Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th hour?

[Guy Gardener]

As much as I wanted to see Neelix finally get to Earth and say "That's nice, but now I think I should think about heading home myself." The reason that he decided to leave being that he finally found someone that would shag him is kind of sad that NO ONE was servicing the Hedgehog on the long slog to Earth.

So what did TPTB think was happening thematically and what the hell was happening behind the scenes... I suppose the episode could have been a "bribe" after the Producers decided they didn't have time for Neelix in Endgame as easily as there was something wrong with Ethan?

 

[GreenBlood]

I hadn't really thought of the behind-the-scenes stuff.
I was just happy that Neelix found love.

Maybe TPTB knew Voy was coming to a close and was tying up loose ends before the final ending episode came.
Just a wild guess.

 

[nx1701g]

I actually prefer the ending that Neelix got and I really like it. Neelix found love and he's an Ambassador.

 

[Kegek]

They never really had any compelling motivation for why Neelix hung around on Voyager instead of staying with his own people, beyond the idea that the accomodation is far better - you get free water, for chrissakes, he made a big deal of that in "Caretaker."

Living on that ship was like being in a high class hotel indefinately with no bills, and it was understandable that Wixiban would envy his position. (I will make no further references to my avatar, I promise.)

Then he meets a bunch of his fellow Talaxians who ain't doing so badly in accomodation, and he's also got the chance to have a family - not just a child he can foster parent, like Naomi, but also a woman he can have all to himself. They don't seem to lack for fluids, either, unlike, apparently, the Talaxians back home at the other end of the Quadrant.

So yeah, writing Neelix off the show made sense for those dramatic reasons. More simply, though, I think they just wanted to get rid of him so he wouldn't have to be dealt with in the finale. It's similar to the way Quark's arc was wrapped up in 'The Dogs of War'. The ironic result is that Neelix is the only VOY character who got genuine closure.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

Maybe he was the only person who got genuine closure because he was the only that the producers actually liked? I mean except when they weren't shattering his belief in Talaxian heaven as the Borgette proves he is meat.

I've always subscribed to the idea that he had a thing going on with Sam Wildeman, which is why he spent so much time babysitting Naomi? And we all know how much loving those naughty nanny's usually gets on the side... Neelix isn't half as offensive as Fran Fine and she ended up with the bras ring.

 

[KeepOnTrekking]

I could never figure out why there was a bunch of Talaxians livng so close to Earth for being a Delta Quadrant race. It was awfully convenient plotwise. It felt contrived. Although Tuvok's goodbye was a nice touch.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th hour?

He was almost out of Leola Root.

 

[Candlelight]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

They should've dumped Seven off as well. She and and anyone else clearly didn't give a shit about her getting back, save for horny-as-buggery Chakotay.

 

[RoJoHen]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

KeepOnTrekking said:
I could never figure out why there was a bunch of Talaxians livng so close to Earth for being a Delta Quadrant race. It was awfully convenient plotwise. It felt contrived. Although Tuvok's goodbye was a nice touch.

No kidding. I mean, how did the Talaxian's survive the trip through Borg space? How did they even get that far out? I doubt they had a destination in mind when they fled Talaxian space, and they probably didn't get an annual 10,000 lightyear super jump like Voyager did.

 

[Kegek]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

^
Easy. They're Talaxians. An understanding exists between them and the Borg Collective: If you assimilate us, you'll assimilate our love of leola root.

Nobody messes with the Talaxians, space warthogs of the universe.

But yes, seriously, the convenient discovery of a Talaxian colony was One More Oh So Awfully Convenient Plot Device! Though i did like Tuvok's little dance for Neelix, Russ gave the scene solid gravitas and poignancy.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

More or less convenient than the discovering of Chakotay's gods, Janeway's Girlhood idol Amelia Earhart, a colony of over dimensional Ocampa, Seven finding the Raven, Harry Kim's REAL familiy who had let him think he was human, and a troop of Klingon's which were following a Prophecy to harvest B'Elanna's womb... And... What the hell happened to Tuvok that was incredibly unlikely?

 

[Candlelight]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

Finding the Equinox was pretty needle-in-the-haystack stuff too, when you think about it.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

You mean that ship which had B'Elanna's boyfriend from the academy on it?

BLT... God help us all.

 

[exodus]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

RoJoHen said:

KeepOnTrekking said:
I could never figure out why there was a bunch of Talaxians livng so close to Earth for being a Delta Quadrant race. It was awfully convenient plotwise. It felt contrived. Although Tuvok's goodbye was a nice touch.

No kidding. I mean, how did the Talaxian's survive the trip through Borg space? How did they even get that far out? I doubt they had a destination in mind when they fled Talaxian space, and they probably didn't get an annual 10,000 lightyear super jump like Voyager did.

You don't have to travel thru Borg space to get thru the Delta Quaderant. It depends on the course you take. Besides, Seven told Neelix that the Borg had assimilated some Talaxians flying in a convoy.

If you can travel anywhere in the Alpha Quad. and run into Klingons, why shouldn't you find Talaxians in Delta Q. where ever you go? Think about it, it's just as natural as finding someone White in Japan.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

But finding a white lizard in 17th century Japan?

This was 40,000 lightyears from the caretakers array, and the talaxian colony they were taken to by Jetral. That's 40 years travel for Voyager. The talaxians don't have anything like that level of technology NOW... Goodnessknows what they had when they started... Pi X R squared when R = 5000 Lightyears? Borg space was big. It was supposed to take 10 years to go through it, and a hell of a lot longer to go around it safely.

Of course Borg space could have been a lot smaller when they went through that area? When did then set out?

 

[exodus]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

Guy Gardener said:
But finding a white lizard in 17th century Japan?

This was 40,000 lightyears from the caretakers array, and the talaxian colony they were taken to by Jetral. That's 40 years travel for Voyager. The talaxians don't have anything like that level of technology NOW... Goodnessknows what they had when they started... Pi X R squared when R = 5000 Lightyears? Borg space was big. It was supposed to take 10 years to go through it, and a hell of a lot longer to go around it safely.

Of course Borg space could have been a lot smaller when they went through that area? When did then set out?

When their home planet was taken over. Before cars, people still traveled and made it cross country. This is no different.

You have to assume Neelix was a young teen(maybe younger) when his family was killed and his planet over run. Neelix is about what, 30 year now or so.

The Talaxians had plenty of time to cross the Delta Quad. in that period of time regardless of what type of drive their ships had. We've also meet other alien species in the Delta Q. that have never heard of the Borg, the Hirogen were one example. The Borg only come after you if they have something they want. Seven stated the Talaxian convoy had nothing the collective wanted. Seven said the only use the Talaxians had was that their bone structure made them sturdier drones. Being the Talaxians don't have any technology or info of any use to the Borg, the Borg wouldn't really bother them.

The Borg don't assimilate everybody, just those that can add to their perfection.

Plus, I see alien space and borders like you would a map. Let just say Texas is Borg space. If you're traveling from Cali.( equal to the Delta Q.) to New Jersey(equal to the Alpha Q.), do you have to pass thru Texas to get to your destination?

 

[Deks]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

Also, let's not forget that Talaxians are most likely resourceful and would be able to find alternative routes to cross 40 000 Ly's in a shorter period of time.

There are a number of things in space they could have used either on purpose or accidentally that would shorten their trip.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

exodus said:

Plus, I see alien space and borders like you would a map. Let just say Texas is Borg space. If you're traveling from Cali.( equal to the Delta Q.) to New Jersey(equal to the Alpha Q.), do you have to pass thru Texas to get to your destination?

If the person/being making such a journey was a puppy in some children's adventure movie, or to even more so make the distances involved comparable, an ant with 5 broken legs.

It doesn't take anyone 40 years to get anywhere on earth any more which is the time it should have taken them to get there baring shortcuts and magic tricks.

 

[Caprica_Six]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

The same reason they should have left Chuckles behind- he wasn't going to have a main plot thread in "Endgame" so better to wrap the character up now then have it languish off in the background preparing hideous looking food for Seven's first date.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Re: Was there a "GOOD" reason why Neelix left at the 11th ho

There was this show called Deep Space Nine, you might of heard of it, but it wasn't very popular or commercially successful, so you might not have, but after making their show, telling their stories for 7 years they had the love to break format and map out a twelve part continuous ongoing adventure that took the time to give everyone in the cast and their characters a suitable amount of kudos.

I would love to compare Dorn and Beltrans reactions about being thrust unexpectedly into the arms of the screen hotty at the last minute? Well Dorn was less so surprised, and apparantly he cried until they moved the plot in this direction because it's unthinkable that Worf isn't getting any.

but if Neelix is in Communication range in the future, then that would mean it's "possible" that he is probably in "Holiday" range that with about as much effort as one might undertake to cross the Atlantic Ocean, he might be able to go to earth whenever he feels like it.