I Borg

Of all the characters on this series, the one I find the most tiresome is Beverly Crusher. She has this thing about the sacredness of life, which is fine, but she is also willing to allow something that has killed billions of life forms and wiped out whole civilizations, including a close encounter with earth, to come on board. The syrupy way this whole thing unfolds, with characters whose families and friends have been assimilated by these things falling lovingly for this menace, drove me crazy. Disagree with the idea of destroying the collective, but don't embrace this horror. On numerous occasions, Beverly has used her own prejudices and views to push people around, including Picard (who really disappoints me when she is around). Anyway, I'm getting all upset (I guess this is only a fictional series) so I shouldn't get so passionate, but it does portend to speak for a compassionate world, putting aside the foibles of previous civilizations. I'm waiting for Beverly to come on board and say, "Oh, I think the Romulans are really a good hearted people" as they fire on the enterprise. This Borg is bringing with it a huge threat to all living things, where they will continue, bee-like, at the center of the galaxy, with nothing left around them.

This episode was one of the greatest I have ever seen in Star Trek, it involves on of the most interesting and frightening races in the whole Star Trek universe (the Borg) and shows sides of them we've never seen before.

Also in this episode it get's very personal for Piccard and he stands before a great moral dilemma. Of course this has been the case in many episodes but this particular one takes it one step further.

The acting in this episode was somewhat better then usual as well, there were more feelings there than usually displayed by characters like Laforge for example. And Jonathan del Arco did really good playing the lost Borg (Very good considering how bad guest actors there are in many other episodes).

Finally the greatest reason to why i liked this episode so much was because of the greater question. Is a individual that always been controlled by something greater than himself still an individual? It's kind of poetical just as the title "I, Borg".

The Enterprise comes upon a wounded individual from the Borg collective. They are able to dampen his ability to communicate and they bring it aboard the ship to treat it. However, there is a big divide as to what to do--Picard wants to implant the Borg with a virus so that it will infect the others when it's returned but the Doctor just wants to treat it and give it a big hug! Well, not exactly...but close. She, and later, others, worry about the morality of infecting it---though they seem to forget that he is a BORG member!!! I thought this was stupid and they should use the virus. However, as they get to know this new individual, the rightness or at least the effectiveness of this plan becomes questionable.

All the Borg episodes are good--and this one is no exception. Well written and worth seeing.

Enterprise picks up an injured Borg drone and Captain Picard faces a moral dilemma.

This is a strong episode that has in intriguing situation, great continuity from previous seasons, and excellent characters moments.

We are presented with a drone who appears to be regaining his original identity and Picard must decide his fate. The plot tears open the plaster from the psychological wounds both Picard and Guinan suffered at the hands of the Borg, and it unfolds is quite a compelling character drama.

Picard and Guinan for me are the main attractions of this episode. Both Patrick Stewart and Caryn Johnson on top form with their characters, for once, taking the more aggressive stance in a situation.

Contrasting them are Geordie LaForge and Dr Crusher, who take the more humane approach. These scenes are played out nicely and LeVar Burton and Gates McFadden contribute well.

The best scene for me is the much built up confrontation between Picard and Hugh the Borg drone played by Jonathan Del Arco. It was a great idea by the writers to have Picard test Hugh the way he does.

Del Arco does a great job of getting his character some audience sympathy in the build up to Picard's decision. He portrays Hugh with a childlike harmlessness, under freakish looking makeup, not unlike Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands. Not that he's in the same league as Depp, but I personally felt those type of vibes from the character.

For me it's a 8.5/10 but I round upwards.

The "Borg" idea was inspired by studying the real life character by the name of Broden Borg who always tries to get everyone around him to assimilate with what Broden wants them to do. Resistance is futile ! The Captain of the Enterprise tried to get Data to erase the "Broden Borg" from the memory banks but couldn't leading to the plasma conducts becoming blocked. Troy believed the only way to remove the "Broden Borg" from the Enterprise was to place the "Broden Borg" on top of the warp coils, but the "Broden Borg" was too strong ranting and raving about it's own self worthiness resulting in Data blowing a circuit. Most Trekies don't realize that the "Broden Borg" is far more dangerous than the "Borg" on their own. 9 out of 10 for this one.