I’m watching Voyager and I have stars in my eyes 🤩 😍

“It is puzzling. You made me into an individual. You encouraged me to stop thinking like a member of the collective, to cultivate my independence and my humanity but when I try to assert that independence I am punished.”

“Individuality has its limits. Especially on a starship where there is a command structure.”

“I believe that you are punishing me because I do not think the way that you do, because I am not becoming more like you. You claim to respect my individuality but in fact you are frightened by it.”

I don’t know that just really resonated with me

Bearing in mind this is my first watch through of Voyager. Janeway at the moment seems to view Seven as like a pet. She wants to use Seven’s skills and her knowledge, she wants to feel good about teaching Seven how to ‘human’. Like Seven is a walking example of what a good person Janeway is. But I’m not getting the sense at the moment that Janeway really sees Seven as that individual. It’s more like someone who can’t be trusted to make the right decisions for themselves so Janeway wants control. That could be a bad read. I know a lot of people ship them. Thus far I’m not getting that at all

@Julie

Same, I never got a romantic vibe at all. I used to get maternal from Janeway and now I don’t even know anymore because it’s… complicated

Yeah I can see parental but in a bit of a self-serving kinda way. Like I’m sure Janeway cares. But Janeway isn’t the “I want what is right for you whatever that is” parent. She’s the “I want what I think is best for you as I know best” parent.

I just watched Prey so 4.16. Hence quoting from the end scene as that hit me hard. I think I saw myself in Seven’s words there about mixed messages and double standards and never quite understanding and always getting it wrong.

@Julie

I know they butted heads a lot, but I found B’Elanna and Seven to have a much healthier dynamic 💅

Yeah true. Thus far all I’ve seen is B’Elanna being mad at her BUT what I like the most is that she explains *why*. She tells Seven straight up don’t do that because, or you are rude and this is why people don’t like it try saying please etc. B’Elanna doesn’t just get mad and leave Seven wondering why, and actually she helps her with the explaining.

@Julie

Like that one time where B’Elanna calls her out in Astrometrics “… You’re.. rude.” It was just so upfront, and Seven accepted it from her

Seven needed upfront though because that’s what she understood. Just cutting through the bullshit because Seven can’t filter that human obscurance yet. So that was good of B’Elanna even though I’m not sure if that was B’Elannas actual intent.

OMG I’m watching Retrospect and the Doctors questioning seems almost prurient   :/  by her own words Seven was violated. I mean I get he needed to get details but it felt like he was really pushing her. Then when the doctor tells Janeway and Tuvok, they are disbelieving and wanting “corroboration”. Janeway says “in the wrong hands a single nano probe could lead to disaster” like ok but is that what is relevant here?!? Man I feel sick.

I mean this is providing lots of material for my “Raffi on Voyager AU” but at what cost :/

Consider me in shock and appalled. I thought there would have been some kind of vindication. Some justice. But nope. And then in the end they focused more on the doctors pain and and Janeways regret. Like what the ever living fuck.

Seriously I only kept watching because I was sure it had to come right in the end. That it would have to be fixed. That there would be an apology and support and stuff. Not this. Nothing like this.

Ok I don’t do this often but that is going on the blacklist, never ever freaking watch ever again. There may also be fix-it fic. If I can bear to think about it tomorrow. I really I’m stunned. How could they do that? That felt so bad.

@Blaine

That episode, and a lot of the ones around it were so horrific for that reason! Like no one talked about Seven not being believed by Janeway right away and just being told it was from when she was assimilated (eventho now we know that we can’t fabricate memories like studies used to suggest, bc they’re not generalizable). They all moved on from stasis without recognizing that Seven spent a month in isolation, was hallucinating, and willing to sacrifice herself so the rest of the crew would get through the nebula and after all that Janeway said she wasnt giving enough for the crew…

The last time I had this much horror and righteous indignation I wrote about 20k in 3 days. Idk if that’s spite writing or what.

But right now my mind is just echoing with “it gets worse???” Because ofc it does.

I am reeling. Like I had no idea. Sure I know some stuff but this is my first Voyager watch. I’m raw reacting to it like it’s not 20 years old – it’s new to me. So I have all those feelings.