30 Years on, Voyager's B'Elanna Split Episode Remains Fascinatingly Fraught

Early Star Trek Voyager was no exception with its interest in B’Elanna Torres, one of the show’s early breakout characters. Much of the conflict between the human B’Elanna and the Klingon B’Elanna is derived from what is ultimately presented by the episode as genetically derived traits. Human B’Elanna is physically and emotionally weaker, repeatedly incapacitated by fear as she struggles to adapt to being held prisoner by the Vidiians. Klingon B’Elanna, meanwhile, plays up the established Klingon caricature of violence and anger issues, an underlying arrogance that sees her seek conflict before anything else. It’s made especially fraught given the post-TNG re-imagining of the Klingons away from their original (and similarly racially fraught!)