Star Trek: Voyager May Be Over, But Its Heroic Legacy Will Never Die

Star Trek: Voyager might be long over, but its heroic legacy continues to inspire, years after it returns home. Voyager came to an end in 2001, making it back to the Alpha Quadrant after seven years of adventures at the other end of the galaxy. Now, as seen in Star Trek: Defiant #22, Voyager’s legacy is still being felt, and might be key to saving countless lives.

Star Trek: Defiant #22 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. Chief O’Brien, Doctor Bashir and B’Elanna Torres, on board the Defiant, are heading back to the Federation. O’Brien comes to Torres, asking for help in dismantling self-replicating mines that are being used to harm innocent people. Torres is reluctant at first, but O’Brien invokes Voyager’s legacy. O’Brien appeals to Torres’ sense of justice, asking how many star systems Janeway and company saved during their time in the Delta Quadrant. O’Brien is successful, and they set a course for the Gamma Quadrant.

Star Trek: Voyager Was Part of an Unprecedented Franchise Expansion

Star Trek: Voyager Was Ripe With Drama and Conflict

In the early to mid 1990s, the Star Trek franchise grew with the additions of shows that broke the mold established by The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation. One of these shows was Star Trek: Voyager. The flagship show of the fledgling United Paramount Network, Voyager followed the exploits of a Starfleet vessel that was hurled 75,000 light years into the Delta Quadrant. For the next seven seasons, Star Trek fans were thrilled by Voyager's exploits, as they took on the Borg, the Kazon and Species 8472.

Debuting in 1995 and concluding in 2001, Star Trek: Voyager shook up the franchise by focusing on a ship other than the Enterprise. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had already proven that a show not centered around a starship could not only succeed, but thrive as well. Deep Space Nine was also darker than any Trek offering before. Voyager also took chances: some of its crew were rebels wanted by Starfleet, and they had to learn to work with the rank and file officers aboard Voyager. This provided for tension missing from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The two crews rose to the occasion, putting aside their differences and uniting in helping getVoyager home. While Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was not high on interpersonal conflict, feeling that humanity would have evolved beyond it, it makes for good stories, and the early episodes of Voyager are rife with it. Yet, in true Star Trek fashion, understanding and empathy won the day, and Chakotay and his Maquis crew melded with Voyager’s—and both parties were all the better for it.

Despite Being Far From Home, Voyager Still Represented the Federation

Voyager's Legacy Has Already Begun Inspiring Others

While Voyager was far from the comforts of home, they still upheld the principles and values of Starfleet and the Federation. Voyager’s crew, in time, came to relish the opportunity to seek out new life and new civilizations that had been gifted to them. During their journey across the Delta Quadrant, Voyager befriends many species, serving as de facto Federation goodwill ambassadors. In some instances, Voyager helped these species, further strengthening the bonds they were forming. While Voyager did make enemies, they were few and far between.

Now, just a few short years after its return to the Alpha Quadrant, Voyager’s legacy is already secure, and Chief O’Brien shows it. Torres was reluctant to help O’Brien, but the mere mention of what she and Voyager’s crew accomplished was enough to change her mind. The oppressed people of the Gamma Quadrant will also benefit from Voyager’s legacy, even though the ship never traveled there. Star Trek: Voyager’s ending was only the beginning for the ship, as its heroic legacy lives on.