The character of Kes (Jennifer Lien) on “Star Trek: Voyager” was controversial from the beginning. She belonged to a species known as the Ocampa, which solely had a lifespan of 9 years. Kes was merely two years previous within the “Voyager” pilot (Lien was 19) and was relationship the character Neelix (Ethan Phillips). Many viewers members discovered it icky that an grownup man was relationship a literal two-year-old.
The idea of a short-lived character, nonetheless, was intriguing. “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology” ended after seven seasons, and there was each motive to imagine that the concurrent “Deep Area 9” would do the identical, so “Voyager” was seemingly set as much as run a full seven years. Over that point, audiences would have seen Kes develop from a being who appears 20 to 1 that appears 90. Trekkies would watch Kes mature, develop previous, and die in seven years, an entire life in microcosm. And sure, expensive readers, she did ultimately dump Neelix.
Kes, nonetheless, was written out of “Voyager” on the finish of its third season. Not like “Subsequent Technology” earlier than it, “Voyager” struggled to realize excessive rankings, so its showrunners have been continually attempting to spice up their numbers with low-cost gimmicks. There was a holographic bikini seashore the forged would repeatedly go to, clumsily including half-naked our bodies into the present. Then, in a last-ditch effort, Kes was faraway from the present and changed with the catsuit-clad Seven of 9 (Jeri Ryan), a “Borg babe,” within the phrases of one of many producers.
Sadly, it labored. The “Voyager” writers appreciated Seven of 9 higher than Kes, and Seven grew to become, primarily, the brand new star of the present. Ryan had journal mannequin appears and wore a decent corset all through her tenure on the present. Seven was an attention-grabbing character, nevertheless it was clear that the “Voyager” showrunners added her for causes of intercourse attraction. And, lo, unexpectedly, the conscience of “Voyager” was gone. Kes was out of the present and its total dynamic modified.
Kes was the conscience of Star Trek: Voyager
Kes, I’d argue, was important to “Star Trek: Voyager” in methods its showrunners by no means totally exploited. She was, in distinction to the Starfleet characters, harmless, possessing a pure pacifism and a way of youthful curiosity. She was the keeper of compassion. Neelix sometimes grew to become jealous when she talked to different males, however Kes was clearly forming wholesome social relationships. She was additionally the primary character to theorize that the ship’s holographic physician (Robert Picardo) was alive and inspired Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) to take peaceable programs of motion at any time when Janeway’s first plan of action appeared unnecessarily harsh. Janeway would typically suggest the usS. Voyager thunder by a tricky situation. Kes would then step in and remind her of a gentler course.
Kes primarily reined in Janeway’s darker impulses. She was the present’s conscience — one thing that’s important to “Star Trek.” The characters, for essentially the most half, endeavor to take essentially the most moral plan of action and attempt to do as little hurt as doable. Janeway, whereas resolute, did generally tend towards brusque authoritarianism, and often took dangers she did not must. Kes, if left on the sequence, may have continued to stability Janeway, reminding her to be variety.
Kes additionally served as an important trainer for the Physician. The hologram was even youthful than Kes, having solely been just lately activated. The 2 noticed humanity with an outsider’s eye, attempting to suss out what human habits should appear like and what the 2 of them may ideally attain for. Like Knowledge (Brent Spiner) on “Subsequent Technology,” Kes checked out humanity along with her personal distinctive perspective. A hologram and a younger alien elevating one another. That would have made for some good tales.
The Voyager writers failed Kes
The writers of “Voyager,” nonetheless, by no means totally keyed into Kes’ potential. There have been too few scenes whereby Kes and Janeway may ethically butt heads. She had the potential to be an ongoing counterpart to Janeway and might need even change into the second most essential character on the present, had the writers tapped into her myriad potentialities. On the very least, the dynamic between Kes and the Physician did emerge as a very good emotional hook. One may see their mutual familial affection for each other.
As a substitute, the writers fell again on cleaning soap opera dynamics, inventing a tiresome love triangle between Kes, Neelix, and Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill). Nobody, not even the actors, appreciated that story arc.
When “Voyager” started flagging within the rankings, the choice was made to axe one of many characters and substitute them with a Borg character. Rumors have unfold that Paramount was selecting between Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) and Kes, however that Wang was spared when he was featured in a notable subject of TV Information. Kes was out. Within the mythology of the present, Kes’ rising psychic powers have been changing into too robust and he or she wanted to maneuver off the usS. Voyager to learn to management them. In stepped Seven of 9, the aforementioned “Borg babe.”
The dynamic between Janeway and Seven was spikier and extra antagonistic. Seven was a extra lively, resolute character, difficult Janeway’s authority. Writers beloved that battle and milked it for all it was value. The writers additionally gave Seven each doable job they might. She served as a science officer, Borg professional, and the overseer of a brand new astrometrics lab. The Physician took Kes’ classes and have become the trainer, telling Seven all the pieces he knew. Scores went up.
It is a pity the ploy labored, although, as a result of “Voyager” misplaced its philosophical core. For a franchise all about pacifism, it was unlucky to see essentially the most pacifistic character on “Voyager” be minimize. Seven was high quality, however Kes ought to have stayed.
