The Astonishing Truth Voyager Concealed: 2 Mind-Blowing Star Trek Facts

Summary

Despite being stranded in the Delta Quadrant, Star Trek: Voyager rarely faced issues with limited resources and supplies throughout the show's seven seasons.

Voyager's apparent disregard for its limited resources is highlighted by the discrepancies between the information presented in the official Star Trek Voyager Technical Guide and its on-screen portrayal.

By overlooking the resource issue, Voyager was able to prioritize exploration and discovery, all the while preserving the iconic components of a Star Trek series, including shuttlecrafts and photon torpedoes.

The problems with limited resources on the titular starship, USS Voyager, were kept hidden throughout the majority of Star Trek: Voyager's seven seasons. Despite being stranded in the Delta Quadrant, far from Earth and lacking the necessary supplies needed for their journey, the crew rarely faced issues with food rationing or supplies. It seems that the show adhered to Gene Roddenberry's rules about conflict, choosing to ignore these resource problems to maintain harmony among the crew. This discrepancy is evident when comparing the information in the official Star Trek Voyager Technical Guide V1.0 with what is actually seen on screen.

Voyager's Shuttles & Photon Torpedos Never Made Sense

The Star Trek Voyager Technical Guide V1.0, a handbook for writers, provided comprehensive information about the USS Voyager. Titled "Yes, but which button do I push to fire the phasers?", it revealed that the ship had two standard shuttlecrafts, four smaller shuttlepods, and four EVA workpods. However, throughout the seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager, there were three different shuttlecraft models and the ship lost or destroyed far more than just two shuttlecrafts. Ex Astris Scientia approximates that Voyager lost around 17 shuttles during the entire series, leading to the question of how the crew managed to replenish their shuttle bays.

Similarly, the writer's handbook mentioned that the USS Voyager possessed 40 photon torpedoes, but it actually fired 93 of them. Although it is feasible that the replicators could have been utilized to replace photon torpedoes and shuttlecrafts, this was never confirmed on-screen in Star Trek: Voyager. However, in the sequel series Star Trek: Prodigy, set five years later, Starfleet equips the USS Protostar with a vehicle replicator capable of swiftly constructing shuttles. It is conceivable that this technology originated from somewhere in the Delta Quadrant and may have been employed by Voyager to replenish their lost shuttlecrafts and discharged photon torpedoes.

Why Star Trek Had To Ignore Voyager's Resources Problem

The potential for intense drama lies in showcasing the resourcefulness of the USS Voyager crew as they improvise solutions to problems with whatever limited resources they have on hand. Unfortunately, Star Trek: Voyager did not fully delve into this aspect, as it instead focused on a more simplistic approach centered on exploration and discovery. Neelix, the ship's cook, managed to work around the replication issues by sourcing fresh ingredients and creating meals from scratch. Although finding solutions for problems with shuttlecrafts and photon torpedoes proved more challenging, it was essential for the writers to deviate from the technical constraints outlined in the Star Trek: Voyager Technical Guide in order to keep the show engaging. It would have been unreasonable to leave Janeway and the crew without these vital components, as shuttlecrafts and photon torpedoes are integral elements of any Star Trek series. Lieutenant Tom Paris spearheaded the construction of the Delta Flyer, allowing the idea that Voyager possessed the necessary technology and equipment to rebuild or replace their damaged or lost shuttles. By disregarding resource limitations, Star Trek: Voyager was able to return to its core principles of exploring new and unfamiliar worlds while encountering novel civilizations.