borg star trek tng

• Cast & crew
• User reviews
• Episode aired May 9, 1992

The Enterprise finds a lone Borg drone, separated from the collective, and brings him aboard. The drone begins to reassert his individuality, but his presence causes differing levels of fear... Read all The Enterprise finds a lone Borg drone, separated from the collective, and brings him aboard. The drone begins to reassert his individuality, but his presence causes differing levels of fear and sympathy from various crew members. The Enterprise finds a lone Borg drone, separated from the collective, and brings him aboard. The drone begins to reassert his individuality, but his presence causes differing levels of fear and sympathy from various crew members.

• Robert Lederman
• Gene Roddenberry
• René Echevarria
• Brannon Braga
• Patrick Stewart
• Jonathan Frakes
• LeVar Burton
• 22 User reviews
• 11 Critic reviews

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

• Lieutenant Worf

• Dr. Beverly Crusher

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Commander Data

• Third of Five …

• Ensign Gates
• (uncredited)
• Crewman Nelson
• Crewman Garvey
• Crewman Martinez
• Ensign Kellogg

• Operations Division Ensign

• Science Division Officer
• Crewman Diana Giddings
• Command Ensign
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia In a 2002 TV Guide Magazine commemorating the 35th anniversary of Star Trek (1966) , I, Borg ranked 5th among the greatest episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) .
• Goofs In the scene in which Geordi names 3rd of 5 "Hugh", 3rd of 5 asks, "Do I have a name?" Rather than, "Do we have a name?"

Third of Five : We are Borg.

Guinan : Aren't you gonna tell me you have to assimilate me?

Third of Five : You wish to be assimilated?

Guinan : No, but that's what you... things do, isn't it?

[the Borg nods]

Guinan : Resistance is futile?

Third of Five : Resistance is futile.

Guinan : It isn't. My people resisted when the Borg came, to assimilate us. Some of us survived.

Third of Five : Resistance... is not futile?

Guinan : No. But thanks to you, there are very few of us left. We're scattered throughout the galaxy. We don't even have a home anymore.

Third of Five : What you are saying... is that you are lonely.

Guinan : What?

Third of Five : You have no others. You have no home. We... are also lonely.

• Connections Featured in Trek Nation (2011)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 22

• May 20, 2023
• May 9, 1992 (United States)
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 46 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Complete List Of Appearances Of The Borg In Star Trek

This article is more than seven years old and was last updated in July 2019.

The Borg are Star Trek's most feared and most loved adversaries they appear in a total twenty-one episodes in the Star Trek franchise in 'Enterprise,' 'The Next Generation' and 'Voyager,' every television incarnation other than the original series and 'Deep Space Nine.' They also appeared in the Star Trek movie 'First Contact.' Below is a complete list of the Borg's appearances in chronological order.

1. Enterprise - 'Regeneration' [S02E23]

2. The Next Generation - 'Q Who' [S02E16]

3. The Next Generation - 'The Best of Both Worlds' [S03E26 - S04E01]

4. The Next Generation - 'I, Borg' [S05E23]

5. The Next Generation - 'Descent' [S06E26 - S07E01]

6. Voyager - 'Unity' [S03E17]

7. Star Trek: First Contact

8. Voyager - 'Scorpion' [S03E26 - S04E01]

9. Voyager - 'The Raven' [S04E06]

10. Voyager - 'Drone' [S05E02]

11. Voyager - 'Dark Frontier' [S05E15 - S05E16]

12. Voyager - 'Survival Instinct' [S06E02]

13. Voyager - 'Collective' [S06E16]

14. Voyager - 'Child's Play' [S06E19]

15. Voyager - 'Unimatrix Zero' [S06E26 - S07E01]

16. Voyager - 'Imperfection' [S07E02]

17. Voyager - 'Endgame' [S07E25]

There's More To Come...

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Q Who (episode)

• View history
• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 1.6 Act Five
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production history
• 4.2 Story and script
• 4.3 The Borg
• 4.4 Cast and characters
• 4.5 Special and visual effects
• 4.7 Continuity
• 4.8 Reception
• 4.9 Apocrypha
• 4.10 Awards
• 4.11 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Guest stars
• 5.4 And special guest star
• 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.6 Stand-ins
• 5.7 References
• 5.8 Unused production references
• 5.9 Sources
• 5.10 External links

Summary [ ]

" Yes, Ensign. It's all over me. "

New ensign Sonya Gomez orders a hot chocolate from a replicator in engineering . While doing so, La Forge passes, and the two converse, La Forge noting Gomez' polite manners toward the replicator, saying "please" and "thank you". Gomez wonders why not, and explains she does this as the replicator is listed under "intelligent circuitry". After all, she notes that working with so much artificial intelligence can be dehumanizing and she combats this with using simple courtesy. As the two walk to main engineering, La Forge urges the talkative and enthusiastic Gomez to relax. After arriving, he notes to her that she is carrying food or drink in the premises of engineering, which is forbidden. As she turns around to go finish it elsewhere, she spills some all over Picard 's uniform . La Forge tells Picard that Gomez just transferred to the Enterprise from Starbase 173 and accepts responsibility for what just happened. Picard, though not entirely unvexed, welcomes Gomez to the ship.

Picard excuses himself to change his uniform. He walks to the nearest turbolift to get to his quarters. However, when the doors open again, he finds that the turbolift did not make it to his quarters, but is inside a shuttlecraft far away from the USS Enterprise -D . He quickly realizes that he has been kidnapped by Q . Picard reminds Q about their agreement from a year earlier , when Q agreed never to trouble Picard's ship again; Q points out that they are nowhere near the Enterprise . Q is, however, kind enough to clean Picard's uniform with his abilities.

Act One [ ]

" Is there anything unusual happening? "

In Ten Forward , La Forge and Gomez arrive and talk some more at a table. Meanwhile, Guinan is tending to her regular duties. While talking to Martinez , she pauses and wanders around the room for a moment, before making contact with the bridge . Commander Riker answers and wonders what she wants. Guinan wonders if everything is fine with the bridge, since she felt something she only encountered long ago, but merely brushes it off and tells Riker to forget she called. Later, La Forge notices something is up with Guinan, and wonders if she's OK. She merely responds, " I don't know. " La Forge decides to leave and check on engineering. Gomez gets up from her seat and joins him.

Meanwhile, in the shuttlecraft, Picard tries to make contact with Enterprise . However, Q tells him there is no point, since at the current distance, no one on the Enterprise would think to look where they are. Picard attempts to communicate anyway. Q explains that they have business to discuss, but Picard will not discuss anything with him, stating that keeping him prisoner will not convince him to listen to what Q has to say. Q merely says that he will, eventually.

" Do we stay out here years? Decades? "

Counselor Troi walks onto the bridge and wonders where Captain Picard is. When she hears he is in his quarters, she decides to contact him, but there is no response. Riker asks the ship's computer, but according to it, Picard is nowhere to be found. Furthermore, Lieutenant Worf reports that a shuttlecraft is missing from the shuttlebay . With the captain missing, Riker orders Wesley to bring the ship to a full stop. They hail the shuttle on all frequencies, but there is no response. In fact, there is no trace of a shuttle anywhere in the sector.

While the Enterprise continues to search for Picard and the missing shuttlecraft, Picard demands Q to return him to the ship. Eventually, he agrees to give Q's request a full hearing and, a second later, they're back on the Enterprise in Ten Forward, and the shuttle is back in place. Worf reports that the shuttlecraft has returned, and the computer tells the crew that Picard is in Ten Forward, allowing Riker to conclude that Q has returned.

Act Two [ ]

" I knew it was you! "

Guinan immediately confronts Q, revealing to Picard that she and Q know each other, and not at all in a friendly way. Q calms down and expresses his desire to join the Enterprise crew, after being cast out from the Q Continuum . Skeptical, Picard refuses his request, especially after he put the crew on trial for the crimes of Humanity and asked Riker to join the Continuum . Q argues that they need him since they are not prepared for what awaits them. Picard claims that they are ready to confront the unknown, and Guinan adds that the Humans' ability to adapt is their great advantage.

" What can you tell us? " " Only that if I were you, I'd start back now. "

Q, in rebuttal, seeks to test how prepared they are, and casually tosses the Enterprise seven thousand light years into uncharted space, to give them "a preview of things to come" upon which he disappears. Guinan advises Picard to return to Federation space immediately, but he decides to explore the nearby System J-25 first.

" Protect yourself, captain, or they'll destroy you. "

A survey of the only class M planet in the system reveals that while there was once an industrialized civilization there, it has been ripped away from the planet , "identical to what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone ." A cube-shaped ship then approaches the Enterprise , and scans of the ship show nothing. Picard asks Guinan for her advice, and she reveals that the ship belongs to the Borg – a cybernetic race who were responsible for the near-extinction of her people a hundred years ago . " Protect yourself, Captain, " she advises, " or they'll destroy you. "

The Borg proceed to transport one of their own into engineering , as if the Enterprise 's shields were useless. La Forge spots the intruder standing next to the warp core and requests security to report there immediately.

Act Three [ ]

The first Borg ever seen, attempting to access the ship's computer

Picard and Worf arrive with a security team and see the Borg apparently making a survey of the ship. Q appears for a brief moment and warns Picard that it's not interested in Human lifeforms, only the ship's technology. Before leaving, he advises the captain not to allow it to interfere with the operations of the Enterprise . When the Borg attempts to do so, Picard orders Worf to stop it. A security officer tries to drag it away, only to be hurled clear across the room.

Worf then tries to stun it with his phaser , to no avail, and is forced to increase the phaser to full power. They successfully destroy the Borg, but almost instantly another is beamed aboard in its place. Worf again attempts to destroy it, but shields form around it, protecting the Borg. It tampers with the same engineering console, then turns and removes some components from the dead Borg before it is beamed back to the cube and the corpse disappears.

Picard holds a conference, in which Guinan further details what the Borg are, and how they destroyed her people. She advises them that the Borg do not negotiate with people, at which point they hail the Enterprise . Picard tries to reason with them, but the Borg voice completely ignores him and simply informs the crew that they will not be able to defend themselves against the Borg ship, threatening to "punish" them if they attempt to do so. Troi tells Picard that every Borg is part of the same mind, and that they have no distinct leader.

" They still have us! "

The Borg lock onto the Enterprise with a tractor beam that also drains their shields while preventing the ship from moving. The Borg then use a cutting beam to slice a section out of the Enterprise hull on the saucer section , and all eighteen crewmembers in that section are "vaporized" {assisimilated into the Borg}. Picard orders Worf to use whatever force is necessary to sever the Borg's beam, and they are ultimately successful after three phaser attacks, which blast several craters into the surface of the Borg ship.

Q shows up at another crew meeting in the observation lounge , telling them that the Borg are not concerned with the crew nor the Federation, only the Enterprise and how they can use her technology and identified it as something they can consume. Picard asks him to reveal that this is just another illusion, only for Q to respond that the situation is perfectly real, as everything else, before vanishing. With the ship temporarily immobilized by the damage, Picard decides to send over an away team consisting of Riker, Worf, and Data in an attempt to learn more about the Borg, over Guinan's strong objections.

Act Four [ ]

" Our readings were incorrect. The Borg crew survived. "

The away team discover the ship to be full of Borg, most of whom are in stasis in regeneration alcoves . The few active Borg take no notice of the team, or are ignoring them. The away team then finds what they believe to be a Borg nursery , where the Borg are born as biological lifeforms , and, immediately after birth, they begin growing artificial, cybernetic implants . What Riker finds astounding is that the Borg have developed the technology to link artificial intelligence directly into the humanoid brain.

Data notices that the Borg seem to be using their collective mental focus to repair the ship, which is why the team has not been noticed or attacked. Alarmed, Picard has them beamed back to the bridge, and says " Let's get the hell out of here ". They start leaving at warp 8, but the Borg follow with ease. Q appears on the bridge, warning the crew that the Borg will not stop until they have them in their grasp. He even says to Picard, " You should have stayed where you belonged. "

Act Five [ ]

" You can't outrun them. You can't destroy them. They are relentless. "

They increase to maximum warp, but the Borg are still gaining. Riker orders them to arm photon torpedoes and Picard gives the order to fire, but the torpedoes have no effect. The Borg ship, after getting within firing range, fires a shield-draining missile twice and the Enterprise , now with very low shields, fires torpedoes again, with the same result.

Q then makes the Borg threat perfectly clear to Picard: " You can't outrun them; you can't destroy them. If you damage them, the essence of what they are remains; they regenerate and keep coming. Eventually you will weaken, your reserves will be gone… They are relentless. "

The Borg fire twice more and the Enterprise loses both shields and warp drive . The cube re-engages their tractor beam and holds the Enterprise . Riker orders Worf to prepare to launch another spread of photon torpedoes, but Data warns that at close range, without the protection of their shields, it is highly likely that a photon detonation will destroy the Enterprise . Picard nods in approval as Riker orders Worf to prepare to fire.

Q prepares to leave the crew to their fate, as Picard implores him to end the confrontation. Q asks the captain why he should now terminate this encounter between the Enterprise and the Borg. Picard responds by pointing out that if they are destroyed, Q will not be able to gloat. He admits that they are frightened, and that Q has, for the moment, shown them to be inadequate. " You want me to say, 'I need you'? I NEED YOU! " Picard exclaims. With a snap of his fingers, Q flings the Enterprise away from the Borg ship and back into the same spot in Federation space they originally were.

Q appears besides Picard in Riker's chair, but instead of gloating, he looks thoughtful and even somewhat impressed. " Another man, " he muses, " would have been humiliated to say those words "', even to the point of sacrificing himself and his entire ship rather than admit he needed help. Picard tells Q he understands the point out of what they have been through, but feels the lesson could have been learned without the loss of eighteen members of his crew. Q is unapologetic, telling him that if Humanity wants to explore the galaxy, then it promises a universe of wonders, but they must also be willing to confront dangers they have never imagined. He then disappears, to be replaced by a startled Riker. The Enterprise sets course for the nearest starbase , which is Starbase 83 .

" They will be coming. "

Reflecting upon events in Ten Forward while playing three-dimensional chess with Picard, Guinan says that the encounter with the Borg happened before it should have. She believes that at some point, perhaps, it might be possible for the Federation to establish some kind of communication between them and the Borg, but for the time being, they are just raw material to be consumed. Guinan begins, " Since they are aware of your existence… " … " they will be coming ," Picard continues. Guinan ominously warns, " You can bet on it ." Picard comments that perhaps Q did the right thing, for the wrong reasons, to shake Humanity out of its complacency for whatever lies ahead.

Log entries [ ]

• First officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2365

Memorable quotes [ ]

"Are we going to stay out here for years? Decades? I'm ageless, Picard; you're not."

"Guinan? Is that your name now?"

"Ah, the redoubtable Commander Riker! And Microbrain ! Growl for me; let me know you still care!"

"Picard, you are about to move into areas of the galaxy filled with wonders you cannot possibly imagine. And terrors to freeze your soul!"

" To learn about you is, frankly, provocative. But you're next of kin to chaos. "

"You judge yourselves against the pitiful adversaries you've encountered so far: the Romulans, the Klingons. They're nothing compared to what's waiting."

"Oh, the arrogance. They don't have a clue as to what's out here." "But they will learn, adapt. That is their greatest advantage."

"Why?" "Why? Why, to give you a taste of your future, a preview of things to come. Con permiso, Capitán? The hall is rented, the orchestra engaged. It's now time to see if you can dance."

" Interesting, isn't it? Not a he , not a she , not like anything you've ever seen before. An enhanced humanoid. "

"We mean you no harm. Do you understand me? " " 'Understand' you? You're nothing to him. "

" He might try to take over the ship. I wouldn't let him! "

" The Borg are the ultimate user. They're unlike any threat your Federation has ever faced. They're not interested in political conquest, wealth, or power as you know it. They're simply interested in your ship, its technology. They've identified it as something they can consume. "

" Eighteen of our people have died. Please, tell us this is one of your illusions. " " Oh, no. This is as real as your so-called life gets. "

" We have analyzed your defensive capabilities as being unable to withstand us. If you defend yourselves, you will be punished. "

" Admit it, Picard. You're out of your league. You should have stayed where you belong ! "

" Q… end this. " " Moi? What makes you think I'm either inclined or capable to terminate this encounter? " " If we all die here, now, you will not be able to gloat. You wanted to frighten us? We're frightened. You wanted to show us we were inadequate? For the moment, I grant that. You wanted me to say, 'I need you'? I NEED YOU! "

" That was a difficult admission. Another man would have been humiliated to say those words. Another man would have rather died than ask for help. " " I understand what you've done here, Q, but I think the lesson could have been learned without the loss of eighteen members of my crew. " " If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here. It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not for the timid. "

Background information [ ]

Production history [ ].

• Revised final draft script: 24 February 1989 [1]
• Filming begins: 27 February 1989 ("Lost and Found", Star Trek Magazine  issue 147 )
• First day of filming the Borg: 2 March 1989 ("Lost and Found", Star Trek Magazine  issue 147 )
• Storyboards, by Dan Curry , for visual effects shots of the Enterprise battling a Borg cube: 16 March 1989
• Premiere airdate: 8 May 1989
• First UK airdate: 7 August 1991

Story and script [ ]

Director Rob Bowman instructing Patrick Stewart

• Initially conceived by writer Maurice Hurley as a race of insectoids , Hurley had originally planned the Season 1 episode " The Neutral Zone " to be the first part in a trilogy that would introduce an entirely new threat to the Federation, introducing a plot point that Federation and Romulan starbases along the Romulan Neutral Zone had been mysteriously wiped out. This was intended to lead into a series of episodes that would have introduced the Borg as a main villain in the wake of the Ferengi 's failure to meet with audience expectations of a major Starfleet antagonist. Unfortunately, the Writer's Guild strike of 1988 prevented this from coming to fruition. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., pp. 60 & 86); Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 169) Hurley finally got to proceed with his planned sequel with "Q Who", although only one passing reference was made of the strange destruction of outposts referred to in "The Neutral Zone", by Data stating, " It is identical to what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone. "

Reviewing the final Borg makeup and costume design

• This is the only Q episode that Maurice Hurley wrote. Melinda M. Snodgrass commented, " Maurice Hurley always thought Q was here to teach us a lesson, to guide and instruct us. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 107)
• In the revised final draft of the script, in the scene in the observation lounge where Riker confronts Q about how he exposed the Enterprise to the Borg, which led to the deaths of eighteen crewmembers, his temper flares and he moves to assault Q, who warns Riker to stop, or he would kill him. In the final aired version, Q merely dismisses Riker's comments with an "Oh, please." [2]

The Borg [ ]

Preliminary Borg concept by David Fisher and Rick Sternbach

Detail sketch by Rick Sternbach

A Borg stuntman's ( Tim Trella ) costume being adjusted between takes

• Budget constraints kept the Borg from being depicted as insectoids as Maurice Hurley had originally intended, though the hive concept survived to become the overwhelming group mind known as the Collective. In addition, the Borg's unique, cube-shaped ship, and their eerie appearance – reminiscent of both the biomechanism designs of H.R. Giger and the cybernetic, laser-eyed Lord Dread from the 1987 syndicated series Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future – all contributed to the Borg ascending to the height of Star Trek villainy, exactly as intended. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 90)
• Costume designer Durinda Rice Wood recalled, " I was tired by the streamlined, stainless-steel concept of 'scary'… With the Borg, the idea was that the drones lived for centuries, and that their body parts would wear out and be replaced with mechanical body parts. I wanted to show that they didn't wear out uniformly, so some of them had eye patches, and some had fake legs or arms. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 104)
• Makeup designer Michael Westmore remarked that the Borg were given a zombie -like pallor " so that viewers would know they were seeing a creature that couldn't be reasoned or negotiated with… the life has been leached out of them. " ( Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 105)
• The Borg's name was derived from " cyborg ", meaning cybernetic organism. The Borg were intended to provide the series with what the Ferengi had failed to deliver – a deadly, remorseless enemy that could not be reasoned with or defeated. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 90)
• Precisely because of their powerful nature, the Borg would appear in only five further episodes through the run of The Next Generation . Their infrequent appearance was due to the writers' difficulties in finding ways to defeat the Borg, as well as due to cost. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 202)) However, just as Khan returned to battle Kirk in the second Star Trek film , the Borg would also make the transition to the big screen in the second The Next Generation feature .
• The graphics displayed on monitors in the Borg " slots " were referred to as "Borg Spaghetti" by the production staff . ( citation needed • edit )
• The Borg Collective voice heard in the episode was synthesized from the voices of Maurice Hurley, director Rob Bowman and Bowman's assistant. Sound design and processing was done by Francois Blaignan using Symbolic Sound's Kyma system. ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 147 , p. 32)
• While it is not explicitly stated in this episode, the overall ambition of the Borg seems to be the acquisition of technology, not the assimilation of other species as in later episodes. While " The Best of Both Worlds ", the next episode to feature the Borg, dealt with this changed premise by stating in dialogue that their objectives had changed, subsequent Borg episodes would ignore it entirely.
• The later episodes ENT : " Regeneration ", VOY : " The Raven " and VOY : " Dark Frontier " suggest that not only was Earth Starfleet previously aware of the existence of the Borg, Federation scientists actually pursued them – even if they were considered mere rumor. (This ultimately led to the assimilation of Seven of Nine years before the events of Season 1 of TNG in the fictional history of the series.)

Cast and characters [ ]

• This episode featured the first of two appearances of Sonya Gomez , who was initially intended to be a recurring character, but dropped after " Samaritan Snare ". ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 86)) She later became the lead character in the non-canon Star Trek: Starfleet Corps of Engineers series of novels. Gomez would eventually return 32 years later in the Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 finale " First First Contact " where she is now captain of the USS Archimedes .
• Diana Muldaur ( Katherine Pulaski ) does not appear in this episode.

Special and visual effects [ ]

Storyboards for the Enterprise -D's confrontation with the Borg cube

Visual effects shot from the episode

• The complexity and cost of The Next Generation 's visual effects sequences demanded detailed planning before a single frame was shot. As the visual effects supervisor for the first episode to feature the Borg, Dan Curry created these storyboards as a blueprint of the Enterprise -D's first engagement with a Borg cube . The frames from the completed episode show how closely the visual effects team followed the storyboards. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission , p. 90)
• Two sound effects are introduced in this episode and used for the rest of the series: 1) the "click/snap" effect when the main view screen is magnified; and 2) the "trigger" effect when the ship's weapons are fired.
• Ron Jones happened to compose the score for this first episode to feature the Borg before doing the music to " The Best of Both Worlds " and " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II " and after scoring " The Neutral Zone ", which hinted at their existence from the start.

Continuity [ ]

• This episode marks the only time Guinan's office is seen.
• This episode refers to events of previous episodes, Q's trial (" Encounter at Farpoint "), his return when Riker temporarily became a Q (" Hide And Q "), and the mysterious destruction of Romulan Neutral Zone outposts (" The Neutral Zone ").
• The conflict between Q and Guinan , revealed in this episode but never fully explained, is revisited (with the tables turned) a year later in " Deja Q ".
• It is later portrayed that, due to the events shown in Star Trek: First Contact , ENT : " Regeneration ", and VOY : " The Raven ", and VOY : " Infinite Regress " the Borg already knew of Earth 's existence and were on their way. In VOY : " Death Wish ", Q would say that without his own actions in "Q Who", the Federation would have been assimilated. In "First Contact", when the remains of the Borg sphere crash landed on Earth, it became frozen in the Arctic Circle in 2063 . During the events of "Regeneration", which are set in 2153 , scientists discover the wreckage and are assimilated. Despite the Enterprise NX-01 destroying the rest of the Borg, they are able to send a signal out into the Delta Quadrant , where it takes 213 years to reach the Borg, leading them to send a Borg cube towards Earth in 2366. Then, the events of "Q Who" take place in the fictional history of the series, delaying the invasion of Earth. In " Dark Frontier ", it is portrayed that the Federation was aware of an entity known as "The Borg" 12 years prior to this episode but dismissed such as a thing as mere "rumors or sensor ghosts". Furthermore, the Borg assimilated the Hansens, citizens of the Federation, in 2350 .
• Q states the Enterprise crew was exonerated of the crimes of humanity, but years later tells Picard "the jury is still out on that" (" All Good Things... ").
• Since Q propelled the Enterprise out of the tractor beam it was held in from the Borg ship, it is unclear if the Borg immediately set a pursuit of the Enterprise which led to their invasion of Federation space a year later in "The Best of Both Worlds." In that episode, Riker postulates whether or not it is the same Borg ship they faced at System J-25, to which Data can neither confirm nor deny.
• LD : " First First Contact " portrays Sonya Gomez having achieved the captaincy of her own command, the USS Archimedes , by 2381 . When an ensign on her crew experiences a somewhat embarrassing incident in front of her, Gomez assures her that she's done " way worse in front of much more intimidating captains ", referring to the hot chocolate incident with Picard.

Reception [ ]

• The book Star Trek 101 (p. 72), by Terry J. Erdmann and Paula M. Block , lists this episode as one of the "Ten Essential Episodes" from Star Trek: The Next Generation .
• Director Rob Bowman later recalled, " That was a very abstract, almost avant-garde episode with Q and what he was trying to prove with the Enterprise , telling Picard to be aware because there are some bad-asses out there that you're not prepared for no matter what you think. This is just a lesson to you to keep your eyes and ears open because there are things out there that you don't understand, and here's an example. For television, it's big stuff, but in order to make big stuff, there's a lot of investment by everybody involved, and it all came together wonderfully. " ("Rob Bowman – Director of a Dozen", The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 10 , p. 19)
• A mission report for this episode by Will Murray was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine  issue 9 , pp. 15-18.

Apocrypha [ ]

• It is revealed in the novel Greater than the Sum that the eighteen crewmembers who disappeared during the Borg's slicing of the Enterprise -D's hull were actually assimilated.
• This episode won two Emmy Awards . Only four other episodes of Trek have won this many. It won for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series. It was also nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Special Visual Effects.

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 21 , catalog number VHR 2504, 2 September 1991
• As part of the UK VHS collections Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum and Star Trek: The Next Generation - Borg Box : 5 December 1994
• As part of the US VHS collection Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q Continuum : 8 September 1998
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment ): Volume 2.6, catalog number VHR 4742, 21 June 1999
• As part of the TNG Season 2 DVD collection
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Borg and Star Trek: Fan Collective - Q collections
• As part of the TNG Season 2 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker

Also starring [ ]

• LeVar Burton as Lt. Geordi La Forge
• Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf
• Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data
• Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher

Guest stars [ ]

• John de Lancie as Q
• Lycia Naff as Ensign Sonya Gomez
• Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien

And special guest star [ ]

• Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• Majel Barrett as the USS Enterprise -D computer voice
• Rob Bowman as the Voice of the Borg
• Michael Braveheart as Martinez
• Jeffrey Deacon as command division officer
• Mary Donatelli as Borg drone
• David Fisher as Borg drone
• Maurice Hurley as the Voice of the Borg
• Sam Klatman as Borg infant
• Lincoln Simonds as security officer
• Tim Trella as Borg drone
• Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace
• Rob Bowman's assistant as the Voice of the Borg
• Security officer
• Six Borg drones

Stand-ins [ ]

• James G. Becker – stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
• Darrell Burris – stand-in for LeVar Burton
• Dexter Clay – stand-in for Michael Dorn
• Jeffrey Deacon – stand-in for Patrick Stewart
• Nora Leonhardt – stand-in for Marina Sirtis
• Tim McCormack – stand-in for Brent Spiner
• Guy Vardaman – stand-in for Wil Wheaton and John de Lancie

References [ ]

2165 ; 2265 ; ability ; advice ; adversary ; agreement ; alert status ; antimatter ; area ; argument ; arrogance ; artificial implant ; artificial intelligence ; artificial life ; assignment ; assumption ; attitude ; away team ; bay two ; beard ; bed ; biological lifeform ; birth ; bloody nose ; blue alert ; Borg ; Borg cube ( unnamed ); Borg drone ; Borg history ; Borg missile ; Borg nursery ; brain ; bridge ; calculation ; casualty ; casualty list ; century ; choice ; circuit ; civilization ; class M ; collective mind ; command center ; compartment ; computer ; " con permiso "; conference ; contact ; control station ; coordinates ; cortical array ; courtesy ; creature ; crewman ; crime ; cutting beam ; damage ; damage report ; dance ; day ; decade ; deck ; definition ; departure ; desire ; detonation ; discussion ; disruption ; El-Aurian ; El-Aurian cities ; El-Aurian system ; effect ; engine core ; engineering section ; Enterprise -D shuttlecraft 06 ; entity ; event ; existence ; exonerate ; Farpoint Mission ; Federation ; feeling ; first impression ; foolishness ; force field ; French language ; frequency ; food dispenser ; fuel ; Galaxy -class decks ; graduate ; guide ; hailing frequency ; hall ; harm ; heading ; heart ; home ; homeless ; hot chocolate ; hour ; hull integrity ; Human ; Humanity ; humanoid ; illusion ; imagination ; imp ; indigent ; information ; input ; intelligent circuitry ; intercept course ; intruder ; J-25 system ; J-25 system sector ; juggernaut ; kidnapping ; Klingons ; laser beam ; leader ; lesson ; light year ; life sign ; life support ; lifeform ; living quarters ; location ; locator beam ; machine ; main computer ; maturation chamber ; maximum warp ; meeting ; methodical ; microbrain ; Milky Way Galaxy ; mind ; mission ; mistake ; mister ; month ; " motor mouth "; name ; nosebleed ; number one ; " offer ; officers' quarters ; opinion ; orchestra ; organic life ; " out of your league "; percent ; phaser ; photon torpedo ; power ; prisoner ; probability ; " put it out of your head "; Q Continuum ; range ; Ranuos VI ; relationship ; renting ; roast ; Romulans ; Romulan Neutral Zone ; saucer section ; scout ; search ; search pattern ; second ; section ; section 27 ; section 28 ; section 29 ; Sector 30 ; Sector 31 ; sensor ; series ; shield ; shipmate ; sixth planet of System J-25 ; sixth planet of System J-25 cities ; slot ; soul ; Spanish language ; specialty ; speed ; spherical pattern ; " stand by "; star ; Starbase 83 ; Starbase 173 ; Starbase 185 ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet Charter ; Starfleet uniform ; stasis ; status ; status board ; stubborn ; success ; surface ; system of roads ; " take it to heart "; target ; technology ; " thesis ; thing ; third power ; thousand ; threat ; three-dimensional chess ; time ; tractor beam ; transporter ; transporter chief ; transporter room 3 ; treasure ; tricorder ; Type 7 shuttlecraft ; unnamed sector ; viewscreen ; visit ; wall ; warp engine ; weapon ; word ; work ; year ; yellow alert

Unused production references [ ]

Grand Unification theory ; supersymmetry

Sources [ ]

• Reeves-Stevens, Judith and Garfield , Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission (1997)
• Van Hise, James , Trek: The Unauthorized Behind-The-Scenes Story of The Next Generation (1992)

External links [ ]

• "Q Who" at StarTrek.com
• " Q Who? " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Q Who " at Wikipedia
• " "Q Who" " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• "Q Who?" script  at Star Trek Minutiae

How a Minor Retcon Made the Borg Into Star Trek: TNG's Deadliest Villains

The Borg are among Star Trek's most terrifying villains who assimilate organic life, but one retcon in The Next Generation shows why they're deadly.

• The Borg from the Delta Quadrant posed a formidable threat to the Federation in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
• Initially interested in technology, the Borg's priorities shifted over 3 seasons, adding a new dimension to their story arc.
• The Borg's ability to assimilate species erases individuality and culture, making them Star Trek's most terrifying villains.

Of all the enemies the United Federation of Planets has encountered in deep space, none have proven more formidable than the Borg. First introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation , Season 2, Episode 16, "Q Who," the adaptable cybernetic organisms from the Delta Quadrant quickly became a serious threat to the Federation. As The Next Generation went on, however, the Borg became truly frightening.

When the galaxy class USS Enterprise first encountered the Borg far from Federation space in Star Trek: The Next Generation , Season 2 , the ship and crew were nearly lost to this enigmatic new species. The Borg seemed entirely uninterested in the ship's crew, and were more concerned with taking the Enterprise-D piece-by-piece for their own use. By the end of Season 3, their priorities shifted considerably, and raised the stakes for all future conflicts between the Federation and the Borg.

The Next Generation's Borg Were Only Interested in Technology at First

Star trek: the next generation's riker wasn't always called will.

In Starfleet's history of deep space exploration, they've encountered many alien species whose philosophies and ambitions have led to conflict with the Federation. With most of these enemies, the issues have been matters of politics and border disputes. The Romulan and Klingon empires in particular have fought the United Federation of Planets time and again over who controls which section of space. There are also the Ferengi , whose alliance concerns itself with profit and clashes with the Federation's goals for the betterment of all. With this sort of conflict, there is always room for understanding and compromise. That's why both empires have had ambassadors to the Federation, as seen in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . Yet, in the 24th Century, the Enterprise-D encountered a new adversary that could not be bargained with.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation , Season 2, Episode 16, "Q Who," Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the galaxy class Enterprise encounter a new species far from Federation space. After Picard refuses his request to join the crew, the powerful entity Q (played by recurring Star Trek guest star John de Lancie ) hurls the Enterprise-D to the Delta Quadrant. Shortly afterward, they are intercepted by a gigantic cube-shaped spacecraft. After several attempts to communicate with the ship prove unsuccessful, a single cyborg beams into engineering, where it proceeds to assess the Enterprise's technology. Picard and his officers learn from Q and Guinan that the Borg were a race of cybernetic organisms who assimilate technology from any sufficiently advanced culture they encounter.

Described by Q as "the ultimate user," the Borg are supposedly solely interested in claiming and adapting technology, without any interest in lifeforms. This callous indifference to living beings means that the Borg simply ignore the lifeforms they encounter for the most part, until they present a threat. Operating with a hive mind, the Borg possess remarkable intelligence , adaptability and resilience, making them an unstoppable threat, but one the Federation and Starfleet could devise a strategy against in time. Any strategy Starfleet could concoct, however, would be scrapped in their next encounter, as the Borg's priorities would seem to change following their confrontation with the Enterprise.

The Borg's Priorities and Story Changed Over 3 Seasons of Star Trek: TNG

How william shatner unearthed star trek: tng's early troubles.

Before the Enterprise ever comes into contact with the Borg, they see evidence of the devastation they can wreak. In Season 1, Episode 26, "The Neutral Zone," the Enterprise-D investigates the disappearances of several outposts on the outskirts of Federation space near the Romulan Neutral Zone, discovering they've been scooped off of each planet's surface, leaving no trace behind. No one knows who is responsible at first, but in Season 3, Episode 26, "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I," they confirm the Borg are behind these incidents.

After little more than a year of preparation for conflict with the Borg, Captain Picard and his officers learn that any tactics that Starfleet has devised based on what they know of their adversary are worthless. Following their encounter with the Enterprise, the Borg have developed an interest in the human race, and Jean-Luc Picard in particular. This departure from their understanding of their adversary leaves the Enterprise unprepared for Captain Picard's abduction and assimilation by the Borg . It also establishes a frightening new aspect to this nearly unbeatable enemy. The crew are able to save Picard and destroy the Borg ship, but they also learn to be wary in their further dealings with this new enemy. A later encounter with a single Borg alters their history forever.

In Season 5, Episode 23, "I Borg," the Enterprise-D responds to a distress call and finds the wreckage of a small spaceship with only one survivor among its Borg crew. After bringing it on board, the crew learn that a Borg can develop a sense of individuality if it's separated from the collective long enough. The episode also reveals that the Borg have always assimilated other species, along with their technology. Though this runs counter to the Enterprise crew's first contact with the Borg, no one seems surprised by the revelation. Even Guinan, who never made mention of the Borg assimilating her people, discusses it as if it was common knowledge. Though it's a minor alteration to their history, the idea that the Borg have always assimilated other species to grow their population adds a horrific dimension to their story that would be explored in future Star Trek series and one highly popular film.

Changing the Borg Made Them Star Trek's Deadliest and Most Terrifying Foe

An episode of star trek: tos inspired one of the next generation's best villains.

After the Enterprise's encounter with Hugh provided hope of an end to the Borg collective, the Federation would continue to learn about the resilience of their greatest enemy. In Star Trek: First Contact , the Borg send another cube to Earth in an attempt to assimilate humanity. This time, thanks to some ingenuity, a great many sacrifices and Picard's insight into the collective, the cyborg invaders are defeated. When the attack fails, the Borg send a smaller ship through time to assimilate Earth three centuries earlier. The sovereign class Enterprise-E follows them through the temporal vortex, however, and succeeds in restoring the past. The Enterprise is nearly assimilated, and many of the crew are lost to the Borg before they're destroyed.

While this would be the last confrontation between the crew of Starfleet's flagship and the Borg for many years, it wasn't the last time a Federation starship would have dealings with the lethal adversary. Stranded in the Delta Quadrant, the USS Voyager struggles for years to make it home. While endeavoring to return to Federation space, the ship comes into contact with the Borg on multiple occasions. Severing the connection to the collective of the Borg called Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager , Season 3, Episode 27, "Scorpion, Part II," Captain Janeway makes the former drone a part of her crew. From Seven, the crew gains insights into the Borg, including what it's like to be part of the collective.

This inside information gives the Voyager crew -- and the audience -- a chilling understanding of what assimilation means for the lifeforms who are absorbed into the collective. Decades later, Star Trek: Picard , Season 2 , Episode 3, "Assimilation" provided even more understanding of how the Borg -- especially their queen -- assimilate lifeforms by infiltrating their minds and manipulating their emotions, until the euphoria they feel lowers their defenses. They accept the hive completely, losing their identities in the process. An invincible, unstoppable enemy force is frightening enough, especially when they're willing to eradicate anyone who stands in their way. When those enemies are willing and able to turn practically anyone they come into contact with into them, that is when they become truly terrifying.

The revelation that the Borg have survived by assimilating species into their collective since the beginning means that they have destroyed civilization after civilization in a way that erases all traces of individuality, identity and culture in one fell swoop. As such, the Borg are -- and always have been -- capable of the most extreme form of conquest, leaving no traces of the civilizations they've conquered behind while expanding their influence across the stars. By assimilating lifeforms, they destroy the individual, essentially killing them. While there were a few instances of individuals effectively resurrected from the collective, most assimilated lifeforms aren't so lucky, and that is what makes the Borg the Federation's deadliest enemy, and Star Trek 's most horrifying creation.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

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The Best of Borg worlds: The 7 essential Borg episodes to watch before Star Trek: Picard

Credit: CBS

In 1989, in the episode “Q, Who?” Star Trek: The Next Generation took the word "cyborg" and clipped it down to its cold essentials, gifting the world with a new terror: the Borg. Though Doctor Who purists might tell you the Borg are a knock-off of the Cybermen, the black leather aesthetic combined with laser-pointer eyepieces and that chilling catchphrase — "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile" — all cemented the Borg as one the most iconic sci-fi concepts of all time.

The Borg is essentially internet addiction writ large, an enemy that makes you part of its server. In Star Trek: Picard , the Borg are back and several of the main characters (Picard, Hugh, Seven of Nine) were all previously assimilated by the Borg Collective. This means that revisiting some of the more pivotal Borg moments is essential for your Picard homework.

The Borg appear in six episodes of The Next Generation , one episode of Deep Space Nine , one episode of Enterprise , the film Star Trek: First Contact , and 23 episodes of Voyager . And, if you count every single episode of Voyager in which former-Borg Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) appears, that’s 100 episodes right there. So that’s possibly a total of 32 episodes or 108 Borg episodes and 1 feature film, depending on how you look at it. That’s a lot of Borg to binge! So, in honor of Borg efficiency, here are the 7 essential Borg stories to quickly assimilate and help make watching Star Trek: Picard even more ... engaging.

Note: There are ZERO spoilers for Star Trek: Picard ahead. Episode numbers use the Netflix and CBS All-Access watch order for ease of bingeing.

01 . The Next Generation: Season 3 Episode 26 and Season 4, Episode 1, “The Best of Both Worlds Parts 1 and 2”

Although the first canonical appearance of the Borg happens in the TNG Season 2 episode "Q, Who?" whispers of the Borg are hinted at as early as the Season 1 finale, "The Neutral Zone." That said, you don't really need to start getting your Borg on until the Season 3 finale, "The Best of Both Worlds."

That's the famous episode where Picard is singled-out to be assimilated by the Collective, and the Borg make a bee-line to conquer Earth. The conclusion of this two-parter was the Season 4 premiere of TNG , and the repercussions of that episode changed Jean-Luc Picard forever.

02 . The Next Generation: Season 5, Episode 23, "I, Borg"

In Star Trek: Picard , the former-Borg know as Hugh (Johnathan Del Arco) has a semi-regular role, and in the trailers , we've seen a more human-looking Hugh in a few quick shots. What's happened to Hugh since The Next Generation hasn't been revealed yet, but Hugh's origin story is this classic episode, "I, Borg."

The Enterprise finds an injured Borg, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) and La Forge (Levar Burton) decide to nurse the Borg back to health to learn more about the Collective. Without spoiling anything, this changes the way Picard and everyone else starts to think about the Borg in a big way. Hugh returns in the two-parter "Descent," in Season 6 and season 7, but you can probably skip those ones if you're pressed for time. This is the essential Hugh episode, and, probably defines the possibilities for what can happen to former Borg drones.

03 . Voyager: Season 5, Episode 15, “Dark Frontier”

Arguably, to fully prepare for Seven of Nine's (Jeri Ryan) return in Star Trek: Picard , you might want to rewatch the entirety of Star Trek: Voyager starting with Seven's first appearance in the season 3 finale "Scorpion Part 1." But, that's also little like saying you should rewatch every episode of TNG to make sure you know everything about Jean-Luc Picard. Seven of Nine is one of the greatest Star Trek characters of all time, and creating a list of the very best Seven episodes is its own thing entirely.

But, if you're only trying to download the most essential Borg lore into your brain, rewatching the epic "Dark Frontier" won't disappoint. This episode reveals how Seven was first assimilated into the Borg collective, and why. Plus, it suggests that all former Borg drones have a complicated relationship with the Collective and the Borg Queen in specific.

When it originally aired in 1999, "Dark Frontier" was presented as an extra-long two-hour episode. Netflix preserves it this way, but sometimes, you'll see reference to "Dark Frontier Part 1 and Part 2." Don't be confused; it's all the same thing.

04 . Voyager: Season 6, Episode 16, "Collective"

This episode introduced yet another variation on what it was like for former Borg drones to suddenly live outside of the interconnected hivemind of the collective. The difference this time was that the liberated Borg were all kids. Sure, Hugh was young , but he wasn't a little kid. In this episode, Seven becomes a de facto mother figure/teacher to a group of children, who, just like her, had been assimilated when they were super young. This episode also introduces the character of Icheb, a reoccurring ex-Borg who would later develop an obsession with Starfleet history, with a special interest in Captain Kirk.

05 . Voyager: Season 6, Episode 26 and Season 7, Episode 1 “Unimatrix Zero Parts 1 and 2”

As its title suggests, "Unimatrix Zero," is kind of like the Matrix in The Matrix . But, in this version, the idyllic cyberspace world is a good thing, because it's literally the only place Borg drones can "go" to be themselves. In the virtual sanctuary of Unimatrix Zero, Borg can meet, and converse, and imagine how they may have been or looked before they'd been assimilated. They can also meet and speak with drones whose bodies are plugged into Borg ships millions of light years apart.

So, basically, it's a secret virtual reality chatroom for people who are enslaved by an AI hivemind, which, if you think about it objectively — even outside of the context of Star Trek — is a freaking awesome idea for a story. As a two-part episode of Voyager , "Unimatrix Zero," is one of the best. And as a Borg episode to prep you for Picard , the essential thing about "Unimatrix Zero" is that it basically proves that even when we think we know everything about the Borg, we totally don't.

Credit: Paramount Pictures

06 . Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

It's Picard and Data versus the Borg!

Hailed as perhaps the greatest Star Trek film of all time (or at least in a dead heat with The Wrath of Khan ), First Contact mostly focuses on Picard's deep-rooted hatred for the Borg, and his desire to enact his revenge, no matter what. It also is the first introduction of the Borg Queen (Alice Krige), a character who adds a layer to the Borg that makes them seem both much scarier, and weirdly a little more explicable. The Borg Queen is deranged, to be sure, but it's not clear she's evil , per se.

If you haven't seen the movie, I won't tell you what happens between her and Data (or her and Picard) but let's just say, this: the Borg Queen might be the most interesting villain in all of Star Trek . And, based on everything we learned in Star Trek: Voyager , she also might be indestructible.

07 . Voyager Season 7, Episode 24: "Endgame"

Before there was Avengers: Endgame , there was Voyager: Endgame ! In the series finale of Star Trek: Voyager , Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) , travels back in time from the year 2404, to help get the USS Voyager home to Earth about 23-years sooner than they did the first time around. Future Janeway's workaround is all about hijacking a transwarp hub used by the Borg to pop-around the galaxy with relative ease, much quicker than the Starfleet warp drives. But, Admiral Janeway's plan involves slightly more than just stealing some propulsion tech.

Without spoiling anything, the ending of this episode will make you wonder what state the Borg Collective could possibly be in during the time of Picard . "Endgame" took place in 2378, and the events of Picard happen in 2399. Whatever happened to the Borg in those 21 years might not be 100 percent answered in Picard . But, in terms of the Star Trek timeline, "Endgame" is where we left the Borg. So, when we see them again, the events of this episode will almost certainly have impacted the Collective. Even if they're too shy to mention it.

Star Trek: Picard debuts Thursday, January 23 on CBS All Access.

• Star Trek: Picard

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8 Coolest Starships From Star Trek: The Next Generation

• The Galor-class cruiser introduced the brutal might of the Cardassian Union, setting itself apart with a fish-like design.
• The USS Pasteur, a hospital ship with a spherical hull, met a tragic end in a Klingon attack after being specialized for medical aid.
• The Borg cube, with its unique design, proved to be a terrifying opponent by easily defeating the Enterprise-D and annihilating Starfleet vessels.

Following the success of the Star Trek movies of the 1980s, the franchise returned to the small screen with The Next Generation , a sequel series set a century after the exploits of Captain Kirk. Under the command of the stoic Captain Jean-Luc Picard , the Enterprise -D continued Starfleet's mission to explore the galaxy, discovering a wide range of civilizations, scientific mysteries, and deadly new threats along the way.

Star Trek: The Next Generation's 'Skin of Evil' Explained

While The Next Generation favored philosophy and moral dilemmas over melodrama and technobabble, the series still delivered when it came to fascinating technology and innovative vessels. From the Enterprise -D itself to the rarely seen D'kora- class Ferengi Maurader, the show's seven seasons featured a bounty of notable starships.

Galor-class Cruiser

First appearance: "the wounded" (season 4, episode 12).

As well as being a showcase for tortured everyman Miles O'Brien , "The Wounded" introduces both the Cardassians and their iconic Galor -class cruisers. The fish-like shaping of the Galor -class (a design choice replicated in later Cardassian vessels) sets the starships of the Cardassian Union apart from other alien civilizations. However, despite its naturalistic appearance, the cruiser is a capable warship that serves as the backbone of the Cardassian military.

Indeed, while the Galor -class is less well known in popular culture than many ships from The Next Generation , it came to symbolize the brutal might of the Cardassian Union within both the series itself and in Deep Space Nine . The Cardassian cruiser may be something of a hidden gem, but it nonetheless deserves to be remembered as one of Star Trek 's coolest starships.

USS Pasteur

First appearance: "all good things..." (season 7, episodes 25 & 26).

Starfleet is no stranger to specialized starships: the USS Defiant seen in Deep Space Nine is a dedicated warship, while the USS Voyager , despite its heavy armament, is ostensibly a science vessel. Yet few Starfleet vessels are as practically focused as the USS Pasteur , an Olympic -class hospital ship under the command of Captain Beverly Crusher. In the alternate timeline glimpsed by Picard in "All Good Things", the Pasteur is assigned to help those suffering from Terrelian plague on Romulus.

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The Pasteur represents a radical departure from conventional Starfleet design doctrine , as the vessel's primary hull is spherical rather than saucer-shaped. This additional internal space no doubt provides additional room for laboratories, wards, and surgical theaters. Unfortunately, the Pastuer 's fate shows that no good deed goes unpunished, as it destroyed in a Klingon attack.

Ferengi Marauder

First appearance: "the last outpost" (season 1, episode 5).

"The Last Outpost" sees the Enterprise -D come face to face with a D'kora -class Ferengi Marauder. This multi-function vessel is capable of operating not only as a cargo ship (as per the Ferengi's mercantile ideology ) but also as a fearsome warship. Indeed, during the Enterprise- D's first encounter with a Ferengi Marauder, the alien vessel was able to greatly weaken the Galaxy -class starship's deflector shields using a powerful electromagnetic pulse.

The imposing D'kora -class would make several more appearances in The Next Generation and even cameoed in Voyager , albeit as a CGI recreation of the original model. Despite the prominence of the Ferengi in Deep Space Nine , this cruiser is absent from the groundbreaking series, perhaps suggesting that the Ferengi Alliance could only afford to field a few of these versatile vessels.

USS Jenolan

First appearance: "relics" (season 6, episode 4).

While attempting to respond to a distress signal from the USS Jenolan in "Relics", the Enterprise -D discovers the Sydney -class starship crash-landed on the surface of a massive Dyson sphere. Picard and his crew are 75 years late to the scene of the accident, but they are able to recover a survivor: Montgomery Scott of Captain Kirk's Enterprise , who has preserved himself in the starship's transporter pattern buffer.

However, there is more to the Jenolan than its celebrity captain. In terms of appearance, it is a deviation from the norm when it comes to Starfleet vessels, as it lacks a saucer section. That the Jenolan bears a passing resemblance to the Danube -class runabouts seen in Deep Space Nine should come as no surprise, as these auxiliary vessels were heavily influenced by the design of the Sydney -class transport.

Romulan Warbird

First appearance: "the neutral zone" (season 1, episode 26).

The D'deridex -class Romulan warbird makes its debut in the closing minutes of The Next Generation 's "The Neutral Zone". The Romulans aboard the mighty starship tell Picard and his crew that they mean business, and the sleek yet powerful design of their vessel only underlines their message. The D'deridex -class would go on to make many more appearances across the franchise, making it one of Star Trek 's most iconic villain ships.

Star Trek: Best Starships To Work On

One advantage of the Romulan warbird over its rivals is the fact that it is equipped with a cloaking device. This stealth technology, coupled with the D'deridex 's considerable firepower, makes it a dangerous threat in any military confrontation. As such, it makes sense that the starship is often deployed in intense military situations, such as during standoffs against the Enteprise -D and throughout Deep Space Nine 's Dominion War .

USS Enterprise-C

First appearance: "yesterday's enterprise" (season 3, episode 15).

Although various iterations of the Starship Enterprise play key roles throughout the Star Trek franchise, not every starship to bear the name is as prolific as The Next Generation 's Enterprise -D. Indeed, the Excelsior -class Enterprise -B makes only a brief cameo in 1994's Star Trek: Generations , while its successor, the Enterprise -C, only appears in the episode "Yesterday's Enterprise". However, despite its lack of screen-time, the Enterprise -C is involved in one of the most pivotal events in Federation history: the Battle of Narenda III.

The Ambassador -class vessel is destroyed protecting a Klingon colony from a Romulan sneak attack, impressing the Klingons and laying the groundwork for the Treaty of Alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. While the Enterprise -C may resemble an awkward merging of Original Series and Next Generation aesthetics, its contribution to Federation history cannot be understated.

First Appearance: "Q Who" (Season 2, Episode 16)

The Borg are one of science fiction's most memorable villains, due in part to their relentless and single-minded push to assimilate other species. Yet much of the Borg's enduring appeal can be attributed to the excellent visual design of the Borg cube. Envisaged by writer Maurice Hurley and realized by designer Richard James, the iconic vessel is based on an architectural language that is entirely distinct from other Star Trek ships.

Star Trek: How Do Borg Nanoprobes Work?

However, the Borg cube is more than just an unusual design: it is also a terrifying opponent. The initial Borg cube seen in "Q Who" easily bests the Enterprise -D, while another cube annihilates a large flotilla of Starfleet vessels at the cataclysmic Battle of Wolf 359 in "The Best of Both Worlds". The Borg cube may look simple, but it has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

USS Enterprise-D

First appearance: "encounter at farpoint" (season 1, episodes 1 & 2).

No discussion of The Next Generation can be complete without referring to the USS Enteprise -D, the starship that is as integral to the series as any of the show's characters. While earlier iterations of Star Trek toyed with the concept of the Enterprise as a living space as well as an exploratory vessel, The Next Generation fully embraces the idea with the Galaxy -class starship. Boasting schools, families, and a sizable civilian contingent, the ship is perhaps the best example of Gene Roddenberry's utopian future in practice—even if taking children on frequent military missions doesn't make a whole lot of sense .

As the hero ship of The Next Generation , the Enterprise -D plays a central role in shaping the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, whether through its amazing discoveries of a shared link between many of the galaxy's civilizations or its repeated battles against the Borg Collective. When it comes to Next Generation starships, the Enterprise -D is second to none.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Release Date September 28, 1987

Genres Sci-Fi

Creator Gene Roddenberry

Number of Episodes 178

Screen Rant

15 biggest star trek plot holes & loose ends that can be solved by comics.

IDW's new Star Trek comics have explored many of the franchise's abandoned plot lines, and here are 15 more begging for follow-up.

• IDW's Star Trek comics can resolve forgotten plot lines, like Agnes Jurati's post-Picard fate, to create an epic, cohesive story.
• Armus, from TNG 's "Skin of Evil," could be explored further in IDW's comics, delving into his origin and potential tie-in to the god war.
• The First Federation, alien Cytherians, and other powerful races left behind in the Star Trek universe could find new life and resolution in IDW's comics.

Over the course of its 58-year history, Star Trek has featured numerous alien races and exotic planets. Some of these races, such as the Vulcans or the Borg, became integral to the Star Trek mythos. These races received substantial development throughout the years. Yet for every race or planet that would become foundational, many more were just forgotten about.

The Star Trek franchise is littered with loose ends and dangling plot lines. Recently, one of Trek’s biggest mysteries, the parasitic aliens from the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation , returned to the pages of Defiant. IDW’s new line of Trek comics has synthesized a number of franchise loose ends together, creating an epic, and cohesive, story. There are many more such plot lines in the Star Trek universe, and IDW’s comics are the perfect place to resolve them. Unconstrained by a visual effects budget, these stories could get the resolution they deserve.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 3 Ending Explained

15 the borg queen was going to be a major player in the star trek universe…until she wasn’t, idw’s star trek comics could actually show what agnes jurati has been doing.

Agnes Jurati, played by Allison Pill, was a key character in the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard , but her most intriguing storyline was left out to pasture. After winning a war of wits with a Borg Queen in season two, Jurati becomes a new type of Queen. More benevolent than her predecessors, she and her forces appeared out of the blue, petitioning the Federation for membership.

These Borg were also monitoring something that could potentially be a threat. This highly intriguing premise was promptly discarded in favor of a Next Generation reunion in Picard’s final season. While a future spin-off show could address this issue, IDW’s Star Trek comics would be ideal to continue the story. The vague threat Agnes is protecting the Federation from could be displayed in all its cosmic glory, as could her new Borg .

Star Trek: Picard

After starring in Star Trek: The Next Generation for seven seasons and various other Star Trek projects, Patrick Stewart is back as Jean-Luc Picard. Star Trek: Picard focuses on a retired Picard who is living on his family vineyard as he struggles to cope with the death of Data and the destruction of Romulus. But before too long, Picard is pulled back into the action.

14 Armus Had an Intriguing Origin, But Was Left Behind on a Desolate Planet

The comics could tie armus into its franchise-spanning "god war".

Armus made one major appearance on-screen, but between his mind-blowing origin and murdering Tasha Yar, he made it count. In one episode, Armus boasted to the crew of the Enterprise that he was a cast-off from a “race of Titans.” These mysterious Titans distilled their evil and destructive urges, and it created Armus. A holographic form of Armus appeared in the recent Holo-Ween miniseries, but IDW’s new line of Star Trek comics would be perfect to follow-up on Armus and his origin.

The new Trek comics have explored humanity’s relationship with their gods. Armus, and the Titans that made him, could become major players in the ongoing god war that is rocking the franchise. The Titans could return for Armus, and find themselves in Kahless’ cross-hairs.

Armus was named after Burton Armus, a producer on Star Trek: The Next Generation .

13 The Mystery of Darwin Station’s Illegal Activities Are Perfect For the Comics

Darwin station flaunted the federation’s rules, and idw can reveal how they got away with it.

Genetic engineering of any kind is illegal in the Federation, but Darwin Station did it anyway, and the comics could solve lingering mysteries surrounding it. There is a “real world” reason why: the writers had not thought up the embargo on genetic engineering. The ban was revealed later in Deep Space Nine’s run, making it a retcon. However, the comics could provide a great “in-universe” rationale for the Darwin Station's actions.

Even before the ban was revealed, Trek already had a dicey relationship with the topic. The warlord Khan was the product of genetic engineering, for instance. IDW’s Star Trek comics could show how Darwin Station skirted around not only the law, but the ethics of what they were doing. Star Trek: Defiant has worked in the franchise’s gray areas, making it perfect to continue Darwin Station's story.

The Federation's ban on genetic engineering was first mentioned in the Deep Space Nine episode "Doctor Bashir...I Presume."

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse

12 The Kelvan Empire Was More Powerful Than The Federation (But Haven't Been Seen in 50+ Years)

The kelvans’ unique appearance is absolutely perfect for a comics return.

The Kelvans are the perfect Star Trek loose end for IDW to address. Hailing from the distant Andromeda Galaxy, the Kelvans came to ours on a mission of colonization. Of course, Kirk and company convinced the Kelvans of the error of their ways. Kirk gave the Kelvans their own planet, and then they were promptly forgotten. The Kelvans had technology able to traverse the gaps between galaxies, something the Federation still does not have as of the 32nd century.

The comics could showcase the Kelvans’ highly advanced ships, but even more importantly, the Kelvans seen on-screen were not their real form. Their true forms are highly Lovecraftian in nature, which could provide a challenge to even today’s FX budgets , but the comics would have no such issues, and could show the Kelvans in all their horrifying glory.

11 The First Federation Had Massive Starships, and Massive Potential

The enigmatic first federation of star trek history is perfect for comics.

In the recent “Glass and Bone” story running through the flagship Star Trek title, artist Marcus To brought the Tzenkethi and their gigantic warships to stunning life.

The First Federation is one of Star Trek’s biggest mysteries, in more ways than one, and IDW’s comics could develop them even further. In their sole appearance, the First Federation possessed massive, globe-like starships that made the Enterprise look insignificant. Despite their episode ending with the promise of a cultural exchange, the First Federation was never seen again.

The First Federation’s enormous ships might prove daunting to a visual effects team. However, in the recent “Glass and Bone” story running through the flagship Star Trek title, artist Marcus To brought the Tzenkethi and their gigantic warships to stunning life . The First Federation appears far more peaceful than the Tzenkethi, meaning their ships will look very different , giving the comics an opportunity to explore an entirely new design aesthetic .

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise on a five-year mission to explore uncharted space.

10 Star Trek Characters Who Own Their Own Starship

10 the cytherians could've tipped the balance of power in the alpha quadrant, they can still return to play an important role in the oustanding "god war".

Introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s fourth season, the Cytherians send probes out into the galaxy. One such probe found Lieutenant Barclay, and greatly increased his intelligence . Barclay then hijacks the ship, taking it to the Cytherians' homeworld. The Cytherians were an immensely powerful race who only sought cultural exchange, but they were soon forgotten. With their great power and intellect, any information imparted by the Cytherians would have huge ramifications across the quadrant, but no canonical media has ever followed up on it.

With classic (and powerful) races such as the T’Kon and the Organians making their return in IDW’s Star Trek comics, the Cytherians could make an entry into the god war as well.

Some fans have speculated the Cytherian seen in "The Nth Degree" may be connected to the god-like entity from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

9 Where Did the Tin Man Go? The Comics Can Finally Solve The Mystery

Tin man was one of the most unique life forms ever seen in star trek.

The Star Trek universe is full of diverse types of lifeforms, and Tin Man might rank as one of the most memorable. The size of a small starship, “Tin Man,” as he came to be called, was a space-faring organism of great power. In his episode, both the Federation and the Romulans fought for control over him, but he proved to be more than a match for them.

In the same episode, Tin Man bonds with a troubled Betazoid. Data witnesses the whole thing happening, and refuses to describe it to Picard, heightening the mystery of Tin Man. While Tin Man may not be a Star Trek god in the same sense as Q and the Organians , he is still quite powerful and could easily become a target for Kahless and his crusade against the gods.

8 “Time Squared” Set Up an Eerie Mystery, But Never Delivered

The star trek comics can reveal the mystery of the episode's 'time trap'.

“Time Squared” set up an intriguing mystery, but even the episode itself failed to deliver on the set-up. In it, the crew of the Enterprise discover a shuttlepod containing a copy of Captain Picard from six hours in the future. The crew discover that a calamity will befall the ship then. Shortly thereafter, they find themselves caught in some sort of vortex.

While a tense and enjoyable episode, “Time Squared” never revealed who was behind the time trap and the future Picard. IDW’s Star Trek comics would be the perfect forum to explore the implications of “Time Squared” further. The time trap the crew encountered could easily be worked into the god war storyline.

Q was originally intended to be behind the events of "Time Squared," but Gene Roddenberry nixed the idea.

7 The Preservers Are Important to the History of the Star Trek Universe

The preservers explain a key franchise mystery.

Introduced in Star Trek’s third season, the Preservers were one of the franchise’s attempts to explain why so many aliens encountered on the show were humanoid. The Preservers traveled the cosmos, abducting people from their home planets and settling them on another. The Preservers themselves never appeared on-screen, only remnants of their advanced technology .

Their motivations are unknown, as is their final fate. IDW’s line of Star Trek comics have shown races far more advanced than the Federation, such as the T’Kon Empire and the Shapers of Sardakesh . In both cases, the comics gave a true glimpse of these entities’ amazing powers, and they far outstrip anything the Federation is capable of. The Preservers should get this treatment as well, as is befitting such an important Star Trek race.

Every Star Trek Movie Comic Book Adaptation, Ranked

6 doctor moriarty’s missing years: we need to know what happened, how did moriarty end up working for the shadowy section 31.

One of the best Star Trek villains, the holographic Doctor Moriarty’s missing years deserve to be explored in the comics. In the episode “Ship in a Bottle,” airing during Star Trek: The Next Generation’s sixth season, Moriarty was trapped in a mobile memory cube. It was made to appear that he was exploring the galaxy with the love of his life. Moriarty seemed to have a happy ending.

However, in Picard season three, he is seen working as a security program in a Section 31 facility. No explanation was given as to how Moriarty ended up there, or if he even had any choice in the matter. Last year’s Star Trek Annual featured a group of rogue holograms, and the story beautifully touched on their right to exist. Moriarty’s return in the comics could touch on similar themes.

Professor Moriarty was played by actor Daniel Davis in all three of the character's appearances.

5 The Franchise’s Worst Episode Can Be Redeemed By The Return of Lazarus

Lazarus’ episode seeded several mysteries that idw can finally pay off.

Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise met Lazarus early in the five-year mission, but only the bare minimum was revealed about him, and the comics would be perfect to continue his story. Lazarus claimed to be fighting an evil entity from another dimension–albeit one that looked like him. Lazarus was also a being of great power: his appearances nearly destroyed the galaxy.

However, Lazarus was forgotten by the following episode, which, thanks to its incoherence and go-nowhere plot lines, is regarded as one of the franchise’s worst. IDW’s Star Trek comics are perfect for bringing Lazarus back. The evil entity Lazarus was fighting, whatever it may really look like, could be brought to life in the comics.

4 Worf’s Brother Kurn is One of Star Trek’s Most Tragic Characters

The comics can rectify a massive wrong in worf's family legacy.

Worf and his family drama have been front and center in IDW’s line of Star Trek comics, and they should keep this trend going by bringing back his brother Kurn. Kurn, once a high ranking member of the Klingon Defense Force, had his memory wiped later in Deep Space Nine. At that time, the peace treaty between the Federation and the Klingos was null and void. In the aftermath, Worf was dishonored and this shame carried to his brother –hence the mind wipe.

Worf’s son, Alexander returned during Day of Blood , forcing Worf to confront the fact he was a less than stellar father. Like Alexander, Kurn did nothing wrong but had to pay because of Worf’s actions. Kurn’s return, and the ensuing drama, could make for compelling stories.

3 The Aftermath of Voyager’s Return Was Never Explored On-Screen

What happened to all the technology voyager brought back.

When the starship Voyager returns home after seven years in the Delta Quadrant, it brought with it vast stores of information and technology. Voyager brings back powerful new weapons to fight the Borg, such as the transphasic torpedo . However, no on-screen Star Trek has explored what happened to the awesome technology in the wake of Voyager’s return.

Indeed, it seems some of Voyager’s innovations have been swept under the rug. Several Voyager characters have returned in IDW’s Star Trek comics. This allows for their stories to continue. For example, Harry Kim, Voyager’s Operations Officer, has grown up as an officer, and may have even joined Section 31. IDW has a golden opportunity to develop Voyager’s characters even further by revealing their lives post-return.

Star Trek Voyager

Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before.

2 The Whale Probe Nearly Destroyed Earth (and The Federation)

It took off to another part of the galaxy…and was never seen again.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is one of the most popular films in the franchise–and the source of one of its biggest dropped plot lines. The movie’s mysterious “whale” probe, named because the only creature that could communicate with it was whales, nearly destroyed Earth . It caused a great deal of environmental damage, but Kirk and company were able to save the day by depositing two 20th century whales in the ocean.

The two whales convinced the probe to stop whatever it was doing, and return home. The probe was an object of unbelievable power, able to render all technology useless. Where it went after Star Trek IV is unknown, but it would make a great addition to the god war storyline currently unfolding in IDW’s comics.

The Whale Probe was added to the opening credits for Season Four of Star Trek: Lower Decks .

1 The Aliens from “Schism” Need to Follow The “Conspiracy” Aliens Back to the Star Trek Universe

The “schism” aliens are still one of the franchise’s most terrifying, and mysterious.

The sixth season Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Schisms,” ostensibly a story of alien abduction set in the 24th century, was one of the franchise’s most unnerving episodes . A race of mysterious, vaguely humanoid aliens from somewhere in subspace begin abducting Enterprise crew members and performing experiments on them. The aliens were depicted as just that: aliens.

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry hated "Conspiracy," on the grounds that it painted Starfleet in a bad light.

In many ways, the aliens from “Schism” are like the parasites from “Conspiracy.” In both episodes, the Enterprise was under siege by terrifying aliens. Both episodes also end on an ambiguous note, with the implication that these species could return, and destroy us, at any moment. IDW’s Star Trek comics brought the “Conspiracy” aliens back, and made them more terrifying than ever–and there is no doubt they could do the same with the subspace dwellers from “Schism.”