the alliance, and the various crews start sharing their resources and technologies, with Voyager itself gaining several useful upgrades for their journey home should they escape. Meanwhile, the injured humanoid, called Fantome by the Doctor, has recovered. The being is mute and does not appear to understand their language but picks up on sound and music, and Seven works to create a device to allow primitive communication. The Doctor suspects Fantome and others of its species are native to the Void. When Bosaal, another alliance captain, sees Fantome, he calls the species "vermin", noting that they will somehow occupy ships in the Void. When Janeway offers to remove any of Fantome's species from his ship and take them to Voyager, Bosaal agrees and joins the alliance. However, when Janeway finds that a functioning polaron modulator, needed to escape the Void, installed on Voyager was obtained by an act of piracy by Bosaal, she orders the device removed and forces Bosaal off the ship. Lieutenant Tuvok witnesses Bosaal and Valen discussing creating their own alliance to attack Janeway's alliance. Janeway pushes on B'Elanna Torres and Seven to fashion a new polaron modulator before they can launch this attack. Soon, the alliance's combined technology has completed the necessary modifications to attempt escape. Janeway approaches Fantome to explain they are about to leave. Through the Doctor, Fantome thanks Janeway for her help and offers their help in return. Soon, the alliance fleet is set upon by Valen, Bosaal, and other vessels that aligned with them. Voyager and their alliance are able to disable their shields, and Fantome's people beam aboard these ships, disabling their engines so that they will not trouble the alliance during their escape. The combined shield modulation is successful and all the ships of the alliance escape the Void. After saying their goodbyes, Voyager returns course to home, with Janeway considering their brief time with the alliance like being part of the Federation again. Reception Gizmodo ranked "The Void" as the 29th best of the top 100 Star Trek episodes in 2016. In 2011, they had ranked it as the 9th best Star Trek episode. In 2016, Vox rated this one of the top 25 essential episodes of all Star Trek. In 2013, Slate ranked "The Void" one of the ten best episodes in the Star Trek franchise. Home media releases On December 21, 2003, this episode was released on