Samantha Wildman
Ensign Samantha "Sam" Wildman was a xenobiologist assigned to the  sometime prior to 2371. She, along with the rest of Voyagers crew, was sent to the Delta Quadrant by the .

History

Starfleet career 
In 2374, Ensign Wildman was part of a team headed by Seven of Nine, a group that prepared a harmonic resonance chamber to neutralize omega molecules; Wildman was assigned to bring the power relays online. ()

On a 2375 away mission, the , crewed by Wildman, Tom Paris and Tuvok, was damaged by an ion storm, crashed, and was buried under rock on a deserted planetoid. Wildman was seriously hurt, bleeding internally. With their air running out, Wildman recorded a goodbye message to her daughter. Just before the air was depleted, the Flyer was dug out and transported to Voyager, saving the crew. After her injuries healed, Wildman visited a holoprogram, accompanied by Naomi, Neelix and Captain Janeway. ()

Later that year, unsure about being holo-imaged down to the subatomic level, Naomi questioned whether her mother would have to go through the procedure. The Doctor assured her that Samantha and everybody else on the ship would all participate as part of their annual physicals. ()

Samantha frequently spoke fondly of her perceived imminent Earth while under the influence of the telepathic pitcher plant, something which Naomi did not share, as she would miss her quarters on Voyager if they returned from the Delta Quadrant. ()

Samantha was working in Engineering when Naomi sought Seven of Nine out after having a nightmare. ()

In 2376, Seven felt sure Samantha would not approve of Naomi's memorization of Borg species designations. ()

Marriage and family
Samantha Wildman was married to a Ktarian named Greskrendtregk and became pregnant with his child shortly before leaving Deep Space 9. By the time she discovered her pregnancy, Voyager was already in the Delta Quadrant. () She experienced many difficulties with this pregnancy, her first, including shooting pains in the lower back and the legs. ()

There were complications during the birth, and the child died. However, a subspace accident had duplicated Voyager and the duplicated child was returned to Samantha when her counterpart was killed. () The child was later named Naomi.

After the Kazon captured Voyager and stranded the crew on a primitive planet called Hanon IV, Ensign Wildman's baby became ill and almost died. The chief of a primitive tribe native to the planet cured her with herbs and roots. ()

It was thanks to Ensign Wildman that Chakotay was able to remind Neelix, who had a crisis of faith, that his family was now the crew of Voyager, especially Wildman's daughter Naomi, who was very fond of him indeed and was actually Neelix's god-daughter. () 

Ensign Wildman was one of the most loyal viewers of A Briefing with Neelix, the daily news program hosted by Neelix in 2373. () 

Prior to 2375, Naomi only had her mother and Neelix to play with, when they weren't busy with their duties. ()

In 2376, when an apprehensive Icheb discussed the prospect of meeting his parents with The Doctor, he claimed that parents were irrelevant. The Doctor then asked him if he thought Naomi's mother was irrelevant to her. ()

Personal interests
Samantha's favorite The Adventures of Flotter holoprogram was Trevis and the Terribly Twisted Trunk. She hadn't played the holoprogram in several years, since before she became an ensign. ()

Philosophies
Regarding problem-solving, Samantha believed that "two heads are better than one." ()

According to Naomi, her mom told her that "cooperation is more important than competition." ()

Appendices

Appearances
 
  (Season 2)
 
 
 
  (Season 3)
  (Season 4)
  (Season 5)
  (Season 6)

Background information 
Samantha Wildman was played by actress Nancy Hower.

In the first draft script of , Ensign Wildman had the first name "Karen".  staff writer Lisa Klink supposed that this early name for Wildman was discarded simply on account of forgetfulness, rather than for a more deliberate reason. With a laugh, she noted, "I think sometimes when you name so many characters, sometimes you kind of forget." Wildman ultimately wasn't given a first name until the later second-season installment , which established it as "Samantha". 

Ultimately, the character of Samantha Wildman was named after a little girl who died in an accident, and whose organs were subsequently donated to the wife of writer Jimmy Diggs.  The girl's parents told Diggs that she liked animals, so Diggs made Wildman a xenobiologist. ()

Chronologically, Ensign Wildman does not appear again after the events of "Once Upon a Time," though she does appear in a flashback in . Wildman is referenced multiple times each season through the end of the series.

Wildman was on the writers' shortlist of recurring characters to kill off in , though Bryan Fuller and Michael Taylor ended up deciding on Joe Carey. ()

Apocrypha 
Star Trek: Starship Creator gives her parents' names as Linette and James Wildman, and a sister named Nancy Wildman. Samantha was born in 2347 on Ekaris III.

In the Pocket VOY  , by Christie Golden, Wildman was mentioned as returning to the Alpha Quadrant alongside the rest of Voyagers crew and being reunited with her husband.

External link

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Humans
Starfleet sciences personnel
USS Voyager personnel
Scientists