Captain Janeway’s controversial “Tuvix” decision on Star Trek: Voyager is addressed by the actor who played Tuvix himself, Tom Wright.
Summary
- Tuvix’s existence in Star Trek: Voyager sparked intense debate and remains a controversial episode almost three decades later.
- Actor Tom Wright, who played Tuvix, believes the character had to be separated, despite his personal attachment to the role.
- While alternative solutions are proposed, the ultimate decision to end Tuvix’s life was necessary for the continuation of the show and the protection of other crew members.
Tom Wright, who played Tuvix in Star Trek: Voyager, says that his controversial character “had to go.” Tuvix was created in Voyager season 2, episode 24 “Tuvix”, when a transporter accident merges Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) into one being. This places Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) in a moral dilemma because as the captain, Janeway must decide whether to let Tuvix continue his existence as a new entity or use the Doctor’s (Robert Picardo) newfound method to separate Tuvix into Tuvok and Neelix. Voyager‘s format as a show demands Tuvix’s separation, of course, but the script makes a strong argument for Tuvix’s continued existence.
The lack of a genuinely morally correct answer means “Tuvix” remains a hotly debated Star Trek: Voyager episode, nearly three decades on. The popularity of both the episode and the character of Tuvix prompted TrekTalks 3 to host a panel discussing “Tuvix” during an online event to raise over $109,000 for the Hollywood Food Coalition. Voyager actor Tom Wright weighs in with his own opinion on whether Janeway made the right call or not. Read his quote and watch the “Tuvix” panel, starting at the 6:11:32 timestamp below:
Tom Wright: “Speaking as the character, every entity alive is hardwired to want to survive. So that’s going to be Tuvix’s default thinking. But myself, as an actor, I saw that he had to go. There wasn’t enough justification for losing two entities for the sake of one. … I absolutely loved the character. There’s an artistic side to me that would love to keep on playing that character forever and ever, but the practical side of the entire ball of wax dictates something different.”
Related
How Would Star Trek’s Kirk, Picard & Sisko Deal With Janeway’s “Tuvix”?
Lower Decks has revisited Janeway’s Tuvix dilemma, but would Star Trek’s Kirk, Picard, or Sisko act differently from the iconic Voyager Captain?
Could Tuvix Co-Exist With Tuvok and Neelix?
Theories suggest it might’ve been possible.
While Tom Wright recognizes that Tuvix couldn’t be a long-term character in Star Trek: Voyager, Harry Kim actor Garrett Wang disagrees, saying he “wanted Tuvix to exist independently of the other two.” But is there a third option that spares the lives of Tuvok, Neelix, and Tuvix? If an intentional transporter clone of Tuvix could be created, á la Lt. Thomas Riker (Jonathan Frakes), one Tuvix could remain, and the other could be split into Tuvix’s component parts. Alternatively, if Tuvix’s synaptic patterns could be downloaded, the Doctor could recreate Tuvix holographically, as he did earlier that year for his Vidiian patient in Voyager season 2, episode 19 “Lifesigns”.
It’s a lot of “if”, and the potential solutions that could save all three characters defeat the purpose of the episode. “Tuvix” presents one of the most difficult decisions any Star Trek captain has had to make, and this time there is no third option. Yes, Janeway’s decision ends the life of a sentient being, which is antithetical to Starfleet ethos, but doing so saves the lives of Tuvok and Neelix, crew members Janeway has sworn to protect. The outcome is predetermined by Star Trek: Voyager needing to continue without Tuvix, as Tom Wright says; however, the point of “Tuvix” isn’t the outcome, but the pathway to Janeway’s impossible choice.
