Wow, people, I've only seen such strong opinions about Kirk, but it's kinda nice to see it with a Voyager character.
The real Kes was a brave, curious character who wanted to learn and explore, not an insane monster or some pathetic wreck who wanted to crawl back to that dreadful planet and die there.
If I saw that in Fury, I'd hate that episode, too. But I didn't think she looked pathetic, she came across as powerful to me. Bitter as all hell, but stronger and more accomplished than ever. I assumed something went seriously wrong with Kes to drive her to insanity. Plus, with Kes back at her planet, the rest of the Ocampans might learn from her and have a shot at long term survival after their energy supply runs dry. We also got that
perfect goodbye scene with Neelix.
I guess it's just a matter of taste, but the potential for evil in an inherently good character really does it for me. I wish we'd seen more of that with Kim.
...Picard as a drunken fool who have become an alcoholic because of what happened to his relatives...
They pretty much destroyed Picard for me with Insurrection. This was the movie where he went to battle for the space hippy squatters who didn't feel like sharing the healthy radiation on their planet. By the end of that movie, I just wanted EVERYONE to die, but I still see what you're saying.
Thanks.
I guess that people who are not fans of the character Kes can find some events in "Fury" interesting in some way but for those who are fans of the character and who'd been hoping for a come-back (there was a letter-campaign going for having Kes re-instated as a regular character at that time) the events in "Fury" was a slap in the face.
Yes, I know that the Kirk fans are passionate and that they dislike the way Kirk was ruined in "Generations" and I do share their opinions when it comes to Kirk's participation in that movie. Another thing that those in charge really screwed up and by doing so they annoyed many fans too.
But the destruction of Kes was ten times worse than what happened to Kirk.
Kirk was at least portrayed as some sort of hero, Kes was turned into a monster and then a wreck.
I hate the fact that they did dump Neelix in "Homestead" (another stupid move from those in charge) but he did at least get a decent send-off compared to Kes. The same for Wesley Crusher, even if I did find The Traveler a bit creepy.
As for "something going terribly wrong with Kes", now why would Kes be the only one who got whacked? Why not, Neelix, Torres, Kim or anyone else?
And due to how the scene was set in "Fury" I don't think that the pathetic wreck ever came back to the planet, considering the time it had taken Voyager through this area of space and the dangers they encountered too.
And what should the wreck accomplish there? Shortly before the Caretaker died, he downloaded his knowledge and information to the planet (according to the book "Caretaker" which is based on the script). They probably had all the knowledge they needed at that time. We can also assume that the Ocampa on Suspiria's array may have got in touch with the people on the Ocampa planet after the events in "Cold Fire" and ay have shared their knowledge and technology with them too. Now what should a bitter, old wreck accomplish there, except to die there?
As for the goodbye scene with Neelix, it was half-done too. Besides that, I don't want any good-bye scenes at all with Kes as the leaving part.
As for Picard, I do see your point. But to be honest, I haven't thought about what he did in "Insurrection" as character destruction in any way. When I watched that movie, I saw the same, old Picard who simply helped an alien species to defend themselves. But I guess that there's other perspectives on that too.
Besides that, after the events there we still had the same old Picard on the Enterprise, ready for new challenges. For Kes, there was not a possibility for a decent come-back neither in any episodes, nor in movies or books. Those possibilities are minimal, thanks to the destruction of the character in "Fury". If I want to read a new, good Voyager story, then I have to write it myself.