Unraveling the Ethical Enigma: Star Trek's Captains Face the Moral Dilemma of Janeway's Tuvix

Summary

Captain James T. Kirk would prioritize the lives of his friends over ethical concerns, just like Janeway did with Tuvix.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard would probably conduct a trial in order to ascertain the individual rights of the "Tuvixed" crew member.

On the other hand, Captain Benjamin Sisko would adopt a pragmatic approach and likely opt to allow the new life form to exist, taking into account the potential advantages and the broader perspective.

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead for Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 4, Episode 1 "Twovix". The surprise sequel to Star Trek: Voyager's infamous "Tuvix" episode in Star Trek: Lower Decks raises the question of how Captains Kirk, Picard, and Sisko would handle Janeway's predicament. In this episode, titled "Twovix", the USS Cerritos crew is assigned to escort the USS Voyager to a new exhibition on Earth. However, things take a chaotic turn when multiple members of the Cerritos crew, including Captain Carol Freeman, undergo a "Tuvix" incident. "Tuvixed" refers to the transporter accident that combined Voyager's Lt. Tuvok, Neelix, and an orchid into a unique being named Tuvix.

In the past, Captain Janeway was faced with the difficult choice of sacrificing the lives of her friends or that of Tuvix, ultimately opting for Tuvok and Neelix. This decision, labeled as "straight-up murder" by Ensign Beckett Mariner, sparked ongoing ethical debates. The season 4 premiere of Star Trek: Lower Decks revisits this debate as Captain Freeman tries to avoid repeating Voyager's mistakes, but things quickly spiral out of control. Now that viewers have witnessed how Janeway and Freeman handle the "Tuvix" situation, it prompts speculation about how other Captains from the Star Trek universe would approach this moral dilemma.

Captain James T. Kirk - Straight-Up Murder Like Janeway

Janeway chose to sacrifice Tuvix in order to bring back her two friends, a decision aligned with Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) willingness to prioritize the lives of his friends above all else. Kirk, in an effort to save Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from the Genesis Planet, even jeopardized his Starfleet career, implying that he would similarly approve of the termination of a merged version of Spock and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley), referred to as "Tuvixed" Spock. The core trio of Star Trek: The Original Series worked seamlessly together, with Kirk relying on Spock and Bones to fulfill his role as the revered Captain of the USS Enterprise, making it plausible for him to choose to eliminate "Spones" just as Janeway did.

Furthermore, considering the events of the Star Trek: TOS episode "The Enemy Within," where Kirk underwent a transporter malfunction resulting in the separation of his primal and indecisive aspects, it becomes even more feasible that he would support Janeway's decision. The "evil" and aggressive side of Kirk posed a significant threat to the crew, both physically and sexually. In this situation, the Enterprise crew did not hesitate to merge the two aspects back together to restore normality, despite each element being considered an individual life form. Unlike Janeway's experience, Kirk faced no backlash for his actions, likely due to the fact that his impulsive version displayed abusive and unredeemable behavior.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard - Place Tuvix On Trial

Captain Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, has a penchant for engaging in thought-provoking moral and ethical discussions, as demonstrated in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Measure of a Man". In this episode, Picard passionately advocated for the recognition of Lt. Commander Data, portrayed by Brent Spiner, as an individual. In his concluding statement, Picard proclaimed, "Starfleet was established to explore new life. Well, here it is," while gesturing towards Data. A section of the internet firmly believes that Picard would adopt a similar stance when faced with Janeway's predicament, reflected by a circulating Star Trek gif featuring this iconic moment intersected with the Tuvix narrative.

It is plausible that Picard would orchestrate a trial where the "Tuvixed" crew member from Star Trek: The Next Generation would be given the opportunity to present their argument for individuality. In the face of opposition from his Starfleet superiors, Picard would likely champion the rights of this entity to continue existing. However, if the two crew members who had become "Tuvixed" happened to be close and trusted colleagues, such as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge portrayed by LeVar Burton and Lt. Worf played by Michael Dorn, Picard might find this endeavor more arduous. Irrespective of his personal relationships with the amalgamated "Georf," Picard would feel compelled to thoroughly examine all aspects of the ethical dilemma before ultimately making a decision on whether to separate the "Tuvixed" crew members.

Captain Benjamin Sisko - Let Tuvix Live

Captain Benjamin Sisko, portrayed by Avery Brooks, is known for his pragmatic nature and willingness to make difficult decisions on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Given a situation similar to the "Tuvix" incident on DS9, where two individuals and orchids merge, Sisko would likely choose to allow this new life form to exist. Sisko's mentor, Curzon Dax, a Trill, has influenced his more flexible perspective on the concept of individual identity. Although Sisko has made questionable choices in DS9, they have always been in service of the greater good. If Quark and Constable Odo were to merge to form "Quodo," a combination of a Changeling and Ferengi, Sisko may recognize the advantages of having a leader with such unique characteristics as the Head of Security.

Additionally, Sisko has Chief Miles O'Brien (played by Colm Meaney) and Dr. Julian Bashir (portrayed by Alexander Siddig)—two highly skilled Starfleet officers. If faced with a similar "Tuvix" scenario on DS9, O'Brien's expertise in transporter technology and Bashir's exceptional medical knowledge would likely enable them to devise a solution that saves all three lives. Although the USS Cerritos from Star Trek: Voyager may have struggled to find the ideal ethical resolution to Janeway's dilemma, Sisko, O'Brien, and Bashir possess the technical prowess and moral guidance required to navigate perplexing technological and biological anomalies like Tuvix.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.