S7 E23: Homestead

A Talaxian colony is found hidden in an asteroid belt. The inhabitants seem to be pretty xenophobic, and it becomes clear why shortly - they have been forced to relocate many times, and are currently being forced out by a mining company. Neelix suggests negotiations, but those only buy the Talaxians more time to prepare for departure. At Tuvok's "hypothetical" suggestion, he returns to the colony and convinces them to stand their ground. They build a defensive shield with Neelix's help (and that of a last-minute Delta Flyer arrival), and Neelix remains on the colony as a long-term Federation ambassador to the delta quadrant.

Oh, Neelix. The memory alpha annotations have been very helpful for getting background information on the episodes as I've been reviewing them, but every now and then they'd let loose a spoiler. As a result, I've known for some time that Neelix would leave just before the end. To be honest, I expected to hate it. After all the times that he'd glowed about his life on Voyager, that he'd spoken about his desire to see Earth, that he'd spread the Federation gospel - and all the times that he could have stayed behind and didn't - I couldn't imagine effectively creating an episode that wouldn't make it seem like he was just being put on a bus

Well, I'm happy to say that I was wrong. I was worried at first when Neelix was still up to his old antics, harassing a disinterested Tuvok, but that quickly faded. Neelix contrasted very well with the characters at the Talaxian colony - Talaxians in Voyager tend to be pretty small-time, largely due to their whole "we're conquered and have lived under subjugation for a generation" thing, and Neelix started out that way too. At first, he thought on a small scale - trick the Voyager people into helping him rescue Kes, worry about the consequences later. Or you could also look at how he behaved with Kes - he was jealous of other men and acted possessively towards her, which eventually drove her away. But he's different now. Years of relative stability of Voyager has given him more perspective - now he can be the leader that the Talaxians need him to be.

The real selling point of this episode is the scene in which Tuvok convinces him of that fact. That's where this episode ties in with his other arc, the one started in Jetrel. Neelix was once a coward, the guy who hid from military duty, and watched his family die. If he were a pacifist ideologically, that would be one thing, but he knows he's not; he just didn't want to risk his life. But now he has his chance to atone for his past - and the person who shows him that isn't Janeway. She often gets to steal this sort of moment in the show - I'm thinking of The Gift and Kes in particular, but this time it's the right person. The only person who could really get to him, Tuvok.

It was also very refreshing to have a Voyager episode advocate a military solution to a problem. I'm all for peaceful solutions when they're available, nonviolence is cool. But know it isn't always practical, particularly in a universe where enemies can vaporize whole worlds at the push of a button. These Talaxians have been pushed and pushed and pushed, and even I agree it is time for them to push back. It surprised me that the Voyager writers agreed, but this is the seventh season after all. Plus, it opened the show up for the cathartic moment when the Delta Flyer shows up at the end.

Watchability: 5/5

Bottom Line: The Neelix character arcs are wrapped up with grace and style. This is an excellent example of what you can accomplish in a show with minimal continuity, and still reward the loyal viewers. Bravo.