I, Borg (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"I Borg" is the twenty third episode of the fifth season of the television
show Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
is captured by the Enterprise
crew and examined. During the following interactions, they rethink their attitude towards the Borg.
with a single survivor: a young Borg drone. Dr. Crusher insists on treating the surviving Borg, and Captain Picard
reluctantly agrees to transport him aboard the Enterprise.
Given that the Federation
was attacked by the Borg, the Enterprise crew are wary of the survivor. Picard and his crew consider means of sending the drone back to the Borg as a weapon of mass destruction. The morality of such an action is questioned by Dr. Crusher, who maintains that genocide
should not be considered. Picard notes that with any other race the idea would be out of the question, but the nature of the Borg calls for extreme measures.
The Borg drone (played by Jonathan del Arco
), calling himself "Third of Five" (per his position aboard the five-crew scout ship), is dubbed "Hugh" by Geordi La Forge
following a conversation of self and Human "designations." Hugh explains that the Borg wish to learn about other cultures and cannot understand why Geordi does not want to be assimilated. The engineer explains individuality, continuing onto the subject of friendship. Geordi begins questioning the act of genocide as Dr. Crusher does. These questions are compounded when Hugh begins displaying traits of individuality. This demonstrated independence raises another question of morality for the crew: Is it right to sacrifice one individual to protect the majority?
Geordi voices his concerns to Picard who dismisses them, suggesting that the engineer "un-attach" himself from the drone. Geordi then speaks to Guinan, whose homeworld was destroyed by the Borg. Despite initial skepticism and revulsion at the idea of naming a drone, Guinan meets Hugh. Her skepticism is called into question when she does not find the expected mindless drone, but a confused young individual who concedes that "resistance is not futile," at odds with the mentality of his people. Guinan urges Picard to meet with the Borg. He does so, at first pretending to be Locutus of Borg and ordering Hugh to assimilate the crew of the Enterprise, including Geordi. Hugh resists the idea, claiming that Geordi is his friend. When Picard pushes him further, he states "I will not assist you," shocking Picard with his use of the first person singular
, and prompting the captain to reconsider his plans.
Picard concludes that it would be immoral to use Hugh as a weapon to destroy his people, and offers the drone asylum within the Federation. Hugh is tempted but realises that the Borg would continue to look for him, jeopardizing the Enterprise. He decides to go back to the crash site and be re-assimilated by the Collective — a plan that Picard theorises may cause disruption of its own, with Hugh's individualism spreading throughout the Collective.
Geordi accompanies Hugh to the crash site and witnesses him being "rescued" and reassimilated. Just before Hugh is transported aboard the Borg vessel, he gives a small parting glance to Geordi.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.
Overview
An injured member of the dangerous cybernetic race known as the BorgBorg (Star Trek)
The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek universe associated with Star Trek.Whereas cybernetics are used by other races in the science fiction world to repair bodily damage and birth defects, the Borg use enforced cybernetic enhancement as a means of...
is captured by the Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
crew and examined. During the following interactions, they rethink their attitude towards the Borg.
Plot
The Enterprise discovers a wrecked Borg scout shipBorg starships
In the Star Trek fictional universe, Borg starships are huge interstellar spacecraft used by the Borg race to assimilate other species. All of their ships are simple geometric solids with greebled exteriors and very generalized and decentralized designs....
with a single survivor: a young Borg drone. Dr. Crusher insists on treating the surviving Borg, and Captain Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
reluctantly agrees to transport him aboard the Enterprise.
Given that the Federation
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
was attacked by the Borg, the Enterprise crew are wary of the survivor. Picard and his crew consider means of sending the drone back to the Borg as a weapon of mass destruction. The morality of such an action is questioned by Dr. Crusher, who maintains that genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
should not be considered. Picard notes that with any other race the idea would be out of the question, but the nature of the Borg calls for extreme measures.
The Borg drone (played by Jonathan del Arco
Jonathan Del Arco
Jonathan Del Arco born on is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Hugh the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes "I, Borg" and "Descent, Part II" ....
), calling himself "Third of Five" (per his position aboard the five-crew scout ship), is dubbed "Hugh" by Geordi La Forge
Geordi La Forge
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge is a regular character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its feature films, played by LeVar Burton...
following a conversation of self and Human "designations." Hugh explains that the Borg wish to learn about other cultures and cannot understand why Geordi does not want to be assimilated. The engineer explains individuality, continuing onto the subject of friendship. Geordi begins questioning the act of genocide as Dr. Crusher does. These questions are compounded when Hugh begins displaying traits of individuality. This demonstrated independence raises another question of morality for the crew: Is it right to sacrifice one individual to protect the majority?
Geordi voices his concerns to Picard who dismisses them, suggesting that the engineer "un-attach" himself from the drone. Geordi then speaks to Guinan, whose homeworld was destroyed by the Borg. Despite initial skepticism and revulsion at the idea of naming a drone, Guinan meets Hugh. Her skepticism is called into question when she does not find the expected mindless drone, but a confused young individual who concedes that "resistance is not futile," at odds with the mentality of his people. Guinan urges Picard to meet with the Borg. He does so, at first pretending to be Locutus of Borg and ordering Hugh to assimilate the crew of the Enterprise, including Geordi. Hugh resists the idea, claiming that Geordi is his friend. When Picard pushes him further, he states "I will not assist you," shocking Picard with his use of the first person singular
Grammatical person
Grammatical person, in linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event; such as the speaker, the addressee, or others. Grammatical person typically defines a language's set of personal pronouns...
, and prompting the captain to reconsider his plans.
Picard concludes that it would be immoral to use Hugh as a weapon to destroy his people, and offers the drone asylum within the Federation. Hugh is tempted but realises that the Borg would continue to look for him, jeopardizing the Enterprise. He decides to go back to the crash site and be re-assimilated by the Collective — a plan that Picard theorises may cause disruption of its own, with Hugh's individualism spreading throughout the Collective.
Geordi accompanies Hugh to the crash site and witnesses him being "rescued" and reassimilated. Just before Hugh is transported aboard the Borg vessel, he gives a small parting glance to Geordi.