Star Trek: Voyager co-creator, Jeri Taylor, has passed away at 86

Star Trek: Voyager co-creator, Jeri Taylor, has passed away at 86

As a seasoned gamer who grew up with the Star Trek universe and its expansive lore, I can confidently say that Jeri Taylor was not just a writer or showrunner; she was an architect of dreams and stories that transcended time and space. Her impact on Star Trek: Voyager was immeasurable, particularly in the creation of Captain Kathryn Janeway, a character who stood tall amidst the stars as a beacon of strength, wisdom, and determination.


Star Trek: Voyager was brought to life by the imaginative minds of Jeri Taylor, Rick Berman, and Michael Pillar. They dared to put a woman at the command of a Starfleet starship’s bridge, an idea that proved incredibly successful. As a result, several members from the Voyager crew can still be seen in more recent Star Trek productions. Jeri Taylor, who had previously written numerous scripts for Star Trek: The Next Generation and served as a supervising producer, played a significant role in Voyager’s development. Specifically, she was instrumental in creating Captain Kathryn Janeway, portrayed by Kate Mulgrew. In essence, Taylor significantly contributed to the creation of Voyager, particularly in shaping the character of Captain Janeway.

Now, a significant part of Star Trek’s creative brilliance has been extinguished, as Jeri Taylor has sadly passed away at the age of 86. A trailblazer within the Star Trek universe, Taylor infused many of her personal qualities into the character she created, Captain Janeway. In a speech at Star Trek Las Vegas in 2021 [via Trekmovie], Taylor expressed that “I always imagined Janeway was me.

“I always thought of Janeway is just me, I wrote her. I can’t say that I wrote her as me, but as I would like to be. I felt full of her. And I think she is full of me, although, in many ways, far more skilled and able than I am. But it was my fantasy that Janeway was me and I tried to approach it like that. Flaws—we all have flaws. I could name my own; I don’t know that I could name Janeway’s”

Jeri Taylor

In simple terms, the Star Trek community is using social media platforms to express what Taylor has personally meant to them, to discuss how she has touched their lives, and to bid her a heartfelt goodbye.

On October 24th, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Taylor. Our thoughts and sympathies are extended to her family, acquaintances, and those who held her dear. The Star Trek universe has certainly lost one of its brightest stars.

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2024-10-27 02:23

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