Hirogen
Encyclopedia
The Hirogen are a fictional race in the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...

universe, a long-running plot device in the Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...

television series, appearing nine times in Seasons 4-7.

Portrayed as a significant threat to the Voyager crew, the Hirogen are portrayed as a dominant warrior species in the region, roaming vast distances in pursuit of worthy prey. While portrayed as an ancient race, their technology is not superior to that on Voyager, although their tetryon-based weapons are unfamiliar to Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...

.

While the Hirogen are initially a major threat to Voyager, the Starfleet crew eventually help the Hirogen to solve problems arising from their way of life, leading to a de-facto truce.

Characteristics

Similar to the aliens of the Predator
Predator (alien)
The Predator is a fictional extraterrestrial species featured in the Predator science-fiction franchise, characterised by its trophy hunting of other dangerous species for sport, including humans and its fictional counterparts, Aliens....

 species from the science fiction franchise of the same name
Predator (franchise)
The Predator film series is a science fiction horror film franchise. Produced by 20th Century Fox, the series started in 1987 with the film Predator, which led to two sequels and novel, comic book and video game spin-offs....

, the Hirogen are presented as driven by the hunt, who highly prize the unusual trophies taken from the carcasses of their prey. They are not described as having a home planet; and their society is apparently organized around space-faring nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...

ic hunting packs or tribes, with a hierarchical structure in which an Alpha warrior leads and a Beta and a Gamma are, respectively, secondary and tertiary subordinates. Contact between tribes is maintained through an ancient communication network over vast distances. Before the hunt, the Hirogen ritualistically apply paint to their armor. Hirogen hunters are shown as being much taller than humans, usually over two metres in size with a muscular build evolved for combat; and they are usually shown wearing armour, with masks for inhospitable environments. There has only been one 'civilian' Hirogen shown on-screen; the Season 7 episode "Flesh and Blood
Flesh and Blood (Star Trek: Voyager)
"Flesh and Blood" is a two part episode from the seventh season of Star Trek: Voyager. The first half of the episode has a 4.4/5 and the second half of the episode has a 4.3/5 on the official Star Trek website...

," introduces a Hirogen technician, who does not participate in hunting and is looked on with disdain by others of his species, as he has no taste for the hunt.

Plot

Sometime around the year 2374, the USS Voyager
USS Voyager (Star Trek)
The fictional Intrepid-class starship USS Voyager is the primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It is commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway....

 encounter the Hirogen when the crew uses an apparently abandoned ancient communications network to send a message to the Alpha Quadrant. It is not clear if the Hirogen created the technology or merely appropriated it for their use; but they vigorously object to its use by Voyager. Sensing Voyager to be worthy prey, the Hirogen attack in force. Voyagers weapon systems are initially unable to penetrate the hull armor of the Hirogen fighter craft. Many conflicts ensue between Hirogen and Voyager as the aliens continue their ritualistic hunt; but, under Captain Janeway's guidance, the Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...

 crew is able to survive each encounter.

In 2377, one of the final confrontations between Voyager and a Hirogen war party is so devastating to both sides that a cease-fire was reached, an unprecedented event in the entirety of Hirogen history. The Alpha in charge of the Hirogen raiding party had initially invaded Voyager in the hopes of obtaining holographic technology; and, though he fell during the combat, Janeway delivered the technology to his successor. The Alpha acknowledged that, by chasing 'prey' across the entire Quadrant, the Hirogen people were losing all cultural and national unity and would eventually be overcome by other species. By creating holographic hunts, with the safety systems off, they could continue to have lethal and challenging hunts while remaining united in a single portion of space. Unfortunately, the Hirogen program their holographic prey too well—the hologram warriors are programmed to learn from each "death", and their combat abilities increase exponentially. This eventually reaches the logical conclusion of the prey becoming the predators, and it is only the intervention of the Voyager crew that prevents the Hirogen's utter extermination.

Episodes

  • "Message in a Bottle"
    Message in a Bottle (Star Trek: Voyager)
    "Message in a Bottle" is a popular episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the fourteenth episode of the fourth season, which premiered January 21, 1998...

     - The Doctor's program is sent to an advanced Starfleet
    Starfleet
    In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...

     vessel via a vast ancient communications network belonging to the Hirogen, but he soon discovers that only he and the ship's own EMH remain to fight against a Romulan
    Romulan
    The Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...

     attempt to take over the ship in question.
  • "Hunters"
    Hunters (Star Trek: Voyager)
    "Hunters" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 15th episode of the fourth season. The episode has an average rating of 4.5/5 on the official Star Trek website .-Plot:...

     - A transmission from Starfleet Command gets held at a Hirogen relay station and Janeway
    Kathryn Janeway
    Kathryn Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew, is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. As the captain of the Starfleet starship USS Voyager, she was the lead character on the television series Star Trek: Voyager, and later, a Starfleet admiral, as seen in the 2002 feature film Star Trek...

     sets course to retrieve it.
  • "Prey"
    Prey (Star Trek: Voyager)
    "Prey" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 16th episode of the fourth season. The episode has an average rating of 4/5 on the official Star Trek website .-Plot:...

     - Voyager rescues a Hirogen survivor who tells them a new kind of prey is on the loose.
  • "The Killing Game" - The Hirogen implant devices into the crew making them believe they are characters within the holodecks being used for hunts.
  • "Tsunkatse
    Tsunkatse
    "Tsunkatse" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 15th episode of the sixth season.-Plot:While on shoreleave, Chakotay and Torres attend a Tsunkatse match in a nearby alien world. In the meantime, Captain Janeway is off touring a planet in a neighboring system...

    " - Seven of Nine
    Seven of Nine
    Seven of Nine is a fictional character on Star Trek: Voyager, portrayed by actress Jeri Ryan. Born human, she was assimilated by the Borg at the age of six. Eighteen years later, Voyager left Borg space with Seven on board, after attempts to negotiate passage through Borg space proved only...

     and Tuvok
    Tuvok
    Tuvok is one of the main characters on the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Tuvok is a Vulcan who serves as the ship's chief of security and its chief tactical officer. Tim Russ portrayed Tuvok throughout the show's run, from 1995 to 2001....

     are kidnapped while on shore leave and Seven is forced to compete in a fighting contest against a Hirogen.
  • "Flesh and Blood
    Flesh and Blood (Star Trek: Voyager)
    "Flesh and Blood" is a two part episode from the seventh season of Star Trek: Voyager. The first half of the episode has a 4.4/5 and the second half of the episode has a 4.3/5 on the official Star Trek website...

    " - Voyager's hologram technology given to the Hirogen has been modified and is rebelling.

Other media

The Hirogen were featured in the 2000 PC game Star Trek: Voyager: Elite Force. Several missions took place aboard their ship, and their Tetryon Pulse Disruptor is obtained as a usable weapon.

They were also featured in the game Star Trek Online.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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