STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY Gives VOYAGER’s Doctor New Role

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Okay, so episode eight of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, “The Life of the Stars,” really centers around SAM, the awesome alien hologram played by Kerrice Brooks. Things get pretty intense because she almost flatlines! Thankfully, she’s saved by a new connection she makes with the Doctor – you know, Robert Picardo, who totally nailed that role on Voyager. What I really loved about this episode is how it deepened SAM’s character, but it also felt like a nice nod to one of my favorite Voyager episodes that really showcased the Doctor. It was a clever way to tie the two shows together.

SAM’s Brief Holographic Life Is Put in Jeopardy in Starfleet Academy

Since the difficult events in episode six, cadet SAM has been struggling to stay stable – in the world of TRON, she’s been fading or glitching. She even collapsed during class, and her classmates rushed her to the Doctor, a holographic being who was created centuries ago. Captain Ake understands that SAM needs to return to her home planet, Kasq, hoping her people can repair her unstable condition. The Doctor, though hesitant, agrees to accompany Captain Ake and SAM on the journey to Kasq.

During their journey to Kasq, SAM confronts the Doctor, who is the only other being like her at the Academy, about why he’s kept her at a distance from the start. He hasn’t been unkind, but he hasn’t been warm or affectionate either – he wouldn’t even offer a comforting touch when she needed it. Considering it’s been 800 years since the events of Star Trek: Voyager, one might expect him to be more understanding, not less. However, the Doctor’s behavior towards SAM stems from a memorable episode of Voyager.

“The Life of the Stars” Is a Stealth Sequel to Voyager‘s “Real Life”

In the 1997 Voyager episode “Real Life,” the Doctor creates a holographic simulation where he gets to experience having a family. He lives a life resembling a classic suburban sitcom, with a wife, Charlene, and two children, Jeffrey and Belle. This simulation runs whenever he isn’t needed as the ship’s Emergency Medical Hologram. Initially, his holographic family seemed overly perfect, but with feedback from the Voyager crew, he adjusted their personalities to make them more realistic and relatable. He went by the name Kenneth within the program.

This storyline takes a darker turn when the Doctor’s simulated daughter, Belle, suffers a fatal accident. Initially, he wants to end the program, but Tom Paris convinces him that experiencing loss is a crucial part of being human. The Doctor returns to the simulation to say a heartbreaking goodbye to Belle before shutting it down and never speaking of his family again on Voyager. However, as revealed later in Starfleet Academy, the Doctor never truly forgot them, and this experience profoundly influenced a significant decision he makes in this episode.

To Save SAM, Her Makers Create a Lifetime of Memories for Her

The Kasqians, known as “Makers,” tried repeatedly to repair SAM’s issues, but couldn’t figure out what was wrong. They eventually revealed that when they built her, they hadn’t included any childhood memories. These memories are crucial for processing trauma later in life, and SAM’s programming lacked this essential component after witnessing the deaths of her friends on the Miyazaki. Although SAM was given the personality of a 17-year-old, she didn’t have the corresponding memories to support it. Captain Ake then proposed a way to address the problem.

The Doctor Becomes SAM’s Father in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Captain Ake asks the Kasqians to give SAM the memories of a seventeen-year-old, essentially giving her a full life history. She proposes the Doctor as a parental figure, but he initially declines. He reveals to Captain Ake that he’s been grieving the loss of his daughter, Belle, for eight centuries and doesn’t want to risk that pain again. He admits, with tears, that SAM reminded him of Belle, which is why he kept his distance. However, to save SAM’s life, he agrees to become her father. Almost instantly, SAM and the Doctor share years of experiences as parent and child, transforming the former Emergency Medical Hologram from Voyager into a dad overnight.

Thanks to the Doctor’s selfless acts, SAM is rescued and returns to Starfleet Academy. The Doctor now experiences the memories of raising SAM as his daughter, which will undoubtedly reshape their relationship. This also finally acknowledges the Doctor’s long-held pain over losing a family, a pain that Voyager never addressed. Through SAM, he’s able to fulfill his desire to be a father, something he couldn’t do during his time in the 24th century.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season one is now streaming on Paramount+.

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2026-02-26 11:03