I thought Kes should have been MORE innocent and niave. They lived basically in a bubble with no knowledge of the outside world, other species, or anything other than their own little world. They didn't develop technology or seek to learn anything on their own. They lived by what the Caretaker provided them and were taught not to question it. Kes should have been in a constant state of awe by everything she saw around her, the technology, and the other species and cultures. I've always felt that if there was a different actress in the role Kes could have been a better character....of course she could have been worse too.
I think that it's clear that Kes was an outlier among her people. IIRC, we didn't hear about examples of others who ventured to the surface, or very, very few over time. Aside from asserting her will in seeking out the unknown, she was resolute in speaking/thinking openly against what one could reasonably assume represented TPTB, namely toady Toscat. Now one can bring up the Suspirians, as an example of other Ocampans who left the home world. But were we told if all of the original group, went with Mrs. Caretaker of their own accord, for similar motivations as Kes, or perhaps they were removed by her to see how she could restore the abilities of the race that had been deracinated through stagnation? Let me know if I have that wrong.
Aside from her other gifts, the exemplar of which I think was her great and manifest empathy, I believe what addresses your supposition about how she should have naturally reacted to the world of the 24th century Federation, was the fact that she was very mature in how her intellect responded to totally new environments and circumstances. She didn't innately know how to operate equipment and systems. She received technical/scientific instruction from the Doctor, Paris and Torres, and I would think likely from Kim, Janeway, and Tuvok. Hell, it would make sense to me that just about anyone she asked to show her the operations of a system or equipment, would have been more than willing to do so. It wouldn't surprise me that Janeway, knowing what an extraordinarily gifted individual was in their midst, would have encouraged the crew to do just that. So while I'm not saying that Kes automatically understood the substance of things as she was introduced to them, as opposed to Neelix, she did have the ability, IMO, to intuitively apprehend the form and functionality of devices that did things she had never seen before and straightaway accept and integrate that understanding. I don't think the element of surprise or incredulity would often enter her mind. She realized that obviously Voyager was an example of a civilization that, in fact was the essence of what she sought for herself, questing, exploring, and advancing, in direct opposition to the static culture from which she'd come. I think she did find that being on Voyager and all that it exposed her to, was indeed something like a wonderland, but the intellectual rigour and determination that were so integral to her personality, prevented her from encountering it, stumbling around in gapeing, wide eyed incredulity and incomprehension. I think it was exactly the fact that she had such an immediate appreciation of things, was what contributed very significantly to her distinctiveness as a character, whereas her acting in the way that you suggest, wouldn't have served any good purpose in allowing Ms. Lien to create such a memorable, singular, and touching character.
By the way, you have to be the first poster I've read, who in the explanation of their dislike or disdain of the character and/or actress, have described Kes as a knave, well almost...LOL
Kes grew up with Replicators in the Caretaker's bunker.
Her tech back home, was superior to the Federation.
Not only should she not have been amazed, but Kes should have been sniggering.
Whether you're being in earnest or not, I don't think there's much real foundation for that assertion, not from what we saw anyway. I kind of doubt that Banjo Man would have made the Ocampans privy to any of his advanced geegaws, given that he saw his way of expiating his and the missus' booboo, was effective and had stood the test of time. I think I've long had the impression of most of what we see of the Ocampans' biosphere, is of a huge shopping enclave, like the mall of America times 10, or a super atrium of a 70's or 80's vintage Omni. But precious little evidence of advanced technology around. Thinking about it, what the hell would they need it for?
sniggering would have been better than what we got. That would have been an emotion. Something better than what we had IMO
I think the case for maintaining that Kes displayed the emotional range of a one note, montonic robot, is far at variance with what she actually displayed, for all to see, and what one, I believe can very reasonably intuit about what was going on her inner life, conflicts and uncertainties, that for the most part she didn't display outwardly. Kes is quite demonstrative in Time and Again, Parturition, Elogium, Twisted, Cold Fire, certainly Tuvix, and a number of others. What is often the most poignant aspect to Ms. Lien's abilities is the quiet (read for many, boring) way that she exemplifies a supernally caring, generous, and unfailingly kind individual, the aspects that truly define her as an indisputably empathic being. Now if one doesn't find such examples particularly convincing examples of someone with much in the way of acting chops, well that's a different argument. I'm not a dramatic critic, nor do pretend to play one here or anywhere else. But my impression, is that of a superbly instinctive, unaffected, and unafraid performer, who even in the slightest of touches, a la her transformation when Tuvok makes contact with her in Warlord as well as set pieces, especially in the instance of her genuinely, and without guile, dispassionately trying to reach the intellect of Bad Doc in Darkling, in what I find, one of the most remarkable pieces of dialogue that I'm personally familiar with in the Star Trek canon (admitting my near unfamiliarity with DS9 and likewise (or forgetfulness) with TNG. I don't think that the high praise that a number of her castmates lavished on her talents since her departure from the show, up until the present day, is anything other than genuine and meaningfully articulated. There would be no plausible reason for any of them to offer such hosannas with the idea that they are rendering kindness for someone who has fallen off the face of the earth. I suspect that it would be quite likely that the idea that Lien would even become cognizant of such support, would be rather minimal, given what the others may know of the isolation, hard times, and the lack, to my knowledge, that any of them even have any contact with her at all.
But Janeway after Before and After did not get what we got.
Half way through the intake interview Kes spins out and starts screaming about Time travel... Then goes back to regular present day Kes and wonders why every one is looking at her funny.
After seeing that temporal tantrum, a Captain would have to be an insane moron not to have the little alien under armed guard all the while she is crew on Voyager for the next 8 years.
While I don't dismiss that timeline as being illusory or having been extinguished by the Doctor's anti-chroniton polio encasement, I have found it increasingly difficult over time to see the episode, although a wonderful forum for Lien's skills, as really being developmentally significant, as opposed to the show runners permitting a glimpse of what Kes could have become, if, as may have been becoming an increasing likely, if not certain, determination, that quite soon she was going to be getting the push.
