(A page that doesn't deserve to be in X-Files colours, but since XF did it properly (for now!) then its influence should be felt everywhere!)
Okay. We're talking "Voyager" here, and that abysmal final episode.
The universe as we knew it has crumbled. With one episode (or maybe 2, depending on how you look at it), TPTB have managed to alienate FOUR major factions of their fans. And I do mean major factions. 'Shippers are everywhere. Even those who don't like to be called by the term often secretly admit that it would be nice if "those two got together".
Star Trek has never been good at that. Let's take a look.
A ship, men and women of equal power (we're talking TNG here) and the universe is ripe for romance. 7 years later, nothing had eventuated except for a lot of annoyed shippers. Enter the films, and for a while there, it seemed like the Star Trek TPTB were getting the hint. After all, Troi and Riker finally got together (following that horrible fiasco with Worf) and this was the summation of a relationship that had teased fans for years, especially when considering the Imazdi concept. But was this wonderful outcome the fault of the producers, or the actors themselves? Sirtis and especially Frakes had reached a position of power and had the ability to almost dictate the TNG film scripts.
But on DS9 and Voyager, things were going from bad to worse.
There had been J&Jers for years. (Julian/Jadzia.) So what do they do? Pair Jadzia up with Worf. (I honestly don't understand what she - or any woman - sees in him.) Yet the Julian fans weren't too upset - after all, there was the tantalising relationship between Bashir and Garak to focus on...until TPTB got wind of that and thus eradicated every future scene between the pair. And to make matters worse, Jadzia got killed off leaving Worf alone yet again.
So what about Odo and Kira? In my opinion, the relationship was only ever one sided, and not much chemistry was apparent. But this relationship had its devotees - legions of them, who were extremely happy when they got together.
Naturally, it didn't last. Odo left her, which doesn't say much for years and years of undying love, does it?
And the alienated 'shippers. We're not devastated. We're ANGRY, and we have every right to be. Personally, I refuse to believe the last episode, because the Chakotay/Seven relationship is just so implausible that I cannot watch it and think that this is "Voyager". It's not. It's something with faces that I recognise, putting them into situations for the 'titillation' factor.
We, the Shippers, are Trek's most dedicated audience. Unfortunately, TPTB doesn't care about our demographic. We're not the young male audience, and why should that audience matter the most, anyway? Do they spend more money on Trek? We certainly invest more time into it - with fanfic and online participation, we invest so much of ourselves! And we've been alienated.
I remember the heyday of JetC, after the monumental episodes "Resolutions" and "Coda". This was a relationship fans had watched building since season 1. For seven years we stayed with it, writing letters, writing fanfic, watching every episode avidly for J/C moments, and yes, campaigning. Maybe it was the campaigning that had an adverse effect.
In his final review, Jim Wright suggested that the J/Cers would want to strangle Neelix. Well, I don't, because it wasn't him. It was the evil TPTB (and by that, I mean specific writers/producers...you know who I'm talking about) who put the stupid words into Neelix's mouth. I don't blame the troll. Really.
TPTB knew about us. I've read interviews that said so, and indicated that, "well, the J/C fans won't be happy but we don't really care". They don't care, they care about money. Which is why I'm planning to boycott "Enterprise". (Later note: if only I could really be so strong. However, I intend to not get emotionally attached and involved.)
When Seven came onboard, she certainly caused a stir. Harry lusted after her, Tuvok bonded with her, and the Doctor formed a wonderful friendship with her. Their relationship grew subtly but naturally over the 4 years she was on "Voyager". (Not like a certain relationship which came out of nowhere in all of 2 episodes and hit stunned fans in the face.) Finally, the Doctor declared his love for her.
It was perfect. It should have been perfect. And as we saw in "Endgame", the Doctor certainly had no qualms about marrying a human woman.
Whilst never at the forefront of Star Trek relationship discussion, this one seemed to be the resolution to the "troubles that were Seven". It was great. But of course, Doc/Seven got all screwed up.
This was the first faction of Seven shippers. There were many who'd hoped for Harry/B'Elanna, but when B'E got Tom (which is another problem: did B'Elanna and Tom wreck Tom and Harry?) poor Harry was left alone. He fell for Seven, obviously, but was a real gentleman when it came to actually pursuing the relationship. Despite his dreams, Harry did the right thing. Shouldn't chivalry be rewarded?
Not when the woman in question is the producers' idea of everything a woman should be. And therefore Harry and Seven's relationship vanished into nothingness....
There's no doubt about it - Janeway and Seven had some major chemistry. An initial hostility turned into months of struggle, leading to a grudging respect and finally friendship. At least one episode screamed of subtext (which had TPTB running in horror). The fans grew, writing fanfic, bonding, revelling in this relationship.
But this is Star Trek. Onscreen chemistry? Pah! True love? Doesn't exist! Sexy babes getting the most eligible man? Right on!
I admit there was Tom and B'Elanna. Yet for many fans, this was a "forced" relationship that also sprang out of nowhere. Before we knew it, Tom was declaring his love and viewers were left scratching their heads. The relationship wasn't done properly. Yes, they got married, had a baby, and it was sweet, but it wasn't romantic. Harry and B'Elanna had chemistry from the first episode...but look where that went. Tom and Kes sizzled onscreen together, but (aside from a dark alternate future) they had no future.
Well, yes and no. To fully discuss this, let's go back to Star Trek's roots.
James T. Kirk. The hero, the legend, the man that women around the galaxy (and right here on this web page) fell for. He flirted, he charmed, and had a different flame every other week. Hardly conducive to the "Soulmates" theory, but at least he was consistent and in character.
Besides, Kirk was in love with the Enterprise, and later bound to Spock (and McCoy) above everything else. There wasn't room for a female lover, and if Kirk/Spock existed, it existed off-screen without contrary evidence (in the films). Fans had no reason to hate TPTB for inconsistency...until we reach the later years, "Generations", and the ridiculous invention that was Antonia.
TNG, as discussed before, teased us with Picard/Crusher but nothing concrete ever came of this much-loved relationship. The films are getting worse in this respect. Riker/Troi exist only thanks to JF. And Tasha/Data was never really there (well, she did die...).
DS9 and new management - a fiasco. Likewise for Voyager once Jeri Taylor left.
The only conclusion one can draw is that the current batch of producers do not have a clue on how to make our demographic happy. Who are we? Romantics of all ages, mostly women, I concede, but we love Star Trek's idealism and can't help but wish there would be romance there as well. Or in the twenty-fourth century, are we supposed to have evolved beyond the idea of "soulmates"?
I hope not.
Voyager is over, and there's never going to be anything to change the ending that we saw. The next series goes back in time. A future series is implausible because the producers have no imagination left. And "Star Trek 10" will mention Janeway at most.
So we're left with this empty ending where the character of Chakotay has become almost nothing, and Janeway the embodiment of a woman incapable of both a career and love. I reject this view. I resent this view!
So I'm not going to believe it.
I urge you to eradicate Chakotay/Seven from your memory. At worst, believe it a fling - it's not like it's out of character for Chak to have a short romance with a blond woman. And I swear it was those Borg implants making Seven suddenly project romantic feelings onto Chakotay rather than the person she truly felt something for. ;)
Links:
The Universe as we knew it is crumbling...
The Janeway-Chakotay Story Index - with a great challenge to rewrite ";Endgame".