OVEG: Scorpion, Part I

Description: Start with the destruction of two Borg cubes by an unknown force, and you know you're in for something different! Voyager has reached the edge of Borg space, and now they must decide: turn back or go through. (apparently, there's no going around) They locate an area of space they call the Northwest Passage. On their way there, they are passed by no less than fifteen cubes. However, except for a quick scan, the Borg ignore them. They continue, only to find the Borg cubes destroyed.

In the meantime, Kess is having telepathic visions (again). The visions show the death of borg and the destruction of Voyager. Harry, Tuvok, and Chakotay are sent over to examine the Borg ship and the alien vessel attached to it. They learn the ship is actually a living thing, and trouble shows up in the form of a big pink alien (only he's not looking for any phone, that's for sure!) After giving Harry a good swat, the team barely escapes with their lives. However, stray cells from the alien that entered Harry's wound are now beginning to destroy him, cell by cell.

The Doctor discovers that he can use the Borg nanoprobes (Tech: nanoprobes are tiny robots. The Borg seem to use them to transform other species into Borg) to attack the alien cells. Meanwhile, the crew analyzes the Borg information on the aliens, called Species 8472. Species 8472 is flying out of a quantum singularity (Tech: Black Hole) through the Northwest Passage. Stuck on what to do next, Janeway consolts Leonardo da Vinci, who inspires her to try a new tactic - an alliance with the Borg.

The crew, needless to say doesn't like this plan very much, but Janeway decides to do it regardless. The plan is to trade the Doctor's information on the nanoprobes to the Borg in return for safe passage. After some debate between Janeway and the Borg, Species 8472 shows up and blows up a Borg planet (along with two Borg cubes, and damaging the third, which is holding Voyager with a tractor beam)...

Comments: The introduction of Leonardo da Vinci (played by John Rhys-Davies from Raiders of the Lost Arc) starts a new subplot for season 4, which begins with Scorpion, Part 2. Da Vinci is an intriguing character, well played by Rhys-Davies, and provides an interesting diversion, especially his brief discussion with Janeway on religion.

The Borg scenes, especially the view inside the ship at the end, are pretty well done, but they are in short supply. Species 8472 is shown even less, but what we do see shows they are potent enemies.

Finally, just a comment on Janeway. She really seems to have become obsessed in this episode. Her discussion with Chakotay shows a woman unwilling to recognize the full ramifications of what she's proposing. For goodness sakes, even Neelix said it was a bad idea!

Rating: 7

Species 8472: Standing what looks to be about eight feet tall, they are physically intimidating. Quick and strong, their bodies generate a kind of bio-electric field that shields them from technology scans. Their domain is "Fluidic Space", a kind of pocket dimension or parallel universe filled with biological fluid (eww). They are capable of telepathic communications, and their DNA is a million times longer than ours. They are the only thing the Borg are afraid of.

Best Moment: Chakotay showing the captain the ramifications of what she's proposing. "We'd be giving an advantage to a race guilty of murdering billions. We'd be helping the Borg to assimilate yet another species, just to get ourselves home. It's wrong!"

Stupid Neelix Moment: None, he behaves himself quite nicely for a change.

Continuity Question: The statement that what the Borg can't assimilate, they can't understand. I thought they had "the ability to analyze and adapt".(Next Generation: The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1) Why are the Borg suddenly limited?

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