“Hope and Fear”

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.

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...

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.

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.

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....

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.

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.

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.

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?

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!

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

"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.

'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?

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.

@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.

@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.

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..

This was a pretty neat episode. I think it would mean a bit more if Voyager managed to use the slipstream to get a bit closer (Janeway said they went 300 light years-they are 55,000 or so light years away at this point, so make it say another 10,000 to make it a truly heartening thing (unless they plan to use local aliens again)

I also think that this is a good episode to show the damage revenge can cause. That alien was willing to doom himself to just get to Voyager. People in real life have such an attitude and it really is negative and destructive

@sean, I like this episode also. I think everybody got their parts right. If voyager had traveled too far towards the alpha quadrant, we would have to leave behind the borg, would have messed with the timing of Course Oblivion, and never would have encountered Equinox.