Star Trek: Voyager’s Doctor Finds Closure In Starfleet Academy

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Be warned, this article contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 8 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, titled “The Life of the Stars.” The show’s creator explains that this episode provides a satisfying conclusion to The Doctor’s story, which began 29 years ago on Star Trek: Voyager. Written by Gaia Violo & Jane Maggs and directed by Andi Armaganian, the episode reveals The Doctor (played by Robert Picardo) becoming a father to Series Acclimation Mil, also known as SAM (played by Kerrice Brooks).

During an interview with ScreenRant at the press event for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Robert Picardo, best known for his role in Star Trek: Voyager, explained why he returned as The Doctor. He said co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau convinced him with a compelling storyline. Picardo promised the arc would be unique, revealing a side of the character—across his 800 years—that fans haven’t seen before, and would be fully realized by the end of the first season.

In a recent interview with ScreenRant’s John Orquiola, the creator of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Gaia Violo, discussed how the storyline involving The Doctor and SAM helps him heal from the loss of his holographic daughter, an event that occurred in season 3 of Star Trek: Voyager. Violo also explained how The Doctor connects to the themes of episode 8, which draws inspiration from the play Our Town. Here’s what Gaia had to say:

ScreenRant asks about the significance of The Doctor developing a true parental relationship with SAM, and how this provides a satisfying resolution to the emotional arc from Voyager where he experienced the loss of his holographic daughter in the third season.

We’ve always been interested in exploring the connection between these characters, and you get hints of that even in the first episode. The Doctor deliberately keeps his distance from SAM, and we knew their stories would eventually converge. As the only two holographic beings at Starfleet Academy, it felt important to bring their narratives together, though we weren’t sure exactly how it would happen.

While working on episode eight, we realized The Doctor functioned much like a stage manager – initially guiding the story, then handing it over to Nahla to conclude. This allowed us to delve deeper into his backstory and revisit his past. As a team, we focused on his experiences aboard Voyager, particularly the episode “Real Life” from season three. That episode is incredibly powerful and emotionally resonant, and we felt it deserved a resolution, giving The Doctor a chance to explore fatherhood further.

In a poignant episode of Star Trek: Voyager (season 3, episode 22, titled “Real Life”), the ship’s holographic doctor created a virtual family for himself. His daughter, Belle (played by Lindsay Haun), defied his wishes and engaged in a risky activity. Tragically, she suffered a fatal, incurable brain injury, and the Doctor was powerless to save her.

The Doctor has existed as a program for over 800 years, ever since the start of Star Trek: Voyager. Because his memories are digital, the emotional pain of losing Belle feels as intense now as it did when it originally happened. This lingering pain is the reason he distanced himself from SAM, sometimes acting harshly, and why he wouldn’t take the enthusiastic, 17-year-old holographic cadet under his wing.

After seeing episode 8 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, it’s clear why Robert Picardo was thrilled to explore a complex and emotional storyline for The Doctor. Almost 30 years after Star Trek: Voyager hinted at parenthood for him, The Doctor experiences significant character development and personal growth when he becomes a father figure to SAM, encouraged by Captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter).

In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, The Doctor and SAM form a unique holographic family, and it’s a heartwarming development for the Doctor. He previously worried about the pain of losing someone he cared for, as organic beings don’t live forever. But with SAM, a fellow hologram, he can enjoy a lasting, potentially eternal, father-daughter relationship.

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2026-02-27 22:51