Warp Factor Trek

It’s time for a Neelix-focused episode. What’s the result?

Log Entry

Neelix is playing pool in the holodeck when Janeway calls him to the bridge. There, she tells him a spacecraft is asking to speak with him. It belongs to the Haakonians, a race the Talaxians were at war with. The lone occupant of the vessel is a Haakonian doctor named Jetrel, who appears on Voyager’s viewscreen. As soon as he introduces himself by name, Neelix leaves, seething.

In his quarters, Neelix explains to Janeway that Jetrel developed a weapon of mass destruction called the Metreon Cascade, which was used on Rinax, a moon where Neelix’s family lived. The resulting detonation turned the moon into a barren wasteland and killed over three hundred thousand Talaxians. Neelix says he was away with his people’s defense forces at the time. Beginning to cry, he confirms his family died.

Beamed aboard Voyager, Jetrel is eager to conduct an examination on Neelix. He states the Talaxian may have contracted a fatal disease – metremia – and he’s working on a cure.

In the mess hall, Neelix tells Kes the historic attack is too painful to discuss. Janeway arrives and eventually persuades him to meet with Jetrel.

In the briefing room, Neelix inquires what Jetrel’s motives are, and they debate the morality of the Metreon Cascade, Jetrel insisting he did what needed to be done. He convinces Neelix to undergo the examination and, in sickbay, diagnoses him as having the disease.

Back in Neelix’s quarters, Neelix confides in Kes about his concerns regarding the future. He explains he was once worried about what to do after she died. She advises him to focus on the present.

In the ready room, Jetrel tells Janeway that, if he can beam aboard a sample from Rinax, he might find a cure. About to leave, he doubles over in pain but brushes it off.

In sickbay, Jetrel and Neelix continue debating. Jetrel reveals his wife left him, taking their three children, because after the detonation she saw him as a monster. Neelix recalls seeing charred Talaxian bodies walking around. Jetrel concedes he’s dying of advanced metremia.

Neelix awakens from a nightmare about the historic attack. Janeway lets him know, from the bridge, that Voyager is approaching Rinax. Neelix goes to the bridge and recounts returning to the moon in the aftermath of the horrific incident.

From Rinax, Torres transports a cloud sample onboard. Jetrel stares at the sample, transfixed.

Kes finds Neelix hiding in the mess hall. He finally admits to her that he wasn’t actually in the defense forces but was evading them. He never reported for duty, since he didn’t support the war. He considers himself a coward, but Kes retorts he isn’t because he stood up for his beliefs. She urges him to stop blaming himself.

In sickbay, Jetrel deactivates The Doctor. Scanning the collected cloud causes an anomalymous mass to appear. Neelix enters and notices the mass, becoming alarmed. Jetrel uses a hypospray to knock him out.

Reactivating The Doctor, Voyager’s crew track Jetrel to one of the transporter rooms. There, he declares he’s trying to bring back the victims of Rinax. These efforts account for the mass in sickbay. Jetrel explains he can isolate individual patterns within the cloud and rematerialize them using the transporter. He’s desperate to correct the wrongs of the past and no longer feel like a monster. He also divulges that Neelix, in fact, never had metremia. Janeway and Tuvok use the transporter to try to reintegrate a victim, but the attempt requires too much power and Janeway shuts it down. Jetrel collapses.

Back in sickbay, Neelix tells Jetrel he forgives him. Jetrel is about to say something but dies.

Status Report

This is a character-driven episode with real thought-provoking ideas about the consequences of war. Neelix – who, up until now, has been relegated to comic relief – grows so much here. Seeing him have a moment to shine is thrilling. “Jetrel” has an interesting story and captivating moments.

Ethan Phillips channels an emotional rollercoaster from a script which gives him ample opportunity to do so. The analyzing of Neelix’s PTSD is so powerful that every scene he’s in is captivating. Tangible are both his pain at losing his family and the guilt he had in believing he was at fault for not stopping Jetrel in the first place.

James Sloyan also delivers a haunting performance as Jetrel. What’s most interesting is the final transporter scene. The blurred image of the Talaxian trying to rematerialize has a ghost-like quality. It’s as if the episode wants to convey the difficulty of someone who’s haunted by their past to bring back those ghosts from the dead and end their suffering.

Inspiration from the bombs dropped on Japan during World War II gave the writers some great back-and-forth between Neelix and Jetrel. The arguments feel real and provide space for the victim and perpetrator to each make their cases, which is fascinating to watch. But the most powerful scene is when Neelix forgives Jetrel at the end of the episode, leaving what Jetrel would’ve said if he didn’t die right away as an intriguing mystery. Maybe it’s for the best, as Jetrel is able to go to the grave knowing at least one of his victims is able to move on.

Watching Neelix and Kes’ relationship grow is nice, too. It’s clear the pair love each other very much. In any relationship, discussing what happens if the other dies first is hard. However, it’s reassuring that they’re able to realize they should enjoy the present and the moments they have together.

“Jetrel” is a great Neelix episode which isn’t about his typical comedy but his tragic past. Although Star Trek has done many stories about the consequences of war and the PTSD which often comes with it, “Jetrel” delivers on this premise and adds much more.