In the eleventh episode of the second season of Voyager, Chakotay takes personal offense to a theft. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
Trigger Warning: For discussion of torture, nonconsensual drugging, sexual assault
WELL, THIS EPISODE IS BRUTAL. In thinking back on it, it’s easy to see how relentless it is. From the first fight with the Kazon to Chakotay’s foolishly noble sacrifice, this story does NOT let up. (Well, it does a bit at the end, but I’ll explain.) It actually felt a lot more like a Deep Space Nine story because it was so outwardly disturbing and morally grey. That’s not to suggest that Voyager can’t have stories like this, as I actually believe this was a very necessary episode for the show. It was just a surprise! A GOOD ONE. Let’s talk!
Theft
“Maneuvers†opens with a hell of a mystery: somehow, there’s a Federation probe in the Delta Quadrant, and its technology dates to A MONTH AFTER VOYAGER LEFT DEEP SPACE NINE. Oh, just look how quickly all these people get excited to theorize that Starfleet is looking for them, and then watch how quickly that evaporates into abject horror. Y’all, these people get tricked in the span of a few minutes, and I’m still reeling from how violent and ridiculous the theft of the transporter module was. One minute, these people are thinking of home, and the next, they’re all filled with shame over the Kazon getting ahold of transporter technology.
None more so than Chakotay.
Shame
There’s a lot that I like here, but the intense focus on Chakotay’s characterization is probably my second favorite thing. (Y’ALL KNOW WHAT MY FAVORITE PART WAS. JUST HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS, WE’LL GET THERE.) Bringing back Seska was surprising as hell, but the focus isn’t on her return as much as its about how her appearance affects Chakotay. The answer: A LOT. We already knew he was rather embarrassed by her secret identity and how it messed everyone up, but imagine being tricked by a liar and a manipulator TWICE in a very public way. It’s a mortifying thought!
Thus, it’s sensible – if completely foolish – that Chakotay makes such a dangerous decision here. Disobeying a direct order from Janeway isn’t an easy thing for him to do, and I believe the show has done a fine job of demonstrating how much he respects her. At the same time, “Maneuvers” deals with how Chakotay prioritizes these disparate elements. Does he obey Janeway? Does he take personal responsibility for Seska? How far is he willing to go in order to assuage his own bruised ego? And how much of that kind of arrogance is justified if he’s willing to sacrifice his life to spare Voyager further embarrassment while keeping Federation technology out of Kazon hands?
Those are huge questions that the show asks! I admire that, and I admire how well-executed this is. Chakotay is the noble fool throughout this episode, but he’s aware of that. He knows how risky this mission is. He knows there is a high chance he’ll be captured in the process, too. That’s why he makes that probe beacon, and it’s why he wipes the computer on the shuttlecraft. He planned for the eventual failure of everything! He also planned for the intense emotional experience of seeing his former lover again, too. My god, y’all, Seska is so frighteningly creepy in this episode. Martha Hackett gets a chance to show us perhaps the truest depiction of her character so far, AND SHE IS HORRIFYING. We know she is manipulating Culluh. So does Chakotay! So all her advances and attempts to manipulate her former partner fall flat. That doesn’t make any of their scenes together less disturbing, but damn, Chakotay was ready to give everything to save his crew.
B’Elanna
YET NO ONE SHOULD BE SURPRISED THAT B’ELANNA’S ROLE IN THIS EPISODE IS THE BEST THING IN SEASON 2 SO FAR. Friendship!!! Loyalty!!! A willingness to show sympathy for her friend! (Who she is also quietly in love with PUNCH ME IN THE HEART I CAN’T DO THIS.) That whole scene in Janeway’s office is just so goddamn monumental to me because REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS CHAKOTAY FIGHTING FOR B’ELANNA. REMEMBER WHEN SHE WAS ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES AND ALWAYS PUTTING HERSELF FIRST AND UNWILLING TO THINK OF THE CREW AS A WHOLE UNIT. And now, here she is, insisting that morale will plummet if they leave Chakotay behind, and it is just my very favorite thing ever. THANK YOU FOR THIS.
Betrayal
The torture sequences with Chakotay were bad enough with the drugging and the physical violence. But I also fell for the sleight of hand. I assumed Seska was injecting Chakotay with something to counteract the drug Culluh had given him. Look, I can’t say I’m pleased by the last-minute reveal here. It’s devastating. This whole episode makes the point that Chakotay did not deal with public humiliation well, and that final moment is his GREATEST PUBLIC HUMILIATION IMAGINABLE. She stole his DNA and impregnated herself. It’s assault, it’s horrifying, and it makes me nervous. Star Trek as a whole doesn’t deal with sexual assault well, and it pains me to think about how Voyager will address this storyline. Ugh, DON’T MESS THIS UP (they probably will).
The video for “Maneuvers” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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