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The Borg are an alien group that appear as recurring
antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist. Etymology The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
s in the ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' fictional universe. The Borg are cybernetic organisms (cyborgs) linked in a hive mind called "the Collective". The Borg co-opt the technology and knowledge of other alien species to the Collective through the process of " assimilation": forcibly transforming individual beings into "drones" by injecting nanoprobes into their bodies and surgically augmenting them with cybernetic components. The Borg's ultimate goal is "achieving perfection".Star Trek: First Contact Aside from being recurring antagonists in the '' Next Generation'' television series, they are depicted as the main threat in the film '' Star Trek: First Contact''. In addition, they played major roles in the '' Voyager'' and '' Picard'' series. ''The Borg'' have become a symbol in
popular culture Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
for any
juggernaut A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originated in the mid-nineteenth century and was adapted from the Sanskrit word Jagannath. ...
against which "resistance is futile", a common phrase uttered by the Borg.


Concept

The Borg represented a new antagonist and regular enemy which had been lacking during the first season of ''TNG''; the
Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a fictional species in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the original ''Star Trek'' (''TOS'') series, Klingons were swarthy humanoids c ...
s were allies and the
Romulan The Romulans () are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. They first appeared in the series ''Star Trek'' (1966–1969). They have appeared in most subsequent ''Star Trek'' releases, including '' The A ...
s mostly absent. The Ferengi were originally intended as the new enemy for the United Federation of Planets, but their comical appearance failed to portray them as a convincing threat. The Borg, however, with their frightening appearance, their immense power, and their sinister motive, became the signature villains for the ''TNG'' and ''Voyager'' eras of ''Star Trek''. In ''Voyager'' episode " Q2", even the near-omnipotent Q tells his son, "Don't provoke the Borg." ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''TNG'') writers began to develop the idea of the Borg as early as the Season1 episode "
Conspiracy A conspiracy, also known as a plot, is a secret plan or agreement between persons (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder or treason, especially with political motivation, while keeping their agree ...
", which introduced a coercive,
symbiotic Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasit ...
life form that took over key Federation personnel. Plans to feature the Borg as an increasingly menacing threat were subsequently scrapped in favor of a more subtle introduction, beginning with the mystery of missing colonies on both sides of the Neutral Zone in " The Neutral Zone" and culminating in the encounter between Borg and the ''Enterprise'' crew in "QWho".


Depiction

The Borg are
cyborgs A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
, having outward appearances showing both mechanical and biological body parts. Individual Borg are referred to as drones and move in a robotic, purposeful style ignoring most of their environment, including beings they do not consider an immediate threat. Borg commonly have one eye replaced with a sophisticated ocular implant. Borg usually have one arm replaced with a prosthesis, bearing one of a variety of multipurpose tools in place of a humanoid hand. Since different drones have different roles, the arm may be specialized for myriad purposes such as medical devices, scanners, and weapons. Borg have flat, grayish skin, giving them an almost
zombie A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in whic ...
-like appearance. Some Borg have been shown to be far stronger than humans, able to easily overpower most humans and similar species. Typical Borg have never been seen to run, instead moving in a deliberate fashion, never retreating. Borg are highly resistant to energy-based weapons, having personal shielding that quickly adapts to them. In various episodes, phasers and other
directed energy weapon A directed-energy weapon (DEW) is a ranged weapon that damages its target with highly focused energy without a solid projectile, including lasers, microwaves, particle beams, and sound beams. Potential applications of this technology include ...
s tend to quickly become ineffective as the Borg are able to adapt to the specific frequencies on which these weapons are projected once a ship or an individual drone is struck down by them. Later attempts to modulate phaser and other weapon frequencies have had limited success. Borg shields are ineffective protection against projectile or melee weapons, and several have been defeated in this way, or through hand-to-hand combat. Borg possess a "cortical node" that controls other implanted cybernetic devices within a Borg's body; it is most often implanted in the forehead above the organic eye. If the cortical node fails, the Borg eventually dies. Successful replacement of the node can be carried out on a Borg vessel.


Borg Collective

Borg civilization is based on a hive or group mind known as the Collective. Each Borg drone is linked to the collective by a sophisticated subspace network that ensures each member is given constant supervision and guidance. The mental energy of the group consciousness can help an injured or damaged drone heal or regenerate damaged body parts or technology. The collective consciousness gives them the ability not only to "share the same thoughts", but also to adapt quickly to new tactics. Drones in the Collective are never seen speaking, but a collective "voice" is sometimes transmitted to ships.


"Resistance is futile"

Individual Borg rarely speak, although they do send a collective audio message to their targets, stating that "resistance is futile", often followed by a declaration that the target in question will be assimilated and its "biological and technological distinctiveness" will be added to their own. The exact phrasing varies and evolves over the various series episodes and film. In '' Star Trek: First Contact'', the voice of the Borg is spoken by
Jeff Coopwood Jeff Coopwood (born June 29, 1958) is an American actor,
TV.com. CBS Interactive. 20`3. Retrieved November 13, ...
. The Borg's warning is:


Nanoprobes

Nanoprobes are microscopic machines that inhabit a Borg's body, bloodstream, and many cybernetic implants. The probes maintain the Borg cybernetic systems and repair damage to the organic parts of a Borg. They generate new technology inside a Borg when needed and protect them from many forms of disease. Borg nanoprobes, each about the size of a human
red blood cell Red blood cells (RBCs), also referred to as red cells, red blood corpuscles (in humans or other animals not having nucleus in red blood cells), haematids, erythroid cells or erythrocytes (from Greek ''erythros'' for "red" and ''kytos'' for "holl ...
, travel through the victim's bloodstream and attach to individual cells. The nanoprobes rewrite the cellular DNA, altering the victim's biochemistry, and eventually form larger, more complicated structures and networks within the body, like electrical pathways, processing and data-storage nodes, and ultimately prosthetic devices that spring forth from the skin. In "
Mortal Coil "Mortal coil" is a poetic term for the troubles of daily life and the strife and suffering of the world. It is used in the sense of a burden to be carried or abandoned. To "shuffle off this mortal coil" is to die, exemplified in the "To be, or not ...
", Seven of Nine says the Borg assimilated the nanoprobe technology from "Species 149". In addition, the nanoprobes maintain and repair their host's mechanical and biological components on a microscopic level, imparting regenerative capabilities. Though used by the Borg to exert control over another being, reprogrammed nanoprobes were used by the crew of the starship ''Voyager'' in many instances as medical aids. The capability of nanoprobes to absorb improved technologies they find into the Borg collective is shown in the ''Voyager'' episode "
Drone Drone most commonly refers to: * Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg * Unmanned aerial vehicle * Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft * Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to: ...
", where Seven of Nine's nanoprobes are fused with the Doctor's mobile emitter, which uses technology from the 29th century, creating a 29th-century drone existing outside the Collective, with capabilities far surpassing those of the 24th-century drones. The Borg do not try to immediately assimilate any being with which they come into contact; Borg drones tend to completely ignore individuals that are identified as too weak to be an imminent threat or too inferior to be worth assimilating. Captain Picard and his team walk safely past a group of Borg drones in a scene from the film ''Star Trek: First Contact'' while the drones fulfill a programmed mission. In the ''Star Trek: Voyager'' episode "Mortal Coil", Seven of Nine told Neelix the Kazon were "unworthy" of assimilation and would serve only to detract from the Borg's quest for perceived perfection.


Travel

The Borg are a
spacefaring Spaceflight (or space flight) is an application of astronautics to fly spacecraft into or through outer space, either with or without humans on board. Most spaceflight is uncrewed and conducted mainly with spacecraft such as satellites in o ...
race, and their primary interstellar transport and combat vessel is known as a "Borg Cube" due to its shape. A cube was first seen during the Borg's introduction in the '' Next Generation'' episode "
Q Who "Q Who" is the 16th episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''. The episode first aired in broadcast syndication on May 5, 1989. It was written by executive producer Mau ...
", which established the vessel as vastly exceeding the capability of the ''Enterprise'' - the main ship of the series and
Federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
flagship - to defend against or escape it without outside intervention. The episode " The Best of Both Worlds" and the film '' Star Trek: First Contact'' both depict single cubes as critical military threats, capable of fighting or defeating an entire fleet of ships. Common capabilities of cubes include high speed
warp Warp, warped or warping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books and comics * WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher * ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!'' * Warp (comics), a ...
and
transwarp A warp drive or a drive enabling space warp is a fictional superluminal spacecraft propulsion system in many science fiction works, most notably ''Star Trek'', and a subject of ongoing physics research. The general concept of "warp drive" was i ...
drives, self-regeneration and multiple-redundant systems,
adaptability Adaptability ( la, adaptō "fit to, adjust") is a feature of a system or of a process. This word has been put to use as a specialised term in different disciplines and in business operations. Word definitions of adaptability as a specialised term d ...
in combat, and various
energy In physics, energy (from Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια, ''enérgeia'', “activity”) is the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of work and in the form of heat a ...
weapons as well as
tractor beam A tractor-beam is a device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance. The concept originates in fiction: The term was coined by E. E. Smith (an update of his earlier "attractor-beam") in his novel ''Spacehounds of IPC'' (19 ...
s and cutting beams. As with most other ''Star Trek'' races, the Borg have transporter capability. Cubes are also distinguished by their immense size and lack of streamlined aesthetic. Different types and size of Cubes have appeared, as well as Borg Spheres and some smaller craft.


Assimilation

Assimilation is the process by which the Borg integrate beings, cultures, and technology into the Collective. "You will be assimilated" is one of the few on-screen phrases employed by the Borg when communicating with other species. The Borg are portrayed as having found and assimilated thousands of species and billions to trillions of individual life-forms throughout the
galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. ...
. The Borg designate each species with a number assigned to them upon first contact, humanity being "Species 5618". When first introduced, the Borg are said to be more interested in assimilating technology than people, roaming the universe as single-minded marauders assimilating starships, planets, and entire societies to collect new technology. They are discriminating in this area, finding certain races, for example the
Kazon The Kazon () are a fictional alien race in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. Developed by '' Star Trek: Voyager'' series' co-creators Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor, the Kazon serve as the primary antagonists during the show's firs ...
, to be technologically inferior and unworthy of assimilation. A Borg infant found aboard a Borg Cube in "QWho" shows that the Borg will assimilate even children. The Borg then place the assimilated children into maturation chambers to quickly and fully grow them into mature drones. In their second appearance, " The Best of Both Worlds", they capture and assimilate Captain
Jean-Luc Picard Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most often seen as the captain of the Federation starship . Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''T ...
into the Collective, creating Locutus of Borg (meaning "he who has spoken", in Latin). The method of assimilating individual life-forms into the Collective has been represented differently over time. When we see the Borg in ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'', assimilation is through abduction and then surgical procedure. In ''Star Trek: First Contact'' and ''Star Trek: Voyager'', assimilation is through injection of nanoprobes into an individual's
bloodstream The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...
via a pair of tubules that spring forth from a drone's hand. Assimilation by tubules is depicted on-screen as being a fast-acting process, with the victim's skin pigmentation turning gray and mottled with visible dark tracks forming within moments of contact. After assimilation, a drone's race and gender become "irrelevant". After initial assimilation through injection, Borg are surgically fitted with cybernetic devices. In ''Star Trek: First Contact'' an assimilated crew member is shown to have a forearm and an eye physically removed and replaced with cybernetic implants. The Borg also assimilate, interface, and reconfigure technology using these tubules and nanoprobes. However, in ''QWho'' a Borg is depicted apparently trying to assimilate, probe, or reconfigure a control panel in engineering using an energy interface instead of nanoprobes. Some species, for various reasons, are able to resist assimilation by nanoprobes.
Species 8472 Species 8472 is a fictional extraterrestrial species in the science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Voyager''. Species 8472 is a designation given to them by the Borg. The multiplayer game '' Star Trek Online'' gives their proper name ...
is the only race shown to be capable of completely rejecting assimilation attempts. Other species, such as the
Hirogen ''Star Trek'' is a science fiction media franchise that began with Gene Roddenberry's launch of the original ''Star Trek'' television series in 1966. Its success led to decades of films, novels, comics, and spinoff series. A major motif of the ...
, have demonstrated resistance to assimilation as well as Dr Phlox, who was able to partially resist the assimilation process in the ''
Star Trek: Enterprise ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from September 26, 2001, to May 13, 2005 on Uni ...
'' episode "
Regeneration Regeneration may refer to: Science and technology * Regeneration (biology), the ability to recreate lost or damaged cells, tissues, organs and limbs * Regeneration (ecology), the ability of ecosystems to regenerate biomass, using photosynthesis ...
".


Borg Queen

Before the film ''Star Trek: First Contact'' (1996), the Borg exhibited no hierarchical command structure. ''First Contact'' introduced the Borg Queen, who is not named as such in the film (referring to herself with "I am the Borg. I am the Collective...I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many") but is named Borg Queen in the closing credits. The Queen is played by
Alice Krige Alice Maud Krige (; born 28 June 1954) is a South African actress and producer. Her first feature film role was in ''Chariots of Fire'' (1981) as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon. She played the dual role of Eva Galli/Alma Mobley i ...
in this film, in the 2001 finale of ''Star Trek: Voyager'' "
Endgame Endgame, Endgames, End Game, End Games, or similar variations may refer to: Film * ''The End of the Game'' (1919 film) * ''The End of the Game'' (1975 film), short documentary U.S. film * ''Endgame'' (1983 film), 1983 Italian post-apocalyptic f ...
", and in the '' Star Trek: Lower Decks'' second season episode "I, Excretus". The character also appeared in Voyager's two-part episodes " Dark Frontier" (1999) and "
Unimatrix Zero "Unimatrix Zero" is a two-part episode of '' Star Trek: Voyager'', the cliffhanger between 26th episode of the sixth season and the first episode of the seventh season. Starfleet's USS Voyager stranded on the other side of the Galaxy, once again ...
" (2000), but was portrayed by
Susanna Thompson Susanna Thompson (born January 27, 1958) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films ''Little Giants'' (1994), ''Ghosts of Mississippi'' (1996), ''Random Hearts'' (1999) and ''Dragonfly (2002 film), Dragonfly'' (2002). On televisio ...
. Whether or not these appearances represent the same queen is never specified. The queen appeared to be killed in both ''First Contact'' and "End Game", so there may be a total of three queens throughout the series. In ''First Contact'', the Borg Queen is seen during a flashback of Picard's former assimilation, establishing she was present during the events of "Best of Both Worlds". The Borg Queen is the focal point within the Borg collective consciousness and a unique drone within the Collective, who brings "order to chaos", referring to herself as "we" and "I" interchangeably. In ''First Contact'', the Queen's dialogue suggests she is an expression of the Borg Collective's overall intelligence, not a controller but the avatar of the entire Collective as an individual. This sentiment is contradicted by ''Star Trek: Voyager'', where she is seen explicitly directing, commanding, and in one instance even overriding the Collective. The introduction of the Queen radically changed the canonical understanding of the Borg function, with the authors of ''The Computers of Star Trek'' noting: "It was a lot easier for viewers to focus on a villain rather than a hive-mind that made decisions based on the input of all its members." ''First Contact'' writers
Brannon Braga Brannon Braga (; born August 14, 1965) is an American television producer, director and screenwriter. Best known for his work in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, Braga was a key creative force behind three of the franchise's live action series. He la ...
and Ronald D. Moore have defended the introduction of the Queen as a dramatic necessity, noting on the film's DVD audio commentary that they had initially written the film with drones, but then found that it was essential for the main characters to have someone to interact with beyond mindless drones. The Borg Queen returned in the second season of '' Star Trek: Picard'', played by
Annie Wersching Annie Wersching (March 28, 1977 – January 29, 2023) was an American actress. She was known for her television roles as Renee Walker in '' 24'', Julia Brasher in '' Bosch'', and Emma Whitmore in '' Timeless'', as well as the voice and performan ...
and
Alison Pill Alison Pill (born November 27, 1985) is a Canadian actress. A former child actress, Pill began her career at age 12, appearing in numerous films and television series. She transitioned to adult roles and her breakthrough came with the television ...
.


Borg appearances

The Borg were introduced on syndicated television on May 8, 1989, in the ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode "QWho", and rose to further prominence in the two-part
cliffhanger A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode or a film of serialized fiction. A cliffhang ...
"Best of Both Worlds, PartI", which aired on June 18, 1990, with the sequel airing on September 24, 1990. In the ''Star Trek'' in-universe timeline, the earliest the Borg have been displayed is in 1996's ''Star Trek: First Contact''. Overall, Borg aliens appear in a total of about a hundred episodes of various incarnations of ''Star Trek''. This number includes all episodes featuring Seven of Nine, a former Borg drone; discounting these appearances, the Borg appear in six episodes of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'', one episode of ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', 23 episodes of ''Star Trek: Voyager'', and one episode of ''Star Trek: Enterprise''.


''The Next Generation''

The Borg first appear in the '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' second-season episode "QWho", when the omnipotent life-form Q hurls the ''Enterprise''-D across the galaxy to challenge
Jean-Luc Picard Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most often seen as the captain of the Federation starship . Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''T ...
's assertion that his crew is ready to face the galaxy's dangers and mysteries. The ''Enterprise'' crew is overwhelmed by the Borg, and Picard begs for and receives Q's help in returning the ship to its previous coordinates. The Borg next appear in ''The Next Generation''s third-season finale and fourth-season premiere, " The Best of Both Worlds". Picard is abducted and assimilated by the Borg and transformed into Locutus (Latin for "he who speaks"). Picard's knowledge of Starfleet's strengths and strategies is gained by the Collective, and the single cube destroys the entire Starfleet armada at
Wolf 359 Wolf 359 is a red dwarf star located in the constellation Leo, near the ecliptic. At a distance of approximately 7.9 light years from Earth, it has an apparent magnitude of 13.54 and can only be seen with a large telescope. Wolf 359 i ...
. The ''Enterprise'' crew manages to capture Locutus, gain information through him that allows them to destroy the cube, and then reverse the assimilation process. In the fifth-season episode "
I, Borg "I, Borg" is the 23rd episode of the fifth season of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', the 123rd overall. It was originally aired on May 10, 1992, in broadcast syndication. The episode was writte ...
", the ''Enterprise'' crew rescues an adolescent Borg they name "
Hugh Hugh may refer to: *Hugh (given name) Noblemen and clergy French * Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks * Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II * Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...
". The crew faces the moral decision of whether or not to use Hugh (who begins to develop a sense of independence as a result of a severed link to the Collective) as a means of delivering a devastating computer virus to the Borg, or return to the Borg with his individuality intact. They decide to return him without the virus, but in the sixth-season episode "
Descent Descent may refer to: As a noun Genealogy and inheritance * Common descent, concept in evolutionary biology * Kinship, one of the major concepts of cultural anthropology **Pedigree chart or family tree ** Ancestry ** Lineal descendant **Heritag ...
", a group of rogue Borg who had "assimilated" individuality through Hugh fall under the control of the android
Lore Lore may refer to: * Folklore, acquired knowledge or traditional beliefs * Oral lore or oral tradition, orally conveyed cultural knowledge and traditions Places * Loré, former French commune * Loré (East Timor), a city and subdistrict in Lau ...
, the "older brother" of Data. Lore also corrupts Data through the use of an "emotion chip", simultaneously deactivating Data's ethical subroutines and projecting only negative emotions to it. Under this programming, Data participates in the capture of Picard, La Forge and Troi, but they are able to reactivate Data's ethical subroutines, allowing him to recognize that his current actions are wrong and leading him to deactivate Lore. Data recovers the emotion chip and the surviving Borg fall under the leadership of Hugh. In 2017, SYFY listed "I, Borg" among the 25 best science fiction episodes of the last 25 years.


''First Contact''

The Borg return as the antagonists in the ''Next Generation'' film '' Star Trek: First Contact''. After again failing to assimilate Earth by a direct assault in the year 2373, the Borg travel back in time to the year 2063 to try to stop Zefram Cochrane's first contact with the
Vulcans Vulcans, sometimes referred to as Vulcanians, are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the '' Star Trek'' universe and media franchise. In the various ''Star Trek'' television series and films, they are noted for their attempt t ...
, change the timeline, and erase Starfleet from existence. The ''Enterprise''-E crew follows the Borg back in time and restores the original timeline. ''First Contact'' introduces the
Borg Queen The Borg are an alien group that appear as recurring antagonists in the ''Star Trek'' fictional universe. The Borg are Cyborg, cybernetic organisms (cyborgs) linked in a Group mind (science fiction), hive mind called "the Collective". The Borg ...
as played by Alice Krige, who later reprised the role on United Paramount Network for the finale of ''Star Trek: Voyager''.


''Deep Space Nine''

There is only one appearance of Borg in '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', in the series premiere "
Emissary Emissary may refer to: * Ambassador * Apostle (disambiguation) * Diplomat * ''Emissaries'' (album), a 2006 album by black metal group Melechesh * Emissary (hydraulics), channel by which an outlet is formed to carry off any stagnant body of wate ...
". The episode's prologue depicts
Benjamin Sisko Benjamin Lafayette Sisko is a fictional character in the '' Star Trek'' franchise portrayed by Avery Brooks. He first appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (''DS9'') and became prominent on the TV show in the United ...
(
Avery Brooks Avery Franklin Brooks (born October 2, 1948) is an American actor, director, singer, narrator and educator. He is best known for his television roles as Captain Benjamin Sisko on ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', as Hawk on '' Spenser: For Hire'' ...
) as First Officer on the USS ''Saratoga'', in the Starfleet armada dispatched to confront the Borg at Wolf 359. The ''Saratoga'' is destroyed by the Borg, killing Sisko's wife, Jennifer. Later in the episode, Sisko's meeting with Picard is tense, as he blames Picard for the actions of Locutus. Throughout the remainder of the series, references to the Borg are made occasionally, including the design of their ship, USS ''Defiant'', and the battle from ''Star Trek: First Contact'' being used as a plot point in the fifth season, when Starfleet is spread too thin to deal with a Dominion incursion.


''Voyager''

The Borg make frequent appearances in '' Star Trek: Voyager'', which takes place in the Delta Quadrant. The Borg are first seen by ''Voyager'' in the third-season episode " Blood Fever" in which
Chakotay Chakotay is a fictional character who appears in each of the seven seasons of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Voyager''. Portrayed by Robert Beltran, he was First Officer aboard the Starfleet starship USS ''Voyag ...
discovers the body of what the local humanoids refer to as "the Invaders"; which turns out to be the Borg. In "
Scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always end ...
", the Borg are engaged in a war of attrition against
Species 8472 Species 8472 is a fictional extraterrestrial species in the science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Voyager''. Species 8472 is a designation given to them by the Borg. The multiplayer game '' Star Trek Online'' gives their proper name ...
, whose biological defences are a match for the Borg's nanoprobes. In one of the few instances of the Borg negotiating, in exchange for safe passage through Borg space, the ''Voyager'' crew devises a way to destroy the otherwise invulnerable Species 8472. A Borg drone,
Seven of Nine Seven of Nine (born Annika Hansen) is a fictional character introduced in the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Voyager''. Portrayed by Jeri Ryan, she is a former Borg drone who joins the crew of the Federation starship ' ...
, is dispatched to ''Voyager'' to facilitate this arrangement. After successfully driving Species 8472 back into their fluidic space, Seven of Nine is severed from the Collective and becomes a member of ''Voyager''s crew. Seven of Nine's rediscovery of her individuality becomes a recurring theme throughout the series. ''The Hollywood Reporter'' ranked "Scorpion" as the 4th best episode of ''Voyager'' in 2016, and the 37th best ''Star Trek'' episode. In 2017, Den of Geek rated "Scorpion" among the top 50 ''Star Trek'' episodes overall. In the fifth season, we see the Borg in "
Drone Drone most commonly refers to: * Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg * Unmanned aerial vehicle * Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft * Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to: ...
", where an advanced Borg drone is created when Seven of Nine's nanoprobes are fused with the Doctor's mobile emitter in a transporter accident. The Borg play a peripheral role in "
Infinite Regress An infinite regress is an infinite series of entities governed by a recursive principle that determines how each entity in the series depends on or is produced by its predecessor. In the epistemic regress, for example, a belief is justified beca ...
", when Seven of Nine is exposed to a weapon against the Borg that essentially causes her to suffer from multiple personality disorder ( MPD), reverting to the personas of various people she assimilated while in the Collective. In " Dark Frontier", ''Voyager'' steals and uses a transwarp coil to both rescue Seven of Nine from the Borg Queen and then cut another fifteen years off their journey home before the coil burns out. Juliette Harrisson writing for ''
Den of Geek ''Den of Geek'' is a US and UK-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gan ...
'' in 2017, gave actress Susanna Thompson and Alice Krige as Borg Queens an
honorable mention An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An awar ...
in a ranking of best guest stars on ''Star Trek: Voyager''. In the sixth season episode, " Collective", the crew of ''Voyager'' encounter a damaged cube that is holding Tom Paris, Neelix, Harry Kim and Chakotay hostage. With all the adult drones dead, the ship is run by five Borg children who are saved by ''Voyager'' and deassimilated. The later episode "Child's Play" reveals that the cube was infected by a pathogen that Icheb, one of the children, had been engineered to act as a host for by his parents, but the crew rescue Icheb before he can be sent back to the Borg. The crew encounter the Borg again in "
Unimatrix Zero "Unimatrix Zero" is a two-part episode of '' Star Trek: Voyager'', the cliffhanger between 26th episode of the sixth season and the first episode of the seventh season. Starfleet's USS Voyager stranded on the other side of the Galaxy, once again ...
", a two-part cliffhanger between seasons six and seven. In " Q2", Q's son brings several Borg cubes and drones into conflict with ''Voyager'' as a way for his amusement, before Q rescues them and warns his son not to provoke the Borg. In "
Shattered Shattered may refer to: Books * ''Shattered'' (Casey book), a 2010 non-fiction book: true-crime account of pregnant mother's murder * ''Shattered'' (Francis novel), a 2000 novel by Dick Francis: glassblower seeks videotape following death of j ...
", a freak accident allows Chakotay to travel to various time periods in the ship's history, including the events depicted in "Scorpion", where he interacts with the full drone Seven. In the series finale, "
Endgame Endgame, Endgames, End Game, End Games, or similar variations may refer to: Film * ''The End of the Game'' (1919 film) * ''The End of the Game'' (1975 film), short documentary U.S. film * ''Endgame'' (1983 film), 1983 Italian post-apocalyptic f ...
", a future Admiral Janeway tries to bring ''Voyager'' back to Earth using a Borg transwarp hub. During this episode, she infects the Borg with a neurolytic pathogen which infects the collective and kills the Queen. There are 26 major episodes featuring the Borg in ''Voyager'', however there are about 100 if counting those with Seven of Nine.


''Enterprise''

In the ''
Star Trek: Enterprise ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from September 26, 2001, to May 13, 2005 on Uni ...
'' episode "
Regeneration Regeneration may refer to: Science and technology * Regeneration (biology), the ability to recreate lost or damaged cells, tissues, organs and limbs * Regeneration (ecology), the ability of ecosystems to regenerate biomass, using photosynthesis ...
", the remnants of the destroyed sphere from '' Star Trek: First Contact'' are discovered in the
Arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
along with two frozen drones. The Borg steal a research ship and send a transmission toward the Delta Quadrant before they are destroyed, creating a perpetual time loop/predestination paradox.


''Picard''

The first season of '' Star Trek: Picard'' included four recovering ex-Borg characters: Picard, Seven of Nine, Hugh (featured in "I, Borg" and "Descent"), and Icheb. The Borg are described as "hobbled" and "decimated", with many Borg drones being de-assimilated and Borg cubes and vessels dismantled for their valuable technology. However, they remain a potent threat, with Seven even briefly assuming the role of a Borg Queen to reactivate several inactive drones and use them against the Tal Shiar. In the second season, a damaged Borg Queen is recruited by Picard to help him and his crew travel into the past and prevent the creation of the xenophobic and totalitarian "Confederation of Earth". The Queen, taking an interest in Picard's friend Agnes Jurati, assimilates her and takes control of her body while plotting to steal an advanced space shuttle so she can assimilate the galaxy before the birth of the Federation. However, Agnes persuades the Queen that the Borg will always be defeated because their collective is built on fear and domination rather than trust. Intrigued by the possibility of finally attaining perfection, the Queen departs Earth to test Agnes' theory. Upon returning to the 24th century, towards the end of the Season 2 finale, it is revealed that a volatile trans-warp conduit threatens to destroy part of the galaxy. Picard orders the fleet to comply with the Borg Queen’s wishes to take control of all vessels in order to create a force field. After the successful containment of the emissions from the conduit, it remains open but nobody knows where it leads. Fearing it may attract belligerents, the Borg Queen volunteers the Borg to protect the conduit, expressing her wish to align the Borg with Starfleet and join the Federation with Agnes as the human counterpart of the Borg Queen.


Origin

The origin of the Borg is never made clear, though they are portrayed as having existed for hundreds of thousands of years (as attested by Guinan and the Borg Queen). In ''Star Trek: First Contact'', the Borg Queen merely states that the Borg were once much like humanity, "flawed and weak", but gradually developed into a partially synthetic species in an ongoing attempt to evolve and perfect themselves. In ''TNG''s "Q Who", Guinan mentions that the Borg are "made up of organic and artificial life ..which has been developing for ..thousands of centuries." In the later episode of ''Star Trek: Voyager'', " Dragon's Teeth", Gedrin, of the race the Vaadwaur, says that before he and his people were put into suspended animation 892 years earlier (1482 A.D.), the Borg had assimilated only a few colonies in the Delta Quadrant and were considered essentially a minor nuisance. Now awake in the 24th century, he is amazed to see that the Borg control a vast area of the Delta Quadrant.
Seven of Nine Seven of Nine (born Annika Hansen) is a fictional character introduced in the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Voyager''. Portrayed by Jeri Ryan, she is a former Borg drone who joins the crew of the Federation starship ' ...
comments that the Borg's collective memories of that time period are fragmentary, though it is never established why that is.


Non-canon origin stories

''
The Star Trek Encyclopedia ''The Star Trek Encyclopedia: A Reference Guide to the Future'' is a 1994 encyclopedia of in-universe information from the '' Star Trek'' television series and films. It was written by Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda, who were production staff o ...
'' speculates that a connection could exist between the Borg and '' V'ger'', the vessel encountered in '' Star Trek: The Motion Picture''. This idea of a connection is advanced in
William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
's novel ''The Return''. The connection was also suggested in a letter included in ''
Starlog ''Starlog'' was a monthly science fiction magazine that was created in 1976 and focused primarily on '' Star Trek'' at its inception. Kerry O'Quinn and Norman Jacobs were its creators and it was published by Starlog Group, Inc. in August 1976. ...
'' no. 160 (November 1990). The letter writer, Christopher Haviland, also speculated that the original Borg drones were members of a race called "the Preservers", which
Spock Spock is a Character (arts), fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterprise ...
had suggested in the
original series Original programming (also called originals or original programs, and subcategorized as "original series", "original movies", "original documentaries" and "original specials") is a term used for in-house television, film or web series productions ...
episode "
The Paradise Syndrome "The Paradise Syndrome" is the third episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Margaret Armen and directed by Jud Taylor, it was first broadcast October 4, 1968. In the episode, an ...
" might be the reason why so many humanoids populate the galaxy. It was confirmed in the ''TNG'' episode " The Chase" that an ancient species seeded hundreds, if not thousands of planets with their DNA, creating the Humans, Vulcans (and Romulans as they are a Vulcan offshoot race), Cardassians and others. The extra section of the game '' Star Trek: Legacy'' contains the supposed "Origin of the Borg", based on a scene in '' Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' which tells the story of ''V'ger'' being sucked into a
black hole A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravitation, gravity is so strong that nothing, including light or other Electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic waves, has enough energy to escape it. The theory of general relativity predicts t ...
. ''V'ger'' was found by a race of living machines that gave it a form suitable to fulfilling its simplistic programming. Unable to determine who its creator could be, the probe declared all
carbon-based life Carbon-based may refer to: * Biology * based on Carbon * Carbon-based life * Carbon chauvinism Carbon chauvinism is a neologism meant to disparage the assumption that the chemical processes of hypothetical extraterrestrial life must be construc ...
an infestation of the creator's universe. In order to prevent the destruction of Earth by the ''V'ger'' probe, Commander Decker volunteered to merge with it so that it could fulfill its purpose, albeit a purpose which space and time had corrupted to the point that only fusing with its creator could satisfy it. From this, the Borg were created, as extensions of ''V'ger''s purpose. Drones were made from those assimilated and merged into a collective
consciousness Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...
. The Borg Queen was created out of the necessity for a single unifying voice. With thoughts and desires of her own, she was no longer bound to serve ''V'ger''. In the graphic novel ''Star Trek: The Manga'', the Borg resulted from an experiment in medical nanotechnology gone wrong. An alien species under threat of extinction by an incurable disease created a repository
satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...
containing test subjects infused with body parts, organs, and DNA of multiple species along with cybernetic enhancements put in place by advanced medical technology. The satellite was maintained by nanomachines, which also maintained the medical equipment on board. The medical facility is parked in orbit by a black hole, and along with the relativistic state of time around the black hole, allows long-term research to continue at an accelerated time scale rather than in real-time speed. As the medical facility deteriorates, so does the programming of the nanomachines. The nanomachines began infusing themselves into the patients, interpreting them as part of the satellite in need of repair. Among the patients is the daughter of the head medical researcher of the satellite. The satellite eventually falls apart in an encounter with an away team from the ''
Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterpris ...
'' under the command of
James T. Kirk James Tiberius Kirk is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enterprise'' as captain. Kirk leads ...
. In the final moments of the satellite's destruction and the escape of the crew members of the ''Enterprise'' with the patients, the subjects display qualities inherently resembling the Borg: injection of nanomachines in a fashion similar to assimilation, rapid adaptation to weaponry, and a hive mind consciousness, as all the subjects begin following the whim of the daughter. As succumbing to the disease was inevitable, and the corrupt nanomachine programming infused itself into the bodies, the final image of the page of the
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
Borg origin is left with the daughter turned Borg Queen saying, "Resistance is futile." In the novel ''Lost Souls'' (the third book in the '' Star Trek: Destiny'' trilogy), the Borg are revealed to be the survivors of the Caeliar city Mantilis. Thrown across the galaxy in the
Delta Quadrant Several films and episodes of the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek'' are set in distinct astrographical regions of space. Some of these fictional locations exhibit anomalous physical properties; others are defined as sensitive buffer zones ...
and back in time to about 4500 BC by the destruction of Erigol at the climax of ''Gods of Night'', the first book in the trilogy, a group of human survivors from the starship ''Columbia'' (NX-02) and Caeliar scientists try to survive in a harsh arctic climate. Most of the human survivors die of exposure, while several Caeliar are absorbed into their race's gestalt to give life to the others in their group mind. The Caeliar offer the remaining humans a merging of human and Caeliar, to allow both groups to survive. The human survivors are resistant and as time goes on, the Caeliar called Sedin becomes the sole survivor of her group, her mental processes and her form both degrading as time goes on. When the humans return to Sedin for help, she forces them to merge with her, unwilling to allow herself to die when a union can save her life. The forced merging of the humans and the mostly decayed Caeliar results in the creation of the first Borg. The gestalt group mind is perverted to become the collective, driven by Sedin's desperate hunger and need to add the strength, technology, and life-force of others to her own. Ironically, while the Caeliar werealbeit accidentallyinvolved in the creation of the Borg, they also provide the means to end it; in the 24th century, the Caeliar absorb the entire Borg collective back into themselves, ending the cyborgs' centuries-long reign of terror. However, in the ''Star Trek: Coda'' trilogy that ends with the erasure of the novel timeline, Picard confronts the Borg Queen of an alternate timeline where they conquered Earth in ''First Contact'', and when he attempts to use his knowledge of the Borg's creation to catch the Queen off-guard she expresses ignorance of that timeline. Picard speculates that the Borg have such a complex history that time-travel has basically manipulated their reality to such an extent that even they don't have a definitive origin any more.


Other non-canon media appearances

In the ''Star Trek'' novel ''Probe'', which takes place following the events of '' Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'', the Borg are mentioned obliquely in communication with the whale-probe as spacefaring "mites" (the whale-probe's term for humanoid races) who traveled in cubical and spherical spacefaring vessels; the Borg apparently attacked the whale-probe and damaged its memory in some fashion before the events of the film. In the ''Star Trek'' game '' Star Trek: Legacy'', the Borg are featured prominently throughout the ''Enterprise'' and ''TOS'' eras before becoming a major threat in the ''TNG'' era. In unlockable motion-comics that are unlocked after completing each era, it is revealed that the Vulcan T'Uerell experimented on Borg corpses left behind from the ''Enterprise'' episode "Regeneration", and became assimilated. It was not until the end of the ''TOS'' era that she made contact with the main Borg force and became a queen before she was finally killed in a fleet of Starfleet, Romulan, and Klingon ships led by Picard. The
Peter David Peter Allen David (born September 23, 1956), often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films and video games.Buxton, Marc (March 29, 2014)"From 'Future Imperfect' to '2099': Peter David's Greatest Hits" Co ...
novel ''Vendetta'' reveals that the planet killer weapon from the ''
Original Series Original programming (also called originals or original programs, and subcategorized as "original series", "original movies", "original documentaries" and "original specials") is a term used for in-house television, film or web series productions ...
'' episode " The Doomsday Machine" is a prototype for a weapon against the Borg. David revisited this concept in a 2007 sequel novel, ''Before Dishonor'', which features the ''Enterprise''-E working with Spock and Seven of Nine to reactivate the original planet killer to stop the Borg. In
William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
's novel '' The Return'',
Spock Spock is a Character (arts), fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterprise ...
is nearly assimilated by the Borg, but is saved because he mind-melded with V'ger, an earlier form of the Borg, and they assume he is already a Borg. Using the information he subconsciously acquired in the meld, Spock is able to lead a crew of ''Enterprise'' officers (consisting of the ''Enterprise''-D crew, himself, Admiral McCoy, and the resurrected Kirk) in a ''Defiant''-class ship to destroy the Borg central node, severing all branches of the Collective from each other and limiting their future threat. In David Mack's novel trilogy '' Star Trek: Destiny'', set over a year after '' Star Trek: Nemesis'', the Borg stage a massive invasion of local space. Due to Kathryn Janeway crippling their infrastructure in "
Endgame Endgame, Endgames, End Game, End Games, or similar variations may refer to: Film * ''The End of the Game'' (1919 film) * ''The End of the Game'' (1975 film), short documentary U.S. film * ''Endgame'' (1983 film), 1983 Italian post-apocalyptic f ...
", the Borg fear for their survival and attempt to exterminate the Federation and its neighbors. They destroy the populations of numerous Federation worlds. The crews of the ''Enterprise''-E, the '' Titan'', and the ''Aventine'' (captained by newly commissioned
Ezri Dax Ezri Dax () is a fictional character who appears in the seventh and final season of the American science fiction TV series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. Portrayed by Nicole de Boer, she is a counselor aboard the Bajoran space station ''Deep ...
) make contact with the Caeliar, the advanced species that created the Borg, and enlist their aid to end the Borg threat once and for all.
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
began producing ''Star Trek'' titles in 1984 and subsequently a ''Star Trek: the Next Generation'' six-issue mini-series (1988) followed by an on-going series (1989–1996). Fans had to wait four years for Locutus and the Borg to make their June 1993 comic book debut in DC Comics issue no. 47. In the story, titled "''the Worst of Both Worlds''", Jean-Luc and his crew are trapped in an alternate dimension where the Borg have destroyed the Federation and assimilated Earth. The crew encounters a more battle-hardened version of themselves, the last survivors of the Federation led by now Captain Riker, struggling to survive and continue the resistance. They agree to team-up to end the chaos caused by the Borg and their leader, Locutus. The arc lasts for four issues, reaching its conclusion in no. 50, a double-sized 68-page special. The Borg would only appear one more time later in the series, issue no. 75, in a story titled "''War and Madness''" which introduces a new villain,
Enab Emanab ( fa, امناب, also Romanized as Eʿnāb; also known as Eman Āb-e Qadīm, Eman Āb, and Īmanāb-e Qadīm) is a village in Qurigol Rural District, in the Central District of Bostanabad County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran ...
, who has been severed from the Collective and wishes to return to it by any means necessary. Enab is based on the Batman villain Bane. In the ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
''/''Star Trek'' crossover comic, ''Assimilation2'', the Borg join forces with the
Cybermen The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme '' Doctor Who''. The Cybermen are a species of space-faring cyborgs who often forcefully and painfully convert human beings ...
. When the Cybermen subvert the Collective, the ''Enterprise''-D crew work with the
Eleventh In music or music theory, an eleventh is the note eleven scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the eleventh. The interval can be also described as a compound fourth, spanning an octave plus a f ...
Doctor Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...
and the Borg, restoring the Borg to full strength and erasing the Borg/Cyberman alliance from existence. Writers
Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens are a ''The New York Times, New York Times''-bestselling husband-and-wife writing/producing team. In June, 2013, at the Constellation Awards ceremony in Toronto, the writing couple were honored with the Constell ...
developed an unproduced idea for an episode that would have featured
Alice Krige Alice Maud Krige (; born 28 June 1954) is a South African actress and producer. Her first feature film role was in ''Chariots of Fire'' (1981) as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon. She played the dual role of Eva Galli/Alma Mobley i ...
as a
Starfleet Starfleet is a fictional organization in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Within this fictional universe, Starfleet is a uniformed space force maintained by the United Federation of Planets ("the Federation") as the principal means for conduc ...
medical technician who encounters the Borg and is assimilatedthereby becoming the Borg Queen. In the video game '' Star Trek: Armada'', the Borg invades a
Dominion The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire. "Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 1926 ...
cloning facility to create a clone of
Jean-Luc Picard Jean-Luc Picard is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, most often seen as the captain of the Federation starship . Played by Patrick Stewart, Picard has appeared in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''T ...
to create a new Locutus.


In video games

* '' Star Trek: The Next Generation: Birth of the Federation'' * '' Star Trek: A Final Unity'' * '' Star Trek: Armada'' * '' Star Trek: Armada II'' * '' Star Trek: Away Team'' * '' Star Trek: Borg'' * '' Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force'' * '' Star Trek: Elite Force II'' * '' Star Trek: Starfleet Command III'' * '' Star Trek: Encounters'' * '' Star Trek: Invasion'' * '' Star Trek: Legacy'' * '' Star Trek: Conquest'' * '' Star Trek Online'' * ''Star Trek: Borg Contact'' * '' Star Trek: Bridge Crew'' In March of 2001, Activision announced a game called '' Star Trek: Borg Assimilator'', in which the player would play a Borg. Though it was planned to be released that winter, Activision later cancelled the game's development.


Critical reception and popular culture

The depiction of the Borg cube in "Q Who" garnered the episode an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nomination. ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' named the Borg #4 in their 2013 list of the 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time. The Borg are noted as a powerful cybernetic force among the Star Trek aliens, although the Federation has generally been able to thwart their plans. The Borg are noted for their use of powerful starships (the Borg Cube for example), assimilation of other species, and for wanting to acquire new technologies. The phrase "resistance is futile" became prevalent in popular culture from its use in the television show ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''. The Borg uttered the phrase in several'' Star Trek'' episodes and the film ''Star Trek: First Contact'' (which used the phrase as the
tagline In entertainment, a tagline (alternatively spelled tag line) is a short text which serves to clarify a thought for, or is designed with a form of, dramatic effect. Many tagline slogans are reiterated phrases associated with an individual, so ...
for the 1996 film).
Patrick Stewart Sir Patrick Stewart (born 13 July 1940) is an English actor who has a career spanning seven decades in various stage productions, television, film and video games. He has been nominated for Olivier, Tony, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Screen Actor ...
's delivery of the line, as Locutus, in " The Best of Both Worlds" was ranked no. 93 in
TV Land TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division. Originally a spinoff of Nick at Nite consisting exclusively of classic television shows, the channel now airs a combination of recent and cla ...
's list of "The 100 Greatest TV Quotes and Catchphrases". It was used as the title for an episode of the TV series ''Dexter'' as well as a song by Slovenian
avant-garde music Avant-garde music is music that is considered to be at the forefront of innovation in its field, with the term "avant-garde" implying a critique of existing aesthetic conventions, rejection of the status quo in favor of unique or original elemen ...
group
Laibach Laibach () is a Slovenian avant-garde music group associated with the industrial, martial, and neo-classical genres. Formed in the mining town of Trbovlje (at the time in Yugoslavia) in 1980, Laibach represents the musical wing of the Neue ...
on their 2014 album
Spectre Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
. In 2013, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine ranked the Borg the second best villain of the ''Star Trek'' franchise, pointing out "they fly their ugly cube-ship wherever they please and force innocent species to join their ranks" and lamenting Captain Picard's assimilation in the episode "Best of Both Worlds". In 2017, ''
Den of Geek ''Den of Geek'' is a US and UK-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gan ...
'' ranked Borg the 3rd best aliens of the ''Star Trek'' franchise. In 2020, ''
SyFy Wire Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Launc ...
'' listed several Borg episodes in their guide "Best of Borg Worlds", a guide to seven essential Borg-themed episodes to watch as background before ''Star Trek: Picard''. In 2020,
CNET ''CNET'' (short for "Computer Network") is an American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally. ''CNET'' originally produced content for radio and televi ...
ranked the Borg cube the 2nd most powerful spacecraft of the ''Star Trek'' universe, after ''V'Ger''.


See also

*
Cybermen The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme '' Doctor Who''. The Cybermen are a species of space-faring cyborgs who often forcefully and painfully convert human beings ...
*
Group mind (science fiction) A group mind, group ego, mind coalescence, or gestalt intelligence in science fiction is a plot device in which multiple minds, or consciousnesses, are linked into a single, collective consciousness or intelligence. The first alien hive society wa ...
* Replicator (''Stargate'')


Notes


References


Further reading

* Patrick Thaddeus Jackson and Daniel H. Nexon, "Representation is Futile?: American Anti-Collectivism and the Borg" in Jutta Weldes, ed., ''To Seek Out New Worlds: Science Fiction and World Politics''. 2003. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. . pp. 143–167. * Thomas A. Georges. ''Digital Soul: Intelligent Machines and Human Values''. Boulder: Westview. . p. 172. (The Borg as Big Business)


External links


Borg documentary
at the ''Star Trek'' website

at the ''Star Trek'' website {{Star Trek Star Trek species Brain–computer interfacing in fiction Fictional collective consciousnesses Fictional warrior races Fictional extraterrestrial cyborgs Fictional technopaths Fictional elements introduced in 1989 Totalitarianism in fiction de:Völker und Gruppierungen im Star-Trek-Universum#Borg sv:Lista över utomjordiska raser i Star Trek#Borgerna