VOY S4E4 "Nemesis" Review By AnswerMan

Horrible:Meh:Adequate:Good:Fantastic

Unfortunately, the only thing you will remember about this episode is the silly way that the people on the planet speak. They over-use synonyms that are... just off a bit. It makes what they're saying understandable, but quite odd. It dominates the viewer's attention, to the point that it's difficult to concentrate on anything else. Which is a shame, because this is otherwise a fantastic episode.

So let's talk about the odd speaking. To me, one of the conceits you have to indulge in while watching any Trek is that the universal translator just works flawlessly. You must accept this, because you don't want to be reading subtitles the entire time do you? But even though I choose this point of view, there are times when the practicality of the universal translator is called into question even to me. For instance, when a human uses a Klingon word. Shouldn't we just hear it as English anyway? Or in this case, shouldn't the translator just revert these odd words back to normal? Or are we meant to believer that Chakotay lost his translator and this is how they actually talk? Since it all ends up being a simulation anyway, I suppose that's possible. But the point is, the whole thing is just so very distracting.

The story goes that Chakotay is stranded on a warring planet due to a shuttle disaster (because of course). He is taken in by one side of the two warring factions, the Vori. Even though he tries to stay neutral, the atrocities that he sees being carried out by the other side, the Kradin, cause him to go full Rambo and join the war. The "Nemesis" kill, rape, torture, desecrate bodies, and even send old people and children off to be exterminated. Every person that Chakotay bonds with along the way ends up being harmed by them. 

Meanwhile on Voyager, the crew is working with the higher ups on the planet to rescue Chakotay. They also speak of how awful the Nemesis is, but *plot twist* they are actually working with the Kradin. Eventually they put together a team and find Chakotay. By the time Tuvok approaches him, Chakotay is so brain washed that he sees Tuvok as one of the enemy aliens. Then our second *plot twist* is revealed, as Tuvok explains to him that it's all a simulation. The whole thing is a tactic used by the Vori to recruit fighters by brain washing them into believing that the Kradin are monsters. To prove it, they return to the village that Chakotay camped at, and the scene is repeated word-for-word just as it happened the first time.

Back on the ship, Chakotay is struggling to regain his sensibilities. When he meets a Kradin ambassador, he can't help but be sickened by the mere sight of his former nemesis. He tells Janeway that he "wishes it was as easy to stop hating, as it was to start."

"Nemesis" is Good Trek. In fact, it's really Good Trek. The language thing just gets in the way so much! I realize they used it as way to show the change in Chakotay, as the more he is brain washed the more he fluently uses the odd words. But this was so unnecessary! The change in him was obvious without this constant distraction. But putting that aside, this episode actually has two plot twists that were clever enough that I didn't see them coming. I was genuinely shocked when I found out our crew was working with the Kradin. I also did not see the whole simulation thing coming either. I was a bit disappointed they busted out the "none of this real" routine again, but I suppose that it was appropriate within the confines of the show in order to easily reset the table. It was refreshing that they didn't go as far as to make the Kradin the moral winners here, and we never meet the actual Vori to hear their side.

This episode explores the concept that we are all somewhat brain washed by the culture in which we are a part of. Our experiences may not be as dramatic as Chakotays, but we all likely think differently about other people than we would had we been brought up in their shoes. The episode really does a great job of making you consider why you believe the things you do about others. The simulation adds the sci-fi component and keeps the episode from being too dark. It all works so well! I wish I could give this episode a fantastic rating, but I just can't get over the irritation language stuff. Fathom?

Published March 28, 2021