Honestly, the Star Trek Voyager last episode, "Endgame," is a bit of a mess. It’s a glorious, high-budget, time-traveling mess that somehow managed to be both deeply satisfying and incredibly frustrating all at once. If you grew up watching Captain Janeway lead her crew through the Delta Quadrant, you probably remember the sheer hype surrounding this finale in May 2001. We had spent seven years—172 episodes—waiting for that "Set a course for home" line to finally mean something. Then, we got it. But we also got a Borg Queen showdown, a future version of Janeway who was willing to break every law of physics, and a sudden romance between Seven of Nine and Chakotay that literally nobody saw coming.
It was a lot.
Usually, when a show runs for seven seasons, the finale is supposed to tie up every loose end. Instead, "Endgame" felt like a frantic sprint to the finish line. It’s the kind of TV that makes you want to cheer and throw a remote at the screen simultaneously. Let’s get into why it worked, why it didn't, and what actually happened behind the scenes of the Star Trek Voyager last episode.
The Time-Travel Cheat Code
Let's talk about Admiral Janeway. In the "original" timeline—the one that never happened because of this episode—Voyager takes 23 more years to get home. By the time they reach Earth, Tuvok has lost his mind to a neurological disease, Seven of Nine is dead, and Chakotay is a broken man. The Admiral, living in the year 2404, decides she isn't having it. She steals Klingon time-travel tech (which is a very Janeway thing to do) and goes back to 2378 to bring her younger self some high-tech toys.
Some fans hate this. They argue it’s a "cheat." For seven years, the show was about the journey and the struggle. By having a future version of the captain show up with "transphasic torpedoes" and "ablative armor" that makes the Borg look like toddlers, the writers basically bypassed the character growth that should have happened in those final miles. It turned a survival story into a superhero movie.
But here’s the thing: It’s also incredibly cathartic. Seeing a Nebula-class ship absolutely shred a Borg Cube is the kind of power fantasy Trek fans had been dreaming of since "The Best of Both Worlds." Kate Mulgrew plays both versions of Janeway with such distinct energy that you almost forget you're watching the same actress. The Admiral is cynical and weary; the Captain is still idealistic but desperate. Their interaction is the heartbeat of the episode.
That Seven and Chakotay Thing (Seriously?)
We have to talk about it. We have to.
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If you look at the series as a whole, there is almost zero lead-up to the Seven of Nine and Chakotay romance. It felt like the writers realized in the last three episodes that they forgot to give these characters a "happily ever after" and just threw them together. Robert Beltran (Chakotay) has famously been vocal about his frustration with his character's lack of development in later seasons. Jeri Ryan (Seven) did her best with the material, but the chemistry just wasn't there.
Most fans were rooting for Janeway and Chakotay. That was the slow burn. That was the relationship built on years of mutual respect and "New Earth" tension. By pivoting to Seven, the Star Trek Voyager last episode felt like it was checking a box rather than telling a story. It’s one of those rare instances where the "B" plot of a finale actively detracts from the "A" plot.
The Borg Queen's Final Stand
Alice Krige returned as the Borg Queen, and she was as unsettling as ever. Her performance is oily and terrifying. The way she tries to manipulate the Admiral—and the way the Admiral plays her right back—is peak Star Trek.
The plan was brilliant in its simplicity: Admiral Janeway allows herself to be assimilated, but she’s carrying a "neurolytic pathogen." Basically, she becomes a virus that melts the Borg Collective from the inside out. It’s a suicide mission that feels earned. It gives the Admiral the redemption she wanted and gives the Captain the opening she needs to use the Borg’s own transwarp hub to get home.
What Was Missing: The Homecoming
This is the biggest gripe most people have with the Star Trek Voyager last episode.
We see the ship emerge from a collapsing Borg sphere. We see a massive fleet of Starfleet ships surrounding them. We see the Golden Gate Bridge.
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Then? Credits.
That’s it. No reunion with Harry Kim’s parents. No scene of the Doctor fighting for his legal rights on Earth. No trial for the Maquis crew members who had been worried about prison for seven years. We spent seven years wondering what would happen when they stepped off that ship, and the showrunners decided the moment they arrived was the end of the story.
Brannon Braga, one of the executive producers, has admitted in various interviews and conventions over the years that they debated having a longer "aftermath" sequence. However, they ultimately felt that the "getting there" was the climax. In hindsight, that was probably a mistake. Modern prestige TV has taught us that the "falling action" is just as important as the explosion. We needed to see them breathe Earth air.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
If you've watched Star Trek: Picard or Star Trek: Prodigy, you know that "Endgame" wasn't actually the end. The events of the Star Trek Voyager last episode have massive ripples in the current Trek canon.
- Admiral Janeway's Legacy: We see in Prodigy that Janeway didn't just retire. She became a mentor.
- The Borg's Decline: The pathogen Admiral Janeway introduced crippled the Collective, leading directly to the fractured, desperate Borg we see in the final season of Picard.
- Seven of Nine's Journey: Her relationship with Chakotay (thankfully) didn't last, and she eventually found her place as a Captain herself.
The finale might have felt abrupt in 2001, but the "Missing Pieces" have been filled in by subsequent series. It turns out Voyager’s return changed the entire power structure of the Alpha Quadrant.
The Production Reality
The budget for "Endgame" was massive for the time. They used a mix of CGI and physical models, and the "Borg Sphere exploding" shot is still one of the most iconic images in the franchise. But the schedule was grueling. The cast has often spoken about how exhausted they were by the end of season seven.
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There was a sense of finality on set, but also a rush. You can see it in the pacing. The episode moves at breakneck speed. While The Next Generation had "All Good Things," which is widely considered the gold standard for finales, Voyager went for "Endgame," which was more of a blockbuster action movie. It’s less philosophical and more visceral.
Misconceptions About the Ending
Some people think the crew got in trouble for Admiral Janeway's actions. In reality, Starfleet was so happy to have the tech and the crew back that they basically hand-waved the temporal violations.
Another common myth is that there was a filmed ending showing the reunions. There wasn't. The script ended where the episode ended. Any "extended footage" you see online is likely fan-made or from the various Trek games like Elite Force.
How to Appreciate the Finale Today
If you're going back to rewatch the Star Trek Voyager last episode, don't look at it as a standalone story. Look at it as a culmination of Janeway's obsession with her crew.
- Watch for the subtle acting: When Captain Janeway realizes what her future self has given up, the look on Mulgrew’s face is heartbreaking.
- Focus on the Doctor: His subplot about choosing a name (Joe!) is a great bit of character payoff that often gets lost in the Borg explosions.
- Note the technology: The "Ablative Armor" is actually a precursor to the tech we see in later 25th-century shows.
The finale isn't perfect. It's messy. It's loud. It's a bit nonsensical in its time-travel logic. But it’s also undeniably Voyager. It’s about a family that refused to be broken, led by a woman who would literally tear the universe apart to bring them home.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch:
- Skip the romance, watch the mentorship: Focus on the scenes between the two Janeways. It’s a masterclass in acting and a deep dive into the Captain's psyche.
- Contextualize with Prodigy: If you haven't seen Star Trek: Prodigy, watch it immediately after "Endgame." It acts as a spiritual sequel and gives you the emotional closure the finale lacked.
- Analyze the Borg Queen: Compare this version to the one in First Contact. She is much more desperate here, which adds layers to her eventual defeat.
- Look for the cameos: Keep an eye out for Dwight Schultz (Barclay) and Richard Herd (Admiral Paris). Their reactions to Voyager’s return provide the only real "homecoming" emotions we get.