Star Trek: 10 Captains That Totally LOST IT

2. Rudolph Ransom Loses His Way

On the surface, Equinox is the story of a sinister and corrupt Starfleet captain. But the real tragedy comes with the realisation that a demoralised Rudy Ransom made a reprehensible decision...and the entire spine-chilling saga spiralled from there.

Janeway crosses paths with Ransom and the USS Equinox in the Delta Quadrant, but her relief turns to disgust when their terrible secret is revealed. The Equinox is under constant attack from nucleogenic lifeforms they've been killing to convert into fuel.

The Equinox's journey in the Delta Quadrant was unforgiving. They were left battered, understaffed and desperately short of power. While Ransom would argue he was driven to desperate measures, Janeway found his position indefensible.

In an inspired dark counterpoint, the story expands to examine Janeway's own limits, the cold fury that's stirred by Ransom's betrayal of Starfleet principles, and how far she'll go to bring an end to Ransom's crimes.

Equinox could easily be viewed as a cautionary tale of what might have happened to the Voyager crew. Yet, there's no definitive difference to point to. It's true that the USS Equinox found itself in rough seas, but there was more to it. Ransom's despair versus Janeway's hope...Ransom's use of Starfleet regulations to justify the means versus Janeway's instinct to use them as a moral compass...and Ransom's complicit crew versus Janeway's who were willing to stand up to her, no matter how hard she might push them away.