Talk:Equinox (episode)

Entire cast claim
Are we absolutely sure that this episode is the only time the entire senior staff are assembled on the Bridge? I'm pretty sure they were all there during "Night" as well, just before they begin their attack on the vortex. Davery06 18:05, 11 June 2006 (UTC)
 * I removed that note, because they were all there during "Night" so it doesn't make much sense. I'm also pretty sure there were other episodes where they were all there... - AJ Halliwell 18:36, 5 July 2006 (UTC)
 * They also appear on the bridge at the beginning of together, watching the supernova. --Jörg 14:21, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

Hi there - don't know if anyone will read this, but does anyone else think Janeway was out of order in her reaction to what the Equinox crew had done? After all Ransom was right when he justified sacrificing aliens that were more like pimal animals rather than intelligent lifeforms for salvation. What should he have done? blown the ship up? just kept going till all he crew were dead? Also, compared with voyagers superior engines, modifications and weaponry, the Equinox didn't have a hope in hell of reaching the alpha quadrent in one piece. I personally feel they did everything they could and that he was acting in the best interests of his crew. Janeway obviously didn't give a toss as to their predicament after she found out the poor little floaty aliens were being killed. She should have taken into account the condition they were in prior to the biginning of the equinox's "crimes" half or more of the crew were dead, the survivors were on the brink of starving to death, all remaining fuel for warp travel was depleted, pathetic weaponry, heavy damage - all this went out the window as soon as she learnt of the poor aliens in her spotless ready room. She even goes so far as to accuse the entire crew of equinox of doing this. I hated Janeway after this incident! Arghhhhhh lol as the old sayings go "desperate times call for desperate measures" and "survival of the fittest" - the Ancari are also responsible, knowing how desperate Ransom's lot were. They were as much to blame.


 * That's idiotic. How were the Arcani supposed to know that the aliens' bodies would turn into fuel? 68.124.23.146 02:44, 18 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Besides: Janeway wasn't judging the Equinox crew and command for trying to survive. She was just rightly judging their transgressions as criminal and unbecoming of Starfleet officers. She also was in a position to prevent further atrocities against the creatures. Why wouldn't she act on it? Furthermore: As Janeway could help the Equinox crew survive after that point, the Equinox command's insistence on continuing to abuse the creatures earned them her wrath: it was abominable to opt for their own homecoming, at the expense of innocent alien lives. Janeway was a hero. 68.124.23.146 02:44, 18 May 2007 (UTC)


 * The point of the story was that the aliens just looked like "primal animals"... they were a sentient species that didn't deserve to be enslaved and murdered -- if you don't understand that, than you've missed out on mosty of Star Trek's humanistic messages, as well as a large portion of morality.


 * By your logic, do you also consider it alright to enslave tribal inhabitants of less-civilized continents? Isn't the final judgement that it was wrong to buy and sell Africans, even though they were mistakenly assumed to be "primal animals", and it was later found they were sentient, intelligent beings no different than ourselves? it would be alright to slaughter some of them to save some of you?


 * Janeways distaste seems very appropriate. -- Captain M.K.B. 11:21, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

In the end Ransom and his crew were in the wrong and you must not forget that. However I do agree strongly with your point that The Acari should not have given them the summoning device seeing how desperate they were - perhaps a good comparison to the African kings and tribal leaders who sold captive Africans to European and US traders? You also make god points as to the Equinox's condition at the time. Damaged almost beyond repair, small, lightly armed, half crewed etc. Although this still does not excuse their culling of so many innocent life forms, their mentality at the time has to be taken into account. Ransom was desperate, Maxwell obviously has a level of sadism in him, Marla was mentally weak as was Lessing and the blue navigator guy was just plain unwell. As you stated *desperate times call for desperate measures*. In my opinion they were justified in using the dead body of the first alien that accidentally died as fuel (as a body would used in nature) however they should have stopped there. It cannot be denied in any way that they were not planning to stop the killing until they reached earth - as Ransom said they needed another 60. They were also willing to kill Seven. However the command staff should not be held representative of the entire crew. To conclude I feel that the Equinox Command Crew were indeed guilty of mass murder, they were wrong to continue after accidentally killing the first life form, though they were justified to use the first one as it was a true accident. In a modern court most could probably claim psychological factors induced them to do what they did (Stress/insanity/depression). You MUST take into account that these aliens should be seen as human equivalent not cattle equivalent. Then again - no mention was actually made as to weather the Equinox crew actually realised this. I have suffered the same frustrations with regards to Janeways behaviour in which she places the lives of aliens etc before the lives of her crew though I am not condoning the use of mass murder like Ransom did. Most notably were when she destroyed the Caretaker Array (if Voyager hadn't been there the Kazon would have had it anyway-who was she to decide Delta quadrent politics on her first day there) and when Voyager was on the brink of being destroyed by a number of hirogen ships for the sake of protecting a member of species 8472 which 7of9 promptly beamed off Voyager as a LAST RESORT to which Janeway replied with outrage and accused 7of9 of Racism. Then there was the incident with the two Ferengi. She lingered so long to bring them home that the wormhole moved on and she condemned the crew to another 4 years in the delta quadrent. As far as I am concerned Janeway was a superb and model Starfleet officer...but needed to know when to call it a day and look into placing her crew above the needs of others...KILLING THE ALIENS WAS STILL WRONG THOUGH!!!

How dare anyone think Janeway was in the wrong! Ransom killed these aliens like children eat candy! He had to be stopped, and Janeway stopped him very well! Janewayfan4497 01:13, 18 December 2006 (UTC)

Janeway said that she never broke the prime directive...doesn't she break it all the time?

Mulgrew leaving Voyager BG Info item
Regarding this BG Info item:
 * "There was much speculation that Kate Mulgrew was considering leaving the show at the end of the fifth season, which would mean Captain Janeway would have to be written out (hence why Janeway was attacked by the aliens at the end of this episode). Rumors circulated that Captain Ransom may have assumed command of Voyager, or that Chakotay would assume command, however, Mulgrew opted to remain with the show and Janeway was allowed to live."

Don't we need a citation for the last part since it implies Equinox, Part II's ending was changed based on this rumor? -– Maestro4k 09:17, 5 April 2007 (UTC)

Brought to the DQ... when?
The article states that the Equinox was brought to the Delta Quadrant sometime in 2371, the same year as Voyager. However, I don't recall any mention of when from the episode itself. Is there a line of dialogue that states when the Equinox was brought to the Delta Quadrant? --NME 10:26, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Thompson Errors
I'm going to try to explain this as best as I can and hope someone has the correct info to fix it.

Problem 1: On this page, the cast list states "Steve Dennis as Thompson (credited as "Crewmember")" and it links to the page on the Equinox's Thompson. If you look at the page for "Equinox, Part II" it says "Steve Dennis as Thompson (Voyager crewmember)" and links to the page on Voyager's Thompson. Obviously, Steve Dennis didn't play both Voyager's Thompson and the Equinox's Thompson.

Problem 2: Voyager's Thompson doesn't appear in Part II, despite the above noted cast citation. He's the security guard shot down by the Equinox crew during Part I. I'm not certain that the Equinox's Thompson appeared in Part I, but regardless, the link is wrong on the Part II page, since it goes to the Voyager crewman rather than the Equinox crewman.

I hope that made sense. I'm not certain how to proceed to fix this since I don't have the resources to determine if the Equinox Thompson appeared in both parts, or just part II, and I'm also unsure as to who exactly Steve Dennis portrays. Presumably the Equinox Thompson, but I'm uncertain.

Sorry for the confusion, but trying to straighten this out. - Bridge 03:04, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

According to Steve Dennis's IMDB page, he appeared in both part one and two as "Crewman Thompson." It doesn't say whether we was a Voyager crewman, or an Equinox crewman. Just that he was in both. I hope that helps. -- NME 12:57, 12 September 2007 (UTC)


 * OK, in that case, I'm going to adjust the pages so that the Steve Dennis credit links to the Equinox crewman on both of them. Thanks for the info. - Bridge 19:26, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

EMH on the Equinox
As stated within the background information paragraph, it is irritating that the Equinox would have an EMH Mark I installed as, indeed, in the episode "Relativity" it's said that Starfleet is thinking of making the new technology available on all Starfleet vessels thereby indicating Voyager would be the first one to have an EMH.

But...

Nobody actually claims that the EMH on Voyager is the first to be used on any Federation starship. I deem it very much possible, the EMH Mark I had been installed on severel of the newer Federation vessels - including Voyager and the Equinox - and due to Starfleet's experiences with those (if still limited at the time of the Admiral's speech) they decided to include an EMH on all Starfleet vessels. So, the Equinox could have been one of those prototype candidates.

However, it should be noted, that Starfleet didn't go through with this plan, as - obviously - at least the Defiant (DS9) did not have an EMH - neither Mark I nor Mark II - and was built quite some time after Voyager and the Equinox. Why a warship should not be equipped with a holographic doctor is beyond me - well, there could be practical reasons like missing holoemitters and such...

Vren Lyet 15:28, 5 November 2008 (UTC)

Removed

 * The nucleogenic lifeforms bear a striking resemblance to the Etherians from the PC game Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force.
 * The Equinox seems to have traveled on a different course through the Delta Quadrant than Voyager has, since Ransom claims to have never seen a Borg cube, or encountered any of the alien races that Voyager has during its journey. And the same for Voyager having never come across the aliens that the Equinox has, although the wormhole that the Equinox claimed to have used may have simply by-passed many of the alien territories that Voyager traveled through, if the wormhole story wasn't just cover for their having traveled all the way from the Caretaker's array to the point where they met Voyager (>42,300 light years) on nucleogenic biofuel. Voyager also had various short-cuts through the years, further allowing for the two ships having very different journeys.
 * During the memorial service, Captain Ransom mentions crewmember Edward Regis who died in the latest attack. Ed Regis was a character in the novel Jurassic Park, where he was eaten by a "baby" T-Rex.
 * It is never made clear just when the Equinox was pulled into the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker, but obviously it was before Voyager was, since Janeway destroyed the Caretaker's array before setting a course home. 

1: need incite on intent - 2: Yes they take a different course based on dialog - no need to analyze it - 3: was the name intentional reference? - 4: if it's obvious - no need to state it. &mdash; Morder 02:15, 7 April 2009 (UTC)
 * 1: does not make a claim of intent, so in its current wording it does not need an incite on intent. I don't see the problem with stating the 4th, either. --OuroborosCobra talk 02:24, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

I'm not saying 1 isn't making a claim but they're pointing out something subjective and not necessarily correct. Therefore it's original research - unless it was intentional therefore it needs intent. 4 is just pointless as it's not stating anything but the obvious. Why state the obvious? &mdash; Morder 02:30, 7 April 2009 (UTC)

Mulgrew leaving
A article I found that mentions rumors about her leaving instead of doing "two more years". Any use for that uncited bit of trivia?--Golden Monkey 19:36, February 6, 2010 (UTC)


 * I don't see why not, as long as the link is provided. You could expand/change the existing statement about Mulgrew's possible leaving.--31dot 20:07, February 6, 2010 (UTC)

The "Janeway Rule" and seniority
Surely when two captains of two ships are working together, the captain who has held his or her rank for the longer time is always the senior. Maybe Starfleet doesn't work like that, but it seems a bit odd.--Indefatigable 23:48, April 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * Talk pages aren't really for this type of discussion, but Regulation 191 stated that command fell to the vessel with tactical superiority- in this case Voyager.--31dot 00:11, April 16, 2010 (UTC)

VOY: Equinox / BSG: Pegasus?
Are the similarities between Voyager discovering the Equinox and Galactica discovering the Pegasus merely coincidental? Both episodes are named after the ship discovered. Ok, not really surprising. However, Rondald D. Moore was the co-executive producer of Equinox Part 2 and he was the executive producer and writer of the BSG Pegasus episode. So did he perhaps borrow the idea from VOY? 43}} ThetaOrion
 * Moore has said that some of his ideas for Battlestar Galactica developed out of frustration with what he considered Voyager's failure to follow through on the implications of its premise (i.e. a ship cut off from all known civilization, forced to fend for itself in a hostile environment, etc.). However, I don't think he ever said anything specifically connecting the Equinox with BSG's Pegasus.  (It's also worth noting that there was a storyline with the Battlestar Pegasus and a Commander Cain in the original Battlestar Galactica; Moore upped the stakes by making Cain an Admiral and hence Adama's superior officer.) —Josiah Rowe 06:24, October 19, 2010 (UTC)

Citation needed
I removed the following note, as it has lacked a citation for over four years now. If one can be found, it can be returned:

–Cleanse ( talk 04:43, January 28, 2011 (UTC)
 * There was much speculation that Kate Mulgrew was considering leaving the show at the end of the fifth season, which would mean Captain Janeway would have to be written out (hence Janeway was attacked by the aliens at the end of this episode). Rumors circulated that Captain Ransom may have assumed command of Voyager, or that Chakotay would assume command. However, Mulgrew opted to remain with the show and Janeway was allowed to live.

Removed note
I removed the following note:


 * Rick Worthy previously played Kornan in and went on to play the Xindi-Arboreal Jannar in several episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise.

My reasoning for its removal was that it's much more appropriate for the Rick Worthy page. --Defiant 22:23, May 3, 2011 (UTC)

Distance Equinox travelled - continuity error?
I just noticed that Ransom said the Equinox travelled "over 10,000 light years in less than two weeks" when describing how they discovered that the aliens could be converted into fuel. He implies (but does not specifically state) that this was done using only a single alien. At the beginning, Voyager was said to be 70,000 light years from the AQ, and earlier in Equinox someone states that they still had 35,000 light years to go. If 10,000 ly are crossed in two weeks, they should have been home in less than half a year..

Equinox Bridge
The article says that the Equinox bridge is a redress of the Defiant bridge. Looking at the episode, this is obviously not true, it's a redress of the Voyager bridge.--110.33.252.149 02:10, September 7, 2012 (UTC)