#and yes I think people undervalue the fact that Tuvok agreed with Janeway when she made that decision in 'caretaker' too much

[bumblingbabooshka]

Voyager should have had an episode where the command trio beat the absolute hell out of each other while blaming each other for being stuck in the delta quadrant as the fever pitch of a rising tension that was building throughout the episode. Like, they're absolutely being pushed to do it by some outside force. Maybe it's a telepathic being - maybe it's that they're stuck in some arena or an alien court or a time loop only the three of them are aware of - no matter the specifics, the sentiment behind their words has to be true and it has to be something they've been keeping back for months, maybe years. That fear and hatred and blame that doesn't really have an actual target because it's not actually rational but 'who's to blame' doesn't have to be capital T true to feel true. If Chakotay hadn't been in the badlands, If Janeway hadn't made that choice, If Tuvok hadn't supported it... "You trapped us here. It's your fault. If you hadn't-! If you hadn't-! If you hadn't-!" are just echoes of "I trapped us here. It's my fault. If I hadn't-! If I hadn't-! If I hadn't-!" Because at the end of the day more than being angry or hateful they're despairing in their own ways. Episode probably has a somber end - they beat whatever it was and it's a victory! They won by working together even after they beat each other half to death! But after the celebration we see them alone in their quarters...silent. Gazing out at the stars, into a candle's flame, at that same family picture before turning away. Because even though they won they're still there in the delta quadrant. Is that really victory?

#fake star trek voyager episodes my beloved #the thought of a time loop wherein the three of them are at times aware of the loop and at times aren't but it's ONLY the three of them is #a separate but interesting thought I had while writing this... #of course the looped time would be 'Caretaker' #st voy #star trek voyager #Chakotay/Janeway/Tuvok #Chakotay #Kathryn Janeway #Tuvok #and yes I think people undervalue the fact that Tuvok agreed with Janeway when she made that decision in 'caretaker' too much #idk enough about the chakotay buzz to know whether or not they also do this with how Chakotay also co-signs the decision once it's made #instead of fighting back against it which he very much COULD have done #I just think the complicated 3 way uneven guilt is more interesting than 'Janeway did it it was 100% her alone' #I love seeing characters devolve...even a starfleet captain and a vulcan can be driven to wrestling in the mud they think they're so above #and maybe it's 'the worst version of themselves' but maybe it's also a release - a relief you just can't get from talking