Line #136 Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS3E15BloodFever


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/voy_bloodfever_395.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Love is a battlefield indeed.]]
3	->'''Tom Paris:''' 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]].
4	->'''B'Elanna Torres:''' [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor Careful what you wish for]], Lieutenant.
5
6	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 mind meld 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.
7	-----
8	!!This episode has the following tropes:
9	* AboveTheInfluence: Exaggerated. Paris rejects Torres's advances because she's under the influence of the ''pon farr'', taking almost herculean steps to resist her. He only relents when Tuvok insists that he simply ''must'' have sex with her to save her life.
10	* AbsenceMakesTheHeartGoYonder: As per Vulcan custom Vorik is already in an ArrangedMarriage, but it's only logical that his wife assumes he is dead and has thus chosen another mate.
11	* AntiVillain: The Sakari turn out to be this. They're not evil, just really paranoid about alien intruders. Perfectly understandable, since their last "visitors" were the Borg.
12	* AskAStupidQuestion: When Vorik is in Sickbay following B'Elanna's firm refusal of his proposal.
13	-->'''B'Elanna:''' What's wrong with him?\
14	'''Doctor:''' [[DeadpanSnarker You mean besides a dislocated jaw?]]
15	* AsYouKnow: Justified; given the limited information he has regarding the ''pon farr'', it's natural that the Doctor would attempt to get more details from Vorik and Tuvok, who provide reluctant exposition for those who haven't seen "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E1AmokTime Amok Time]]".
16	* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: After things are back to normal, Paris tells B'Elanna he didn't really mind her "scary" Klingon side, and he might like to see it again someday. [[ShipTease She warns him of this.]]
17	* BelligerentSexualTension: The beginning of this between Tom and B'Elanna.
18	* BeneathTheEarth: Where the Sakari have lived since the Borg attack.
19	* BigNo:
20	** When the Doctor is about to start with a microcellular scan, Vorik shouts, "NO! I don't want medical treatment! I will resolve this myself!"
21	** Tom when the piton breaks, sending B'Elanna and Neelix plunging to the ground.
22	* BirdsOfAFeather: Strangely enough B'Elanna and Vorik, who fear the volatility of their own emotions and lack the confidence to approach the person they're secretly attracted to [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove except under extreme circumstances]].
23	* BiteOfAffection: Tom first realises something is wrong with B'Elanna when she chomps on his cheek.
24	* ChameleonCamouflage: The Sakari wear clothing that matches the cave walls. Their presence is only revealed when B'Elanna [[LuckBasedSearchTechnique inadvertently backs into one of them]].
25	* ChangeTheUncomfortableSubject
26	-->'''Doctor:''' You're going through the ''pon farr'', aren't you?\
27	'''Vorik:''' That's...an ''extremely'' personal question, Doctor.
28	** And later when Tuvok is explaining the crisis to Tom.
29	--->'''Paris:''' And you go through this every seven years of your adult life?\
30	'''Tuvok:''' You only need concern yourself with Lt. Torres' situation.
31	** And for RuleOfThree with B'Elanna.
32	--->'''Paris:''' If I remember my Klingon customs, biting someone on the face means--\
33	'''Torres:''' ''(TalkToTheHand)'' I...know...what it means!
34	* ChewingTheScenery: Vorik in full ''pon farr''-mode. (Hats off to Alexander Enberg on this one; he sounds like he's in a BlackMetal band.)
35	-->'''Vorik:''' ''YOU ARE '''MMMMY''' MATE, NOT HIS!!!''
36	* {{Cliffhanger}}: All's well that ends well, right? Nope - Janeway and Chakotay discover that ''the Borg'' have been on this planet, and they're likely going to run into them soon.
37	* CovertPervert
38	** When Tom tries to be a gentleman, B'Elanna throws back how he's been staring at her on the holodeck when he thinks she won't notice.
39	** Buoyed up by his apparent success with Vorik, the Doctor decides to do a comparative study of the crew's mating rituals. A DeathGlare from Captain Janeway kills that idea.
40	* ContinuityNod:
41	** 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.
42	** When B'Elanna and Tom start to make out, she [[SmellsSexy sniffs his wrists]] and Tom makes a nervous joke about throwing furniture, references to the TNG episodes "The Dauphin" (the famous scene where Worf eagerly discusses Klingon DestructoNookie) and "The Emissary" (where he mates with K'Ehleyr, who does the wrist-sniffing thing as foreplay).
43	** 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'' in "Amok Time."
44	* CrazyJealousGuy: Vorik goes absolutely ballistic when he stumbles across Tom and B'Elanna attempting to mate Klingon-style.
45	* CurbStompBattle: The Borg destroyed the Sakari colony in less than an hour.
46	* ADayInTheLimelight: A mostly background character on ''Voyager,'' Vorik gets some focus here for once, though it's shared with B'Elanna.
47	* DeadpanSnarker: The Doctor's in rare form in this episode.
48	-->'''Vorik:''' I have always had great respect for B'Elanna. I hope she isn't too upset with me.
49	-->'''EMH:''' With Lieutenant Torres, upset is a relative term.
50	* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything
51	** '''Paris says, "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]].
52	** Torres' aggressive flirtations, at times, also take on a lot of DateRape undertones, particularly if one considers how the things she says would sound [[DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale if he were the one saying them to her]]: that she's seen the way he looks at her, that he must just be PlayingHardToGet, that surely he ''knows'' [[AManIsAlwaysEager he wants it]]...
53	** A young man experiences his first sexual attraction, a more experienced man awkwardly has TheTalk with him, the Doctor reassures him that it's all perfectly natural, and he even tries satisfying his urges with some high-tech porn. If this were a family sitcom, it would have all the trappings of a VerySpecialEpisode.
54	** Vorik insists on handling the problem himself and asks to be [[IllBeInMyBunk confined to quarters]].
55	** "[[PhallicWeapon This isn't about the gun! This is about sex!]]"
56	* 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!
57	* EntitledToHaveYou:
58	** Once Vorik discovers that B'Elanna is also undergoing the ''pon farr''. Of course he's not being very logical by that stage.
59	** B'Elanna, also not in a very logical state of mind, isn't taking "no" for an answer from Tom very well either.
60	* {{Fanservice}}: And it won't be the last time B'Elanna [[TankTopTomboy strips down to a sweaty tank top]] either.
61	* FingerMuzzle: Unable to beam up to ''Voyager'', Tuvok virtually orders Tom to have sex with B'Elanna to save her life. Tom is going on about how this isn't the way he wanted when B'Elanna hushes him, [[HoldingHands taking him by the hand]] into the woods.
62	* FlatWhat: What'd you think she was gonna say, Vorik??
63	-->'''Vorik:''' Have we completed our preparations to your satisfaction? \
64	'''Torres:''' We're done here, yes. \
65	'''Vorik:''' Let me take this opportunity to declare ''koon-ut so'lik,'' my desire to become your mate. \
66	'''Torres (taken aback):''' ...what?
67	* {{Foreshadowing}}
68	** In "Alter Ego" Vorik asked B'Elanna out for dinner on the holodeck, an early sign of his interest in her.
69	** The Sakari leader is immediately suspicious on detecting an artificial implant in Tuvok's arm, foreshadowing TheReveal on [[{{Cyborg}} who their mysterious enemy is]].
70	** The discovery of the Borg corpse sets up the following episode "Unity", and more importantly the SeasonFinale "Scorpion" in which ''Voyager'' finally reaches their territory.
71	** Vorik suggests that as a Vulcan he can help B'Elanna with her emotional control. Tuvok acts in this role in later seasons.
72	** And of course, the conversation in the turbolift at the end of the episode foretells B'Elanna and Tom's relationship, as she practically challenges him on his insistence that he wouldn't mind seeing her "scary side" again someday.
73	* FutureSpandex: The form-fitting grey jumpsuits worn by the Away Team, a rare example of Star Fleet officers changing out their uniforms [[LimitedWardrobe for any reason]].
74	* GetOut: When Tuvok goes to speak with Vorik during his meditations.
75	--> ''(doorchime sounds)''\
76	'''Vorik:''' Go away!\
77	''(Tuvok opens the door)''\
78	'''Vorik:''' I said, '''GO AWAY'''! ''(sees Tuvok)'' I'm sorry, sir.
79	* 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 Sakari for it.
80	* ItWorksBetterWithBullets: Tuvok goes to stun an alien fighting with B'Elanna, but a dampening field prevents his phaser from firing.
81	* KissKissSlap: B'Elanna has to MateOrDie with Tom, who starts out by gently kissing her. B'Elanna is a [[HalfHumanHybrid Human-Klingon hybrid]] however, so she suddenly throws Tom to the ground and demands to know what he's doing.
82	-->'''Paris:''' Enjoying myself?\
83	'''Torres:''' Then show it!\
84	''(Tom gets the idea and starts wrestling with her)''
85	* KissMeImVirtual: The Doctor creates T'Pera, a holographic female Vulcan companion for Vorik to mate with. Vorik makes it look like he successfully purged himself of the blood fever through the holographic mate when the Doctor checks in on him, only to show up on the planet in full rage mode, ready to take B'Elanna as his mate no matter what.
86	* LeaveTheTwoLovebirdsAlone
87	** After proudly showing off T'Pera to Vorik, the Doctor suddenly realizes from their HeldGaze that he needs to make a discreet exit.
88	** Tuvok and Chakotay quietly walk off to leave Tom and B'Elanna to get on with things.
89	* LeaveMeAlone: Vorik rounds angrily on the man entering his quarters before realizing it's his superior Tuvok, who apologizes for intruding at such a humiliating time.
90	* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: Defied. 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.
91	* LetsSplitUpGang: Averted when Tom lampshades the stupidity of chasing after B'Elanna and leaving a wounded Neelix. An InvoluntaryGroupSplit 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.
92	* LotusPosition: Vorik sits on a biobed while meditating.
93	* MaleGaze: After B'Elanna [[GettingHotInHere tears off her top]] we get a nice shot down her cleavage.
94	* MandatoryLine: Kes delivers a single line in Sickbay before vanishing from the episode.
95	* MateOrDie: Sums up the whole ''pon farr'' in general. We get a twist here when a half-Klingon gets it.
96	* MoodWhiplash: Vorik, within the span of three seconds, goes from confirming that an away mission is ready, to asking B'Elanna to marry him.
97	* MythologyGag: Vorik does the Picard Maneuver after getting off the biobed.
98	* NotHerself: The morning after the incident with Vorik, B'Elanna displays [[BelligerentSexualTension aggressively-flirtatious]] [[NoSenseOfPersonalSpace body language]] with Tom Paris, {{Mood Whiplash}}es between enthusiasm for their mission and fury over the accident, and eventually bites Tom on the face when he tries to restrain her -- it's at that moment that both parties realise something is very wrong.
99	* 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 Sakari. [[TheDreaded It's a Borg drone]].
100	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: How B'Elanna realizes that something is wrong with Vorik, and then Tom noticing the same with her.
101	* PardonMyKlingon
102	-->'''Torres:''' I am not helping that Vulcan ''petaQ!''
103	* ParrotExpoWhat
104	-->'''Tuvok:''' You're experiencing a condition known as ''pon farr''.\
105	'''Torres:''' Pon what?
106	* PlayingHardToGet: B'Elanna can't help finding it amusing that [[CasanovaWannabe Tom Paris]] is the one doing this.
107	* ProperlyParanoid: Turns out the Sakari have every right to be afraid, given the implacable nature of their enemy.
108	* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The Sakari 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.
109	* RecklessGunUsage: B'Elanna wants to blast her way out of the cave-in, and Tom has to wrestle the weapon off her.
110	* RedOniBlueOni: Vorik suggests this is a logical reason why he should pair up with B'Elanna, as he could help her work on her emotional control issues. There's also his SuperStrength to handle her DestructoNookie urges.
111	* RejectedMarriageProposal: When Vorik surprises B'Elanna by proposing ''koon-ut so'lik'', she unsurprisingly turns him down. Unfortunately, he's already in the grip of ''pon farr'' and is psychologically incapable of taking "no" for an answer.
112	* SafetyGearIsCowardly: While activating the self-driving piton, Neelix gripes that all this advanced Federation technology takes the fun out of it. Becomes TemptingFate when his piton suffers a PlotDrivenBreakdown.
113	* SayMyName: Vorik shows up on the planet to challenge Tom to ''koon-ut-kal-if-fee.'' Hmm, who's around to officiate this? '''''"LIEUTENANT TUVOK!!!"'''''
114	* SelfDeprecation: Tom quips, "Are you saying I'm impossible to resist?" giving B'Elanna an acceptable excuse to back off for a bit.
115	* SeriesContinuityError
116	** 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 [[HeterosexualLifePartners Captain Kirk]] was actually responsible.
117	** A minor one regarding the combat itself. Vorik calls for ''kun-oot-kal-if-fee'' to challenge Tom for B'Elanna. However, the ''kun-oot-kal-if-fee'' comprises the ''entire'' Vulcan mating ceremony. The combat challenge is the ''kal-if-fee''. And at least in "Amok Time" was established as the ''female's'' prerogative if she wishes to reject her mate, and not the male's decision.
118	** At least one female Vulcan shows up in a later episode, causing fans to ask why Vorik didn't choose her. However it's implied that Vorik is [[UptightLovesWild somewhat taken with B'Elanna]] given his elaborate praise of her while proposing, and hints of romantic interest in "Alter Ego" as well.
119	* SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny: The loss of emotional control caused by the ''pon farr'' is deeply humiliating to Vulcans, hampering the Doctor's efforts to treat Vorik.
120	* ShipTease: The episode firmly establishes an attraction between Paris and Torres, while the Pon Farr issue [[AboveTheInfluence complicates things regarding consent]] Paris openly admits he's hoping there is more to this. From here it's pretty much a straight run to them becoming an OfficialCouple in Season 4's "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS4E3DayOfHonor Day of Honor]]".
121	* SmellsSexy / {{Hemoerotic}}
122	-->'''Torres:''' I have picked up your scent, Tom. I've tasted your blood.
123	* SpeciesOfHats: A tragic example; after the destruction of their colony by [[OutsideContextProblem unknown yet immensely powerful aliens]], the Sakari base their entire lifestyle on hiding from outsiders.
124	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: B'Elanna informs Tom that as she was KissingUnderTheInfluence, then whatever she did -- then she adds "whatever I said" -- really wasn't her. That would include the bit about [[CannotSpitItOut desiring Tom but being too afraid to admit it]].
125	* SwissCheeseSecurity: In one of the more ridiculous examples of the series, a ''pon farr''-addled Vorik [[TheDeterminator knocks out all the communications, shuttles and transporters]] before going to confront his rival. Now granted, Vulcans are known for their intelligence, but damn, how slick ''is'' Vorik? Especially under these circumstances??
126	* TakeAThirdOption: To spare Tom from a fight he certainly could not win, B'Elanna takes Vorik's ''koon-ut-kal-if-fee'' herself. Tuvok even confirms it is within her right to do so.
127	-->'''B'Elanna:''' If anyone is going to smash [[YourLittleDismissiveDiminutive your arrogant little face]] in, I will! I take your challenge myself!
128	* 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.
129	* TestosteronePoisoning: Paris is so angry over his InterruptedIntimacy he offers to take up Vorik's challenge. Fortunately Chakotay stops him and B'Elanna challenges Vorik herself.
130	* ThatDidntHappen: Attempted by B'Elanna, but rejected by Tom.
131	* ThinkUnsexyThoughts: Given that he can't fight or mate his way out of things, Vorik attempts meditation. It doesn't work.
132	* TooMuchInformation: Janeway's response to the Doctor informing her of [[DestructoNookie certain Klingon marriage practices]].
133	* UncomfortableElevatorMoment: Tom and B'Elanna swap work-related chit-chat until Tom halts the turbolift to have the frank discussion they need to have.
134	* VerbalBackspace: When Vorik appears to recover, the Doctor starts bragging about how his treatment could be used by other space-faring Vulcans.
135	-->'''EMH:''' When we get back, I'm sure Starfleet Medical will -- ''(Vorik gives him a DeathGlare)'' ...never hear about your personal experiences from me.
136	* WhamShot: The Borg corpse on Sakari.
137	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Vorik isn't impressed with the [[KissMeImVirtual holographic Vulcan female]] the Doctor creates (as Vulcan mating is [[MentalAffair mental]] as well as physical this is justified). The Doctor tries to convince him YourMindMakesItReal. (It does later work for Tuvok, but he of course is much older and has more experience with the ''pon farr'').
138	* WhatYouAreInTheDark: Paris could have given in to temptation with Torres. But as we see in AboveTheInfluence and DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything, Paris vehemently refuses until it becomes a MateOrDie situation on Torres's part. We don’t know if he was capable of this before being thrown into the Delta Quadrant, but the fact that he didn’t demonstrates his CharacterDevelopment since.
139	* TheWorldsExpertOnGettingKilled: Averted; the climbing accident is ''not'' Neelix's fault, as Tom points out.
140	* 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?"

Context Recap / StarTrekVoyagerS3E15BloodFever