{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2014}} {{Infobox television episode | image = | caption = | series = Star Trek: Voyager | episode = 8 and 9 | season = 4 | production = 176 and 177 | airdate = * {{Start date|1997|11|05}} * {{Start date|1997|11|12}} | writer = * Brannon Braga * Joe Menosky | director = * Allan Kroeker (part I) * Mike Vejar (part II) | photographer = * Douglas Knapp * Marvin V. Rush | music = Dennis McCarthy | guests = * Kurtwood Smith - Annorax * John Loprieno - Obrist * Rick Fitts - Zahl Ambassador * Deborah Levin - Ens. Lang * Sue Henley - Ens. Brooks * Lise Simms - Annorax's Wife * Peter Slutsker - Krenim Commandant | prev = Scientific Method | next = Random Thoughts | season_article = Star Trek: Voyager season 4 | episode_list = List of Star Trek: Voyager episodes }} thumb|upright|Kurtwood Smith guest stars as the troubled Annorax "'''Year of Hell'''" is a two-part episode from the fourth season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek: Voyager'' which aired on UPN in November 1997. It aired in two parts, on November 5 and November 12, 1997. Part I was directed by Allan Kroeker and Part II by Mike Vejar; it was written by Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky. This includes a number of guest stars, including Kurtwood Smith.
Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS ''Voyager'' after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant far from the rest of the Federation. In this episode, ''Voyager'' is subjected to several changes in their timeline as an alien ship commander attempts to re-sequence history to his liking.
The events in this episode were foreshadowed in the third season episode "Before and After".
==Plot==
===Part I=== A huge ship appears in the sky above an alien colony and fires an energy beam, transforming the city into mountains and fields. As the wave encompasses the planet, the ship's crew comment on the colony's erasure before targeting the species' homeworld.
On board ''Voyager'', Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) have developed a galactic map which should shave five years from their journey. Seven informs Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) that the area of space they are in belongs to a species that the Borg know as the Zahl. Upon entering this space, a small vessel appears off of ''Voyager''{{'}}s port bow and begins an unprovoked attack. The ship is a Krenim destroyer, and the captain of the vessel declares that ''Voyager'' must leave Krenim space or be destroyed. As the ship's weapons prove useless against ''Voyager''{{'}}s hull, Janeway ignores the ship and proceeds to negotiate with the Zahl, who disdainfully threaten the weaker Krenim vessel. During their discussion, Tuvok (Tim Russ) observes that a temporal disruption involving the homeworld of the Zahl race has just occurred. As they try to understand what happened, a wave of temporal energy reaches their sector of space.
The wave wipes the Zahl race from existence while making the Krenim vessel bigger and more powerful, and reducing ''Voyager'' to a severely damaged state. Now aggressive and more arrogant, the Krenim captain tells Janeway that ''Voyager'' must submit to the Krenim Imperium and prepare to be boarded. Janeway takes advantage of ''Voyager''{{'}}s speed to escape. A scan of the region in the new Astrometrics bay reveals that Krenim warships dominate this region of space and it will be difficult for ''Voyager'' to sneak past them.
''Voyager'' begins a running battle with many Krenim ships over a period of two months, suffering heavy damage and casualties. During one attack, Seven of Nine uses an unexploded Krenim chroniton torpedo to devise a method of shielding ''Voyager'' against the weapons; however, the weapon partially explodes, blinding and severely burning Tuvok. When utilized, the shielding also affects the temporal waves in the region, attracting the attention of the Krenim "time ship", the large vessel that is causing the disruptions. Krenim scientist Annorax (Kurtwood Smith) built the ship to cause "temporal incursions" to be used to erase species from history to strengthen the Krenim Imperium. However, a prior incursion caused a plague that killed millions of Krenim, including Annorax's wife, and he has been seeking a full restoration of his species for the past 200 years. Annorax decides to destroy ''Voyager'' due to the temporal distortions caused by its shields. The crew escape as ''Voyager'' is faster, but more damage to the ship ensues. Janeway orders all but the senior staff to abandon ship. She and the senior staff intend to rescue Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and Lt. Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), who were abducted by the time ship.
===Part II=== Captain Janeway makes an alliance with local races to attack the Krenim time ship. The senior staff move to the allied ships while Janeway remains behind on ''Voyager'' to pilot the heavily damaged ship herself. With the help of a dissatisfied crew member, Chakotay and Paris take the time ship's temporal core offline, rendering it vulnerable to attack, and beam to the nearest allied ship. Using conventional weaponry, the time ship disables the allied ships. ''Voyager'' is crippled when one of the ships collides with her. Theorizing that the original timeline may be restored if the Krenim ship is destroyed by its own weapon, Janeway orders the fleet to drop their temporal shields and rams ''Voyager'' into the time ship while it is powering up for another incursion. ''Voyager'' is destroyed, while the Krenim time ship's temporal core destabilizes and explodes. This erases the time ship from history, resetting the timeline. As his ship is erased, Annorax witnesses his wife's lock of hair vanish and appears to realize the significance of what is about to happen: reversing all of his changes will bring Annorax's wife back as well, fulfilling his ultimate goal.
In the original timeline, ''Voyager'' once again ventures into Krenim space. This time, the captain of the Krenim warship is moderate: he advises ''Voyager'' that "this area of space is under dispute" and suggests they avoid it. After giving the command to plot a course around the disputed space, Janeway remarks to Chakotay that she is thinking of replicating a bottle of wine for ''Voyager''’s re-dedication ceremony, saying the vintage is a "good year". Elsewhere, Annorax works diligently in his study. His wife (Lise Simms) enters and asks him to enjoy the day with her. Annorax hesitates for a moment, and then decides he can "make the time" for her. They leave while his work remains on his desk, depicting the calculations for his initial alteration of the timeline.
== Writing == During development the writers considered expanding the plot of "Year of Hell" to last for an entire season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Star Trek: Voyager's 'Year of Hell' Episodes Could Have Been a Whole Season, According to Bryan Fuller|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/star-trek-voyagers-year-of-hell-episodes-could-have-be-1843782219|access-date=2021-02-16|website=io9 |date=May 30, 2020 }}</ref>
==Reception== "Year of Hell" appears at or near the top of multiple lists of best ''Voyager'' episodes.<ref name="THR" /><ref name="blastr">{{cite news|last1=Granshaw|first1=Lisa|title=20 years later: Our top 10 episodes of Star Trek: Voyager|url=http://www.blastr.com/2015-1-16/20-years-later-our-top-10-episodes-star-trek-voyager|access-date=4 December 2016|work=blastr|date=2015-01-16|archive-date=February 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210074312/http://www.blastr.com/2015-1-16/20-years-later-our-top-10-episodes-star-trek-voyager|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="treknews"> {{cite web|last1=Toven|first1=Michelle|title=10 Best 'Star Trek: Voyager' Episodes|url=https://www.treknews.net/2016/02/23/10-best-star-trek-voyager-episodes/|website=treknews.net|date=2016-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Garmon|first1=Jay|title=The five best Star Trek: Voyager episodes of all time!|url=http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/geekend/the-five-best-star-trek-voyager-episodes-of-all-time/|website=TechRepublic|access-date=4 December 2016|date=2012-06-14}}</ref><ref name="Den10">{{cite web |date=2012-10-03 |last1=Harrisson |first1=Juliette |title=Top 10 Star Trek: Voyager episodes |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/top-10-star-trek-voyager-episodes/ |website=Den of Geek! |access-date=1 April 2024 }}</ref> Graeme McMillan of ''Wired'' said, "this might be the highlight of the entire series, and something that the show should’ve aspired to from that point onwards."<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=McMillan|first1=Graeme|title=WIRED Binge-Watching Guide: Star Trek: Voyager|url=https://www.wired.com/2015/05/binge-guide-star-trek-voyager/|access-date=4 December 2016|magazine=Wired|date=2015-05-27}}</ref> In 2012, Den of Geek ranked this the best episode of ''Star Trek: Voyager'', noting an intense encounter between the USS Voyager and the Krenim that involves a drawn out chrono-conflict between the two.<ref name="Den10" /> In 2011, Tor.com included this as one of six episodes of ''Star Trek: Voyager'' that are worth re-watching.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tor.com/2011/07/14/i-like-my-coffee-black-and-my-crew-lost-six-voyager-episodes-that-are-worth-re-watching/|title=I Like My Coffee Black and My Crew Lost: Six Voyager Episodes Worth Re-Watching|last=Britt|first=Ryan|date=2011-07-14|website=Tor.com |access-date=2019-06-22}}</ref>
The Krenim time-war spacecraft featured in "Year of Hell" was rated as the 6th best spacecraft of ''Star Trek'' by Space.com in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.space.com/38210-best-star-trek-ships.html|title=The 15 Best Ships on Star Trek, from V-ger to the Vengeance|last=Entertainment|first=Elizabeth Howell 2017-09-22T12:02:15Z|website=Space.com|date=September 22, 2017 |access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref> In 2015, Screen Rant rated the Krenim spacecraft as the 4th deadliest spacecraft of the ''Star Trek'' science fiction universe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/star-trek-deadliest-most-powerful-ships/|title=Star Trek: 15 Deadliest Ships In The Galaxy|date=November 21, 2016|website=ScreenRant}}</ref>
In 2016, U.K. film magazine ''Empire'' ranked this the 25th best episode of all ''Star Trek'' television, noting it as "gritty two-part adventure" but lamenting its "reset button" ending.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The 50 best Star Trek episodes ever|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-star-trek-episodes/ |access-date=2021-03-25|website=Empire|date=July 27, 2016 }}</ref>
In 2016, David Brown writing for ''Radio Times'' said this has the 36th greatest scene in all Star Trek film and television, Janeway's final scene and spectacular VFX sequence of the Voyager spaceship ramming the Krenim Timeship. They note Janeway's line, "This is one year I’d like to forget" and summarize it as a memorable and high-stakes two parter.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The 50 Greatest Star Trek moments of all time - 3|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/the-50-greatest-star-trek-moments-of-all-time/3/|access-date=2021-04-25|website=Radio Times|date=September 8, 2016|archive-date=April 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425142852/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/the-50-greatest-star-trek-moments-of-all-time/3/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
SyFy ranked "Year of Hell" as the sixth best time travel plot in ''Star Trek'', in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/ranking-15-best-star-trek-time-travel-episodes|title=Ranking the 15 best Star Trek time travel episodes|last=Granshaw|first=Lisa|date=2016-11-15|website=SYFY WIRE|access-date=2019-06-03|archive-date=March 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328210745/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/ranking-15-best-star-trek-time-travel-episodes|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2016, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' rated "Year of Hell" the 25th best episode of ''Star Trek'' overall,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/star-trek-episodes-best-100-924455/item/year-hell-star-trek-100-925125 |title="Year of Hell" - 'Star Trek': 100 Greatest Episodes|website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=September 8, 2016 |access-date=2019-03-24}}</ref> but the number one best episode of the ''Star Trek: Voyager'' TV series.<ref name="THR">{{Cite web |date=2016-09-23 |last1=Couch |first1=Aaron |last2=McMillan |first2=Graeme |title='Star Trek: Voyager' — The 15 Greatest Episodes |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/star-trek-voyager-episodes-best-930900 |access-date=2021-02-16 |website=The Hollywood Reporter }}</ref>
In 2016, IGN ranked "Year of Hell" the 16th best episode of all ''Star Trek'' series.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 May 2013 |author1=Scott Collura |author2= Jesse Schedeen |title=Star Trek: The Top 25 Episodes |website=IGN |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/star-trek-the-top-25-episodes |access-date=2020-04-20 }}</ref>
In a 2016 article highlighting the best episode from each Star Trek series, Digital Trends declared "Year of Hell" the winner for ''Star Trek:Voyager''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/best-star-trek-episodes/5/ |title=Digital Trends From time travel to Tribbles: Here are the best Star Trek episodes from every series 2016|date=December 2016 }}</ref>
In 2017, ''Den of Geek'' included this episode, along with "Scorpion" (Part II), "One", "Message In A Bottle", "Living Witness", and "Hope And Fear" from Season 4, for their abbreviated viewing guide for ''Star Trek: Voyager''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 15, 2017 |author=Juliette Harrisson |title=Star Trek Voyager: An Episode Roadmap |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-trek-voyager-an-episode-roadmap/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318233853/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-trek-voyager-an-episode-roadmap/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 18, 2020 |website=Den of Geek |access-date=2024-01-01 }}</ref> They also ranked Kurtwood Smith as Annorax as the second best guest star on ''Star Trek: Voyager''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 1, 2017 |author=Juliette Harrisson |title=Star Trek Voyager: 10 Great Guest Performances |website=Den of Geek |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-trek-voyager-10-great-guest-performances/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401224102/https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/star-trek/260335/star-trek-voyager-10-great-guest-performances |archive-date=2019-04-01 }}</ref>
In 2018, CBR rated the "Year of Hell", as the 13th best multi episode story of ''Star Trek''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/best-star-trek-multi-part-episodes-ranked/|title=Star Trek's Greatest Episodic Sagas, Ranked |date=2018-11-23 |website=CBR |access-date=2019-07-03}}</ref>
In December 2018, ''Screen Rant'' ranked "Year of Hell" as one of the top ten episodes of all Star Trek.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 28, 2018 |title=Star Trek: The 10 All Time Best (And 10 Worst) Episodes, Officially Ranked |url=https://screenrant.com/star-trek-best-worst-episodes-officially-ranked/ |website=ScreenRant }}</ref>
In 2020, ''SyFy Wire'' ranked the "Year of Hell" episode pairing the best episode(s) of ''Star Trek: Voyager''. They call it "film level quality", praising everything from the space battles, moral conundrums, and guest star Kurtwood Smith.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-15-greatest-star-trek-voyager-episodes-ranked|title=The 15 greatest Star Trek: Voyager episodes, ranked |last=Pirrello |first=Phil |date=2020-01-16|website=SYFY WIRE |access-date=2020-01-19}}</ref>
In 2020, CNET ranked the Krenim timeship the fifth most powerful spacecraft of the ''Star Trek'' universe, for its ability to commit genocide by erasing a species from time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Joal |title=From TOS to Picard: 40 most powerful Star Trek spacecraft, ranked |url=https://www.cnet.com/pictures/from-tos-to-picard-40-most-powerful-star-trek-spacecraft-ranked/ |access-date=2021-03-02 |website=CNET }}</ref>
In 2020, ''ScreenRant'' said "Year of Hell, Part I" was the 4th best episode of ''Star Trek: Voyager'', based on an IMDB rating of 8.9 out of 10.<ref name="screenrant.com">{{Cite web |date=2020-04-19 |author=KRISTY AMBROSE |title=Star Trek: Voyager: Top Rated Episodes, According To IMDb|url=https://screenrant.com/star-trek-voyager-top-rated-episodes-imdb/|access-date=2021-04-08|website=ScreenRant }}</ref> They said the sequel, "Year of Hell, Part II" was the 8th best episode of ''Star Trek: Voyager'', based on an IMDB rating of 8.7 out of 10.<ref name="screenrant.com"/> That same year they rated it the tenth best time travel episode of all ''Star Trek'' television.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-04-22|title=Star Trek: 10 Best Time Travel Episodes|url=https://screenrant.com/star-trek-best-time-travel-episodes/|access-date=2021-04-18|website=ScreenRant }}</ref>
In 2021, ''Variety'' said the "Year of Hell" had the defining moment of the entire Voyager series.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-22 |last=Davis |first=Clayton |title=Celebrating William Shatner: Top 10 'Star Trek' Movies and TV Shows of the Franchise |url=https://variety.com/lists/best-star-trek-movies-tv-shows-ranked/ |website=Variety |access-date=2021-03-25}}</ref>
== Releases == In 2017, the complete ''Star Trek: Voyager'' television series was released in a DVD box set with special features.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wright|first=Matt|title=REVIEW: "Star Trek: Voyager" – The Complete Series on DVD|url=https://trekmovie.com/2017/03/08/review-star-trek-voyager-the-complete-series-on-dvd/|access-date=2021-02-22|website=TrekMovie.com|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-03-07|title=Star Trek: Voyager - The Complete Series (DVD Review)|url=https://whysoblu.com/star-trek-voyager-complete-series-dvd-review/|access-date=2021-06-01|website=Why So Blu?|language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb episode|0709014|Year of Hell, Part I}} * {{IMDb episode|0709015|Year of Hell, Part II}} * {{Memory Alpha|Year of Hell (episode)|"Year of Hell, Part I"}} * {{Memory Alpha|Year of Hell, Part II (episode)|"Year of Hell, Part II"}} * {{StarTrek.com|year-of-hell-part-i|"Year of Hell, Part I"}} * {{StarTrek.com|year-of-hell-part-ii|"Year of Hell, Part II"}} * [https://www.startrek.com/news/remembering-our-year-of-hell Remembering our Year of Hell Captain Janeway’s birthday is on May 20th. We’ll remember our pandemic birthdays, but do we really want to? BY Jessica Furseth May 20, 2021]
{{Star Trek: Voyager episodes|4}} {{Star Trek time travel episodes}}
Category:1997 American television episodes Category:Star Trek episodes about time travel Category:Star Trek: Voyager season 4 episodes Category:Television episodes directed by Allan Kroeker Category:Television episodes written by Brannon Braga Category:Star Trek: Voyager episodes in multiple parts Category:Television episodes directed by Mike Vejar