Star Trek: Voyager's Kes could make a comeback, even if Jennifer Lien doesn't return to reprise the role. As an Ocampa with a projected lifespan of only nine years, Kes' days were necessarily numbered. Kes was two years old when she and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) joined the USS Voyager crew in 2371, so even if Kes had made it through Voyager's seven-year journey, she'd be near the end of her life for Voyager's 2378 arrival in the Alpha Quadrant. New Star Trek shows post-Voyager take place in the 2380s or later, so Kes shouldn't be alive ... right?
In Star Trek: Voyager season 2, episode 10, "Cold Fire", Kes meets Ocampa colonists who have harnessed their natural telepathic gifts, which allows them to extend their lives to 14 years or longer. After Kes begins training with Lieutenant Tuvok (Tim Russ), Kes' Ocampa powers grow at a surprising rate. Star Trek: Voyager season 3, episode 21, "Before and After" shows an alternate timeline where Kes has lived to be at least 10. Kes' last normal Star Trek: Voyager episode, season 4's "The Gift", saw Kes' telepathic powers overload, as Kes became a being of pure energy.
How Star Trek: Voyager’s Kes Could Make A Star Trek Comeback
Kes Doesn't Need A Body To Return To Star Trek
Star Trek: Voyager's Kes could still make a Star Trek comeback, despite the normal nine-year Ocampan lifespan. As an energy being, Kes wouldn't be limited by short-lived Ocampa physiology, and could return in a new form. Kes' essence could be contained in an artificial golem body, like in Star Trek: Picard , or a separate vessel, like Star Trek: Prodigy's Medusan, Zero. Kes could be given a holographic body, which would be a poetic twist on Kes and the Doctor's (Robert Picardo) friendship, since Kes was the first one to consider the Doctor a person.
Even in a physical body, an aged Kes might still be alive in the 2380s, especially if Kes has mastered the art of telekinetically prolonging her life with the Ocampa powers that she struggled to contain in Star Trek: Voyager .
Opportunities to revisit Star Trek's 24th century are dwindling, but they're not entirely gone. If a third season of Star Trek: Prodigy happens, it would see the former USS Protostar crew revisiting the Delta Quadrant, where they could meet Kes. Since Star Trek: Prodigy is Voyager's spiritual sequel, seeing Kes return in Prodigy would be a pretty good bet. In a live action show, Kes could join Robert Picardo as Voyager's Doctor in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Star Trek's 29th century is rife with the kind of technology that could reincarnate Kes somehow, from advanced holography to the aforementioned golems.
Star Trek Could Recast Kes If Voyager’s Ocampa Returns
Actress Jennifer Lien Is Unlikely To Return To Star Trek
Actress Jennifer Lien is unlikely to return to Star Trek.Lien left Star Trek: Voyager after three seasons; at the time, the official explanation was that a lack of direction for Kes as a short-lived character painted Voyager's writers into a corner. Since then, Star Trek: Voyager cast and crew have revealed that Lien was also dealing with mental health issues. In the end, Lien's departure from Star Trek: Voyager was the best choice for the young actress as well as the show itself. After retiring from acting, Lien continued to struggle with mental health and legal problems.
Without Jennifer Lien, Kes would have to be recast to return to any new Star Trek stories. In a live-action show, a new body for an otherwise noncorporeal Kes could explain why Kes would be played by a different actor. While characters returning to Star Trek via animation are often played by their original actors, a talented voice actor could mimic Lien's mannerisms as Kes. Since Lien's likeness could also be approximated with relative ease, an animated show like Star Trek: Prodigy's potential 3rd season would be the best way to bring Star Trek: Voyager's Kes back to Star Trek.
