Was Kes a Good Character?

[hux]

A new Kes discussion. Just what the doctor ordered.

I don't dislike Kes but I do think she's a little forgettable and fairly uninteresting.

Characters with powers are always problematic for me (unless the powers are limited and consistent). By the time we get to The Gift, she is basically the most powerful Ocampan we've ever seen (including the group with Suspiria) which highlights the ridiculousness of her abilities.

Characters with powers only really work for me when they're abilities are limited (Vulcan, Betazoid) because again, the inconsistencies are easier to ignore (Troi can't sense a guy in the next room but in the following episode she can sense that an entire planet is upset?).

The problem with Kes was that her abilities were inconsistent with her people (most Ocampan's having limited access to these abilities) and inconsistent on an individual level. Even when she met Ocampan's who were utilising their abilities (Cold Fire) she almost instantly surpassed them in ability. How? By the end of the episode, she could Magic Voyager thousands of light years away? How?

What should have happened with her? What could have been different?

What's the general consensus?

Are characters with powers problematic?

I wonder if Lynx has an opinion?

 

[Kilana2]

Kes had potential, but it wasn't realized all too often. I miss some more good Kes episodes other than the ones mentioning her mental powers or her sometimes awkward romantical interactions.

Kes development into another plane of existence was better than seeing Kes actually ageing like in that one episode.

 

[Lynx]

She's not only good, she's excellent!

Excellent, magnificent, glorius, superb, shining, brilliant!

One of the best Star Trek characters.

 

[Amaraen]

I believe that Kes had a lot in common with Wesley Crusher. They seem like they are really very similar characters with similar story paths.

I also prefer characters to be more close to human in their abilities. I felt it was wise to make Deanna only half Betazed so that she could sense feelings rather than read full thoughts.

I liked the character and the actress, much as I enjoyed Wesley. At least with Wesley it was more just about his gift for thought and understanding, and it seemed far more science-based than Kes. Her powers seemed a little far fetched and over the top. Once you start down that path it is very easy to just go all the way to omnipotence.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I struggle with the Kes character. I like the idea of Kes more than the actual Kes we got. I don't know exactly why it didn't turn out so well - the actress was just fine. I guess it came down to writing.

I wish they had stuck with the original premise of the character rather than adding magical powers. What I mean is, the concept of a character onboard Voyager that lives such a short lifespan was interesting enough in itself. There were many possibilities there to explore ideas of childhood, aging, death, and how these impacted the Ocampan culture in comparison to how they impact human culture. Why did the writers feel this wasn't enough of a plot device with which to tell excellent stories? I'm not sure.

Instead, it felt like they couldn't figure out what to do with Kes, so they just kept adding more to her. Actually, it felt this was with Neelix as well. His race and origins were also interesting enough on their own, yet they kept adding to his backstory and introducing new jobs and tasks for him that were completely unnecessary.

In the end, for me Kes felt like a chaotic, messy, but still somehow useless character. I would definitely say there was potential there that was not realized.

 

[Lynx]

The silly short lifespan was a mistake and I'm glad that they never really used it.

I mean, this is Star Trek, not "The Bold And The Beautiful" or some other soap opera with people slowly dying and teardripping episodes.

They should have given Kes a human lifespan or why not a Vulcan lifespan and just the mental abilities she had in season 2 and 3.

 

[hux]

I didn't mind the life-span thing too much. My only criticism being that surely a species which only lives for three years would mature much more quickly (within the first couple of months). Kes was naïve, innocent and sweet from start to finish. A little more edge would have helped her character development.

I also prefer characters to be more close to human in their abilities. I felt it was wise to make Deanna only half Betazed so that she could sense feelings rather than read full thoughts

Makes one wonder why full Betazeds aren't on every Federation Starship. Surely a useful person to have in countless situations.

 

[Lynx]

Honestly, a species with such a short lifespan could never develope into more than primates. The whole thing was unrealistic.

Not to mention the one-child thing!

However, all of it could be done away with and shorted out without problems. Just a few adjustments here and there and Kes and the Ocampa will turn out even better than they were!

 

[Amaraen]

Makes one wonder why full Betazeds aren't on every Federation Starship. Surely a useful person to have in countless situations.

I think there would be several reasons. One is that it would feel very unfair to discriminate by race. There is also very likely an ethical issue with reading someone's mind and using it as an advantage. With Deanna it was a bit different because she was just sensing emotion: it is similar to if she was just really, really good at reading body language/tone, etc.

I thought the short lifespan was an interesting concept, but I do not believe it was used well. This I really think falls into the concept of "great potential not realized".

 

[Sybok Was Wrong]

The short lifespan was a great idea & a great setup for a very dramatic story to be told in the 6th/7th season when she dies. Would have been a major Trek moment.

Loved her voice. Thought she was a good assistant for the Doctor. The 3rd season episode where Kes was taken over proved Lien had acting chops being misused.

I don't see why she had to be let go because of Jeri Ryan- except for financial reasons IE- the studio didn't want that many actors under contract at once.

A Trek cast with that many strong women as characters- Janeway/Torres/Kes/Seven would have been refreshing.

 

[Catarina]

The silly short lifespan was a mistake and I'm glad that they never really used it.

I mean, this is Star Trek, not "The Bold And The Beautiful" or some other soap opera with people slowly dying and teardripping episodes.

They should have given Kes a human lifespan or why not a Vulcan lifespan and just the mental abilities she had in season 2 and 3.

hun, it already was Bold and the Beautiful. And Ensign that never gets in rank because all the positions are full? Please. People died, and maquis aren't SF.

be'lanna baby drama.

Kes and Neelix drama

That's the filter I see anyway.

If it weren't a network soap opera, perhaps the UPN network thugs would have listened and approved the fans need for development and logic and have real feelings, not the soap dish stuff.

 

[Drone]

A new Kes discussion. Just what the doctor ordered.

I don't dislike Kes but I do think she's a little forgettable and fairly uninteresting.

Characters with powers are always problematic for me (unless the powers are limited and consistent). By the time we get to The Gift, she is basically the most powerful Ocampan we've ever seen (including the group with Suspiria) which highlights the ridiculousness of her abilities.

Characters with powers only really work for me when they're abilities are limited (Vulcan, Betazoid) because again, the inconsistencies are easier to ignore (Troi can't sense a guy in the next room but in the following episode she can sense that an entire planet is upset?).

The problem with Kes was that her abilities were inconsistent with her people (most Ocampan's having limited access to these abilities) and inconsistent on an individual level. Even when she met Ocampan's who were utilising their abilities (Cold Fire) she almost instantly surpassed them in ability. How? By the end of the episode, she could Magic Voyager thousands of light years away? How?

What should have happened with her? What could have been different?

What's the general consensus?

Are characters with powers problematic?

I wonder if Lynx has an opinion?

Is it outlandish to suggest that among her race she was simply an outlier as far as how limitless her innate abilities actually were, either when developed with tutelage (Tuvok) or stimulated by an external source (Tanis and the Undine)? Granted, the latter was simply the conceit used to show her the door and if she had remained on the show rather than Kim, the writers might not have ever given her the opportunity to evolve to quite that extent, even if the issue of it being an existential threat to Voyager's physical integrity was not put into play.

Also, we don't know that there might not be others on the homeworld that had such possibilities as well, but would never know if they didn't likewise share Kes's desire to experience more of her potential than what was inculcated in the Ocampans entombed existence.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I loved Kes but she was never fully utilised then dropped in favour of a larger cup size. She had such a sweetness and genuine empathy to her that made her likeable, but with a strength that lay beneath. Her innocence of the universe made everything new to her and gave what she saw a sense of awe.

Her line in "Caretaker" about how she saw the sunlight for the first time made me perk up and pay closer attention to her, she delivered it with such conviction and passion that I immediately wanted to see more of her.

She only got better after the creepy Neelix romance was dropped as she could no longer just be characterised as another characters girlfriend and could stand on her own.

 

[T'Girl]

I loved Kes but she was never fully utilised then dropped in favour of a larger cup size

No she was dropped because Garrett Wang got a one time mention in (iirc) People Magazine. TPTB decision to retain Wang is what resulted in the departure of Kes.

 

[RoJoHen]

Kes's short lifespan, while unrealistic, could have provided for a more interesting perspective as Voyager's journey continued. Imagine Kes being around when Voyager reached Earth, only to die in the finale from old age, fulfilled that she had led a life exploring the universe and seeing her friends get back home. If she had been given more importance, it could have been very moving. She could have been on her death bed in sickbay while B'Elanna was simultaneously giving birth. A whole life/death thing.

 

[hux]

Kes's short lifespan, while unrealistic, could have provided for a more interesting perspective as Voyager's journey continued. Imagine Kes being around when Voyager reached Earth, only to die in the finale from old age, fulfilled that she had led a life exploring the universe and seeing her friends get back home. If she had been given more importance, it could have been very moving. She could have been on her death bed in sickbay while B'Elanna was simultaneously giving birth. A whole life/death thing.

That could have worked well.

The problem is, what to do to make her entertaining until then?

That was always the problem. Getting her away from Neelix was the first smart move from the writers but it came too late to make a difference. I would have reduced her super-powers (pushing them to the background) and had her become the field medic with interests in science. I also would have had the elogium have consequences beyond pregnancy which included becoming more emotionally mature (more adult, cynical, sarcastic, sexual, assertive etc).

Having a character who only lives three years be so child-like was not a good idea.

 

[RoJoHen]

Honestly, I think it might have been interesting to see her take on the Doctor's role in teaching Seven about social interaction. The dynamic between the three of them could have been fun.

 

[stardream]

I liked the character for the most part and I might be in the minority here but I am of the opinion that telepaths are overused in Star Trek. Once in a while they are useful but what it the point of even having an episode if things can be solved by someone's magical mystical abilities?

I think the original premise was to have her die when Voyager reached Earth.

I do wonder what they would have done about the "Year of Hell' though. Kes remembered what happened. Would they have shown a scene of her pulling B'Elanna and the Captain away from that exploding console? I think it would have been a good idea for her and B'Elanna to have become really good friends before that to 'up' the inner conflict. Would she sacrifice her own happiness for that of her friend?

 

[Binary]

I think I've said this elsewhere; I think it was extremely unfair to drop Kes in order to bring in Seven of Nine. With a budget of over a million dollars an episode, they should have been able to add one more actor. And while Jeri Ryan is gorgeous, it is very anti-Star Trek. And totally Hollywood to drop an employee to bring in one with a better body. What happened to accepting people despite their differences?? Accepting and embracing others, even if they don't fit our idea of perfect beauty is what the show is all about!

 

[RoJoHen]

The show has also always been about sexy women in revealing clothing.