History Recap / StarTrekVoyagerS4E21LivingWitness

* SeriesContinuityError: In "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS4E13MessageInABottle Message In A Bottle]]'', Kim attempts to recreate the Doctor's program from scratch as this is apparently the only way they can replace him if he's lost. However, this episode reveals that the ship was carrying a fully functional backup copy of the Doctor's program.

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Apart from the HistoricalVillainUpgrade, ''Voyager''[='=]s crew are supposedly heading for Mars (a mistake probably arising from the fact that Voyager was launched from the Utopia Planitia fleet yards in Mars orbit).

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Apart from the HistoricalVillainUpgrade, ''Voyager''[='=]s crew are supposedly heading for Mars.

* MoreDakka: The '300 soldiers' on board ''Voyager'' carry compression phaser rifles. Warship ''Voyager'' has 30 torpedo tubes, 25 phaser banks and a triple-armored hull, instead of the ResetButton that would have made all this protection redundant.

* AlasPoorVillain: The Doctor's opinion on Daleth's summary execution of Tedran, which he describes as "a tragic, needless death". While Tedran's goons had killed a number of ''Voyager''[='=]s crewmembers and Tedran himself was a paranoid thug with a WithUsOrAgainstUs attitude, Daleth prevented him from being properly brought to justice, caused his HistoricalHeroUpgrade, and made the Great War inevitable.

* AssInAmbassador: How the Kyrians portray Daleth, the guy who recruits ''Voyager'' to attack them. The Doctor, however, shows him to be a fairly amiable guy who easily makes friends with Janeway. He's also something of an {{Ambadassador}}, standing up to Tedran and his {{mooks}} when they invade ''Voyager'' and even being the one to fire the killing shot against Tedran himself.

* BittersweetEnding: A TimeSkip reveals that Quarren and the Doctor's efforts to debunk ''The Voyager Encounter'' have not only vindicated ''Voyager'' but, despite causing things to briefly get ''even worse'', led to equality between the Kyrians and Vaskans. However, Quarren only lived six more years, barely enough time to see the fruits of his work, and while the Doctor served as the species' Surgical Chancellor, he eventually became homesick and traced ''Voyager'''s path back to the Alpha Quadrant, and judging by the future historian's mixed class, race relations have become a non-issue.
* BlackAndWhiteInsanity: The Kyrians in general show signs of this attitude, as exemplified by the woman who argues with Quarren. As far as they're concerned, they're the innocent heroes being oppressed by the cruel Vaskans, and ''Voyager'' is pure evil. When Quarren and the Doctor produce contradicting evidence, the woman in question is not at all receptive.

* BoyishShorthair: Evil Janeway has a more butch hairstyle in contrast to her previous flowing locks.
* BrickJoke: In "Worst Case Scenario", Tom Paris suggests that a holographic Janeway execute some mutineers. We see this version of a holographic Janeway do just that to hostages.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: The Doctor notes that this started as a normal trading mission until the Kyrians and Vaskans began shooting at each other and ''Voyager'' got caught in the middle of it. After kicking both the Kyrians and the Vaskans off the ship, the real Janeway most likely ordered ''Voyager'' to leave, and the crew probably never gave that trading planet with its two race-warring humanoid species a second thought.
** Except for those three dead crewmen. But they probably [[RedShirt never got another mention either]].

** Chakotay's tattoo takes up half his face, as per "Mine's bigger!" Q in "The Q and the Gray".

* ContentWarnings (InUniverse): Quarren warns viewers of ''The Voyager Encounter'' that what they're about to see is graphic and unsettling. Between the ColdBloodedTorture of a Kyrian prisoner and the execution of Tedran and his aide, Quarren wasn't kidding.

* EvilCostumeSwitch: The evil ''Voyager'' crew all wear [[HandOfDeath sinister black gloves]] and dark undershirts. Seven has her original Borg look. Janeway has reverted to a [[ExpositoryHairstyleChange more severe hairstyle]].

* FantasticRacism: During the main story, the Kyrians and Vaskans have been at relative peace for a long time, but there's still some tension; unfortunately, Quarren's exhibits tend to exacerbate the differences between the two peoples.

* FutureImperfect: The historian's interpretation of the event is... misguided, to say the least. This is due to two factors that even individually are a recipe for utter nonsense, never mind together: the fact that he barely has any data to work with, and a heavy bias against both the Vaskans and the ''Voyager'' crew. The crew wear fascist uniforms[[note]]actually just the regular uniforms minus the badge and with the addition of black undershirts and gloves[[/note]] and are portrayed as violent sociopaths. The Doctor is an android. Seven of Nine is still a Borg leading a contingent of captured drones. Even ''Voyager'' herself has become a darkly-lit ship, armed to the teeth and referred to as a warship.

* InfiniteSupplies: Averted as the whole thing started because ''Voyager'' stopped to trade for dilithium. The idea of a fully-functional EMH backup raises some FridgeLogic however.
* InvulnerableKnuckles: Subverted, as even Evil Kim is a wuss.
-->"I can keep this up all day. Tell the Commander what he wants to know. ''(punches prisoner, then [[FailedAttemptAtDrama shakes his hand in pain]])'' Maybe I can't keep this up all day."

* MilkingTheGiantCow: The Kyrian arbiter.

-->'''Quarren:''' Ever since I was a small child, the first time I heard the name Voyager, it conjured up my imagination.

-->'''Quarren:''' That didn't matter. I was too young to understand the implications. The fact you were so far from home, travelling across the stars. Ah, I found it all very heroic. I suppose Voyager is what made me fall in love with history.
* MoreDakka: The '300 soldiers' on board Voyager carry compression phaser rifles. Warship Voyager has 30 torpedo tubes, 25 phaser banks and a triple-armored hull, instead of the ResetButton that would have made all this protection redundant.

* PerpSweating: A prisoner is beaten by...Chakotay and Harry Kim?

-->"From what I can tell, the Doctor was telling the truth, at least about one thing. [[BaitAndSwitchComment He is a hologram]]. A backup program. We always knew he was an artificial life form but, we thought he was an android. If we were mistaken about that, I wonder if we might also be wrong about Voyager itself. Another question. Why would a hologram designed for medical purposes be programmed to lie so readily? From the moment I activated him, this Doctor has insisted that he's innocent."

* SomeOfMyBestFriendsAreX: The skeptical Vaskan makes a point of saying that he has Kyrian friends while criticizing the validity of Quarren's historical recreation.
* StandardFemaleGrabArea: Used against Seven of Nine. Though she does eventually get fed up and break out of it. Also justified since Tedran puts his phaser to her head the second her grabs her.

* TeethClenchedTeamwork: In the simulation a senior officers meeting breaks down into a brawl until Janeway fires a warning shot.

* TokenMinority: The Kyrian arbiter actually has little power and says she's only on the council as their token Kyrian.

* UnusualEars: They couldn't get Tuvok's ears right either.

'''Janeway:''' Defeat... genocide... why quibble with semantics?

* DarkIsEvil: Warship Voyager has all the [[EvilIsNotWellLit internal lights dimmed]], and the crew [[EvilWearsBlack wear black gloves and undershirts]].

* DissonantSerenity: Evil Janeway seldom raises her voice, whether making threats or carrying out genocide. Likewise the android Doctor speaks in a CreepyMonotone, as opposed to the emotive LargeHam that Quarren is confronted with. It's the fervor with which the Doctor defends himself that brings on Quarren's doubt, as much as any evidence he might find.
* DistantFinale: The episode ends a few hundred years in the future after the EMH has become a respected teacher then leaves for home.

* DoWrongRight: Evil Doctor re Kim's PerpSweating.

* EqualOpportunityEvil: Voyager's soldiers include species they've 'assimilated' during their travels, such as a Kazon security ensign and a squad of Borg drones commanded by Seven of Nine.

* FaceRevealingTurn: The Doctor to reveal his beady eyes have been replaced by android ones.
* FantasticRacism: During the main story, the Kyrians and Vaskans have been at peace for a long time, but there's still some tension.

* HeroicSacrifice: When the city erupts into rioting, the Doctor is aghast and tells Quarren to delete his program. Fortunately Quarren refuses.

* InvulnerableKnuckles: Subverted as even Evil Kim is a wuss.

** The Kazon from Season 1-2, and the Borg in the cargo bay as per "Scorpion". Seven of Nine is back in her Borg self, too.

** Neelix is in Security, as per the {{Alternate Reality Episode}}s "Before and After" and "Year of Hell". Likewise Harry is a lieutenant again.

* TheBattlestar: As well as a company of soldiers and enough firepower to devastate a civilization, "Warship Voyager" also has 'fighter shuttles' (unfortunately not shown in action).

* TheBattlestar: As well as a company of soldiers and enough firepower to devastate a civilization, Warship Voyager also has 'fighter shuttles' (unfortunately not shown in action).

The Warship ''Voyager'' gets involved in an alien conflict, aiding the evil Vaskans in defeating their neighbors, the noble Kyrians... except that's a holographic simulation of events that happened seven hundred years earlier, displayed in a Kyrian museum long after the war is over. The Vaskan visitors to the museum find this account rather biased, but the Kyrian historian, Quarren, explains that it is the best possible extrapolation given the historical records. But then one night he manages to activate a piece of ''Voyager'' technology, which turns out to be a backup copy of The Doctor, who attempts to set the record straight.

* AccentUponTheWrongSyllable: Everyone in the simulation stresses the first syllable of Chakotay (CHA-ko-tay) instead of the second, the first tip to the viewer that this is less Mirror Universe episode than just some simulation in need of serious fact checking.

** Downplayed with the Vaskan ambassador. His historical counterpart was an AssInAmbassador who shoots Tedran in cold blood over Janeway's objections. In the recreation, he does make a DealWithTheDevil with Voyager, but he tries to object when they commit genocide and is shocked when Janeway shoots Tetran.

* UnreliableExpositor: An {{implied| Trope}} {{downplayed| Trope}} version. The Doctor's version of the story is suggested to be truthful, for the most part. However, there is a clear implication that he might be slightly exaggerating his own role in the events to make himself look better. He gallantly offers to lead the way into the hostage situation in the mess hall, to draw the enemy's fire; an act that Daleth praises the bravery of. Giving that the Doctor has been shown to have a bit of ego, this could just be him giving himself some CharacterShilling through another character.

-->'''EMH:''' And I'm some sort of...fossil?
-->'''Quarren:''' No, not a fossil. A witness, a living witness to history!

-->'''Daleth:''' I want them ''defeated'', [[EvenEvilHasStandards but this is genocide]]!
-->'''Janeway:''' Defeat... genocide... why quibble with semantics?

-->'''The Doctor''': 700 years, and I'm still caught in the middle of your little dispute.

* FutureImperfect: The historian's interpretation of the event is... misguided, to say the least. This is due to two factors that on their own are a recipe for utter nonsense: the fact that he barely has any data to work with, and a heavy bias against both the Vaskans and the ''Voyager'' crew. The crew wear fascist uniforms[[note]]actually just the regular uniforms minus the badge and with the addition of black undershirts and gloves[[/note]] and are portrayed as violent sociopaths. The Doctor is an android. Seven of Nine is still a Borg leading a contingent of captured drones. Even ''Voyager'' herself has become a darkly-lit ship, armed to the teeth and referred to as a warship.

* FutureImperfect: The historian's interpretation of the event is... misguided, to say the least. This is due to the fact that he barely has any data to work with and a heavy bias against the Vaskans. The crew wear fascist uniforms[[note]]actually just the regular uniforms minus the badge and with the addition of black undershirts and gloves[[/note]] and are portrayed as violent sociopaths. The Doctor is an android. Seven of Nine is still a Borg leading a contingent of captured drones. Even ''Voyager'' herself has become a darkly-lit ship, armed to the teeth and referred to as a warship.

* GreyAndGreyMorality: The Kyrians are engaging in revisionist history to absolve themselves of responsibility over a war they started, and the Vaskans are rightly irritated at being cast as the villains (even if the simulation puts most of the blame on a third party that isn't around to protest). But the Kyrian council member is also right to protest that her people are still subject to segregation and ostracization ''seven hundred years'' after the fact, and the race riot started by the Vaskans certainly isn't justified either.

* AlternateRealityEpisode: Played with; this was clearly meant to be ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'''s version of a MirrorUniverse episode, but without the BareYourMidriff uniforms and HomoeroticSubtext.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: With the entire ''Voyager'' crew being portrayed as a bunch of mercenaries and war criminals, it comes as no surprise that Janeway herself is presented as the most evil of the bunch.

* RealTrailerFakeMovie: Trekkies found this episode a useful source of StockFootage for this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo-5AeCIYXU Star Trek: Voyager Mirror Universe title sequence]].

* AbsenteeActor: B'Elanna Torres is mentioned, but does not appear in the episode in either the warship ''Voyager'' scenario or the recreated actual historical version, [[RealLifeWritesThePlot as her actress Roxanne Dawson was giving birth to her child around that time]] (Justified in the narrative by Quarren's mistaken identification of her as the chief transporter officer rather than the more important role of chief engineer).

* ShowWithinAShow: InUniverse with "The Voyager Encounter". The episode starts with the holographic simulation of the conflict, and ends showing that Quarren and The Doctor's plotline was also a holographic simulation at some point even further in the future (possibly further in the future than any ''Star Trek'' media has ever shown).

* BittersweetEnding: A TimeSkip reveals that Quarren and the Doctor's efforts to debunk ''The Voyager Encounter'' have not only vindicated ''Voyager'' but, despite causing things to briefly get ''even worse'', led to equality between the Kyrians and Vaskans. However, Quarren only lived six more years, barely enough time to see the fruits of his work, and while the Doctor served as the species' Surgical Chancellor, he eventually became homesick and traced ''Voyager'''s path back to the Alpha Quadrant.

* DefiantToTheEnd: Heroic Tedran's FamousLastWords before he's shot InTheBack by Evil Janeway are "We will prevail".

* AlasPoorVillain: The Doctor's opinion on Daleth's summary execution of Tedran, which he describes as "a tragic, needless death". While Tedran's goons had killed a number of ''Voyager''[='=]s crewmembers and Tedran himself was a paranoid thug with a WithUsOrAgainstUs attitude, Daleth prevented him from being properly brought to justice, caused Tedran's HistoricalHeroUpgrade, and made the Great War inevitable.

* AlasPoorVillain: The Doctor's opinion on Tedran's murder by Daleth, which he describes as "a tragic, needless death". While Tedran's goons had killed a number of ''Voyager''[='=]s crewmembers and Tedran himself was a paranoid thug with a WithUsOrAgainstUs attitude, Daleth prevented him from being brought to justice and made the Great War inevitable.