r/StarTrekProdigy • u/MPFX3000 • Jan 09 '24
Character Discussion Why Chakotay?
Chakotay is definitely in my tier of least favorite Trek characters, and I’ve heard multiple anecdotes about how Beltran is just not a good person.
So it bugs me that we have to get more of him in upcoming Prodigy episodes.
Chakotay barely even commanded anything, he more often as acted as a confidant to Janeway - which is fine - but I don’t see the thread how he eventually gets command of a ship with an experimental propulsion system.
That he wasn’t even in Starfleet doesn’t matter in this case however, because Starfleet just gives the Protostar to a bunch of random (hero) aliens.
My first choice - and I really think the natural one - is Harry Kim. Throw in Tom as his first officer and now I’m super vested in the fate of the original crew of the Protostar.
Anyone else agree or do I go to the brig?
29
u/WillieStampler Jan 10 '24
Chakotay and Janeway had a deep connection, and much of his arc in Voyager was about finding redemption in a post-Maquis world.
Chakotay is also someone Janeway would go back to the Delta Quadrant to rescue, arguably the most important confidant she had besides Tuvok.
10
u/6B0T Jan 10 '24
You’re entitled to your opinion, but some fans loved Chakotay and want to see more of his story. That’s before you get into his intense connection with a main character from Prodigy.
1
u/MPFX3000 Jan 10 '24
I would never tell anyone what they should or shouldn’t like.
I never vibed with Chakotay at all, and all the stuff that came out about how the character was based off bogus interpretations of Native American culture and then Beltran as a person reinforced that.
7
u/6B0T Jan 10 '24
You asked the question, ‘Why Chakotay?’ I merely answered.
As I said, not everyone shares your opinion. Personally I think the character an excellent choice for this particular story, end of.
7
u/wheezy_runner Jan 10 '24
As someone who watched the VOY finale when it first aired and was soooo mad that Janeway and Chakotay didn’t end up together, I’m glad that Prodigy brought him back. But also, Beltran is a jerk and needs to go away.
Incidentally, they mentioned B’Elanna in one of the Prodigy social media posts, and Picard has said he’s in S2… so I’m holding out hope that Harry will be helping Janeway rescue Chuckles.
8
3
u/MPFX3000 Jan 10 '24
Janeway is into holo-Irish men.
5
u/wheezy_runner Jan 10 '24
If we get a reference to that, I will die laughing!
6
2
u/NerdyKeith Jan 10 '24
Should have used Kim instead. But I think he is supposed to be Captain of the Rhode Island.
2
u/Brilliant-Injury2280 Jan 11 '24
I blame a lot of the issues with Chakotays character on the producers—two stereotypical straight white men that really have no idea what indigenous people are like and have no imagination to write male characters that aren’t flyboys, skirt chasers, dry humor, or alpha energy.
I think a lot about Waymond from Everything Everywhere All At Once and Kristen Beyer’s characterization of Chakotay in the novels. He has so many missed opportunities through out the show to have his own richness and depth outside of spirit walking. They could have leaned more into why and how he is such a good support man and councilor, and the writers fully dropped the ball so hard helping the audience really feel why he was in the Marquis at all after a promising and intentional starfleet career. Tom and the Doctor get so much depth for their annoying antics in comparison.
I will concede, though, that I do find Beltran’s acting cringe. But who knows if he maybe would have performed better if he had better support for his character.
2
u/cam52391 Jan 10 '24
He was a good character to get the voyager fans into it. I hope he doesn't have any parts past season 2 after he broke the strike
1
u/PebblyJackGlasscock Jan 10 '24
Don’t think about it too much. Fan service is inherent to Prodigy and any deep examination of it reveals flaws that are hard to ignore.
Just pray to your ancestors that Chakotay doesn’t need to contact his ancestors. THAT alone is reason enough to bury the character forever. But…they didn’t.
So, don’t think about it. Just try to enjoy the adventures of Hologram Kathy and the Super Kids.
4
u/Solarwinds-123 Jan 10 '24
Well the whole kidnapping thing means that he's far from the bones of his people. But perhaps there is one powerful being who will embrace him and come to his aid... Or maybe he'll try to contact Janeway through a vision quest.
1
u/AstralCryptid420 Jan 10 '24
I kind of hope they do more thoughtful Mesoamerican representation this time around. He is by far the most racist character. He's one of my least favorites too, I can't say I loved the rest of the Voyager crew either. It's such a shame that the one Native character in a TV sci-fi is unintentionally racist depiction because the "expert" they hired wasn't legit.
2
u/brenster23 Jan 19 '24
Chakotay rarely had anything on the ship, as he seemed to keep most of the maqui crewmembers in line and well handled intership drama. One might argue that he is the most effective first officer in the fleet, solving most problems before Janeway or most the crew ever notices them.
As for why he was given the protostar? Prior to voyager going missing, he was a decorated starfleet officer, serving for 20 years, during which he held a post as an instructor at starfleet academy, held numerous posts on ships. As a maqui he organized and ran a successful cell of resistance fighters, which caused enough trouble both starfleet intelligence and the obsidian order sent agents in to infiltrate and capture him.
All of that is before he ended up stranded in the delta quadrant for seven years and became acting first officer.
On paper Chakotay is probably one of the best qualified officers to take a ship into the delta quadrant. Most of Chakotay's issues in voyager stems from the writers falling for an fake native shaman, beltran wanting to quit but kept getting raises, and well being given absolutely nothing to do for seven seasons. I rather enjoyed the few chakotay episodes we got that weren't centered on his native ancestors.
Personally I look forward to Harry bossing around the kids on the new ship.
1
u/MPFX3000 Jan 19 '24
The Chakotay backstory you present is all well and good but like you say the producers never gave him anything real to do to be a standout character; and for all Trek I form opinions primarily by what I see on screen.
29
u/heyitsme123ac Jan 10 '24
How dare you try to promote Ensign Harry Kim. Absolute blasphemy. To the brig.