Who Should Have Left in Season Four?

[Withers]

I'm in agreement that the the Marquis/Federation antagonism was both underplayed and resolved too quickly. It was almost instantaneously swept under foot and it could have been the source of real character development on the show.

I feel as though they were counting on the "unused race" factor to somehow propel the characters on their own. "We've never had a black Vulcan as a series regular. That'll keep Tuvok interesting. We've never had a Native American as a series regular. That'll keep Chakotay interesting. We've never had Latino. That'll keep Torres interesting." Even then, when those aspects of their "ethnicity" came up (like with Chakotay) it always seemed like a gimmick.

As to who should have left in season four? The whole damn crew minus Janeway, the Doctor, and Seven of Nine could've left and I don't think it would have made that big of a difference.


-Withers-​

 

[Anwar]

Actually, Tuvok's very existence was a source of criticism for the show. The audience hated that the Vulcans could have a different skin tone that resembled a human one and wanted him to be red or green or something.

 

[Withers]

Well, fine, except that if they'd made him red or green or something like that it wouldn't have melded (pun intended) with the whole "Lets use all the Earth ethnicities we either haven't used or haven't seen in a while." But regardless of his color, making him anything other than white was going to be seen as gimicky. The color they chose just helped to exemplify the act in regard to other characters.

I'll give that they've done something similar on every show (some gimmick that makes the character automatically unique). On Voyager it was centered on racial things with the exception of the Doctor (who was, in my opinion, the best thing the show had to offer), Janeway (whose gimmick was a gender thing), and Seven of Nine (whose gimmick was pretty obvious.)

...and, if they must be mentioned, Kes and Nelix don't fit into it either. But then I think they were some of the worst characters Trek ever produced anyway and giving them a racial gimmick would have only magnified the 'Jar Jar Binx' factor. (Just imagine Kes with a Russian accent or something...*grimace*)

-Withers-​

 

[Michael]

Actually, Tuvok's very existence was a source of criticism for the show. The audience hated that the Vulcans could have a different skin tone that resembled a human one and wanted him to be red or green or something.

Wow, in all my years being a Star Trek fan I never heard of that particular complaint; not online, in print or in person. But I guess you learn something new every day.

 

[kimc]

I am beginning to wonder why the hell Chakotay went over to the Maquis to begin with. The whole reason for him leaving starfleet in the first place would be becuase he would have had a problem with Starfleets policy of non interference while they were at constant war with the Cardassians.

I was under the impression Chakotay joined the Maquis after the Cardassians killed his family. Unfortunately, I can't recall what episode left me with that impression.

 

[Michael]

I was under the impression Chakotay joined the Maquis after the Cardassians killed his family. Unfortunately, I can't recall what episode left me with that impression.

I guess you're thinking of Tattoo, where this is said ...

Alien: Does [your father] still live?
Chakotay: No. He died fighting enemies who would have taken our home colony. Our tribe moved there a few hundred years ago.
Alien: So he honoured the land just as his ancestors did.
Chakotay: Yes. Yes, he did. We weren't on very good terms when he died. Once he was gone, I didn't know how to reconcile our differences, how to heal our old wounds. I returned to my colony and continued the fight in his name. I took the mark that he wore to honour his ancestors. I spoke to him in my vision quests, but he never answered. Until now.