Several key figures from Star Trek: Voyager have returned to the Star Trek franchise in recent years, and here’s how each character has reappeared. Due to the nature of Star Trek‘s shared universe, characters from across the franchise have regularly interacted with each other since the heyday of the 1990s. Although there’s not an explicit Voyager sequel in the sense of Star Trek: Picard‘s continuation of the stories of the Enterprise-D crew, there has been a surprising amount of updates on many of the starship’s former crew members.
Rather than a Picard-style show focusing on the later life of Kathryn Janeway, there is Star Trek: Prodigy which, as well as being a Trek show aimed at a younger audience is also a stealth sequel to Voyager. It returns the franchise to the Delta Quadrant and introduces a mysterious new Starfleet mission involving the experimental starship the USS Protostar, the fastest in the fleet. Due to the nature of the mission, Starfleet requires officers with extensive experience in the Delta Quadrant, thereby continuing the story of the Voyager crew. However, Prodigy isn’t the only Star Trek show to feature appearances by former Voyager characters.
Admiral Kathryn Janeway In Star Trek: Prodigy
Star Trek: Prodigy centers around a crew of young misfits, who have found themselves in charge of Starfleet’s most powerful starship. Thankfully, they have some assistance from a holographic Captain Janeway. The hologram teaches the kids about Starfleet, and the utopian ideals of the Federation, inspiring them to become heroes. However, Prodigy‘s midseason cliffhanger ending revealed that the real Kathryn Janeway, now an admiral, is in hot pursuit of the Protostar. Prodigy, therefore, has two different versions of Janeway in the show, setting up a future clash between the hologram and the original.
Seven Of Nine In Star Trek: Picard
Technically, Seven’s young Borg protégé Icheb was the first Voyager character to return to Star Trek, when he was brutally tortured in Picard season 1, episode 5 before Seven arrived too late to rescue him. After her path crossed with Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), she became a key part of his new crew in both seasons 1 and 2. Rejected by Starfleet, Seven was working as a mercenary for the Fenris Rangers, still hoping to do some good in the galaxy. In Picard season 3, it appears that she has finally been allowed into Starfleet, serving as a commander on the USS Titan.
Chakotay In Star Trek: Prodigy
The central mystery of the USS Protostar in Prodigy is tied into what happened to Chakotay, who was captaining the experimental vessel. In a flashback in Prodigy season 1, episode 11, “Asylum,” Admiral Janeway was present to see her former commander off on his new mission to the Delta Quadrant. At some point after this, the Protostar was attacked, and the crew abandoned the ship on Tars Lamora where it remained hidden until it was discovered by Dal in the Prodigy pilot. It’s unclear where Chakotay is now, as he is presumably once again lost somewhere in the Delta Quadrant. Future episodes of Prodigy will presumably reunite Chakotay and Janeway when the Admiral finally tracks him down.
Tom Paris In Star Trek: Lower Decks
Star Trek: Lower Decks regularly features characters from other Trek shows and recently returned to Deep Space Nine, encountering Kira and Quark. In an earlier episode of Lower Decks, season 2, episode 3, “We’ll Always Have Tom Paris,” the former Voyager helmsman visited the USS Cerritos. This excites Brad Boimler, who wants to get his souvenir plate signed by Paris, but faces a series of mishaps along the way. After a grueling ordeal, Boimler comes face to face with the Starfleet legend, but due to his crazed temperament, torn clothes, and stained skin, Paris mistakes him for a Kazon and attacks him. The two eventually go for a drink by way of apology for the misunderstanding, but Boimler is weirdly proud to have been given a black eye by Tom Paris.
Tuvok Shown In Star Trek: Lower Decks
Another Voyager character to appear in Lower Decks is Tuvok, who made a surprise appearance in the season 3 premiere. However, actor Tim Russ doesn’t feature in the role, as Tuvok’s life after Voyager is recounted by Captain Carol Freeman as she explains how the Vulcan security officer aided attempts to exonerate her for the destruction of Pakled Planet. Teaming up with Captain Bateson, Tuvok used a mind-meld to help unearth a conspiracy involving holographic forgery of Freeman’s attack on the planet, ensuring her freedom and her return to the Cerritos.
B’Elanna Torres Mentioned In Janeway’s Admiral’s Log
As part of Prodigy‘s social media campaign, Star Trek is releasing Admiral’s logs, read by Kate Mulgrew and posted on Instagram. The first log revealed that her former chief of engineering B’elanna Torres oversaw the design and construction of Janeway’s new ship, the USS Dauntless. Janeway revealed that the ship’s name and its quantum slipstream drive brought back memories of a similar ship the Voyager crew encountered during their time in the Delta Quadrant.
Which Voyager Characters Still Need A Star Trek Comeback
B’elanna Torres and Tuvok have only really been mentioned in name only, rather than playing a substantial role that could be defined as a comeback. Clearly, Tuvok’s work in covert ops and B’elanna’s work overseeing huge advances in starship technology are elements ripe for exploration in future Star Trek series. Similarly, given Picard‘s focus on artificial intelligence, it’s strange that Robert Picardo’s holographic Doctor didn’t appear, especially given that Voyager revealed his fellow EMH1’s were reduced to being miners. Harry Kim also hasn’t reappeared in Star Trek as yet, however with deep-cut characters like Admiral Jellico returning in Prodigy, there’s clearly room for these Star Trek: Voyager characters to also make a comeback either in Prodigy or the hypothetical live-action Janeway show.
Star Trek: Prodigy streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
