Synopsis: Voyager’s sensors detect both a wormhole and individuals that are from the Alpha Quadrant.
This episode is a further illustration of what it looks like when the Logos-driven rational conscious ego starts to integrate bits of material from the Eros-driven irrational unconscious into itself, to become more whole.
In “False Profits” Voyager’s sensors first pick up indications that a wormhole appeared near her position a few months prior and then that there is someone from the Alpha Quadrant on a nearby planet. Commander Chakotay and Lt. Tom Paris go to try to locate the Alpha Quadrant individuals on the planet while Lt. B’Elanna Torres and Ensign Harry Kim try to figure out a way to bring the wormhole back so Voyager can use it to get back to the Alpha Quadrant. Chakotay and Paris discover that two Ferengi, Arridor and Kol, are on the planet and impersonating the characters of Two Sages from the planet’s mythology. Captain Katheryn Janeway wants to stop the Ferengi from exploiting the inhabitants of the planet, but Lt. Tuvok reminds her that the Ferengi are not part of the Federation, are not bound by its laws, but that Janeway is forbidden to interfere with a planet’s culture because of the Prime Directive. Janeway reasons that because this particular wormhole was being negotiated for aboard the USS Enterprise seven years prior that the Federation is partly responsible for the Ferengi being there, which gives her authority to try to stop them. Tuvok notes her reasoning is logical. The Ferengi are beamed up to Voyager, but when Arridor asks Janeway, “what happens to a people when they lose their gods?” (Menosky & Bole, 1996), she changes her mind and sends them back down to the planet. Janeway devises a plan to out-Ferengi the Ferengi, and sends Neelix, disguised as a Ferengi, to tell the two Ferengi that they are being recalled. When this plan doesn’t work, another one is devised to use the planet’s mythology to get the Ferengi to leave. This forces the Ferengis back to Voyager, but not wanting to leave the planet without their belongings they take a shuttle toward the planet to retrieve them. Voyager tries to beam them back, but the Ferengi shuttle emits a graviton pulse to avoid that, but when they are sucked into the wormhole with the pulse still operative, they destroy the wormhole.
In this episode, just as in the prior two, Janeway’s attitude seems to go further and further away from the tenets of Starfleet, which can be compared to the normal way of operating for the conscious ego. It is almost as if after Janeway was taken back in time in the episode “Flashback” to the era of James T. Kirk and his crew, she has become much more cavalier about Starfleet regulations, the very thing she accused them of being. Tuvok seems to have noticed this, but even he gives into her logic in this episode. Perhaps they are both becoming more accustomed to behaving in ways that Starfleet normally would not approve of. This is somewhat analogous to how the conscious ego gets more flexible, and therefore stronger when it integrates bits of unconscious material into itself, and in the process making the psyche more whole.
Reference:
Menosky, J. (Writer), & Bole, C. (Director). (1996, October 2). False Profits (Season 3, Episode 5) [TV series episode]. In R. Berman, M. Piller, & J. Taylor (Executive Producers), Star trek: Voyager. Paramount Television.
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