S2 E09: Tattoo

On an away mission, Chakotay finds some markings on a deserted planet that strikingly resemble ancient native american runes from his past. It's a bit silly, but Trek has a long and storied history of finding earth analogues on far away planets, so I can roll with it. Upon finding the markings, we get a flashback of a petulant child Chakotay, being dragged along on a jungle expedition with his father, the event where he originally saw the designs. Through a series of flashbacks, we find out that his father was on a quest to find the ancient air spirits of his tribe. It is also revealed that Chakotay's enrollment in starfleet was an expression of rebellion against his father.

While I appreciate the Lost-style background development, it brings with it the problem I have with Lost - the pace of this episode is just glacial. Bouncing back and forth between the ship following the markings to another planet and exploring it, and memories of the expedition, nothing actually seems to happen in either storyline. While the rest of the crew is running around accomplishing nothing (and we don't miss a moment of it), Chakotay eventually winds up alone on the planet, gets naked, and finds the air spirits.

Turns out that these aliens visited primitive humans, and gave them a "genetic infusion." In an interview I saw with Gene Roddenberry many years ago, I recall him being very disappointed in the theories that aliens helped ancient humans build the great pyramids (and the like). He thought that things like the pyramids were great testaments to the capabilities of humanity, and to say that they were really the work of someone else is selling ourselves short. I agree strongly with that sentiment, and feel like this "genetic infusion" idea kind of cheapens the accomplishments of early man too. Amanda thinks I've reading too much into it, that it is just a fun sci-fi idea, and maybe she's right, but it just doesn't sit well with me. Once Chakotay convinces the aliens that humanity has changed from the barbaric people who slaughtered the native americans in the past (his argument: "No really, we've changed!"), and the day is saved.

The B-plot for this episode is pretty fun and lighthearted though; the Doctor is scolded by Kes for not being compassionate enough for the crew members' various ailments (including the back pain of the pregnant Samantha Wildman*), so he decides to prove he can do his job without complaining by simulating a 29 hour flu. His performance is amusing as always, especially when he finds that Kes has secretly extended the duration of his illness to teach him a lesson: "She's far more devious than I ever suspected."

Watchability: 3/5

Bottom Line: The pacing is far too slow, and I find the reveal at the end to be pretty non-Roddenberrian, but it isn't a bad episode.

*Note: The next episode establishes that ten months have passed since the Caretaker incident, and Wildman contends that the child is that of her husband, who is not aboard Voyager. Either that is a continuity error, or someone is not being completely honest.