Voyager 7x22 "Natural Law"

rating: **

the story: Chakotay and Seven end up marooned together.

what it's all about: The plot of "Natural Law" is itself interesting.  As with episodes from throughout the original series and Next Generation, there's an alien culture that has been protected by some ancient force from the outside world.  This is pertinent to Voyager, too, in a way that probably needs to be pointed out.  Of course, had Kes still been around, it wouldn't be necessary, but she isn't, so here it is: this is the exact setup of the Ocampa in the pilot, too.  I don't think this was coincidence.  In a way, it's a chance for the crew to atone for one of its original sins.

More significantly, it's the second of three times this season Chakotay and Seven are associated with each other.  In "Human Error," earlier, Seven considers Chakotay to be a potential romantic partner.  The final episode ("Endgame") reveals that this does in fact happen.  How?  Well, it's not hard to guess that "Natural Law" plays a big part.  Fans have been reluctant to acknowledge this because the episode itself doesn't admit any such connection, and so they consider it irrelevant and a missed opportunity.  But in a lot of ways, it's exactly as it should be.  For the series itself, it makes sense.  Voyager, after considerable serialization in the first two seasons, backed off the approach and became more episodic, although retaining the ability to build on developments from episode to episode, whether in Seven's overall arc or also beginning in the fourth season, contact with home, how it happened and eventually expanded.  This is really no different.  It fits for both characters, too.  Chakotay and Seven were atypically introverted for Star Trek characters.  Picard, and to a slightly lesser extent Worf, in Next Generation was, too, and yet as captain and a proudly intellectual individual it seemed easier to accept in him.  Odo in Deep Space Nine was as well, and yet he had a long association with Kira that allowed a constant window into his psyche.  Chakotay had had romantic tension with Janeway, and a tragic relationship with Seska, until he retreated almost completely inward.  Seven's journey was always a personal one, even if she had guidance along the way.  In the end there was no one she trusted more than herself.  It's not hard to see the attraction of someone as calm as Chakotay, especially once she spent time with him on a mission like this one.

criteria analysis:

• franchise - Plot harkens back to storytelling from multiple series.
• series - Unless you see the Ocampa analogy, it's easy to miss.
• character - Chakotay and Seven have a chance to bond.
• essential - It weakens the episode not to overtly make connections, but it doesn't completely diminish it.