Finding a familiar cultural symbol on an away mission, Chakotay connects with an experience he had as a child and tries to contact his spirit people.Finding a familiar cultural symbol on an away mission, Chakotay connects with an experience he had as a child and tries to contact his spirit people.Finding a familiar cultural symbol on an away mission, Chakotay connects with an experience he had as a child and tries to contact his spirit people.
- Lt. B'Elanna Torres
- (as Roxann Biggs-Dawson)
- Native Woman
- (uncredited)
- Ancient Sky spirit
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAlan Sims was responsible for hiring the trained hawk that swooped down and attacked Neelix. The fact that the bird was filmed on location became problematic during production, however, as the hawk did not do what was required of it. "Instead," recalled Alan Sims, "the hawk spotted a crow and went off after it in the opposite direction. It took hours to find him. The delay was a nightmare."
- GoofsAfter Ensign Wildman leaves Sickbay, Kes chides the Doctor for his lack of showing compassion and tells him that he doesn't know what it's like to "feel pain" or to "be hurt", but in Projections (1995) he clearly felt physical pain on several occasions, and even suffered injuries.
- Quotes
The Doctor: My simulated virus is leading me to a simulated death!
Kes: [to Kim] It's nothing to worry about. I just added a couple of hours to his computer program. He'll be fine in about 45 minutes. - Knowing when it would end didn't exactly make it a fair test, did it, Doctor?
[she leaves]
The Doctor: She is far more devious than I ever suspected.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force (2000)
This is a reasonably good episode with some interesting concepts.
I like how the story unfolds seamlessly between flashbacks and the present time period. This is down to good editing, transitions, and selection of a young actor who bares a plausible resemblance to what a young Chakotay would look like.
I think there are a few aspects you must overcome for it to be enjoyable. Firstly, of all the gin joints, in all the quadrants, in all the galaxy, Chakotay beams into this one. If you can accept this premise you are halfway there.
Secondly you need to get past the stereotypes. Compared to other representations I do not think this one is hideously bad, but it has problems, such as showing no distinction between indigenous groups and generalising all Native Americans as peaceful, respectful of the land, and heavily spiritual.
Naturally this culture could not have evolved without the help of the 'sky-spirits', which feels quite patronising. It is the type of concept seen before in Star Trek episodes like 'Who Mourns For Adonais' and 'Requiem For Mathusela', but 'Tattoo' does it slightly better.
When the crew on board Voyager gets into a bit of jeopardy towards the end, it feels a bit tacked on to increase the excitement level, but it's fairly well executed nonetheless.
The b-plot involving the Doctor contracting a holovirus is good fun and feels like a parody of the type of unsympathetic male who goes to pieces when given a dose of what the ladies call "man-flu" where I come from.
Roberts Beltran, Katie Mulgrew, and Robert Picardo stand out in this one.
- snoozejonc
- Jul 26, 2022
Details
- Runtime46 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3