"Tsunkatse"
The episode "Tsunkatse" was either another mediocre episode like many others this season, or else it was very interesting and thought-provoking, depending on one’s perspective. Upon first viewing, I found it to fall under the former category, however, upon second viewing, I now believe that it falls under the latter. The reason I changed my mind about the episode after seeing it a second time is because I began to look at it from an entirely different, less superficial perspective. The episode was not so much a commentary on the barbaric nature of blood sports or the violent nature of humanoids, rather, I thought it attempted to examine the battle that was being waged within Seven of Nine. This show had more to do with that than any ostensible homily on violent recreational activities.
In my opinion, the most significant aspect of this episode is its commentary on the inner turmoil of Seven between her Borg instincts and her newfound human ones. This is evident from the moment she arrives on board the alien ship, and is told that she must participate in a fight in order to save Tuvok. Seven is very reluctant to do so, and agrees only when she realizes that it would mean saving Tuvok from certain death in the pit. I believe that what this initial scene served to convey is how Seven's Borg instincts are being mitigated by her human compassion, part of which includes her denunciation of violence. This is a big achievement for one who was surrounded by brute violence and destruction throughout most of her life as a drone. I’d say that Seven has been humanized in record time, considering she was severed from the Collective a mere three years ago. And it is this humanity- combined with Seven’s newfound morality- juxtaposed with her Borg instincts that serve as this episode’s central and pervasive theme. In essence, it is the battle of Borg efficiency and logic vs.. human compassion and morals that Tsunkatse deals with, and does so in a commendable fashion.
Seven’s inner struggle continues when later on she must participate in a fight to the death, or a red match as the fight promoter Penk calls it. As the Hirogen Hunter is training her for the battle, we see how Seven’s humanity can serve as a source of distraction, or perhaps weakness, to her. For this fight to the death, Seven needs to be more cold, calculating, and Borg-like than human, yet we see how she has trouble doing so when the Hirogen is able to take advantage of her "humanity" by out-witting and out-maneuvering her in their practice sessions. He reminds her that she must operate on pure brutal instincts, devoid of any sense of compassion or empathy for her "prey", as he calls it, if she wants to win and get out of the fight alive. Again, we see Seven struggling with this advice throughout her training because she is now unable to operate on pure logic or instinct, as she was when she lived as a Borg drone. However, by the end of her training, it appears that Seven has been able to repress her human side and allow her Borg brutality to come to the forefront. After all, she needs to be deadly in order to triumph, and her demeanor as well as the cold expression in her eyes conveys this rather effectively. Yet, even when she is in the pit, fighting for her life, she hesitates to use deadly force against the Hirogen. One might argue that she has developed a bond with the Hirogen, and therefore cannot kill him. But I suspect she would have had trouble killing a total stranger as well. Seven’s humanity reared its head once again, for better or worse. Luckily, neither she nor the audience found out just exactly how far she would have gone. Would she have killed the Hirogen in the end, or would her humanity have prevented it, therefore leading to her own demise? Even Seven herself later admits to not knowing the answer to this.
Finally, I feel compelled to comment on Janeway’s role in this episode. Many may argue that she was extremely non-chalant and blasé when she heard what had happened to her crewmembers, and arguably, her close friends. Perhaps there is more to it than that. I suspect that Janeway is being portrayed this year as being very frazzled and weary, and rightly so. This is her sixth year in the Delta Quadrant, thousands of light years away from home, so something was bound to give. To me, that something is some of her compassion/emotion. Not all of it, but some of it. Equinox, Part II is living proof of this, as well as her surprising reactions in this episode. This is a woman on the edge, and I suspect that it won’t take a big shove for her to go over it. Therefore, perhaps Janeway’s casual attitude towards Seven and Tuvok’s ordeal is just another manifestation of her weary, jaded state of existence. All in all, this was a very thought-provoking episode that raised many interesting issues. Three comm badges out of four for me!
