The Borg were the most fearsome foe in Star Trek history, and their appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation were often the best episodes of the series. First appearing during the second season of TNG, the cybernetic organisms eventually resurfaced in the Alpha Quadrant and wreaked havoc on Starfleet’s armada. Designed only for assimilating all life in the galaxy, the Borg’s unquenchable thirst for universal domination made them impossible to reason with, and their vast array of technology made them nearly unstoppable. Though they only appeared a few times in TNG, they always left their mark on the crew of the Enterprise-D.
Used surprisingly sparingly throughout TNG‘s seven seasons, the creators of the series were clever enough not to overuse their heart-stopping villains, and that made each Borg episode unique. Though Picard’s Enterprise beat the Borg in nearly every encounter, it usually required an unusual amount of creative thinking and ingenuity. Most frighteningly of all, the Borg returned each time stronger than the last, and they became more difficult to vex as a result. Besides being the galaxy’s biggest villains, the Borg episodes also often explored deeper moral issues that gave Picard and company internal struggles to grapple with as well as external ones.
“Descent Parts 1 & 2” (S6, E26 & S7, E1)
Star Trek: TNG, season 6, episode 26, “Descent Part I” left the show’s penultimate season on a stunning cliffhanger, and the Borg were seen acting unusual compared to their previous encounters. The two-part Star Trek: TNG episode saw Data’s brother Lore use a squadron of rogue Borg drones to capture the crew of the Enterprise in hopes of destroying the Federation. Though stuffed to the brim with plot, the two-parter didn’t live up to previous Borg outings mainly because the Borg themselves were peripheral to Lore’s storyline. While it did cleverly pay off the events of TNG, season 5, episode 23, “I, Borg”, it also undercut them in a way.
The Borg character Hugh returned as an unexpected ally for the Enterprise crew, and it allowed his arc with Captain Picard to come full circle. However, Lore’s use of Borg drones as an army of minions seemed to suggest that Admiral Nechayev’s scolding of Captain Picard for not destroying the Borg was somewhat correct. Demoting the Borg to an army for another villain cheapened them somewhat, and it made them less scary as well. Star Trek did make The Borg scary again, but it took a whole new approach to the characters for the effect to be achieved.
“Q Who” (S2, E16)
Initially disguised as just another Q episode, TNG, season 2, episode 16, “Q Who” was actually the introduction of the Borg and a brilliant piece of long-form storytelling. The episode followed the Enterprise after it was hurtled across the galaxy by Q and was forced to make first contact with the dangerous cybernetic organism known as the Borg. What the story did best was build up the suspense of the Borg much in the same way a horror film would introduce its monster. The history of Whoopi Goldberg’s Guinan was essential to the episode, and she took the role of the harbinger of doom when it came to the Borg.
When the Borg finally did arrive, the reveal of their technology and dastardly M.O. was excellently divulged and the outcome of the story ultimately kept them vague enough to remain frightening. Restraint was key to the success of the episode, and ideas set up in “Q Who” were paid off almost two years later at the end of season 3. Ultimately though, “Q Who” only gave fans a taste of the Borg, and while the storytelling was top-notch, it was still a Q episode at its heart. Ongoing storylines weren’t common in early TNG, but “Q Who” planted seeds that would eventually sprout into the best Star Trek Borg episodes.
“I, Borg” (S5, E23)
After the harrowing return of the Borg in TNG, season 3, episode 26, “The Best of Both Worlds”, their next episode was a much more heady and thoughtful exploration of the cybernetic villains. TNG, season 5, episode 23, “I, Borg” chronicled the moral dilemma that the Enterprise crew encountered after they successfully captured a Borg drone and were able to rehabilitate them. Similar to previous alien encounters like the Crystalline Entity, the question of the Borg’s sovereignty was put under a microscope through the reformed Borg named Hugh. Picard was given the opportunity to wipe out the entire collective with a virus, and his emotions clouded his mind.
Having only recently been assimilated into the collective as Locutus, Picard understood the vile evil of the Borg’s collective ideals, but he also recognized them as living beings. “I, Borg” was ultimately one of Picard’s best Star Trek episodes because it showed a vulnerable side to the captain that was rarely seen, and it delivered a nearly impossible decision for him to make. “I, Borg” also illustrated the power of Star Trek in general when it told a truly compelling story without having to rely on action. It was an understated Borg episode, but it was also powerful in equal measure.
“The Best Of Both Worlds Parts 1 & 2” (S3, E26 & S4, E1)
The gulf of time between season 2’s “Q Who” and TNG, season 3, episode 26, “The Best of Both Worlds” saw the Enterprise embark on over a year’s worth of journeys while the Borg diligently made their way across the galaxy towards the Alpha Quadrant. Paying off what was set up in “Q Who”, “Best of Both Worlds” saw the Enterprise engage the Borg, with the latter capturing Captain Picard and assimilating him. Cinematic in its execution, the episode also had a strong B-plot involving Commander Riker and his loyalty to the ship as he was offered a commission of his own.
The cliffhanger of Captain Picard’s assimilation was one of the defining moments of the series, and it had a permanent effect on his character throughout the rest of his time in the Star Trek franchise. Despite being a show that didn’t rely too heavily on action, “Best of Both Worlds” did have a heaping helping of interstellar battles, and it truly put over The Borg as one of the most powerful alien species in Star Trek. The two-part episode was a turning point in the Star Trek franchise and had a permanent impact as seen in future shows like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Picard.
