Unforgettable (Star Trek: Voyager) Explained

Episode:22
Season:4
Production:190
Director:Andrew J. Robinson
Music:Jay Chattaway
Guests:
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Season Article:Star Trek: Voyager season 4
Episode List:List of Star Trek: Voyager episodes

"Unforgettable" is the 90th episode of the science fiction television series , the 22nd episode of the fourth season. It was directed by recurring guest actor Andrew J. Robinson who portrayed the Cardassian character Elim Garak.

The episode was broadcast on the United Paramount Network (UPN) on April 22, 1998.[1] The USS Voyager is visited by a mysterious alien woman, Kellin (played by guest star Virginia Madsen).[1] Another guest star in this episode is actor Michael Canavan.[1]

The episode depicts a Bussard ramjet, a real-world technology proposal.[2] In this episode the Star Trek version is said to take in deuterium.[3] Bussard jets have been proposed to scoop up fuel for a spacecraft's engines, allowing the plot a scientific yet fictional element use of technology.[3]

Plot

An alien woman named Kellin (Virginia Madsen) requests asylum aboard the Federation starship Voyager. When she comes aboard, The Doctor attempts to scan her but his tricorder does not retain any data about her. She is from a race called the Ramura, whose biochemistry is such that neither minds nor technology can retain memories of them for more than a few hours. She claims that she came aboard Voyager a month ago to track down a Ramuran fugitive, and that during that time she and Voyagers First Officer, Chakotay, fell in love. The crew looks into it and evidence seems to support her claim that she was on Voyager. Chakotay does not remember her, but as they work together he understands that he could have developed feelings for her.

Just as Chakotay and Kellin start to pick up where they left off, another member of her race appears and fires a weapon at her. The effect of the weapon is to disintegrate her memories of her experiences aboard Voyager. This time, Chakotay is the one trying to convince her that they fell in love, but she is unresponsive and wants to return home. Kellin and the other Ramuran eventually depart Voyager, telling Chakotay that it would be better if he just forgot about her. Chakotay wants to remember everything about this experience, and as they have loaded a virus into the computer which will erase all record of their encounter with Voyager, he records events with an old-fashioned pen and paper.

Production

"Unforgettable" was directed by Andrew Robinson, who played Garak on .

The aliens presented in this episode, the Ramurans, were noted for the ability to make others forget their existence and stealth technology.[4]

Reception

This episode is noted as one of a series focused on the Chakotay character with a romance aspect. The other episodes include "Unity", "In the Flesh, and "Resolutions".[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Star Trek: Voyager: Unforgettable. TV.com. 21 February 2019. 10 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190210031526/http://www.tv.com/shows/star-trek-voyager/unforgettable-10729/. dead.
  2. Book: Bloom, Steven D.. The Physics and Astronomy of Science Fiction: Understanding Interstellar Travel, Teleportation, Time Travel, Alien Life and Other Genre Fixtures. 20 June 2016. McFarland. 9780786470532. 21 February 2019. Google Books.
  3. Book: Bloom, Steven D.. The Physics and Astronomy of Science Fiction: Understanding Interstellar Travel, Teleportation, Time Travel, Alien Life and Other Genre Fixtures. 2016-06-20. McFarland. 9780786470532 .
  4. Web site: 5 September 2018 . Angie Dahl . Star Trek: The 15 Most Powerful Species Across The Galaxies, Ranked . CBR .
  5. Book: Ruditis, Paul. Star Trek Voyager Companion. 21 February 2019. Simon and Schuster. 9780743417518. 21 February 2019. Google Books.