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In the Voyager episode "The Gift," we see Kes become so powerfully psychic that she leaves the corporeal realm of existence. Memory Alpha states this about her departure from our galaxy in general and Voyager in particular:

Kes began to undergo a massive surge in her mental powers. [...] Kes became telekinetic and was able to carry out delicate surgical procedures using only her mind. Unfortunately, she rapidly started to destabilize at the subatomic level and was causing massive damage to Voyager as a result. Taking a shuttle, she left the ship to explore her new condition and, as she left the corporeal world behind, pushed Voyager out of Borg space, 9,500 light years closer to Earth, as a parting gift. (emph. mine)

Something that she said during the episode caught my attention:

KES: I don't know, and that's what makes it all so exciting. It's as if I can see into a place where the distinction between matter and energy and thought no longer exists. (emphasis mine)

To me, that sounds an awful lot like this:

WESLEY: Is Mister Kosinski like he sounds? A joke?

TRAVELLER: No, that's too cruel. He has sensed some small part of it

WESLEY: That space and time and thought aren't the separate things they appear to be? I just thought the formula you were using said something like that.

TRAVELLER: Boy, don't ever say that again. And especially not at your age in a world that's not ready for such, such dangerous nonsense.

(TNG: Where No One Has Gone Before)

Especially Kes' mention of thought as part of the equation, as well as the ability to hurl ships thousands of lightyears and the somewhat relaxed relationship with Newtonian physics got me wondering:

Did Kes become a Traveler? Did she do so completely under her own power? A Traveler is defined as a being similar to The Traveler; a life-form with incredible super-physical powers, first encountered in ST:TNG's "Where No One Has Gone Before". In later TNG episodes he shows us his extraordinary abilities are attainable by (exceptional) humans, and eventally Wesley becomes a Traveler too (ST:TNG "Journey's End").

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    +1 Good question. No way is this a vote to close!
    – Lexible
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 18:42
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    Difficult to answer without defining "Traveler". Extended canon is fairly vague, main canon more so.
    – Politank-Z
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 18:50
  • @Politank-Z I've edited the question to try and define Traveler for the purpose of this question. However, your statement towards canon and the lack thereof is the very reason I'm asking here...
    – steenbergh
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 18:59
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    OK, but there is a considerable list of beings which would likely be able to duplicate The Traveler's abilities - Q, Prophets, Pagh Wraiths, maybe Metrons and Organians. Are they Travelers?
    – Politank-Z
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 19:51
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    I like the idea of this! Had never thought of it that way.
    – Conrad Bennish Jr
    Commented Jun 25, 2018 at 3:55

4 Answers 4

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I would say that it is well defined what a traveller is, and it's a state of being that not just one species can attain. Once Wesley was shown how to become one, then it is open for others.

Kes most definitely seems to see things the same way and exhibits similar powers so, yes, I think it's a fair call.

From Mem-Alpha:

He could phase out of time and dimension and move between planets and starships. These abilities were based on his ability to focus the energy of thoughts and in his advanced understanding of the nature of reality

Pretty much the description which Kes was giving.

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    It is not well-defined what 'a Traveler' is. That's why I say it's open to semantic debate. The only use we have is The Traveler. Is a Traveler anyone who can do the same thing? Anyone from the same species? Anyone who does ____ (what?) ? The Traveler calls himself that because his name is unpronounceable by humans. So it may only be his 'name' and the words 'a Traveler' are meaningless. If 'a Traveler' means uses the same physics -- well, that's my answer.
    – ThePopMachine
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 20:43
  • The Traveller was who he was not WHAT he was. His being was that of a level of existence which can be reached by others, so when asked if people are a traveller I take it that they mean what he was and could achieve
    – user001
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 20:52
  • You're arguing a particular interpretation that is reasonable, but not explicit in canon, so ultimately an opinion. My answer is that it depends on what the term means. You are stating your opinion as a fact.
    – ThePopMachine
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 20:54
  • Actually given that there is a reasonable amount of evidence behind it, it would qualify more as a hypothesis and (within the Star Trek Universe) it is the most likely answer, of the beings presented to us.
    – user001
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 21:22
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    Both birds and bats can fly, but that doesn't mean that bats are birds. Just because Kes can do X and the Traveler can, too, doesn't mean Kes is a Traveler. Is Q?
    – Plutor
    Commented Nov 15, 2015 at 20:36
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It depends.

The quotes you give certainly seem to imply that the same physics is supposed to be at work.

But what constitutes "being a Traveler" is going to be a matter of opinion and semantic argument.

In canon, we can't say much more since there's no other material.

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I'm watching the TNG episode with the Traveller and immediately recognised the similar speech Kes made.

But without drawing any conclusions or canon crossover, it just seems like the flavour of the writers to go there. I'm also watching DS9 for the first time and can usually assign the corresponding Voyager episode.

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    Welcome to SFF! I'm not sure how this answers the question it just seems to be some related information of your own experiences. If you do have an answer to the question could you edit to clarify? Here we are a Q/A site not a discussion forum.
    – TheLethalCarrot ♦
    Commented Jun 22, 2018 at 11:12
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I don't think so. Unlike Kes, the Traveler was, or at least appeared to be, still be a corporeal being. What happened to Kes sounds a lot more like ascension in the Stargate universe.

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    The Traveler could also phase in and out of reality as we knew it. His first arrival was on a federation ship, but at the end of the episode he simply phased into a different reality, and in later episodes he appears out of nowhere. And disappears in the same fashion.
    – zibadawa timmy
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 4:40
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    Honestly it is pretty much Trek's ascension. Wesley is able to achieve that level of being
    – user001
    Commented Nov 16, 2015 at 16:14

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