Editing Neelix (section)

==Reception==
In 2018, [[TheWrap|''The Wrap'']] ranked Neelix as the fourth-worst character of ''Star Trek'' overall (out of 39 main characters), but noted his optimism and humour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/all-39-star-trek-main-characters-ranked-from-spock-to-wesley-photos|title = 'Star Trek': All 39 Classic TV Main Characters Ranked, from Spock to Wesley (Photos)|date = 8 September 2021}}</ref> In 2016, the character was ranked as the 62nd most important character in service to [[Starfleet]] within the ''Star Trek'' science fiction universe (out of 100 characters) by [[Wired (magazine)|''Wired'' magazine]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/09/star-treks-100-crew-members-ranked/|title=Star Trek's 100 Most Important Crew Members, Ranked|last=McMillan|first=Graeme|date=2016-09-05|magazine=Wired|access-date=2019-03-20|issn=1059-1028}}</ref>

In 2019, ''[[TMZ]]'' remembered Neelix as the "super-friendly chef, navigator and ambassador" of ''Star Trek: Voyager''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Neelix in 'Star Trek: Voyager' 'Memba Him?!|url=https://www.tmz.com/2019/08/15/remember-neelix-star-trek-voyager-ethan-phillips-now-photos/|access-date=2021-03-21|website=TMZ|date=15 August 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2020, [[Syfy|''SyFy'']] felt that Neelix had a hard time getting good [[Narrative|storylines]] compared to the other characters, with an exception being "[[Mortal Coil (Star Trek: Voyager)|Mortal Coil]]", which they ranked the 12th best episode of ''Star Trek: Voyager''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pirrello|first=Phil|date=2020-01-16|title=The 15 greatest Star Trek: Voyager episodes, ranked|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-15-greatest-star-trek-voyager-episodes-ranked|access-date=2021-03-21|website=SYFY WIRE|language=en}}</ref>

In 2021, ''The Digital Fix'' felt "[[Fair Trade (Star Trek: Voyager)|Fair Trade]]" was an attempt to develop the character of Neelix, who they said has a "crisis of purpose" in this episode.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-09|title=Star Trek: Voyager Revisited - Season Three|url=https://www.thedigitalfix.com/television/feature/star-trek-voyager-revisited-a-look-back-at-season-three/|access-date=2021-03-26|website=Television @ The Digital Fix|language=en}}</ref>

Some commentators felt Kes was too young to be dating Neelix.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-voyager-kes-best-moments|title=5 Great Kes Moments From ''Star Trek: Voyager''|last=Ulster|first=Laurie|date=May 14, 2020|publisher=[[StarTrek.com]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604044432/https://www.startrek.com/news/star-trek-voyager-kes-best-moments|archive-date=June 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|editor-last1=Garcia-Siino|editor-first1=Leimar|editor-last2=Mittermeier|editor-first2=Sabrina|editor-last3=Rabitsch|editor-first3=Stefan|last=Wrigley|first=Sylvia Spruck|author-link=Sylvia Spruck Wrigley|page=429|title=The Routledge Handbook of Star Trek|chapter=Age and Aging|url=https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Star-Trek/Garcia-Siino-Mittermeier-Rabitsch/p/book/9780367366674|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2022|isbn=9780367366674}}</ref> According to ''[[Den of Geek]]''{{'}}s Juliette Harrisson, the [[Age disparity in sexual relationships|age gap]] was frequently criticized online.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-trek-is-finally-getting-romance-right/|title=''Star Trek'' Is Finally Getting Romance Right|last=Harrisson|first=Juliette|date=
February 14, 2023|work=[[Den of Geek!]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215055606/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-trek-is-finally-getting-romance-right/|archive-date=February 15, 2023}}</ref> Science fiction author [[Sylvia Spruck Wrigley]] interpreted Kes as undergoing [[puberty]] in "Elogium", noting that it raises questions about Neelix starting a relationship with a [[Preadolescence|prepubescent]] girl.{{sfn|Wrigley|2022|p=422}} Harrisson and ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]''{{'}}s Jonathan Storm wrote that the age difference could be rationalized since Kes and Neelix are aliens with different biology than humans.{{sfn|Harrisson|2023}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-star-trek-voy/75378999/|title=Venturing into Space with a New ''Star Trek''|last=Storm|first=Jonathan|date=January 16, 1995|department=Television|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|page=E1, E6|access-date=May 5, 2024|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>