Star Trek: 10 Greatest Captain Janeway Speeches

8. Even In The Name Of Scientific Progress - Scientific Method

Captain Janeway Star Trek Voyager Scientific Method
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Season 4's Scientific Method saw Captain Janeway pushed to her limits, with Voyager under covert invasion by the Srivani, who are conducting various scientific experiments on the crew. For Janeway, this consists of several needles piercing her skull, a continuous increasing of her dopamine levels and the triggering of various aggressive impulses in order to observe her restraint. 

Once the crew have detained one of these scientists, the captain is appalled by her nonchalant attitude towards the painful consequences of their actions. Stating that these experiments are necessary for medical progress and that the test subjects are, essentially, collateral damage.

She crosses the line when she compares their inhumane methods of self preservation to Janeway's loyal commitment to the welfare of her crew, suggesting that they are far more similar than the captain would like to admit. Janeway instantly rejects the comparison and highlights the progress of humanity with regards to the abuse of another living being. 

What you're doing isn't self-defence. It's the exploitation of another species for your own benefit. My people decided a long time ago that that was unacceptable, even in the name of scientific progress. 

The effects of these experiments leads to a rare instance of Captain Janeway losing her composure which only adds to the intensity of this confrontation. The aggressive, yet desperate, tone of her voice as she threatens her torturer only emphasising the power and determination of her promise that:

These lab rats are fighting back.
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Ellie has been part of the WhatCulture team since 2021 where she began as a freelance presenter for the WhoCulture channel. As a diehard Whovian with a BA (hons) degree in Drama and Acting, this role was the perfect opportunity for her to combine her screen presence training with her extensive Doctor Who knowledge. From there, she branched out to various other WhatCulture channels, including TrekCulture, and became a full time Content Producer/Video Presenter in 2023. Ellie is now a regular fixture on both WhoCulture and TrekCulture and has become a well respected public figure within both fandoms, building up a substantial following across her social media platforms and being given the opportunity to represent the channels and the wider communities at several industry events. Her favourite Doctor Who character is River Song and her favourite Star Trek character is Captain Janeway - which tells you everything you need to know about how she approaches her role within a generally male dominated field.