I, Borg

"I Borg"
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode
Captain Picard prepares to question the injured Borg drone and decide its fate.
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 23
Directed by	Robert Lederman
Written by	René Echevarria
Featured music	Jay Chattaway
Production code	223
Original air date	May 11, 1992 (1992-05-11)
Guest stars
Whoopi Goldberg - Guinan Jonathan del Arco - Third of Five / Hugh
Episode chronology
← Previous "Imaginary Friend" Next → "The Next Phase"
List of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes

"I Borg" is the 123rd episode of the television show Star Trek: The Next Generation. The 23rd episode of the fifth season.

Overview

An injured member of the dangerous cybernetic race known as the Borg is captured by the Enterprise crew and examined. During the following interactions, they rethink their attitude towards the Borg.

Plot

The Enterprise discovers a wrecked Borg scout ship 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.

See also

• Descent, the sixth season finale/seventh season opener showing the consequences of Hugh's re-assimilation.

References

• Star Trek The Next Generation DVD set, volume 5, disc 6, selection 3.

External links

• I, Borg at the Internet Movie Database
• "I, Borg" at TV.com
• I, Borg at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• I, Borg at StarTrek.com