‘RESISTANCE’ (VOY)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
This is a ‘Voyager’ episode I didn’t regard very highly when it came to watching it on DVD. Upon revisiting the episode, I can see the story that it was trying to get across, as it is compelling in places.
In the episode, during an away mission on an alien planet, Tuvok and B’Elanna are captured and imprisoned. They, Janeway and Neelix have been trying to obtain a pretty vital chemical for Voyager.
Janeway gets injured when B’Elanna and Tuvok have been captured. She’s rescued by a local man – Joel Grey as Caylem – who believes Janeway is his daughter, and he looks after her in his own house.
Apparently, Joel Grey worked with Kate Mulgrew (Janeway in the ‘Voyager‘ series) in the 1985 film ‘Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins’. This must be quite a reunion for the two actors in this story.
Prior to this ‘Voyager’ episode, Joel Grey won a Tony Award and an Academy Award for the stage and film versions of the musical ‘Cabaret’. Kate Mulgrew suggested that Joel Grey play Caylem here.
It’s nice that he appeared in this episode, and he later described the experience as ‘fun, fun and crazy’. 😀 Joel Grey also did an episode of ‘The Muppet Show’ in 1976 before this, which is so surreal.
The planet that Voyager visits here is the home of the Alsaurians, who are contacts of Neelix. The planet is occupied by the aggressive Mokra. They’re like pretty brutal dictators similar to the Nazis on Earth.
Watching this ‘Voyager’ episode makes me wonder how I can come up with another ‘Doctor Who’ story featuring the Dwaxi where they occupy a planet with brutality and violence. I must write it up. 🙂
As Janeway recovers from her injuries, Caylem helps her to gain entrance into the caves where Tuvok and B’Elanna are being held prisoner. It isn’t plain sailing for Tuvok and B’Elanna in the prison.
Tuvok gets taken away to be questioned by the Mokra and he suffers great pain and torture from them. B’Elanna is concerned for Tuvok’s well-being, since he doesn’t look good after being tortured.
Thankfully, Janeway and Caylem manage to save Tuvok and B’Elanna, but they’re soon seized by the Mokra prison guards. The Mokra’s commander happens to be Alan Scarfe as the pretty bullish Augris.
Whilst that’s going on, Chakotay and the Voyager crew try to find ways to break down the shield barriers of the Alsuarian/Mokra planet. Fortune works in their favour, all thanks to Janeway’s efforts.
Meanwhile, Augris reveals to Janeway that Caylem’s real daughter Ralkana was shot and killed 12 years ago when trying to save her mother from prison. Unbeknown to her, Ralkana’s mother died. 🙁
It was interesting how this episode unveiled Caylem’s family history when he attempted to rescue his wife as well as his daughter’s mother. This is especially through Janeway’s interaction with Caylem.
It’s also indicated by Augris that Caylem made his rescue attempt for his wife several times. He has been rendered slightly delusional after he’d been unable to accept his wife and daughter’s deaths. 🙁
This is rather sad when hearing how it’s unveiled. Thankfully, before Augris can interrogate Janeway with brutal methods, Caylem attack Augris, still believing Janeway to be his own daughter in the story.
Caylem manages to stab Augris during their fight, but he gets shot down by two prison guards before they can be stopped. Caylem was considered a coward for a while. Thankfully, he’s not by the end. 🙂
Caylem lies dying in Janeway’s arms, and she tells him that Augris was lying about his daughter Ralkana being shot. She also tells him that his wife has forgiven him for his past actions in their lives.
She asks that Caylem accept that forgiveness. Caylem’s last words are “My sweet girl” before he dies. Janeway is saddened by Caylem’s death, which is clearly evident once she’s back aboard Voyager.
I like how the episode concludes with Janeway pondering Ralkana’s precious metal necklace, which was given to her as a present by Caylem. She keeps the necklace to recall Caylem’s kindness to her. 🙂
‘Resistance’ is a decent episode in the ‘Voyager’ series. I don’t think it’s a standout favourite of mine, but it does showcase Janeway well when she interacts with someone who thinks she’s his daughter.
‘Resistance’ (VOY) rating – 7.5/10
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