S3 E14: Alter Ego

Kim approaches Tuvok with a pressing concern: he has fallen in love with a holodeck character (Marayna), so he wants Tuvok's help with repressing his emotions. Tuvok counsels avoidance, which is made difficult by Neelix throwing a luau in the same program in which the character in question resides. Intending only to make an appearance for Janeway's sake, Tuvok shows up to the party, and is singled out by Marayna immediately. She shows a great deal of interest in him, having done an unhologramly (can you believe spellcheck doesn't think that's a word?) amount of research into Vulcans in general - and Tuvok specifically.

Meanwhile, Voyager has entered a magical space phenomena an inversion nebula that is unusually stable, but finds that system malfunctions are preventing it from leaving. After an unfortunate scene in which Kim confronts Tuvok for spending so much time with Marayna, she takes a decidely sinister turn. Though Tuvok attempted to delete her to prove his intentions to Kim, she overrides the Doctor's mobile emitter and confronts him in his quarters. It becomes clear that she is being transmitted to Voyager from a nearby, cloaked vessel; once the beam is traced back to its source, Tuvok is transported there in the hopes of limiting further jeopardy for Voyager. Marayna is the lone caretaker for the nebula, extending its life and beauty for others to enjoy, and becoming increasingly forlorn herself. She saw in Tuvok a kindred spirit, alone even in a crowded starship, and only out of compassion for him could she bring herself to ultimately let him go.

The first half of this episode is completely unwatchable. How old is Kim, sixteen? He's a bright kid, I'd expect him to have a little bit more insight into his own behavior at this point. The "Tuvok, tell me how to suppress my emotions because I'm so sad!" bit is so incredibly tween emo that I simply could not believe what I was watching. Worse, after Chakotay's unbearably patronizing line in the beginning of the show, the one about emotions being the point of life, I became increasingly concerned that that would be the show's message - that Tuvok would be taught an important lesson about emotion by bonding with the hologram and that Logic Isn't Everything.

Instead, for the second half, we get a poignant story about the lonesome caretaker, who admires Tuvok and his approach to life. They bond, certainly, but there is no moralizing about how great emotion is. The message isn't that logic is bad, or that rationality should take a back seat to passion, but that passion and gregariousness are not prerequisites for fellowship. In fact, I'd say that is is Tuvok's emotional control that even allows him to retain his compassion for Marayna after she acts violently towards the crew. The last parts of this episode are subtle and touching, ending with Tuvok and Kim reconciling over a game of Vulcan chess.

It has been around for several episodes, so I guess I should also talk about Neelix's resort program, since it plays a reasonably big role here. I don't really mind it; they seem to have abandoned replicator rations at this point, but the use of a holodeck as a relaxation area for multiple people at a time seems much more efficient than previous uses.

Robert Picardo (the Doctor) directed this episode, and his only appearance is on the holodeck, flanked by two lovely women, pontificating on the life of a leisure-hologram. A quote from him: "Since I started directing, I've had the chance to use myself the way I prefer to be used, which is strictly as a sex object. I'm hoping some of the other directors will take note!"

Watchability: 3/5

Bottom Line: Great ending, but I really can't justify only rating the ending when the lead in is unbearable.