For fun, I asked ChatGPT to give me Janeway's top 5 most consequential decisions. Here is what it gave me:
#1 — The Borg Alliance (“Scorpion,” S3E26–S4E1)
Decision: Formed a tactical alliance with the Borg Collective to fight Species 8472.
Potential Galactic Impact: Catastrophic.
Had the Borg survived with biogenic weapons adapted from Voyager’s tech, they might have conquered the Alpha Quadrant unopposed. By helping them defeat Species 8472, Janeway arguably preserved the Borg’s dominance instead of allowing them to be destroyed by a rival species.
Outcome: Voyager survived, Species 8472 retreated, and the Borg remained a galaxy-wide threat.
#2 — Destroying the Caretaker’s Array (“Caretaker,” S1E1)
Decision: Destroyed the only known device capable of instantly returning Voyager to the Alpha Quadrant, to prevent the Kazon from exploiting it.
Potential Galactic Impact: Moderate to High.
Stranded Voyager 70,000 light-years from home, creating seven years of ripple effects: first contacts, battles, and interventions that otherwise never would’ve happened. In one sense, she became an unintentional prime mover in Delta Quadrant politics.
Outcome: Preserved Prime Directive integrity, but cost dozens of crew lives and potentially destabilized Delta Quadrant balance by introducing Federation tech and ideals.
#3 — Killing Tuvix (“Tuvix,” S2E24)
Decision: Ordered the forced separation of Tuvix — a fused lifeform of Tuvok and Neelix — despite his refusal, killing him in the process.
Potential Galactic Impact: Low (localized).
But the ethical precedent is massive. She essentially decided who has the right to exist — a godlike moral overreach that shook her crew’s faith in her compassion.
Outcome: Restored her two officers but killed a sentient being.
#4 — “Endgame” Temporal Intervention (S7E25–26)
Decision: The future Admiral Janeway violated the Temporal Prime Directive, altering history by bringing advanced technology back in time to get Voyager home years earlier.
Potential Galactic Impact: High (temporal uncertainty).
Time travel violations on this scale risk timeline corruption or paradoxes that could rewrite Federation history.
Outcome: Voyager made it home, but history may have been rewritten — Starfleet time agents would not approve.
#5 — The Equinox Hunt (“Equinox,” S5E26–S6E1)
Decision: Pursued Captain Ransom’s rogue Starfleet ship, the Equinox, with near-obsessive zeal — even torturing prisoners and ignoring Chakotay’s protests.
Potential Galactic Impact: Moderate.
Could have reignited Federation-level mistrust among Delta Quadrant species if they witnessed Starfleet-on-Starfleet brutality.
Outcome: Restored justice, but crossed ethical lines.
#1 — The Borg Alliance (“Scorpion,” S3E26–S4E1)
Decision: Formed a tactical alliance with the Borg Collective to fight Species 8472.
Potential Galactic Impact: Catastrophic.
Had the Borg survived with biogenic weapons adapted from Voyager’s tech, they might have conquered the Alpha Quadrant unopposed. By helping them defeat Species 8472, Janeway arguably preserved the Borg’s dominance instead of allowing them to be destroyed by a rival species.
Outcome: Voyager survived, Species 8472 retreated, and the Borg remained a galaxy-wide threat.
#2 — Destroying the Caretaker’s Array (“Caretaker,” S1E1)
Decision: Destroyed the only known device capable of instantly returning Voyager to the Alpha Quadrant, to prevent the Kazon from exploiting it.
Potential Galactic Impact: Moderate to High.
Stranded Voyager 70,000 light-years from home, creating seven years of ripple effects: first contacts, battles, and interventions that otherwise never would’ve happened. In one sense, she became an unintentional prime mover in Delta Quadrant politics.
Outcome: Preserved Prime Directive integrity, but cost dozens of crew lives and potentially destabilized Delta Quadrant balance by introducing Federation tech and ideals.
#3 — Killing Tuvix (“Tuvix,” S2E24)
Decision: Ordered the forced separation of Tuvix — a fused lifeform of Tuvok and Neelix — despite his refusal, killing him in the process.
Potential Galactic Impact: Low (localized).
But the ethical precedent is massive. She essentially decided who has the right to exist — a godlike moral overreach that shook her crew’s faith in her compassion.
Outcome: Restored her two officers but killed a sentient being.
#4 — “Endgame” Temporal Intervention (S7E25–26)
Decision: The future Admiral Janeway violated the Temporal Prime Directive, altering history by bringing advanced technology back in time to get Voyager home years earlier.
Potential Galactic Impact: High (temporal uncertainty).
Time travel violations on this scale risk timeline corruption or paradoxes that could rewrite Federation history.
Outcome: Voyager made it home, but history may have been rewritten — Starfleet time agents would not approve.
#5 — The Equinox Hunt (“Equinox,” S5E26–S6E1)
Decision: Pursued Captain Ransom’s rogue Starfleet ship, the Equinox, with near-obsessive zeal — even torturing prisoners and ignoring Chakotay’s protests.
Potential Galactic Impact: Moderate.
Could have reignited Federation-level mistrust among Delta Quadrant species if they witnessed Starfleet-on-Starfleet brutality.
Outcome: Restored justice, but crossed ethical lines.
