“The Best of Both Worlds”
ST: TNG Episode No.'s: 74 and 75
ST: TNG Production No.'s: 174 and 175
Original Air Dates (USA): 06/18/1990 and 09/24/1990
Stardate: 43989.1 through 44001.4
Written By: Michael Piller

• Episode Synopsis:

While on a mission to the New Providence colony on Joret IV, the U.S.S. Enterprise Away Team beams to the planet surface, only to find that the entire colony has mysteriously disappeared.  Only an enormous crater remains where the colony once was.

After transmitting the suspicious circumstances of the colony’s disappearance to Starfleet Command, Starfleet dispatches Lt. Commander Shelby, a specialist on the Borg, to assist the Enterprise crew in their investigation.  Using the data from the Enterprise’s previous encounter with the Borg, it becomes quickly apparent that the Borg have managed to travel some 7,000 light years in a brief period of time (Starfleet expected this journey to take decades) and infiltrated Federation space.

With the completion of the investigation on Jouret IV, the U.S.S. Enterprise is ordered to investigate the disappearance of another starship after an encounter with an alien vessel described as “Cube Shaped”.   En route, the Borg Cube intercepts the U.S.S. Enterprise and threaten to destroy it unless Picard surrenders himself and transports over to the Borg Cube.  Picard refuses, and the Enterprise narrowly manages to escape the Borg attack which followed and finds refuge in a solar nebula, where the Borg sensors are unable to locate the Enterprise.

Utilizing what little time they have while hiding in the nebula, the Enterprise crew discovers a Borg weakness to certain energy wavelengths, which Shelby believes will allow them to destroy the Borg with a burst of concentrated energy from the Enterprise Main Deflector dish.

The safety of the Nebula proves short lived, and the Borg begin a new assault on the Enterprise, firing magnetically guided energy charges into the nebula in order to drive the Enterprise out.  Suffering damage, the U.S.S. Enterprise is forced to evacuate the nebula before the new weapon system is completed.  Again in the grasp of the Borg, the Enterprise is invaded by three Borg who capture Captain Picard and return with him to their Cube ship.  The Enterprise follows in high-speed pursuit of the Borg, as it makes course for Sector 001... the Terran system... Earth.

Onboard the Borg Cube, Captain Picard is informed by the Borg that they intend to add human biological and technological distinctiveness to that of the Borg Collective as part of a plan to conquer the human race and the Federation.  Picard has been chosen by the Borg to speak for them in all communications with Earth. Meanwhile, on board the Enterprise, Geordi informs Riker that the Borg ship must be slowed to impulse power so that the Enterprise can utilize its warp power with the newly completed energy discharge weapon.

Commander Riker orders an Away Team, led by Shelby to the Borg Cube, in an attempt to force the Borg out of warp.  Shortly after beaming aboard the Borg Cube, the Away Team locates Picard's uniform and communicator, but Picard is nowhere to be found.  At this time, the Away Team notices that there are many power counduits running throughout the various compartments of the Borg ship.   The team destroys several of these conduits, causing the Borg to drop out of warp, as well as leave their individual compartments to deal with the attacking Away Team.

It is at this time that the Away Team sees Picard, who has been assimilated by the Borg.  When their efforts to rescue the altered captain prove futile, the Away Team is forced to beam back to the Enterprise and leave Picard behind.  Shelby informs Riker of the situation and offers to return for the captain, but Geordi insists that they must take their shot at the ship now, for if the Borg are able to go back to warp speed, their new weapon is useless.

The Enterprise is hailed by the Borg ship, and the newly assimilated Captain, now calling himself “Locutus of Borg”, informs the crew of the Enterprise that their life as it has been is over and that from this time forward they will service the Borg.

Riker orders the new weapon to be fired upon the Borg ship, but it proves to be useless.  The crew of the Enterprise quickly learn that since the Borg have assimilated Picard, they have gained a great insight into human behavior to aid their plan to conquer Earth and enslave humanity and have also accessed Picard's extensive knowledge of the Enterprise, its crew, and their strategy to defend the planet Earth.

With the Enterprise damaged by the energy weapon and unable to follow, the Borg resume a course toward Earth.  Admiral Hanson contacts the Enterprise to inform them that the Federation fleet awaits the Borg arrival at sector Wolf 359.  Several hours later, the Admiral informs the Enterprise via subspace that the fleet has engaged the Borg at Wolf 359, but the battle does not fare well for the Federation, and his communication is suddenly terminated.

The damage repaired, the Enterprise arrives at the Wolf 359 battle coordinates and are horrified by the discovery of a literal graveyard of Starfleet ships, left behind as a grim sign of the Borg’s immense power.

At this time, Riker realizes that the task of defeating an enemy which has knowledge of all the Federation weaknesses and tactis is hopeless.  However, he does discover that he can use this to his adavantage.   Riker realizes that this assimilation of Picard is two fold... not only do the Borg know all that Picard knows, but Picard knows all of what the Borg know.  Riker searches for a way to retrieve and use Locutus to access Borg information in the same way the Borg tapped the captain for Federation secrets.

The Enterprise crew is successful in kidnapping Locutus, and he is taken to Data’s lab where Data attempts to tie into the Borg Collective consciousness via his positronic brain, utilizing Locutus as a communications link to the enemy Borg.  With time running thin and the Borg in orbit of Earth, Data is successful in his attempt to communicate with the Borg, and implants a command tricking them into believing it was time to regenerate themselves.  This measure, however, causes a defense mechanism in the Borg Collective which initiates a self destruct program.  The Borg Cube destroys itself, and with it gone, Picard is returned to normal.  Dr. Crusher is successful in removing the Borg implants in him from his assimilation and the Enterprise sets course for McKinley space station for refit and repairs... the Borg threat neutralized.

Cast:

Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes as William Thomas Riker
Brent Spiner as Data
LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn as Worf
Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi
Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher
Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan


Guest Cast:

Colm Meaney as O'Brien
George Murdock as Admiral Hansen
Elizabeth Dennehy as Lt. Commander Shelby

Creative Staff:

Director: Cliff Bole
Written By: Michael Piller

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