vorik star trek voyager

Vorik (Alexander Enberg)

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS3E15BloodFever

Recap / Star Trek Voyager S 3 E 15 "Blood Fever"

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This episode has the following tropes:

• Above the Influence : Exaggerated. Paris rejects Torres's advances because she's under the influence of the pon farr , taking almost herculean steps to resist her. He only relents when Tuvok insists that he simply must have sex with her to save her life.
• Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder : As per Vulcan custom Vorik is already in an Arranged Marriage , but it's only logical that his wife assumes he is dead and has thus chosen another mate.
• Anti-Villain : The Sakari turn out to be this. They're not evil, just really paranoid about alien intruders. Perfectly understandable, since their last "visitors" were the Borg.
• Ask a Stupid Question... : When Vorik is in Sickbay following B'Elanna's firm refusal of his proposal. B'Elanna: What's wrong with him? Doctor: You mean besides a dislocated jaw?
• As You Know : Justified; given the limited information he has regarding the pon farr , it's natural that the Doctor would attempt to get more details from Vorik and Tuvok, who provide reluctant exposition for those who haven't seen " Amok Time ".
• Be Careful What You Wish For : After things are back to normal, Paris tells B'Elanna he didn't really mind her "scary" Klingon side, and he might like to see it again someday. She warns him of this.
• Belligerent Sexual Tension : The beginning of this between Tom and B'Elanna.
• Beneath the Earth : Where the Sakari have lived since the Borg attack.
• When the Doctor is about to start with a microcellular scan, Vorik shouts, "NO! I don't want medical treatment! I will resolve this myself!"
• Tom when the piton breaks, sending B'Elanna and Neelix plunging to the ground.
• Birds of a Feather : Strangely enough B'Elanna and Vorik, who fear the volatility of their own emotions and lack the confidence to approach the person they're secretly attracted to except under extreme circumstances .
• Bite of Affection : Tom first realises something is wrong with B'Elanna when she chomps on his cheek.
• Chameleon Camouflage : The Sakari wear clothing that matches the cave walls. Their presence is only revealed when B'Elanna inadvertently backs into one of them .
• And later when Tuvok is explaining the crisis to Tom. Paris: And you go through this every seven years of your adult life? Tuvok: You only need concern yourself with Lt. Torres' situation.
• And for Rule of Three with B'Elanna. Paris: If I remember my Klingon customs, biting someone on the face means— Torres: ( Talk to the Hand ) I...know...what it means!
• Chewing the Scenery : Vorik in full pon farr -mode. (Hats off to Alexander Enberg on this one; he sounds like he's in a Black Metal band.) Vorik: YOU ARE MMMMY MATE, NOT HIS!!!
• Cliffhanger : All's well that ends well, right? Nope - Janeway and Chakotay discover that the Borg have been on this planet, and they're likely going to run into them soon.
• When Tom tries to be a gentleman, B'Elanna throws back how he's been staring at her on the holodeck when he thinks she won't notice.
• Buoyed up by his apparent success with Vorik, the Doctor decides to do a comparative study of the crew's mating rituals. A Death Glare from Captain Janeway kills that idea.
• The Doctor says his only records of the pon farr are based on the few Starfleet medical officers who have observed the phenomenon. Dr. McCoy would be one of them, having both examined Spock medically and been present during the events on Vulcan.
• When B'Elanna and Tom start to make out, she sniffs his wrists and Tom makes a nervous joke about throwing furniture, references to the TNG episodes "The Dauphin" (the famous scene where Worf eagerly discusses Klingon Destructo-Nookie ) and "The Emissary" (where he mates with K'Ehleyr, who does the wrist-sniffing thing as foreplay).
• When Vorik initiates kal-if-fee on the planet, his hands are in the same steepled pose that Spock assumed once he was fully consumed by pon farr in "Amok Time."
• Crazy Jealous Guy : Vorik goes absolutely ballistic when he stumbles across Tom and B'Elanna attempting to mate Klingon-style.
• Curb-Stomp Battle : The Borg destroyed the Sakari colony in less than an hour.
• A Day in the Limelight : A mostly background character on Voyager, Vorik gets some focus here for once, though it's shared with B'Elanna.
• Deadpan Snarker : The Doctor's in rare form in this episode. Vorik: I have always had great respect for B'Elanna. I hope she isn't too upset with me. EMH: With Lieutenant Torres, upset is a relative term.
• '''Paris says, "I'm your friend, and I have to watch out for you when your judgement's been impaired . If you let these instincts take over now, you'll hate yourself , and me too for taking advantage of you .
• Torres' aggressive flirtations, at times, also take on a lot of Date Rape undertones, particularly if one considers how the things she says would sound if he were the one saying them to her : that she's seen the way he looks at her, that he must just be Playing Hard to Get , that surely he knows he wants it ...
• A young man experiences his first sexual attraction, a more experienced man awkwardly has The Talk with him, the Doctor reassures him that it's all perfectly natural, and he even tries satisfying his urges with some high-tech porn. If this were a family sitcom, it would have all the trappings of a Very Special Episode .
• Vorik insists on handling the problem himself and asks to be confined to quarters .
• " This isn't about the gun! This is about sex! "
• Easily Forgiven : Zig-zagged. Though she initially knocks him on his ass, B'Elanna takes Vorik's initial attack in Engineering surprisingly well, since it's obvious that something is seriously wrong with Vorik. And then she winds up in a quasi- pon farr herself, and then it's payback time!
• Once Vorik discovers that B'Elanna is also undergoing the pon farr . Of course he's not being very logical by that stage.
• B'Elanna, also not in a very logical state of mind, isn't taking "no" for an answer from Tom very well either.
• Fanservice : And it won't be the last time B'Elanna strips down to a sweaty tank top either.
• Finger Muzzle : Unable to beam up to Voyager , Tuvok virtually orders Tom to have sex with B'Elanna to save her life. Tom is going on about how this isn't the way he wanted when B'Elanna hushes him, taking him by the hand into the woods.
• Flat "What" : What'd you think she was gonna say, Vorik?? Vorik: Have we completed our preparations to your satisfaction? Torres: We're done here, yes. Vorik: Let me take this opportunity to declare koon-ut so'lik, my desire to become your mate. Torres (taken aback): ...what?
• In "Alter Ego" Vorik asked B'Elanna out for dinner on the holodeck, an early sign of his interest in her.
• The Sakari leader is immediately suspicious on detecting an artificial implant in Tuvok's arm, foreshadowing The Reveal on who their mysterious enemy is .
• The discovery of the Borg corpse sets up the following episode "Unity", and more importantly the Season Finale "Scorpion" in which Voyager finally reaches their territory.
• Vorik suggests that as a Vulcan he can help B'Elanna with her emotional control. Tuvok acts in this role in later seasons.
• And of course, the conversation in the turbolift at the end of the episode foretells B'Elanna and Tom's relationship, as she practically challenges him on his insistence that he wouldn't mind seeing her "scary side" again someday.
• Future Spandex : The form-fitting grey jumpsuits worn by the Away Team, a rare example of Star Fleet officers changing out their uniforms for any reason .
• Get Out! : When Tuvok goes to speak with Vorik during his meditations. (doorchime sounds) Vorik: Go away! (Tuvok opens the door) Vorik: I said, GO AWAY ! (sees Tuvok) I'm sorry, sir.
• Infinite Supplies : Averted; the MacGuffin that sends the Away Team down to the planet is a search for galicite, a rare mineral they can use to refit their warp coils . They end up trading with the Sakari for it.
• It Works Better with Bullets : Tuvok goes to stun an alien fighting with B'Elanna, but a dampening field prevents his phaser from firing.
• Kiss-Kiss-Slap : B'Elanna has to Mate or Die with Tom, who starts out by gently kissing her. B'Elanna is a Human-Klingon hybrid however, so she suddenly throws Tom to the ground and demands to know what he's doing. Paris: Enjoying myself? Torres: Then show it! (Tom gets the idea and starts wrestling with her)
• Kiss Me, I'm Virtual : The Doctor creates T'Pera, a holographic female Vulcan companion for Vorik to mate with. Vorik makes it look like he successfully purged himself of the blood fever through the holographic mate when the Doctor checks in on him, only to show up on the planet in full rage mode, ready to take B'Elanna as his mate no matter what.
• After proudly showing off T'Pera to Vorik, the Doctor suddenly realizes from their Held Gaze that he needs to make a discreet exit.
• Tuvok and Chakotay quietly walk off to leave Tom and B'Elanna to get on with things.
• Leave Me Alone! : Vorik rounds angrily on the man entering his quarters before realizing it's his superior Tuvok, who apologizes for intruding at such a humiliating time.
• Let Us Never Speak of This Again : Defied. B'Elanna tries this trope. But Tom isn't Data , so he insists they do talk about it, as they're going to be stuck on the same starship for years.
• Let's Split Up, Gang! : Averted when Tom lampshades the stupidity of chasing after B'Elanna and leaving a wounded Neelix. An Involuntary Group Split happens anyway when a cave-in cuts Tom and B'Elanna off from the Away Team. Struggling with her urges, B'Elanna suggests they go their separate ways. Conscious that she's also not in a condition to look after herself, Tom refuses.
• Lotus Position : Vorik sits on a biobed while meditating.
• Male Gaze : After B'Elanna tears off her top we get a nice shot down her cleavage.
• Mandatory Line : Kes delivers a single line in Sickbay before vanishing from the episode.
• Mate or Die : Sums up the whole pon farr in general. We get a twist here when a half-Klingon gets it.
• Mood Whiplash : Vorik, within the span of three seconds, goes from confirming that an away mission is ready, to asking B'Elanna to marry him.
• Mythology Gag : Vorik does the Picard Maneuver after getting off the biobed.
• Not Herself : The morning after the incident with Vorik, B'Elanna displays aggressively-flirtatious body language with Tom Paris, Mood Whiplashes between enthusiasm for their mission and fury over the accident, and eventually bites Tom on the face when he tries to restrain her — it's at that moment that both parties realise something is very wrong.
• Oh, Crap! : At the very end of the episode, Chakotay takes Captain Janeway to see a corpse they've found, one of the mysterious raiders who destroyed the Sakari. It's a Borg drone .
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business : How B'Elanna realizes that something is wrong with Vorik, and then Tom noticing the same with her.
• Pardon My Klingon Torres: I am not helping that Vulcan petaQ!
• Parrot Expo What Tuvok: You're experiencing a condition known as pon farr . Torres: Pon what?
• Playing Hard to Get : B'Elanna can't help finding it amusing that Tom Paris is the one doing this.
• Properly Paranoid : Turns out the Sakari have every right to be afraid, given the implacable nature of their enemy.
• Reasonable Authority Figure : The Sakari leader who captures Chakotay and Tuvok. For all his suspicion of outsiders he listens to their point of view, agrees to a trade of galicite in exchange for Voyager helping eliminate the remaining traces of their colony, and would have let them proceed without harm even after the Away Team discovered their presence if B'Elanna hadn't attacked one of his men.
• Reckless Gun Usage : B'Elanna wants to blast her way out of the cave-in, and Tom has to wrestle the weapon off her.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni : Vorik suggests this is a logical reason why he should pair up with B'Elanna, as he could help her work on her emotional control issues. There's also his Super-Strength to handle her Destructo-Nookie urges.
• Rejected Marriage Proposal : When Vorik surprises B'Elanna by proposing koon-ut so'lik , she unsurprisingly turns him down. Unfortunately, he's already in the grip of pon farr and is psychologically incapable of taking "no" for an answer.
• Safety Gear Is Cowardly : While activating the self-driving piton, Neelix gripes that all this advanced Federation technology takes the fun out of it. Becomes Tempting Fate when his piton suffers a Plot-Driven Breakdown .
• Say My Name : Vorik shows up on the planet to challenge Tom to koon-ut-kal-if-fee. Hmm, who's around to officiate this? "LIEUTENANT TUVOK!!!"
• Self-Deprecation : Tom quips, "Are you saying I'm impossible to resist?" giving B'Elanna an acceptable excuse to back off for a bit.
• Established canon regarding the pon farr goes out the airlock in order to stop Vorik, B'Elanna or Tom from dying . Spock not only had to mate with a particular person, he was specifically driven to return to Vulcan to do it, and couldn't easily shake it off just by taking someone else for his mate. For obvious reasons, returning home is impossible for Vorik on Star Trek: Voyager , but he still should have had more trouble with this. More to the point, the "ritual combat" is not a mere contest for the mate's hand, but a brutal Duel to the Death with anyone who would stand in the Vulcan's way; which leads to a kind of Logic Bomb , considering that Torres championed herself, making her both his chosen mate and deadly rival. Finally, it was never established in "Amok Time" that this combat by itself would be sufficient to purge the blood fever. Though it worked in Spock's case, it was implied that the shock of thinking that he'd killed Captain Kirk was actually responsible.
• A minor one regarding the combat itself. Vorik calls for kun-oot-kal-if-fee to challenge Tom for B'Elanna. However, the kun-oot-kal-if-fee comprises the entire Vulcan mating ceremony. The combat challenge is the kal-if-fee . And at least in "Amok Time" was established as the female's prerogative if she wishes to reject her mate, and not the male's decision.
• At least one female Vulcan shows up in a later episode, causing fans to ask why Vorik didn't choose her. However it's implied that Vorik is somewhat taken with B'Elanna given his elaborate praise of her while proposing, and hints of romantic interest in "Alter Ego" as well.
• Sex Is Evil, and I Am Horny : The loss of emotional control caused by the pon farr is deeply humiliating to Vulcans, hampering the Doctor's efforts to treat Vorik.
• Ship Tease : The episode firmly establishes an attraction between Paris and Torres, while the Pon Farr issue complicates things regarding consent Paris openly admits he's hoping there is more to this. From here it's pretty much a straight run to them becoming an Official Couple in Season 4's " Day of Honor ".
• Smells Sexy / Hemoerotic Torres: I have picked up your scent, Tom. I've tasted your blood.
• Species of Hats : A tragic example; after the destruction of their colony by unknown yet immensely powerful aliens , the Sakari base their entire lifestyle on hiding from outsiders.
• Suspiciously Specific Denial : B'Elanna informs Tom that as she was Kissing Under the Influence , then whatever she did — then she adds "whatever I said" — really wasn't her. That would include the bit about desiring Tom but being too afraid to admit it .
• Swiss-Cheese Security : In one of the more ridiculous examples of the series, a pon farr -addled Vorik knocks out all the communications, shuttles and transporters before going to confront his rival. Now granted, Vulcans are known for their intelligence, but damn, how slick is Vorik? Especially under these circumstances??
• Take a Third Option : To spare Tom from a fight he certainly could not win, B'Elanna takes Vorik's koon-ut-kal-if-fee herself. Tuvok even confirms it is within her right to do so. B'Elanna: If anyone is going to smash your arrogant little face in, I will! I take your challenge myself!
• The Talk : Tuvok looks a bit unnerved upon hearing how B'Elanna is acting on the planet, and realizing why she's acting this way. Thus, Tuvok, much to his own discomfort, has to have a variant of this conversation with Vorik, who's a much younger Vulcan and honestly didn't know he could transmit a pon farr to another person, much less another species. It's an equally difficult discussion for both, and you can cut the awkwardness with a knife.
• Testosterone Poisoning : Paris is so angry over his Interrupted Intimacy he offers to take up Vorik's challenge. Fortunately Chakotay stops him and B'Elanna challenges Vorik herself.
• That Didn't Happen : Attempted by B'Elanna, but rejected by Tom.
• Think Unsexy Thoughts : Given that he can't fight or mate his way out of things, Vorik attempts meditation. It doesn't work.
• Too Much Information : Janeway's response to the Doctor informing her of certain Klingon marriage practices .
• Uncomfortable Elevator Moment : Tom and B'Elanna swap work-related chit-chat until Tom halts the turbolift to have the frank discussion they need to have.
• Verbal Backspace : When Vorik appears to recover, the Doctor starts bragging about how his treatment could be used by other space-faring Vulcans. EMH: When we get back, I'm sure Starfleet Medical will — (Vorik gives him a Death Glare ) ...never hear about your personal experiences from me.
• Wham Shot : The Borg corpse on Sakari.
• What Measure Is a Non-Human? : Vorik isn't impressed with the holographic Vulcan female the Doctor creates (as Vulcan mating is mental as well as physical this is justified). The Doctor tries to convince him Your Mind Makes It Real . (It does later work for Tuvok, but he of course is much older and has more experience with the pon farr ).
• What You Are in the Dark : Paris could have given in to temptation with Torres. But as we see in Above the Influence and Does This Remind You of Anything? , Paris vehemently refuses until it becomes a Mate or Die situation on Torres's part. We don’t know if he was capable of this before being thrown into the Delta Quadrant, but the fact that he didn’t demonstrates his Character Development since.
• The World's Expert (on Getting Killed) : Averted; the climbing accident is not Neelix's fault, as Tom points out.
• Would Hit a Girl : A pon farr -riddled Vorik has to, since B'Elanna took his koon-ut-kal-if-fee challenge herself. He even shoots Tuvok a look that screams "wait, seriously?"
• Star Trek Voyager S3E14 "Coda"
• Recap/Star Trek: Voyager
• Star Trek Voyager S 3 E 16 "Unity"

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Vorik was a young Vulcan engineer in Starfleet who served aboard USS Voyager while it was lost in the Delta Quadrant.

In 2371, he was serving aboard the USS Voyager on its mission to locate a Maquis ship when a coherent tetryon beam scanned Voyager and brought it to the Delta Quadrant. Shortly thereafter, the Caretaker's array beamed the entire crew of Voyager aboard for testing. He was returned to Voyager unharmed.

In 2373, he assisted B'Elanna Torres with maintenance on Voyager's plasma injectors during the ship's visit to the Nekrit Expanse. He also adjusted the control interface on Neelix's food replicators and was present in engineering when Neelix came down to steal some warp plasma.

Later that year, Vorik surprised Torres by reserving a table for two at Neelix's luau with a view of the lakeside. Torres had mentioned in a conversation five days previously that she enjoyed the view. Later, he worked with Torres and Harry Kim troubleshooting the ship's mysterious engine problems.

Vorik experienced his first pon farr on stardate 50537. Believing his intended bride would have declared him lost and lacking another Vulcan mate, he declared koon-ut so'lik, the desire to become one's mate, with Torres. After a brief physical contact was made between them, Vorik accidentally initiated the Vulcan telepathic mating bond, which caused Torres to suffer the same neurochemical imbalance that Vulcans undergo. Vorik's pon farr was ended when he and Torres fought in the ritual kal-if-fee.

In 2374, Vorik participated in Voyager's failed attempt to open a transwarp conduit. He controlled the temporary tachyon matrix that was set up in the main deflector and subsequently, when tachyons began to flood the warp core, tried unsuccessfully to stop the leak.

When Voyager was forced to land on a demon class planet, Vorik and Torres tried to keep the life support systems online. Vorik advised Torres that they shouldn't "lose their cool" - a phrase he learned from Tom Paris. Torres stated there was "hope for him yet".

In 2375, Vorik was also a member of the development team that designed and built the Delta Flyer shuttlecraft. He was initially assigned to be on the trial-run team, but Torres insisted on replacing him.

Later that year, Vorik, along with crewmates Tuvok and Jarot, was suspended in a transporter loop to avoid detection from Devore inspections who were seeking out telepaths.

In early 2378, he assisted Torres in repairing a damaged power conduit in main engineering. Later, when The Doctor was impersonating Lieutenant Torres, he asked Vorik where they kept the spare gel packs. Vorik was confused about why she wouldn't know this, but reminded her that they were in locker gamma-5. She acted surprised not to remember, but then looked lost. Vorik reminded her that locker gamma-5 was "on the upper level", to which she responded angrily, claiming that she knew where they were. Vorik hadn't realized at the time that "Torres" was actually The Doctor in disguise.

Later, when The Doctor impersonated Chakotay and told Torres to evacuate engineering, Vorik led the engineering staff out while Torres tried to stay behind, unaware that there was no actual breach imminent.

Vorik was played by Alexander Enberg, who had previously played the similarly-named Vulcan Ensign Taurik in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Lower Decks". Producer Jeri Taylor (who happens to be Enberg's mother) once suggested that Taurik and Vorik were twin brothers.

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Star trek: voyager perfectly showed tom paris changed for the better.

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Every Voyager Character Who Has Returned In Star Trek (& How)

Star trek: voyager’s paris & torres relationship almost didn’t happen says robert duncan mcneill, the bear season 3 is doubling down on a complaint from last year’s 99% rt season.

• Tom Paris underwent significant character growth from a playboy to a loving partner over Star Trek: Voyager's seven seasons.
• The episode "Blood Fever" highlighted Tom's development and laid the foundation for his romance with B'Elanna Torres.
• Tom and B'Elanna's relationship brought out the best in each other and provided engaging ongoing storylines for both characters.

Star Trek: Voyager season 3 perfectly demonstrated how much Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) had changed since season 1. Tom was the ship's pilot and occasional medic, part of Voyager 's main cast of characters , and one of the characters with the biggest shift in personality throughout the show's seven seasons . Although he ended the series as a valued member of the crew and a loving husband and father, Tom's journey on Voyager started in a much different place.

When audiences first met Tom in Voyager 's pilot episode, he was an angry, jaded convicted felon who had pushed everyone in his life away , including his family. Not only that, but Tom was a notorious ladies' man and pursued women with a determination that often came off as unsettling or unpleasant. It's hard to believe that a character like Tom could change so much over Voyager 's seven seasons given where he started, but the progression of his transformation was demonstrated as early as season 3.

Star Trek: Voyager's beloved characters have returned in Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and especially Star Trek: Prodigy.

Star Trek: Voyager’s “Blood Fever” Showed How Much Tom Paris Had Changed Since Season 1

"blood fever" demonstrated that paris was a wholly different character.

Although his character change may have seemed gradual, Voyager season 3, episode 16, "Blood Fever" demonstrated what a different man Tom was from when he was first introduced . "Blood Fever" was the first episode to depict the start of the future relationship between Tom and B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson), Voyager 's most stable romance and one of the show's more interesting romantic subplots. During the episode, Tom and B'Elanna were forced to acknowledge their romantic feelings for each other while B'Elanna underwent a version of Pon Farr passed to her by Vulcan Ensign Vorik (Alexander Enberg) .

Tom's insistence on treating the situation carefully laid the groundwork for how strong and healthy his and B'Elanna's romance would become in later seasons.

Tom's refusal to " take advantage " of B'Elanna's altered mental state and give in to her advances made it clear how much he had changed. In season 1, Tom would likely not have hesitated to agree to B'Elanna's request, but "Blood Fever" showed that he had grown to respect B'Elanna and women in general on a different level . Rather than simply acquiescing to the situation, which could have caused problems in his relationship with B'Elanna going forward, Tom's insistence on treating the situation carefully laid the groundwork for how strong and healthy his and B'Elanna's romance would become in later seasons.

Why The Paris/Torres Relationship Was A Great Decision For Both Characters

Tom and b'elanna brought out the best in each other.

Thanks to its well-handled set-up in "Blood Fever," Voyager 's Paris/Torres relationship was a great decision for both characters. Putting Tom in a long-term romance with another member of the main cast helped cement his continued move away from the playboy archetype that wasn’t working for him in seasons 1 and 2 . Thanks to B'Elanna, Tom became a more well-rounded character and gained an ongoing storyline with endless possibilities that Voyager made work to the show's advantage.

Likewise, the romance allowed B’Elanna to show her softer side more often, especially when her struggles with her half-Klingon heritage became difficult. B'Elanna's relationship with Tom was also a good vehicle for exploring her past trauma, especially in later seasons when she dealt with things like finding out she was pregnant and grappling with the heritage of her and Tom's daughter in light of her childhood. Tom and B'Elanna truly brought out the best qualities in each other , and Star Trek: Voyager was smart to pair them together.

Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+

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The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before. 

Star Trek: Voyagers Paris & Torres Relationship Almost Didnt Happen Says Robert Duncan McNeill

• Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres might not have become a couple if a Star Trek: Voyager season 3 episode had turned out differently.
• "Blood Fever" was originally meant to feature Tuvok more heavily but was changed to Tom at the last minute.
• The episode accelerated Tom and B'Elanna's romance and solidified their relationship, leading to their love confession in season 4.

Tom Paris actor Robert Duncan McNeill revealed that Star Trek: Voyager almost didn't make his character and B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) a couple in season 3. After their official get-together at the beginning of season 4, Tom and B'Elanna became the only stable couple among Voyager 's cast of characters for the rest of the show's seven seasons. Their relationship ended up going further than most Star Trek couples , culminating in their marriage and the birth of their daughter in season 7.

While the seeds of Tom and B'Elanna's future romance were planted as far back as season 1, any explicit hint of their relationship wasn't cemented until Voyager season 3, episode 16, "Blood Fever." During the episode, Ensign Vorik (Alexander Enberg) infected B'Elanna with his Vulcan Pon Farr, causing her to choose Tom as he mate while the two were trapped in a system of caves on an alien planet. However, "Blood Fever" almost forwent setting up Tom and B'Elanna as a couple in favor of a different storyline.

Every Voyager Character Who Has Returned In Star Trek (& How)

Star Trek: Voyager's beloved characters have returned in Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and especially Star Trek: Prodigy.

Robert Duncan McNeill Explains Why Blood Fever Wasnt Supposed To Start Tom And BElannas Relationship

Another character was supposed to feature more heavily in "blood fever".

In an interview with Star Trek Monthly , issue 28 around the time of the episode's airing, Robert Duncan McNeill revealed that "Blood Fever" was originally supposed to star Tuvok (Tim Russ) and B'Elanna as the episode's duo , but that it was changed to Tom at the last minute. According to McNeill, Voyager 's creative team decided to replace Tuvok with Tom almost on a whim, but the decision ultimately had huge implications for Voyager 's storyline due to it fully cementing Tom and B'Elanna's future relationship. Read McNeill's full quote below:

"Originally that episode was written for B'Elanna to go into Pon Farr and to be trapped in the caves with Tuvok, who would help her go through this and deal with it because he's Vulcan and he's been through it. At the very last minute, literally like the day before we started shooting that episode, they thought, 'Why don't we make it Tom Paris and B'Elanna trapped, and let's see what happens with that.' So they made this change."

Logically, having Tuvok be the one to help B'Elanna in "Blood Fever" would have made sense. As McNeill pointed out, Tuvok had experienced the Pon Farr and was equipped to help B'Elanna manage her symptoms if not alleviate them. Tuvok was still a big presence in "Blood Fever," and was the first person to realize what was wrong with B'Elanna as well as Voyager 's source for Vulcan knowledge about Pon Farr. However, the decision to jump-start Tom and B'Elanna's relationship was a good one, as the romance might have never come to fruition otherwise.

Would Paris And Torres Still Have Become A Couple Without Blood Fever?

Tom and b'elanna's future as a couple might have been more rocky.

Although it's possible Tom and B'Elanna would still have gotten together had "Blood Fever" played out differently, the chances would have been much slimmer. The Paris/Torres relationship had been teased subtly in earlier seasons, but "Blood Fever" brought their feelings out in the open and was arguably the catalyst for the two finally admitting their love for each other at the beginning of Star Trek: Voyager season 4 . Tom and B'Elanna's love confession coming so quickly on "Blood Fever's" heels seems like no coincidence when looked at in hindsight.

Ultimately, Star Trek: Voyager made the right decision to feature Tom more heavily in "Blood Fever" and the episode was the perfect beginning to Tom and B'Elanna's love story.

It's impossible to say exactly how Tom and B'Elanna's relationship would have evolved without "Blood Fever." However, the development of their romance would likely have taken much longer , which may have cheated audiences out of seeing nearly as much of their relationship progression or resulted in the creative team getting bored and dropping the storyline entirely, leaving a lot of unresolved potential. Ultimately, Star Trek: Voyager made the right decision to feature Tom more heavily in "Blood Fever" and the episode was the perfect beginning to Tom and B'Elanna's love story.

Source: Star Trek Monthly , issue 28

Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Voyager

The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before.

Cast Jennifer Lien, Garrett Wang, Tim Russ, Robert Duncan McNeill, Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo

Release Date May 23, 1995

Genres Sci-Fi, Adventure

Network UPN

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Kenneth Biller, Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga

Showrunner Kenneth Biller, Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga

Rating TV-PG

Where To Watch Paramount+

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Star Trek: Voyager

Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home. Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home. Pulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, a Starfleet ship must cooperate with Maquis rebels to find a way home.

• Rick Berman
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• Jeri Taylor
• Kate Mulgrew
• Robert Beltran
• Roxann Dawson
• 428 User reviews
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• 33 wins & 84 nominations total

Episodes 168

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• Jeri Taylor (showrunner)
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Did you know

• Trivia When auditioning for the part of the holographic doctor, Robert Picardo was asked to say the line "Somebody forgot to turn off my program." He did so, then ad-libbed "I'm a doctor, not a light bulb" and got the part.
• Goofs There is speculation that the way the Ocampa are shown to have offspring is an impossible situation, as a species where the female can only have offspring at one event in her life would half in population every generation, even if every single member had offspring. While Ocampa females can only become pregnant once in their lifetime, if was never stated how many children could be born at one time. Kes mentions having an uncle, implying that multiple births from one pregnancy are possible.

Seven of Nine : Fun will now commence.

• Alternate versions Several episodes, such as the show's debut and finale, were originally aired as 2-hour TV-movies. For syndication, these episodes were reedited into two-part episodes to fit one-hour timeslots.
• Connections Edited into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges (1999)

User reviews 428

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• January 16, 1995 (United States)
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• Runtime 44 minutes
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Ensign Vorik during pon farr

The pon farr was a Vulcan time of mating , and the rituals following it were shrouded under a veil of mystery and secrecy. It was considered to be a very private matter within Vulcan society, so much that only a handful of Starfleet doctors had ever handled it. Among themselves, Vulcans found it inappropriate to involve themselves with another's pon farr . ( TOS : " Amok Time "; VOY : " Blood Fever ")

• 1 Biology of pon farr
• 2 Rituals surrounding pon farr
• 4.1 Background information
• 4.2 Apocrypha
• 4.3 External link

Biology of pon farr [ ]

T'Pol during her pon farr

During pon farr , adult Vulcans undergo a neurochemical imbalance that can take on a form of madness (culminating in the plak tow ). A Vulcan could die within eight days if their pon farr is not satiated. ( TOS : " Amok Time "; VOY : " Blood Fever ") Vulcan males experienced pon farr every seven years of their adult life. ( TOS : " The Cloud Minders "; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock )

The imbalance during pon farr can be transferred to others via a telepathic mating bond . It can also be transferred to other species during the same telepathic bond. ( VOY : " Blood Fever ") Certain microbes are also known to trigger pon farr prematurely. ( ENT : " Bounty ")

Also during this period, the affected Vulcan's cortical levels rise and fall, as the brain 's regulatory system appears to shut down when serotonin levels became unbalanced. ( VOY : " Blood Fever ")

Vulcan females also endure pon farr . ( ENT : " Fallen Hero ") Normally, their hormones and endorphins rise to dangerous levels. Like males, females had to mate or otherwise receive treatment to survive. ( ENT : " Bounty ")

" Vulcans mate normally any time they want to. However, every seven years you do the ritual, the ceremony, the whole thing. The biological urge. You must, but any other time is any other emotion – humanoid emotion – when you're in love . When you want to, you know when the urge is there, you do it. This every-seven-years business was taken too literally by too many people who don't stop and understand. We didn't mean it only every seven years. I mean, every seven years would be a little bad, and it would not explain the Vulcans of many different ages which are not seven years apart. " – D.C. Fontana ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages )

Rituals surrounding pon farr [ ]

During ancient, pre- Surak , times, Vulcans typically killed to win their mates. After the Time of Awakening , the koon-ut-kal-if-fee was adopted, and many Vulcans became telepathically bonded at youth. ( TOS : " Amok Time ") In the early stages of mating, Vulcans generally touched fingers before touching their faces together. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ) There were three options open to Vulcans that usually ended a pon farr : ( VOY : " Blood Fever ")

• Taking a mate
• Participating in a kal-if-fee
• Intensive meditation

Notable instances of pon farr [ ]

In 2153 , Sub-Commander T'Pol of Enterprise underwent pon farr after exposure to an unusual microbe. She was confined to Decon and treated by Doctor Phlox . Her premature pon farr ended when the microbes were eliminated. ( ENT : " Bounty ")

In the mirror universe , Lieutenant Commander T'Pol of the ISS Enterprise underwent pon farr at some point before 2155 . She was assisted through this period by Commander Charles Tucker several times. ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly ")

On stardate 3372.7 , Spock had his first pon farr during a historic five-year mission which the USS Enterprise was undertaking. At the time, Captain James T. Kirk was under direct orders from Starfleet to proceed directly to Altair VI for an inauguration ceremony, with no time to stop off at Vulcan , but after coaxing Spock into telling him what was happening to him, Kirk took Spock to Vulcan anyway, knowingly risking his career. Spock invited Kirk and Doctor Leonard McCoy to attend his koon-ut-kal-if-fee ceremony.

At the ceremony, hosted by Vulcan Ambassador T'Pau , Spock's betrothed, T'Pring , claimed kal-if-fee and chose Kirk as her champion , in a move calculated to ensure that she would have her desired mate, Stonn , regardless of the outcome of the fight. During the fight, McCoy dosed Kirk with a neural paralyzer , and Spock seemingly killed Kirk, breaking his plak tow . When he returned to the Enterprise , intending to immediately surrender himself to the authorities, Spock was delighted to find that Kirk was alive and well, after all. ( TOS : " Amok Time ")

On stardate 8210.3 , the regenerated but mindless body of Captain Spock experienced the pon farr on planet Genesis . Lieutenant Saavik was present and assisted Spock through this time. ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock )

Tuvok went through pon farr in 2304 . He took his mate, T'Pel , at this time. ( VOY : " Ex Post Facto ", " Flashback ")

Tuvok and T'Pel conceived Asil following his eleventh pon farr . ( VOY : " Alice ")

In 2370 , Tuvok underwent pon farr . He informed Kathryn Janeway that he was suffering from Tarkalean flu .

On stardate 54238.3 , Tuvok began the early stages of another pon farr . Since he was stranded aboard the USS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant , returning to Vulcan was impossible. He intended to control his pon farr with a combination of disciplined meditation and specially prepared medication. His neurotransmitters did not absorb the medication, and The Doctor was not present to prescribe an alternative. Tom Paris designed a hologram of T'Pel to handle the situation. Tuvok once again claimed to be suffering from the Tarkalean flu, although this time around, Janeway privately revealed that she was fully aware of the true circumstance in both instances. ( VOY : " Body and Soul ")

On stardate 50537.2 , Ensign Vorik of the USS Voyager underwent his first pon farr . Due to Voyager 's presence in the Delta Quadrant, he was unable to return to Vulcan and mate with his intended . He declared koon-ut-so'lik , a marriage proposal, to B'Elanna Torres , in order to gain a mate.

Vorik was injured unconsciously attempting to form a telepathic mating bond with Torres. While in sickbay , The Doctor determined that Vorik was undergoing pon farr . Vorik noted his intention to satiate his needs through meditation. He was confined to his quarters and wore a cortical monitor .

After discovering from Tuvok that Torres had also undergone pon farr , Vorik had trouble maintaining his composure. The Doctor began administering medication to control Vorik's serotonin levels. The Doctor also designed a holographic Vulcan named T'Pera to serve as Vorik's " self-healing " technique.

The Doctor declared Vorik cured of his pon farr when his cortical levels nearly stabilized following mating with T'Pera. This was a ruse, however, in order to transport to a nearby planet and attempt, once more, to mate with Torres.

After disabling communications, Vorik arrived at the planet. Once he learned that Torres intended to declare Tom Paris as her mate, Vorik declared koon-ut-kal-if-fee . Torres chose herself as champion, and the kal-if-fee was officiated by Tuvok. Vorik was knocked unconscious by Torres, and his pon farr ended. ( VOY : " Blood Fever ")

Sek , child of Tuvok, underwent pon farr between 2371 and 2374 . His mate conceived a child, T'Meni , from this union. This news was delivered to Tuvok in 2374, on board the USS Voyager , via the Hirogen communications network . ( VOY : " Hunters ")

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Originally, the Vulcan time of mating was to have been called "Amok-Time" and was said to affect Vulcan males "about once every 26 years." Gene Roddenberry described it that way in a memo he wrote to Gene Coon (on 5 December 1966 ).

Both the Star Trek: The Original Series episode " Amok Time " and the film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock state that pon farr is particular to Vulcan males. This is, therefore, at odds with ENT : " Bounty ", in which pon farr is attributed to both sexes.

Pon farr is also mentioned in the Star Trek: Voyager episodes " Gravity " and " Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy ". It was additionally referenced in the first draft script of the ultimately undeveloped TAS episode "Point of Extinction".

In one draft of the script for the film Star Trek , screenwriters and producers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman made a reference to pon farr . " We [...] thought we should save it instead, " the writers said of the reference. ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 149 , p. 13)

Apocrypha [ ]

In the Pocket TOS novel Savage Trade , it was revealed that the mating bond did not affect Vulcans who were twins , as they already shared a similar platonic mental connection.

The alternate reality Star Trek: Ongoing comic book " After Darkness " featured a story arc in which some Vulcans rejected the teachings of Surak due to their emotions about the destruction of their homeworld . Subsequently, they formed a group called the Sasaud ( β ) and turned feral. Spock briefly joined the group during his pon farr . This storyline also established that part of pon farr involved returning to Vulcan itself, with part of the current problem being the Vulcans' inability to return to their original homeworld following its destruction. Carol Marcus was able to devise a "treatment" where a transporter could be modulated to essentially recreate the conditions of beaming to Vulcan so that they could "trick" those suffering from pon farr into "believing" that they were home.

In House of Cards , the first part of the initial Star Trek: New Frontier novel series, Dr. Selar undergoes pon farr two years prior to her assignment to the Excalibur ( β ) and returns to Vulcan to mate with her husband, Voltak. During the course of their mating, Voltak suffers a massive heart attack and dies. This leaves Selar ( β ) having not completed pon farr , which she begins to suffer again two years later.

External link [ ]

• Pon farr at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

What Star Trek: Voyager's Borg Queen Looks Like Today

As prominent "Star Trek: Voyager" antagonists go, it's hard to top the Borg Queen, the entity controlling the fearsome Borg. The Borg are responsible for some of the most pause-worthy moments on "Star Trek: The Next Generation,"  and the cyborg collective continued to antagonize the Federation long after their debut on that show. 

She made her debut in one of the best "Star Trek" movies , "Star Trek: First Contact," and "Star Trek: Picard" marks The Borg Queen's final hurrah. Nevertheless, she's arguably at her most prominent during the events of "Star Trek: Voyager." While numerous actors have played the character over time, the Borg Queen's prevalence on "Voyager" quite likely makes the two actors portraying her — Alice Krige and Susanna Thompson — the definitive versions of the cyborg villain, especially since Krige also played the character in "Star Trek: First Contact." Let's see what the actors look like today.

Alice Krige and Susanna Thompson have a long history in genre shows and films

The first Borg Queen to grace the screens was Alice Krige, who played the role in 1996's "Star Trek: First Contact" and returned in the "Star Trek: Voyager" Season 7 episode "Endgame." Due to her significant role in "First Contact," she's likely the first person people think when it comes to the Borg Queen. She's also voiced the character in various other "Star Trek"-adjacent projects, including "Star Trek: Picard," where she provides the voice of the Borg Queen in two episodes while others physically portray her. 

Apart from her "Star Trek" work, Krige has amassed a wealth of acting credits. Eagle-eyed fans may have spotted her as Eyr in "Thor: The Dark World," Christabella in 2006's "Silent Hill," and Karen Abercromby in the 2002 Christian Bale-Matthew McConaughey fantasy film "Kingdom of Fire." On the small screen, you may have seen her as Maddie on "Deadwood," Nancy Johnson on "The OA," and Haruspex Tsimani on "Carnival Row."

The second and more prominent Borg Queen of "Star Trek: Voyager" is Susanna Thompson, who portrayed the character in her other three appearances on the show. The Borg Queen marks Thompson's third appearance in the franchise, seeing as she already had two one-episode "Star Trek: The Next Generation" parts under her belt before joining "Voyager." Thompson is a familiar face for fans of "Arrow" as Moira Queen,  the mother of Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell). She also played Jeanne in the 2021 horror movie "Malignant," and starred opposite Aidan Quinn on NBC's "The Book of Daniel." Outside genre fare, fans may also have seen her as Karen Sammler on ABC's "Once and Again" and Hollis Mann on "NCIS."