From Newsgroup: rec.arts.startrek.misc

AI/LLM Reviews of Star Trek: Voyager Faces

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Synopsis

While on an away mission, B'Elanna Torres is captured by the Vidiians. Their Chief Scientist, Sulan, uses an experimental procedure to physically separate her into two distinct individuals: a full-blooded Klingon and a full-blooded Human. Sulan's goal is to find a cure for "The Phage" within the resilient Klingon DNA. The episode follows the two B'Elannas as they struggle to survive their captivity and reconcile their split identities.

Critical Analysis

The Duality of B'Elanna

This episode is the definitive origin story for B'ElannarCOs character arc. By literally separating her two halves, the show externalizes her internal conflict.

Klingon B'Elanna: Represents the strength and aggression she usually tries to suppress, but also a primal courage.

Human B'Elanna: Represents the logic and vulnerability she often hides behind her temper.
The tragedy of the episode is that neither can survive without the other; the Klingon half provides the physical stamina, while the Human half provides the technical ingenuity.

The Horror of the Vidiians

"Faces" cements the Vidiians as perhaps the most tragic and horrifying villains in Trek history. Sulan is not "evil" in a traditional sense; he is a desperate man trying to save his race from a slow, rotting death. His "love" for B'ElannarCoexemplified by him grafting a crewman's face onto his own to look more "appealing"rCois pure body horror that surpasses almost anything else in the franchise.

Performances

Roxann Dawson delivers a tour de force. Playing two distinct characters interacting with each other is a difficult feat, but she manages to give them different postures, speech patterns, and emotional weights. The makeup work to differentiate the two is also exceptional for mid-90s television.

Key Moments

The Grafted Face: The reveal of Sulan wearing DurstrCOs face is a genuine "shock" moment. It highlights the absolute lack of morality the Vidiians have reached in their quest for survival.

The Sacrifice: Klingon B'ElannarCOs decision to sacrifice herself to save her human counterpart is a powerful moment of self-acceptance.

The Final Reflection: The ending, where B'Elanna admits to Chakotay that she actually misses her Klingon side, is a crucial step in her long-term character development.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Phenomenal Acting: A career-best for Roxann Dawson.

Effective Horror: Truly unsettling atmosphere and stakes.

Thematic Resonance: It perfectly illustrates the "ID vs. Ego" struggle.

Cons:

Convenient Science: The "separation" technology is a bit of a "magic wand" even for Star Trek.

Pacing: The B-plot involving Janeway and the search party feels slightly generic compared to the high-stakes drama in the lab.

Final Rating: 8.5 / 10

"Faces" is widely considered one of the best episodes of Voyager's first season. It moved the show away from "Anomaly of the Week" and into deep, character-driven territory. It is dark, disturbing, and ultimately moving.

Verdict: A must-watch for fans of character-centric sci-fi and one of the most effective uses of the Vidiian threat.

ChatGPt

HererCOs a **review of *Star Trek: Voyager rCo rCLFacesrCY*** (Season 1, Episode 13) *based on the episoderCOs actual plot and critical/fan commentary* (aligned with what yourCOd see on the *Chakoteya* transcript + reliable summaries), along with a **rating out of 10**:

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## r!E **Episode Review rCo rCLFacesrCY (VOY S1E13)**

### Efou **Plot Summary**

In *Faces*, while exploring a planet with **Tom Paris** and a local guide, **BrCOElanna Torres** is captured by the **Vidiians**, a species ravaged by the deadly **phage**. A Vidiian scientist named rCLSulanrCY believes **Klingons might be resistant to the phage**, so he **splits Torres into two separate beings** rCo one **fully Klingon**, the other **fully human** rCo by extracting and recombining her DNA. ([Wikipedia][1])

The two Torres halves have very different experiences:

* **Klingon Torres** is fierce, aggressive, and confident, but lacking restraint.
* **Human Torres** is more rational but physically weaker and fearful.
They must **reconnect and cooperate to escape** the Vidiian camp and reunite into one complete person. However, Klingon Torres ultimately dies protecting her human counterpart, leaving Human Torres to be restored rCo now with a renewed sense of self-acceptance and identity complexity. ([Jammers Reviews][2])

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## Efai **What Works**

**rLo Strong Character Focus**
*Faces* gives **BrCOElanna Torres** one of her earliest deep character explorations by personifying the *internal conflict* between her human and Klingon halves. This literal split allows the episode to explore her **identity struggles and cultural alienation** in a dramatic, visceral way. ([Manic Pixie Dust][3])

**rLo Original Concept**
Rather than a generic holodeck or nebula story, this episode presents a **visceral sci-fi dilemma** with real stakes rCo a genetic experiment that physically manifests a characterrCOs internal struggle. ItrCOs conceptually bold for *VoyagerrCOs* early run. ([Jammers Reviews][2])

**rLo Acting & Emotional Beats**
Roxann Dawson gets to perform two distinct versions of Torres, offering a standout piece of acting range. Many critics and fans appreciate the emotional weight of the confrontation between her halves and the ultimate sacrifice of the Klingon version. ([Wikipedia][1])

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## EfaA **What Falls Short**

**rLy Simplistic Treatment of Identity**
While the idea has potential, many critics argue that the episode reduces complex identity and heritage issues to a **stereotypical rCLgood human / angry KlingonrCY binary**, rather than offering a nuanced psychological exploration. ([Reddit][4])

**rLy Narrative and Science Weaknesses**
The Vidiian motive and the science behind splitting a hybrid into two physically separate beings arenrCOt very well justified, and the episode works more as *metaphor than credible sci-fi*. ([the m0vie blog][5])

**rLy Uneven Impact**
For some viewers the ending rCo especially the death of Klingon Torres and the reintegration rCo feels like a trope (rCLone half must die so the other can liverCY) rather than a meaningful evolution in her character arc. ([Wikipedia][1])

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## Efoa **Audience & Critical Context**

* **IMDb rating ~7.2/10 rCo generally positive audience reception.** ([imdb.com][6])
* Critics and Trek reviewers often list it among the **stronger character-driven episodes of VoyagerrCOs first season**, albeit with reservations about its execution. Some call it a highlight of early Voyager. ([Wikipedia][1])
* Some fans appreciate the **metaphor for BrCOElannarCOs inner conflict**, while others criticize the reliance on species-based personality traits. ([Reddit][4])

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## Efo+ **Overall Rating: 7.8 / 10**

**Why this score?**

* **Concept:** ryaryaryaryarya (4/5) rCo A bold, original idea.
* **Execution:** ryaryaryaryarya (4/5) rCo Strong performances, though some narrative issues.
* **Character Development:** ryaryaryaryarya (4/5) rCo Gives depth to Torres early in *Voyager*.
* **Rewatch Value:** ryaryaryaryarya (4/5) rCo Worth revisiting for fans of character-driven Trek.

**Summary:**
*Faces* is *VoyagerrCOs* first really deep character study rCo taking an imaginative sci-fi premise and using it to explore **identity, heritage, and self-acceptance**. While it isnrCOt flawless and has some conceptual weaknesses, thererCOs a lot of emotional power and fascinating performance here that makes it a standout of the early season.

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If you want, I can also break it down **scene-by-scene** based on the Chakoteya transcript!

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faces_%28Star_Trek%3A_Voyager%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Faces (Star Trek: Voyager)"
[2]: https://www.jammersreviews.com/st-voy/s1/faces.php?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Faces\" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews"
[3]: https://www.manicpixiedust.com/voyager-1-13-faces/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Voyager 1.13: Faces rCo Manic Pixie Dust"
[4]: https://www.reddit.com/r/DaystromInstitute/comments/i744di?utm_source=chatgpt.com "'Threshold' isn't Voyager's worst episode, Faces is"
[5]: https://them0vieblog.com/2014/10/16/star-trek-voyager-faces-review/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Star Trek: Voyager rCo Faces (Review) | the m0vie blog"
[6]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708892/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "\"Star Trek: Voyager\" Faces (TV Episode 1995) - IMDb"
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