Star Trek: Before and After

Episode: "Before and After"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 21

Original Air Date: April 9, 1997

via Memory Alpha

The story begins six years in Voyager's future.  Kes is on her death bed.  From there, she experiences a series of flashbacks, living her life in reverse.  We get to know the family she had with Tom Paris and the tragic ends met by some of her shipmates.  Eventually, all is made right.  We - and Kes - return to the "correct" timeline.  And the eternally wise Tuvok reminds everyone that the future Kes experienced is only one possible outcome.

"Before and After" is a popular choice for best of lists for the series.  Because of my bias against time travel narratives - not to mention Voyager's tendency to go to that well far too often - I'm not putting it there.  However, there's no denying it's a lovely character story for Kes and we're running out of those fast.  

In my favorite scene, Kes assures her daughter Linnis that Linnis herself will be a good mother because Kes knows the child will turn out fine.  Because of the way the timeline is messing with her, Kes has actually only known Linnis for a few minutes but she still knows the right thing to say.  Star Trek treats such effortless empathy like a superpower and maybe it is.  Wherever the gift comes from, the moment shows Kes at her best - indeed, the Deanna Troi legacy at its best.  Seven of Nine is about to bring tremendous breadth and depth to the narrative but when Kes leaves, Voyager will lose a lot of heart.

Acting Notes

via Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Wikia

Jessica Collins (Linnis) was born Jessica Lynn Capogna in Schenectady, New York, April 1, 1971.  She was the runner-up in the Miss Teen USA pageant in 1988.  She studied acting at the Royal National Theatre Studio in London and the Howard Fine Acting Studio in Los Angeles.

Collins is best known for her television work.  She has had starring roles on Loving, The Young and the Restless and Tru Calling.  She won a Daytime Emmy for Y&R.  Guest appearances include Beverly Hills 90210, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Grey's Anatomy.  Films include Beautiful, Catch Me If You Can and Live!