A Bothan forces the crew to face their deepest fears.
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By Meg on Tuesday, June 15, 1999 - 4:51 pm:
Many Bothans died to bring you this information.
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By Electron on Tuesday, June 15, 1999 - 6:20 pm:
Has this ep something to do with the raytracing program POVRay ???
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By BrianB on Friday, July 09, 1999 - 6:24 am:
This was another mind tricks ep. (a strong euphemism on the word "tricks"). This ep. mimics many other mind tricks shows from the previous two series, they're too numerous to list.
The only good moment was in the first act with the tiny Doctor. Too bad it wasn't a tiny Chakotay, then the title would be "The Indian In The Cupboard".
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By Q on Friday, September 01, 2000 - 6:23 pm:
When Captain Janeway gets in the turbolift to get to engineering late in the episode, Chakotay is standing there frozen. When she arrives, she's standing there frozen and Chakotay is gone. Maybe she dumped him somewhere along the way.
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By Concerned poster on Saturday, September 02, 2000 - 7:02 pm:
Was it reallty neccessary of Tuvok to kill Nelix? I mean poor Nelix is cleaning up the mess hall and Tuvok walks in very quietly and gets behind him and snaps his neck! But why did he do it? And why did he soon after clone nelix and give the clone all of Nelix's memories to make it look like the real Nelix had never died? And how did he make the clone without anyone noticing? Does he keep a closet full of these nelix clones so he can kill them whenever he needs to blow of some steam? Is he really that sick?
Is this really the kind of thing we want younger viewers to be exposed to?
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By Mark Swinton on Sunday, October 08, 2000 - 12:00 pm:
Wait a minute: what episode were you watching, "concerned poster"? It can't have been "Persistence of Vision" as the events you describe don't happen in that show. (Nor, for that matter, in any other episode of Voyager! The closest we get is the scene in "Meld" where Tuvok, aware that his violent tendencies are surfacing, kills a holographic Neelix by strangling him.)
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By The Undesirable Element on Friday, March 23, 2001 - 2:17 pm:
I love the Bothans as villains. Too bad we never saw them again.
JANEWAY: "Why did you do this?"
BOTHAN: "Because I can."
I love that. Perfect bully-like response. None of that revenge or biological impulse stuff.
BOTHAN: "I was never really here."
He vanishes.
Great villain. I still remember him to this day. He's probably the only one-time villain I can still see in my head. That episode disturbed me the first time I saw it.
Kes's scream was very unpleasant to the eardrums. Glad it was never repeated.
TUE
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By The Mad Bothan on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 1:35 pm:
1. The captain goes down to engineering to see the progress on setting up holographic projectors that would allow the doctor access to other areas of the ship in an emergency. Now considering this project concerns the ship and part of it's systems, I would expect that it would have to be approved by the captain first. But when she gets to engineering, she has to have the entire thing explained to her, as if this is the first time she's heard about it!
2. There was a problem with the entire holo-projection experiment, the doctor turns out to be the wrong size, and Harry said the problem is only a small one, it can be fixed in a couple of hours. How come we don't hear anything of this again? There doesn't seem to be any finish to the project, you never see the doctor walking around engineering aided by these holo-projectors. I find that to be a bit of a cop out considering there was only two hours of adjustment to fix a small problem to make it work.
3. Noticing that Janeway is somewhat stressed, the doctor said that he checked Starfleet regulations and found out that the doctor of the ship has the authority to relieve her from duty, and told her to relax in the holodeck. Wouldn't he be programmed with these regulations anyway, considering they're medical related? He shouldn't need to do any checking!
4. Janeway starts the holonovel of some 19th century European drivel and we spend the next 10 minutes watching people argue with no real relevance to the holostory. Can anyone else see with this episode that a bunch of writers were sitting around a desk, twiddling their thumbs, saying "what the hell do we do now?" How can Janeway find a holodeck program with people yelling even remotely relaxing?
5. My immediate first conclusion is that Janeway was losing her mind. I mean, she dismisses the cups and the cucumber sandwiches as just coincidences, but you have to admit, it's a pretty big coincidence to come across!
6. Of course, Janeway would never accept the logical and most obvious solution: she's just going totally out of her mind. She's going a little loco in the head. No, it can't be that! So instead of going to sickbay to get her head examined (which would be my first stop) she decides to go to engineering to blame the entire thing on Torres and Kim, even though she is the only person seeing things that should be on the holodeck. They say it could be a simple problem in the imaging system. I really think they were humoring Janeway.
7. It is later revealed that it is really the aliens picking on Janeway with their mind. Why they didn't decide to just take her out entirely, or even the whole crew at once without horsing around, is a little beyond me (beside there being being no story to fill time). They seem quite satisfied to sit around and play tricks with her mind.
8. Janeway decides to have a big hallucination in which she goes to her quarters and is attacked. The entire thing happened in her mind, such as eat the ice-cream, calling security (although it was a wonder this didn't really happen, she was still wearing her commbadge). How much of her hallucination could Kes see? Did she think she was in the captain's quarters as well?
9. Now the alien decides to stop having his fun and just blanket hypnotize everyone (admit it, it was something that he should have done in the first place) and for some reason, all the crewmembers who aren't in the senior member staff immediately fell victim to the hallucinations without so much as a whimper. That really annoys me... what makes Janeway, Paris, and Torres so special to last longer than normal people!? I would have liked it better if a nameless ensign saved the day!
10. Oh yeah, and how come Tuvok was the first member of the senior staff to lose his control? He's a Vulcan, he's more in touch with his mind, shouldn't he be able to put up a mental shield or just say to himself "there is no logic in my wife being here, therefore she is not" and just ignore it? I find it impossible to believe that Janeway can last longer than a Vulcan!
11. Janeway pressed her commbadge saying "Janeway to anyone" but of course, no minor crewmembers can be left. Why doesn't Kes at least respond? Come to think of it, wasn't she ordered to report to the bridge earlier? What happened to that?
12. It's a wonder people aren't just ignoring their loved ones. I mean, they're not there. They know it's an alien trying to trick them, what's the problem? Does Paris really believe his father would come all that way to chew him out? Does Janeway think that it could really be Mark? Don't listen to them! As for Torres seeing Chakotay, I don't know why he suggested taking an escape pod when it would have been easier to take a shuttle instead, and much faster!
13. It appears that the Neelix who was trying to trick Kes was actually the alien in disguise who wasn't actually there at any rate. So does that mean that the single alien was running up to everyone appearing as their loved ones? It would have taken him a long time to do the entire crew! I submit that the alien just spent the special time with the senior staff. The extras were more mercifully put down.
14. Janeway made a log entry at the end (with the stardate "supplemental" of course) saying that there are any number of unanswered questions. Basically they can't be bothered to come up with answers.
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By The Captains Log on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 8:25 pm:
"Supplemental" is not a stardate. The word refers to the LOG ITSELF. In other words, "this log is a supplement to the other ones I've done today," or, "a supplement to the main one I already did today." Why this reasoning that just because the word "supplemental" is said in the place where the date usually is, that therefore, ipso facto, the DATE is supplemental? How can a date be "supplemental"? It's a supplemental LOG.
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By Anonymous on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 - 4:49 pm:
Out of all the options Janeway mentioned to stop the bad guy at the end, she misses one: Execute him. He assualted her crew, and ship, what he did to their minds was nothing short of a type of rape. He was a threat to any other ship that was in that region of space. If she had decided to execute, she could have said self defence and she would be technically correct, so why doesent she even mention that option.
I know, it's not exactly starfleet, but I'm sure Kirk or Sisko would have mentioned it.
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By Merat on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 - 8:53 pm:
Kirk? Kirk would have killed him as soon as he figured out what was going on! Especially if he brought up images of Edith Keeler....
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By constanze on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 12:07 pm:
Mad Bothan,
1. The captain goes down to engineering to see the progress on setting up holographic projectors that would allow the doctor access to other areas of the ship in an emergency...
what surprised me about that was the priorities janeway made: she talks with neelix on the way to engineering. Neelix says that he needs to urgently inform her about the bothans, whose space the voyager is about to enter. But janeway brushes him off with "later" to look at tiny-doc. Then the doc orders her to rest. When the ship enters bothan space, neelix arrives on the bridge to inform the captain, so she still couldn't take the time to hear this imporant information?
2. There was a problem with the entire holo-projection experiment ...
Didn't the whole issue of holoemitters turn up only a few eps. before, when the doc was unsure if he was a hologram or dr. zimmermann? I thought it was a nice touch to bring the issue up again.
4. Janeway starts the holonovel of some 19th century European drivel and we spend the next 10 minutes watching people argue with no real relevance to the holostory. Can anyone else see with this episode that a bunch of writers were sitting around a desk, twiddling their thumbs, saying "what the hell do we do now?" How can Janeway find a holodeck program with people yelling even remotely relaxing?
People find different things relaxing. I would have called up a quiet landscape to relax, but I'm not janeway. The important thing about relaxing is letting go of the present duties by doing something very different. If its freeclimbing, skydiving or sitting on the beach reading cheap romance novels depends on the person.
6. Of course, Janeway would never accept the logical and most obvious solution: she's just going totally out of her mind....
I don't know why you are so upset. I think janeway took logical steps: first she checks the technical side, then the next step is the doc, who scans her brain. Both ideas have to be checked out, and janeway with her scientific training, rules out the technical solution first.
7. It is later revealed that it is really the aliens picking on Janeway with their mind. Why they didn't decide to just take her out entirely, or even the whole crew at once without horsing around, is a little beyond me (beside there being being no story to fill time). They seem quite satisfied to sit around and play tricks with her mind. ...
I don't quite follow the general line that the aliens are the baddies and are attacking voyager to destroy them. Voyager entered their space and didn't leave. Maybe its their way of defending themselves, if they have no real weapons. Maybe they want to learn how aggressive the federation is, and by looking at the reactions, they are testing them. Maybe they wanted simply to stun all personnel and then tow the voyager out of their space.
I think its also to be expected that it would take the aliens some time to find out which illusions work on the humans, and then on the others in the crew. janeway imagines little things like cups, then an appearance, an attack, and later is "stunned" by a wishful vision. Sounds like testing and not fooling around to me.
9. Now the alien decides to stop having his fun and just blanket hypnotize everyone (admit it, it was something that he should have done in the first place) and for some reason, all the crewmembers who aren't in the senior member staff immediately fell victim to the hallucinations without so much as a whimper. That really annoys me... what makes Janeway, Paris, and Torres so special to last longer than normal people!? I would have liked it better if a nameless ensign saved the day!
That is a nit for all of Star Trek: only the heroes are immune to mind-altering. Yes, I think its boring, too, but that's why they are heroes. (like kirk being immune to sybok in STIV:FF)
10. Oh yeah, and how come Tuvok was the first member of the senior staff to lose his control? He's a Vulcan, he's more in touch with his mind, shouldn't he be able to put up a mental shield or just say to himself "there is no logic in my wife being here, therefore she is not" and just ignore it? I find it impossible to believe that Janeway can last longer than a Vulcan!
But tuvok didn't know it was a hallucination. It probably hit him very quick, and maybe when he is unprepared, a vulcan might be more suspectable to telepathic influences, because he already has telepathic abilities. Janeway and kes knew there was a problem and fought the influence.
11. Janeway pressed her commbadge saying "Janeway to anyone" but of course, no minor crewmembers can be left. Why doesn't Kes at least respond? Come to think of it, wasn't she ordered to report to the bridge earlier? What happened to that?
Later, Kes tried to page janeway, but got no repsonse, so I guess the alien were blocking the signals with their visions.
12. It's a wonder people aren't just ignoring their loved ones...
Its just a very strong and very convincing vision. I have no trouble accepting that premise. There are drugs around today which will create very convincing visions. And people can be hypnotized, too.
...As for Torres seeing Chakotay, I don't know why he suggested taking an escape pod when it would have been easier to take a shuttle instead, and much faster!
An escape pod should detach immediately, so getting out when an invasion is under way would be better than running down to shuttle bay, getting the shuttle fired up, opening the shuttle bay door (without anyone from the bridge countermanding the order), flying out (without anyone from the bridge engaging a tractor beam) and getting away. Sounds slower than hopping into an escape pod, pulling the line, and off you go.
...So does that mean that the single alien was running up to everyone appearing as their loved ones? ...
That was the only thing I had a problem with: one alien, who wasn't even there, projected everything, even the ships?
Oh, and the other nit is using technology - a field or wave of some kind, emitted from a somewhat modiefied warp core - to block telepathic emissions. In TNG "night terrors", this wasn't possible. It would have been more probable to give the crew somekinda drug to counter the vision effects - even if everybody would have been in a slight trance.
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By Zarm Rkeeg on Tuesday, September 23, 2003 - 1:23 pm:
TUE, I'm afraid that an ear-drum demolishing scream from Kes was once again unleashed in "Cold Fire."
.
.
.
I just wish I could forget...
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By Mark Swinton on Sunday, September 05, 2004 - 4:39 pm:
>>> The Undesirable Element: I love the Bothans as villains. Too bad we never saw them again.
Although in the Season 3 episode "Fair Trade" we see an alien on the space station by the Nekrit Expanse that looks an awful lot like the Bothan. He is first seen trying to sell narcotic crystals to Chakotay and Paris ("I have something here that will ease your journey - ease it considerably...") and later on he is named Sutok by Wixaban, who meets with him (with help from an unwitting Neelix) in the dark recesses of the station to arrange trade of another type of drug. And, in point of fact, gets shot...
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By Thande on Sunday, February 06, 2005 - 10:15 am:
Many Bothans died to get these narcotics to us. Well, one anyway.
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By John-Boy on Sunday, October 30, 2005 - 8:59 am:
This episode first aired on UPN 10 years ago today.
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By Mr Crusher on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 2:52 pm:
This episode was directed by the actor that played Commander William T Riker on Star Trek The Next Generaion.
. . . and now for the smart ass remarks by Polls and others . . .
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By Torque, Son of Keplar on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 4:55 pm:
This episode was directed by the actor that played the character that stole Marina Sirtis away from the arms of John A. Lang and forever broke his heart...
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By Anonymous on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 8:37 pm:
I thought it was directed by your mom!
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By LUIGI NOVI on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 11:16 pm:
MODERATOR!
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By Anonymous on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 12:25 am:
Its funny how you are yelling for the MODERATOR when you are part of letting things get WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY off topic on another Voyager board.
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By LUIGI NOVI on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 3:01 am:
I don't see how why it's funny. You made comments about someone else's mother. I did not.
Topic drift and insulting another poster are not comparable. Moreover, I emailed Richie to inform him about both boards, apologizing for my role in the topic drift, and asked him to Dump the "Elogium" thread, so that I can then ask Morgan to put it somewhere in the Sink, because I believe that that discussion has value.
So spare me your false attempt to shift focus from your behavior onto mine. It won't work.
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By Anonymous on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 6:41 am:
Its already worked as far as im concerned!
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By Torque, Son of Keplar on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 9:53 am:
I have no way of telling who Anon is, it may by Mr Crusher, it may not. Anyway, whoever it is should know that Mr. Crusher's post above mine was written in a such a way to invite a response.
He mentions that soon to come are the smart remarks by people and he placed a next to it indicating that this was all in good fun.
So if Anon isn't Mr. Crusher, please note when there is true bickering and where there isn't. If Anon is Mr. Crusher, please note that posting a after an invitation of sorts and then getting upset at the reply isn't very logical.
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By Mr Crusher on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 11:45 am:
Anon didn't seem upset to me, he was just providing another smart ass responce. Do your smart remarks mean that you are upset with Mr. Crusher when you post them? No they don't.
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By Polls Voice on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 11:59 am:
Don't take this the wrong mr. Mrusher, but could you be a little more grammatically correct in your replies? I'm having a difficult time identifying just what it is you're gettng at.
"Do your smart remarks mean that you are upset with Mr. Crusher when you post them? No they don't."
When you say "your," I am assuming you're talking about me. Yet, you then say: "No they don't."
Who is they? Also, If you're implying that I'm upset with Anon for posting something about my mother, I am not. My post directly above your post was just to point out that he/she/it is in in error. That the logic used isn't valid.
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By Mr Crusher on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 2:07 pm:
My post was very clear. If you are having a hard time understanding it, then thats your problem.
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By Polls Voice on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 - 6:48 pm:
whatever..
I am curious why you feel you need to speak in the 3rd person. (I think that's what was throwing me off) Is your personal relationship with yourself not going so well these days that you want to distance yourself from MrCrusher?
"Voyager entered their space and didn't leave. Maybe its their way of defending themselves, if they have no real weapons." constanze
They couldn't leave. They were being attacked and the faux-ships prevented their esacpe. Plus, one would think that since the Bothans could project vessils with weapons that they would have weapons of their own, but not necessarily.
"a field or wave of some kind [...] to block telepathic emissions. In TNG "night terrors", this wasn't possible." constanze
It shouldn't be possible here either, unless the Bothans rely more on technology than actual telepathy but unfortunately the one at the end didn't feel like revealing anything.
The whole BLT and Chuckles thing didn't make sense. She knew it wasn't him and still fell victim to the aliens. Were any of the hallucinations of people reused? I know that Tom's dad changes, and I'm pretty sure Mark is a different actor, but what about Tuvok's wife (I missed her)?
I just noticed something odd at the beginning. Kim asks why the alien didn't want to show his face. But, by looking closely at the screen, I can see his face just fine. Maybe Mr. Kim needs some glasses.