YMMV / Star Trek Voyager S 3 E 15 "Blood Fever"

• Broken Base: In an already controversial episode, Vorik's behavior in this episode is the subject of some debate even on This Very Wiki. Some consider him a victim of circumstance, thoroughly unable to keep his volatile biochemistry in check and hampered by the USS Voyager being on the other side of the galaxy from Vulcan. Others get some serious creeper vibes off him in general, and aren't so quick to forgive his less than desirable actions toward B'Elanna.
• Catharsis Factor: B'Elanna fans are particularly fond of the climax, where she takes Vorik's challenge HERSELF for being such a huge creep to her. She pretty much wins the fight when an exhausted Vorik falls over pathetically after throwing a punch.
• Moment of Awesome: The challenge and subsequent fight scene. One of B'Elanna Torres' defining moments of the series.
• Narm: Vorik's overdramatic whimpers when B'Elanna punches him.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: Though the episode displays potential for Vorik as an engaging secondary character, the show eschews any follow-up with him after the climax in favor of a final scene with B'Elanna and Tom. He only pops up sporadically over the rest of the series.
• Values Resonance: This episode is drenched in it.
  • Tom refusing B'Elanna's advances because she's not in her right mind to consent is a particularly cherished moment by fans. Of course, consent with regards to sexual activity is even more of a hot-button topic nowadays than it was in The '90s.
  • In Real Life at the time this episode aired, there were some very serious debates going on as to whether Sex Ed had any place being taught in American public schools, and these debates keep popping up all over the place even today. In light of this, the Doctor getting annoyed at Tuvok over the Vulcan prudishness towards sex hits home pretty hard.
    EMH: I can't tell if he's making any progress with these meditations. I thought maybe you could suggest other possible treatments.
    Tuvok: I cannot.
    EMH: Is that because you don't know, or because you don't want to discuss it?
    Tuvok: For both of those reasons, there is little help that I can offer. It is inappropriate for me to involve myself in Ensign Vorik's personal situation.
    EMH: For such an intellectually enlightened race, Vulcans have a remarkably Victorian attitude about sex.
    Tuvok: That is a very human judgement, Doctor.
    EMH: Then here's a Vulcan one. I fail to see the logic in perpetuating ignorance about a basic biological function.
  • B'Elanna taking up the challenge herself acts almost as a refutation of the line from T'Pau in "Amok Time" to T'Pring about how she would "become the property of the victor," by choosing to be her own champion, and thus, the "property" of no one but herself, reflective of the increase of rights for women over the decades since the sixties, particularly in terms of self-ownership and determination.

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