Introduction

“Tsunkatse” is the fifteenth episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager.

The episode featured Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a guest role as a Pendari fighter, and former Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actors J. G. Hertzler and Jeffrey Combs.

In this episode, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) is abducted, along with Tuvok (Tim Russ), while on a survey mission and forced by her captors to fight in an arena for the entertainment of others.

The episode had originally been called “Arena”. The crossover between Voyager and the UPN wrestling show WWF Smackdown was described as a “clever marketing ploy” by Russ, but received a negative fan reaction on broadcast. However, it received the highest ratings of the season having been watched by 4.1 percent of all Nielsen households during sweeps month. It received mixed reviews by critics, with praise reserved for Combs and Hertzler. The fight scenes were praised by Black Belt magazine.

Outline

The crew are granted shore leave on an alien planet. Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and Lt. B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) attend a mixed martial arts ring sport called “Tsunkatse,” while Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) visits a neighboring system in the Delta Flyer. Following the match, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Lt. Cmdr Tuvok (Tim Russ) ask Chakotay if they can study a micro-nebula on an away mission. He grants them permission, telling them that they can spend their shore leave in whatever manner they choose. Seven and Tuvok depart in a shuttle, but are captured by an alien vessel en route and Tuvok is injured. Seven is brought to Penk (Jeffrey Combs) who blackmails her into fighting in the Tsunkatse matches or else Tuvok will be refused medical treatment.

Chakotay invites other crew members to join him at the next Tsunkatse match. These include Neelix (Ethan Phillips), who is forced to restrict his activities following an allergic reaction to a homeopathic medical treatment. They arrive at the bout and Chakotay explains the rules of the fight to Neelix. The first challenger walks out, a Pendari man (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), and the Voyager crew are surprised when he is followed by Seven. As the two circle each other, Chakotay contacts Torres on the ship and updates her on the match, ordering her to transport Seven back to Voyager. Torres discovers that Seven is not on the planet’s surface, and the fight is actually a holographic projection. Seven is defeated by the Pendari and later wakes up in the fighter’s barracks where a Hirogen (J. G. Hertzler) is healing her with a dermal regenerator. Penk visits the duo and informs Seven that her next match will be to the death. After he leaves, the Hirogen promises to train her. Seven accepts his training, realising that even if Voyager can rescue them, she and Tuvok must still survive until then.

On Voyager, the crew track down the source of the holographic transmission – a much larger ship. Seven is led out for the next Tsunkatse match, and discovers that the Hirogen himself is her opponent. As they start to fight, Voyager attacks the Tsunkatse vessel and destroys a localised shield generator. Torres transports Tuvok off the ship, but Seven isn’t in the unshielded area of the ship. The Hirogen takes the advantage in the match, and Voyager’s weapons are taken offline. Janeway arrives in the Delta Flyer and destroys the Tsunktase ship’s signal generators which broadcast the matches. Penk reroutes power to another transmitter, thus weakening his shields. As Seven takes her position to reluctantly kill the Hirogen, both are transported onto Voyager. Afterwards, Chakotay tells the Hirogen that they are en route to transfer him to a vessel of his species. The Hirogen thanks the crew and tells them that he plans to look for his son.

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Production & Filming Details

• Director(s): Mike Vejar.
• Writer(s): Gannon Kenney.
• Release Date: 09 February 2000.
• Running Time: 45 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.