A few things to discuss about Kes

[Lynx]

You called adaptation an act of cowardice so I'm afraid I was quite confused.

It can actually be.
Especially when I see people around me, just accepting that things are constantly getting worse and don't even try to change that.

No, just the state of technology and his brother's choices.

I do consider Robert Picard to be a grumpy old man.
He had his wineyard and Jean Luc had his ship. Theyy were both happy with their choices. So why complain?

I understand that perfectly. I'm more than a bit old school myself.

It's not only "old school" for me. When I was about 7-8 years old I knew exactly what kind of music I liked and what I didn't like.

It would have been a perfect reason for him to be considered a senior officer, even as an ensign (at first). Just have him be highly expert in Voyager's bio-neural circuitry. And very tech-adept in general. Because of that, Janeway advances him to the grown up table, the way she does the academy dropout.

That's right and he did actually become a senior officer immediately. Hew as always there for the meetings with the senior staff while other crew members like Liutenants Carey and Rollins weren't.

But then something went wrong. He still was one of the senior staff but he never developed in that role, at least not in the TV episodes. He was more important in some of the books.

After it's clear to all that he's been doing work far above his rank, Janeway promotes him.

Which is exactly what should have happened.

The rule did not exist before being mentioned in that episode. James Kirk and Will Riker banged females of every description.

That's right. But as soon poor Harry tried, someone invented a new rule.
As I've written before, they actually tried to make him a loser.

It wasn't EXCELLENT (guitar riff), in other words?

No, it wasn't. The picture below shows that.

Someone obviously had it in for him, given the events around "Favorite Son". You don't deliberately allow a character to stagnate so completely otherwise.

As for Favorite Son, that episode isn't that bad. he actually was the main character in that episode and some action as well. Plus the episode was a bit spooky too.

But already before that, he was shoved in the background a lot.

Problem is, what to do after the break-up. When you have a love triangle, you either eliminate the third or match him up with someone else.

Or you just let the third one float in the background as a part of the team or whatsoever. At least until something new shows up.

Problem is, I don't think any opposition group on Bajor would oppose a project that saved thousands of people from suffering through an icy winter. Mullibok just did because it was personal for him. He had a home, and didn't want a new one.

No, not when it comes to that project.
But there would always be something which he could join and use to pay back, like Jaro Essa's scemes with The Circle and Shakaar's uprising against Kai Winn in the episode Shakaar.

That's why I head canon that when a new home (on Bajor) was forced on him, a home managed by the people who evicted him, he utterly refused to embrace his new life in any way. Not because it's right... but because it's what an angry, bitter old curmudgeon would do.

Not only what an angry, bitter old curmudgeon would do.
To be honest, I was in my teens when I was involved in a similar situation when my childhood paradise was wiped off the Earth and I reacted in the same way as Mullibik did.

 

[Crazy 4 Xmas Lights]

That's right and he did actually become a senior officer immediately. Hew as always there for the meetings with the senior staff while other crew members like Liutenants Carey and Rollins weren't.

It was just one of those dumb things, like B'Elanna getting promoted for assaulting a superior. It would have been better for Durst to be the ranking operations officer, and B'Elanna having to serve under Carey for awhile. But Voyager set its status quo quickly, then never let it change.

But then something went wrong. He still was one of the senior staff but he never developed in that role, at least not in the TV episodes. He was more important in some of the books.

That's because the book writers saw him as an eminently usable and developable character. The episode writers should have done the same.

As I've written before, they actually tried to make him a loser.

Pretty much. Hard to explain a lot of the stuff that happened to him (especially him spending 31 years as an ensign) otherwise.

No, it wasn't. The picture below shows that.

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As for Favorite Son, that episode isn't that bad. he actually was the main character in that episode and some action as well. Plus the episode was a bit spooky too.

My vendetta against that episode comes not from its quality, but because it's the episode where the writers tried to salvage Harry's character... and were forced to not do so. Harry's long stagnation was set as policy.

Or you just let the third one float in the background as a part of the team or whatsoever. At least until something new shows up.

If you're continuing the story, that makes sense. If you're ending it, you need to resolve some things.

But there would always be something which he could join and use to pay back, like Jaro Essa's scemes with The Circle and Shakaar's uprising against Kai Winn in the episode Shakaar.

Having him implode the government that destroyed his home would actually be pretty satisfying. Long as they didn't try to tack on some smarmy "I'm happy on Bajor now" ending. As I often say, I see no path to happiness for him... only the grim satisfaction of retribution.

To be honest, I was in my teens when I was involved in a similar situation when my childhood paradise was wiped off the Earth and I reacted in the same way as Mullibik did.

I'm sorry that happened to you.

 

[BohandiAnsoid]

Pretty much. Hard to explain a lot of the stuff that happened to him (especially him spending 31 years as an ensign) otherwise.

Also, when it comes to his love life... everyone were acting like his attraction to Seven was something strange. Why? It seems pretty normal to me, unlike other ones...

 

[Crazy 4 Xmas Lights]

Harry has no fewer than 11 failed romances over the course of the show.

 

[BohandiAnsoid]

Harry has no fewer than 11 failed romances over the course of the show.

I think Seven was the most normal one and it could avtually work... but probably writters dec8ded it would be too good for Harry.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I think Seven was the most normal one and it could avtually work... but probably writters dec8ded it would be too good for Harry.

If Harry had somehow tricked Seven into losing her publicly cited virginity in season 4, she would have died.

Her cortical implant punishes happiness.

 

[Crazy 4 Xmas Lights]

If Harry had somehow tricked Seven into losing her publicly cited virginity in season 4, she would have died.

Her cortical implant punishes happiness.

If Harry had been the sort of man who preys on the innocent and inexperienced, he and Seven would likely have made the beast with two backs in "Revulsion".

Of course, regardless of what Seven's Borg doo-hickey would have done to her, Janeway would likely have chewed out Harry, demoted him, reprimanded him, tossed him in the brig, maybe even ordered Tuvok to replicate a cat o' nine tails and flog him in front of the ship's company. Because no way Harry's going to be happy on her watch!

 

[BohandiAnsoid]

Maybe if Kes came back, real Kes came back, she could talk some sense into Janeway. She has a way of convincing people.

 

[Crazy 4 Xmas Lights]

The real Janeway wasn't like that. Remember that I'm creating hyperbole based on the actions of incompetent showrunners.

The Janeway we knew and loved might have quietly counseled Harry to be careful, that Seven's knowledge of human social customs was vastly limited. But she would not have made his misery her life's work.

However, I could see her and Kes having a hearthlfelt discussion, regarding her concerns for Seven. Kes reminds her that Harry is a good and honorable man, not given to randomly exploiting people. And maybe shares her perspective on her relationship with Neelix.

It's really too bad we lost Kes as a character. DS9 had 20+ significant characters. VOY could have handled 10.

 

[BohandiAnsoid]

I think even 11 characters could be there... Some just might be recurring.
Some main characters tended to barely appear in most episodes later on, thry coukd be recurring

 

[Crazy 4 Xmas Lights]

Who should be the 11th?