Repression (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Repression" is the 150th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, and the fourth episode of the seventh (and final) season of the series. The storyline revisits the potential for Starfleet and Maquis conflict explored in "Worst Case Scenario" at the end of season three.

"Repression"
Star Trek: Voyager episode
Episode no.Season 7
Episode 4
Directed byWinrich Kolbe
Story byKenneth Biller
Teleplay byMark Haskell Smith
Featured musicJay Chattaway
Production code251
Original air dateOctober 25, 2000 (2000-10-25)
Guest appearances

A series of attacks against former Maquis crew members baffles the Voyager senior staff. This episode explores mind control triggered by a subliminal message and the loyalties of crew members. The friendship between Commander Tuvok and Captain Janeway ultimately overcomes a fanatic's ability to invoke repressed conditioning. A recurring theme is Tuvok's "hunches", which he can neither explain nor ignore. Another feature of this episode is the Vulcan mind meld being used to force or invoke uncharacteristic behaviour. It is unclear how many of the former Maquis crew members on Voyager had been exposed to the fanatic's mind control techniques. This may be a rare instance of a forced mind meld creating aberrant behaviour in the victim.

This is also the only onscreen mention of the name of Chakotay's Maquis ship, the Val Jean.

Plot

A Bajoran is shown recording a message.

Onboard USS Voyager, former Maquis member Ensign Tabor (Jad Mager) is found comatose. The Doctor finds evidence Tabor was attacked; Captain Janeway assigns Tuvok to investigate.

Soon there are five comatose crewmen in Sickbay, with the same injuries, all former Maquis. Tuvok notes that the assailant must have access to security protocols to avoid detection. Tuvok, Tom Paris and Kim capture a negative image of Tabor's assailant.

While investigating, Chakotay is suddenly attacked and rendered unconscious by Tuvok. Tuvok has no memory of this and continues his investigation. All the victims recover but have no memory of being attacked. Tuvok meditates and has flashbacks of attacking the former Maquis members, and has a vision of the Bajoran. Tuvok realizes the negative image matches his own description.

Janeway discovers a message to Tuvok from the Bajoran, a former Maquis named Teero Anaydis who experimented with mind control; his message triggered Tuvok to 'attack' other Maquis members. Tuvok sends a message to his 'victims,' who then take control of Voyager. However, Janeway helps Tuvok regain control of his mind, and Tuvok performs mindmelds to restore his victims and retake the ship. The recovered crew attend a movie on the holodeck.

Reception

In 2020, Gizmodo listed this episode as one of the "must watch" episodes from season seven of the show.[1]

Home media releases

On December 21, 2003, this episode was released on DVD as part of a Season 7 boxset; Star Trek Voyager: Complete Seventh Season.[2]

See also

References
  1. "Star Trek: Voyager's Must-Watch Episodes". io9. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  2. "DVD Talk // Star Trek Voyager: Complete Seventh Season // Paramount // Unrated // December 21, 2004". www.dvdtalk.com. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
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