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Kes (Star Trek)
Encyclopedia
Kes (ˈkɛs) is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager
, played by Jennifer Lien
.
She was a regular for the first three seasons, leaving the show in the season four episode "The Gift". She made one guest appearance two seasons later.
, a race native to the Delta Quadrant, with a lifespan of only 9 years. In the series pilot, Kes is taken on board the USS Voyager crew with her partner, Neelix
, who was responsible for rescuing her from the Kazon
. Kes had been a slave of the Kazon after her attempt to escape the tedium of normal Ocampan life. She had also hoped to develop her psionic powers, which her ancestors were rumored to have possessed with great proficiency. The Ocampa's psionic powers were relatively unknown by that time because of the Ocampa lifestyle, which depended solely on the Caretaker
for provisions and protection.
During her time aboard Voyager, Kes develops a close friendship with the Doctor while working as his assistant medical technician. Kes receives medical training and helps the Doctor learn how to interact more easily with the crew. She also helps him develop social skills, such as helping him get a date with Vidiian
Dr. Denara Pel ("Lifesigns
"), and supporting him when he deals with the loss of his "daughter" in a holographic family simulation ("Real Life
"). Kes also becomes a friend and student of Tuvok
, who helps her develop and learn to control her psionic abilities.
In the episode "Warlord", Kes treats an Ilaran man carrying the consciousness of former Ilaran tyrant Tieran. Sensing Kes' powers, Tieran transfers his mind into her for his own goal of re-conquering Ilara, prompting Kes to steal a shuttlecraft to go to Ilara. Tieran is finally purged from her mind, but Kes is left somewhat traumatized from the violent acts she participated in. Tuvok tells her that she will have to learn and adapt from the experience, and that she will never be quite the same again. It is during this episode that Kes calls off her long-term romantic relationship with Neelix after she decides he is too jealous, suffocating, and protective.
In the episodes "Scorpion" and "The Gift", Voyager becomes entangled in a major conflict between the Borg and the mysterious aliens referred to as 'Species 8472
'. Due in part to her exposure to the powerful telepathic influx of Species 8472, Kes begins to "evolve" into a different state of being. She can no longer remain with Voyager, but before leaving, she uses her newly acquired powers to hurl Voyager and crew safely beyond Borg space, 9,500 light-years closer to Earth.
Kes later revisits Voyager in a story involving time travel
("Fury"). At this point she appears much older, is much more powerful, and is vengeful towards the Voyager crew. She travels to the past and attempts to hand the past Voyager over to the Vidiians while she takes her past self home, but this attempt is thwarted. Using their new foreknowledge of these events, the present Janeway and Tuvok create a hologram of Kes at the time who reminds her future self about her affection for the crew and how much they had cared for her, thus showing Kes how irrational her hatred is. The episode ends with her taking her ship back to Ocampa.
, and they have a daughter Linnis (named after Kes' mother). Linnis is married to Harry Kim
and they have a son named Andrew, grandson of Kes. At the beginning of the episode, Kes is nine years old and ready to accept her death at the normal age for Ocampans. The Doctor, however, is not, so he devises a bio-temporal chamber, which has the unintentional effect of reactivating chronotons dormant in Kes' body from her exposure to the chronoton torpedo several years earlier. This begins sending Kes on a backwards journey through her life. Kes becomes aware of what is happening, and once she has traveled back to the time corresponding to an earlier part of Voyager's conflict with the Krenim, she informs the Doctor in the past what is happening to her and relays the exact temporal frequency of the chronoton torpedo. This enables the Doctor to devise a treatment and restore Kes to normal temporal sync. It also renders the events of Kes' future, including her marriage to Tom Paris as well as her daughter Linnis, into an alternate timeline that never comes to pass. She is, however, still able to inform Captain Kathryn Janeway
about the coming "Year of Hell
". It's left unexplained why Voyagers crew is unaware of Kes' warning when they encounter the Krenim later in season 4, during the episodes of the same name (Season 4, episodes 8 and 9).
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, played by Jennifer Lien
Jennifer Lien
Jennifer Ann Lien is an American actress, known for playing the alien Kes on the television series Star Trek: Voyager.-Early life:...
.
She was a regular for the first three seasons, leaving the show in the season four episode "The Gift". She made one guest appearance two seasons later.
Character biography
Kes is an OcampaOcampa
Ocampa is the fictional home planet of the Ocampa, a fictional race of elf-like humanoids in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager....
, a race native to the Delta Quadrant, with a lifespan of only 9 years. In the series pilot, Kes is taken on board the USS Voyager crew with her partner, Neelix
Neelix
Mr. Neelix is a fictional character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. He is played by actor Ethan Phillips.-Fictional Biography:Mr. Neelix is a Talaxian originally from Rinax, a moon of the planet Talax, in the Delta quadrant, although his great-grandfather was Mylean. His entire family...
, who was responsible for rescuing her from the Kazon
Kazon
In the Star Trek fictional universe, the Kazon are a Delta Quadrant race. The Kazon are technologically inferior to the United Federation of Planets as it exists in the twenty-fourth century...
. Kes had been a slave of the Kazon after her attempt to escape the tedium of normal Ocampan life. She had also hoped to develop her psionic powers, which her ancestors were rumored to have possessed with great proficiency. The Ocampa's psionic powers were relatively unknown by that time because of the Ocampa lifestyle, which depended solely on the Caretaker
Caretaker (Voyager episode)
"Caretaker" is the first episode of Star Trek: Voyager. It was originally shown as one double-length episode, but has been split into two parts for repeats...
for provisions and protection.
During her time aboard Voyager, Kes develops a close friendship with the Doctor while working as his assistant medical technician. Kes receives medical training and helps the Doctor learn how to interact more easily with the crew. She also helps him develop social skills, such as helping him get a date with Vidiian
Vidiian
The Vidiians are a fictional race in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, located in the Delta Quadrant. The Vidiians suffer from a necrotizing plague called "the Phage"...
Dr. Denara Pel ("Lifesigns
Lifesigns
"Lifesigns" is the 35th episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 19th episode of the second season. It has an average fan rating of 4.2/5 on the official Star Trek website as of September, 2009.-Plot:...
"), and supporting him when he deals with the loss of his "daughter" in a holographic family simulation ("Real Life
Real Life (Voyager episode)
"Real Life" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 22nd episode of the third season.-Plot:The Doctor is proud of his new project. He's created a family for himself on the holodeck and is spending time with them to expand his potential...
"). Kes also becomes a friend and student of Tuvok
Tuvok
Tuvok is one of the main characters on the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Tuvok is a Vulcan who serves as the ship's chief of security and its chief tactical officer. Tim Russ portrayed Tuvok throughout the show's run, from 1995 to 2001....
, who helps her develop and learn to control her psionic abilities.
In the episode "Warlord", Kes treats an Ilaran man carrying the consciousness of former Ilaran tyrant Tieran. Sensing Kes' powers, Tieran transfers his mind into her for his own goal of re-conquering Ilara, prompting Kes to steal a shuttlecraft to go to Ilara. Tieran is finally purged from her mind, but Kes is left somewhat traumatized from the violent acts she participated in. Tuvok tells her that she will have to learn and adapt from the experience, and that she will never be quite the same again. It is during this episode that Kes calls off her long-term romantic relationship with Neelix after she decides he is too jealous, suffocating, and protective.
In the episodes "Scorpion" and "The Gift", Voyager becomes entangled in a major conflict between the Borg and the mysterious aliens referred to as 'Species 8472
Species 8472
Species 8472 is a fictional extraterrestrial race in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. They inhabit another dimension called fluidic space. These beings are rendered by animation from Foundation Imaging, Inc...
'. Due in part to her exposure to the powerful telepathic influx of Species 8472, Kes begins to "evolve" into a different state of being. She can no longer remain with Voyager, but before leaving, she uses her newly acquired powers to hurl Voyager and crew safely beyond Borg space, 9,500 light-years closer to Earth.
Kes later revisits Voyager in a story involving time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
("Fury"). At this point she appears much older, is much more powerful, and is vengeful towards the Voyager crew. She travels to the past and attempts to hand the past Voyager over to the Vidiians while she takes her past self home, but this attempt is thwarted. Using their new foreknowledge of these events, the present Janeway and Tuvok create a hologram of Kes at the time who reminds her future self about her affection for the crew and how much they had cared for her, thus showing Kes how irrational her hatred is. The episode ends with her taking her ship back to Ocampa.
Alternate bio
In the episode "Before and After", Kes participates in Voyager's year-long battle with the Krenim, becoming infected with particles from a chronoton torpedo. She later marries Tom ParisTom Paris
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Paris serves as the chief helmsman and an auxiliary medic aboard the USS Voyager...
, and they have a daughter Linnis (named after Kes' mother). Linnis is married to Harry Kim
Harry Kim (Star Trek)
Ensign Harry S. L. Kim, played by Garrett Wang, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. He serves as the USS Voyagers operations officer.-Depiction:...
and they have a son named Andrew, grandson of Kes. At the beginning of the episode, Kes is nine years old and ready to accept her death at the normal age for Ocampans. The Doctor, however, is not, so he devises a bio-temporal chamber, which has the unintentional effect of reactivating chronotons dormant in Kes' body from her exposure to the chronoton torpedo several years earlier. This begins sending Kes on a backwards journey through her life. Kes becomes aware of what is happening, and once she has traveled back to the time corresponding to an earlier part of Voyager's conflict with the Krenim, she informs the Doctor in the past what is happening to her and relays the exact temporal frequency of the chronoton torpedo. This enables the Doctor to devise a treatment and restore Kes to normal temporal sync. It also renders the events of Kes' future, including her marriage to Tom Paris as well as her daughter Linnis, into an alternate timeline that never comes to pass. She is, however, still able to inform Captain Kathryn Janeway
Kathryn Janeway
Kathryn Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew, is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. As the captain of the Starfleet starship USS Voyager, she was the lead character on the television series Star Trek: Voyager, and later, a Starfleet admiral, as seen in the 2002 feature film Star Trek...
about the coming "Year of Hell
Year of Hell (Voyager episode)
"Year of Hell" is a two-part episode from the fourth season of the television series Star Trek: Voyager.-Plot:A huge ship appears in the sky of a distant, alien colony and fires a massive beam, transforming the bustling city below to mountains and fields...
". It's left unexplained why Voyagers crew is unaware of Kes' warning when they encounter the Krenim later in season 4, during the episodes of the same name (Season 4, episodes 8 and 9).