Course: Oblivion (3 Mar. 1999)

A slight respite seems to be in order but some mysterious force is affecting the very fabric of Voyager itself. To solve the mystery this crew must retrace their steps to see what went wrong.

Director:

Anson Williams

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Rick Berman (creator),

Stars:

Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Kate Mulgrew	...	Captain Kathryn Janeway
Robert Beltran	...	Chakotay
Roxann Dawson	...	B'Elanna Torres
Robert Duncan McNeill	...	Tom Paris
Ethan Phillips	...	Neelix
Robert Picardo	...	The Doctor
Tim Russ	...	Tuvok
Jeri Ryan	...	Seven of Nine
Garrett Wang	...	Harry Kim
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Majel Barrett	...	Voyager Computer (voice)

Storyline

Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres tie the knot. The enhanced warp drive is up and running and promises to deliver Voyager home in 2+ years. The honeymoon is put on hold when the new core radiation starts breaking down the molecular cohesion of the ship and it's crew. When B'Elanna dies, Tuvok and Chakotay realize everyone and everything are not the originals; they are the silver-blood copies left behind on the "Demon Class" planet ten months ago. As the crew continues to die, Chakotay tries to convince Janeway to return to the Demon planet, reminding her that Earth is not their home.

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Plot Keywords:

24th century

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 March 1999 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Network Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

At the end of this episode, Captain Janeway says, "Mr. Paris, resume course." To which Ensign Paris replies, "Aye, Sir." It was established early on in the series that Janeway is addressed by the crew as "Captain" or "Ma'am in a crunch." Paris would never intentionally address her as "Sir".

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Quotes

[first lines]
Neelix: [At Tom and B'Elanna's wedding] Are you sure this rice isn't supposed to be cooked? Steamed? Fried...
The Doctor: The idea is to shower the couple with a symbol of good fortune, not garnish them like a roast chicken.

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Soundtracks

"Star Trek: Voyager - Main Title"
(uncredited)
Written by Jerry Goldsmith
Performed by Jay Chattaway

User Reviews

"We are all duplicates. None of us are real..."

This is the way the world ends... The crew of Voyager face a nightmare of monumental proportions when they discover that none of them are who they think they are. Wow. What a startling, eerie concept. Most of the crew seem to take this terrible revelation in stride, though. I mean really, when you think about it, what choice do they have, if not to go forward? I could see how, if you're not a Voyager fan or Star Trek in general, that there are certain things about this episode which could be seen as laughable. Take for instance, the makeup of the melting(oh, what a world!) crew. On most of them it looks nothing so much as bits of porridge stuck to their faces. It looks very cheap and silly, with the exceptions of Harry Kim, Seven of Nine, and Neelix. For some reason they seemed to look different and more impressive. I just love Neelix in pizza mode! Also I think Kate Mulgrew's performance in this is one that could be seen as comical, as further into the story she sounds really groggy and almost drunk-more so than usual! And then of course there's the big glaring "goofs" of the replicated ship and the way it catches up to the real deal despite them being over twenty-thousand light-years apart! But if you're only watching this episode concentrating on things like that then you're just to ruin it for yourself. Go with the flow! I mainly enjoy it for how moving it is, and it really is quite the gut-wrencher! This to me is probably the most moving episode of the series-matched only by the Year of Hell two parter. This is the only time for me during the show that I found myself really mad at Janeway for her decisions. She's a true duplicate, right down to the trademark stubbornness. She was a fool to squander the precious time that could have saved them by carrying on the "course of oblivion" to Earth, and unknowingly sealing their fates. It's such an enormously tragic story, and it was just terrible to see the crew members die-even the ones I don't care about! I'm aware that they're not the real crew, but for me that knowledge doesn't make the proceedings any less devastating. The mind's aware that they're false, but, at the risk of sounding a little sappy, the heart's not listening! It's all so very grim, the way they are so violently turned away from the planet that could've saved them, and the way they lose the precious capsule that proved they ever existed, so they don't even get to have that cold comfort. A scene that brought tears to my eyes was the one where the captain passes away. I just found it really upsetting the way she touches his hand just before everything. And at the bitter end, when all that's left is a cloud of dust, slowly dissipating to nothing in the cool blackness of space, the feeling is utter desolation. What the hell was it all for? What did their brief existence mean, if it ever really meant anything at all? Haunting questions that can never be answered. And of course the real tragedy was that no one would ever know... The reason I don't give this a ten is that ending. It's like, you're still sad the crew has just been erased, but then here comes a whole new crew that's alive and well once again! It's a very strange mixed-up sensation. They're dead, but right here. They never died at all, as they are them, and they were they-but they did! Y'know? It's like the rug being pulled from under you, and completely abrupt. In season four's 'Demons' the clones all started with Harry Kim, and in this episode they end with him. This is a most excellent, emotionally powerful episode and I just love it. I love how it doesn't compromise. There is no happy ending, but I like how they carried on up till the very end. Never give up. Perhaps that's something positive to take from the story if you must. Or not. Thanks.