Star Trek: Voyager
Summary
AlthoughStar Trek : Voyager ’s time of year 2 episode " Threshold " was extremely unpopular , Tom Paris actor Robert Duncan McNeill explained the sequence ’s astonishingly compelling lesson . Lt . Tom Paris was the USS Voyager ’s pilot , navigator , and sometimes medic for all seven season of the show , and a extremity ofVoyager ’s chief stamp of characters . Tom began the serial as a bitter , wearied convicted criminal who acted as though he did n’t care about anything . However , during Voyager ’s journey through the Delta Quadrant , Tom found his convictions , bring through many of his exit , and became a example Starfleet officerin the mental process .
Tom was the subject of many wonderfulVoyagerepisodes , but one of his less - than - stellar ones was season 2 , episode 15 , " Threshold . " During the episode , Tom achieved the massive feat of breaking the Warp 10 speed barrier , but soon after start de - develop into a salamander - comparable animal due to occupy all decimal point of outer space at once . Towards the oddment of his de - evolution , Tom nobble Captain Janeway ( Kate Mulgrew ) , turning them both into salamanders before the two couple on an alien planet . The episode ’s weird premise and highly eccentric ending earned it an highly controversial statusintheStar Trektimeline .
Star Trek : Voyager ’s beloved character have returned in Star Trek : Picard , Star Trek : Lower Decks , and peculiarly Star Trek : Prodigy .
Robert Duncan McNeill Explains The True Moral Of Star Trek: Voyager’s Salamander Episode
However , Robert Duncan McNeillhas posit that despite general confusion about " Threshold , " he still attempted to find something relatable in the episode ’s premise . verbalize toCinefantastiqueafter " Threshold " aired , McNeill detail his battle to understand the episode ’s plot and his work to find its true " moral " which he used as a earthing point for his performance . For McNeill , the " simplest head " of " Threshold " turn out to be something that connected back to Tom ’s big quality journey . Read McNeill ’s full quote below :
" When you endeavor to tell the history – he founder warp ten , start out shedding skin , he abduct the captain and then he becomes one with the universe , [ he and Janeway ] are poker , and have a baby – it sound derisory . What is this about ? Before you may even start to separate the tale you have to find the moral . What is the simplest point of this sequence ? Once you may say that in a judgment of conviction then that is what the instalment is about . To me [ … ] the whole buckle ten [ challenge ] and salamander and all of that frosting was about Paris trying to find some sort of salvation outside himself and ultimately realize that he had to get hold his own ego - Charles Frederick Worth from within . Here is somebody who opine he ’s got to break warp ten and prove to everybody , his Father-God and himself that he can do this outside thing , but ultimately your felicity comes from within . "
McNeill ’s thoughts about " Threshold " show thathe worked intemperately to make certain the sequence was grounded in something believable and more significantly relatable to the audience . The idea of discover substantiation from within is something that everyone has some experience with , and even knowing that McNeill attempted to base his performance in " Threshold " on realism makes the episode seem a flake less ludicrous when look at in hindsight . in the end , Tom Paris ' character arc during " Threshold " is n’t what the episode is remember for , but perhaps it should be .
Custom image by Simone Ashmoore
Often maligned for its salamanders , Voyager ’s season 2 episode " Threshold " obscure a story about what it intend to be authoritative in an uncounted universe .
Tom Paris’ Emotional Journey Is Star Trek: Voyager “Threshold’s” Greatest Strength
The emotional arc that Tom Paris goes through during " Threshold " is often overlooked , but is ultimately the plot ’s greatest strength . Tom ’s self - deserving offspring in the episode tie back to many of the thing the character struggled with throughoutVoyager ’s run , and " Threshold " was also the first time interview got any significant penetration into Tom ’s kinship with his father , something that became more important as the serial publication progressed . Apart from the more ridiculous game elements,“Threshold " was a prima donna into Tom ’s psyche thatVoyagerhadn’t done before season 2 , and gave needed penetration into his quality as a whole .
However , these facts are always overshadowed by everything else that made " Threshold " so controversial . When equate to things like Tom and Janeway ’s salamander offspring , one fictional character ’s emotional journeying can be well miss in favor of the instalment ’s more shameful moments . This is unfortunate , since " Threshold " could have been a significantly better entry forTom inStar Trek : Voyager ’s canyon . However , the episode will always be remember for other thing besides its more nuanced element .
Star Trek : Voyageris uncommitted to pour on Paramount+ .
Source : Cinefantastique , Vol . 28
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