The Delta Quadrant homeworld of the Talaxians, scarred by a long war with the Haakonians, who destroyed its moon Rinax with the Metreon Cascade.
Talax is the homeworld of the Talaxians, a species from the Delta Quadrant. It is the place Neelix, the cook and morale officer aboard Voyager, came from. For years the Talaxians were locked in a bitter war with the Haakonian Order, a powerful neighbouring people, and the conflict shaped the lives of a generation.
During the war the Haakonians used a terrible weapon known as the Metreon Cascade on the Talaxian moon Rinax, killing hundreds of thousands of people, including Neelix's family. Neelix himself avoided military service and carried guilt about it for years. In 2371 the Haakonian scientist Jetrel, who had helped build the weapon, met Neelix aboard Voyager, forcing him to face his past and the memory of Rinax. Talaxians were later scattered across the region, including the colony where Neelix finally settled.
Talax gives Neelix's story its weight, explaining his cheerful but scarred personality. Through its history, Voyager explored themes of war, loss and forgiveness, using Talax as a reminder of what Neelix lost before he found a new family.