Meld
- Episode aired Feb 5, 1996
- TV-PG
- 46m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
Tuvok mind-melds with a murderous Maquis crewman to better understand the roots of serial killing, losing control of himself in the process.Tuvok mind-melds with a murderous Maquis crewman to better understand the roots of serial killing, losing control of himself in the process.Tuvok mind-melds with a murderous Maquis crewman to better understand the roots of serial killing, losing control of himself in the process.
Roxann Dawson
- Lt. B'Elanna Torres
- (as Roxann Biggs-Dawson)
Johnetta Anderson
- Holographic Bar Patron
- (uncredited)
John Copage
- Science Division Officer
- (uncredited)
Damaris Cordelia
- Security Guard
- (uncredited)
Debbie David
- Lt. Russell
- (uncredited)
- …
Tarik Ergin
- Lt. Ayala
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode marks the first appearance of Voyager's brig.
- GoofsSuder is usually referred to as Crewman Lon Suder, except for when Captain Janeway is making an entry in her log, calling him Ensign Lon Suder.
Featured review
RELEASE THE FORCE FIELD!!
This is a very interesting exposition of the Vulcanian ability to meld.
In TNG "Sarek", we learned that this is much more than a one-way operation, from Spock to Van Gelder or Spock to Horta. When Spock was melding with the Horta, he became the Horta, including that creatures' concern for her children. As he became Simon Van Gelder and his fear of the Neural Neutralizer.
Consequently when Picard was melding with Sarek, of course it had the desired effect of granting Sarek emotional control in the face of his "Bandai Syndrome"... But it also had the undesired effect of distributing personal information from Sarek into Picards brain. Too much information, in fact. But, which had a mutually beneficial effect.
However, when it comes to Suder and Tuvok, I don't think Tuvix' motivation for melding with Suder was honest or valid.
For one thing, Tuvok was seeking the answer to the question, "what motivated Suder to perform a particular heinous act?" A question that does not really have an answer.
I think most human beings and even holograms programmed by human beings understand this without much trouble.
But Vulcananians? Especially Vulcanians who have participated in the Emotion-Purging process of Kohlinahr, will obviously not get it, ever.
Tuvix does not give valid reasons for his desire to participate in this Meld. If all he was searching for was a reason, a motivation. It was a frivolous use of his brain powers.
It is, it was in fact, cheating.
Because by all human definitions, there will never be a reason for that activity given.
And as Sudor is not actually a human being, being a full blooded Betazoid, like Luwaxana, daughter of the fifth house, holder of the sacred chalice of Riix, he would also not have the same kind of reasoning given by a human being. As Betazoids are receptive to much higher doses of emotion than Humans or Vulcanians are.
Suder was the one who tried to discourage Tuvix from this activity. But in the end, the promise of gaining personal control over certain demons appealed to Suder. Even though Suder was concerned that Tuvix would probably not be able to tolerate what he was going to deposit, in return for that personal control.
So it was Suder who made out like a bandit with this deal, he benefitted the most.
Fortunately Tuvox had the wisdom to stick himself behind a force field before bad things started to happen, very bad things.
Tuvox had one other incident in season 4 where he had a brain explosion of violent imagery, on the planet of telepath's that were stealing random violent thoughts from non-telepathic visitors. (The planet where Be'tor was a police woman).
It was fun to watch Tuvok lose all personal control and dignity...
RELEASE THE FORCE FIELD!!
At the very end of the episode, Suder has become a new, different person: he calls the Bridge to tell them what had happened... And he gently picks up Tuvok. That action This was a very different Lon Suder, and by the time "The Basics" 1 & 2 roll out, Suder finally knows what he can do, "for the ship".
In TNG "Sarek", we learned that this is much more than a one-way operation, from Spock to Van Gelder or Spock to Horta. When Spock was melding with the Horta, he became the Horta, including that creatures' concern for her children. As he became Simon Van Gelder and his fear of the Neural Neutralizer.
Consequently when Picard was melding with Sarek, of course it had the desired effect of granting Sarek emotional control in the face of his "Bandai Syndrome"... But it also had the undesired effect of distributing personal information from Sarek into Picards brain. Too much information, in fact. But, which had a mutually beneficial effect.
However, when it comes to Suder and Tuvok, I don't think Tuvix' motivation for melding with Suder was honest or valid.
For one thing, Tuvok was seeking the answer to the question, "what motivated Suder to perform a particular heinous act?" A question that does not really have an answer.
I think most human beings and even holograms programmed by human beings understand this without much trouble.
But Vulcananians? Especially Vulcanians who have participated in the Emotion-Purging process of Kohlinahr, will obviously not get it, ever.
Tuvix does not give valid reasons for his desire to participate in this Meld. If all he was searching for was a reason, a motivation. It was a frivolous use of his brain powers.
It is, it was in fact, cheating.
Because by all human definitions, there will never be a reason for that activity given.
And as Sudor is not actually a human being, being a full blooded Betazoid, like Luwaxana, daughter of the fifth house, holder of the sacred chalice of Riix, he would also not have the same kind of reasoning given by a human being. As Betazoids are receptive to much higher doses of emotion than Humans or Vulcanians are.
Suder was the one who tried to discourage Tuvix from this activity. But in the end, the promise of gaining personal control over certain demons appealed to Suder. Even though Suder was concerned that Tuvix would probably not be able to tolerate what he was going to deposit, in return for that personal control.
So it was Suder who made out like a bandit with this deal, he benefitted the most.
Fortunately Tuvox had the wisdom to stick himself behind a force field before bad things started to happen, very bad things.
Tuvox had one other incident in season 4 where he had a brain explosion of violent imagery, on the planet of telepath's that were stealing random violent thoughts from non-telepathic visitors. (The planet where Be'tor was a police woman).
It was fun to watch Tuvok lose all personal control and dignity...
RELEASE THE FORCE FIELD!!
At the very end of the episode, Suder has become a new, different person: he calls the Bridge to tell them what had happened... And he gently picks up Tuvok. That action This was a very different Lon Suder, and by the time "The Basics" 1 & 2 roll out, Suder finally knows what he can do, "for the ship".
helpful•42
- XweAponX
- Jul 31, 2022
Details
- Runtime46 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3
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