Plot – Janeway and Chakotay as a romantic possibility is something that is really worth talking about because of the willingness to go there at all is Voyager at its most daring and how it shuts it off so early in the shows run and never looks into it again is Voyager at its most frustrating. I think this relationship and how the show refuses to tap into the dramatic possibilities sums up my feelings towards Voyager very well indeed. I love the idea of this relationship because it is so compromising; Voyager has a command structure that is propped up by these two and so to have them in a situation where they are opposed ideologically and yet attracted sexually to one another really takes both characters to an interesting place. Would they make bad command decisions because of their feelings for each other? Would Janeway adopt a more Maquis stance? Would their dalliance cause a rift in the crew? There are so many enticing possibilities. Instead of grappling them head on, Jeri Taylor chooses to cut off the speculation here and say, yes Janeway and Chakotay are attracted to one another, but unless they were trapped on a planet where they were entirely dependent on each other that it is a romantic possibility that neither of them is prepared to explore. How disappointing. If Voyager wanted to truly impress me it would have the pair of them indulging in this romance despite the fact that both parties know it is inadvisable. The chemistry between Mulgrew and Beltran is unmistakable and Resolutions shows just how beautifully this might have played out long term. The fact that this episode exists at all is a miracle because Voyager’s usual method is to duck away from uncompromising scenarios at all costs and so I truly appreciate that the idea (which is screamingly obvious) is at least addressed, even if that leaves the audience wanting more. It’s interesting that it takes such an extreme scenario to force Janeway and Chakotay to admit their feelings for each other. On most shows it wouldn’t take turning the romantic leads into Adam and Eve to get them to open up and admit that their hearts are speaking to each other.
It’s the old Spock/McCoy argument about feelings except this time it is transferred to Tuvok, who despite having his own feelings for the Captain, is willing to put them aside in order to try and get the crew home. I appreciated this sub plot a lot more this time around because it shows both the Federation and Maquis crews being deeply affected by the loss of their leaders and it reveals how effective this collaboration has been simply because Janeway and Chakotay decided to work together. Tuvok is every bit the stubborn Vulcan who has been given an order and can see no reason not to obey it. He does come across as being a little single track minded but given Janeway is doing everything she possibly can to cure the virus he can see little reason in sticking around when it was her desire that they continue on their way home. Gosh this would have been a different show without Janeway. She is quite lenient towards her crewmember’s opinions being stated on the Bridge but under Tuvok’s watch you get asked to leave for doing so. When Harry’s behaviour verges on mutiny and insubordination, Tuvok has no qualms about relieving him of command permanently. What side of that debate you fall upon is left entirely down to you but it is certainly a potent scene.
Character – Fascinatingly, Chakotay is willing to accept their fate with a lot more grace and patience than Janeway is, who works day and night trying to cure the virus. Maybe he’s quite happy with the idea of spending his life on a planet with a beautiful scientist. She cannot let go of the idea of solving this thing and return to the Captain’s chair quite so easily. She’s been programmed as a career woman, and she’s a scientist to the core. That means this is a problem that needs analysing and solving. Their different approaches, how he is making things as domestic as possible for them whilst she is constant viewing this world as a puzzle to be cracked, really sells who they are. It might be Jeri Taylor’s finest character work on this show.
It's unusual for Kes to take a forceful stance and to try and speak for the crew but in a case where Tuvok is the problem it makes perfect sense given the time they have spent together. If anything, this shake up of command has revealed more about the subsidiary characters (Harry, Kes) than it has about the ones who usually gain focus.
Performance – I’m not the shipping sort but I’m also not the sort to ignore chemistry when it is as obvious as this. Mulgrew and Beltran deliver some of their best work on the series here, with Janeway and Chakotay relaxing into a domestic setting, sharing jokes, stories and enjoying a sensuality that develops naturally.
Production – Fortunately, Chakotay has just had his hair cut and dyed so he looks every bit the romantic lead in this episode and he looks so much more relaxed in normal(ish) clothes.
Best moment – To be honest I prefer the intimacy of a back rub and hand holding. I think it suggests a respect between the two characters that watching them fall in to bed would lack. Star Trek isn’t really about casual fucking and somehow watching two characters lock hands can have a much greater sense of closeness. Did they make love? Who cares? Did they share a moment of connection? Oh yes, that was all there on screen. Like all of the best Star Trek episodes, it is the character choices that create the most suspense and not the turns in the plot. The point where Janeway lets goes of the possibility that she and Chakotay might escape and reaches out to him to build a future is breath-taking.
Worst moment – The sad truth of the matter is that I felt sorry for the two of them when they had to leave this little Eden they were creating for themselves in order to return to Voyager and pick up their official roles. The reset here is especially swift and galling. There’s almost a sense of injustice in how quickly this potential is tossed away never to be spoken of again.
I wish they hadn’t done that – In the final season where there was nothing else to lose, the writers should have followed up on this episode and delivered a Janeway/Chakotay relationship in the last half of the season. The show had been brought to a rest and it was a time to start taking risks. What do they do instead? A Chakotay/Seven relationship. How they thought they could ever pull that off and why it was the better option, is baffling.
The fact the original premise of this show was to be much more science fiction heavy and featured the Voyager crew discovering Janeway and Chakotay 40 years in the future with an entire family in place and showing how far things would have gone had they remained here is fascinating. It ducks the emotional honesty of having these characters admit their feelings for each other now but it would have gone a lot further towards showing what an incredible relationship the pair would have had ultimately.
A reason to watch this episode again – Do I protect this episode because it dares to tread on some very dangerous terrain…or do I punish it for avoiding the acres of potential that were latent in the relationship that it promotes? Is this what Star Trek should be about? Actually, yes because Resolutions dares to go where no-one has gone before by exploring a romance between the two highest command level officers. It might sound like bad shippers’ fiction but it works primarily because the characterisation is honest and the performances truthful. Beltran has never really looked comfortable spouting technobabble but give some honest emotional dialogue and he gives an effortless performance. For an episode that suggests so much development and even spills out into a mutiny on the part of the crew the fact that there are no ramifications is extraordinary. The episode has aged very well in what it says about the characters but it does some serious lasting damage to the show that cannot be ignored. Some beautiful moments abound, especially the scene where Janeway and Chakotay finally open up.
***1/2 out of *****
Clue for tomorrow's episode:
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