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Star Trek: Voyager’s Year of Hell could’ve worked as a season if they did one thing

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As a long-time Star Trek: Voyager fan who has seen every episode multiple times, I must say that “Year of Hell” stands out as one of the best episodes in the series. The concept, the tension, and the emotional rollercoaster it takes us on are unparalleled. If you’re going to stretch a season into an extended Year of Hell concept, I’m all for it!

Discussing standout aspects of Star Trek: Voyager, particularly its top episodes, provides ample material. However, one highly regarded instance appears to be the two-part episode from season four titled “Year of Hell”. This episode follows the Voyager crew as they endure a year’s worth of harrowing experiences while fleeing from a man named Annorax.

In a science fiction context, Kurtwood Smith’s character Annorax hails from the disintegrated Krenim Empire, as portrayed in That Seven’s Show. Our initial assumption is that he aims to restore his empire by manipulating time, but in truth, he seeks to resurrect his deceased family. To achieve this, he intends to wipe out the USS Voyager, using it as a means to alter the timeline and erase the occurrences leading to his family’s demise.

As a long-time fan of this show, I can’t help but ponder what could have been if they had decided to extend the “Year of Hell” concept throughout season four, or even the entire series. Having spent countless hours immersed in the world of this show, I find myself drawn to this idea, particularly given my affinity for intricate and complex storylines.

Rick Berman shot that idea down though.

An idea, we wish he didn’t. The concept of putting Voyager through a year of hell could’ve worked. In theory. You’d have to thread the needle to pull it off, but with the right writing and the right ideas, it could’ve been done. The only question is how do you resolve it?

You know, in the original tale, I found myself commanding the Voyager starship, and in a desperate move, I rammed us straight into that pesky Annorax’s ship. It was a risky maneuver that ended up destroying both our vessels. However, it had an unexpected consequence – it collapsed the time manipulation Annorax was using, which ultimately caused everything to rewind. That meant Annorax went back to his own time, and for us, it was like we were starting the year all over again, this time without any issues.

Throughout the narrative, nearly every significant character meets their demise, necessitating a fresh start for the plotline. However, by delaying or even omitting major deaths (save for a single exception if desired), and refraining from restarting the plot, the concept could be maintained. Nonetheless, no matter what actions are taken, the story cannot be reset. If you were to string together multiple seasons’ worth of stories only to reset them at the end of season four, then an entire year’s worth of effort would have been invested into a tale that ultimately holds little significance.

It’s a real blow to my narrative as a storyteller. I can certainly adjust some elements, but not everything has to go back to square one. Some crucial characters might stay deceased, the Voyager crew could still remember the year, and they might be closer to Earth than ever. To wipe out all these developments, particularly any progress towards reaching Earth, would significantly undermine the series.

Especially when you realize that’s the core point of the show; to get home.

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2024-08-12 03:23

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