Star Trek: Voyager (TV Series) Memorial (2000) User Reviews

Provocative use of sci-fi to up the ante

[GreyHunter · 8/10 · 11 January 2020]

The concept of memorials to atrocities and war is, sadly, something humanity has become familiar with. We have come to understand that monuments aren't necessarily remembrances of good, but can be reminders of evil. What any fan of sci-fi should be able to appreciate is how this episode uses science fiction to actually accomplish something with a real-world idea, the concept of living memory (not unique to this episode in ST terms, of course, with the most famous example being the TNG episode, "The Inner Light".)

Though the show mentions Khitomer and Gettysburg, and one reviewer brings up the Holocaust, this episode appears to be most directly related to the My Lai massacre, one of the more horrific atrocities by soldiers against unarmed civilians in recent memory (and one of the most appalling cases of miscarriage of justice in the aftermath.) The episode's lack of subtlety in this regard actually serves a function, reminding us that even the so-called "good guys" can commit terrible things when pushed past their breaking point, and even in the midst of evil, there can be a lot of very scared desperate people who would never have dreamed they were capable of such things. It's a powerful reminder, and Janeway's reasoning for recharging the memorial is a compelling one in that regard.

Speaking of Janeway's decision, I think at least a couple reviewers weren't paying attention when she very clearly states that they will, in addition to powering the memorial, put up a warning buoy so others who approach will know what to expect if they come close, giving them the choice to experience the memories or, you know, say "Nah" and move on. Janeway had to the foresight to protect both the memories and those who might unwittingly approach the monument and be treated to the same experience. That issue was anticipated and written into the script.

This episode gave me flashbacks of other episodes, but it surprised me at the end

[ragingrei · 8/10 · 10 September 2021]

It's another one about the crew being implanted with memories of a war that they may or may not have taken part in. I think there are at least two more such episodes, at least one of which was in Voyager -- the one where Chakotay thinks he was part of a war.

This is one of those episodes where the very last decision turned it around instantly and made it all worth it.

Others seem to disagree about the ending, but there are plenty of photos and videos from our history that can easily be permanently scarring even without being as vivid as implanted memories.

They're among the most important media we have, even if not all of us are going to view them. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that in real life, destroying those records would be considered a crime against humanity.

A warning beacon is a perfectly fair compromise.

Great concept and multiple strong performances

[snoozejonc · 7/10 · 20 July 2020]

Voyager crew start having distressing flashbacks to an event where atrocities were committed against civilians. Seven of Nine is on the case to solve a refreshingly unpredictable mystery.

Lots of strong performances in this one as multiple characters suffer the effects of PTSD. Ethan Phillips in particular stands out playing the Neelix character not only distressed from the visions but from the worry of having Naomi Wildman bear witness to one of his episodes.

My favourite scene is the exchange between Neelix and Seven of Nine regarding how she deals with difficult memories of actions taken whilst part of the Borg collective.

The eventual resolution is handled sensibly with Janeway delivering a compromised solution to the problem. (Caution when reading some of the other more negative reviews that seem to miss one very important detail in this matter)

Rather interesting.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 2 March 2015]

A shuttle has been away for a couple weeks on an exhausting mission. Oddly, however, these crew members start behaving rather strangely after their return. They show definite signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and they all have recollections of having been in a war and participating in a massacre! How is this possible? They were only gone two weeks and no fighting seems to have actually occurred. However, when they go to investigate the area of space where the shuttle had been, folks who weren't even on this original mission also start having these same sorts of symptoms and memories. How is this possible?!

The episode is a very creative way to address this psychological phenomenon, which, by the way, was also dealt with a big in "Star Trek: Deep Space 9". Overall, very good and worth seeing.

Good overall but silly, illogical ending

[cheesus-895-673869 · 6/10 · 2 December 2019]

It is an interesting premise and well structured story throughout. Unfortunately the end is really silly and botched. The ending may appeal to certain people but, from a rational perspective, it is immoral. I will not divulge any spoilers.

The episode unfolds in a manner which gets one thinking. Eventually it becomes apparent what has been happening. People's actions and reactions indicate good acting and the story and imagery is realistic. The problem is that, with a little thought, it can be seen that the actions taken at the end will almost certainly lead to severe problems for others.

Never Forget

[spasek · 9/10 · 22 June 2021]

Imagine if you could relive historical events rather than just read about them in a book. The closest thing we have to this is movies and television to try and recapture and to put front and center what it would be like to be there.

Imagine experiencing the Holocaust, or the charge of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment on Fort Wagner, or the stand of the 300 against the Persian army, being a slave, and so on and so on.

Of course, these events would leave a far more powerful effect upon a person who was there than someone who can scarcely appreciate its scope and magnitude on a screen. Someone who lived through the Holocaust or has fought in a war can never truly share the experience with someone who has not experienced it for themselves because they could never fully comprehend it. I was told the same thing after serving in the United States Peace Corps. It turned out to be true.

This is a powerful episode that challenges people to not forget the most horrific incidents in history, but to remember them so that, perhaps, they won't be commited in the future. The famous quote, "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

It's easy to forget, and most people would choose that option because they don't want to experience the pain. But pain is what helps to choose to NOT do something again, which is why pain is such an important and powerful tool for remembering and learning.

In the end, I admired Janeway and Neelix who understood why the memorial had to, not only remain intact, but to also serve a reminder to not repeat the same mistakes. This is why people should never forget.

Lest we forget

[tomsly-40015 · 6/10 · 21 January 2024]

An interesting episode, which is once again ruined by a questionable "I am the captain" decision by Janeway at the end and thus leaves a bad aftertaste.

After being plagued by memories of a gruesome battle in which they apparently murdered innocent settlers during a rescue operation and then covered their tracks, the crew comes across a transmitter on the planet in question, which was built there as a memorial 300 years ago. It has since transmitted these memories as a vivid reminder to everyone who comes near this planet.

Chakotay, Tuvok and the others want to end the transmission because the memories caused trauma to the crew and Neelix almost shot his friends when he began to hallucinate. Who knows what such mind manipulation can do to species that are less mentally stable than Vulcans or humans. In addition, it is impossible to predict what long-term consequences these terrible memories that are now burned into the crew's minds will have. However, Janeway isn't convinced to simply shut down this memorial. Instead, she ensures that it will have enough energy to send its message for at least another 300 years - and has a warning buoy placed around the planet to warn other ships of what they are getting into.

It is important to remember terrible events in history so we do not make the same mistakes several times again. However, you also have to have a connection to these incidents and these cultures. In six years, Voyager has passed countless planets where numerous atrocities and war crimes have certainly been committed over the last 300 years. If Janeway had stopped every time to remember those killed and fallen, they would probably still be in Kazon territory. In addition: The crew has no connection to this planet or its former inhabitants. Even with knowledge of this event, they will not be able to prevent any future conflicts in this civilization (if it still exists). And it was probably drilled into Starfleet officers at the academy that innocent civilians should be protected and not shot at. Torturing them with traumatic images is nothing more than coercion. They aren't going to become even better and more moral beings in the end by just reliving these memories as if they were their own.

Janeway probably had to make the decision to keep the transmission active in order to reinforce the moral message of this episode. Logically speaking, however, a Starfleet captain should have acted differently. Janeway could have simply placed a large plaque at the memorial with the events written down for posterity. Or an audio and video recording. There is no reason to simply allow a potentially dangerous mind-manipulation machine to continue transmitting.

Never Again

[orenw14 · 9/10 · 21 August 2018]

As a Jew I find this to be one of the most memorable and important episodes, a great parallel to the Holocaust a quality remake of "That Which Survives"

Moderately interesting with a stupid ending

[johncarson-44057 · 1/10 · 16 April 2020]

The plot of this story, is that an an old alien race embeds traumatic memories into anyone passing by their star system as a way to memorialize a tragic event, creating ptsd in the crew. At the end Janeway, instead of dismantling the device, decides to fix it and power it to honor the event. This flies in the face of starfleet, it's values, and it's prime directive. Forcing PTSD memories on random passerby's doesn't seem like something any starfleet officer would condone, much less intervene to restore the tech and power it for another 300 years. It just seems somewhat unbelievable.

Hammering home the message.

[thevacinstaller · 8/10 · 12 February 2023]

Look, I get in man. However, if you mind rape me with actual memories of holocaust victims or those slaughtered in Rwanda --- well, I am coming for you for revenge because you have essentially mind raped me. The crew of Voyager now has permanent psychological damage to mention nothing of serious PTSD. Now the Doctor has to double as a counselor because Tom Paris is going to have a flashback the next time the Borg attack and he will curl up into a sweaty ball on the floor.

Is there something to be said about those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it ---- so, let's make them actually live through it?

My problems are philosophical / ethical with this but I do enjoy a challenging star trek episode and I even enjoy (often greatly) an episode of star trek that goes against my beliefs. In terms of being an episode worthy of discussion or debate this one is a success in my book and an interesting concept.

Was pretty darn interesting till they totally fudged up the ending...

[grimdugald · 2/10 · 15 June 2016]

OK, firstly, I'm writing this to "balance the books", as they say. I noticed there were only two other reviews for this episode. And in spite of the fact the overall score was only at 7.0 at the time of my writing this, both those existing reviews (positive as they are) might leave somebody approaching this episode with an overly positive outlook on its supposed goodness, in my humble opinion.

So, here are my thoughts on this episode. It was quite interesting. It was well acted, and dramatized, in my humble opinion...then the Producers had to go all 21st Sucktury TV Standard on us, and make Janeway into an IDIOT again...for a change. Now, I LOVE Janeway - WHEN the writers aren't turning her into a moron who makes questionable choices, and comes to make equally questionable decisions. And, oh yeah, behaves ERRATICALLY. As Seven might say, there's a reason "erratic" is over half way to spelling ERROR. OK, so maybe she wouldn't say that lol, I'm don't know. My point however, still stands.

These Producers did this trick with Archer, in Enterprise - much to my utter disdain. But, in case you aren't familiar with this show, they occasionally did this with Janeway too - though perhaps not in as annoying a way. Maybe that's my liking for Janeway coming through. When they're not making her into a moron, it's my opinion that she's a sweetypie - and a VERY capable Captain. But they sometimes make her make STUPID choices. On occasion, said choices SEEM stupid at first, but then we realize she might be/is right. And is, in fact, being a good leader. This, is NOT one of those occasions.

Now, some might say something like, "But we all make mistakes, and we're all only human. Of COURSE she makes mistakes!", but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm addressing those moments where an established character seems to behave out of character, and make a choice SO stupid that it's unforgivable. A sort of LOGIC choice where it's OBVIOUS what would be the correct choice to make. What they did here, at the end of this episode, is make Janeway make a choice which would result in bringing about suffering - WORSE SUFFERING THAN THE CREW THEMSELVES EXPERIENCED IN THIS EPISODE - upon others. And it was ALL done in the name of "Avoiding future similar tragedies like this from ever happening again".

...You know how you take a big butcher knife out of your kitchen drawer?...And you proceed to go up to your 5 year old kid, kneel down beside them, and say to them, "You know how I say that knives can be very dangerous, and you have to be very careful when handling them?"?...And your child says, "Yes"....And then you then say to them, "Well, this is the reason why...This is what can happen if you don't treat them with respect, and great care...", and you proceed to saw through your forearm, till the blood is free-flowing and they can hear the sound of the teeth of the serrated blade, sawing against the bone of your arm? YEAH? You know those moments when you do this exact kind of thing? Well, that's this show's ending. ;P When I say 21st Sucktury TV Standard, maybe that makes more sense now lol... ;) I do hope so. Cause this kind of idiotic talking down to the viewing public is common place in 2016. It's been going on for 20+ years now, but it's never been as bad as it is now.

Sooooo, anyways...I do hope this review didn't bore you! I hope it shone a light on some important stuff, and was of use to you. I nearly forgot an important point most would-be viewers will want to know - "Can you skip this episode?". YES. The answer, thankfully, is yes - if you so choose. It won't have any real bearing on anything. You might wish to watch it once, then not bother again. Personally, I wouldn't have bothered, if I'd have known the manner of its ending in advance, though. But the choice is yours, of course.

I rate it 8 for the acting (apart from Neelix's/Janeway's toward the end - which was, in fact, just cruddy script writing/Producing). Overall, I feel I MUST give it an Episode Score of 2, however. Live long, and prosper...

Memories of War

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 12 April 2010]

When Tom, Harry, Chakotay and Neelix return from a two week away mission they find themselves haunted by nightmares of a massacre that they have no memory of initially. They also start to have flashbacks which in Neelix's case cause him to believe he and Naomi Wildman are in danger and he draws a phaser and fires on the ships security personnel which understandable scares Naomi. When it becomes clear that the four of them are sharing the same nightmares they come to believe that they must have been involved in the massacre but have had their memories suppressed. As Voyager retraces their movements other members of the crew begin to remember taking part in the events; something they clearly couldn't have been. When they beam down to the surface they recognise the scenery but their is no sign of a recent massacre, they do however find what looks like a memorial and in the caves where Harry recalls killing two people they find two three hundred year old skeletons.

This was a pretty good episode which kept me interested in finding out just what the four people on the away mission had been involved in. The final reason gave a satisfactory conclusion to the story.

A very powerful message

[micjammusic · 9/10 · 10 June 2021]

I've watched this episode numerous times and never fails to affect me. But something puzzles me: I've read a few reviews where the reviewers state that the writers fudged the ending. I'd be interested to know what it was they were expecting.

Fun. Outcome not well done.

[smiledaydream · 5/10 · 6 April 2021]

The conclusion is definitely beneath Star Trek intelligence. Better story than script. I find that a bit annoying. Here and there the captain makes a decision that is unique and special. At some point I guess they decided the captain could just make any stupid decision and it could fit into a story. Star Trek is an important show for a lot of people. Don't destroy the characters.

How'd They Do That?

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 12 September 2018]

This is a gripping episode as four of the stars experience horrible guilt after returning from planetary mission. They find themselves in the middle of battles where a huge number of innocent civilians (men, women, and children) are slaughtered. To make matters worse, they believe they committed many of these murders. Soon other members of the crew start to feel they participated as well. It turns out that proximity to one of the planets is at the center of this. One big criticism is Janeway's ignoring the pain of her crew to confront these dreams.

A more rational alternative

[markbyrn-1 · 4/10 · 21 February 2024]

Imagine if you passed by a memorial about the horrors of war that was designed to forcibly and unknowingly implant false memories of you committing atrocities in that war. Such a device would, in fact, be considered a weapon as it purposely inflicted psychological damage, and its 'anti-war' designers would be considered sadistic criminals.

This is exactly what happened in this episode of Voyager as the crew passed an uninhabited planet that contained the remnants of war and this memorial device that attacked the crew. Rather than destroy the device, the crew decided to fix it up and leave a warning buoy behind. It's insanely irrational but a simple rewrite would have made for a still great but rational story.

Instead of the designers intentionally producing this bio-psycho weapon posing as a memorial, the memorial would offer those who came by an opportunity to experience the historical events like how Captain Picard experienced a lost culture in the Inner Light episode. For dramatic purposes, the Memorial would malfunction due to lack of maintenance, and the crew would experience false memories of committing the atrocities. Then, the crew would find and fix the memorial to ensure it does what it was designed to do.

Excellent episode

[leadfootjen · 10/10 · 5 April 2024]

I have so much emotion after watching this, I don't know where to start. Every person who wants to wage war or erase history should see this. And realize that erasing history means being destined to repeat the same atrocities over and over and over, without end. Memorials are meant to remind people of events that happened, so that they do not occur again, letting those who come after learn from their mistakes. Yet the ignorant do just that by tearing memorials down, destroying them, or hiding them away. If others were forced to relive the wartime experiences of those who had been there, war would not continue to break out. No one in their right mind would desire to experience death, destruction, starvation, sickness, or injuries without medicine. "No words can express what happened here, only seeing it" (or something along those lines, per the inscription on the obelisk.