"Beowulf EMH" had a name - Schweitzer
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Really disappointed to see Lord Schweitzer go live today with the nonsensical name "Beowulf EMH." The Doctor took a name in that episode and it's a meaningful part of his character development, it should be the name of the card.
For those who haven't seen Heroes and Demons recently, and this apparently includes WRG's creative team: there is a malfunction in the holodeck and the Doctor goes on his first away mission to save the day. The program in question is Beowulf, with Harry Kim playing the title character. (This is why it makes sense for Beowulf Kim to have that name--he is in character as Beowulf!)
The Doctor is nervous and in a lovely moment between him and Kes, Kes suggests he choose a name, telling him, "It might help you feel more like a Starfleet officer." When the Doctor enters the program he soon meets Freya, and he introduces himself as Doctor Schweitzer. Throughout the episode, Freya and her fellow Danes call the EMH "Lord Schweitzer."
Schweitzer falls for Freya and they have a short romance together before Freya is tragically killed. Her last words are, "I die happily with your name on my lips. Farewell, Schweitzer." Back in sick bay at the end of the episode, the Doctor abandons the name, telling Janeway, "I'm not sure I want to keep it. The last time I heard that name spoken was a painful one. I don't think I want to be reminded."
This episode is a milestone for the Doctor and his adoption of a name underscores both the significance of the adventure he is about to go on and the loss he suffers at the end. For the card to be named "Beowulf EMH" instead of his actual name is lazy, careless, and terribly dismissive of the Doctor's character growth in the episode. Please rename the card Schweitzer (or Doctor Schweitzer or Lord Schweitzer) as befits the character and the episode.
For those who haven't seen Heroes and Demons recently, and this apparently includes WRG's creative team: there is a malfunction in the holodeck and the Doctor goes on his first away mission to save the day. The program in question is Beowulf, with Harry Kim playing the title character. (This is why it makes sense for Beowulf Kim to have that name--he is in character as Beowulf!)
The Doctor is nervous and in a lovely moment between him and Kes, Kes suggests he choose a name, telling him, "It might help you feel more like a Starfleet officer." When the Doctor enters the program he soon meets Freya, and he introduces himself as Doctor Schweitzer. Throughout the episode, Freya and her fellow Danes call the EMH "Lord Schweitzer."
Schweitzer falls for Freya and they have a short romance together before Freya is tragically killed. Her last words are, "I die happily with your name on my lips. Farewell, Schweitzer." Back in sick bay at the end of the episode, the Doctor abandons the name, telling Janeway, "I'm not sure I want to keep it. The last time I heard that name spoken was a painful one. I don't think I want to be reminded."
This episode is a milestone for the Doctor and his adoption of a name underscores both the significance of the adventure he is about to go on and the loss he suffers at the end. For the card to be named "Beowulf EMH" instead of his actual name is lazy, careless, and terribly dismissive of the Doctor's character growth in the episode. Please rename the card Schweitzer (or Doctor Schweitzer or Lord Schweitzer) as befits the character and the episode.
30
Comments
And yes, the name is wrong, as are the traits, don't all versions of the Doctor, and holograms in general, have the Human trait now?
Botanist:
Hero: Both for his role of Schweitzer protecting the holodeck characters and for the EMH entering an unknown situation with no context or training and establishing first contact.
Human: This was a point of emphasis in the trait audit earlier this year when Human was added to 20-some holograms. To my knowledge, the only Hologram who doesn't also have a racial trait (when the race can be determined) is Little Boy Blue Wesley who debuted with Human and then erroneously had it removed when they added the Prodigy and Explorer traits. Beowulf is also the only EMH variant without a racial trait (note: EMA correctly has Android instead of Human).
Honorable mention for Explorer. He doesn't fit the classic definition for that trait, but from Doc's point of view, he knows nothing outside the walls of sickbay at this point in his journey and is even astonished by the little things like moss growing on trees or the touch of a woman. Him experiencing a whole world he only has programmed knowledge of would be like reading a sci-fi novel and then being transported there in person to experience everything.
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I agree it's a shame that the card is not named Schweitzer or Lord Schweitzer. It's one of the few times Doc gets a name in Voyager (Joe, Shmullus, Van Gogh) and "Beowulf EMH" doesn't even help with cryo search since he's the only variant named "EMH", despite him having that hidden trait. Maybe we'll have hidden traits searachable in cryo some day so we can find variants to thaw for events.
Great episode, glad he's in game. Shame about the art and stats. Fun fact: only Physician in the game with no MED.
I think the skill set fits. Aside from a smart comment about icing some guy's hand, he doesn't do much medical in the episode. Even CMD is alright as it's his first away mission and the characters in the castle show deference to him in parts. It **tsk tsk** because they throw CMD/DIP/SEC on tons and tons of crew who don't need it, which cheapens crew for whom it's justified.
I mean, good god it's more worthwhile just using CR than even glancing at this crew
From an event perspective this is a huge plus. I already have multiple Doctors with high MED.
*maniacal laughter*
All trolling aside, this is actually pretty bad. This new crew manages to fail on all fronts that add desirability- traits, stats, love- Lacking traits and stats aside, I’d be pretty cheesed if he were one of my favorite characters, and the NAME WAS WRONG.
What a mess.
Yeah, "Beowulf Schweitzer" wouldn't be ideal, but it would at least honor the character and show they're paying attention. In-game search is already a complete mess so I don't see that as a factor at all. (Plug for DataCore, where search actually works, including if you search on "Schweitzer"!)
1. I am 100% fine with him not having MED. He was used in this episode because he was a hologram, not a physician. At the start of the episode they beamed some energy into containers to study not realizing they were alive, and then a larger energy creature entered the holodeck that was currently in use and took over the roll of Grendel, and started converting the cast (first Kim and later Chakotay and Tuvok) into energy, so the only person that could safely investigate what was going on was the EMH. In this capacity he takes charge, charms Freya, and diplomatically resolves the issue. At no point does he do anything medical, so as far as I'm concerned his skills make sense.
2. 100% the name needs changing. Period. My preference would be Lord Schweitzer, but Dr. Schweitzer or just Schweitzer would also be acceptable. But Beowulf EMH is not acceptable.
3. Regarding traits, rather than rehash what Auto said, I will just throw my support for everything he said as every one of his assessments are 100% accurate/correct as far as I'm concerned.
Proud member of Patterns of Force
Captain Level 99
Played since January 2017
TP: Do better!!!
I also like "Schweitzer," especially next to Van Gogh. I can see the benefit to consistency with Beowulf Kim. However, my bigger concern is the ease of missing variants with unique names when searching for a character. The Doctor may be an exception given his already unique name situation, but given his rare skillset for the character, missing them during an EMH event would be unfortunate.
Starport
On #1, I think I caused a poo-storm by mentioning that he should not have had Medical when he was the President of Earth. So, I do not even know if they look at consistency at all.
Just don't get me started on a medical doctor who used her specialty in the version that was first added to the game, and does not have "Physician" Trait.
I'm fast coming to the conclusion that Skills & Traits are being used for balance, rather than episode accuracy. And I understand that. I imagine some Crew would have too many Traits if everything that applied to them was used for them. And some probably would be much more episode accurate with a fourth Skill. But I don't see that happening.
The Doctor is a botanist. Not only is he programmed with seemingly all medical-relevant texts on the subject ('an expert in the scientific study of plants' is the textbook definition), but he also practices the discipline at points in the series, such as the gene experiments with chrysanthemums in 'Tuvix'. The reason why it's not a character-wide trait (besides the fact that WRG is just very inconsistent with those applications) is that it's a niche discipline and not featured as heavily as, say, Mayweather's piloting ability.
Its application here would also be consistent with existing Botanists. "A master of herb lore" is pretty much an exact description of Nona's botany abilities as well; "The kahn-ut-tu is the local witch people here. They've studied the roots and the herbs."
And I would posit that as long as that is acknowledged up front by both players and administrators it would be better.
The classic dilemma…
Game Balance vs Verisimilitude.
Glad it’s not my problem.
It's hideous!
His head looks disproportionate compared to his body, his pose looks unnatural, his uniform colour is too bright, his facial details barely resemble Robert Picardo and on top of all that, he's bloody orange!
I don't have the slightest idea about how this came into existence. Doesn't WRG looks at the art before it's released or they just don't care?
It is always disappointing to see a card with bad art to be released but this one is especially painful since Schweitzer (yes, that is the correct name, dear WRG) is from a popular early episode of Voyager and people requested him to be added since the launch of this game.
I can live with bad stats if the art is great (e.g. Dreamwalker Chakotay) but he doesn't have a redeeming quality. I really hope WRG sorts this art issue out. Soon. Or otherwise I expect to see some people walking away from this game.
It's been a long time since I've seen the episode, but I don't recall him practicing botany beyond providing that one fact. I could definitely see some Doctor variants having the trait, but with the evidence provided I personally think it's a stretch for this one.
The Doctor also did historic research to come up with his name, but no one is arguing he should have the historian trait since it was a small point of the greater episode.
Starport
He should have the historian trait because he did historic research to come up with his name, plus he was in a holoprogram which depicted history.
The coloring seems a little off. (Needs more orange...)
Starport
Proud member of Patterns of Force
Captain Level 99
Played since January 2017
TP: Do better!!!
And yet, you took all the trouble to sign up, just so you could male a complaint thread about a game you do not play?
I'm sure you'll never be back to read the comments about your post, but you have reminded me of why I hate most people on the Internet...incapable of realizing you made a mistake and not refraining from telling the rest of us that you did!