Episode 223: "I, Borg" 

Picard sends an Away Team to investigate the wreckage of a small craft, where they find the only survivor is an adolescent Borg. The Captain initially shows no sign of wanting to help, however, Dr. Crusher eventually persuades to beam the creature aboard in spite of the fact that his presence on the ship could alert the rest of his race. Back on board the Enterprise, Beverly disconnects the command center that allows the Borg to communicate with the rest of his race. Troi senses anger in Picard, who was kidnapped by the Borg, but he refuses to discuss his feelings. However, those feelings become apparent when Beverly discovers that her new patient's brain implants have been damaged and asks Picard if Geordi can construct new ones. Picard realizes that if Geordi can tamper with the command structure of this Borg's brain, he can destroy the entire race through their interconnected network.
Beverly is shocked that Picard would use the creature she is trying to heal to kill. However, the rest of the crew agrees with the Captain, citing the race's history of warlike activity against the Federation. Later, the Borg wakes up confused and disoriented after being disconnected from the collective whole.

In the science lab, Geordi and a reluctant Beverly attempt to communicate with the Borg so that Geordi can learn more about the command pathways in his brain. As they talk, they find this Borg is harmless and innocent — unlike the other Borg they have met. They name him Hugh, and Geordi begins having second thoughts about programming the creature to destroy his race. When he tells this to Guinan, she reacts with fear and anger. Later, Picard and Riker discover that a Borg rescue vessel is headed their way.

Guinan visits Hugh and angrily tells him how the Borg destroyed her race, but the creature actually shows sympathy toward her plight. Later, Geordi tells Picard he is having second thoughts about using Hugh to destroy the Borg, but Picard will have none of it — until Guinan convinces him to talk with Hugh himself. Hugh immediately recognizes Picard as Locutus, the creature Picard became when the Borg kidnapped and tried to assimilate him. However, Picard is surprised to discover that unlike the rest of the Borg, Hugh is exhibiting human emotions.

Persuaded by his encounter with Hugh, Picard abandons his plan to destroy the Borg. Instead, he offers Hugh the choice of either returning to the crash site to be rescued or remaining on board the Enterprise permanently. Hugh is tempted by the offer to stay with his new friends, but opts to be returned to the crash site to ensure the safety of the Enterprise. He exchanges sad goodbyes with the crew before Geordi returns with him to the crash site. There, he tells Geordi he does not want to forget his experiences through re-assimilation. As Geordi watches the Borg rescue party reclaiming their lost brother, Hugh meets his eyes, offering hope that he will remember their friendship.

Production: 223
Season: 5 Episode: 23
Air Date: 05.11.1992
Stardate: 45854.2

Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes as William Riker
Brent Spiner as Data
LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn as Worf
Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi
Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan
Jonathan Del Arco as Hugh
Throughout the first two Star Trek crews (including in the movies), Picard and Data are the only characters to never receive a promotion. However, in at least two "alternate futures", they were both promoted - the episodes "Future Imperfect" (Data is a full Commander, Picard is an admiral) and "All Good Things..." (Picard, though retired, is referred to as Ambassador).

As a running gag, bathrooms are never shown on Enterprise schematics. This joke is referenced in Star Trek: First Contact (1996) when Zefram Cochrane asks Geordi, "...don't you people from the 24th Century ever pee?" Also, in an interview during the mid 70's on the "Tomorrow" show with Tom Snider, James Doohan stated that bathrooms weren't needed in the future because "that's what phasers are for".

 

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  STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION 
                              
                           "I, Borg" 
                          #40275-223 
                              
                          Teleplay by 
                          Jeri Taylor 
                              
                          Directed by 
                        Robert Lederman 
THE WRITING CREDITS MAY NOT BE FINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED
FOR PUBLICITY OR ADVERTISING PURPOSES WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING
WITH THE TELEVISION LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
Copyright 1992 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights
Reserved. This script is not for publication or
reproduction. No one is authorized to dispose of same. If
lost or destroyed, please notify the Script Department.
                         FINAL DRAFT
                        MARCH 3, 1992
          STAR TREK: "I, Borg" - REV. 3/04/92 - CAST 
                STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION 
                           "I, Borg" 
                             CAST                               
                              
                PICARD             THE BORG SURVIVOR
                RIKER              
                DATA               
                BEVERLY            
                TROI               
                GEORDI             
                WORF               
                                   
                GUINAN             
                SECURITY GUARD'S COM VOICE
                Non-Speaking       Non-Speaking
                  SECURITY GUARDS    TWO BORG
                  NURSES             
                  SUPERNUMERARIES    
             STAR TREK: "I, Borg" - 3/03/92 - SETS 
                STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION 
                           "I, Borg" 
                        
                             SETS 
            INTERIORS                  EXTERIORS
          
            USS ENTERPRISE             USS ENTERPRISE
              MAIN BRIDGE
              CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM     CRASH SITE/MOON SURFACE
              OBSERVATION LOUNGE
              ENGINEERING
              TEN FORWARD
              TRANSPORTER ROOM
              SCIENCE LAB
              DETENTION CELL
              GYMNASIUM
              PICARD'S QUARTERS


 

Click this link to view the complete script in a TXT format