Saturday Night Seminar: Voyager’s Neelix reminds us to take care of our friends

It’s always good to be there for a friend, and in this Saturday Night Seminar, we’re taking a look at some of Neelix’s wisest words from Star Trek Voyager.

Sometimes it’s good to remember the cheekiest of characters when reflecting on Star Trek. Love him or hate him, Neelix always had the enthusiasm to tackle life. He was a living barometer for how bad things really were at times. When Neelix got angry or upset, then you know things are going really bad.

So we go to Voyager episode 16 of season two, entitled Meld. In it, Tuvok attempts to quell the rage residing in Lon Suder, a Maquis terrorist turned Star Fleet personnel. The episode sees Suder murder a crewmember of Voyager for no reason, causing the ship and it’s crew to try and figure out why he did so. That means Tuvok is up, sent to mind-meld with Sudder.

The experience is obviously not a pleasant one, and while Tuvok is seeking to put together a day of relative normalcy, Neelix offers some kind words that should make everyone a bit more empathetic. As Neelix rambles on, Tuvok dismisses him, causing Neelix to reply with;

"Your voice says to go away, but your heart wants me to make you smile!"

Yes, respecting the boundaries of your friends is always a good idea, but so is reminding them that you’re there if they need you. While Neelix was super-cringy with regards to boundaries, his intentions were good and his words were strong.