Suicide

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Suicide is the act of deliberately taking one's own life. Throughout the known galaxy, individuals commit or have committed suicide for a variety of reasons. These reasons ranged from mental distress to cultural considerations to external factors, such as telepathic influence.

Contents 1 Cultural Reasons 2 Contemplated / Attempted Suicides 3 Completed Suicides 4 External links

[edit] Cultural Reasons

In some societies, an individual's culture will dictate that a person commit suicide at a certain point. Examples of cultural reasons for committing suicide include the following:

• For five hundred years (mid-late 18th century to mid-late 23rd century), the citizens of the planets Eminiar VII and Vendikar had been fighting each other in a war. This war eventually developed to the point where the war was fought entirely with simulated weapons by computers. Citizens would voluntarily enter disintegration stations, and would be vaporized in the process. (TOS episode: "A Taste of Armageddon")
• Klingon warriors who either had been injured, became ill, or lost honor would have a friend or family member assist them to perform the Hegh'bat, a form of ritual suicide. (TNG episode: "Ethics", DS9 episode: "Sons of Mogh")
• Capellans perform a ritual called the w'lash'nogot when a person believes that their death will ensure another's survival. (TTN novel: The Red King)
• In Klingon culture, a suicide that results in the death of an enemy is considered an honorable way to die. (TNG episode: "Reunion") However, suicide for other reasons may not be considered honorable. (DS9 episode: "Sons of Mogh")
• Members of terrorist organizations at times set off explosives that not only resulted in their own deaths, but also caused death and injuries, as well as property damage. In the 23rd century, there were a number of suicide bombings on Lorina.(TOS novel: Ex Machina)
• All members of the Kaelon race are required to perform suicide at age of sixty. The Kaelons believed thtat if they did not do so, they would become a burden to their families and to society at large. (TNG episode: "Half a Life")
• Some Vulcans have been known to perform ritual suicide if their health deteriorated to the point where they could not function. (VOY episode: "Death Wish")
• During the Bolian middle ages, a philosophy was developed called the "Double Effect Principle". A form of assisted suicide, the philosophy stated that the relief of suffering was acceptable despite having the effect of causing death. (VOY episode: "Death Wish")
• Xindi-Reptilians have a suicide gland that they would use when captured. (ENT episode: "Rajiin")
• All Vortas have a termination implant. They are expected to activate the implant in order to avoid capture, or when ordered to do so by a superior, such as a Founder. While the Vorta have been assured that this implant was painless, Vorta who activated their implants stated that it was not. Likewise, Dominion forces are trained to do this wheteher odds are in favor or not. To express the seriousness of their point being made to enemies. (DS9 episode: "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River" , DS9 episode: "The Jem'Hadar")
• Section 31 operatives also have a suicide implant, which they will activate when captured and facing interrogation. (DS9 episode: "Extreme Measures")
• Inhabitants of Gideon view either suicide or death by "natural" casues as a divine blessing and release from their overpopulated planet. (ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation, TOS episode: "The Mark of Gideon")
• Although Deltans place life and emotional well-being in high regard, suicide is also a necessary last resort. When a Deltan unexpectedly dies, their loved ones are known to be unable to continue living. Such was the case when Zinaida Chitirih-Ra-Payjh telepathically killed herself after her mate, Jedda Adzhin-Dall, died by phaser. (novelization: "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan")
• Romulans have practiced suicide since the founding of their empire. When no other scenario can be chosen besides surrender, a Romulan commander (or Centurion) must carry out the final duty. (TOS episode: "Balance of Terror")

[edit] Contemplated / Attempted Suicides

• After the successful suicide of her first officer, Erika Hernandez sought to end her life amongst the Caeliar by throwing her frail body down a flight of stairs; the Caliear Inyx found her and pleaded that she not die. (ST - Destiny novel: Mere Mortals)
• Malcolm Reed, in defiance of Jonathan Archer's order attempted to cut off his last supply of oxygen. This was for his captain to save himself, getting back inside the NX Enterprise. Before the Romulan mine attached to the hull detonates, as Reed's leg was impaled against it. (ENT episode: "Minefield")
• In an alternate timeline, USS Enterprise crew member Jenniver Aristeides contemplated suicide after the death of Captain James T. Kirk. (TOS novel: The Entropy Effect)
• After escaping to the surface of Talos IV, Number One set her phaser to overload when the Talosians refused to let Captain Pike contact the Enterprise, stating that it was wrong to create a race of humans to live as slaves. When other Talosians arrived, Pike asked her to wait, and Number One stopped the overload. (TOS episode: "The Cage")
• Kirk prevents Ensign Garrovick from forcing himself to stay on Tycho IV, just as the vampire cloud lurks towards them. They safely beam out together. (TOS episode: "Obsession")
• An Orion captain, is stopped from taking a poison pill, after taken into custody by the Enterprise crew. His vessel previously raided the USS Huron, a freighter that was scheduled to rendezvous with Spock's much needed medicine. (TAS episode: "The Pirates of Orion")
• In 2269, Captain Kirk forcibly manned the helmsman controls of USS Enterprise, setting a direct course for the Questar M-17 imploded star. The magnetic lifeform, having possessed the starship, gambled returning to its home for the past 300 million years. Rather than be destroyed along with all hands-just as the insectoid crew had-nearly half a billion years prior. Spock observed after so many millenia, it still had the instinct of self-preservaton. (novelization : Beyond the Farthest Star)
• Former Klingon Defense Force member Maltz, entertained the idea after Admiral Kirk humiliatingly refused to execute him, personally. This was after his capture and detainment on Vulcan, as the sole survivor of the IKS B'rel incursion on the Genesis planet. (novelizations : The Search for Spock , The Voyage Home)
• After being subjected to the simulation of prison life by the Agrathi, Miles O'Brien was traumatized by the experience, and had extreme difficulty readjusting to life on the station. When in a fit of anger he nearly struck his daughter Molly, he fled to a cargo bay, where he very nearly committed suicide with a phaser set on maximum. Fortunately, Doctor Bashir was able to prevent O'Brien from committing suicide. (DS9 episode: "Hard Time")
• In 2349, Capellan Starfleet Captain Leonard James Akaar attempted to perform the w'lash'nogot ritual in order to conserve supplies and greaten the odds of survival for his companion, longtime friend Ensign Tuvok. Tuvok refused to allow his friend and Captain to die, and revived him. (TTN novel: The Red King)
• As Data's positronic brain evolved, the number of neural pathways increased exponentially, and was very disorienting for Data. At one point he seriously considered having his neural network wiped clean and starting over again, in effect committing a suicide of sorts. He later decided not to have his memory wiped, but instead looked upon his problems as challenges to overcome. (TNG episode: "Eye of the Beholder")
• 2367 saw many suicidal overtures. Crews of doomed starships futilely resisted the largest scale, pre-Dominion invasion in Terran history. During the climax of the Battle of Wolf 359, acting Captain Riker ordered the last stand. A Kamikaze, direct attack to the Borg cube. This was belayed when both Deanna Troi and Data established first contact with Picard. (TNG episode: "The Best of Both Worlds")
• Again in 2367 the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) became trapped in a Tyken's Rift. Due to an alien presence also trapped in the rift, almost the entire crew became unable to achieve REM sleep and dream. This caused the crew to become mentally unstable. When an attempt to escape failed Worf attempted to commit suicide using his D'k tahg.(TNG episode: "Night Terrors")
• After his spine was crushed in a cargo bay accident, Worf asked Commander Riker to assist him to perform the Hegh'bat, a form of ritual suicide. (TNG episode: "Ethics")
• In 2373, Worf had a rekindled death wish, while defending Sector 001 from the Borg invasion. Intervention was by Picard's personal take-over of the fleet. Aboard USS Defiant his glorious, last resort was to ram the cube. (TNG movie: Star Trek: First Contact)
• Again in 2373, Keiko O'Brien (while possessed by an evil, Bajoran Pah-wraith) threw herself over a rail at Deep Space 9 's Promenade. This was in response to Chief O'Brien's disobedience of their forced agreement. (DS9 episode: "The Assignment")
• Despondent over his loss of status within the Klingon Empire, Kurn contemplated suicide with a disruptor, despite the fact that suicide under these conditions would be dishonorable. However Kurn was too drunk to carry out the suicide, and lost consciousness. Worf arranged for Doctor Julian Bashir to completely wipe Kurn's memory and to perform cosmetic surgery to alter Kurn's appearance. Mogh's friend Noggra agreed to take Kurn into his family and care for Kurn as his son. Kurn woke up with no memory of his past life. Kurn then began his life as Rodek, Son of Noggra. (DS9 episode: "Sons of Mogh")
• In an accident in a nebula involving protomatter, Neelix was killed and later revived by Seven of Nine using nanoprobes. The experience traumatized Neelix, who very nearly committed suicide by beaming himself back into the nebula. (VOY episode: "Mortal Coil")

[edit] Completed Suicides

• After being thrown back in time aboard the Caeliar city-ship Mantilis, MACO Private Thom Steinhauer put the muzzle of his phase rifle into his own mouth and pulled the trigger, emotionally distraught over the hopelessness of their situation. (ST - Destiny novel: Lost Souls)
• In 1573, Johanna Metzger had grown increasingly bitter about living in the captivity of the Caeliar. She committed suicide by allowing herself to fall from one of Axion's high towers. (ST - Destiny novel: Mere Mortals)
• In the mirror universe, the entire population of Romulus committed it, en masse. To avoid a similar fate to the destroyed Remans, 24 hours before. (TNG novel: Dark Mirror)
• In 2153 the cloned simbiote, "Sim", of Trip Tucker willingly surrendered his brain tissue to aid the critically wounded engineer. The procedure was fatal, but the 15-day-old organism (with 32 years of memories) came to terms that not only his "parent" would die, but all aboard Enterprise, and on Earth from the forthcoming Xindi war. (ENT episode: "Similitude")
• After his role as a Terra Prime operative was revealed, Enterprise (NX-01) crewman Ensign Masaro confronted Captain Archer in a corridor. He apologized to Archer and asked Archer to tell his parents he was sorry before commiting suicide with a phase pistol. (ENT episode: "Terra Prime")
• Joe Tormolen stabbed himself with a table knife, while under the effects of the Psi 2000 virus. Without the desire to live, Dr. McCoy pronounced him dead, from what would rather be non-life threatening wounds. (TOS episode: "The Naked Time")
• Roger Korby took Andrea along with him, (via phaser on full setting), after facing the reality of his good intentions were misguided. The remnants of his own humanity resurfaced, as they were being taken over by his android body. Korby learned just before dying "again" no one could perfect life. As his failed expedition on Exo III showed, the research went too far and cost lives. Just as it had for Ruk's creators. (TOS episode: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?")
• An Orion operative, disguised as Andorian aide Thelev, prematurely expired on the bridge of Enterprise after his superiors self-destructed. This was after their failed espionage into the Babel conference. Held by the UFP in late 2267. (TOS episode: "Journey to Babel")
• When the Elasian Kryton was discovered to be a Klingon agent after sabotaging the Enterprise's engines, he grabbed a phaser from a nearby guard and committed suicide with the weapon - which had been set to disintegrate. (TOS episode: "Elaan of Troyius")
• Commodore Matthew Decker flew the shuttlecraft Einstein into the Planet Killer after being unable to defeat the device with the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), feeling that he should've died with his crew. The shuttlecraft exploded inside the Planet Killer, causing a slight energy loss, and demonstrating to Captain James T. Kirk and Commander Spock how to defeat the Planet Killer. (TOS episode: "The Doomsday Machine")
• Dr. Rota Sevrin, upon learning that the planet he had sought out was not Eden, but instead was a planet where all the plant life was highly acidic and poisonous, committed suicide by biting into a piece of fruit. (TOS episode: "The Way to Eden")
• In 2266, after the true identity of Kodos is revealed the homicidal ex-governor takes a phaser blast set to kill for James T. Kirk. The killer-turned-actor committed his literal "final act" out of shock that his daughter, Lenore Karidian was responsible for the prior deaths and attempted murder of Kevin Riley and his commanding officer. (TOS episode: "The Conscience of the King")
• In 2267, a Denevan ship went directly towards the sun. Its pilot did this to free himself from the parasites infesting the colonized planet in the system. (TOS episode: "Operation -- Annihilate!")
• In 2268, the M-5 multitronic unit deactivated itself, after learning the err of its logic. With human engrams, it developed a heightened ethics program no regular artificial intelligence could. And morallly came to senses its "targets" were innocent sentients. Proving to be flawed, and realizing that death is the only suitable punishment, it goes offline. (TOS episode: "The Ultimate Computer")
• Apollo told Carolyn Palamas that even gods need worship and praise as mortals need nourishment. She reluctantly backed up Kirk's message that the time of ancient Greeks has passed. Humans have "outgrown" it; preferring a religion centering around the One, true diety. In saddened acceptance, Apollo calls upon the other beings and in a form of self-immolation is carried off by the winds of Pollux IV. (TOS episode: "Who Mourns for Adonais?")
• The semi-self aware Slaver Weapon deduced that it was in the hands of an enemy, at Beta Lyrae. Albeit, long extinct enemies. It nonetheless converted itself, the Kziniti with their Chuft captain and the stasis box (it was stored inside) from matter to energy. Both Sulu and Spock reasoned the misleading failsafe was programmed into all Slaver Empire devices, such as this. During the eons-old war. (TAS episode: "The Slaver Weapon")
• The Triacus adult colonists took to killing themselves, in 2268. This was after insurmountable panic brought on by the Gorgan entity, which fed off anxiety, through their offspring. (TOS episode: "And the Children Shall Lead")
• In 2269, an Ardanan Troglyte technician jumped off Stratos City, towards the planet surface. Rather than be arrested and interrogated by Plasus' guards for his tamperings. (TOS episode: "The Cloud Minders")
• One hundred years later, in 2369, one of Doctor Farallon's exocomps not only demonstrated a prime example of life by self-preservation. But also exhibited the trait of selflessness, by allowing itself to be subjected to the lethal particle fountain's containment breach. As two other exocpomps were successfully transported out of Tyrus VII-a, by Enterprise-D to safety. (TNG episode: "The Quality of Life")
• Knowing the odds of success to her assassination was not in favor, Yuta made a desperate last attempt. In 2366, she was evaporated by Riker's phaser, set at full power. Chorgan (just like Penthor-Mul, an Acamarian from the clan Lornak, 53 years earlier) was to be her next target. (TNG episode: "The Vengeance Factor")
• In 2367, former Borg drone Reannon Bonaventure terminated herself with a sickbay scalpel while detained in the Enterprise-D brig despite the efforts of Dr. Beverly Crusher and Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge to re-immerse her back into human civilization. She was rescued in a nearly vegetative state, and her long subdued emotions could not fully cope with the separation from 13 years' assimilation in the Collective to her forgotten identity. (TNG novel: Vendetta)
• On the planet Midgwis,Yarblis Geshkerroth (the Ghost Walker), had been cast out of the Consciousness Web - or the shared telepathic experiences of the Midgwin community - by Patriarch Kailin Arxoras for the crimes he committed against Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise. A short time later Geshkerroth sought forgiveness from Doctor Gordon for having harmed her, and then committed suicide by throwing himself into a nearby river. (TOS novel: Ghost-Walker)
• In 2270, Vice Admiral Vaughan Rittenhouse committed suicide by activating the self destruct of his ship, the USS Pompeii. He did this after his plot to overthrow the civilian government of the Federation was exposed and he was defeated in battle by the Enterprise and the USS Star Empire. (TOS novel: Dreadnought!)
• In 2273, Commander Willard Decker sacrificed his mortal body in order for the V'Ger entity to fulfill its new programmed purpose. Both he and the android incarnation of Ilia willingly donated themselves for it to evolve to a higher being of existance. Like his father before him, Decker died for the USS Enterprise to survive. (TOS movie: Star Trek: The Motion Picture)
• When Clark Terrell and Pavel Chekov were captured by Khan Noonien Singh, Khan used parasitic Ceti eels to interrogate the two men. The eels were inserted into their ear canals, which then insinuated themselves into the cerebral cortex of both men. Khan was then able to control Terrell and Chekov through suggestion, and used them to take control of the Reliant. After attacking the Regula I space station, Khan ordered Terrell to kill Admiral Kirk, who had arrived to investigate the attack. Terrell was able to resist Khan's influence. But the pain of the Ceti Eel became too much, and Terrell instead turned his phaser on himself. Only days later, Spock goes on a mission-of-no-return to repair the warp core damaged during the battle in the Mutara Sector nebula. Deltans can mentally induce this when their life-mates are dead or beyond any kind of help. (TOS movie & novelization: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
• Romulan Admiral Alidar Jarok committed suicide by swallowing a felodesine chip after learning that the new campaign of aggression planned by the Romulan military was nothing more than a ruse designed to expose him as a traitor.(TNG episode: "The Defector")
• In 2367, much to the disbelief of Lwaxana Troi, Doctor Timicin leaves Enterprise-D to undertake and finalize his Resolution oath. As custom to all that advance to age 60 from Kaelon II, she attended, with him. Timicin was instilled a sense of more purpose. Even though his daughter reminded him of his obligations, besides his future and scientific accomplishments. (TNG episode: "Half a Life")
• In 2370, Enterprise-D Captain Jack Crusher, from the "Track A" alternate universe, decapitated himself with his phaser in front of Picard of "our" universe. After accidentally killing his estranged ex-wife Beverly Crusher-Howard in a jealous rage over her relationship with the Jean-Luc Picard of that reality. (TNG novel: Q-Squared)
• Due to a chemical imbalance brought on by a lack of certain elements from their systems, the members of the Jarada hive Zel began to go insane. A number of Jaradan pilots engaged in Kamikaze attacks against the Enterprise. As the shields were up, the Enterprise suffered no permanent damage. While some of the pilots were beamed off their ships at the last moment, a number of other pilots could not be saved, and died when their ships crashed into the Enterprise shields. (TNG novel: Imbalance)
• A guard in service to the House of Duras had an explosive implanted in his arm. Hoping to commit an honorable suicide and kill Gowron in the process he detonated the device. However, Gowron survived and the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) learned that it was a Romulan explosive device. (TNG episode: "Reunion")
• Prof. Gideon Seyetik, "sacrificed himself on the altar of Science." After learning his wife Nidell/(Fenna) was dying, becasue of him, the veteran terraformer crashes his type-15 shuttlepod into Epsilon 119. Re-igniting the dead star for another 10 billion years. (DS9 episode: "Second Sight")
• Ensign Daniel Kwan, suffering from telepathic residue was influenced to throw himself into the Enterprise-D plasma stream. Before Commander Riker was able to talk him out of this act, in 2370. (TNG episode: "Eye of the Beholder")
• Gul Evek committed suicide, leaving behind a widow and family, feeling he "failed" both professionally and personally in every way to Cardassia, just before the Caretaker incident. (ST novel: The Badlands)
• In 2372, years after Tuvok dealt with Leonard James Akaar's aborted trial, he is faced with it again. In the form of transporter side-effect being Tuvix. The spliced molecular result of himself and Neelix, Kathryn Janeway carries out this assisted form of suicide. Much to the objections of The Doctor. Her ethical rationale was that continuing his sense of being "whole" would deny their separate rights to live. As they lived first. (VOY episode: "Tuvix")
• Jake Sisko –from an alternate timeline of the 25th century – poisoned his blood stream. This was in order to sever the perpetual subspace link between he and his father. (DS9 episode: "The Visitor")
• In 2373, an unnamed Breen prisoner (unexpectedly) took a full Jem'Hadar blast; simultaneously killing the guard with its own weapon. This was in order for cellmates Bashir, Worf, Garak and a female Tal Shiar officer to escape. (DS9 episode: "By Inferno's Light")
• In 2374, Molly O'Brien, from an alternate universe, erased her own existance. In order to continue that of her younger self. Though simple minded, the older version of Molly saw extending the other's life (as she had normally once knew it) as a form of absolution. (DS9 episode: "Time's Orphan")
• In 2375 the Delta Quadrant-born, advanced Borg known as "One", destroyed himself, along with the cube that homed in on his evolved technology. Though initially he survived, One showed no concern whatsoever for his well being. As opposed to the Collective's unrelenting drive to assimilate what he possesses. In a form of self-inflicted euthanasia, he rejects medical treatment to his organic components; avoiding re-generation. Therefore protecting Seven of Nine and USS Voyager. (VOY episode: "Drone")
• Towards the end of 2375, Emissary Benjamin Sisko fulfilled his destiny by hurling himself at the re-animated corpse of Gul Dukat. The Cardassian, possessed by the Kosst Amojan pah-wraith, fell with Sisko down the Bajoran Fire Caves. Thus destroying the demonic text to summon it and sealing it off indefinitely from the universe. (DS9 episode: "What You Leave Behind")
• The Cardassian High Gul committed suicide with a phaser upon realizing that his return to his people would be disastrous for his people. (DS9 novel: Station Rage)
• The Bajoran Vedek Yassim hung herself in front of a large crowd on Deep Space Nine's Promenade in protest against the Dominion occupation of the Bajoran system. (DS9 episode: "Rocks and Shoals")
• Luther Sloan activated his suicide implant in order to keep Dr. Bashir and Miles O'Brien from discovering the cure to the disease Section 31 infected the Founders with. However, the two were able to retrieve the information from Sloan's mind before he died. (DS9 episode: "Extreme Measures")
• After convincing Captain Janeway to rule in his favor, the Q who would later become known as Quinn was granted mortality by the Continuum. Soon afterwards, Q provided a toxic substance, which Quinn ingested to commit suicide. (VOY episode: "Death Wish")
• Lieutenant Commander Data ends his own life, not only to spare Picard's or those aboard Enterprise-E, but countless trillions of others'. After Shinzon's attempt to de-stabilize the Federation and Romulan Empire-by attacking Earth-was thwarted, in 2379. (TNG movie: Nemesis)
• Hugh sacrificed himself by beaming over to the assimilated USS Einstein to deliver the Multi-Vector Agent to the Borg. (TNG novel: Greater Than the Sum)

[edit] External links

• Suicide article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• Suicide article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.