Some of the best Star Trek stories involve the Borg, one of the deadliest enemies that Starfleet ever faced. The Borg is an entity that was outside of Federation space for some time, and it wasn’t until The Next Generation that this dangerous race even appeared.RELATED: Underappreciated Space Western TV ShowsThe Borg was introduced to the Star Trek universe on The Next Generation timeline, so most of the best Borg episodes are either TNG or Voyager episodes from roughly the same era. The series Picard, which is currently in circulation, includes several Borg characters from the TNG series along with Seven of Nine from Voyager.There’s some speculation that early versions of the Borg, or maybe even an origin story, might appear as part of the plot in the more recent TV shows like Discovery. These are based in the Trek universe but pre-date TNG on the timeline.
6 Endgame (Voyager)
The final episode of Voyager carried the burden of seven years worth of expectations. After this many seasons, much of it spent dodging the Borg in the far reaches of space, it took a total of 27 years for Janeway and her crew to get home.
The main thing is that they made it, but for the Captain, that’s not good enough. Tuvok was suffering from a debilitating cerebral disorder that couldn’t be treated in time, which is one of the reasons Janeway takes the risk of going back in time and making a deal with the Borg to get them back twenty years sooner. This isn’t the first time that Janeway outsmarted the Borg, and with the aid of her younger counterpart, they were able to get it done a second time.
5 Q Who? (The Next Generation)
This memorable episode isn’t just recognized as one of the greatest TNG episodes, featuring one of the most popular and endearing supporting characters, but it was also the very first time the Borg appeared in the Star Trek universe. The Enterprise-D had to find some way to get that far across the galaxy, and it was Q that got them there.
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This was one of the life lessons or tests that Q would often throw at Picard when he thought the captain was getting too arrogant, or when Q himself was simply bored. Picard is excited at the prospect of exploring a new part of the galaxy at first, even though Gainan warns him that they need to get back to Federation space as soon as possible. Once they encounter the Borg, it seems that the omnipotent Q is all that can save them.
4 I, Borg (The Next Generation)
As it is with Star Trek, there’s more nuance to every villain than simply “ugly alien bad” and the Borg is no exception. Plenty of debate took place among the officers of the Enterprise regarding what kind of considerations the Borg should be given as a sentient, independent race, and “I, Borg” was part of that discussion. In this episode, the Enterprise responds to a distress call as they would, but it’s from a Borg drone that crashed while on a scouting mission.
The debate rages as to whether or not they should help the Borg or use him to destroy the local Collective. They decide that any principled Starfleet officers would, especially as the drone in question even starts to show signs of sentience and individuality - they help him and send him on his way with no strings attached. Hugh, which is the name the drone eventually took for himself, would return again in later episodes of TNG and Picard.
3 Descent (The Next Generation)
What could be worse than being attacked by the Borg? Well, how about getting attacked by a group of Borg in league with a powerful and amoral android? This is actually a two-part episode, and also a great choice for Data fans. This character takes a central part in the plot, and questions about the android’s humanity are also brought into question.
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The episode starts with a now-famous scene of Data on the holodeck, playing cards with Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein. A few scenes later, the crew is attacked by Borg who seems to be acting strangely. Part of the tension is finding out why, and it turns out that Lore, essentially Data’s evil twin, is behind it all.
2 Scorpion (Voyager)
One of the best episodes of Voyager and memorable for several reasons, the main one being the introduction of Seven of Nine to the crew. This was also the first time that Janeway showed how humans could defeat the Borg - by outsmarting them.
The Federation protocols for a ship and crew that find themselves on the other side of the galaxy, with thousands of light-years filled with Borg between them and earth, might not be so clear. That might mean making a few deals focused on defeating a common enemy. The Borg thought it could take the earthlings for a ride, but Janeway turned the tables on them at the last minute by separating Seven of Nine from the collective. She eventually became one of the most valuable members of the crew.
1 The Best Of Both Worlds (The Next Generation)
Another two-parter, this time part one was the last episode of the third season and the first episode of the fourth, which is a pretty clever marketing ploy. This storyline is a daring one, and beloved by fans and critics alike. This time the Borg was at the Federation’s doorstep, ready to conquer earth. Their plan was to use Jean-Luc Picard, now as the Borg drone Locutus, as their emissary to do so.
This wasn’t just a chilling story about the implications of a Borg takeover, both as individuals and also on a global scale, but there was a crucial glimmer of hope here. The possibility that Borg drones could be rescued and recovered was what raised the stakes in this episode as viewers wondered if their beloved Captain Picard would be lost forever.
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