This Star Trek: Voyager Episode Was When I Started Loving A Controversial Character

Ever since it first aired in 1995, Star Trek: Voyager has been a beloved addition to Star Trek canon in no small part because of its iconic characters, but 1 episode made me love a controversial one. Throughout its seven seasons, Voyager's cast consistently went above and beyond to portray compelling character dynamics on board the small Starfleet vessel stranded in the Delta Quadrant. From the holographic Doctor (Robert Picardo) to the former Borg drone, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), every member of Captain Kathryn Janeway's (Kate Mulgrew) crew has episodes that reveal their deep contributions to the Voyager family.

But although every member of Voyager's crew grows a lot over the course of the show, not every character receives the same love from Voyager's audience. Particularly, Ethan Phillips' Talaxian chef and guide, Neelix is a character who has long been polarizing among viewers of Star Trek: Voyager. I admit that I used to buy into this disparagement. I found myself agreeing with Lt. Commander Tuvok (Tim Russ) that Neelix was mostly annoying and unnecessary on Voyager. But rewatching this episode of Voyager season 6 made me reevaluate just how much Neelix really contributes to the show.

Neelix's Most Important Attributes Make Him A Great Star Trek: Voyager Character

In His Darkest Moments, Neelix Is A Compassionate Character Who Cares A Lot About The Future

"Memorial" shows the best sides of Neelix's character, as it offers a direct comparison between him and several other core characters on Voyager, and he comes out looking pretty good. Neelix, Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNiell), Ensign Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) and Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) are all affected by a telepathic memorial that gives them all the memories of soldiers involved in a civilian massacre, but his responses are deeply revelatory.

In the middle of an overwhelming panic response to the memories, all Neelix cares about is protecting Naomi Wildman (Scarlett Pomers). It is in a crisis that a person's true character is revealed, and "Memorial" reveals that the core of Neelix's character is to protect the people he loves. Even more impressively, once Voyager discovers the telepathic memorial, Neelix takes an incredibly compassionate and far-sighted approach to the structure.

Commander Chakotay understandably wants to remove the memorial so that no one else has to live through the trauma of the memories it contains, but Neelix argues that the murdered civilians deserve to have their memories preserved no matter what. This is an impressive display of empathy and compassion, and the episode ultimately proves Neelix right when Captain Janeway agrees to preserve and restore the memorial. "Memorial" shows the true depths of Neelix's soul, and he is far stronger than we often give him credit for.

Why Neelix Doesn't Deserve His Negative Reputation With Star Trek: Voyager Fans

He Starts Off Strange, But Improves Over Time

I understand why a lot of fans of Voyager don't immediately love Neelix, and I used to agree. His early relationship with Kes (Jennifer Lien) and his initial comic relief role can feel grating, but there is a lot more to Neelix than just his role in Voyager season 1. Neelix grows a lot over the course of Voyager, and there are a lot of episodes that make it clear that he is a complex character and a good man.Episodes like "Fair Trade" in Voyager season 3 made it clear early on that Neelix has more going on than being "just" a guide for the USS Voyager, and "Memorial" builds on six seasons of character development to prove once and for all that Neelix is worthy of respect. Even 30 years after Star Trek: Voyager initially aired, it is still good to look back on classic characters like Neelix and be surprised by just how endearing he really is.