Star Trek: 10 Moments That Confirm J/C (Janeway & Chakotay)

"You're not alone, Kathryn," came Chakotay's almost clairvoyant line in the first half of Scorpion, Part I. Whatever happened next with the Borg, they would face it together. Chakotay was as much her "comrade in arms" as her fellow captains in the Alpha Quadrant, more ripe for impersonation than inspiration. In reply, Janeway spoke the words that should be embossed on the cover of the J/C Shipper's Guide: "Three years ago, I didn’t even know your name. Today, I can't imagine a day without you."

We all know the "appeal to the Devil" that ensued, the conflict that it created, and the different choices the Commander made once in charge. Far from diminishing or demeaning Janeway's original sentiment, however, the Borg backyard hurdles reinforced it. Out of their differences, their individuality, came their greatest strength. You do need more than just coffee to beat the Borg, after all!

Later, in the Equinox two-parter, Chakotay would go on to question his captain's orders and actions with far more vehemence, and arguably, with far more of a justification for doing so. Janeway relieved him of duty, for real this time, and mutiny, for Chakotay, might have been on the cards. That, however, "would have been crossing the line". In the end, and in the manner of Voyager's dedication plaque, you couldn't keep the bond between them down for long: "Let's put it back up where it belongs." Even at arm's length, Janeway and Chakotay always found a way to be more than just comrades in arms.