Summary
Despite different takes on the Borg,Star Trek: VoyagerandStar Trek: The Next Generationhave one huge Borg-related thing in common. The Borg were first introduced inTNGand quickly became one of the most terrifying villains of anyStar Trekmovie or TV show. The cyborg species continues to beone of the more recognizable tenets of the franchise to people who are unfamiliar with it. As antagonists, the Borg have a long and complicated history that ultimately came to a close for their original iteration in the series finale ofStar Trek: Picard.
As forVoyagerandTNG, both series created and expanded Borg lore in different ways. As the originator of the Borg,TNGestablished many of their traits that would become central, including their cybernetic components, hive mind, and relentless pursuit of perfection through the assimilation of other species. In contrast,Voyager’s cast of charactersexplored the human impact of the Borg, delving into the psychological trauma former drones often experienced through the character of Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). Aside from these different approaches, however, bothTNGandVoyagerkicked out their first major Borg storylines in similar ways.
How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order
The Star Trek TV franchise has existed for 57 years and consists of 12 shows (and counting). Here’s how to watch them all in timeline order.
Star Trek: Voyager’s “Scorpion” Has A Lot In Common With TNG’s “The Best Of Both Worlds”
“Scorpion” and “The Best of Both Worlds” are very similar
Voyager’s first major Borg episode, “Scorpion, Parts 1 & 2” bears a lot of similarities toTNG’s most famous Borg episode “The Best of Both Worlds, Parts 1 & 2.” Off the bat, both episodes are two-parters, and"Scorpion" was alsoVoyager’s season 3 finale and season 4 premiere, which was the same for “The Best of Both Worlds.“Each episode provided a thrilling cliffhanger to resolve in season 4, withTNGdepicting the assimilation of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) andVoyagerending season 3 withCaptain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)talking the Borg into their first-ever alliance with a Starfleet crew.
The exploration of the Borg that was started in “Scorpion” arguably became the most comprehensive of anyStar Trekshow afterTNGcreated them.
Aside from practical similarities,the storylines in “Scorpion” and “The Best of Both Worlds” had some subtle but unmistakable parallels. Each episode featured major battles that involved the Borg, with “The Best of Both Worlds” depicting the Battle of Wolf 359 while “Scorpion” introduced a war between the Borg and Species 8472. Both episodes also prominently featured the rescue of an important character from assimilation, albeit in different ways. While Picard was taken back from the Borg after his capture,Voyagersevered Seven of Nine’s link to the Collective as a way to add her to the show’s cast.
Voyager Referenced TNG And “The Best Of Both Worlds” Twice In “Scorpion”
Voyager was aware of how much it owed to TNG
Along with these similarities,there are two direct references toTNGand “The Best of Both Worlds” in “Scorpion.“While researching the Borg, Captain Janeway reads a quote from Picard aloud to Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) as a way to illustrate how dangerous the Borg are to the Federation. Similarly, while trying to avoid being forcibly equipped with Borg technology during their alliance, Janeway requests a single Borg representative to communicate with by referencing the Borg’s creation of Locutus, Picard’s name while he was assimilated.
These references subtly show thatVoyagermay have been aware of the similarities between “Scorpion” and “The Best of Both Worlds"and sought to pay tribute to the famousTNGepisode with their first Borg-related two-parter. If that was the case, then the series certainly succeeded, and the exploration of the Borg that was started in “Scorpion” arguably became the most comprehensive of anyStar TrekshowafterTNGcreated them.Star Trek: Voyager’s creative team deserves a lot of credit for what they accomplished with the Borg and their expansion in the franchise.
Star Trek: Voyager
Cast
The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they’ve never faced before.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they embark on interstellar explorations, seeking out new worlds and civilizations.
