Despite the naysayers, plenty ofStar Trekfans will argue that Kathryn Janeway is the best captain ever. There’s a lot to back up that statement and it might even be a fact. Some push it further and sayThe Next Generationis overrated andVoyageris the true heir to the legacy of the original series.
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Casual viewers and hardcoreStar Trekfans will fight about who is the best captain until the day of First Contact and beyond. Whether you’re undecided or firmly in Camp Kathryn, here are a few interesting and obscure facts about the best captain in theStar Trekuniverse.
7She’s A Hoosier
The word “Hoosier” is a nickname for anyone from Indiana, and the metropolitan center of Bloomington is where Kathryn Janeway was born and grew up. There are a few episodes with the show that explore the relationship she had with her father, along with some drama with her continuing but strained relationship with her sister and mother, but not much about her distant past and childhood.
Janeway is comparable to Kirk in this sense, another captain who grew up in a small town in a midwestern region of the US. Both also followed the path of their fathersinto a career in Starfleet.
6The Janeway Collective
The community of Riverside, Iowa, has a monument to the fictional local boy-turned-hero James Kirk, and that’s what inspiredsome fans in Bloomington to do the same. A group was formed in 2019 with the name The Janeway Collective, and their goal was to raise money to get a similar one in their neighborhood for Janeway.
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Although COVID-19 slowed the process down, the monument was unveiled in October 2020. Kate Mulgrew attended the ceremony virtually because of the pandemic, which seems fitting considering the science and technology angle.
5Originally Named Elizabeth
There are all kinds of stories about the many changes the captainof the USS Voyager went throughbefore the writers and producers settled on Kate Mulgrew as Kathryn Janeway. Information about the changes her actual name went through, and why, are less well-known.
Her first name was Elizabeth Janeway, taken from the American author and critic of the same name who was influential in 20th-century politics and philosophy. Geneviève Bujold, the first actress who was cast as Janeway, suggested Elizabeth be changed to Nicole. When she was replaced by Mulgrew, the actor who would play the part forever in theStar Trekuniverse suggested Kathryn, and this is the name that stuck.
4Born On the Cusp Of Taurus And Gemini
Kathryn Janeway was born on May 30th, a day before the sun crosses from the constellation of Taurus into Gemini. This is what’s called a “cusp” and people born during these times have the traits of two signs instead of one.
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The Taurus is typically a leadership sign, strong and broad-shouldered, taking on the most difficult tasks and bearing the heaviest emotional and physical burdens. Gemini, on the other hand, is the sign of the notorious twins, and people born under this sign can change their personas quickly and dramatically. This is where someone makes a joke about the inconsistent writing regarding Janeway’s character, but in some ways, shewasa very different person in her social life.
3First Job Was As Science Officer
This fact about Janeway’s past was referenced in a fewVoyagerepisodes, including"Caretaker," “Bride of Chaotica!,” and “Shattered.” Janeway shares the spotlight with several other fan favorites in theStar Trekuniverse in this regard.
After graduating from Starfleet, her first assignmentwas as a science officer aboardthe USS Al-Batani, an Excelsior class ship with Captain Owen Paris at the helm. A few twists crucial to the plot happen when she’s in charge, and eventually she takes the rank of Chief Science Officer.
2Starred In A Vegas Star Trek Experience Ride
Janeway has to be the best captain because she appears in everything. Every show on the same timeline references her in some way, and she is an important character in the recent animated show,Star Trek: Prodigy.Her popularity even extends beyond the realm of conventional media and into more creative entertainment venues.
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An “experience ride” simulates an experience in a controlled environment, using light, sound, and narration as opposed to movement.Star Trek: The Experiencehas been closed since 2008, and during the time it was in operation it featured an adventure, first aboard a space station, and then a shuttlecraft under attack by the Borg.
1Has An Interesting Non-Canon Death
There are a few different ultimate fates written for Janeway in the novels and video games that continued her story where the TV show left off. In a 2012 novel calledThe Eternal Tideby Kirsten Beyer, she is resurrected by a youthful version of Q, and another novel set inThe Next Generationalso reunites her with the continuum but in a much more compelling way.
Before Dishonor,written by Peter David, tells the story of Janeway being assimilated by a rogue Borg collective, eventually becoming its Queen. Seven of Nineand Ambassador Spock attempta rescue, and although they fail, they reach Janeway’s consciousness. She helps them destroy the Borg cube but dies in the process. She receives an impressive memorial service and a Q takes her spirit to an unknown fate.
