Star Trek Voyager Stars Kate Mulgrew and Tim Russ Join AOC's Tuvix Debate

Earlier this week, New York congressional representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez found herself getting ready for a debate utterly separate from national politics: a debate with Star Trek fans over the controversial 1996 episode of Star Trek: Voyager, "Tuvix". However, Ocasio-Cortez isn't alone in the conversation about the complicated and interesting moment in Trek history. Voyager stars Kate Mulgrew and Tim Russ have joined in on the debate on Twitter, offering their take on the episode, and arguably the larger question of whether the ends justify the means.

In the episode "Tuvix", two of the Voyager's crew, Tuvok (played by Russ) and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) are merged at the molecular level with an orchid-like plant they were sent to collect on a mission. The result was a single lifeform, Tuvix, who is accepted by the crew. After some time, though, the ship's doctor figures out how to separate the DNA of the two original crewmen, something that would kill Tuvix in the process. The doctor, who has taken the "do no harm" oath, refuses, prompting Captain Janeway (Mulgrew) to do the procedure herself, thus restoring Tuvok and Neelix.

After Ocasio-Cortez indicated that she'd need to rewatch the episode, Mulgrew chimed in that she's willing to hear crew's thoughts but supports her decision (as Janeway) to restore Tuvok and Neelix.

Willing to hear the crew’s thoughts, as always. However, shouldn’t Tuvok and Neelix should have the biggest say...oh wait, they couldn’t! I stand by my decision to restore them to their lives. Rewatch and report back, AOC - and congrats on your win! 👏🏻

— Kate Mulgrew (@TheKateMulgrew) November 5, 2020

"Willing to hear the crew's thoughts, as always," Mulgrew wrote. "However, shouldn't Tuvok and Neelix should have the biggest say...oh wait, they couldn't! I stand by my decision to restore them to their lives. Rewatch and report back, AOC - and congrats on your win!"

Russ also weighed in, though his comments were more in support of Ocasio-Cortez and to thank Mulgrew for her approach to the Tuvix issue.

"Stay in the fight AOC!! We are watching. Congrats on your Congressional win. We are close to unseating the Tyrant. - 'Tuvok'" Russ wrote in one tweet.

In another he wrote "Thank you Kate...I appreciate that! and thank you for the positive message AOC. "Live Long and Prosper."

It's not clear if Ocasio-Cortez will take the "Tuvix" debate on as her next Twitch interaction with fans, though it certainly seems like a promising idea -- once she takes a break now that the election has ended. Previously, in late October, Ocasio-Cortez took a break from more conventional campaign methods to play Among Us with various gaming personalities on Twitch as part of a way to reach out to supporters online.

What do you think about the "Tuvix" debate? Let us know in the comments!