Producers considered killing Captain Janeway at the end of Star Trek: Voyager

It's hard to even think about, but Rick Berman admits that they considered killing Captain Janeway for the end of Star Trek: Voyager

The unthinkable could have happened. Rick Berman, when discussing the show's finale in Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross' Star Trekoral history, "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years," [via Screenrant] said they considered everything, including "having Janeway die."

Berman said he knew they were bringing Alice Krige back as the Borg Queen for the series finale of Voyager and that there would be a big showdown between her and Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). Up against that type of enemy, Janeway could have been bested by the Queen. But imagine how fans would have felt if this series had spun the franchise on its head and killed off the captain. Luckily, the producers didn't choose to go that way, but knowing this was a consideration makes us glad that Admiral Janeway is now in the capable hands of executive producer Aaron Waltke.

While Captain Janeway's safety wasn't secure for the finale of Star Trek: Voyager, we know it is for Star Trek: Prodigy.

Though Prodigy is an animated series developed for younger audiences, the mainstay of the series is the captain now admiral from Voyager, Kathryn Janeway. She is the reason the crew of juveniles from the Protostar are now well on their way to becoming Starfleet Academy cadets. Would Prodigy have made it without Mulgrew? One can never know, but one thing is for sure, the series is certainly better for having her.

Had Janeway died in Voyager, we might not have had Prodigy. So not only would Janeway's death upended the franchise, it would have had a domino effect in the future, stripping away one opportunity for young viewers to learn about Star Trek. Thank goodness Berman's consideration didn't become a reality.