When does a sci-fi accident become divine intervention? Thirty years ago, during the week of May 6, 1996, Star Trek: Voyager Season 2 dropped a story that would go down in history as one of the most-discussed episodes ever. But in a franchise full of bizarre sci-fi ethical dilemmas, why does “Tuvix” still prompt huge debates? The issue of whether Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) did the right thing is still hotly debated, but there’s a more interesting question. Why do fans get so worked up about this episode, and not similar episodes in which other hard decisions are made?
Here’s a possible answer: the performance from Tom Wright as Tuvix is very strong, and, in recent years, the Tuvix memes are just too intoxicating to ignore. But neither fact means that the actual dilemma in “Tuvix” makes any sense.
