Recap / Star Trek Voyager S 2 E 25 "Resolutions"

J and C find themselves on the cover of a cheap romance paperback.

After catching an infection Janeway and Chakotay are left on a planet, likely for the rest of their lives, yet do not have sex. Meanwhile Voyager under the command of Tuvok undergoes a high risk mission to bargain with the Vidiians for the cure.

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This episode has the following tropes:

• A House Divided: There are rumblings of discontent that Captain Tuvok won't contact the Vidiians for the cure. Harry Kim openly protests his decision not to contact a Vidiian convoy and is thrown off the bridge. He then approaches Tuvok with a more rational suggestion, that they contact Vidiian scientist Danara Pel for help, and offer to trade a sample of Klingon DNA. Tuvok points out the Vidiians are likely to attack them anyway. However it reaches a point where Tuvok accepts that crew morale, and his ability to command them, will be adversely affected if he doesn't make the attempt.
• Anchored Ship: You do realise that's why the episode is called "Resolutions", right? It's not like they're going to spend the next few years continuing to play up the J/C subtext...
• Beware the Nice Ones: Harry Kim, of all people, becomes the driving force of the near-mutiny against Tuvok and Janeway's orders not to contact the Vidiians.
• Bold Explorer: Just before Tuvok contacts them, Chakotay is showing Janeway his schematics for a boat he plans to build so they can explore the river.
• Call to Agriculture: When Janeway finally accepts she's going to spend the rest of her life on New Earth, she starts growing tomatoes. Shortly afterwards Tuvok calls saying they have the cure, and Janeway is shown staring at the growing seedlings with a forlorn expression on her face.
• Captain's Log: Janeway switches to a Personal Log on New Earth. Tuvok however has an "Acting Captain's Log," implying that he hasn't given up hope, despite what he's saying to the crew.
• The Chains of Commanding
  Tuvok: None of you can appreciate what it means to be in command of a ship until that responsibility rests squarely on your shoulders, as it does on mine. It has been suggested that I take an action which would require me to disobey an order, and knowingly put this crew into a life threatening situation. In general, I believe it demonstrates faulty leadership to be guided by the emotions of a distraught crew. However, as Captain, I must not ignore the sensibilities of those I command. We will contact the Vidiians. This is my decision and mine alone. You are all absolved of responsibility in the matter. I will accept any consequences which may ensue.
• Chekhov's Gunman: Danara Pel from "Lifesigns" returns.
• Continuity Nod:
  • Tuvok points out the Vidiians are unlikely to be friendly as, all other reasons aside, Voyager recently destroyed one of their vessels at a cost of over 300 Vidiian lives ("Deadlock").
  • Danara calls the Doctor "Shmullus", the name she gave him in "Lifesigns".
  • B'Elanna agrees to swap a sample of her DNA, which a Vidiian scientist thought might hold the cure for the Phage ("Faces").
• The Determinator: Janeway
• Double Entendre: Chakotay makes a headboard for Janeway's bed. She still doesn't get the hint.
• Face Palm: Janeway does this in despair as the plasma storm destroys her scientific equipment.
• Fanservice: Janeway naked in the bath, and J/C UST up the wazoo.
• Feminine Women Can Cook: Being Science Girl, Janeway naturally hates to cook, unlike Chakotay who is clearly trying to get to her Through Her Stomach.
• First-Name Basis: Once they make the decision to stay on the planet, Janeway says it's pointless for Chakotay to continue calling her Captain. Chakotay is uncomfortable but says he'll get used to it. He must have done, as he continues using his Friendly Address Privileges in later episodes.
• Good Old Ways: Janeway and Chakotay joke about how much they resented their parents insisting they learn basic survival or farming skills.
• Hand Wave: Some unknown property of the planet prevents Janeway and Chakotay from dying from the insect bite.
• Held Gaze: Janeway and Chakotay after the latter gives his angry warrior tale. They share one last look before beaming up to Voyager and putting on their masks of command.
• The Heart: It's Kes who acts as the crew's representative in approaching Captain Tuvok to convince him to change his mind.
• Human Popsicle: Stasis tubes.
• Improvised Weapon: Voyager ejects a container of anti-matter and shoots it with a photon torpedo. The resulting explosion immobilises the Vidiian warships.
• In Medias Res: The episode opens on Janeway and Chakotay waking up in their stasis tubes on the planet's surface. The Doctor then calls them on the comm link to explain How We Got Here.
• Intertwined Fingers: As close as these two get to physical intimacy.
  Robert Beltran: It's Star Trek romance, which means we touch hands and it's supposed to be thrilling.
• It Has Been an Honor: After Janeway gives her Final Speech to the crew, Captain Tuvok has some words for Chakotay.
  Tuvok: Commander. I am sure I speak for the entire crew when I say we will always remember your grace and courage. And I would like to add, it has been an honour serving with you. Live long and prosper.
• Let Me Tell You a Story: The closest Chakotay will get to a Love Confession.
• Letting Her Hair Down: After a while on New Earth, Janeway replaces her Bun of Steel with a bun combined with a single braided ponytail, foreshadowing her change to a similar hairstyle in Season 3.
• Locked in a Room: Or left on a planet. It's the only way to get this J/C thing into the open without The Chains of Commanding getting in the way.
• Loophole Abuse
  Kim: They're within hailing range. We could ask them if they know anything about the Captain's illness.
  Tuvok: You're aware that Captain Janeway specifically told us not to risk contacting the Vidiians.
  Kim: Yes, but it's not like we went out of our way to find them. We would just be taking advantage of an opportunity that's presented itself.
  Tuvok: That bit of sophistry is not terribly persuasive, Ensign.
• Misfit Mobilization Moment: The crew, having spent most of the episode bitterly divided about the abandonment of Janeway and Chakotay, pulls it together beautifully at the end when they're seemingly outmatched by Vidiian warships. Tuvok comes up with their tactical plan, Paris' Ace Pilot skills get a workout, B'Elanna and Harry set off an Improvised Weapon, and the Doctor obtains what they need via his close relationship with Danara Pel.
• Mother Nature, Father Science: Inverted; Janeway puts her efforts into finding a cure, while Chakotay sets about building a log cabin.
• The Needs of the Many: Janeway and Chakotay consider the Doctor's suggestion that they contact the Vidiians for a cure, but agree that they can't put the crew at risk.
• New Neo City: Janeway and Chakotay dub the planet New Earth. Would that make them New Adam and Eve?
• No One Gets Left Behind
• Nobody Here but Us Birds: Janeway in the bath calls out to Chakotay, asking if he's still there. He shouts back, "I left an hour ago!"
• Parental Substitute: Kes tells Tuvok that she misses her father, but less so since she started working with him.
• People Jars: The episode opens with Janeway and Chakotay waking up in stasis pods on the surface of their new home.
• Proverbial Wisdom
  Chakotay: My people have a saying. Even the eagle must know when to sleep. Maybe it's time we both considered that.
  Janeway: You mean quit—give up?
• Robinsonade: Although as Chakotay points out, it doesn't really count as "roughing it" when you're marooned with the latest technology. Just wait till next episode, folks.
• Sentimental Music Cue: Robert Beltran would later joke about how every time his character was about to get intimate with Janeway, he'd have to stop and look around to find the guy who kept playing that pipe!
• Ship Tease: Loads and loads and loads of J/C...to no avail.
• Slurpasaur: A spider monkey that had been trained to walk on its hind legs is used to portray an alien creature. Unfortunately the first time we see it is in a tree, so the effect is ruined. And even when it's standing, it's still recognizable as a monkey.
• Space "X": Their equipment is destroyed by a "plasma storm", as if a real storm or hurricane is somehow not enough.
• Status Quo Is God:
  • When the Act II break is of Janeway and Chakotay being stranded and left behind, the audience KNOWS it's just a matter of about thirty minutes of screentime before they are cured and returned.
  • Janeway and Chakotay are stranded in circumstances where no-one would blame them if they started a romance, given that they no longer have a crew to command. Instead the "parameters" they define about their relationship are no different from the one they had on Voyager.
  • Captain Tuvok wears his old rank and uniform instead of changing to a red command uniform and captain's pips. While a private reluctance to accept the change fits his character (see Captain's Log) the latter makes no sense when Tuvok is trying to make the crew focus on the journey ahead. Presumably no-one wanted the expense of fitting Tim Russ for a uniform that would only be used in a single episode.
• Subordinate Excuse: When Janeway tells Chakotay that they need to "define some parameters" about their relationship, he responds with an "ancient legend" about an angry warrior who could not find peace, until the day he met a beautiful woman warrior whom he swore to serve for the rest of his days.
  Janeway: Is that really an ancient legend?
  Chakotay: No. But that made it easier to say.
• That's an Order!: Janeway leaves strict orders with Captain Tuvok not to contact the Vidiians. Ensign Kim is arguing It's the Only Way.
• Time-Passes Montage / Time-Passage Beard: Averted, which the producers realised was a mistake. Janeway and Chakotay actually spend three months on the planet, but it's not really obvious.
• Timmy in a Well: The monkey appears to warn Janeway of the approaching storm (as if the black roiling clouds with flashing plasma discharges wasn't enough) and she claims afterwards that it seems unusually intelligent.
• Tough Leader Façade: The episode ends with Captain Janeway back in her command chair barking orders, her Number One saying "Yes ma'am", and neither of them looking at each other.
• Trap Is the Only Option: Fortunately Tuvok has a trick up his sleeve.
• Tuck and Cover: Chakotay holds Janeway as they shelter under a table during the storm.
• Unspoken Plan Guarantee: Averted; Tuvok states their plan in detail, and it goes off without a hitch.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension:
  • Chakotay when he notices Janeway is dripping wet and only wearing a towel, and Janeway when Chakotay starts massaging her shoulders.
  • According to Jeri Taylor, the episode was written to resolve the tension definitively (hence the episode name). Judging by the fan reaction, it... did not. At all.
• Unwanted Rescue: When Tuvok contacts Janeway, telling her he has a cure and will be picking them up in 30 hours, it's written all over her face.
• Villain Ball: The Vidiians put revenge (and their need for new organs) above a possible cure for the Phage. Fortunately, Danara Pel is more level-headed, beaming over the cure while everyone is busy with the battle.
• You Are in Command Now: Tuvok is now The Captain after the previous captain and her second-in-command are forced to leave the ship.

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