History Recap / StarTrekVoyagerS3E15BloodFever

[[caption-width-right:350:The one episode that gives some focus to Vorik, and it's ''really, '''really''''' creepy.]]

* AboveTheInfluence
-->'''Paris:''' Oh, [[ChivalrousPervert believe me, I'd like to]], but I know this isn't really you. You've made it clear that you're not interested, and I have to accept that's how you feel, even now.
** He only relents when he's practically ordered to do so by Tuvok when contact with ''Voyager'' is cut off. They're interrupted by Vorik before anything can really happen.

-->'''Doctor:''' Let's start with a microcellular scan--\\
'''Vorik:''' NO! (beat) I don't want medical treatment, I will resolve this myself.

* BlatantLies: Every time Vorik insists he can handle the problem himself or B'Elanna insists there's nothing wrong with her.

** To quote [[http://reviewboy.com/bloodfever.html Jim "Reviewboy" Wright]]: "Vorik looks ready to devour something, and he pronounces "mate" like "meat." At this point, I don't think he knows the difference."

* DissonantSerenity: Vorik after his treatment, making it appear the Doctor's treatment was a success. Whether Vorik suffers a relapse, or is calm because his mind is now focused on getting everyone to let their guard down, is not clear.

-->'''Paris:''' I'm your friend, and [[ButLiquorIsQuicker I have to watch out for you when your judgement's been impaired]]. If you let these instincts take over now, [[DefiledForever you'll hate yourself]], and [[WhatYouAreInTheDark me too for taking advantage of you]].

* FutureSpandex: The form-fitting grey jumpsuits worn by the Away Team.

* ObliviousToLove: Averted; B'Elanna is fully aware of Tom's interest. Played a bit more straight when Vorik's initial proposal takes her completely by surprise.

* SarcasmMode: The Doctor consults Tuvok about Vorik's condition. His advice is to let Vorik handle the matter and not interfere.
-->'''EMH:''' The Vulcan brain never ceases to amaze me. Thank you Lieutenant, you've been a...great help.
** After the cave-in Tom tries scanning with his tricorder, but it doesn't pick up anything thanks to the Sakaris' dampening field. B'Elanna accuses him of using it wrong, causing Tom to snap back, "Yeah, that ''must'' be it."

* [[SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny Sex Is Illogical And I Am Horny]]: The loss of emotional control caused by the ''pon farr'' is deeply humiliating to Vulcans, hampering the Doctor's efforts to treat Vorik.

* ShoutOut: In his initial approach of B'Elanna, Vorik starts out by explaining his logical reasons for choosing a new mate and mechanically listing her good qualities, framed as "desirable qualities in a mate" rather than "things I actually like about you". When she refuses he turns snappish and advises her to reconsider due to her limited other options, at no point treating her refusal as non-negotiable. He sounds like a Vulcan [[Literature/PrideAndPrejudice Mr. Collins]].

* LetsSplitUpGang: Averted when Tom lampshades the stupidity of chasing after B'Elanna and leaving a wounded Neelix. It happens anyway when a cave-in cuts Tom and B'Elanna off from the Away Team. Struggling with her urges, B'Elanna suggests they go their separate ways. Conscious that she's also not in a condition to look after herself, Tom refuses.

->"''You're afraid that your big, scary Klingon side might have been showing. Well, I saw it up close and you know, it wasn't so terrible. In fact, [[ShipTease I wouldn't mind seeing it again someday]].''"
->"''[[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor Careful what you wish for]], Lieutenant.''"
-->--'''Tom Paris''' and '''B'Elanna Torres'''

* BelligerentSexualTension: The beginning of this between Tom and B'elanna.

** The Doctor says his only records of the ''pon farr'' are based on the few Starfleet medical officers who have observed the phenomenon. Dr [=McCoy=] would be one of them, having both examined Spock medically and been present during the events on Vulcan.

* ADayInTheLimelight: A mostly background character on ''Voyager,'' Vorik gets some focus here for once, though it's shared with B'elanna.

* EasilyForgiven: Zig-zagged. Though she initially knocks him on his ass, B'elanna takes Vorik's initial attack in Engineering surprisingly well, since it's obvious that something is ''seriously'' wrong with Vorik. And then she winds up in a quasi-''pon farr'' herself, and then it's payback time!

* TheTalk: Tuvok looks a bit unnerved upon hearing how B'elanna is acting on the planet, and realizing ''why'' she's acting this way. Thus, Tuvok, much to his own discomfort, has to have a variant of this conversation with Vorik, who's a much younger Vulcan and honestly didn't know he could transmit a ''pon farr'' to another person, much less another species. It's an equally difficult discussion for both, and you can cut the awkwardness with a knife.

* WouldHitAGirl: A ''pon farr''-riddled Vorik has to, since B'elanna took his ''koon-ut-kal-if-fee'' challenge herself. He even shoots Tuvok a look that screams "wait, seriously?"

B'Elanna Torres is surprised when Vorik, a Vulcan crewman in her Engineering team, suddenly declares his affections. When B'Elanna turns down the offer, Vorik tries to force a MindMeld on her and gets punched in the face for his trouble. The Doctor realises that Vorik is undergoing the ''pon farr'', the Vulcan mating urge that occurs every seven years. As he attempts to treat his reluctant patient, B'Elanna starts acting strangely while on an Away Mission.

-->'''EMH:''' When we get back, I'm sure Starfleet Medical will-- ''(Vorik gives him a Look)'' ...never hear about your personal experiences from me.

* RelationshipUpgrade: P/T becomes canon. From here it's pretty much a straight run to them becoming an OfficialCouple in Season 4's "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS4E3DayOfHonor Day of Honor]]".

* ShoutOut: In his initial approach of B'Elanna, Vorik starts out by mechanically listing her good qualities, and when she refuses he turns snappish and advises her to reconsider due to her limited other options. He sounds like a Vulcan [[Literature/PrideAndPrejudice Mr. Collins]].

** Vorik insists on [[ADateWithRosiePalms handling the problem himself]] and asks to be [[IllBeInMyBunk confined to quarters]].

* MythologyGag: Vorik does the [[FanNickname Picard Maneuver]] after getting off the biobed.

* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: B'Elanna tries this trope, but [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E2TheNakedNow Tom isn't Data]] so he insists they ''do'' talk about it, as they're going to be stuck on the same starship for years.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* MythologyGag:
** Vorik does the [[FanNickname Picard Maneuver]] after getting off the biobed.
** When he later initiates ''kal-if-fee'' on the planet, his hands are in the same steepled pose that Spock assumed once he was fully consumed by ''pon farr'' "Amok Time."

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar
** Vorik insists on [[ADateWithRosiePalms handling the problem himself]] and asks to be [[IllBeInMyBunk confined to quarters]].
** "[[PhallicWeapon This isn't about the gun! This is about sex!]]"

** When Vorik initiates ''kal-if-fee'' on the planet, his hands are in the same steepled pose that Spock assumed once he was fully consumed by ''pon farr'' "Amok Time."

* MythologyGag: Vorik does the [[FanNickname Picard Maneuver]] after getting off the biobed.

** Established canon regarding the ''pon farr'' goes out the airlock in order to stop [[PlotArmor Vorik, B'Elanna or Tom from dying]]. Spock not only had to mate with a particular person, he was specifically driven to return to Vulcan to do it, and couldn't easily shake it off just by taking someone else for his mate. For obvious reasons, returning home is impossible for Vorik on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', but he still should have had more trouble with this. More to the point, the "ritual combat" is not a mere contest for the mate's hand, but a brutal DuelToTheDeath with anyone who would stand in the Vulcan's way; which leads to a kind of LogicBomb, considering that Torres championed herself, making her both his chosen mate and deadly rival. Finally, it was never established in "Amok Time" that this combat by itself would be sufficient to purge the blood fever. Though it worked in Spock's case, it was implied that the shock of thinking that he'd killed Captain Kirk was actually responsible.

** A bit of established canon regarding the ''pon farr'' goes out the airlock in order to stop [[PlotArmor Vorik, B'Elanna or Tom from dying]]. Spock not only had to mate with a particular person, he was specifically driven to return to Vulcan to do it, and couldn't easily shake it off just by taking someone else for his mate. For obvious reasons, returning home is impossible for Vorik on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', but he still should have had more trouble with this. More to the point, the "ritual combat" is not a mere contest for the mate's hand, but a brutal DuelToTheDeath with anyone who would stand in the Vulcan's way; which leads to a kind of LogicBomb, considering that Torres championed herself, making her both his chosen mate and deadly rival. Finally, it was never established in "Amok Time" that this combat by itself would be sufficient to purge the blood fever. Though it worked in Spock's case, it was implied that the shock of thinking that he'd killed Captain Kirk was actually responsible.

* AntiVillain: The Sakari turn out to be this.

* ChameleonCamouflage: The Sakari wear clothing that matches the cave walls. Their presence is only revealed when B'Elanna [[ShaggySearchTechnique inadvertently backs into one of them]].

** A bit of established canon re the ''pon farr'' goes out the airlock in order to stop [[PlotArmor Vorik, B'Elanna or Tom from dying]]. Spock not only had to mate with a particular person, he was specifically driven to return to Vulcan to do it, and couldn't easily shake it off just by taking someone else for his mate. For obvious reasons, returning home is impossible for Vorik on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', but he still should have had more trouble with this. More to the point, the "ritual combat" is not a mere contest for the mate's hand, but a brutal DuelToTheDeath with anyone who would stand in the Vulcan's way; which leads to a kind of LogicBomb, considering that Torres championed herself, making her both his chosen mate and deadly rival. Finally, it was never established in "Amok Time" that this combat by itself would be sufficient to purge the blood fever. Though it worked in Spock's case, it was implied that the shock of thinking that he'd killed Captain Kirk was actually responsible.

* AntiVillain: The Sikari turn out to be this.

* BeneathTheEarth: Where the Sikari have lived since the Borg attack.

* InfiniteSupplies: Averted; the MacGuffin that sends the Away Team down to the planet is a search for galicite, a [[AppliedPhlebotinum rare mineral they can use to refit their warp coils]]. They end up trading with the Sikari for it.

* OhCrap: At the very end of the episode, Chakotay takes Captain Janeway to see a corpse they've found, one of the mysterious raiders who destroyed the Sikari. [[TheDreaded It's a Borg drone]].

* ProperlyParanoid: Turns out the Sikari have every right to be afraid, given the implacable nature of their enemy.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The Sikari leader who captures Chakotay and Tuvok. For all his suspicion of outsiders he listens to their point of view, agrees to a trade of galicite in exchange for ''Voyager'' helping eliminate the remaining traces of their colony, and would have let them proceed without harm even after the Away Team discovered their presence if B'Elanna hadn't attacked one of his men.

** After the cave-in Tom tries scanning with his tricorder, but it doesn't pick up anything thanks to the Sikaris' dampening field. B'Elanna accuses him of using it wrong, causing Tom to snap back, "Yeah, that ''must'' be it."

* WhamShot: The Borg corpse on Sikari.