Imposter Syndrome (episode)

Hoping to hijack the Infinity before its scheduled destruction, Dal and the crew create hologram doubles to cover for their absence.
== Summary ==
=== Act One ===
Dal R'El runs through the corridors of the , chased by his friends who corner him in a threatening manner. Dal pleads that his real friends wouldn't do this. Jankom Pog counters, who says Dal is his friend? As Zero, Gwyn, and Murf restrain Dal, Jankom approaches him with electricity crackling from the end of his multi-mitt.
Twenty-four hours earlier, The Doctor follows laughter and finds the former crew of the in one of the ship's holodecks studying astrometrics data, and reminds them that the crew is still under restricted access. Dal claims that they're so deep in their astrometric studies that they didn't notice him come in. Pleased, The Doctor tells them to carry on, and that there might be hope for the Academy hopefuls yet. After The Doctor leaves, Gwyn shows them the spiral nebula she found, which perfectly matches the one that she was shown in the message that she got from the Observer, as they are now calling the entity. There's also only one planet that Chakotay and the Protostar could be on: a class O planetoid that disappeared from stellar charts years ago, but Gwyn's situation has shown her that the truth is more than they can see with their eyes.
Rok-Tahk summarizes that if the Protostar really is with Chakotay on this hidden planet, then they can return the ship to Tars Lamora, fix the timeline and save Gwyn. Dal points out that they're still on lockdown, which is a problem. Zero points out that they're not technically Starfleet yet, and the could make the journey undetected. Rok suggests asking Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway for help, since she wants to save Chakotay more than anyone and this could be their best shot with the wormhole closed. However, Dal states that Janeway won't let them take her ship to chase after a ghost, and if Starfleet says no, then their mission is over before they even start. If they wait around to find whoever sent that message, then it may be too late, and it's better to ask forgiveness than permission. Rok is upset that Dal wants to steal a ship again, but Dal clarifies that he wants to borrow it. Gwyn states that either way, it won't matter because Voyager will send a search party once they notice that the crew is missing.
Zero suggests that they can return before anyone even notices that they're gone. Inspired by The Doctor's holonovel, Zero and Jankom decided to make hologram copies of themselves. A second Jankom appears, revealing that who was already there was a holo-duplicate all along. However, Hologram Jankom begins glitching, making his status as a hologram obvious; also, he can't interact with physical matter. Rok volunteers to help Zero and Jankom perfect the crew's holo-duplicates so they can stay behind and cover for the real crew while Dal, Gwyn and Murf look into borrowing the Infinity.
Outside of Shuttlebay 3, Gwyn wonders how they're going to get into the hanger and take the ship with so many people around. She reveals that she's been working on a basic system of communication to understand Murf. Commander Tysess emerges, none too pleased with the ship's wayward warrant officers. After a tense moment, Tysess reveals that his anger is because he just found one of their tricorders discarded on the floor of the Infinity. To Dal's shock, Tysess reveals that the Infinity is going to be destroyed soon. Tysess explains that the Infinity isn't being destroyed because of the Protostar crew, but because Starfleet has ordered Voyager to erase all evidence of their classified mission, especially a cloaking ship whose very existence violates three Federation treaties. Dal suggests cloaking the ship, since no one will know the difference, earning a rare laugh from the usually serious first officer. Tysess tells Dal and Gwyn that if they want to watch the Infinity be destroyed, Voyager will be launching it into a Class B hypergiant at 08:00 hours, where the heat of the blue sun will make short work of it. Gwyn thinks that this is the end of their plan, but Dal tells her that this is just the chance that they need instead. The crew just needs to get onboard before 08:00 when Janeway's crew launches it. Voyager will think that the ship is destroyed, but the crew will cloak it and fly away. However, that doesn't give them much time to get their holograms ready.
=== Act Two ===
Returning to the holodeck, Dal and Gwyn discover that Rok has transformed it into a holographic recreation of the Protostars bridge. Rok tells them that it's easier to think there, and they're just in time to see the results. Rok summons perfect holo-duplicates of the crew, who are the deluxe models thanks to Rok: personality engrams fully loaded and coded with subroutines guaranteed to pass life scans, and physically identical to the originals. Dal suggests that Jankom overdid it with the cockiness on , but Gwyn and respond at the same time that it's accurate.
The discussion is interrupted by the arrival of Janeway outside the holodeck, looking to chat. The Doctor is excited for her to see the crew's progress under his mentorship, ironically calling them honest, open, and cooperative for the most part. With Janeway and The Doctor attempting to get in, the two sets of crew panic, particularly as they can't just deactivate the holograms because the AI needs to finish its calibration. If the holograms are disabled now, all of their work will be lost. Further complicating matters is the fact that the holograms don't think that they're holograms, having been programed that way by Rok so as to not blow their cover.
As Janeway begins to override the door, the real crew hides amongst the bridge consoles while the holo-duplicates answer the door. Recognizing their surroundings as the Protostar, Janeway apologizes if she's interrupting, and Hologram Dal claims that they're just taking a stroll down memory lane while hands Janeway a cup of coffee. The admiral is impressed with how the Protostar crew is handling things, acknowledging that the mission has taken a toll on everyone. From their hiding places, the real crew is pleased with the performance that their doubles are putting on. Janeway reassures the crew that no one could've predicted that this paradox would occur, but she promises that the Federation will find a way to fix this. The Doctor is pleased that the modified phase discriminator is keeping Gwyn in one place in the meantime. Hologram Gwyn declares that this isn't over, and they'll find a solution. The Doctor promises her that he and the admiral are doing everything that they can to find a cure for her phase shifting condition. tells the two Starfleet officers not to worry because they're going to bring back Chakotay and the Protostar. Janeway fortunately takes it only as Hologram Rok being optimistic, and she appreciates it, but tells them this is a task for Starfleet now. Finding the Protostar and restoring the timeline is a bigger task than any of them can do. Their new orders are to return Voyager to Earth, but Janeway wants them to take heart in knowing that faith is never futile.
Janeway and The Doctor depart, never suspecting that something was off, and that they were actually talking to holograms. Everyone congratulates Rok, who really outdid herself creating the holo-duplicates. Rok reveals that there's no way to tell the holograms apart from the originals: they're identical in every way down to being able to read the other holograms' minds. Gathering at one of the consoles, Dal tells the crew that they have two hours before their ride gets extra crispy, so they'll keep the holograms on the holodeck, prep for the Infinity heist, and meet before launch. However, believing that they are the real crew, the holograms lock the real crew in the holodeck to embark upon the mission themselves.
An hour later, Rok forces open the doors, releasing the real crew. Dal complains that Rok programed the holograms too well: now they think that they're the originals. Rok points out that Dal had wanted her to make their duplicates undetectable. Zero worries about the logistical problem that if the holograms believe that they're the originals, then they'll be plotting their escape aboard the Infinity. However, the holograms are only designed to exist on Voyager and if they leave with the Infinity, then the holograms will blip out, the Infinity will get destroyed for real, and the crew will lose their chance to find the Protostar and save Gwyn. Gwyn states that they have one hour until the Infinitys launch, and questions how they will be able to tell who's who if they run into their doubles. Dal suggests that they each hunt their own double, and once they get them back to the holodeck, they'll sort this mess out with time to spare; the crew separates.
One of the Dals approaches a Zero and tells them that there's still no sign of his holo-duplicate, and he asks if Zero has had any luck. Zero is confused, causing Dal to question if it's the real Zero or Hologram Zero. Zero accuses Dal of being the duplicate in return, unable to read Dal's mind. Declaring that there are rogue holograms, Zero runs off to warn the others, chased by Dal. Zero encounters a second Dal and tells him that they have a problem because their duplicates have escaped from the holodeck. The first Dal arrives and Zero leaves as the two Dals face off, armed with phasers and accusing the other of being the duplicate, so identical that they speak the same words at the exact same time. The two shoot at each other, but only succeed in disarming the other, and both flee into the Jefferies tubes. One Dal tries to call his team on the comms to warn them about his encounter, and gets into an argument with himself over the comms. The ship's computer announces that they only have 30 minutes until the Infinitys launch.
Elsewhere, The Doctor encounters both Murfs within seconds of each other, but he quickly brushes off the odd encounter. Zero attempts to find the duplicates using combadge signatures, discovering that there are a lot of duplicate signatures. Zero runs into Maj'el, dropping their tricorder in the process. Zero brushes off Maj'el's attempts to help, which she attributes to her distant behavior ever since their return from Solum. Spotting the other Zero wandering the halls nearby, Zero rushes off, suggesting that they talk another time because Zero isn't feeling themself today.
In the mess hall, one of the Jankoms sees that Voyager is approaching the hypergiant and calls out a warning to the others that they're running out of time. The other Jankom says that he couldn't agree more, which is why they need to settle this here and now. The second Jankom suggests a test: he's standing by a broken food replicator that only the real Jankom has the percussive genius to fix. The first Jankom's attempt fails, but the second Jankom is able to replicate a milkshake for himself, which he gives to the other Jankom, seemingly proving that he's the real Jankom. The first Jankom is left with an existential crisis, calling it a Pog-pocalypse. Encountering Jankom, Counselor Noum offers to talk about it with him, but Jankom tells Noum that there's no time, hands him the milkshake, and runs off. Stating that his shift's over anyways, Noum enters a holodeck and has it load a tropical island retreat with the hot tub set to extra bubbles.
In Cetacean Ops, the two Roks have found each other. Unlike the others who have been arguing over who is real and who is not, the Roks decide to put their heads together and find a solution to the problem. One of the Dals runs into one of the Gwyns and both admit that the situation has gotten to the point where they don't know who to trust anymore. Gwyn proposes teaming up together to take down the others one by one, and points to the area where she saw the other Dal run through. However, it turns out to be an ambush by that Gwyn and a Zero, Jankom, and Murf. The four chase the Dal through the corridors of the ship and corner him, as Dal pleads that his real friends would never do this. Before Dal can be harmed, the second Gwyn arrives and blasts everyone with a fire extinguisher. Janeway calls for all assigned personnel to report to the shuttlebay and reports that there are only ten minutes until the Infinity launch.
Dal starts to tie everyone up, but the second Dal, armed with a phaser, interrupts and everyone arms themselves, leaving the Dals, Jankoms, Gwyns, Murfs, and Zeros in a Mexican standoff. However, they are interrupted by the arrival of both Roks, who remind everyone that they all want the mission to succeed, which their fighting is keeping from happening. Together, the Roks have found a solution to the problem that everyone is facing.
=== Act Three ===
The two crews return to the Protostar holoprogram, where the two Roks explain that time is running short and only six of them can leave Voyager. There's a simple solution to the problem, but it requires all of them to cooperate with each other for it to work. The AI on the holo-duplicates is fully calibrated, so if they overload the ship's holomatrix, then the holograms will reboot on the holodeck with no memory of the mission to get the Protostar. That will allow the real crew time to escape to the Infinity while leaving the duplicates to reboot and fulfill their mission of keeping anyone from realizing that the Protostars crew is gone. With only three minutes left, both sides agree to the plan, and the Roks overload Voyagers holomatrix. Throughout the ship, the lights flicker, and holograms disappear, including The Doctor, mid-treatment of a patient, Noum's beach resort, and the Protostar bridge. Rather than the duplicates being one crew or the other, it turns out that the real crew and the holo crew got mixed in together, resulting in members of both sides that had formed on the hologram bridge vanishing, until only the real Dal, Rok, Jankom, Gwyn, Murf, and Zero are left. The Jankom who was having the existential crisis is relieved to discover that he was actually the real Jankom the whole time.
The crew quickly rush to the shuttlebay, only to run into The Doctor, who has rebooted with a bit of memory loss, asking if he had tutored them yet today. Maj'el interrupts, having heard that The Doctor is a skilled opera singer open to giving vocal lessons, successfully distracting him. Zero thanks Maj'el for her help, and she explains that she had merely suggested that she was interested in opera and didn't lie. She says that it's important to help one's real friends, and adds telepathically "especially one as fascinating as you." Zero is left flustered and has to be dragged off by Dal. The crew reaches the shuttlebay too late, watching as the Infinity launches, heading for the star. On the brige, Janeway notes that this seems fitting because Chakotay had always loved a blue sun. Tysess tells Janeway that Dal had seemed upset by this, and the two express their admiration of the resilience that the Protostar crew has displayed under all of the stress and disappointment that they have faced in such a short time, stress that most cadets would buckle under. Janeway suggests that they could all learn from the kids' ability to cling to hope in the journey ahead.
As the Infinity travels towards the sun, the crew beams onboard. Dal compliments Gwyn for thinking to mask an emergency transport to get them onboard, but they're cutting it a little bit close. Now out of Voyagers scanner range, Jankom cloaks the ship with a bit of percussive maintenance. Voyager is fooled into believing that the Infinity has been destroyed, while the crew actually turns away from the star and sets course for the mystery spiral nebula. Rok detects that their doubles should be powering back on now and notices a tiny glitch, but dismisses it.
On the holodeck, the holo-duplicates reboot with no memory of their scuffle with the real crew or the mission. However, a glitch has caused each hologram to switch voices and personality: Dal and Zero, Gwyn and Murf, Rok and Jankom.
== Memorable quotes ==
"Once they realize we're missing, Voyager will send a search party."
"Unless we're back before anyone even knows we're gone. Jankom and I are working on just such a solution. Inspired by The Doctor's holonovel, we decided to make hologram copies of ourselves.
:- Gwyn and Zero, as Zero offers an inspired solution to a major issue
"It looks so real."
"Feeling nostalgic, Rok?"
:- Dal and Gwyn, upon seeing the Protostar bridge holoprogram
"Thanks to Rok, these holo-dupes are the deluxe model. Personality engrams fully loaded and coded, subroutines guaranteed to pass life scans. All physically identical to their bio-inspirations."
"Nice try, but nobody can measure up to the real deal."
"He looks good. I think you overdid it on the cockiness."
"Nope, that's spot on."
:- Jankom, Hologram Dal, Dal, Gwyn, and Hologram Gwyn, the latter two together, as the holo-duplicates are introduced
"I am so excited for you see their progress under my mentorship. They've been nothing but honest, open, cooperative – usually."
:- The Doctor, blissfully unaware that the crew has been the exact opposite of what he's describing
"In two hours, our ride gets extra crispy, so let's keep the holograms here, prep for the Infinity heist, and meet before launch."
"Uh..."
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!"
"Holograms are locked up. Time to prep for the Infinity heist."
"Let's roll!"
:- Dal, Jankom, Hologram Dal, and Hologram Jankom as the two sets of crew has the same idea in an identity crisis
"Rok, they think they're us. You programed them too well."
"You said to make them undetectable. Now I'm bad for getting an "A" plus plus?"
"This is a problem. A huge one."
"Ah, this ship ain't big enough for two Jankoms."
:- Dal, Rok, Gwyn, and Jankom
"If they think we're the holograms, they'll no doubt be plotting their escape onboard our getaway ship."
"But they're designed to exist only on Voyager. If the holograms escape on the Infinity..."
"They blip out, and our ticket out of here really does go up in flames."
"Right along with our only chance to save Gwyn."
:- Zero, Rok, Dal, and Jankom
"Okay, team, I just ran into myself."
"Get off of this channel, you phony."
"You're the phony, phony."
:- Dal, arguing with himself
"Wait!"
"Everyone wants the mission to succeed right?"
"Then follow us."
"We found a solution."
"Together."
:- The two Roks, the voice of reason
"Thank you. But I was not aware you are musically inclined. Why lie?"
"I merely suggested, and it is important to help one's real friends..." (telepathically) "especially one as fascinating as you."
"Oh, I – well –"
:- A flustered Zero, discovering that Maj'el is a true friend
"This seems fitting. Chakotay always loved a blue sun."
"I spoke with Dal. He seemed upset by all this."
"They've shown such resilience in the face of so much disappointment."
"Mm, you're not wrong. Most cadets would buckle under the stress those kids have endured in such a short time."
"They cling to hope like only the young can. Maybe we could all learn something from that in the journey ahead."
:- Janeway and Tysess
"Curious. Does anyone recall what brought us all to the holodeck? Ah, well. Another mystery, perhaps."
"Well, if you're done wasting Rok-Tahk's time, she's got some percussive maintenance to do in Cetacean Ops."
"I think you're gonna do a wonderful job, Rok. Those whales are so cute, I could just hug 'em."
(gurgling)
"Couldn't have said it better myself, Gwyn. Let's jet before The Doctor gives us more homework."
:- Holograms Dal, Rok-Tahk, Jankom, Gwyn, and Zero, rebooting with some personality changes
== Background information ==
=== Title ===
* The title refers to the of feeling unwarranted self-doubt about one's qualifications and achievements.
=== Story and script ===
=== Preproduction ===
=== Production ===
=== Postproduction ===
=== Cast and characters ===
=== Sets and props ===
=== Costumes ===
=== Soundtrack ===
=== Special effects ===
=== Continuity ===
=== Apocrypha ===
=== Reception ===
=== Awards ===
=== Releases ===
* Like the rest of the second season, it was first released on france.tv (a French public television's streaming service) as well as on AppleTV+ France on 22 March 2024, well in advance of the Netflix release in the United States.
== Links and references ==
=== Cast ===
* Rylee Alazraqui as
** Rok-Tahk
** 
* Dee Bradley Baker as
** Murf
** 
* Brett Gray as
** Dal
** 
* Angus Imrie as
** Zero
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* Ella Purnell as
** Gwyn
** 
* Jason Mantzoukas as
** Jankom Pog
** 
;And
* Kate Mulgrew as Admiral Janeway
* Robert Picardo as The Doctor
* Jason Alexander as Counselor Noum
* Michaela Dietz as Maj'el
* Daveed Diggs as Commander Tysess
* Bonnie Gordon as Ship Computer
=== References ===
astrometrics; Cetacean Ops; class O (planetoid); cloaking device; fire extinguisher; ghost; holodeck; holographic duplicate; holonovel; hypergiant; ; Janeway wormhole; Love in the Time of Holograms; milkshake; nebula; opera; percussive maintenance; phase discriminator; ; USS Protostar bridge holoprogram; spiral nebula; temporal paradox; temporal stabilizer; tricorder; ; wormhole
=== External links ===
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Category:PRO episodes
de:Hochstapler-Syndrom
es:Imposter Syndrome
fr:Imposter Syndrome (épisode)
pl:Imposter Syndrome