10 Behind The Scenes Reasons For Star Trek Characters' Quirks
7. Hands On Hips
In Star Trek: Voyager's third season, the episode Macrocosm features an alien race called the Tak Tak. The entire reason that they were conceived was due to an in-joke on set with Kate Mulgrew who, while playing Captain Janeway, would often and compulsively put her hands on her hips.
It became a recurring stance for the character during the run of the show. It also allowed the writers to have a bit of fun at her expense. The Tak Tak race were primarily obsessed with body language and gestures to denote meaning. Neelix, thoroughly prepared for negotiations, spends the opening moments of the episode doing his best to apologise for Janeway's incredible faux pas.
Placing hands on one's hips is the worst kind of offence in the Tak Tak language, resulting in an almost immediate cessation of talks. If it weren't for Neelix, there is little doubt that Starfleet would not have gained an ally that day.
The entire scene is ridiculous and lots of fun. Mulgrew's facial expressions while Neelix is doing his best to apologise are hilarious, as she is barely able to contain her laughter. Although this would not be the end of her placing her hands on her hips, it shone a light on the gesture going forward, bringing the audience in on the joke.