Synopsis: Captain Janeway and B’Elanna Torres work together to solve an issue affecting the Voyager and her crew.
If the first two episodes can be interpreted as an illustration of Carl (C. G.) Jung’s analytical psychological concept of the union of opposites, as when bits of material from the Eros-driven irrational unconscious are integrated into the Logos-driven rational conscious ego, then this episode can be seen as an elucidation of how that occurs.
In “Parallax” Captain Kathryn Janeway is in need of a new Chief Engineer, and automatically assumes that the most likely candidate will be the next in line from what remains of the Starfleet crew aboard the U.S.S. Voyager. First Officer Commander Chakotay believes that B’Elanna Torres is a better candidate, but Janeway is shocked by Torres’s irrational behavior. However, once Janeway sees Torres’s abilities as an asset to the ship, Janeway appoints her Chief Engineer.
This is analogous to how our conscious ego will at first almost automatically suppress bits of material from the unconscious because those bits of material are not in line with its perception of the world, or universe for that matter. However, if the conscious ego does change its perspective to allow some bits of unconscious material to integrate into itself, then the ego becomes stronger and the psyche more whole. Much as how when Janeway starts to unite the Starfleet and Maquis crews into one team working towards the goal of getting home and all benefit.
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