‘INITIATIONS’ (VOY)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
This is an enjoyable ‘Voyager’ episode featuring Chakotay’s character. It’s also an interesting episode to feature a special guest star who has mostly appeared in ‘DS9’. That is of course Aron Eisenberg. 🙂
The late Aron Eisenberg is well-known for playing Nog the young Ferengi in ‘DS9’. Here, he plays a young Kazon who tries to kill Chakotay. Very intriguing to see him as a Kazon compared to a Ferengi.
In the episode, Chakotay commemorates the anniversary of his father’s death by taking a shuttlecraft to perform the pakra ceremony. This involves prayer, which was very fascinating to see.
It was interesting to see Chakotay’s West Indian background touched upon in the episode. I assume Chakotay came from the tribe of West Indians that were in the ‘TNG’ episode called ‘Journey’s End’.
Inadvertently, Chakotay’s shuttle strays into Kazon-Ogla space and he’s attacked by a young Kazon called Kar, played by Aron Eisenberg. Kar intends to execute Chakotay, so he can earn his Ogla name.
In the process of avoiding Kar’s attacks, Chakotay destroys his vessel and beams him aboard. Kar isn’t happy with Chakotay for beaming him aboard his shuttle, as he expected him to kill him in battle.
Soon, Chakotay’s shuttle is captured by a Kazon vessel. He learns from Kar that the Kazon earn their Ogla titles through conquest or death. Chakotay has robbed Kar of that opportunity by rescuing him.
The Kazon vessel’s commander, Patrick Kilpatrick as Razik, explains to Chakotay about his disservice to Kar and that the young Kazon is scheduled for execution. Chakotay of course is quite baffled by this.
Once he’s presented with a weapon to kill Kar as a lesson to the Kazon youth, Chakotay holds Razik as a hostage in order to get away to his shuttle. Kar also flees with Chakotay, as he has nothing left. 🙂
As they try to get away, Chakotay and Kar are unable to elude the Kazon vessel chasing after them. They soon beam onto a Class-M moon, which happens to be a training ground for Kazon warriors. 😐
It was intriguing to see the conflicting interests between the Federation and the Kazon, especially as Chakotay and Kar interact with each other. 🙂 Chakotay explains to Kar how he earned his uniform. 🙂
The philosophy of the Kazons is very unusual, especially as they act like street-gang types of aliens. Their lives aren’t stable, especially when they don’t abide by any rules like Voyager’s crew seems to.
When Chakotay is asleep in a cave, Kar eschews an opportunity to kill him in his sleep. He later explains how he has no options open to him, as he admits that Chakotay may be his only friend now.
Meanwhile, Janeway and the Voyager manage to track Chakotay to where he and Kar are on the Class-M moon. She, Tuvok and Kes proceed to the moon’s surface so that they can rescue Chakotay.
Unfortunately, they meet up with Razik and his Kazon warriors who offer to lead the away team. Of course, the Kazon backstab Janeway and her away team once they’ve detected Chakotay and Kar. 😐
Thankfully, Janeway, Tuvok and Kes as well as the security crewman with them manage to get out of the trap they were in. Meanwhile, Chakotay and Kar hear Razik and the Kazons’ approach to the cave.
Chakotay offers to help Kar earn his name by becoming his prisoner. Coordinating with Voyager to prepare for resuscitation, Chakotay tells Kar to shoot him. Instead, Kar shoots Razik in the episode. 😐
Kar earns his Ogla name of Jal Karden and he promotes Razik’s second-in-command – Tim de Zarn as Haliz. The Voyager crew are allowed to go free, whilst Kar/Karden promises Chakotay he will kill him.
That is should they ever meet again. Of course, this is like Kar’s only appearance in the ‘Voyager’ series as…well, Aron Eisenberg continued to play Nog in ‘DS9’ at the same time ‘Voyager’ was made.
The episode concludes with Chakotay performing his pakra ceremony aboard Voyager. He prays to his father as well as for Karden to be watched over. It’s so touching of Chakotay to pray for Karden. 🙂
‘Initiations’ is an enjoyable ‘Voyager’ episode featuring Chakotay and interacting with a young Kazon, played by Aron Eisenberg. It’s not one of the best ‘Voyager’ episodes, but it’s pretty decent. 🙂
‘Initiations’ (VOY) rating – 7/10
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