Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Kathryn Janeway
We know she loves a soak in the tub and a lifetime supply of coffee, but what else is there to learn about Voyager's captain?
Kathryn Margaret Janeway. Star Trek's first leading lady. Thrown into the farthest reaches of the Delta Quadrant, forced to join with the very rebels she was sent to apprehend and always striving to fulfil her promise to get her crew home.
With seven seasons of Voyager, and another two of Star Trek Prodigy, exploring the life and adventures of Admiral Janeway, it seems impossible that there is anything left to uncover. And yet, despite many well known facts, such as the famous recasting of Geneviève Bujold and the constant fussing over hairstyles and body image, there are still revelations to be made about the heroine of the Delta Quadrant.
From lost lovers discovered in the depths of beta canon, to behind the scenes events that mirror the world seen on screen, and even a dive into the classic teachings of famous nineteenth century theatre practitioners, there is plenty left to discover about everyone's favourite coffee loving captain.
10. First Meeting With Tom Paris
In Voyager’s pilot episode, Captain Janeway visits Tom Paris at the New Zealand Penal Colony and asks him to join her mission to the Badlands. In this conversation she reveals that she served with his father on the Al-Batani and Tom’s response suggests that he hasn’t met or heard of her before.
Una McCormack’s The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway, on the other hand, reveals that the pair did meet on various occasions as Tom was growing up and Kathryn was rising through the Starfleet ranks. It recounts her first meeting with him when he was only twelve years old, and how she could see that he was a troublemaker and seemed bored by the party being hosted by his father, Captain Owen Paris. She took the young boy to a holodeck and ran flight simulations with him - something she admits wondering if Tom even remembers. The fictional autobiography also explores Kathryn’s sympathy for Tom, growing up as the child of a Starfleet officer just as she did, and an understanding of the pressure and expectations that were imposed upon him.
According to Robert Duncan-McNeill on the Delta Flyers podcast, an early audition note for the role implied that he might have become a potential romantic partner to Captain Janeway. Thankfully, this was a storyline that was vetoed by the time casting was complete and filming began.
Threshold was more than enough Paris/Janeway romance for this audience to witness.