Lower the forcefield.

Is this more appropriate?

Seven does look gorgeous, but omg, her discomfort and so many things about this scene make it really skeevy to me.

Day of Honor - Season 4, Episode 3

Is this too soon to be a Moment That Doesn’t Make Sense Unless There Was a Relationship Planned and They Chickened Out at the Last Second? I’ve been picking them by trying to select scenes in which any canon interpretations would be weirder if the subtext was left out. Here, for example, right before this, Janeway talks Seven into accepting being called “Seven” instead of the full “Seven of Nine” and is then called out onto the bridge. What is Seven’s look of appraisal and the impressed eyebrow hike? Is she thinking, “Intriguing. This tiny human is formidable; she has successfully negotiated my name change.” I doubt it.

But what else could it be?

I was going to do the pips scene next but threeofeight went ahead and did it, so yay. Maybe some other time.

Endgame: Season 7 - Episodes 25 and 26

At this point, Janeway’s already made up her mind and is attempting to convince herself that she’s right. After that brief spark of sudden hope for a quick way home, she’s resigning Voyager to a confirmed long journey to Earth. Look at that second gif. The Admiral realizes how hard she’ll have to work to convince Janeway and with a tilt of the head, goes with her most devastating weapon: Seven of Nine.

21 other people die and one of Janeway’s oldest and most beloved friends has a debilitating disease that will be incurable by the time they get home, but Seven is what the Admiral chooses. All right.

And how she twists the knife! You think, oh, okay, Janeway looks so upset but that’s to be expected, her protege and science officer is going to be killed, well, that’s gotta suc—husband? How is that relevant? The way the Admiral says it. Dramatic closeup, fifth gif, the look on Janeway’s face. Continuing to attempt to play the devil’s advocate, maaaaybe she’s still thinking about Chakotay? She guesses that’s who the husband is and it hurts her? Oh. “Neither will you.” So Seven’s death seriously affected Janeway.The same way it affected Seven’s husband. Which puts the previous stunned reaction to “husband” in a completely different context.

You know, all those Endgame fics that talk about Janeway breaking a whole host of Federation and Starfleet rules and regulations as well as her own moral codes and ethics just to make sure Seven stays alive. They’re not exaggerating. It’s canon. There is no other reason why the Admiral uses Seven (on herself, who else would know best?) to convince Janeway and for this conversation and those expressions and responses. The showrunners are the ones who’re putting this forward.

This was supposed to be third in the succinctly-titled Moments That Don’t Make Sense Unless There Was a Relationship Planned and They Chickened Out at the Last Second series but this goes beyond subtext. If you showed this to a completely neutral viewer, or hell, even one biased against the gay, they’d still say something was going on. Again, the direction and acting choices are inexplicable.

It’s great that Janeway is the one who transported over, that Seven still trusts her enough to listen and wants to believe her so badly, and that they remember so much of significance to each other… BUT WHAT IS WITH THAT KNEEL? And that eye contact and Seven’s heaving breaths, again. Seven wants some assurance, Janeway, not your allegiance. Did you have to get that close? It is one of the most overt moments I’ve ever seen in all my time of shipping non-canon couples.

Look at that swagger. That is the I Messed With the Borg and Came Out On Top swagger. I’m not really sure why that then translated into those looks at poor Seven, who’s just trying to discuss her trauma and self-doubt through shaky breaths and bowed shoulders. Still! Some of that cockiness seems to have transferred over. Smirking and raising eyebrows like that. You two. Though nicely done, Janeway, you did relieve Seven of her still present fear that you hated her. (It’s quite the opposite, isn’t it?)

And may I just ask, what is that completely practiced manner in which Janeway tucks her in? Is this a regular thing? Dialing in her regeneration…procedure as the completely trusting Seven doesn’t even tell her what to put in.

Honestly, there’s not much I can say that isn’t quite apparent. And in your face.

Some of the other scenes tend to steal the J/7 Omg, This is So Blatant spotlight, but this is one of those times when I honestly, for the life of me, cannot understand the direction or acting choices if there’s NOT supposed to be this undercharge of sexual tension, or indeed, future (heh…geddit? Relativity? Future? Meh.) romance.

Janeway is meeting, for the first time to her, an intruder who has somehow gotten onto her ship. A Borg intruder. And she just walks right up to her and refuses to look away even to tell Tuvok that, yes, she’s decided to trust her so could he please lower the forcefield. And that swallow and duck of the head from Seven.

They stare at each other (and I can’t even show the slow pan as Janeway glides over, it’s so long) and it’s probably not visible up there, but Seven very visibly seems to lower her shoulders, as if in relief or defeat, and then, without looking back, Janeway tells Tuvok to lower the shields. And that look, Jeri Ryan. What. Don’t even try to look down at the important life-saving device you’re holding. No, really, it’s okay.

But again, the decision to have them face to face, staring, before and after the forcefield’s down. I don’t understand! File this under the Moments That Don’t Make Sense Unless There Was a Relationship Planned and They Chickened Out at the Last Second.