Ashes to Ashes (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Ashes to Ashes" is the 138th episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 18th episode of its sixth season.

"Ashes to Ashes"
Star Trek: Voyager episode
Episode no.Season 6
Episode 18
Directed byTerry Windell
Story byRonald Wilkerson
Teleplay byRobert Doherty
Featured musicDennis McCarthy
Production code238
Original air dateMarch 1, 2000 (2000-03-01)
Guest appearances

It features Seven of Nine attempting to mother ex-Borg orphans, while USS Voyager encounters a unique alien species, the Kobali.[1] The episode was nominated for an Emmy award for makeup, by a team including Michael Westmore.

The episode aired on the television channel UPN on March 1, 2000.[2]

Plot

An alien comes aboard Voyager, claiming to be a deceased member of the crew, Ensign Lyndsay Ballard. She explains that an alien race, the Kobali, reproduce by reanimating dead individuals of other races and altering their DNA. The Kobali expect reanimated individuals to live with them, but Ballard escaped and sought Voyager for asylum. Ballard confirms details of her death and past life aboard Voyager, and the Doctor confirms she her DNA partially matches the deceased Ballard's. The crew believe her story, and the Doctor attempts to change her appearance from Kobali to human. She begins a relationship with Harry Kim.

Ballard finds readjustment difficult. Her favorite food tastes metallic due to her Kobali physiology; she sometimes speaks in Kobali without realizing; she is emotionally volatile; and she must visit Sickbay twice daily to maintain her human appearance. When her Kobali father finds Voyager to retrieve her, she reluctantly agrees to leave after an emotional moment with Harry.

In a side plot, Seven of Nine attempts to handle the task of caring for the Borg children. She implements a rigid schedule and punishments for deviation, but the children rebel out of a need for individuality. With Chakotay's encouragement, Seven learns to be more flexible with the children.

Reception

This episode was nominated for an Emmy award for outstanding makeup.[3] "Ashes to Ashes" was also noted in the book To Boldly Go: Essays on Gender and Identity in the Star Trek Universe for its presentation of a female character.[4]

In 2018, this episode was noted by CBR for guest-starring actress Kim Rhodes, who later became more famous for other roles in her career.[5]

In 2020, The Digital Fix praised Rhodes' performance in the episode.[6]

Releases

This episode was released as part of a season 6 DVD boxset on December 7, 2004.[7]

Bibliography
  1. Erdmann, Terry J. (2008-09-23). Star Trek 101: A Practical Guide to Who, What, Where, and Why. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781439117873.
  2. "Star Trek: Voyager - Season 6, Episode 18". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
  3. Ruditis, Paul (2003). Star Trek Voyager Companion. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743417518.
  4. Farghaly, Nadine; Bacon, Simon (2017-06-09). To Boldly Go: Essays on Gender and Identity in the Star Trek Universe. McFarland. ISBN 9781476629315.
  5. "20 Actors Who Were on Star Trek Before Becoming Famous". CBR. 2018-12-09. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  6. "Star Trek: Voyager Revisited - A Look Back At Season Six | Feature | The Digital Fix". Television @ The Digital Fix. 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  7. Holly E. Ordway (November 29, 2004). "Star Trek Voyager: Complete Sixth Season". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
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