Synopsis: A Voth scientist in the Delta Quadrant proves his hypothesis that his race shares ancestors with humans from Earth
This episode illustrates the depth psychological concept of projection. Specifically, the idea that one way that the Logos-driven rational conscious ego becomes aware of the unconscious shadow, is when the ego projects the bits of unconscious material that it does not want to identify as part of the psyche onto another.
In “Distant Origin” Professor Forra Gegen, a scientist from a saurian life form in the Delta Quadrant has a theory that his species shares ancestry with humans from Earth. He and a colleague go to Voyager and observe humans aboard her. Chakotay is brought back to their world, and as a fellow scientist, he agrees to act as proof of the accuracy of Gegen’s hypothesis. But instead of listening to his theory, the Voth High Council puts him on trial for speaking against the doctrine of his society, and he is put in prison until he admits that he is mistaken.
In this episode, it can be argued that the alien race, the Voth, are being analogized to the humans in Starfleet. That their doctrine is so important and absolute to them, that they will not accommodate any deviation from it. This was definitely how we found Captain Kathryn Janeway when the series started, completely one-sided in valuing the rational conscious ego and devaluing any drives from the irrational unconscious. When she acts as one-sided as the Voth civilization is here, it is the most dangerous option for her crew, but sometimes, when Janeway is able to bend her principles to the reality that is the Delta Quadrant, she finds Voyager’s journey home a bit easier. This can be compared to how when the rational ego allows bits of material from the unconscious to be integrated into itself, it becomes stronger and the psyche becomes more whole.
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