[S2E4] Elogium

In the ready room, Janeway relates Kes' condition to Chakotay, and that she has to make the decision within the next forty to fifty hours. Kes is going to talk to Neelix, but Janeway comments that there are a number of factors involved, including complications with having the elogium this early, whether they are genetically compatible and whether Neelix even has any intentions of being a father. Janeway calls Chakotay's concerns about fraternization "prophetic."

[S2E4] Elogium

Meanwhile, Kes enters the mess hall, where Neelix is chopping food. She asks to help, but Neelix declines. Kes notes that Neelix has been very quiet since she decided not to conceive, noting that Neelix seems disappointed. Neelix observes that once he'd decided to become a father, he was looking forward to it. Kes points out that he might have his chance someday. Neelix is puzzled, but Kes says that The Doctor believes that the elogium was a false alarm caused by the electrophoretic field from the swarm and that she'll be able to conceive again, at the right age. Neelix says, excitedly, "You mean, we might still be able to have a daughter?" Kes responds, "or a son," but Neelix says that he definitely wants a daughter, one who looks just like Kes. She kisses and hugs him.

However, critics had a more mixed response. In his book Delta Quadrant: The unofficial guide to Voyager, David McIntee found Chakotay's revelation and Lien's acting the only high points of the episode. Otherwise, he felt the "sexual-politics statements" were cheesy and overdone, and that all of the possible clichés of Kes' elogium (puberty, PMS, pregnancy, abortion, and menopause) were trodden upon and ill-used. McIntee accused the plot of being dull and the acting as subpar; although he thought the plot was supposed to touch on teenage pregnancy, it instead emphasized that all women wish to be mothers, and all men are "immature bastards."[10] He rated the episode 1 out of 10.[10] Reviewers Lance Parkin and Mark Jones thought the episode was "Voyager at its very worst", repeating fans' complaints that if Ocampan women only give birth once their population would eventually disappear as it would halve every generation.[20]

When space-dwelling creatures attack the Voyager, their electrophoretic field causes Kes to fall into a premature state of the elogium, her once in a lifetime period of fertilization, giving her and Neelix 50 hours to decide whether they are ready to be parents.

Kes explains that she is entering a stage of development known as the elogium. This is a growth cycle in which an Ocampan female's body is preparing itself for procreation. This presents a grave problem however as it should only take place in Ocampans age 4-6, but Kes is not even 2. They determine that the increased electrophoretic activity has hyper-accelerated Kes' maturation levels. This however leads to a more difficult problem. The elogium takes place during an Ocampan's life cycle only once. If Kes is to ever bear children, she must do so now. She has less than 50 hours to select a mate and begin the process or else her chance to become a mother will be lost forever.

Elsewhere, Neelix puts a lot of thought into the prospect of becoming a father and reaches the conclusion that he is actually quite open and excited about the prospect. He goes to Kes to tell her the news, but now it is Kes who reveals that she is not quite ready for motherhood. Fortunately, the increased electrophoretic activity caused by the swarm prompted symptoms of a false positive of the elogium. Kes believes that she will go through the elogium once again when her body is ready.

While trying to engage with such an issue is commendable, Elogium feels rather clumsy. Most obviously, trying to use the elogium as a metaphor for teenage pregnancy is quite awkward. Before the final scene, Kes has no guarantee that she will be able to have another child. For the Ocampa, they only have one opportunity to become pregnant, so the reaction to the elogium must be radically different from the reaction to teenage sex or teenage pregnancy.

Ao escapar da nuvem, Kes volta ao normal. O Doutor acredita que a ocampa poderá passar pelo elogium novamente, desta vez de forma natural. A capitão Janeway também fica sabendo que uma de suas tripulantes, a alferes Wildman, está grávida. 041b061a72