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Episode
440
Phage
Neelix goes along for an away mission to find dilithium but comes back with neither the crystals nor his lungs! Janeway must track down the aliens who are responsible while Neelix is kept alive by a risky medical procedure. Take a breath, then explore Phage with Mission Log.
Sponsored by – Kolide
In many ways, the Vidiians are the Borg. They exist to consume everything around them. It’s hard to have sympathy for them when they stole Neelix’s lung and left him to die. They could have asked for help, but didn’t. They kill without provication. Under Starfleet law, you have to wonder if they’d be considered Hostis humani generis (enemy of mankind), a term reserved for slavers or pirates.
And yet, Janway has sympathy for them. It’s interesting that this episode pushes our ability to have compassion for people who have become monsters out of the necessity to survive. Not a great episode, but an interesting premise.
Perfectly said, Jonathan. Finding that challenge to find a shred of empathy and understanding is what elevates the episode and makes it a very Star Trek story.