Why Didn't Harry Get Promoted?

[Oddish]

Say what you want about "Before and After", but that one episode did a better job with character growth than the whole rest of the series. Especially where Chakotay, Neelix, Harry and especially Kes were concerned.

 

[fireproof78]

Say what you want about "Before and After", but that one episode did a better job with character growth than the whole rest of the series. Especially where Chakotay, Neelix, Harry and especially Kes were concerned.

It was an excellent episode of what might have been. Like Year of Hell highly truncated.

 

[Oddish]

That's Voyager, though. Great premises, reset buttoned out of existence. Their series finale was more of the same. Instead of showing what happened to the main cast, they gave us a bunch of stuff that didn't.

And sadly, where Harry Kim is concerned, the Kurtzman era has picked up where the Berman era left off. They could have smashed the "Harry the Eternal Ensign" trope with one clean swipe by having him appear in an early season of LD or PIC with an appropriate number of pips on his collar. But in PIC they cancel his planned appearsnce and in LD they instead cater to the "eternal ensign" crowd. And just when it looks like they've finally given the character the honor he deserves, they appear to have recanted: the later version of the "wall of heroes" has a whole lot of names erased. Including Harry's.

 

[DonIago]

Why do you care so much about this?

 

[Takeru]

And sadly, where Harry Kim is concerned, the Kurtzman era has picked up where the Berman era left off. They could have smashed the "Harry the Eternal Ensign" trope with one clean swipe by having him appear in an early season of LD or PIC with an appropriate number of pips on his collar.

But why? Harry's lack of promotion is a running gag at this point in the fandom. You're taking this way too seriously, this is not some great injustice that needs to be rectified.

 

[Anwar]

Him not getting a promotion isn't the actual running gag of the series...it was how he seemed to be killed and brought back to life on a regular basis...

 

[fireproof78]

Why do you care so much about this?

Because it's stupid

 

[Akiraprise]

^ Maybe so, but it's generated 19 pages of discussion such that it is.

 

[fireproof78]

^ Maybe so, but it's generated 19 pages of discussion such that it is.

 

[Oddish]

Why do you care so much about this?

But why? Harry's lack of promotion is a running gag at this point in the fandom. You're taking this way too seriously, this is not some great injustice that needs to be rectified.

I'd say I'm done apologizing... but I never did so in the first place.

 

[Ragitsu]

Good one... but yes, and provably so. Check out "Before and After". Chakotay is captain, and Harry is a ○○ lieutenant. About the rank he should have had after 7 years.

CHAKOTAY: That's pretty severe.
JANEWAY: Harry violated protocol. Frankly, I understand their position.
CHAKOTAY: Is that why you came down so hard on him? A formal reprimand for being intimate with a young woman?
JANEWAY: I know it seems a little extreme, but I wanted to leave a lasting impression. Chalk it up to growing pains.
CHAKOTAY: Well, he looks pained, all right. Until now he's had a spotless record. Maybe you should reconsider.
JANEWAY: What are you implying?
CHAKOTAY: Are you angry because Harry disobeyed orders, or because he let you down.
JANEWAY: I set the same standards for all my officers.
CHAKOTAY: If I object to one of your decisions you'll hear me out, even insist I speak up.
JANEWAY: You're my First Officer, he's an Ensign. He hasn't earned the right to question my orders, whatever his personal views.
CHAKOTAY: I see.