Maquis following Seska the Cardassian? (Come on...)

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

I gave up on Voyager when it first aired, largely because I got so sick of the Kazon and their endless plotline in the show. But re-watching it recently, start to finish, I've come to appreciate certain things more, while also disdaining other things more, too.

An example:
The Maquis, founded upon a violent opposition to the Cardassian takeover of some Federation colonies along the border, were determined, resourceful, and uncompromising in their hate for Cardassians. To me, it's a baffling and inexcusable writing to have so many of the Maquis aboard Voyager pledging their loyalty (in varying degrees) to a Cardassian agent who was the embodiment of everything they were fighting against back home. It makes no sense whatsoever, even in the desperation of wanting to get home by any means, whether Janeway seemed like an obstacle or not.

Out in the Delta Quadrant, where Federation justice seemed tens of thousands of light years away, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to take out all their rage on Seska, but instead they have an inexplicably opposite reaction. As a writing tool, I suppose it served a purpose to maintain a certain level of interpersonal tension between 2 blended crews. But there had to be a way to do that which wasn't so illogical or bizarre in the scheme of Maquis-Cardassian relations. Once that plot thread was wrapped up, everyone was pretty much best friends for the rest of the series, aside from Seven's struggles to assimilate.

That said, I've come to appreciate some things about the show, too, and I'm glad it's part of the ST universe. It had its strengths and powerful moments that stood out among the other Treks. BBC America seems to like TNG and VOY as much as I do, and I almost never hesitate to navigate there if one of them is on (and if I'm feeling too lazy to go into Netflix). I'm on Team Janeway, for sure.

 

[Kilana2]

I doubt the Maquis had folled Seska if they had known her to be Cardassian. She was surgically altered to be Bajoran. The things the Obsidian Order did becomes clearer after reading the DS9 Relaunch where it was explained....

Spoiler: Obsidian Order Agents

what really happened to Iliana Ghemor and how Obsidian Order Agents were prepared.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

I doubt the Maquis had folled Seska if they had known her to be Cardassian. She was surgically altered to be Bajoran. The things the Obsidian Order did become clearer after reading the DS9 Relaunch where it was explained....

[SPOILER="Obsidian Order Agents" what really happened to Iliana Ghemor and how Obsidian Order Agents were prepared [/SPOILER]

But I'm referring to the time from which she was revealed to be a Cardassian agent, and she conspired as a Cardassian (from the Kazon side of things) with Maquis crew to sabotage Voyager and take it over. I'm not referring to when she was still considered Bajoran.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Jonas was in survival mode, he thought Voyager had no chance to survive and treason was his only chance, even if it meant following a Cardassian. Ironically, of course.

 

[Kilana2]

But I'm referring to the time from which she was revealed to be a Cardassian agent, and she conspired as a Cardassian (from the Kazon side of things) with Maquis crew to sabotage Voyager and take it over. I'm not referring to when she was still considered Bajoran.

There were Maquis who finally could integrate into the crew. Chakotay was one of them. He and B'Elanna were the most disappointed by Seska. Other former Maquis members never had anything to do with Starfleet, didn't want to integrate and saw a way to play rebel and torpedo Janeway's orders.

 

[NewHeavensNewEarth]

There were Maquis who finally could integrate into the crew. Chakotay was one of them. He and B'Elanna were the most disappointed by Seska. Other former Maquis members never had anything to do with Starfleet, didn't want to integrate and saw a way to play rebel and torpedo Janeway's orders.

I get that. But does no one else see the irony adding up to be a plot hole? To use a historical example, it's like rallying behind a Nazi after you've been tenaciously fighting the Third Reich. To me, there just had to be better ways to keep a level of interpersonal tension while also moving forward together over time as a unified crew.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I believe that for some people, panicked survival instinct will trump hatred.

 

[marlboro]

I get that. But does no one else see the irony adding up to be a plot hole? To use a historical example, it's like rallying behind a Nazi after you've been tenaciously fighting the Third Reich. To me, there just had to be better ways to keep a level of interpersonal tension while also moving forward together over time as a unified crew.

I understand what your saying about Seska. But I don't think it's too much of a stretch to believe that a person who betrayed Starfleet once would do so again if they believed that, once again, their superior(s) were wrong.

Think of it like this:

A country is at war. A citizen thinks his leaders are fools who will lead them to disaster. Might not this citizen secretly hope his country's enemies score a short term victory if it leads to new leadership and a longterm victory? I think we could find some examples of this sort of mindset without too much trouble.


Your Nazi analogy: this is only tangentially related, but I think you will find that some political and religious fanatics are much more interested in the passion and sense of belonging of these movements than any particular ideology. Today's left-wing zealot is tomorrow's fascist, and vice versa. Same for religion. Some people can bounce from faith to faith with equal ardor. I'm not saying they are hypocrites, I'm saying they have an itch in their souls and they don't care how it gets scratched.

 

[STEPhon IT]

If the Maquis knew Seska was Cardassian, they wouldn't have followed her. They would have tortured her and then... they would've killed her.