10 Star Trek Episodes That Deserved To Become Classics (But Didn't)

6. Latent Image

Voyage Latent Image
CBS Media Ventures

What are the lengths that we will go to in order to protect our friends from themselves? Would we violate their basic rights, in the name of the greater good? Can we stand over our decisions? And what do we do when that friend asks us to stop?

Such are the questions posed by Latent Image, a fifth-season episode from Star Trek: Voyager. The Doctor begins to suspect someone has been tampering with programme, only to discover that the conspiracy runs far deeper than he suspected.

Captain Janeway's decisions throughout the run of Voyager are a frequent cause for debate among fans. In fact, we may take this opportunity to say that Janeway inspired more thought-provoking debate than any other main series captain, which is saying something with Kirk and Sisko to compete with.

The initial issue of wiping the Doctor's memory is almost enough for the moral quandary, but the decision not to inform him murks up the waters. There are those who still come down on either side of the debate - what is the right thing to do? There is no right or wrong answer in this case, which indeed is one of the reasons that this episode will stay with you long after the credits roll.

 
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Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"