Changes: Caretaker (Nacene)

Revision as of 09:43, 3 June 2007

The Caretaker

The Caretaker in Human form

The Caretaker (played by Basil Langton) was the name given to the Nacene entity who assumed responsibility for protecting the Ocampa. Crewmembers aboard the USS Voyager also knew him as "Banjo Man", since he appeared to them in the form of an elderly human playing a banjo. (VOY: "Caretaker", "Projections")

After his people accidentally caused the destruction of the ecosystem of the Ocampa homeworld about 1,500 years ago (c.f. "The Warming"), the Caretaker was selected to remain behind with his mate, Suspiria, while the others continued on their journey. The Caretaker created a series of underground caverns in which the Ocampa could live, and supplied them with sufficient energy to do so. However, the Caretaker did not realize that his actions were also harming the Ocampa by leaving them utterly dependent on his assistance. Suspiria did realize this, and left her mate, taking a small group of Ocampa with her. (VOY: "Cold Fire")

Some time before early 2371, the Caretaker realized that he was dying, and began an exhaustive search to try to find a compatible biological life form with whom he could reproduce. He assumed that only another being like himself would be capable of taking over the incredible burden of caring for the Ocampa. To further his search, he abducted dozens of starships from all across the galaxy, using his array conducting experiments upon the ships' crews to determine whether they were compatible. However, the search did not go well. A few of his subjects showed promise, and he sent these to live with the Ocampa for a time, but all of the subjects eventually died.

Among the ships he abducted in 2370 were a Cardassian Galor-class warship and Dreadnought missile, and in early 2371, the Federation starship USS Equinox. (VOY: "Dreadnought", "The Voyager Conspiracy", "Equinox")

Around stardate 48300, the Caretaker abducted a Maquis raider, the Val Jean, from the Badlands in the Alpha Quadrant and transported it over 70,000 light years away to his array. He also abducted the USS Voyager in the same way. These two ships were the last vessels he would abduct.

Shortly after abducting Voyager, and recognizing that his death was imminent, the Caretaker began sending an increased store of energy to the Ocampa reserves, so that they would have enough to last up to five years after his death. However, when confronted by Captain Kathryn Janeway of Voyager, he began to realize that caring for them truly was not enough, that "children" (as he considered the Ocampa) had to eventually grow up. To help the Ocampa along, he sent them a record of his knowledge that would hopefully allow them to develop self-sufficiency.

A short time later, before he could send Voyager or the Maquis ship back, the Caretaker died, leaving the two ships stranded over seventy thousand light years from home. (VOY: "Caretaker")

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:Caretaker caretaker.jpg|thumb|The Caretaker]]
 [[Image:Caretaker.jpg|thumb|The Caretaker in Human form]]
-The '''Caretaker''' (or "Banjo Man") (played by [[Basil Langton]]) was the name given to the [[Nacene]] entity who assumed responsibility for protecting the [[Ocampa]]. ({{VOY|Caretaker}})
+The '''Caretaker''' (played by [[Basil Langton]]) was the name given to the [[Nacene]] entity who assumed responsibility for protecting the [[Ocampa]]. Crewmembers aboard the [[USS Voyager|USS ''Voyager'']] also knew him as "Banjo Man", since he appeared to them in the form of an elderly [[human]] playing a [[banjo]]. ({{VOY|Caretaker|Projections}})
 After his people accidentally caused the destruction of the ecosystem of the [[Ocampa (planet)|Ocampa homeworld]] about [[Early history|1,500 years ago]] (c.f. "[[The Warming]]"), the Caretaker was selected to remain behind with his mate, [[Suspiria]], while the others continued on their journey.  The Caretaker created a series of underground caverns in which the Ocampa could live, and supplied them with sufficient energy to do so.  However, the Caretaker did not realize that his actions were also harming the Ocampa by leaving them utterly dependent on his assistance.  Suspiria did realize this, and left her mate, taking a small group of Ocampa with her. ({{VOY|Cold Fire}})
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 Among the ships he abducted in [[2370]] were a [[Cardassian]] [[Galor class|''Galor''-class]] warship and [[Cardassian ATR-4107|Dreadnought missile]], and in early [[2371]], the [[Federation]] starship [[USS Equinox|USS ''Equinox'']]. ({{VOY|Dreadnought|The Voyager Conspiracy|Equinox}})
-Around [[stardate]] 48300, the Caretaker abducted a [[Maquis]] [[Maquis raider|raider]], the ''[[Val Jean]]'', from the [[Badlands]] in the [[Alpha Quadrant]] and transported it over 70,000 [[light year]]s away to his [[Caretaker's array|array]].  He also abducted the [[USS Voyager|USS ''Voyager'']] in the same way.  These two ships were the last vessels he would abduct.
+Around [[stardate]] 48300, the Caretaker abducted a [[Maquis]] [[Maquis raider|raider]], the ''[[Val Jean]]'', from the [[Badlands]] in the [[Alpha Quadrant]] and transported it over 70,000 [[light year]]s away to his [[Caretaker's array|array]].  He also abducted the USS ''Voyager'' in the same way.  These two ships were the last vessels he would abduct.
 Shortly after abducting ''Voyager'', and recognizing that his death was imminent, the Caretaker began sending an increased store of energy to the Ocampa reserves, so that they would have enough to last up to five years after his death.  However, when confronted by [[Captain]] [[Kathryn Janeway]] of ''Voyager'', he began to realize that caring for them truly was not enough, that "children" (as he considered the Ocampa) had to eventually grow up.  To help the Ocampa along, he sent them a record of his knowledge that would hopefully allow them to develop self-sufficiency.