When a main Star Trek character (crew member) does something morally wrong.

[Klosterheim]

When a main Star Trek character (crew member) does something morally wrong.

Please name one of the main crew of any Star Trek TV Series that has done something morally wrong, list who & what they did and what you think about it.

What can be included are those under the influence of drugs, alien contact, electronic games, Orion Slave Girls, mind control, technology mishaps, bad judgement etc.

Also, and perhaps especially those characters that you think were wrong in an action or choice, who were functioning with a clear mind and train of thought that was not interfered with during the decision making process. A sound body as well.

And, we can still discuss any character who does something unacceptable in Federation society, who has a physical or mental illness,wound or disability.

I'd like to read what you come up with,

Thanks!

[enyawd72]

The worst one that comes to mind is Captain Janeway from the Voyager episode "Tuvix"

It's one of the best Trek episodes of any series IMO. Tuvok and Neelix are killed and fused into a new being during a transporter accident. The new being...Tuvix, is neither one of them. He is a completely independent individual with his own consciousness and personality. Months later a way is found to reverse the accident, but there's just one problem...Tuvix doesn't want to die. He will cease to exist. Janeway orders him to go through the process and when he refuses he is chased down and forced to do it.

This was wrong on so many levels...the deaths of Tuvok and Neelix were accidental. But to intentionally kill Tuvix in order to bring them back was just unbelievably immoral. He literally begs for his life and is ignored.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Yeah, that's going to be hard to top. It's pretty reprehensible.

Of course "The Enemy Within" comes to mind. "Evil" Kirk attempts to rape Janice Rand. It's a really uncomfortable scene to watch. It would be even harder to swallow if Shatner wasn't so over-the-top hammy as the bad Kirk.

Geordi having a love affair with that holographic version of an engineer he found attractive was kind of skeevy. It kind of surprised me they went there with that character.

Chris

[rykerw1701]

In First Contact, Picard shoots a crewman who is being taken over by Borg technology, but is still human. Could he have been saved as Picard himself was? Or did Picard save him from a worse fate and deprive the Borg of another drone? It's morally ambiguous.

[jwyblejr]

^Worse part with that is it was pointed out Picard was enjoying doing the shooting.

[Sideshow Spock]

The worst one that comes to mind is Captain Janeway from the Voyager episode "Tuvix"

It's one of the best Trek episodes of any series IMO. Tuvok and Neelix are killed and fused into a new being during a transporter accident. The new being...Tuvix, is neither one of them. He is a completely independent individual with his own consciousness and personality. Months later a way is found to reverse the accident, but there's just one problem...Tuvix doesn't want to die. He will cease to exist. Janeway orders him to go through the process and when he refuses he is chased down and forced to do it.

This was wrong on so many levels...the deaths of Tuvok and Neelix were accidental. But to intentionally kill Tuvix in order to bring them back was just unbelievably immoral. He literally begs for his life and is ignored.

I don't think this synopsis is entirely fair. A good portion of the episode consists of Janeway, Tuvix, and others discussing and agonizing over the moral implications of killing Tuvix by restoring Tuvok and Neelix. It's a compelling moral dilemma, and I think the ep does a fine job of exploring both arguments.

[Sideshow Spock]

Geordi having a love affair with that holographic version of an engineer he found attractive was kind of skeevy. It kind of surprised me they went there with that character.

Other than she rubbing his "tense" shoulders a bit as they struggled to solve a problem, there really was nothing physical to it, altho obviously Geordi did have quite the crush.

[enyawd72]

I don't think this synopsis is entirely fair. A good portion of the episode consists of Janeway, Tuvix, and others discussing and agonizing over the moral implications of killing Tuvix by restoring Tuvok and Neelix. It's a compelling moral dilemma, and I think the ep does a fine job of exploring both arguments.

Yes, it does...however, it doesn't change a thing. Tuvok and Neelix were accidentally killed. Tuvix was summarily executed against his will. Totally different. Janeway can try to justify that all she wants. She murdered him to get her friends back.

[Sideshow Spock]

Yes, it does...however, it doesn't change a thing. Tuvok and Neelix were accidentally killed. Tuvix was summarily executed against his will. Totally different. Janeway can try to justify that all she wants. She murdered him to get her friends back.

Technically Tuvok and Neelix weren't "killed", they were fused. The Doctor quickly theorized that the process might be able to be reversed after some research, which is what ended up happening. So I can understand her stance in wanting to restore two friends that weren't, in fact, dead.

The writers obviously did Janeway no favors. The characters of Tuvok and Neelix WERE coming back, and they could have solved the problem in other ways, such as having the transporter separate Neelix and Tuvok while still maintaining Tuvix, who could then, I dunno, get dropped off at the nearest planet. Or Janeway could have respected Tuvix's wish to live, and then let Tuvix come to his own determination (after experiencing nightmares, schizophrenia, etc) that separating was the way to go.

[enyawd72]

Or Janeway could have respected Tuvix's wish to live, and then let Tuvix come to his own determination (after experiencing nightmares, schizophrenia, etc) that separating was the way to go.

THAT would have been interesting...personally I loved the character of Tuvix.
I found him to be more interesting than either Tuvok or Neelix. The actor who played him did an amazing job. He truly seemed a fusion of the two.

[sprytel]

In ST:TMP, Kirk's vanity in taking over the Enterprise from Decker... causing a number of issues, and arguably contributing to the transporter accident.
Kirk's cheat of the Kobayashi Maru simulation.
Spock "killing" Kirk just in the hope to get some hot Pon'farr action.

But I guess it really comes down to what is "morally wrong". Is the Corbomite maneuver morally wrong because it is based on deceit? Would you consider what happens to Gary Mitchell or Edith Keeler morally wrong? Or do the ends justify the means? (which is a question itself that Star Trek explored often)

[Sideshow Spock]

These two clips go together.

[Sideshow Spock]

[HardyGirl]

Don't know all the titles, but let's see...

1) Yes, I agree w/ The Enemy Within
2) TNG: When Data gets emotions and is in league w/ Lore and abducts Captain Picard and Geordi.
3) Voyager: In Darklord where a dying warlord takes over Kes's body and is determined to retake his home planet. And Darkling where the Doctor tries to enhance his program and all the negative traits take over and his tries to murder Kes' love interest
4) Star Trek Continues: Come Not Between the Dragons. Where Usdi's father spreads a wave of anger over the ship's crew and Captain Kirk tries to choke a crew member to death. (And before you say this isn't an actual Star Trek series, Rod Roddenberry says this show is canon, so it counts!)

[Klosterheim]

Good examples. I do often think about the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode. Interesting things to think about. Fantastic material and ideas.