What if other Star Trek characters were involved in the same type of transporter accident that merged Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) into Tuvix (Tom Wright) in Star Trek: Voyager? In Star Trek: Lower Decks, this concept is referred to as “being Tuvixed”, or blended into one single organism with physical and psychological characteristics of both individuals, thanks to an alien orchid being included in the transporter beam. While Tuvok and Neelix were ultimately separated at the end of Star Trek: Voyager season 2, episode 24 “Tuvix”, the experience did have an effect on how they related to each other for the rest of the series.
So how would other Star Trek characters handle “being Tuvixed”? What would they learn from each other? And how would their friends and family react to them? Some of these characters are diametric opposites like Tuvok and Neelix were, and could learn something from being merged together. Some of them would present interesting challenges to other people if they were to become a single entity. In all cases, these combinations of Star Trek characters might make for some interesting episodes if they were unfortunately — or fortunately? — Tuvixed into one, so consider these wholly speculative summaries of episodes that never existed.
10 LwaQsana: Majel Barrett as Lwaxana Troi & John deLancie as Q
It’s a terrible day for Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in a fictional Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Something Borrowed, Something Q” when one of Q’s practical jokes merges him with Lwaxana Troi. Brash, flirtatious, and now omnipotent, LwaQsana treats the entire crew to exactly what she thinks they all want (and she’s a telepath and a godlike being, so she would know, dear). Who needs that boring old diplomatic mission, anyway? With a snap of her fingers, that old ambassadorial delegation has their problems solved, and they’re even invited to the wedding. What do you mean, what wedding, Jean-Luc? Why, haven’t you guessed? Ours.
9 Spockoy: Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock & DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard McCoy
In the hypothetical Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Let the Sap of Reason Quench the Fire of Passion”, Mr. Spock and Dr. Leonard McCoy become fused by inexplicable quirk of transporter technology. Spockoy possesses one of the most brilliant minds of all time and refuses to restore himself into his component parts, believing he can do more good as one. He’s right, of course, but the problem is his temper. Unable to control his emotions, every irritant makes him more violent, and it’s up to Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) to trick (read: fight) him back into the transporter to reverse the accident. No wonder McCoy hates transporters.
8 Brackett Boiminer: Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner & Jack Quaid as Brad Boimler
What do you get when you cross Star Trek: Lower Decks‘ Beckett Mariner’s reckless abandon with Brad Boimler’s deep-seated fear of screwing up? Brackett Boiminer, who’s so determined to prove their worth they take charge of situations without regard for consequences. Bravado masks their insecurity so well they manage to con their way into the captain’s chair a little too quickly, and the authority goes to their head. Together, they should have all the ingredients for the perfect captain, but when the other USS Cerritos junior lieutenants point out they’re acting more like a “badmiral” they realize this was a terrible idea.
7 Commander Sargiou: Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou & Doug Jones as Commander Saru
Commander Sargiou joins Star Trek: Discovery for a four-episode arc around season 2, combining Emperor Philippa Georgiou’s ruthlessness with Commander Saru’s kindness. Sargiou’s impressive non-lethal tactical strategies make them an essential asset, and their aggressive campaign to befriend the crew works superbly. Unfortunately, incompatibility between the merged Kelpien and human physiologies is slowly killing Sargiou, and they cannot be saved. In their separation only Saru seems to survive, and Georgiou’s apparent death allows her to enter Section 31 covertly.
6 Shawven: Todd Stashwick as Captain Liam Shaw and Jeri Ryan as Commander Seven of Nine
The sabotaged transporter in this alternate take of Star Trek: Picard season 3 results in Captain Liam Shaw and Commander Seven of Nine as Shawven, an antisocial commanding officer with more trauma than you can shake a stick at. They don’t want to be here, they’d like to get this fixed, and yet they find themself stepping up to command, because they’re the only one who’s going to get it right. They’re not able to mask their trauma as easily as they might individually, so the experience allows them greater understanding of each other, especially since they both have the Borg Collective to blame for their lifetimes of unhealed pain.
5 Cha’Pring: Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel & Gia Sandhu as T’Pring
Christine Chapel and T’Pring are merged into one highly competent person with a fiercely independent streak in the nonexistent Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode “Two Roads Converged”. Despite the inevitable hijinks, Cha’Pring is able to talk her way aboard the Enterprise to further her own career goals and stick it to T’Pring’s mother. She faces the same internal battle between human and Vulcan sides that Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) does, prompting a deeper connection when she asks him for help with balance. Naturally, a romance blossoms, but it’s Spock himself who regretfully calls for the separation, because they’re meant to be distinct individuals.
4 MurkTahk: Dee Bradley Baker as Murf & Rylee Alazraqui as Rok-Tahk
Star Trek: Prodigy includes the symbiogenetic orchids in its hypothetical take on “Tuvix,” entitled “Better Together”. Murf accompanies Rok-Tahk on a scientific survey of a new planet, and eats some of these unusual flowers before their return. The result is MurkTahk, a being made of energetically absorbent transparent crystal who’s very eager to be everyone’s friend. Dal R’El (Brett Gray) is quick to put MurkTahk to work doing dangerous things, since they’re seemingly indestructible. Gwyndala (Ella Purnell) has reservations, and consults Hologram Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), who tells her about Tuvix, but encourages the crew to make their own decision together.
3 Keska: Jennifer Lien as Kes and Martha Hackett as Seska
When Seska and the Kazon board Voyager to take it over at the end of Star Trek: Voyager season 2, Kes sneaks an orchid sample into an emergency beam-out that includes herself and Seska. It’s one way to prevent a hostile takeover that won’t result in anyone’s death — except maybe Keska, the result of this experiment. Kes’s latent telepathy combines with Seska’s Cardassian spycraft to gain Voyager an excellent negotiator and expert survivalist. She’s more confident than Kes, less volatile than Seska, and solves the problem of no one being quite sure what to do with either character.
2 Shlox: Jeffrey Combs as Thy’lek Shran & John Billingsley as Dr. Phlox
Fascinated by his existence as an “Andobulan”, Shlox is inquisitive, passionate, and cheerfully ruthless. He maintains his own convictions while curiously exploring the customs of other cultures, and might exploit this cultural knowledge for his own political gain. He likes himself, so the bio-agent he’s developed as a cure goes unused. In Star Trek: Enterprise’s “Andobulan, Part 2” he discovers the agent is toxic to humans, so he must decide whether to use it and end his own life, or let it fall into Xindi hands where it could become a weapon. In the end, Shlox sacrifices himself, and Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) owes both of them.
1 Quodo: Armin Shimerman as Quark & René Auberjonois as Odo
Changeling meddling and a faulty transporter create Quodo, combining Quark’s pursuit of latinum with Odo’s pursuit of justice on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Rom (Max Grodénchik) loves that his half-brother (“because you’re half my brother,”) lets him run the bar, while Quodo uses his shape-shifting abilities to spy for a mysterious client with very deep pockets. When his investigations make him a target for both the FCA and the Dominion, he has to decide whether to turn himself in or split himself up. The latter lets him avoid consequences on a technicality, despite his protests. “Liquid Assets” guest stars Jeffrey Combs as Brunt and Weyoun, or Breyoun.
While none of these combinations ever actually happened, they just might have given the characters involved some interesting growth, like what happened with both Tuvok and Neelix. Tuvix had personality traits and memories from both of them, so they retained some of that knowledge after their separation. Their wildly different personalities, usually the source of frustration and misunderstanding for both of them, blended in ways that let them see the other person’s point of view more easily, and ultimately treat each other with a little more empathy. And isn’t that what Star Trek is all about?
