family in less than an hour, and that's one reunion I'd like to miss.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : In case I never get a chance to say this - I realize that I've been hard on you at times, but it was never out of anger or regret that I brought you on board. I'm your Captain. That means I can't always be your friend. Understand?

Seven of Nine : No; however, if we are assimilated, our thoughts will become one, and I'm sure I will understand perfectly.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : [referring to Arturis]  Have you encountered his people before?

Seven of Nine : Species 116.

Arturis : Is *that* what you call us?

Seven of Nine : Yes. The Borg has never been able to assimilate them - not yet.

[Seven has refused to help Voyager get back to the Alpha Quadrant] 

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : This isn't about your independence or your superiority. This is about your fear. You're not making this choice because you've outgrown humanity. I think you're afraid to go back to Earth.

Seven of Nine : You were correct, Captain.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Mmm.

Seven of Nine : My desire to remain in the Delta Quadrant was based on fear. I am no longer Borg, but the prospect of becoming human is... unsettling. I don't know where I belong.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : You belong with us.

Seven of Nine : I am attempting to design another method of traveling at slipstream velocities without damaging Voyager.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : I thought that was impossible.

Seven of Nine : 'Impossible' is a word that humans use far too often. I wish to continue my efforts.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Few days ago, you were ready to abandon ship, and here you are, practically laying in a course to Earth.

Seven of Nine : As we approached Borg space, I began to re-evaluate my future. The prospect of becoming a drone... was unappealing.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Sometimes you gotta look back in order to move forward. Sounds to me like you're starting to embrace your humanity.

Seven of Nine : No; but as I said - nothing is impossible.

Arturis : Ah! Here it is. It's a simple matter of extracting the iconometric elements, and triaxilating a recursion matrix.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Now, why didn't I think of that?

Chakotay : Good morning.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : What time is it?

Chakotay : 0500.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Oh - well, then, good morning.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : What did Starfleet send us - a map? The location of a wormhole? If I could decode this today, Chakotay, we could be home tomorrow. Then again, it could be Admiral Chapman's recipe for the perfect pound cake.

[Voyager has been presented with a vessel that could get them home in potentially three months] 

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : I've learned to walk the line between hope and caution. We've had other opportunities that didn't work out, but I will admit I'm leaning toward hope this time.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : [from her log entry]  Despite my apprehension, I can't help but wonder what I'll be doing in three months' time - still guiding Voyager through the Delta Quadrant, searching for a way home, or looking up old friends in Indiana.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Admiral Hayes. Good man, fine officer, bit of a windbag.

Chakotay : Still hunting for buried treasure?

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : We've found the treasure, I just can't pick the lock! I've tried over fifty decryption algorithms. Every time I piece together a datablock, ten more come unravelled. What did Starfleet send us? A map? The location of a wormhole? If I could decode this today, Chakotay, we could be home tomorrow. Then again, it could be Admiral Chapman's recipe for the perfect pound cake.

B'Elanna Torres : I've been looking over the primary systems. Helm, Ops, Tactical, they're comparable to Voyager's. But it's a lean ship, Captain. No shuttlecraft, only one transporter, no holodecks, no replicators.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Well, Mister Neelix, you may have your work cut out for you.

Captain Janeway : You've come a long way from that drone who stepped out of a Borg alcove nine months ago. Don't turn your back on humanity now, not when you're about to take your biggest step.

Seven of Nine : I may have come a long way, but not in the direction you think. You've attempted to influence my development. You exposed me to your culture, your ideals. You hoped to shape me in your own image, but you have failed. You may have noticed our tendency to disagree.

Captain Janeway : Oh, I've noticed.

Seven of Nine : Then you must also recognize that I do not share your values. Your desire to explore space is inefficient. Your need for familial connections is a weakness. Your infatuation with this planet is irrational.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Seven, I could use your help. I'm trying to reconstruct the last fragment of the Starfleet message.

Seven of Nine : Arturis said it was irreparably damaged.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : I know, but I think he gave up too easily.

Seven of Nine : Intuition.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway : It's intuition if I'm right.

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  2. Star Trek: Voyager "Hope and Fear"

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  3. "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998)

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  4. Hope and Fear (1998)

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  5. Star Trek: Voyager "Hope and Fear"

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  6. 4.26 Hope And Fear

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VIDEO

  1. Meld Review ST VOY S2 E16

  2. The Begin Scene from the Episode Concerning Flight

  3. STTNC TNG s6e02 Realm of Fear

  4. Fear

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COMMENTS

  1. Hope and Fear

    "Hope and Fear" is the 26th and final episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. The episode first aired on the UPN network on May 20, 1998. Directed by Winrich Kolbe, it was developed from a story by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky into a teleplay by Menosky and Braga. "Hope and Fear" was the final episode of the Star Trek ...

  2. Hope and Fear (episode)

    This episode required more visual effects shots than a typical episode of Star Trek: Voyager. Visual effects coordinator Elizabeth Castro noted, "The average Voyager show has about forty optical shots. And one show only had twelve. 'Hope and Fear' has seventy. And that's not counting the stock shots." (Star Trek: Action!, p. 88) However, time ...

  3. "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998)

    Hope and Fear: Directed by Winrich Kolbe. With Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson, Robert Duncan McNeill. A tough coded message from Starfleet with a promise of home and a helpful alien adept at cracking language patterns. The coincidence seems too convenient for Capt. Janeway.

  4. "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998)

    "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Menu. ... Star Trek: Voyager Season 4 (1997-98) (Average: 8.12) a list of 26 titles created 20 Jul 2022 Star trek Voyager a list of 28 titles ...

  5. "Hope and Fear"

    Star Trek: Voyager "Hope and Fear" Air date: 5/20/1998 Teleplay by Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky Story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky Directed by Winrich Kolbe. Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan "It does seem convenient." — Tuvok, on apparent good fortune (as well as Voyager plotting elements)

  6. Hope and Fear

    "Hope and Fear" is the 26th and final episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. The episode first aired on the UPN network on May 20, 1998. Directed by Winrich Kolbe, it was developed from a story by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky into a teleplay by Menosky and Braga. "Hope and Fear" was the final episode of the Star Trek ...

  7. Recap / Star Trek: Voyager S4 E24: "Hope and Fear"

    Cut to Janeway and Seven behind a forcefield, admitting they can't think of a way out. Kirk Summation: Janeway tries this on Arturis, encouraging him to look past revenge. He responds with a Shut Up, Kirk! and a phaser shot, just when Voyager beams Janeway and Seven aboard.

  8. Hope and Fear

    Hope and Fear. When the Voyager crew discovers an alien vessel in the Delta Quadrant, they rush to investigate its potential, but they find much more than they bargained for. On board the vessel, they discover a man named Arturis, who claims to be the creator of a device that can help the crew get back to their home planet quickly and safely.

  9. Hope and Fear

    Hope and Fear. Available on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, Prime Video, iTunes, Paramount+. S4 E26: A mysterious alien with a knack for languages is able to repair a damaged message from Starfleet. Sci-Fi May 20, 1998 44 min. TV-PG.

  10. Weekly Episode Discussion

    Weekly Episode Discussion - VOY 4x26: "Hope and Fear". Voyager meets an alien named Arturis, who with his genius level intellect is able to decipher a previously garbled message from Starfleet command. This message leads Voyager to an abandoned Federation ship, which they believe will lead them back to earth with its advanced warp drive.

  11. Hope and Fear

    The crew members are elated to learn that a new propulsion system may get them home in three months, and Seven requests permission to remain in the De…

  12. Hope and Fear

    The Delta Flyers is a weekly Star Trek: Voyager rewatch & recap podcast hosted by Garrett Wang & Robert Duncan McNeill. Each week Garrett and Robert will rewatch an episode of Voyager starting at the very beginning. This week's episode is Hope and Fear. Garrett and Robbie recap and discuss the episode, and share their insight as series regulars.

  13. Watch Star Trek: Voyager Season 4 Episode 26: Hope And Fear

    Hope And Fear. S4 E26 45M TV-PG. A mysterious alien with a knack for languages is able to repair a damaged message from Starfleet.

  14. Star Trek: Voyager's VFX Team Fought Hard Against One Hope And Fear

    In the "Star Trek: Voyager" episode "Hope and Fear" (May 20, 1998), a visiting alien named Arturis (Ray Wise) helpfully translates some coded information that the U.S.S. Voyager had recently ...

  15. Star Trek 101: Seven of Nine

    — Seven of Nine, Star Trek: Voyager,"Hope and Fear" Seven of Nine first appeared in the fourth season premiere of Star Trek: Voyager, "Scorpion, Part II." The daughter of human Federation exobiologists Magnus and Erin Hansen, the ex-Borg drone was born Annika Hansen on the Tendara Colony. At a very young age, she was captured and assimilated ...

  16. Why Voyager

    Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Star Trek: Voyager, this is one of 50 episode reviews of the 4th live-action series in the Star Trek franchise.Tweet us @...

  17. The Voyager Transcripts

    Hope and Fear Stardate: 51978.2 Original Airdate: 20 May 1998. [Holodeck] (A game of Velocity appears to consist of two players taking turns at shooting phasers at a flying target. It changes colour when a player hits it. Like squash, the target bounces off the walls, too. Janeway runs into the wall and gets knocked down, dropping her phaser.

  18. "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998)

    An alien visitor named Arturis (virtually a living universal translator) interprets a damaged five-month-old data stream message from Starfleet Command, leading Voyager's crew to the Dauntless, an unmanned Starfleet rescue ship. Its novel "quantum slipstream drive" offers a quick trip home to Earth. This sudden all-too-convenient ability to ...

  19. Star Trek Voyager

    Star Trek Voyager - 4x26 Hope and Fear

  20. Watch Star Trek: Voyager

    A vengeful alien shows the Voyager crew a faster vessel, making Earth seem within reach. Watch Star Trek: Voyager - S4:E24 Hope & Fear (1998) Online | Free Trial | The Roku Channel | Roku

  21. "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998)

    "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Menu. Movies. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight.

  22. Star Trek: Voyager's 15 Creepiest Episodes, Ranked Worst To Best

    Star Trek: Voyager's best episodes feature creepy storytelling, adding horror to the typical sci-fi themes. Voyager's unique setting in the Delta Quadrant allowed for experimenting with unsettling ...

  23. "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998)

    Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) Hope and Fear (1998) User Reviews Review this title 12 Reviews. Hide Spoilers. Sort by: Filter by Rating: 8 /10. Too good to be true Tweekums 15 February 2010. Warning: Spoilers. Captain Janeway still hasn't managed to decrypt the message they received from Star Fleet several episodes previously so when they meet ...

  24. Ailing Voyager 1 Spacecraft Offers Glimmer Of Hope To NASA

    Voyager 1 and its twin Voyager 2 launched when disco reigned and Star Wars was just getting started. The spacecraft were built to last five years, but have now been in operation for over 46 years.

  25. Star Trek Actors Say DS9 Had More Fire than Voyager (Literally)

    Star Trek actors say that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has more fire than Star Trek: Voyager, and not just in terms of the dramatic tension, but quite literally. Voyager certainly has its fair share of pyrotechnics during its Delta Quadrant journey, but Deep Space Nine has more reasons for fire to play a part in its scripts.The crew of DS9 deals with common miscreants, spies, and criminals ...

  26. Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's Start Feels Bittersweet, And Really

    Star Trek: Discovery Season 4, in my opinion, was the first time one of this show's seasons appropriately built toward a satisfying ending that peaked at just the right time. Now imagine that same ...

  27. "Star Trek: Voyager" Hope and Fear (TV Episode 1998)

    I wish to continue my efforts. Capt. Kathryn Janeway : Few days ago, you were ready to abandon ship, and here you are, practically laying in a course to Earth. Seven of Nine : As we approached Borg space, I began to re-evaluate my future. The prospect of becoming a drone... was unappealing.