Kes (Star Trek)
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| Kes | |
 Kes |
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| Species | Ocampa |
|---|---|
| Home planet | Ocampa |
| Affiliation | Starfleet |
| Posting | USS Voyager medical assistant |
| Portrayed by | Jennifer Lien |
Kes 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.
[edit] Character Bio
Kes is an Ocampa, one of an elf-like race native to the Delta Quadrant, with a lifespan of only 9 years. Her father's name is Benaren. Early on in the series, 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 during her attempt to escape the tedium of normal Ocampan life, in the hopes of developing her psionic powers, which her ancestors were rumored to have possessed with great proficiency. Kes' psionic powers were then relatively unknown because of the Ocampan lifestyle, which depended solely on the Caretaker for provisions and protection.
During her time aboard Voyager, Kes develops a close friendly relationship with the Doctor 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. Danara 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 "Before and After", Kes participates in Voyager's year-long battle with the Krenim, becoming infected with particles from a chronoton torpedo. Kes marries Tom Paris, 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 this time, 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. Unfortunately, it also renders the events of Kes' future, including her marriage to Tom Paris as well as her daughter Linnis, into an alternate timeline which never comes to pass. She is, however, still able to inform Captain Kathryn Janeway about the coming "Year of Hell".
Kes has a long-term romantic relationship with Neelix, the ship's cook, but later calls it off after she decides he is too jealous, suffocating and protective.
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. After Tieran enters her mind, Kes secretly steals a shuttlecraft to go to Ilara. After the entire ordeal is resolved, Tieran is purged from her mind, and 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.
Voyager later becomes entangled in a major conflict between the Borg and the mysterious aliens referred to as 'Species 8472' ("Scorpion"). Due in part to her exposure to the powerful telepathic influx of Species 8472, Kes soon 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 ("The Gift"). Just before Kes leaves, Neelix admits that he has been holding her back, and she responds that she still loves him.
Kes later revisits Voyager in a story involving time travel ("Fury"). At this point she appears much older, much more powerful, and vengeful towards the Voyager crew. Fortunately, after she abruptly travels to the past, her initial attempt to hand the past Voyager over to the Vidiians while she takes her past self home 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.
Kes brings a great deal of joy to Voyager's crew. Her youthful exuberance, her curiosity, and her compassion make her a favorite with the crew. Though young and in many ways naive, she has great presence of mind and resourcefulness.
[edit] External links
- Kes article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki
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