Tuvok Tuvok was a 24th century Vulcan Starfleet officer . He entered Starfleet Academy in 2289 . Upon graduation from the Academy , he served under Captain Hikaru Sulu on the in 2293 . Upon leaving and then later rejoining Starfleet in 2349 , he served on board the before becoming tactical officer and security officer , as well as second officer on the under Captain Kathryn Janeway during its seven - year journey through the Delta Quadrant . ( , ) Early life . Tuvok , son of T ' Meni , was born on stardate 38774 ( 2264 ) , on the Vulcanis Lunar colony . ( ) As a teenager , he rebelled against the Vulcan ideal of logic and reasoning when he fell in love with a Terrelian girl named Jara , the daughter of an ambassador to . Tuvok experienced " Shon - ha ' lock " - love at first sight - and was willing to violate every tenet of Vulcan philosophy simply to be near her ; unfortunately , Jara did not return Tuvok ' s feelings , and Tuvok chose to leave her . He later spent several months in isolation studying with a Vulcan master , where he learned to subdue his emotion s . ( ) He had to survive in the Vulcan desert for four months with a ritual blade as his only possession , as part of the " tal ' oth " ritual . ( ) Starfleet Academy . Tuvok entered Starfleet Academy in 2288 , at the age of twenty - five , but found it difficult to fit in . He found the egocentric nature of Human s difficult to deal with but endured it because it was the wish of his parents to enter Starfleet and he felt obligated to fulfill their expectations . His experiences at the Academy would stay with him until his first assignment , after which he resigned his Starfleet commission . ( ) Early Starfleet career . The " Excelsior " . After Tuvok graduated from Starfleet Academy in 2293 , he was assigned as a junior science officer to the under the command of Captain Hikaru Sulu . He worked during the gamma shift , and shared common quarters on Deck 7 with Dimitri Valtane and two other officers on the same shift . Two months later , Tuvok was present during the " Excelsior " s attempt to rescue James T . Kirk and Leonard McCoy from the Klingon penal colony Rura Penthe . This was despite a direct order from Starfleet that no rescue attempt must be tried . Tuvok protested to Captain Sulu about his breach of orders , but to no avail . Decades later , however , an older and wiser Tuvok determined that he had not necessarily been right either . In the subsequent battle in the Azure Nebula with a Klingon battle cruiser , Valtane died in Tuvok ' s arms . An alien virus that Valtane was carrying transferred itself to Tuvok , and then disguised itself as a repressed memory engram . This virus later manifested itself in 2373 , when Tuvok served aboard the " Voyager " , before being destroyed by The Doctor . ( ; ) Tuvok was also among those who spoke out against Spock ' s proposed alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire . ( ) Resignation and return to Vulcan . After the " Excelsior " s three - year mission in the Beta Quadrant ended , Tuvok resigned his commission on account of his dealings with Humans . His experiences on the " Excelsior " were not pleasant . Humans , in Tuvok ' s view , believed that everyone in the galaxy should be like them ; that all should share their sense of humor and their Human values . His perceptions of Humanity , and of Starfleet , were undoubtedly colored by the fact that he did not want to be there in the first place . ( ) Tuvok returned to Vulcan , where he taught archery science for several years at the Vulcan Institute for Defensive Arts . ( ) He then spent several years in seclusion by immersing himself in the " kolinahr " ; this was interrupted six years later by the onset of " pon farr " . After his marriage to in 2304 , and the birth of their four children , Tuvok decided to return to Starfleet following a fifty - year absence . Raising his own children made Tuvok realize what his parents had gone through and that he had not always made the right decisions when he was young . ( ) Return to Starfleet . Recognizing that there was much he could learn from other races such as Humans , Tuvok entered Starfleet again in 2349 and served as an ensign on the . ( ) Tuvok was an instructor at Starfleet Academy for sixteen years , a role he resumed aboard " Voyager " in order to instruct Maquis crewmen in Starfleet protocols . ( ) He also served as instructor to Icheb in his pursuits to join Starfleet . ( ) Tuvok first met Kathryn Janeway in 2356 . Tuvok dressed Janeway down in front of three Starfleet admiral s for failing to observe proper tactical procedures during her first command , although this encounter bruised Janeway ' s " Human ego " . Nevertheless , Tuvok was right , and from 2365 onward , Janeway came to rely on Tuvok ' s " insightful and unfailingly logical advice " . ( ) During the mid - 2360s , Tuvok was temporarily assigned to Jupiter Station where he often wrote to Captain Janeway . ( ) USS " Voyager " . Tuvok ' s security override code was Tuvok - pi - alpha . ( ) Infiltrating the Maquis . Lieutenant Tuvok was serving as Captain Kathryn Janeway ' s security officer when , in 2371 , he was ordered to infiltrate the crew of the Maquis raider " Val Jean " commanded by a former Starfleet officer , Chakotay . At one point of time during his undercover mission , Tuvok was doing reconnaissance on a colony near the Badlands , where he met a Vedek named Teero Anaydis at the Bajoran temple there . Teero was in fact a fanatic Maquis tasked with counter - intelligence who was aware of Tuvok ' s true identity but kept this to himself . Without retaining any conscious memory of it , Teero captured , restrained , and mentally manipulated Tuvok so he could trigger a Maquis resurgence program by conveying the word " " Pagh t ' em far , B ' tanay " " at a later point of time ( which would turn out to be six years later ) . ( ) Some time later , while hiding from a Cardassian ship in the Badlands , Chakotay ' s raider including Tuvok was hit by an energy wave which transported it over 70 , 000 light year s to the other side of the galaxy , the Delta Quadrant . While looking for the missing raider , " Voyager " itself was hit by the energy wave and transported to the Delta Quadrant , reuniting Tuvok with his ship and Captain – much to Chakotay ' s dismay who had to face the fact that Tuvok had been a Federation spy all along . When their situation required that the crews of both the " Val Jean " and " Voyager " merge for their long journey back home , he became Captain Janeway ' s security - and second officer . ( ) The first year . Tuvok proved Tom Paris innocent of murdering a Banea n scientist whose wife Paris was caught with , despite the fact that the scientists ' s memories showed Paris committing the murder . Tuvok was able to prove that the Banean doctor , who was an agent of the Banean ' s enemies , had perpetrated the crime , thanks to his mind - meld with Paris showing that the murderer was actually shorter than Paris . ( ) While visiting the Sikarian s , it was learned that they possessed the means to fold space and travel great distances in a short time . However , they could not give the technology to " Voyager " due to their equivalent of Starfleet ' s non - interference order , or prime directive . Defying the orders of Captain Janeway , Tuvok attempted to obtain the technology in a trade . However , it was found that the technology was incompatible with " Voyager " , and Tuvok was reprimanded by Janeway . ( ) Tuvok set a trap for the crewmember who was giving the Kazon " Voyager " technology . The guilty party turned out to be Seska , a Cardassian who had served on Chakotay ' s ship and had been altered through cosmetic surgery to look Bajoran . She escaped before Tuvok could arrest her . ( ) Later that year , Tuvok attempted a rescue of Harry Kim who had disappeared in a " Beowulf " holoprogram . An energy being had been trapped in the program and had turned Kim into pure energy . The same fate befell Tuvok , but both were released by the being after the crew freed it from the holodeck . ( ) An alien entity known as the Komar assaulted the shuttlecraft manned by Tuvok and Chakotay , leaving Tuvok injured and Chakotay apparently brain - dead . The alien had the ability to enter into the minds of others and control them . It seized control of Tuvok , who took over command of the ship and ordered it into the nebula . The crew was able to drive the lifeform from Tuvok ' s body and leave the nebula . ( ) He also tried to train the former Maquis crewmembers to Starfleet standards . The four former Maquis had a great disdain for Tuvok , and he was very strict with them . They found a new respect for each other after they banded together to save each other after a systems failure . ( ) The second year . During contact with the Botha , Tuvok saw vision s of his wife , T ' Pel . He was arrested by Mokra Order soldiers while seeking tellerium , along with Torres , and was torture d for ' information ' about the Alsaurian resistance movement , despite the fact that " Voyager " was in contact with third magistrate Augris . He was subsequently rescued by Janeway . ( ) When a crewman was found dead , and Lon Suder , a former Maquis was revealed as the murderer , Tuvok tried a mind meld on Suder in order to understand his motives . The meld had a reverse effect , and Tuvok exhibited violent tendencies inherited from Suder . After a period of rehabilitation , Tuvok was able to control these tendencies , and sought to help Suder . After Suder redeemed himself during a Kazon attack and was killed , Tuvok offered a Vulcan prayer for him , hoping that , in death , Suder found the peace that had eluded him in life . ( ) On stardate 49301 . 2 , Tuvok represented Quinn , a Q who wished to die , as counsel in his request for asylum , since Vulcans practice euthanasia for the infirm and elderly . This was a role he would reprise to defend The Doctor ' s rights as a sentient being when it was discovered that he officially had no legal rights . ( ) While Janeway was making first contact with the Drayan , a shuttle piloted by Tuvok crashed on a Drayan moon . Tuvok found three frightened children who told Tuvok that the Drayans sent them to the moon to die , and asked him to help them hide . The next day Tuvok discovered that two of the children had vanished . In a nearby cave , he found their clothes , but not the children . When the Drayans landed on the planet , Tuvok tried to protect the last child , named Tressa . The Drayans explained that Tressa was 96 years old . The Drayan aging process is reversed , and Tressa wasn ' t brought there to be killed , but to die a natural death . Tuvok stayed with Tressa to comfort her in her final moments . ( ) Later that year , a transporter accident caused Tuvok to be combined with crewmate Neelix ( and a plant ) at a molecular level , forming a new individual , Tuvix . Tuvix possessed the memories of both men , and had a mixture of their personalities . It took The Doctor over a month to find a method to restore Tuvok and Neelix to their original state . ( ) When Janeway and Chakotay were infected by an alien disease , they were forced to be left behind on an alien planet , leaving Tuvok in command of an uneasy crew . At the insistence of the crew , who were uncomfortable with abandoning their captain and first officer , he sought a remedy from the Vidiian physician , Danara Pel , who had become romantically involved with The Doctor when " Voyager " treated her for a severe case of the phage . ( ) Tuvok helped the crew survive on a primitive planet where they were stranded after the Kazon captured " Voyager " . ( ) The third year . In 2373 , Tuvok had a mental collapse due to a suppressed memory . In order to cure himself he had to perform a mind meld with Janeway . Together , the two relived the time Tuvok spent aboard the USS " Excelsior " , commanded by Hikaru Sulu . They discovered that an alien virus had invaded his brain and had lain dormant for years . Tuvok was saved when The Doctor drove the virus out by bursts of radiation . ( ) When faced with the merger of a Starfleet and Maquis crew , Tuvok wrote a drill simulation called " Insurrection Alpha " , in the event of a Maquis mutiny on " Voyager " . However , when he realized that the crews were getting along better than he expected , he deleted the program , fearing that it would spark off the very mutiny he wanted to prevent . During a routine maintenance of holodeck programs , B ' Elanna Torres accidentally discovered this simulation , mistaking it for a holonovel . Many people on board the ship began using the program while playing out the various scenarios . When Tuvok was encouraged to finish it , he and Tom Paris discovered that Seska , a traitor who had escaped almost a year previously , had altered the program to kill anyone who accessed the narrative parameters file . Fortunately , they were able to stay alive with the assistance of Captain Janeway from outside the holodeck . In a final confrontation with Seska , Tuvok reconfigured a phaser rifle to overload before handing it over to her . By killing the holographic Seska , the program ended , and Paris and Tuvok were freed . ( ) Tuvok was part of an away team that returned to Earth in 1996 . " Voyager " was trying to stop a temporal explosion that would obliterate Earth ' s solar system in the 29th century , caused by Henry Starling , who came upon a 29th - century starship that was thrown back in time . Tuvok and Paris would contact Rain Robinson , an astronomer who picked up " Voyager " s signal and worked for Starling . They saved her when Starling ordered her killed . They told her that they were spies . He also rescued Chakotay and Torres who were taken hostage by a paramilitary group . Tuvok and the crew were able to stop Starling and return the timeline . ( ) Tuvok attempted to rescue Kes who had her mind and body taken over by Tieran , an ancient warlord who used her to retake control of his planet . Although the attempt failed , he was able to contact her with a mind meld and tell her to continue to fight . Tuvok led another rescue attempt that was successful . Kes was rescued with the use of a synaptic stimulator that removed Tieran ' s neural pattern . ( ) In an alien encounter , he and Chakotay met the Sakari who believed " Voyager " would harm them . Their ancestors were driven underground by attacks from another alien race , who Tuvok and Chakotay discovered were the Borg . ( ) Later that year , he was able to persuade a lonely alien who appeared to him in the holodeck to let " Voyager " leave a nebula it was caught in . She wanted him to stay with him . He , along with Neelix , helped the Nezu fend off an attack by their enemies , and exposed a Nezu traitor . The incident also brought him and Neelix closer together . ( ) The fourth year . In 2374 , Tuvok was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander by Captain Janeway . ( ) Also in 2374 , during a temporary alliance with the Borg , Tuvok accompanied Janeway aboard the Borg ship to help develop a weapon against Species 8472 . The Borg tried to install temporary neuro - transceivers on them , but they insisted they be assigned a Borg representative to communicate with verbally instead . It was this incident that brought Seven of Nine aboard " Voyager " . Shortly after , Tuvok tried to help Kes stabilize her telepathic abilities with a mind meld . He was unable to help and Kes transformed into energy and left the ship . Tuvok subsequently lit a candle in memory of his lost student . ( ) Tuvok would also rescue Chakotay from the Vori who had brainwashed him into serving in their army and participating in a war . Despite appearing as one of the enemy who Chakotay had been conditioned to hate , he was able to get through to his commander , reminding Chakotay that he was a scientist , not a soldier . ( ) When Seven ' s nanoprobe s reactivated and she tried to return to Borg space , Tuvok worked with Janeway to try to bring her back . After tracking her , Tuvok beamed over to her shuttle , but was overpowered by her . He accompanied her to a planet that contained the wreckage of the " Raven " , her parents ' ship . There he found the Borg machine that had activated her nanoprobes and he disabled them , ending the crisis . ( ) He defended and proved Torres innocent of projecting violent thought on a planet of telepaths , simultaneously uncovering a ' black market ' of violent thought . Tuvok and Seven of Nine were captured by the Hirogen . They were going to be skinned alive and their bones used as trophies . " Voyager " was able to beam them to safely after causing a black hole to destroy the Hirogen ships . He also found proof that Kovin , an Entharan trader , had not assaulted Seven in order to harvest her nanoprobes like Seven believed . A burst from Kovin ' s disrupter that was fired accidentally caused the nanoprobes to regenerate , and triggered a suppressed memory in Seven of assimilation . ( ) During the Hirogen takeover of " Voyager " , when they used the crew as part of a holodeck hunting game , Tuvok played a resistance fighter during a Nazi scenario . He was concerned that Seven was a Nazi spy and told Janeway that if so , they should kill her . ( ) The fifth and sixth years . Tuvok later developed multiphasic shielding , which went into " Voyager " s multispatial probe and was later adapted for use in designing the " Delta Flyer " . ( ) He crash - landed on a planet beset by an ion storm in the " Delta Flyer " along with Ensign Samantha Wildman and Paris . They were rescued just as their oxygen ran out , but in the process , Tuvok was able to console Wildman about her fears for her daughter , Naomi . His own young daughter had now been without him for over four years , and yet he was confident that she would be safe with his remaining family . On another away mission they again crashed on a planet were they met Noss , who helped them survive the hostile planet . Noss became infatuated with Tuvok , who could not return the affection . ( ) By 2376 , Tuvok had received seventeen commendations for valor . That year , while returning from a diplomatic mission , he was attacked by an invisible being , later found out to be a member of the Ba ' Neth species . He suffered neuroleptic shock which caused brain damage . As he recovered from the shock , his brain functions were very simple and he showed great emotion . Neelix nursed him back to health and cared for him until The Doctor was able to reverse the effects of the shock . ( ) Tuvok accompanied Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine as they investigated lifesigns on a planet in the middle of a nuclear winter . There , they inadvertently awakened a Vaadwaur battalion in stasis , not knowing if they were hostile or not . After the rest of the battalion was awakened , Tuvok came with a plan to escape the planet in cooperation with the Vaadwaur . Unfortunately , the Vaadwaur turned on them , attempting to take " Voyager " . After making a temporary alliance with the Turei , Tuvok and Gedrin were able to give the Turei access to a satellite in orbit . Thanks to this Tuvok and the crew of " Voyager " were able to escape both the Turei and the Vaadwaur . ( ) Tuvok and Seven were captured by an alien named Penk . He secured players for a violent fight game named Tsunkatse . Seven at first refused to participate , but was forced to , because Tuvok was wounded and Penk refused to give him medical treatment unless she did so . They were eventually rescued by " Voyager " . He helped track down a gang of grifters who were posing as Janeway and him in order to steal goods . He confronted an elder Kes when she returned to try to destroy " Voyager " , blaming Janeway for her lost youth ; his past self also had occasional ' flashes ' to the future due to tachyon instability caused by Kes ' s future self traveling back in time , which allowed the past Janeway to realize what was happening . ( ) When Torres and Kim were stranded on an L - class planet , Tuvok stayed awake for over two straight weeks during " Voyager " s search for them . Tom Paris took pleasure in waking Tuvok up when he started snoring in the captain ' s chair . ( ) The seventh year . The last year of " Voyager " s trip home brought many adventures to Tuvok . Tuvok , Janeway , and Torres allowed themselves to be assimilated by the Borg , carrying a pathogen to help the Borg drone s of Unimatrix Zero resist the Borg Queen . The assimilation was supposed to have been only of the body ; The Doctor had administered an inoculation to the three of them to prevent their minds from being assimilated , and thus keep them from becoming drones . However , Tuvok ' s inoculation wore off prematurely , and though he kept trying to retain his individuality by recalling his family and past memories , he eventually succumbed to the Borg ' s influence and his mind was fully assimilated . Thus he became an actual drone , designated Three of Twelve . However , the mission still succeeded and the drone was taken back to " Voyager " with Janeway and Torres . The implants were removed and the drone once again became Tuvok . It took him some time to fully recover from the experience . ( ) Tuvok attempted to salvage a cortical node to replace Seven ' s node that was malfunctioning . He represented The Doctor in obtaining the right to a holonovel that The Doctor had written , called " Photons Be Free " . The Doctor had forwarded a text of the novel to Starfleet when communications became possible between them and " Voyager " , but he was subsequently forbidden from making changes . Although the trial did not result in The Doctor gaining full legal rights as a sentient being , he was accorded the status of ' artist ' , due in no small part to Tuvok pointing out that The Doctor had created an original work , something that a purely artificial being could not do . ( ) In 2377 , Tuvok had received a message from his son Sek over a datastream aboard " Voyager " regarding his studies of music . Unbeknownst to either of them , Bajoran radical Teero Anaydis had intercepted the communication and hid a subliminal message set to Vulcan brain waves . It forced Tuvok to recall Teero ' s mental conditioning , which he became victim of six years ago while still serving undercover as one of Chakotay ' s Maquis crew , and which was aimed at triggering a Maquis resurrection should it be necessary . Tuvok began attacking the Maquis crewmembers and gave them subconscious instructions from Teero through a mind - meld . The Maquis eventually took control of " Voyager " and nearly stranded its Starfleet crew on a planet in the Delta Quadrant . However , Tuvok was able to regain mental control and use another mind - meld to remove Teero ' s influence from the Maquis crew . ( ) Tuvok gave Paris tips on being a father when Torres became pregnant . During the capture of the crew by the Quarrens who used them as laborers and had wiped out their memories of " Voyager " , Tuvok began to have flashbacks of his previous existence . Tuvok served the workforce as an expert in thermionic conversion , but was replaced by Chakotay after he was taken by Quarren guards . He had to be given additional treatments of mind control . ( ) Tuvok was then part of a rescue operation when Neelix , Lts . Paris and Carey were taken as hostages by the planet ' s leader Verin . After Carey was killed by Verin , Tuvok and The Doctor , posing as natives , were able to infiltrate , stun Verin and his guards , and rescue Neelix and Paris . ( ) The return home . In an alternate future timeline , " Voyager " had returned home after a twenty - three year journey . On the tenth anniversary of its return , Admiral Janeway decided to travel back into the past to in order to try to get " Voyager " back home sooner . One of the reasons was that Tuvok ' s neural peptides had been deteriorating for years , unknown to anyone but The Doctor . His declining mental state could only be treated in the Alpha Quadrant by means of a " Fal - tor - voh " with a compatible Vulcan , i . e . a blood relative . Unfortunately , he returned home with " Voyager " too late , and suffered severe mental damage and lived in a mental hospital . Admiral Janeway traveled back in time to convince her counterpart Captain Janeway to use Borg conduits to get home , history was changed , and Tuvok was cured . ( ) Personal interests . Tuvok was a prize - winning orchid breeder . ( ) He used grafting techniques on flowers from both Earth and Vulcan . ( ) Tuvok was a proficient Vulcan lute player . He would often play his lute while reciting " Falor ' s Journey " to his youngest son . ( ) Tuvok ' s main pastime was the Vulcan game " kal - toh " , which he frequently played with Ensign Harry Kim . ( ) As of 2378 , Ensign Kim had never beaten Tuvok at the game . ( ) Tuvok also spent his spare time meditating , using the stars as a focal point , and instructed various members of the crew in this pursuit over the years . ( ) Besides his background in the sciences , he was an avid student and observer of many Alpha Quadrant martial arts , including Earth sumo wrestling . ( ) Although he had no interest in writing , when he created the " Insurrection Alpha " program as a tactical training tool , Tuvok , following the Vulcan " Dictates of Poetics " as a guideline , was complimented on the compelling nature of the story he had created , depicting a Maquis mutiny on " Voyager " , and expressed some understanding on the literary angles of the plot . ( ) Personal relationships . Kathryn Janeway . His closest friend aboard " Voyager " was Captain Janeway herself , who trusted him completely , and whom he considered the closest thing to family aboard " Voyager " . ( ) Tuvok and Janeway first met each other in 2356 . ( ) Tuvok had once dressed down Janeway in front of three Starfleet admiral s , which gave her ego a bruise . ( ) However , by 2365 , Janeway came to rely on his unfailing logic al advice . ( ) They had become so close in the intervening years that Janeway had attended Tuvok ' s daughter Asil ' s " kolinahr " . ( ) By 2367 , Tuvok began making detailed psychological observations on her . ( ) In 2371 , Janeway took her newly commissioned Federation starship into the Badlands to look for him after he went missing infiltrating a Maquis cell . Tuvok and the Maquis crew were discovered on the Caretaker ' s array deep in the Delta Quadrant . Later , the crews were brought back to their ships by the . Alone together in Janeway ' s ready room , the captain admitted that she missed his counsel and he replied that he was gratified she came after him so he could offer it again . ( ) He was one of her most trusted advisers . She discussed all command decisions with him . When he disobeyed her orders concerning the Sikarian technology that could fold space by trying to trade for it on the black market , she felt betrayed by his disobedience . He explained that logic dictated his actions . ( ) In 2372 , Janeway came to Tuvok for advice in possibly making an uneasy alliance with the Kazon - Nistrim . When she believed that making an alliance with the Kazon went against everything she had been taught , Tuvok showed her his Vulcan favinit plant , created by a hybrid of a South America n plant and the favinit plant itself . Tuvok remarked that at first , the plant was sickly but when grafted together , the plants adapted to their new condition and became stronger than they had been alone . This demonstration convinced Janeway to seek an alliance with the Kazon . ( ) Later in 2372 , Tuvok was merged with Neelix in a transporter accident and became an entirely new person ; Tuvix . This individual later became a valued member of the crew , taking on personality traits of both Tuvok and Neelix , as well as doing their jobs more efficiently . However , a solution was later discovered by The Doctor and Harry Kim to separate them . Although Tuvix did not want to " die " , Janeway was determined to get Tuvok , her friend , back despite the ethical complications . She performed the separation procedure herself and got Tuvok back . ( ) In 2373 , Tuvok was discovered to have a deadly memory virus . He had Janeway act as his " pyllora " , his guide , to discover what was causing it . He told the captain of his deep trust of her and the familial feeling he had toward her . The two recalled a memory of his service aboard the under Captain Sulu together and were able to solve the problem of the memory virus so The Doctor could destroy it with thoron radiation . ( ) In 2377 , Janeway developed a cooperation with a Borg resistance movement called " Unimatrix Zero " . She , Tuvok , and B ' Elanna Torres went aboard a Borg tactical cube to upload a virus in the Borg Collective to allow the resistance to gain an advantage over the collective . However , this required Janeway , Torres , and Tuvok to be assimilated , although The Doctor was able to inject them with a neural suppressant so they could retain their individuality . However , the suppressant wore off on Tuvok quickly and Janeway ordered him to " " stay focused , stay Tuvok . That ' s an order . " " Unfortunately , the Borg Queen was able to link him into the collective ' s consciousness . This fortunately was only temporary and he was later able to return to duty fully Vulcan . ( ) Later in 2377 , the Maquis took control of " Voyager " when a telepathic command sent through a message from Tuvok ' s son Sek by Teero Anaydis affected the tactical officer ' s mind . After mind melding with the Maquis contingent on " Voyager " , a brainwashed Chakotay ordered Tuvok to kill Janeway as a test of his loyalty to the Maquis . He began to fire a phaser at his old friend , but the weapon was inoperative . Later , after the crisis was resolved , Janeway asked how he knew that the phaser was not fully charged and Tuvok replied that he knew Chakotay doubted his loyalty and would not have given him an active weapon . " " Not exactly ironclad logic " " , she replied . ( ) In 2378 , an Admiral Janeway from an alternate timeline of the year 2404 , time traveled back and came aboard " Voyager " . One of her major motivations for altering the future to get " Voyager " back home sooner was to get Tuvok back to so he could be cured through a " fal - tor - voh " , a mind meld with a family member . By 2404 , Tuvok ' s degenerative neurological condition had deteriorated to such a degree that he had lost his mind . The younger Janeway asked him why he did not object to her plan to destroy the Borg transwarp hub so he could receive treatment , he told her " " To quote Ambassador Spock , " the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few " . " " ( ) Neelix . When Neelix first came on board " Voyager " , Tuvok , referring to his species , said , " I am Vulcan " . Neelix , mistaking that for his name , introduced himself . " I ' m Neelix , pleased to meet you , Mr . Vulcan " . Thereafter he often referred to Tuvok as " Mister Vulcan " , and would continue to do so from time to time in the following years . However , Neelix and Tuvok were the proverbial " odd couple " of " Voyager " and polar opposites . Neelix ' cheerful disposition and bubbly attitude were irritating to Tuvok who had a very stoic and disciplined mind and rarely interested in engaging in the kind of conversations and what he believed to be frivolous activities that Neelix enjoyed . Tuvok was also not very fond of Neelix ' cooking abilities , as Neelix had the tendency to add odd spices to dishes which often became not very palatable . He once took one of Tuvok ' s native dishes from Vulcan and added some Talaxian ingredients to " spice things up " ; needless to say , Tuvok did not feel at home at all . Although Neelix was very fond of the Vulcan , his feelings were not reciprocated , until an incident when Tuvok lost his memory and his emotion - suppressing abilities after an attack by mysterious aliens , called the Ba ' Neth : Neelix helped Tuvok recover and Tuvok opened up to Neelix , telling him how much he enjoyed his company ; this incidence strengthened their friendship , even though Tuvok did go back to his old self when The Doctor was able to devise a method by which Tuvok would gain his memory and logic back . It was also during this time Tuvok gained an appreciation for pastry baking and jazz music . ( ) Tuvok and Neelix were once merged into one lifeform during a transporter malfunction . The hybrid of Neelix and Tuvok was named Tuvix and he possessed the qualities of both Tuvok and Neelix in just the right combination . He even became a better chef . Tuvix quickly became a much - loved and well - respected member of the crew and when The Doctor finally found a way to separate them again into their individual selves , he resisted , asking that he not be sacrificed . After much deliberation Captain Janeway decided that it would be unfair to Neelix and Tuvok if Tuvix remained and so decided to continue with the procedure . When Tuvok and Neelix finally returned as their old selves , everyone was glad to see them , even though Janeway couldn ' t help but wonder about Tuvix and whether she had done the right thing . ( ) When Kes went through her " elogium " , Neelix went to Tuvok for advice on fatherhood . Tuvok , despite his natural lack of emotion , was able to assure Neelix that fatherhood brought great rewards , and informed Neelix that it did not matter whether the child was a son or daughter , as in both cases a father was able to play an important role . ( ) Tuvok once had to share his quarters with Neelix when a shipload of Klingon s in the Delta Quadrant came aboard , much to Tuvok ' s chagrin . ( ) Even though Tuvok appeared disinterested in Neelix and was not very comfortable around him , he nonetheless had a great deal of respect for him because he saw him as a courageous and hard - working individual with integrity . Tuvok encouraged Neelix to assist an imperiled Talaxian settlement , and be reunited with his people . As a going - away gift he danced a brief step , to the delight of Neelix , who had previously mentioned that he would convince Tuvok to dance before " Voyager " returned home . ( ) Kes . Tuvok became Kes ' mentor and tutor in establishing her mental abilities . He used mind melds in order to teach her to control her powers , but sometimes became " frustrated " ( as much as any Vulcan could ) with her " emotional outbursts " , such as giggling , when she used her abilities . Nevertheless , they were close companions . Tuvok gave Kes counsel and understood the challenge she faced with her abilities , speaking of the control he needed to control his emotions . He continued to work with her despite the risk it sometimes entailed , as when she lost control of her powers and accidentally began to boil his blood ( ) . When Kes was taken over by Tieran , Tieran tried to seduce Tuvok in her body . Tuvok denied that he had ever desired Kes and engaged in a mind meld that would help Kes resist Tieran ' s control . ( ) . Tuvok took an interest when Kes became infatuated with a Mikhal Traveler named Zahir , as the Travelers had a reputation for recklessness . He met with Zahir to request that he exercise caution while Kes was his passenger . He also reminded Kes not to let her infatuation interfere with her responsibilities , but didn ' t discourage her from Zahir . ( ) . When Kes ' mental abilities began to increase dramatically , Tuvok was concerned and advised her to proceed slowly despite her eagerness . He was alarmed by her ability to affect matter on the subatomic scale . When she began to phase out of corporeal existence , Tuvok attempted a mind meld to slow the process but was unsuccessful . After Kes ' departure from " Voyager " , Tuvok donned his traditional Vulcan robes and placed his lit meditation candle in the window in remembrance of her . ( ) Tom Paris . Paris and Tuvok had very different approaches and philosophies to life . While Tuvok viewed life through the lens of typical Vulcan logic , Paris had a more carefree attitude towards things ; an attribute which irritated Tuvok a great deal and which often resulted in clashes between the two – sometimes serious , often humorous . One such clash became apparent when Tom was put in charge of writing an ending to Tuvok ' s " Insurrection Alpha " holoprogram depicting a Maquis mutiny on board " Voyager " . Tuvok was not happy that Tom was assigned to finish the novel , especially because Tom was disregarding all of his original organization and logical application by adhering to a more casual " make it up as I go along " format . Tom was suggesting that in the novel , Paris and Janeway retake the ship while Janeway decides to execute all the conspirators ; an ending Tuvok believed to be a completely implausible plot development . ( ) On another occasion , Tuvok and Paris got into a disagreement over the build and look of the " Delta Flyer " : Tom had added fancy decoration , such as dynametric tailfins , to the nacelle s which Tuvok promptly removed , stating that they were not designing a " hot rod " and that such embellishments were unnecessary . ( ) Tom also often kidded Tuvok , trying to get him to loosen up a bit and " take it easy " , such as the time he tried to get him to view the generational ship the Varro had built from more than just a logical and practical angle ; or when he tried to find out Tuvok ' s age , which at that point had remained somewhat of a mystery to many . These attempts to elicit emotional responses out of Tuvok often proved fruitless , however , as Tuvok countered every point made with a logical response , leaving Paris frustrated for even having tried . ( ) Tom did not always appreciate Tuvok ' s by - the - book and rigid methods and once believed that Tuvok , who had earlier caught him and B ' Elanna kiss ing in engineering , had reported the matter to Captain Janeway ; a suspicion that proved to be wrong as Janeway assured Paris that Tuvok had done no such thing . ( ) Despite occasional irritations , however , Tom and Tuvok maintained a cordial and respectful relationship with one another throughout their journey through the Delta quadrant . When Tom was charged with the murder of engineering physicist Tolen Ren in 2371 , it was Tuvok ' s thorough investigation that lead to proving Tom ' s innocence in the matter . As a result , Tom felt a great sense of gratitude towards Tuvok for having saved his life . Even though Tuvok explained to him that he was merely performing his duty and would have put the same level of diligence into the investigation regardless of which crew member was charged , Tom did not care and told Tuvok that regardless of his motives , he had just made a friend that day ( ) . On many occasions , Tuvok showed a surprising amount of faith in Tom despite his checkered past ; when attempting a ' sting ' operation to catch a traitor who was giving information to the Kazon , Tuvok was comfortable with the choice of Tom as their ' mole ' even when it put him in a situation where he could easily defect to the Kazon ( ) , and when Tuvok wrote the " Insurrection Alpha " program , Tom was one of only two prominent crewmembers - the other being the holographic Tuvok himself - who was unquestionably on Janeway ' s side in the Maquis mutiny ( ) . Likewise , Tom avoided teasing Tuvok when dealing with a serious situation : when Tuvok experienced " pon farr " while The Doctor was away and Tom the only medic available , he claimed to the rest of the crew that Tuvok was just suffering from Tarkalean flu , later programming a holographic replica of to help Tuvok deal with his urges without betraying his wife ( ) . When Tom learned of B ' Elanna ' s pregnancy , he went to Tuvok for advice on fatherhood as the only person he knew who had been through fatherhood already , Tuvok noting that Tom should expect paradox from the illogical combination of frustration and satisfaction that children could bring to a father ' s life ( ) . Chakotay . Tuvok went undercover and infiltrated Chakotay ' s Maquis cell in 2371 , in order to turn his entire crew over to the Federation . However , Tuvok , Chakotay and his entire cell were transported to the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker . After " Voyager " as brought over similarly , Chakotay discovered that Tuvok was Captain Janeway ' s chief of security . This angered Chakotay and changed his attitude towards Tuvok . ( ) There was still some hostility between the two shortly after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant , over the issue of Starfleet and Maquis crewmembers serving together on " Voyager " . ( ) Later on in 2371 , Chakotay , having discovered Seska to be a Cardassian spy , still felt feelings of betrayal from Tuvok and asked him , as " " someone who pulled the wool over my eyes " " , if he had suspected that Seska was a double agent while they worked together in the Maquis . Tuvok told Chakotay that Seska had successfully pulled the wool over his eyes as well . ( ) Chakotay ' s question to Tuvok , " Was anyone on that ship working for me ? " went unanswered . Near the end of first year of " Voyager " s journey through the Delta Quadrant , Chakotay began to respect Tuvok and his position as chief of security , even punching Crewman Kenneth Dalby in the jaw after he , Henley , Gerron and Chell rudely left Tuvok ' s lesson in Starfleet protocols in " Voyager " s cargo bay . ( ) There was a lingering tension between the two , as Tuvok was disappointed that Janeway had chosen Chakotay over him to be her first officer on " Voyager " , which they discussed while the ship was trapped in a distortion ring . Tuvok eventually came to accept Chakotay as the true first officer of " Voyager " . ( ) In 2373 , Chakotay was concerned about Tuvok ' s well - being after he was struck with what appeared to be a severe panic attack . Tuvok initially brushed off Chakotay ' s concerns , which took him aback , but Tuvok later apologized . ( ) When " Voyager " was traversing what they dubbed " " in 2375 , Janeway fell into a deep , guilt - based depression over the ship being trapped in the Delta Quadrant due to her decisions . Worried , Chakotay relied on Tuvok ' s knowledge of her past and her psyche to predict that she would likely resort to self - sacrifice to protect the crew . When asked by Chakotay , Tuvok pledged his support in preventing any such outcome . ( ) Harry Kim . Tuvok ' s relationship with Harry Kim was at times that of a mentor and a friend . Though Kim would sometimes play pranks on Tuvok , in concert with Tom Paris , he came to value his advice and companionship . ( ) In early 2371 , Tuvok provided Kim with advice regarding the proper conduct of senior officer s on the bridge of a starship when Kim stated that he had " never seen anything like it " regarding a nebula . Though Kim accepted the advice , he couldn ' t help but later poke a bit of fun at Tuvok when he made a similar comment . ( ) In 2373 , Kim sought Tuvok ' s advice regarding eliminating emotions when he became infatuated with the holographic character Marayna . Tuvok advised him that he was suffering from shon - ha ' lock and suggested a course of intense meditation . Kim initially followed this course , but eventually discontinued the regime at Tom Paris ' s urging . He later became angry when Tuvok developed his own relationship with Marayna . Though Tuvok initially dismissed his feelings , he later apologized for not respecting the complexity of his emotions . Kim accepted the apology , as well as Tuvok ' s invitation to teach him how to play " kal - toh " . ( ) Despite their generally amiable relationship , Kim was sometimes wary of Tuvok ' s strictness when it came to ship ' s protocol . Once , when afraid of being caught out of bounds with Derran Tal , she told him that nobody was going to come looking for them , but he replied that she didn ' t know Lieutenant Tuvok , who would call for red alert if he saw one electron out of place . ( ) In 2376 , when Kim and B ' Elanna Torres crash landed on an L - class planet , Tuvok went over ten days without sleep , aiding in the search for their missing shuttlecraft . He eventually became so exhausted that he fell asleep on " Voyager " s bridge . ( ) As of 2378 , Kim and Tuvok continued to play regular games of " kal - toh " , though Kim had never beaten him . ( ) Family . Tuvok was a devoted parent and husband . Tuvok married in 2304 , and later had four children , three sons and a daughter . In 2374 , he learned that his eldest son Sek had a child , named T ' Meni after his mother , making him a grandfather . ( ) When Tuvok experienced his first " pon far " since being trapped in the Delta Quadrant , Tom Paris - the only available doctor at the time due to The Doctor being on an away mission - prepared a holographic replica of T ' Pel to allow Tuvok to deal with his urges when medication and meditation proved incapable of dealing with Tuvok ' s drive to mate , Tuvok accepting the offer only when it was clear that alternatives were impractical ( ) . His youngest child , Asil , was born in the city of . Tuvok ' s friend Kathryn Janeway attended Asil ' s " kolinahr " . ( ) Due to his status as the only parent on " Voyager " , Tuvok was often approached by others for advice on being a parent . Talking with Neelix , Tuvok noted that fatherhood brought so many responsibilities that only the most committed should enter into it given the overwhelming nature of the experience , even as he admitted that it could offer infinite rewards and he often thought about his children despite their distance . When Samantha Wildman was concerned about how her daughter would cope if she died on an away mission , Tuvok noted that he had faith that the rest of his family would care for his own children despite his prolonged absence . When Tom Paris learned that he was going to be a father , Tuvok noted that Paris should expect paradox due to the complexity of having children ( ) . Romance . Despite being a married man , Tuvok once did become close to a young woman , Noss , while he and Tom Paris were stranded on an inhospitable planet for a number of months . However , after he was rescued , he explained to her that they could only be friends , although he did form a mind meld with her to share his feelings for her . ( ) In 2373 Harry Kim fell in love with a computer subroutine on the holodeck named Marayna . Knowing that his attraction to a hologram was nonsensical and would lead to nowhere , Harry sought the guidance of Tuvok in order to suppress his feelings for her . Tuvok began giving Harry advice on how to detach from those uncomfortable feelings when he himself , upon meeting Marayna , became strangely attracted to her . Marayna ' s fresh thoughts , pure logic , and intelligence were appealing to Tuvok who began to understand Kim ' s attraction to her . Much to Kim ' s dismay , Tuvok spent hours on the holodeck talking to Marayna about anything from hydro sailing to logic . It was soon discovered that Marayna was actually a projection of a lonely alien in a nearby nebula . She became obsessed with Tuvok and wanted him to join her or else she would destroy the ship . After talking to her , Tuvok convinced her that his life on Vulcan and duty to " Voyager " meant that he would never be able to stay with her for the reasons she wanted him to remain , forcing her to abandon her assault on " Voyager " . Before departing , Tuvok suggested that she should return home and surround herself with the people in her life as obviously her need to project herself like that into others ' lives was evidence of a greater need for companionship . ( ) Mental health . On many occasions Tuvok , and the crew of " Voyager " , were subjected to brain trauma and tampering . ( , , , , , , et al . ) . Towards the end of " Voyager " s journey it was established that Tuvok ' s neural peptides were deteriorating due to an unspecified degenerative neural condition that could only be cured by " Fal - tor - voh " , a particularly intense mind - meld with a member of his family . " In an alternate timeline , his declining mental state could not be treated due to his returning home with " Voyager " too late for him to receive proper treatment which would require a blood - relative . In this alternate timeline he suffered severe mental damage and lived in a mental hospital , writing an unspecified novel and sometimes experiencing moments where he thought he was still on " Voyager " . However , due to the intervention of Admiral Janeway from this same alternate timeline , Tuvok arrived back in the Alpha Quadrant with the rest of the " Voyager " crew in time to receive his treatment . " ( ) Holograms . Tuvok has been holographically duplicated on a number of occasions . Alternate timelines . During the Year of Hell , when the Krenim attacked " Voyager " with temporal weapons , Tuvok found an active warhead lodged in the hull . Tuvok was sure it would explode in minutes , but Seven wanted to learn its temporal variance so they could perfect shielding against it . She made a determination just before the torpedo blew up , but the explosion blinded Tuvok for the rest of the year . This timeline was undone when the Krenim weapon ship was destroyed and the timeline restored . ( ) In the original test of the quantum slipstream drive , Tuvok and the rest of the crew – with the exceptions of Chakotay , Harry Kim , and ( technically ) The Doctor – were killed when " Voyager " crash - landed into an ice planet . ( VOY : " Timeless " ) In Admiral Janeway ' s timeline , Tuvok ' s degenerative neurological condition became incurable before they could reach the Alpha Quadrant , with the result that he was confined to a psychiatric facility , his memory erratic as he constantly scribbled down various writings . ( VOY : " Endgame " ) Memorable quotes . " " I will never cease to be amazed by the Human capacity for hyperbole . " " " " Without the darkness , how would we recognize the light ? Do not fear your negative thoughts . They are part of you . They are a part of every living being , even Vulcans . " " " " You ? " " " " The Vulcan heart was forged out of barbarism and violence . We learned to control it , but it is still part of us . To pretend it does not exist , is to create an opportunity for it to escape . " " " " On the contrary , the demands on a Vulcan ' s character are extraordinarily difficult . Do not mistake composure for ease . How may I be honest with you today ? " " " " It appears that we ' ve lost our sex appeal , captain . " " " " I prefer to read , rather than engage in . . . what do Humans call it ? Short talk ? " " " " Sitting here , attempting to meditate , I have counted the number of ways I know of killing someone using just a finger , a hand , a foot . I had reached 94 when you entered . " " " " That is a most illogical line of reasoning . " " " " You better believe it . " " " " One day your intuition will fail and you will finally understand that logic is primary above all else . ' Instinct ' is merely another term for ' serendipity ' . " " " " Had I known this commendation entailed ritual humiliation , I might have declined . " " " " I don ' t suppose I should ask why you were undressed . " " " " I would prefer that you didn ' t . " " " " Where are you going ? You don ' t even know what you ' re looking for . " " " " I am looking for Mr . Neelix ' instinct . Perhaps it is marked . " " " " I do not experience feelings of nostalgia . But there are times when I think back to those days of meeting Kirk , Spock and the others , and I am pleased that I was part of it . " " Appendices . Background information . Tuvok was played by actor Tim Russ . Russ also played the mirror universe in the episode , as well as several other roles in " Star Trek " . The young Tuvok seen in was played by actor Demetris Lawson and the young one seen in by actor LeRoy D . Brazile . Tuvok was the first Vulcan main cast member to appear on a " Star Trek " series since Spock in and the first fully Vulcan main cast member given that Spock was half - Human . According to the VOY Season 2 DVD trivia text version of , an early production name for Tuvok was " Vicon " . In the first draft script of , Tuvok was described as " a 150 - year - old Vulcan ( in Human appearance terms that ' s about sixty ) . " Assuming the role of Tuvok was relatively easy for Tim Russ . He recalled , " " Most of my friends told me I didn ' t have to stretch very much because I ' m like that character in real life . " " Garrett Wang remembered that when he first met Russ , he joked that Tuvok was one letter away from resembling the name " " , to which he responded , " " Rap music is the reason for the fall of Western civilization . " " In " Caretaker " and the first half of season one , Tuvok wore the rank insignia of lieutenant commander , but he was referred to as lieutenant . This costume gaffe was corrected as of . A Tuvok action figure by Playmates Toys was the favorite toy of Little Donny in the " Upright Citizen ' s Brigade " episode " Little Donny Foundation " . Little Donny also drew pictures of Tuvok , exclaiming , " " Tuvok is never getting home ! " " Tuvok is left - handed , and uses a phaser pouch mounted on his right side as opposed to the standard model which mounts the phaser on the left , as can be seen in episodes such as , , and . His Ilari undercover uniform from the third season episode was later sold off on the It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction on eBay . Apocrypha . According to the Michael Jan Friedman novel " The First Virtue " ( from Pocket TNG ' s " Double Helix " series ) , Tuvok worked with Jean - Luc Picard and the crew of the around the time of his rejoining Starfleet in the 2350s . In the " Voyager " relaunch series of novels , Tuvok was cured of his illness by his son , and was promoted to Commander . He then began teaching at Starfleet Academy with Admiral Janeway . The character also appears in the " " video game and its sequel " " as the commander of newly formed Hazard Teams on the and , respectively . In the " " book series , Tuvok was tapped as a Starfleet Intelligence officer while teaching at the academy . He was sent undercover to Romulus to make contact with Ambassador Spock . Coincidentally , Shinzon assassinates the Romulan Senate simultaneously and in the ensuing chaos , Tuvok is jailed before being rescued by the crew of the . He provisionally joins the crew as tactical officer after the ship ' s regular tactical officer , Lt . Commander Ranul Keru , becomes comatose as a result of battle damage ; he reasoned that his experiences in the Delta Quadrant would be an asset to " Titan " and its mission . In the end of the second book of the series , entitled " The Red King " , Tuvok decides to stay aboard the " Titan " as second officer & primary tactical officer . He is also given permission to bring aboard to live with him on the ship . In the novel series " " , Tuvok ' s son Elieth is one of billions killed during a Borg invasion of the Alpha Quadrant . In the " " novel " The Poisoned Chalice " , Tuvok assists Nog and Thomas Riker as part of a Starfleet Intelligence black ops team known as Active Four in investigating the recent assassination of the Federation President , although they soon learn that their team was actually set up to be killed as part of a plan to frame the Typhon Pact - a new organization composed of various Federation adversaries such as the Romulans and the Breen - for the assassination while eliminating the true perpetrators of the Cardassian organization the True Way . In " A Pocket Full of Lies " , Tuvok temporarily transfers back to " Voyager " to help the crew talk with an alternate version of Janeway created during the events of " Shattered " through the manipulation of the Krenim , the encounter helping Tuvok deal with his own grief and rage over his son ' s death during the Borg invasion . Tuvok was shown aboard the " Titan " in a short film for " Star Trek The Exhibition " . In the background story for " Star Trek Online " , Tuvok has resigned his commission from Starfleet by the year 2401 when he joins Admirals Janeway and Chakotay in objecting to Starfleet ' s inaction in the face of proven Alpha Quadrant infiltration by Species 8472 . At a later , unspecified date , Tuvok rejoined Starfleet . He appears as a Rear Admiral and joins the player in the " Star Trek Online " fourth anniversary episode released as part of the games " Season 8 . 5 " update . He also plays a role in two missions added in the " Season 9 : A New Accord " update as the Commanding Officer of the USS " Voyager " . With the " Star Trek Online " second expansion , " Delta Rising " , Tuvok takes the USS " Voyager " back to the Delta Quadrant , making contact with a Talaxian colony led by Neelix , and helping to coordinate an alliance of Alpha , Beta , and Delta Quadrant species against a resurgent Vaadwaur threat . As of the release of " Agents of Yesterday , " Tuvok and Harry Kim are tied for having appeared in more " Star Trek Online " missions than any other canon characters .