Star Trek Finally Gave Voyager’s Doctor a Name (After 8 Failed Attempts)

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The new Star Trek series, Starfleet Academy, has been quite a mixed bag. While some episodes, like the standout “Come, Let’s Away,” are among the best the show has offered, others have suffered from inconsistent writing, jarring shifts in tone, and a feeling that different writers weren’t working together seamlessly. However, it’s clear the show respects its history, and accusations of simply relying on nostalgia are unfair. The recent episode focusing on Sisko was particularly strong and moving, and the latest installment continues that trend with plenty of references to past events. Please be aware that the following contains spoilers for episode 8 of Starfleet Academy.

This episode centers around the Doctor (Robert Picardo), Ake (Holly Hunter), and SAM (Kerrice Brooks) journeying to SAM’s home planet to fix a problem caused by an injury she sustained during the attack on the Miyazaki. When SAM’s systems fail, the Doctor makes a remarkable decision: he volunteers to become her father. He spends seventeen years on her planet (equivalent to about two weeks in normal time due to the planet’s different time flow) raising her and giving her a childhood. Through this choice, Star Trek establishes the most significant identity the Doctor will ever have – a father.

Starfleet Academy Finally Reveals The Doctor’s True Name

Throughout the seven seasons of Voyager, the Doctor was known by eight different names. While the crew usually called him “Doc,” he also went by several other temporary names.

  • Doc Zimmerman: The official script name for him, which was given to him in honor of Lewis Zimmerman, the creator of the EMH program.
  • Lord Schweitzer: The name he uses in Voyager, Season 1, episode 11, “Heroes and Demons”, when interacting with characters in Harry Kim’s Beowulf holodeck program.
  • Shmullus: The name given to him by a Vidiian doctor named Danara Pel he falls in love with in Voyager Season 2, episode 19, “Lifesigns.”
  • Van Gogh & Mozart – Both names are mentioned in the alternate future of Voyager Season 3, episode 21, “Before and After”. After initially choosing Van Gogh for himself, the EMH settles on Mozart.
  • Kenneth: The name he chooses for himself in “Real Life” to be part of his hologram family (Voyager Season 3, episode 22).
  • Joe: The name the Doctor chose in Voyager’s finale – “Endgame’s” – alternate future timeline (Voyager Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26). This was the only permanent selection, and also saw the EMH marry Lana and settle down.

The latest episode of Starfleet Academy cleverly revealed The Doctor’s true name – “Dad” – after a series of close calls. While some might see this as typical, overly dramatic storytelling often criticized in newer Star Trek series, it actually provides a satisfying conclusion to The Doctor’s long search for identity and finally resolves the sadness at the heart of his unique existence. As he explains when challenged with caring for SAM, his immortality is bearable only because he avoids forming emotional attachments.

The Doctor’s reluctance to form close bonds with others, and thus receive a name like characters did on Voyager, stems from his fear of loss. The pain of losing his holographic daughter, Belle – as depicted in the Voyager episode “Real Life” – haunted him for 800 years and profoundly shaped how he approached all future relationships, often leading him to avoid them altogether.

The Doctor finally becoming a father is a satisfying conclusion to his journey of finding meaning in ‘Real Life,’ where receiving a proper name symbolized his embrace of genuine existence. It also feels like a correction to the bittersweet ending in ‘Endgame,’ where he gained happiness and a name, only to lose everything. For Robert Picardo’s character, it’s clear that meaningful relationships – and the name that comes with them – are the key to understanding who he is. And now, with SAM, he’s finally achieved that fulfilling resolution.

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2026-02-27 15:40