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Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series)

Initiations (1995), full cast & crew.

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Initiations (episode)

• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Memorable quotes
• 3.1 Story development
• 3.3 Production
• 3.4 First airing and reception
• 3.5 Continuity
• 3.6 Video and DVD releases
• 4.1 Starring
• 4.2 Also starring
• 4.3 Guest stars
• 4.4 Co-star
• 4.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 4.6 Stunt doubles
• 4.7 Photo double
• 4.8 Stand-ins
• 4.9 References
• 4.10 External links

Summary [ ]

Commander Chakotay has asked Captain Janeway for the use of a Type 8 shuttlecraft so that he can perform a ritual on the anniversary of his father's death. While praying to speak to his father, the shuttlecraft drifts into Kazon-Ogla space . The main Kazon ship picks the shuttlecraft up on their scanners, and sends a young Kazon boy called Kar to destroy it and thus earn his Ogla name.

The commander is still in the middle of his ritual when the shuttle is rocked by phaser fire. After the shuttle's computer identifies the attacking vessel as Kazon, Chakotay hails the ship and tries to convince the pilot to cease firing on him. A young Kazon boy appears on the shuttle's viewer. " You are in Kazon-Ogla space, Federation . " Chakotay tells him that he is no threat and will leave. When told by the boy that no one who violates Kazon space simply leaves, Chakotay calls him "son" and remarks that his starship is only a few light years away. " I am not your son, Federation. I am your executioner! ", the Kazon youth states right before recommencing fire on Chakotay's shuttle.

Act One [ ]

After Chakotay warns the Kazon vessel a few times to stand down or risk destruction by his weapons, the ship continues its attack. Chakotay then outmaneuvers the small Kazon ship which Kar is on and fires phasers , disrupting the ship's engine core. With only thirty seconds left before the Kazon ship explodes, Chakotay scans the ship and finds one life sign. He locks on and beams aboard the survivor, who is revealed as Kar.

Unfortunately the battle has disabled the long range communications, lateral sensor array , and aft shields of the shuttle, so Chakotay starts flying to rendezvous with Voyager . Later, Kar wakes and is bound. He expresses disbelief that Chakotay did not kill him. " I'm not in the habit of killing children ", Chakotay says. He is confused about Kar's lack of gratitude. The shuttle then runs into the ship of First Maje Razik . Chakotay hails them and lets them know he has Kar aboard. The Kazon ship begins tractoring the shuttle in. Chakotay tries to escape but the shuttle's engines aren't nearly powerful enough. Kar looks on with fear and pleads with Chakotay to kill him because " there are worse things than dying in battle. "

Act Two [ ]

Voyager is in orbit of a planet gathering supplies and Captain Janeway is talking with Neelix in her ready room about the fact that he was left out the ship's recent holodeck defense simulations. She asks him to join her on the bridge to provide support. The bridge reports that the mission is going well, but when Ensign Harry Kim tries to hail Chakotay, he can get no response from the first officer . Janeway recalls all away teams and tells Paris to set course for Chakotay's last known position.

On the Kazon ship, Chakotay and Kar are dragged into a large room under guard. Chakotay demands to know why Kar is being guarded with him as a prisoner, but gets no response from Haliz , the First Maje's second in command. Kar begins berating Chakotay and threatening him, in an attempt to impress Haliz , but after no response, Kar demands to see Razik and is struck to the floor. Chakotay sees this and also demands to see him. Chakotay tells Kar it's because he is obviously the leader, whereupon Kar walks around the room pointing out Razik's trophies, such as a piece of a Nistrim hull from a destroyed ship and a bracelet belonging to a Kazon who killed Kar's brother – Jal Kinell , who Kar notes " earned his Ogla name by dying bravely in battle. " But, as Kar ruefully notes, he will not be able to earn his name in life or in death – and he has Chakotay to thank .

Razik himself then arrives and confronts Kar. Kar protests his loss was not his fault, but Razik berates him for making excuses and then forgives him, an act which obviously distresses Kar. Razik tells Chakotay he doomed Kar to disgrace by not allowing him to earn his name in life or death. Chakotay apologizes for that and for violating Kazon-Ogla space. He says there was no map marking this as their territory. Razik says maps are useless because the boundaries change every day. He goes on to explain that any uniform represents a threat to them because of their history of throwing off their oppressors . He then announces that the execution is scheduled for that night.

Act Three [ ]

When Voyager arrives at Chakotay's last known location, they discover metallic debris which could have come from a Starfleet shuttlecraft. Janeway orders it beamed aboard so B'Elanna Torres can analyze it. Paris asks if they're assuming Chakotay's shuttle was destroyed but Janeway rejects that assumption. Tuvok then locates an ion trail leading away from the debris site and they set course to follow.

Razik, Chakotay, and several Kazon children are present in the same audience room. Chakotay greets the children and repeats his messages about his peaceful intentions, but when Razik asks the children who would be willing to kill Chakotay, they all volunteer. Razik mocks Chakotay's attempts at reconciliation and then has a group bring Kar in. He repeats Kar's fate to not have a name, and then offers Chakotay a weapon, telling him that if he kills Kar, he is free to go. Chakotay seems to consider following through, but then he drops the weapon and takes Razik hostage, demanding to be set free. Razik tells everyone to let him run, and then Kar decides to join Chakotay in running.

They depart from the ship in the shuttle but come under fire quickly despite Kar trying to help Chakotay disable the ship's weapons. Kar keeps giving Chakotay information that would let him attack the Kazon, but Chakotay insists he's not going to start killing people. He asks the computer to locate a place to set down and the computer locates a nearby Class M moon. Kar tells Chakotay it is Tarok , used by the Ogla for training. Just then the shuttle's rear shields buckle and the shuttle is in danger of being destroyed. Chakotay says transporting to the moon is risky because of the distance. Then the shuttle is destroyed while falling towards the moon's atmosphere .

Just as Torres confirms that the debris they picked up is from a Kazon ship, the ion trail Voyager has been following dissipates. Voyager locates more debris, and when it is beamed aboard, it is showing markings that clearly identify it as being from Chakotay's shuttle.

Act Four [ ]

Chakotay and Kar regain consciousness on the surface of the moon. Kar again lays into Chakotay for not fighting, and Chakotay tells him that if all he's going to do is reiterate how much he doesn't like Chakotay, he should stay quiet. But Kar speaks up to save Chakotay from a hidden weapon; he reveals that, as a training site, the moon is littered with hidden weaponry, such as deadly disruptor snares , so Chakotay will have to follow Kar.

On Voyager , The Doctor confirms through a viewscreen in the briefing room that there is no organic material that would indicate Chakotay was killed in the shuttle explosion. Janeway mentions that there is a Class M moon nearby he may have beamed to, but there seems to be a lot of hidden weaponry. Kes and Neelix immediately recognize it as a Kazon training site. The energy from the weaponry is disrupting sensors and communication with the surface, so Captain Janeway requests Kes and Tuvok accompany her on a trip to the surface and leaves Paris in command of the ship while they try to find a way to cut through the interference.

On the surface, Chakotay and Kar have found a cave to spend the night in. Chakotay uses his tricorder to set up a homing beacon amid more banter from Kar about his wanting to kill Chakotay and steal his technology to make his name with the Kazon. Chakotay brushes off his posturing, comparing his efforts to earn his Starfleet uniform to Kar's efforts to earn his name. Kar rejects the comparison, and Chakotay suggests they attempt to get some sleep.

Sometime later Kar, unable to sleep, turns off the tricorder's homing beacon then takes his weapon and aims it at a sleeping Chakotay. Despite the perfect chance to kill Chakotay, Kar finds he cannot go through with it. He then returns the weapon and reactivates the beacon.

Act Five [ ]

In orbit, a Kazon vessel hails Voyager . Paris explains their presence and that they're looking for a missing crewman. Razik tells him that they killed Chakotay, by name, after he kidnapped a Kazon boy and asks them to leave. Neelix expresses disbelief at the lack of an attack, prompting the Kazon to threaten violence, but Neelix points out that it would be a massive risk to the Kazon security if a battle were waged near their training base, and that blowing up the weapons on the surface would be hideously expensive. The Kazon agree to allow Voyager to continue searching.

On the surface, Janeway and her team are following a trail when Razik, Haliz, and two other Kazon intercept them and say they are here to help due to the danger of the environment.

Back in the cave, Chakotay (who was actually awake) confronts Kar about his inability to kill him, saying he thinks Kar is realizing Chakotay is not his enemy. Chakotay asks Kar if he could go to another Kazon sect (of which Kar says there are eighteen at last check), but Kar says they would cut off his fingers and call him a goven , a word meaning an outcast. He also rejects going with Chakotay because it would mean leaving his home. Chakotay asks why the uniform causes such hatred and Kar briefly indicates the Kazon used to be all but slaves to the Trabe before they revolted 26 years prior . Then Chakotay's tricorder begins to signal that the others are close.

At the same time, Voyager breaks through the interference and Janeway asks if they can get a lock on Chakotay, Paris says they're working on it. The Kazon trick them and they end up caught in a force field, though Kes identifies the power source and they work on getting a phaser to punch through the field. In the cave, Chakotay tells Kar he's going to help him get his name and when Voyager contacts him, he tells them to prepare for a code white resuscitation, then reassures Kar that he can be revived as long as it is shortly after he is killed.

When the Kazon arrive, Kar has Chakotay at gunpoint. He tells Razik he wants to earn his name, but then declares that Chakotay is not his enemy and shoots Razik. Haliz is then First Maje, and he grants Kar a name, Jal Karden . They allow Voyager to depart, but not before Karden tells Chakotay that the next time they meet he won't hesitate to kill him. Chakotay understands. Chakotay, along with the away team, are beamed aboard Voyager .

In his quarters on Voyager , Chakotay sits on the floor with his medicine bundle unraveled. He holds up a stone with a CHAH-mooz-ee emblazoned on it, along with an akoonah and a blackbird 's wing laying in front of him. Chakotay then begins to pray to his father.

Memorable quotes [ ]

" Look, son. My starship is only a few light years away. " " I am not your son, Federation . I am your executioner! "

" Computer, damage report. " " Long-range communications, lateral sensor array, and aft shields are off-line. " " Great! "

" You should have let me die. " " I'm not in the habit of killing children. "

" And now Mr. Neelix, please join me on the bridge. " " Yes, sir. I mean, ma'am. Captain. "

" Why are you so eager for me to kill you? "

" Well, you just saved my life. Twice more and we'll be even. "

" Don't worry, captain. You can count on me to keep those nefarious Kazon at bay! "

" Get him something to eat. The execution is tonight. "

" You tell this Jal Razik that Federation Commander Chakotay demands to see him! "

" I'm afraid you would not score well on our training exercises. "

" What's so different about us? Aside from the fact that I keep saving your life and you keep threatening to kill me. "

" Why did you save him? It's a very ineffective way of waging war. "

" My people taught me a man does not own land. "

" You would rather die in your sleep, a wrinkled old man? " " Sounds about right. "

" You won't stop me from earning my name, Federation. " " Not Federation! Chakotay. That's my name. "

Background information [ ]

Story development [ ].

• This was the first episode for Star Trek: Voyager that executive story editor Kenneth Biller wrote alone, he having helped with the writing of the episodes " Elogium ", " Faces ", " Jetrel " and " Twisted ". This episode is not, however, the first for which he alone wrote the teleplay; he previously wrote the scripts for both "Faces" and "Twisted" by himself. In other words, this episode was the first for which he alone not only penned the script but also came up with the story idea.
• While working on this episode, Ken Biller described the story as "the Kazon put a hit out on Chakotay." ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine  issue 3 , p. 50)
• The episode was partly written as an attempt to remedy the fact that Voyager 's producers felt Chakotay had been underused in the first season . ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 6 )
• Another of the motives that Ken Biller, in particular, had for writing this episode was to give Chakotay some more action scenes, similar to how the character had been portrayed in " Caretaker ". " He's like a real action hero in the pilot, " Biller remarked, " and I think we need to give him some action stories–which I'm hoping to do in 'Initiations'. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine  issue 3 , p. 52)
• After Ken Biller turned in his first draft of this episode's script, executive producer Jeri Taylor wrote extensive notes on it. Another production staffer who was not completely happy with the installment's original script draft was Michael Piller , who was about to return to Voyager as an executive producer after having taken an extended vacation in which he had both co-created and co-executive produced the short-lived television series Legend . ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 76)
• Dissatisfied with the first draft of this episode's teleplay, Michael Piller offered to subsequently help Ken Biller with the writing of the episode. As such, the development of this episode involved an early instance of Piller acting on a crusade he had taken upon himself – specifically, to motivate the writing of Voyager 's second season. He called Biller on his own car phone and commented at length that, despite having been intended as an allegory to in-fighting Los Angeles street gangs, the Kazon were "coming across as kind of warmed-over Klingons ." Piller ended the call by telling Biller, " I want you to stop, don't write anything today, leave the office and go find some gang members or find a policeman who can take you to see some gang members. I'll talk to you about it tomorrow and see what you find out from the street. " Although Biller subsequently did not strictly adhere to this advice – thereafter having no direct contact with gang members – he did discover the book Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member , written in prison by Sanyika "Monster" Shakur . This publication gave Biller useful insights into gang culture and peer pressure, inspiring the writing of this episode's second draft. Michael Piller commented, " Here we were, on the first day of prep and Ken started rewriting that script based on my feelings that we had to get to the guts of what drove the Kazon and they had to be different from Romulans and Cardassians and Klingons. " Piller concluded, " It was a choice of settling, or doing what I considered excellent work. The bottom line is we had a better show, because Ken did research. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, pp. 76 & 77)
• While developing this episode, Ken Biller also wrote an elaborate sociological backstory for the Kazon, such as their history and customs. The episodes that the article benefited included not only this one but also " Alliances ", a later episode of the second season (a season that is, in and of itself, Kazon-centric). Michael Piller commented, " That document came out of the research that Ken did for 'Initiations.' He felt it would be valuable – because we were going to invest a whole season into these guys – to provide writers with a clear backstory so everybody would be working from the same page. I think it influenced the season greatly. It was an enormous contribution. " Of the document, Jeri Taylor said, " It was quite thoughtful and very well worked out, and [the Kazon] looked quite interesting in that paper. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages )
• This episode's story itself was a problematic one for director Winrich Kolbe . He explained, " Storywise it was not the most interesting show I've ever done. It was a push. My problem with the Chakotay character was that I wanted to forget the Indian aspect and make him the Maquis that he was supposed to be. I knew Chakotay would have to eventually cooperate on the ship, but I hoped he would do it unwillingly most of the time. I talked to the writers about it, why we weren't playing that conflict. They went with the Indian thing, which was kind of intriguing, but in my opinion, never paid off because it was done too subtly. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine  issue 15 )
• This episode's final script draft was submitted on 10 July 1995 . [1]
• Aron Eisenberg (Kar) is much better known for his role as the Ferengi Nog on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . He was cast in this episode after a difficult casting process. Jeri Taylor recalled, " We gave ourselves a very difficult task by writing a part for a fourteen-year-old young man. We ended up casting Aron Eisenberg, who plays Nog on Deep Space Nine […] Aron is a wonderful actor, and we cast him because the boys that we read were simply not able to bring to it the richness and the depth that we wanted. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Eisenberg himself commented, " I think some people out there have the misconception that they just gave me the part, which is not true; I actually had to audition for it. They couldn't find a kid to come up to the level that Kar needed to come up to, and they couldn't find an adult that looked young enough to play the kid. Finally they said, 'What about Aron, let's get him to audition,' and I was obviously what they were looking for, because I got the part. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 14 ) Eisenberg also remembered, " I auditioned for Kar. I think they were having trouble finding somebody that looked young enough that could handle the role, or that could handle the role. I was told Rick [Berman] said, 'Well what about Aron?' I think they wanted to bring me in for an audition for a long time, but because of Nog, they said, 'No. He's too known as Nog.' So they brought me in for the audition, I read for it, and I got it. I really had to read for it. They just didn't assume I would be able to do it. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70)
• Although he alone put a lot of effort into his performance in this episode, Aron Eisenberg was also coached – to a debatable extent – by fellow DS9 actor Max Grodénchik . " I worked very hard on that episode, " Eisenberg later remembered. " Max was there to help me as my acting coach ("He did totally the opposite of everything I said and it turned out brilliantly!" jokes Grodénchik). " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 14 ) Eisenberg also said of his DS9 co-star, " He helped me work on that script a lot, but he said, 'You did nothing that I told you to do.' Max said that everything he said for me to do, I threw out the door, and I did something else. I disagree. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 19 )
• Before performing in this installment, Aron Eisenberg was already familiar with some of the other people who worked on the episode. " I knew most of the crew, because they used to work on Deep Space Nine when Next Generation was on, " Eisenberg explained. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70) He additionally related, " Actually, the crew on ST:VOY was originally the ST:DS9 crew, so I pretty much knew the people, like Marvin Rush the DP [director of photography], and I also knew the director [Winrich Kolbe] who had worked on ST:DS9. I didn't really know the cast, but I worked mostly with [Chakotay actor] Robert Beltran . " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 14 )
• As his role in this episode is significantly different from the Star Trek character he usually played, Aron Eisenberg felt that he didn't have to consciously differ the two roles. " It was the other extreme of Nog, " Eisenberg said of Kar. " I wasn't worried at all about having Nog come out, because I knew Nog's character, I knew all his idiosyncrasies. This is a completely different character. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70)
• During the making of this episode, Aron Eisenberg had an encounter with Patrick Stewart that was apparently pleasant for both actors. Eisenberg recalled, " I got to meet Patrick Stewart. When I went into looping, I met him and he gave me a compliment. He was really a nice guy. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70)
• Aron Eisenberg's experience of acting in "Initiations" was generally very pleasant and, ultimately, he was thankful for the role of Kar. Shortly after he worked on the episode, Eisenberg noted, " I got to work on Star Trek: Voyager this past season, which was even more of a plus [than the merits of portraying Nog on DS9]. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 14 ) Eisenberg further explained, " I was so lucky to have that part. It was so much fun. I had such a blast working on that show […] It was finally something really meaty that I had, and something that I didn't ever think I'd get to play, because of being short or looking younger. I never thought I'd be able to play a character where he's really trying to kill someone. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70)
• Aron Eisenberg also enjoyed featuring on the Star Trek series that was running concurrently with a series that was in the same franchise but with which he was much more familiar. He admitted, " I now feel that I have something extra that the other actors don't have: the opportunity of being on the other show, and getting the whole spectrum. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 14 ) Eisenberg also observed, " It's like one huge family with two separate entities. It was fun to go to both and feel like I've been both places in Star Trek . I'll forever have that niche, that I got to be on both shows. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70)
• Another of this episode's highlights for Aron Eisenberg was working with Robert Beltran. At the 2001 Galaxy Ball charity Star Trek convention – organized by Beltran – Eisenberg was asked to name his favorite Voyager actor and replied, " This is gonna sound like brown-nosing, but Robert Beltran. We had such fun on the episode 'Initiations.' " ( Star Trek Magazine issue 89, p. 30) Eisenberg elaborated, " Me and Robert [Beltran] were just goofing around the whole time. It's funny, you know, you've got such an intense role, and yet we're laughing and having a good time. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70) In summation, Eisenberg noted, " We had a wonderful time. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 14 ) For his part, Beltran said of their relationship, " Aron and I had a lot of fun. He's a very funny guy. It was like working with Don Rickles , because he's very quick-witted and not afraid to cut you down. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine  issue 7 ) In addition, Beltran remarked, " We both had a good time. Aron's a lot of fun to work with. He's a very funny man, with a lot of talent. He's got a wide range and he can do a lot of things. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5|99)
• This episode is the first in a triumvirate of Season 2 Chakotay-centric episodes that Robert Beltran enjoyed (the others being " Tattoo " and " Maneuvers "). Beltran remarked, " I thought those three were really fine scripts. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 99) Although Beltran was appreciative of this episode's plot, he wanted the influence that his character of Chakotay had on Kar to be gentler than he imagined the episode's audience would want. Beltran said of 'Initiations', " I enjoyed that one very much because there was a nice moral at the end of the story. For me, it was an interesting acting exercise. When I was reading the script, I felt that the audience would want me to act a little mad. But I wanted to bring that in and check that at every turn. Instead of just physically reprimanding him, I wanted Chakotay to face [the Kazon boy] with a little more patience and little more tenderness, and try to change him that way. Of course, Chakotay's plan didn't quite work in the end. But it was a fun relationship between Chakotay and the Kazon boy [Kar] and it revealed a lot about Chakotay. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 20 )
• Robert Beltran believed that this episode did a good job of encapsulating Chakotay's persona. " It summed up in one episode basically what Chakotay is about as a person, " the actor commented. " It started off with him on a vision quest, on a journey to connect with his father. He's then faced with a crisis and he deals with it as if nothing else exists but how are we going to solve the problem. He comes face to face with a person who tried to kill him, and yet he doesn't harbor hatred. He realizes the kid comes from a different culture and is a little troubled. I think that episode showed that he's willing to accept and embrace people. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine  issue 7 )
• Aron Eisenberg ultimately thought his own performance here was very successful, such as with Voyager 's team of writer-producers. " They were really happy with it, " he recalled. " I felt very fortunate, because I was fairly muscular, which was good for a warrior kid. It was really weird to see my asset – being older and looking younger and even muscular – which is not going to work in the real world, but was certainly perfect for this character. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 14 ) Eisenberg also noted, " I was really proud of it. They were really proud of it, the producers and everybody. It made me feel good to know that I came in and was able to do it. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70)
• Aron Eisenberg and Patrick Kilpatrick ( Razik ) later appeared together in the DS9 episode " The Siege of AR-558 ", also directed by Winrich Kolbe.

Production [ ]

• This was actually the first episode produced for the second season . The previous episode, " The 37's ", was filmed as part of the first season .
• Voyager 's production team were highly affected by the extreme changes to this episode's story, as they necessitated alterations in set design and shooting schedules. Michael Piller recalled, " Basically they had to change the whole thing overnight. By the time that week was over the production people were beside themselves. I was called into a meeting and told 'You basically threw this entire unit into chaos.' I said 'I did it because the script wasn't good enough and we had to make the show better.' […] The unit–all the people that sit in production meetings making plans, designing sets–suffered probably for weeks because I was disruptive. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 77)
• The filming of this episode began on 11 July, 1995 . ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 8 )

A moment from this episode's location shoot

• The outdoor scenes of this episode were shot on location at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park . [2] Restricted by union rules to only use locations within a radius of 37 miles from Paramount studios, the producers were careful to avoid showing the most well known of the location's jagged peaks. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, pp. 77-78)

First airing and reception [ ]

• This episode achieved a Nielsen rating of 5.9 million homes, and a 10% share. [3] (X) The installment also achieved an NTI (National Television Index) rating of 8.3. ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 11 , p. 14)
• In common with " Non Sequitur ", the reason why this episode aired when it did was to capitalize on the location work involved in the installment, because – of the first six episodes in the season's final airing order – three (" Projections ", " Elogium " and " Twisted ") were bottle shows held over from the previous season. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 76)
• In the lead-up to this episode's VHS release, Star Trek Magazine reviewer Stuart Clark wrote a review of this episode, mentioning his opinion of Aron Eisenberg's appearance as Kar. Remarked Clark, " Viewers with good hearing will certainly recognise the young Kazon […] Here, he's in a very different role but plays it just as convincingly. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 12 , p. 62)
• Cinefantastique gave this installment 2 and a half out of 4 stars. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 77) Thomas Doherty, one of the magazine's writers, criticized the appearance of Aaron Eisenberg in the role of Kar as "confusing" and wasn't any fonder of the episode's portrayal of Chakotay. " In 'Initiations', he behaved like a patient high school counselor towards a young warrior who insulted and repeatedly tried to kill him, " Doherty complained. " One longed for him to display Kirk 's regressive machismo and deck the brat. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 27, No. 4/5, pp. 65 & 66)
• The unauthorized reference book Delta Quadrant (p. 69) scored the episode 7 out of 10.
• Regarding her opinion of this episode in general, Jeri Taylor noted, " I thought it was reasonably successful. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages )
• Ultimately, the recognizability of Aron Eisenberg proved to be too obvious to many fans. The actor himself offered, " On the Internet people say, 'I could tell it was his voice.' I say, 'Come on people, it's the same person.' " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 76) Jeri Taylor explained, " More people were aware of [Eisenberg's DS9 role] than I would have thought. He didn't look anything the same, but he has a very distinctive voice. It broke the suspension of disbelief and made people say not, 'Oh, there's a young man in pain,' but, 'Oh, it's Nog from Deep Space Nine .' As soon as the mind is doing that, it's not involved in the story […] We got the good actor, but we got a recognizable one. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages ) Additionally, Taylor admitted, " We thought that because he was so heavily prosthetized in this show and in DS9 that he wouldn't look anything like he did, but he does have a distinctive voice. People who know both shows picked up on that. Some thought it was cool that we were doing an homage to DS9. " Michael Piller commented, " We made a very big mistake in casting Aron Eisenberg because his voice is so recognizable that it took anybody watching both shows out of the episode. His performance was wonderful, but I think it was just a casting mistake. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 78)
• Perhaps partly due to this issue, Aron Eisenberg doubted that he would reprise his role of Kar in Star Trek: Voyager , despite having a desire to do so. He said, "Voyager is going in one direction, and I don't think Kar is going to meet them somewhere else, which is unfortunate. It was a fun character. I always hope to play it again. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 28, No. 4/5, p. 70)

Continuity [ ]

• This is the third episode in which Voyager encounters the Kazon after " Caretaker " and " State of Flux ", and the second in which it encounters the Kazon-Ogla sect after " Caretaker ".
• The new TR-590 Tricorder X and the redesigned type 2 phaser appear for the first time in this episode, although how Voyager was able to procure these newer models when it was cut off from the Federation was never explained.
• This is the first episode in which a shuttlecraft from Voyager is confirmed destroyed. Voyager would go on to lose 11 shuttles over the course of the series.
• Chakotay 's medicine bundle is lost in this episode, either destroyed along with his shuttle or pillaged by the Kazon-Ogla . Upon returning to Voyager , he uses what must be another replicated medicine bundle.
• This is the first episode to show Tom Paris in command of Voyager in the absence of Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 2.1, 26 February 1996
• As part of the VOY Season 2 DVD collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway

Also starring [ ]

• Robert Beltran as Commander Chakotay
• Roxann Biggs-Dawson as Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres
• Jennifer Lien as Kes
• Robert Duncan McNeill as Lieutenant Tom Paris
• Ethan Phillips as Neelix
• Robert Picardo as The Doctor
• Tim Russ as Lieutenant Tuvok
• Garrett Wang as Ensign Harry Kim

Guest stars [ ]

• Aron Eisenberg as Kar
• Patrick Kilpatrick as Razik
• Tim deZarn as Haliz

Co-star [ ]

• Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Steve Crawford as Kazon-Ogla guard
• Christine Delgado as Susan Nicoletti
• Heather Ferguson as command officer
• Kazon-Ogla guard
• Operations officer
• Robert Godinez as Kazon-Ogla boy
• James Hartman as Kazon-Ogla boy
• Stan Ivar as Mark Johnson (photo)
• Julie Jiang as operations lieutenant junior grade
• Jordan Monheim as sciences officer
• Louis Ortiz as Culhane
• John Parsons as Michael Parsons
• Rob Plaza as operations officer
• Regina Richardson as operations officer
• Phillip Riddick as Kazon-Ogla boy
• Daunette Saunders as operations officer
• Mark Smith as Kazon-Ogla guard
• Rod Wallace as operations officer
• Jeff Witzke as operations officer
• Unknown actor as Kazon-Ogla guard #3 (voice)
• Unknown actor as Kazon-Ogla guard #2 (voice)

Stunt doubles [ ]

• David Balcorta as stunt double for Robert Beltran
• Tom Morga as stunt double for Patrick Kilpatrick

Photo double [ ]

• Unknown actor – photo double for Robert Beltran

Stand-ins [ ]

• Chris Blackwood – stand-in for Aron Eisenberg
• Michael Braveheart – stand-in for Robert Beltran and Patrick Kilpatrick
• Steve Crawford – stand-in for Tim deZarn
• Debbie David – stand-in for Robert Duncan McNeill
• Heather Ferguson – stand-in for Roxann Biggs-Dawson
• Ken Gruz – stand-in for Tim deZarn
• Sue Henley – stand-in for Kate Mulgrew
• Susan Lewis – stand-in for Roxann Biggs-Dawson
• Maggie – stand-in for Robert Godinez, James Hartman and Phillip Riddick
• John Parsons – stand-in for Patrick Kilpatrick
• Brian Paxton – stand-in for Tim deZarn
• Lemuel Perry – stand-in for Tim Russ
• Richard Sarstedt – stand-in for Robert Beltran and Robert Picardo
• Jennifer Somers – stand-in for Jennifer Lien
• Simon Stotler – stand-in for Ethan Phillips
• John Tampoya – stand-in for Garrett Wang

References [ ]

2346 ; 2359 ; 2370 ; adventurer ; A-koo-chee-moya ; alloy ; anniversary ; Ayala ; Ayala's sons ; bearing ; biomagnetic trap ; booby trap ; bracelet ; brain dead ; Calogan dog ; Chakotay's tribe ; chef ; child ; class M ; code white resuscitation ; dampening field ; defense simulation ; Delta Quadrant ; disruptor snare ; duranium ; electroceramic ; engine core ; engine power ; escape pod ; executioner ; explorer ; expression ; Federation ; Federation uniform ; flight plan ; force field ; goven ; guide ; heart ; holodeck ; Human expression ; Jal ; Kar's spacecraft ; Kazon carrier vessel ; Kazon-Nistrim ; Kazon-Ogla ; Kazon-Ogla space ( Ogla space , Kazon-Ogla territory ); Kazon-Relora ; Kazon fighter (aka Kazon spacecraft , Kazon vessel ); Kazon frigate ; Kazon warrior ; kilometer ; Kinell ; Kinell's slayer ; Kolopak ; lateral sensor array ; leader ; logic ; long-range communications ; long-range sensors ; magnesite ; markings ; medicine bundle ; meter ; micro-generator ; Mollie ; morale officer ; navigational scan ; pakra ; path ; phaser ; plaxan sensor ; polyduranide ; proton discharger ; radiothermic interference ; revolt ; skin ; slayer ; son ; strategist ; Starfleet uniform ; strategist ; system with Kazon-Ogla moon ; Talaxian ; Tarok ; Tarok's primary ; Trabe ; Trabe homeworld ; tractor beam ; tractor force ; training exercise ; transporter ; transporter lock ; trespassing ( trespasser ); tricorder ; tunic ; surrender ; Type 8 shuttlecraft ( unnamed ); wrinkle

External links [ ]

• " Initiations " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Initiations " at Wikipedia
• " Initiations " at MissionLogPodcast.com
• " Initiations " at the Internet Movie Database
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• 3 Daniels (Crewman)

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• Star Trek: Voyager/Episodes
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Star Trek: Voyager: Initiations

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"Initiations" is the second episode of the second season of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager .

• 1 Sophie Kachinsky
• 2 Donnie Schenck
• 3 Denise Cloyd

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• Star Trek: Voyager

Initiations

Stardate: 49005.3 While performing a ritual to honor the anniversary of his father's death, Chakotay's shuttlecraft unknowingly violates Kazon-Ogla space. He becomes the target of Kar, a young Kazon boy undergoing a manhood ritual to earn his warrior name and place among his people.

Patrick Kilpatrick

Aron Eisenberg

Tim De Zarn

Majel Barrett Roddenberry

Cast appearances.

Kate Mulgrew

Robert Beltran

Roxann Dawson

Jennifer Lien

Robert Duncan McNeill

Ethan Phillips

Robert Picardo

Garrett Wang

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Star Trek: Voyager – Season 2, Episode 2

Initiations, where to watch, star trek: voyager — season 2, episode 2.

Watch Star Trek: Voyager — Season 2, Episode 2 with a subscription on Paramount+, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

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Cast & crew.

Kate Mulgrew

Capt. Kathryn Janeway

Robert Beltran

Roxann Dawson

B'Elanna Torres

Robert Duncan McNeill

Jennifer Lien

Ethan Phillips

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http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS2E2Initiations

Star Trek Voyager S 2 E 2 "Initiations" » Recap

Alone in a shuttlecraft to perform a Native American ritual in memory of his father, Chakotay is attacked by a Kazon-Ogla ship manned by a teenager, Kar, who must kill an enemy to earn his Ogla name in a rite of passage. Chakotay manages to outfight the Kazon and hit the ship's engines. Before the ship can explode, he beams Kar into his own shuttle and subdues him. While returning to Voyager , Chakotay finds a Kazon ship and hails them, letting them know he has one of their own aboard. The ship begins tractoring the shuttlecraft in, in spite of Chakotay's efforts to escape. He's surprised that Kar seems equally worried about returning to his people.

Chakotay is taken prisoner by the Kazon, but so is Kar. The Kazon teen explains that he was supposed to kill his enemy or die trying. The leader of the Kazon, First Maje Razik, appears, and Kar tries to protest that his failure was not his fault. Razik forgives Kar, which distresses Kar even more for good cause. Kar is scheduled to be executed that night. After Kar is taken away, Razik explains to Chakotay that he is a prisoner because anyone in uniform entering Kazon-Olga space is an enemy to them. Meanwhile, on Voyager , the crew notice Chakotay's absence and begin tracking him down.

Razik brings Chakotay into a large gathering room, where he meets several Kazon children who are being indoctrinated into their warrior culture. Chakotay gives them a friendly greeting, hoping to give them a positive first impression of Starfleet, but when Razik asks which of them would like to kill Chakotay, they all instantly volunteer. Razik then has Kar brought in and insists that Chakotay be the one to execute him. Instead, Chakotay takes Razik hostage and demands his shuttlecraft. Kar gets the drop on Razik's second in command, Haliz, and joins him. They board Chakotay's shuttlecraft and crash land on a moon, Tarok, where the Kazon use for training. They camp out in some caves, and during the night, Kar contemplates killing Chakotay but does not go through with it.

After awakening, Chakotay confronts Kar on not killing him, and Kar admits that Chakotay is no longer his enemy. He explains that the Kazon-Olga hate men in uniform so much because they only recently freed themselves from slavery to the Trabe. However, Chakotay says that he's willing to allow Kar to temporarily kill him to earn his name once Voyager shows up and can revive him.

Voyager catches up to Chakotay's last known location and hails Razik's ship. He claims that he killed Chakotay, but Neelix correctly deduces that Razik did not do so and is unwilling to attack them so close to the Kazon training moon, forcing Razik to concede and allow the crew to beam down and search for Chakotay. On the moon's surface, Razik and a group of Kazon arrive, claiming to want to help. However, they quickly trick the crew into a forcefield trap and then run off to pursue Chakotay and Kar alone.

When Razik and company find the pair, Kar is holding Chakotay at phaserpoint. However, Kar then states that Chakotay is not his enemy; Razik is. He shoots and kills Razik, then surrenders to Haliz, proclaiming him the new First Maje. Haliz accepts Kar's actions and his Olga name: Jal Karden. Chakotay is allowed to leave, but the newly named Jal Karden tells him that he will kill him if he ever sees him again. Chakotay says he understands and beams away. Back on the ship, Chakotay performs his ritual asking for his father's spirit to watch over him and Karden.

This episode provides examples of:

• A Day in the Limelight : A Chakotay episode.
• A Real Man Is a Killer / Rite of Passage : Kar must kill an enemy to take on a full Kazon-Ogla name.
• Artistic License – Religion : The pakra ritual is entirely fictional, being more akin to Asian ancestor worship. They did get right the fact that a proper vision quest requires isolation, unlike what was shown in "The Cloud".
• Attack Pattern Alpha : Evasive Pattern Theta-2.
• Battle Trophy : Trophies adorn the walls of the Kazon vessel. Kar even proudly shows off a trophy that belonged to his dead brother, killed by another Kazon to earn his name .
• Booby Trap : "A proton beam. They're hidden everywhere, along with biomagnetic traps and disruptor snares."
• Book Ends : Chakotay performing the pakra . At the end of the episode, he prays for Kar as well.
• Child Soldier : Kazon children fight as soon as they're old enough to defend their siblings.
• Come with Me If You Want to Live : After taking Razik as a Human Shield , Chakotay offers Kar a chance to come with him. Figuring he can't get any more disgraced than he is now, Kar does so.
• Commander Crash : Chakotay loses his first shuttle. It won't be the last.
• Commercial Break Cliffhanger : The shuttle is Coming in Hot and they're too far away from the surface for safe transport. Chakotay and Kar transport anyway, and survive thanks to a combination of Exact Words and Plot Armor .
• Continuity Nod : After last episode's demonstration of Voyager's surface landing ability, it's pointed out that the moon's surface is too fragile to take its weight this time.
• Conveniently Close Planet : There's an M Class moon nearby, which unfortunately is a Kazon Death Course .
• Curb-Stomp Battle : Chakotay's shuttle takes multiple hits from Kar's ship with no effect, then destroys it with one shot.
• The battle with Kar knocks out communications on Chakotay's shuttle, so he can't call Voyager. Chakotay has a Not So Stoic moment at this news.
• The ' radiothermic interference ' prevents Voyager from warning the away team that Razik is about to pay a visit.
• Deadly Training Area : The Kazon train their young warriors on planets rigged with booby traps .
• Death Is Cheap : So Kar will earn his name, Chakotay tells Kar to shoot him, then Voyager will beam him up so he can be revived. Kar decides to Take a Third Option .
• Deliberate Values Dissonance : Chakotay tries to reason with the Kazon, but his Thou Shalt Not Kill values don't sit well with their A Real Man Is a Killer values.
• Disappointed in You : Kar just gasps a Little "No" when Razik says he forgives him.
• Don't Call Me "Sir" : Neelix has to Verbal Backspace after calling Janeway sir...ma'am...captain!
• Enemy Mine : Kar and Chakotay, eventually becoming Fire Forged Friends .
• Fate Worse than Death : Kar pleads with Chakotay to kill him, rather than face disgrace. "Because there are worse things than being killed by your enemy."
• Fingore : If Kar is captured by another clan after becoming an outcast, they cut off a finger. And there's more clans than he has fingers because their number changes every day .
• The Trabe are discussed, and Razik suggests Janeway form an alliance with the Kazon .
• Neelix is annoyed he wasn't given a chance to take part in Voyager's holodeck defense simulation. His desire to be in Security is a Running Gag in later seasons.
• Get Out! : After being accepted back into the Kazon-Ogla, Karden formally tells Chakotay and the other Voyager crewmembers to get the hell out of their territory. No one argues.
• Chakotay tries to show the Kazon children he's not a threat. However when Razik offers them the opportunity to kill Chakotay, they all reach for the weapon he's offering.
• Razik offers to help the away team find Chakotay. They're suspicious, but fall into a trap anyway .
• I Owe You My Life : Despite being an Ungrateful Bastard for most of the episode, Kar refuses to kill Chakotay when he has the chance.
• Ironic Echo : "In battle, there are no second chances."
• It's the Only Way : After a Commercial Break Cliffhanger , Chakotay and Kar wake up on the surface of the moon. Chakotay: The computer said that transport wasn't recommended. It didn't say it was impossible.
• Kar points his weapon at Chakotay while he's asleep, but can't pull the trigger. The next day Chakotay reveals he was awake the whole time. Chakotay: You think I'm going to get much sleep around an Ogla warrior who's threatened to kill me? Why didn't you go through with it?
• After Kar kills Razik, he drops the weapon and offers his life or loyalty to Haliz. First Maje Haliz accepts his loyalty.
• Klingon Promotion : Invoked by Kar when he kills Razik, making Haliz the First Maje.
• Last-Second Word Swap : Janeway assures Neelix that his meals are getting to be... (eats something and reconsiders ) almost certainly a highlight of every day.
• Long List : Janeway interrupts Neelix when he starts listing his many roles on Voyager.
• Lotus Position : Chakotay performing the pakra ritual on the floor of the shuttle. Good thing it's not a Levitating Lotus Position , because he's hit by a Screen Shake .
• The Main Characters Do Everything : Janeway and Tuvok go on the away mission, leaving... Tom and Neelix in charge ? In fairness, they do quite well.
• Make an Example of Them : To demonstrate to the other Kazon children what happens to those who fail to kill their enemies, Razik hands Chakotay a weapon and tells him to shoot Kar.
• Moving the Goalposts : Chakotay says that if he knew this was territory claimed by the Kazon-Ogla, he would have avoided it. Razik says their territorial claims change every day.
• No Good Deed Goes Unpunished : Chakotay refuses to let Kar blow up with his ship, but Kar isn't grateful because he is now disgraced for being taken alive. Then when it appears Kar was killed in battle , Kar complains because they were 'killed' while running away. Even Chakotay loses his temper at this point .
• No Kill Like Over Kill : Razik threatens to activate the Self-Destruct Mechanism on all the weapons in the Death Course , killing everyone on the moon's surface. However Neelix realises he's bluffing, because the cost of replacing all those weapons would bankrupt the Kazon-Ogla, weakening them against their enemies.
• "Not So Different" Remark : Kar: I should respect you because you wear that uniform? Chakotay: Your name, my uniform. Not much difference. We both have to earn them. Kar: You're saying that my name and your uniform mean the same thing, but you're wrong. Chakotay: Why? What's so different about us, aside from the fact that I keep saving your life and you keep threatening to kill me?
• Not So Stoic : Chakotay loses his temper several times as Kar's attitude and opposing values rub against his.
• Chakotay snaps at Kar that land isn't worth fighting for. It's revealed in a later episode that Chakotay rejected his father's ideals of a spiritual connection to the land, choosing to join Starfleet instead. His father was then killed defending their land against the Cardassians.
• Kar calling Chakotay 'Federation', and forcing him to constantly defend their values, would remind Chakotay of how he deserted from Starfleet over the Federation's decision not to defend the Maquis colonies.
• Chakotay offers Kar a place on Voyager, which Kar rejects because he will just end up dying far from home. Cue Reaction Shot from Chakotay.
• Old-School Dogfighting : Chakotay takes out Kar's ship by looping over the top of it.
• Only One Name : The second name has to be earned the hard way.
• Out-of-Character Alert : Razik gives Voyager permission to leave their territory without trouble if they do so right away. Neelix points out how unusual such reasonableness is for the Kazon, and this would only happen if Chakotay was Not Quite Dead .
• Phlebotinum Breakdown : Voyager can't just scan the moon and beam Chakotay up because of radiothermic interference from the concealed weaponry in the Death Course . Of course the transport/communication problems are sorted out in time to beam everyone up at the end.
• Plot Hole : Chakotay doesn't have his medicine bundle when he beams down to the moon, yet it's shown to be intact at the end of the episode. Perhaps it was retrieved along with the wreckage of the shuttle?
• Proud Warrior Race : The Kazon-Ogla, though it's largely deconstructed. Chakotay makes no secret of the fact that the Kazons' method of raising young men disgusts him, in a way that has rarely if ever been aimed at, say, the Klingons.
• Reaction Shot : On Janeway every time she thinks Chakotay's shuttle might have been destroyed.
• Red Alert : Chakotay orders Voyager to be ready for a Code White resuscitation.
• Rite-of-Passage Name Change : Every Kazon has to go through an initiation to earn their name. Once Kar proves himself, he declares himself Jal Karden.
• Rule of Threes : After Kar stops Chakotay from walking into a Booby Trap , Chakotay says "Well, it looks like you just saved my life. Twice more and we'll be even. " Kar forgoes two further opportunities to kill Chakotay.
• At the end of the episode Chakotay uses Kar's new name, Karden, in his prayer.
• Scenery Porn : The out-of-control shuttle spinning towards the moon that's orbiting a gas giant.
• Schmuck Bait : Haliz insists they go one way. Tuvok insists they go another way. Razik agrees with Tuvok, saying Haliz is trying to misdirect them. The away team proceed in a single group and all get trapped under the same forcefield. Razik rightly shows his contempt.
• Science-Fiction Writers Have No Sense of Scale : Just how much of that moon was covered by booby traps anyway?
• Shoot Your Mate : Played straight for once when Razik gives Chakotay a phaser to shoot Kar in exchange for his life . The weapon must work, because Chakotay uses it to take Razik hostage and free Kar instead. Razik was trying to demonstrate that an enemy you don't kill will kill you instead, so it makes sense he'd give Chakotay a working phaser.
• Space "X" : "He'd rather die than run like a Calogan dog with you, Federation."
• The Spartan Way : "For the Kazon, live ammunition is a very effective teaching tool."
• Standard Female Grab Area : Gender-Inverted Trope when Razik hauls the disgraced Kar around like this.
• Took a Level in Badass : Neelix faces down the Kazon-Ogla and wants in on tactical training. This is Character Development from last year when Starfleet's Bold Explorer recklessness only exasperated him.
• Unwanted Rescue : Kar is not pleased to be alive.
• Vision Quest : Chakotay borrows a shuttle so he can perform a Native American ritual to commemorate his father that requires solitude.
• Worldbuilding : We get more insight into the Kazon than just Gangbangers IN SPACE!
• Wouldn't Hurt a Child : Chakotay's explanation of why he didn't let 13 year-old Kar die. Averted with Razik (see Make an Example of Them ).
• You Have Failed Me : Razik to Kar after he fails his Rite of Passage .
• Star Trek: Voyager S2 E1: "The 37's"
• Recap/Star Trek: Voyager
• Star Trek Voyager S 2 E 3 "Projections"

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Published Jan 6, 2017

7 Things You Should Know About Aron Eisenberg

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Aron Eisenberg, the fan favorite who played Nog, celebrates his birthday today. And, to mark the occasion, StarTrek.com thought we'd share "7 Things You Should Know About Aron Eisenberg."

• The actor was born with only one kidney, which was defective and failed when he was in his early teens. He went on dialysis at age 14 and had his first transplant at 17, from a cadaver.
• Eisenberg's earliest credits included an episode of the series Straight Up , the TV movie Amityville: The Evil Escapes and the features The Horror Show, Playroom and Beverly Hills Brats , all in the late 1980s.

• When he was cast as Nog, the producers told him nothing about the character, nor was he aware of how many episodes he'd be called upon to do. As he told StarTrek.com in a 2012 interview, "I thought every episode I was doing might be my last episode."

• Eisenberg ultimately played Nog in more than 40 episodes of DS9 . He also portrayed Kar, the young Kazon-Ogla, in the Star Trek: Voyager episode “ Initiations .”
• On December 29, 2015, Eisenberg underwent a kidney transplant -- the second of his life. Quite miraculously, Eisenberg spent only four months on the waiting list before finding a match. That match? A friend named Beth Bernstein, who'd seen Eisenberg's Facebook post about needing a new kidney, offered to donate one of hers to him, and was a match for Eisenberg. "She is just so incredibly selfless to give to me like this," Eisenberg told StarTrek.com in 2015, "that words cannot express my gratitude to her."

• Eisenberg -- who describes himself as "actor, filmmaker and proud father" on his Twitter page -- @AronEisenberg , still acts and still attends Star Trek conventions. He's also a professional photographer who shoots landscapes, concerts, corporate photography, portraits and more via his company, Aron Scott Photograpy. Go to www.aronscottphotography for details.
• The actor and Malissa Longo, his girlfriend of three years, got engaged on November 26, 2016.

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Crucial Episodes of Star Trek Are Streaming For Free — For a Good Cause

Where to begin?

Fifty-eight years ago, on September 8, 1966, Star Trek changed the game. Never before had there been a mature science fiction TV series with a cast of continuing characters aimed specifically at adults. Before Trek, sprawling world-building combined with self-contained sci-fi storytelling simply wasn’t a part of mainstream TV, at all. While anthology shows like The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits paved the way, Star Trek picked up the torch and ran with it. Nearly every aspect of mainstream science fiction in TV — even if it’s a response against Trek — owes a debt to this utterly groundbreaking show.

And now, from September 7 through the 13th, in celebration of “Star Trek Day,” several “first episodes” of nearly every single iteration of the Star Trek TV franchise will be streaming for free. And, in keeping with Star Trek’s generally enlightened view of the future, these free streaming episodes will come with the push for fans to donate or support various charitable causes, including, Code.org , Outright International, and DoSomething.Org . This push, called “Take the Chair,” follows previous charitable drives from the Star Trek franchise in recent years, most notably, the #StarTrekUnitedGives campaign that began in 2020 .

But, which Star Trek episodes are actually streaming for free? Here are the details.

Star Trek Day 2024 free streaming episodes

Captain Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) in “The Cage.”

For the most part, the Trek franchise has selected “first episodes” from different series to be available to stream for free, which includes:

• “The Cage” the 1964 original unaired pilot from Star Trek: The Original Series
• “Beyond the Farthest Star,” the 1973 debut of The Animated Series
• “Encounter at Farpoint,” the 1987 debut of The Next Generation
• “Emissary,” the 1993 debut of Deep Space Nine
• “Caretaker,” the 1995 debut of Voyager
• “Broken Bow,” the 2001 debut of Enterprise
• “The Vulcan Hello,” the 2017 debut of Discovery
• “Remembrance,” the 2020 debut of Picard
• “Second Contact,” the 2020 debut of Lower Decks
• “Strange New Worlds,” the 2023 debut of Strange New Worlds

Additionally, several episodes of the micro-series Short Treks will be streaming for free too, including: “The Girl Who Made the Stars,” “The Trouble with Edward,” “Ask Not,” “Runaway” and “Ephraim and Dot,” the last of which was directed by Michael Giacchino! (Really!)

Notably absent here is the debut of Prodigy , the episode “Lost and Found,” which is probably because that series currently streams on Netflix and not Paramount+.

For purists, it should also be noted that although “The Cage” was the first Star Trek episode filmed, it was not actually ever aired in its entirety nor is it really considered the true pilot of The Original Series . The second pilot, which sold Star Trek, was “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” which was filmed in 1965 and aired third overall. For various reasons, the fifth regular episode filmed, “The Man Trap,” was actually the one that launched the show on September 8th. Meanwhile, various scenes from “The Cage” were later recontextualized as a flashback in the episode “The Menagerie,” making the canonicity of the original full-length episode somewhat debatable.

And yet, today “The Cage” is in many ways a rough draft not just for The Original Series , but for Strange New Worlds , too, which further explores that very specific time period on the USS Enterprise . And, if it’s been a while since you’ve seen that kooky, grainy version of Star Trek , there’s never been a better time to go back to the retrofuture of the 23rd century.

The free Star Trek Day 2024 debut episodes stream on Paramount+ affiliates like Apple TV+ and Prime Video, as well as on YouTube and Pluto.

• Science Fiction

Why Scott Bakula Hated Star Trek: Enterprise's 26-Episode Count

"Star Trek: Enterprise" doesn't have the best reputation. A prequel set in the 22nd century, "Enterprise" took place before the Federation was founded and when humanity was just beginning to travel where no (hu)man had gone before. General consensus is that it didn't do enough to stand apart from past "Star Trek" shows, despite its supposedly different setting, and made the franchise look like it was out of steam.

"Enterprise" wound up being the first "Star Trek" series since the original to not get seven seasons; the fourth season, which aired from 2004 to 2005, was its last produced. The show improved as it went on; season 4 (showrun by the late Manny Cato) is often downright great . Unfortunately, it was too little too late for a season 5 that could've kept this stride going. 

Scott Bakula, who starred as Captain Jonathan Archer, has some theories about why the show got off on the wrong foot and ultimately couldn't take full flight. For one, Bakula feels the series was unfairly burdened in holding up the declining United Paramount Network (UPN). "Enterprise" needed to succeed for the network to succeed and there were some tight creative leashes in play (like no "Enterprise" actors being allowed to direct episodes).

Bakula shared some more insights in the 2012 reunion special "In Conversation — The First Crew." One of his criticisms? Too many episodes all at once.

Enterprise was the culmination of too much Star Trek

Bakula, discussing "Enterprise" with his old castmates and co-creator Brannon Braga, got into some of the problems the show faced. Something he pushed back on from the beginning, he said, was doing 26 episodes a season. "26 episodes a year is stupid [...] I said, what the hell was that all about? It was like, you have too much product, you don't have room to air it, and [the cast is] exhausted."

The exhaustion was felt on the writing side as well, per Braga. "It gets hard to do 26 episodes that fully exploit the potential of the show [...] by the middle of the second season, it was like let's either stop or let's do something radical," he recalled. Bakula also pinpointed "Enterprise" season 2 as the pivotal season, recalling Braga summoning him to his office to discuss how the show needed some innovation.

Said innovation was to structure the third season around an overarching story. After enigmatic aliens known as the Xindi attack Earth, the Enterprise sets out to investigate. This structure still allowed for standalone episodes throughout the season, though, a la the Dominion War arc of "Deep Space Nine" and the typical season structure of UPN neighbor "Buffy The Vampire Slayer."

"Season 3 was the first time I was actually enjoying writing every single episode, and I think it showed," Braga recalled. Bakula also got his wish: season 3 was cut to 24 episodes and then season 4 was cut to 22. Oh the irony, the best seasons of "Enterprise" are also the shortest.

Enterprise inherited its problems from Star Trek: Voyager

Bakula has another issue with how "Enterprise" was rolled out. When it premiered in September 2001, "Star Trek: Voyager" had only finished months prior back in May. That also contributed to a feeling of "Star Trek" bloat. To quote Bakula directly:

"We should not have come on right on the heels of 'Voyager.' That was the other thing. In a perfect world. But I know what the world was, the world was, 'We have to launch UPN, we have to hold up UPN.' But in a perfect world, if we could have waited and let the smoke settle."

Since the premiere of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1987, there had continuously been a "Star Trek" show airing new episodes. (Not counting season breaks, of course.) The last two seasons of "Next Generation" overlapped with "Deep Space Nine," then "Voyager" launched during "DS9" season 3. There was already a feeling when "Enterprise" premiered that "Star Trek" had hit a wall. "Voyager" also received many of the criticisms "Enterprise" did, that it didn't do enough to stand apart from other "Star Trek" shows.

Ronald D. Moore, a prolific "Trek" writer, quit "Voyager" and channeled his frustrations with that show's rut into "Battlestar Galactica." According to Braga, his producing partner Rick Berman even unsuccessfully fought against launching "Enterprise" so soon after "Voyager." "The [golden] goose was already hobbling," as Braga put it.

"We were writing these kind of little episodes that I feel could have been on any of the other four franchises," said Bakula, commenting on the first one and a half seasons of "Enterprise." This echoes a criticism I've read on many message boards. This uninspired writing being produced at a glut set "Enterprise" up for failure from the beginning. Not even the "incredible" last two seasons (to echo the word Bakula used) could save the show.

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Set Phasers to Stream: Here’s Every ‘Star Trek’ Show and Movie You Can Watch on Paramount+

By Sage Anderson

Sage Anderson

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

From low-budget romps to high-energy blockbuster films,  Star Trek  has become one of the most influential sci-fi franchises of all time. While  Trek  has decades worth of TV, film, and animated iterations that might rival  Star Wars , it also has its own unique legacy and long-time, passionate cult following (and merch ).

In the past few years, the Trek television universe has become one of the highlights of original programming on Paramount+ . Helmed by Alex Kurtzman, series like  Star Trek : Lower Decks  and  Picard  have pushed the boundaries of what can be done with the universe’s canon in their first seasons so far.

This year for Star Trek Day, with the premiere episodes of several Trek series and “Short Treks” will be available to view for free from Sept. 7-13. The episodes can be watched from Paramount+’s partner platforms Amazon, Apple and Roku, their official YouTube page, Pluto TV and the Paramount+ free content hub (U.S. only).

From the new releases like the second season of Strange New Worlds , to the old adventures of the Enterprise ,  Deep Space 9 ,  Voyager , and more, here’s how to watch Star Trek in order online.

How Can I Watch Paramount+ Free Online?

When you sign up for a Paramount+ subscription , you can actually choose between two plans to watch Paramount+ online. Pricing for Paramount+ plans include Essential (with limited commercials) for $7.99/month, or ad-free with Showtime for $12.99/month. But if you’re still not sure about committing to a full subscription, you can always stream Paramount+ for free with a 7-day free trial .

For a limited time, the streamer is also slashing the price on its annual plan by 50%, bringing the cost down to just $29.99 a year . Normally $59.99, the new Paramount+ deal gets you access to its full library of content  for just $2.50 a month . Check out the latest Paramount+ deals here .

Buy Paramount+ Free Trial

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What  Star Trek TV Shows Are Available on Paramount+?

Premiering on September 8, 1966 on NBC-TV,  Star Trek  brought in a new era of programming for the science fiction genre. Though it wasn’t a critical success at the time it aired, with all 79 episodes of the original series running in syndication, a devoted fan base grew. Decades later, there are eight TV series with hundreds of episodes, all currently streaming now on Paramount+ .

Here’s an updated list of all the  Star Trek shows on Paramount+. Note that this isn’t the official timeline for when these shows take place in canon — Enterprise  is actually the “earliest” Trek series—but we’ll cover that below.

• Star Trek: The Original Series  (1966-1969)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series  (1973-1974)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation  (1987-1994)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  (1993-1999)
• Star Trek: Voyager  (1995-2001)
• Star Trek: Enterprise  (2001-2005)
• Star Trek: Discovery  (2017-Present)
• Star Trek:  Short Treks  (2018-Present)
• Star Trek: Picard  (2020-Present)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks  (2020-Present)
• Star Trek: Prodigy  (2021-Present)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022-Present)
• Star Trek: Section 31  (TBA)
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy  (TBA) 

What  Star Trek Movies Are Streaming on Paramount+?

Paramount+ is the home to all the films featuring the cast of the Original Series, while many other Trek films are also hosted on other streaming services. Here are the  Star Trek movies streaming on Paramount+ right now. 

• Star Trek: The Motion Picture  (1979)
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan  (1982)
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock  (1984)
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home  (1986)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier  (1989)
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country  (1991)
• Star Trek: Generations (1994)
• Star Trek: First Contact  (1996)
•   Star Trek: Insurrection  (1998)
• Star Trek: Nemesis  (2002)
• Star Trek  (2009)
• Star Trek Into Darkness  (2013)
• Star Trek Beyond (2016)
• Building Star Trek  (2016)  —  Documentary
• Woman In Motion  (2021) — Documentary 
• Trekkies 2  (2004) — Documentary 

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• Star Trek: The Original Series: “The Cage”
• Star Trek: The Next Generation: “Encounter at Farpoint, Part I & II”
• Star Trek: Voyager: “Caretaker, Part I & II”
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: “The Emissary, Part I & II”
• Star Trek: Enterprise: “Broken Bow Part I & II”
• Star Trek: The Animated Series: “Beyond the Farthest Star”
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: “Strange New Worlds”
• Star Trek: Lower Decks: “Second Contact”
• Star Trek: Discovery: “The Vulcan Hello”
• Star Trek: Picard: “Remembrance”
• Star Trek: Short Treks: “The Girl Who Made the Stars,” “The Trouble with Edward,” “Ask Not,” “Runaway,” and “Ephraim and Dot”

How to Watch Every Star Trek Movie and Show In Timeline Order

Figuring out chronological timeline of  Star Trek  over can be overwhelming for even the most seasoned of Trekkies. With over 50 years of mirrorverses, time traveling back and forth, alternate timelines and spin-offs, we’ve created a guide for how to watch every  Star Trek  series and film in order. We’ve organized it by Stardate instead of year of release for optimal accuracy, but note that some series like  TNG  and  DS9  run concurrently.

• Star Trek: Enterprise  (2151-2161)
• Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1 and 2  (2255-)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2255-) 
• Star Trek: The Original Series  (2265-2269)
• Star Trek: The Animated Series  (2269-2270)
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture  (2273)
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan  (2285)
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock  (2285)
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home  (2286/1986)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ( 2287)
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country  (2293)
• Star Trek: The Next Generation  (2364-2370)
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  (2369-2375)
• Star Trek Generations  (2371)
• Star Trek: Voyager  (2371-2378)
• Star Trek: First Contact  (2373/2063)
• Star Trek: Insurrection  (2375)
• Star Trek: Nemesis  (2379)
• Star Trek: Lower Decks  (2380)
• Star Trek: Picard  (2399-)
• Star Trek: Discovery Season 3  (3155?)
• Star Trek: Short Treks  (2239-3300 Prime Timeline)

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• Star Trek  (2258 Kelvin Timeline)
• Star Trek Into Darkness  (2259 Kelvin Timeline)
• Star Trek Beyond  (2263 Kelvin Timeline)

Every Star Trek Series Coming To Paramount+ This Year (And Beyond)

• Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 (2024)
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 (2024) 
• Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 (2024) 
• Star Trek: Lower Decks  Season 5 (October 2024)
• Star Trek: Section 31  (TBA)
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy  (TBA)

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