Janeway in the cases of Quinn and Tuvix

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Voyager' started by MatthiasRussell, May 17, 2012.

  1. Unicron

    Unicron Boss Monster Mod Moderator

    Joined:
    May 8, 2003
    Location:
    The Crown of the Moon
    IIRC - and my memory is certainly not perfect - Ballard's situation isn't quite comparable to Tuvix, nor is Quinn's although they all do share some common factors and difficult choices. Ballard was KIA on a mission and was later restored to life by an alien race who resurrect dead aliens as one means of propagating their species, and who gave her body altered DNA and memories.

    It's made clear in the episode that a lot of Lyndsay's original personality remained intact and that she felt she still belonged with Voyager, but she also had trouble remembering aspects of her human life and doing activities like eating Earth food, because her body reacted differently to it. And when her "adopted" family came looking for her and were perfectly willing to fight Voyager in an attempt to "rescue" Ballard, she finally elected to return with them on account of her partially confused memories and a desire to protect her former crewmates, even if she didn't like the idea. But it wasn't a matter of Janeway arbitrarily ruling against the possibility of her being welcomed back, or anyone else in the crew. Quite the opposite. Part of Ballard also felt at home with the Kobali and her "other" family.

    To be fair, in terms of writing, there are a number of issues with "Ashes to Ashes" (which was a later ep, S6). The quandary facing Ballard is rather interesting IMO, but some elements of the story seem a bit too rushed in execution to work as well as they could.
     
  2. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2011
    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    So, I watched Scorpion and The Gift yesterday, and I can't see how anyone coming down of the side of restoring Tuvok and Neelix' lives means murdering Tuvix and is therefore wrong, yet, thinks it was right to murder Seven, in order to restore Annika to life?

    Janeway forced the change on Seven, kept her imprisoned and denied her choice, refused to allow her to return to the Borg. Restoring Annika was a far more aggressive action, and Seven had existed for 20 years, Tuvix only for a few weeks (Maybe a couple months?). 7 of 9 had no more choice in being born than Tuvix did, how can you honestly ignore this in her case, but, use it to deride Tuvix' death?

    I can't fathom how anyone can come down on opposite sides in both situations. I believe both were the right decision, and it's hypocritical to be in favor of one, but, not the other.
     
  3. DonIago

    DonIago Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2001
    Location:
    Burlington, VT, USA
    Well, I do think there's a difference in that Tuvix was an accidental creation whereas the Borg's creation of Seven was a deliberate imposition upon the original personality, but I'd also point out that I do have some issues with how Janeway ignored Seven's request to exist in the manner she wished to (at the time). I suppose a case could be made that she wasn't mentally competent, though that raises a whole different set of issues. In any case, unlike Hugh, Seven did clearly state that she did not wish to be de-assimilated.

    If killing a child would bring back two heroes on the scale of, say, Captain America, do we do it? If we don't do it, we're effectively killing those two Captain Americas? Rhetorical.

    SG-1 covered these sorts of issues rather well in "Pretense", though in that case preserving the imposed personality (more or less) was an option.
     
  4. sonak

    sonak Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2007
    Location:
    in a figment of a mediocre mind's imagination

    The Borg "Seven of Nine" was the result of a personality rape of Annika Hansen. She was also enslaved to a Borg collective and didn't have the ability to make a competent choice as a free individual.


    Had "Locutus of Borg" expressed opposition to being restored to Picard would Crusher and Riker have taken that seriously?
     
  5. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2011
    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    I'm on the side of saying it was right to restore Annika, I just don't see how freeing Tuvok and Neelix is any different. Seven of Nine stole Annika's life, through no choice of her own, and was killed to restore Annika. Tuvix stole Neelix and Tuvok's lives, through no choice of his own and was killed to restore Neelix and Tuvok. Both Annika (through her parents) and Tuvok/Neelix took a gamble (Neelix and Tuvok via using the transporter, and a near impossible accident took place, replacing them with Tuvix)(Annika's parents chose to go into unexplored space, where anything was possible and likely to happen and Annika was replaced with Seven of Nine)
     
  6. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Location:
    Great Britain
    Upon being liberated from the Borg, Annika wanted to return. Now you could argue at that time she wasn't in a fit mental state to make an informed choice. If 4 years later, she made the choice, then it might be considered an informed choice. Would Janeway have the right then to stop her?

    Tuvix appeared to be making an informed choice.

    It wasn't even an issue Janeway should have delt with, she could have easily put him into stasis until such time as an uninvested party could rule on the dilema.
     
  7. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2011
    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    So, you're saying Tuvix should've been put in stasis for 70 years?
     
  8. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Location:
    Great Britain
    Why not in the intrest of a fair trial? Janeway wasn't exactly impartial in the matter being discussed.
     
  9. exodus

    exodus Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2003
    Location:
    The Digital Garden
    The trial will end up the same as the debate we're having here, inconclusive. Same as "Measure of Man" and "Author, Author". Sonak is correct in saying this was a no win situation, which it is. What is right or wrong is up to each individual watching.
     
  10. JanewayRulz!

    JanewayRulz! Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2009
    Location:
    North America
    ^^ Yes, this is certainly Voyager's ethical Kobayashi Maru.
     
  11. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2004
    Location:
    Gov Kodos on Mohammed's Radio, WZVN Boston
    The episode would have been better with characters who weren't named in the credits, thus likely to return by episode's end. Janeway's choice is rather fore-ordained by that.
     
  12. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Location:
    Great Britain
    Yes but in both those instances, the party making the ruling wasn't invested in the outcome.

    What Janeway did would be no different if you sat as Judge as someone who had wronged you.

    Janeway in her ruling possibly set a dangerous precedent.
     
  13. exodus

    exodus Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2003
    Location:
    The Digital Garden
    There was nobody on Voyager that could have been impartial. How could you expect a fair trial?
     
  14. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2011
    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    Look back a few posts, he's willing to put Tuvix into stasis for the whole 70 year long trip home in order for him to get a fair trial
     
  15. exodus

    exodus Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2003
    Location:
    The Digital Garden
    The conclusion: 3 dead souls

    End of debate. :lol:
    Seriously, I don't see how someone can argue it's inhumane to "murder" one person for the sake of two but it isn't inhumane to put someone in stasis for 70+ years?
     
  16. MatthiasRussell

    MatthiasRussell Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    May 3, 2011
    Location:
    Seattle
    I would actually say taking Seven to resatore Annika was wrong. But there are some differences. Seven had no personality; she was a vessel for the collective mind of the Borg. Tuvix was a definitive seperate person. Seven was a captured and aggressive enemy combatant whereas Tuvix was a friend. I would say once Seven was captured and the Borg defeated, she SHOULD have been left off some where for the Borg to pick up.

    But with the Borg there are different perspectives. In the Seven situation, I would have sent her back to the Borg. In the Locutus situation, I would have tried to restore Picard.


    My original issue for this thread, though, is does Voyager/Janeway have a double standard for the rights of the individual vs the will/good of the majority.
     
  17. exodus

    exodus Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2003
    Location:
    The Digital Garden
    So why is it wrong to bring back Tuvok and Neelix?
    doesn't Locutus represent new life the same as Tuvix?
    Isn't restoring Picard killing Locutus just to restore the being he used to be?
     
  18. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Location:
    Great Britain
    So you are saying that he's not entitled to an impartial hearing? And besides it was only until they could make contact with starfleet.

    Which would have been in around three years.

    According to TNG's "Where no one has gone before" a subspace mesage would take 52 years to travel the 2.7million light years. Dialouge indicates that they fully expected the Federation to recieve it. The speed works out as roughly as 52 000ly per year.
     
  19. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2011
    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    For me, these two situations confirm to me Janeway is consistent, she chooses to restore the original (and salvageable) owners of the bodies. I can't speak to the S6 Ballard case, as I'm only jsut beginning S4 at this point, but, 7of9 and Tuvix, I think she showed consistency
     
  20. exodus

    exodus Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2003
    Location:
    The Digital Garden
    Nope, not even close.
    ..and you find putting someone in stasis for even that long is humane?
    Janeway wasn't even that cruel to Suder.