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Seized Opportunities
Considering that we left Neelix on such a high note, it is a bit odd to see him so low in the overall rankings. Once the writers figured out what to do with him, his character arc flowed gracefully to the finish line. The first threads were found in the early episode Jetrel, which established a darker side for him, a reason for his bad behavior: he was wracked with guilt. Survivor guilt from hiding while his world was crushed in a war, from watching as his family was exterminated, from not being able to save them or even avenge their deaths. While his possessive behavior towards Kes was incredibly obnoxious, it made some amount of sense in that light; given all that he has lost, he did not want to lose any more.
Though Fair Trade was not exactly an excellent episode, it did mark a turning point in his maturation as a character. He realized that he truly had a second chance, and could live his life the way he wished he had before, while still keeping in mind the lessons of the past. He could be a father figure to Naomi, he could be resilient against challenges to his faith, he could be strong for a friend when he needed him the most. Despite his best efforts, he lost Kes in the end, and was still able to grow from it. Homestead brought closure to the whole thread, giving him an opportunity to use what he learned to help his people after all; he could be the leader he was too scared to be in his youth.
As for his relationship with Tuvok: early on, it seemed that the goal was something of the epic match between Odo and Quark. The problem was that the story always took Neelix's side, as if his constant pestering of Tuvok wasn't disrespectful of Tuvok's chosen way of life. I'd count this as a missed opportunity if it weren't for the recovery in Riddles and Homestead, which brought back a certain grudging respect between the two.
Missed Opportunities
There honestly weren't a whole lot of places that the writers could have gone with Neelix and hadn't, but I wished that they had. He was a background character for most of his better years, and that's okay - when he was used in seasons 4-7, he was used well. Certainly, he didn't need to be as intolerable as he was in the first three seasons in order to grow as much as he did, so I guess that's a missed opportunity, but that feels like it was so long ago that I can't really complain effectively about it now.
Neelix never really was quite as resourceful as the various bits of blatant exposition in the show often tried to paint him as, but that's more a problem of the weaker first three seasons. In those seasons, the writers often failed to show characters being good at something before showing them failing at it - and since they always failed at it on-screen, it never had the impact they were hoping for. He was never quite the rogue they wanted him to be either, since he latched on to Federation ideals too quickly. The Neelix of Caretaker, the guy willing to betray the people who were helping him in order to save Kes never showed up again - focusing on that Neelix would have been a better way to give room to grow than the petty, jealous Neelix of Parturition et al.
The effect that Kes' departure had on Neelix was never satisfactorily explored, let alone the effect that their breakup had on him. I guess I'll give the writers some credit in that they saw how poorly plots like Parturition were received and wanted to distance themselves and Neelix from that use as quickly and efficiently as possible, and we the viewers were probably spared some dull adolescent angst as a result, but it did feel abrupt overall.
The Actor
Part of the writers' early problems with Neelix may have been due to the casting choice. Ethan Phillips played the character too whimsically for all the angsty, petty, jealous, and cowardly behavior he displayed. But as the writers grew more comfortable with the character, so did Phillips - he toned everything down a notch to the point that it was no longer painful to see him on screen. By the end of it all, he brought an emotional gravity to Neelix that many of the other characters lacked.
Final Thoughts
Neelix has one of the most compelling, satisfying, and complete character arcs of all the characters on Voyager. He is an excellent example of how a character who is despised by the fan base can be put on life support and be rehabilitated. I know that for many viewers his redemption was "too little too late," and I can understand that, but for me I was sad to see him go by the end.
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