The Borg Queen (Alice Krige, Annie Wersching) was arguably the most formidable Star Trek villain Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) ever faced. Although the Borg Queen did not make her debut until Star Trek: First Contact, the Borg established themselves as dangerous enemies of the United Federation of Planets in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Borg were organized as a hive-minded collective of beings assimilated from various species across the galaxy. The Borg Queen was the undisputed ruler of the Collective, with her main goal to assimilate as many civilizations and technologies as possible.
The omnipotent troublemaker known as Q (John de Lancie) first introduced the Federation to the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, episode 16, "Q Who." When Q sent the USS Enterprise-D flying across the galaxy, Captain Picard's crew encountered a Borg cube for the first time. Star Trek: The Next Generation's characters quickly realized there was little they could do to combat this new enemy, and they warned the Federation upon their return. Q's intention had been to show Picard how unprepared Starfleet was for the threats that lay in wait for them, and the rest of the Federation would soon learn this truth the hard way.
Why The Borg Turned Captain Picard Into Locutus In Star Trek: TNG
The Borg Queen Wanted Locutus To Be Her Companion
Over a season after Q introduced the USS Enterprise-D to the Borg, the cybernetic drones returned in full force in the Star Trek: The Next Generation two-parter, "The Best of Both Worlds." The Borg kidnapped Captain Picard and assimilated him, turning him into their mouthpiece, Locutus. The Borg planned to assimilate Earth and thought having a human intermediary would make the process more efficient. The Borg Queen personally oversaw Picard's assimilation, although this was not revealed until Star Trek: First Contact. As the only individual in a sea of hive-minded drones, the Borg Queen had grown lonely and wanted to create an equal in Locutus.
In Star Trek: First Contact retconned Star Trek: The Next Generation so that the Borg Queen was present in "The Best of Both Worlds" 6 years before she was officially created.
Locutus was originally intended to be an intelligent counterpart for the Queen, but Picard continually resisted her attempts to assimilate him, forcing her to turn him into a mindless drone. Picard's assimilation also allowed the Borg to access everything the Enterprise captain knew about Starfleet and the Federation. With this knowledge, the Borg had a tactical advantage at the battle of Wolf 359, which proved devastating for Starfleet. Commander Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and the Enterprise crew eventually managed to rescue Picard, and they used his link to the collective to destroy the Borg cube approaching Earth.
The Borg Queen Tried To Alter The Past In First Contact
When the USS Enterprise-E returned to Earth to aid Starfleet in a battle against the Borg in Star Trek: First Contact, Captain Picard and his crew followed a Borg sphere back in time to prevent them from altering the past. When the Enterprise arrived in the 21st century, the crew discovered that Dr. Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell) was preparing to launch his first warp flight on April 5, 2063. This historic event would lead to first contact with the Vulcans, which ushered Earth into a new era of exploration. The Borg intended to assimilate a defenseless Earth in the past and Picard and his crew resolved to stop them.
As Picard led a team to fight off the Borg, Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) was captured. The Borg Queen tried to convert Data to her cause, while Picard mounted a rescue attempt. Picard came face to face with the Borg Queen, as she taunted him that she had gotten Data to join her side. In the end, Data deceived her and prevented her attack from being successful. Data and Picard then destroyed what they could of the Borg Queen, preserving the proper timeline and crippling the Borg Collective in the Alpha Quadrant.
Jean-Luc Finally Beat The Borg Queen In Star Trek: Picard
Picard & His Crew Finally Put An End To The Original Borg Queen
Even after suffering crippling defeats in Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek Voyager's series finale, the Borg Queen returned in Star Trek: Picard. In Picard season 2, an alternate universe Borg Queen (Annie Wersching) sent Picard and his friends back in time to restore the timeline that Q had manipulated. This Borg Queen then merged with Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill), who became a new kind of benevolent Borg Queen. The original Borg Queen, however, allied herself with the Changelings sometime before Picard season 3 and made a plan to hit back at the Federation.
Jean-Luc Picard's son, Jack Crusher, was born with organic Borg DNA he inherited from his father when Picard was assimilated into Locutus.
Using the Borg DNA that had been dormant in Picard's brain since his time as Locutus, the Changeling/Borg alliance found a way to remotely trigger assimilation in every Starfleet officer under the age of 25. The Borg Queen lured Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) to her and used him as a beacon to transmit the signal that triggered the assimilation. In the end, Picard confronted the Borg Queen yet again and broke his son's connection to the Collective. The Enterprise then destroyed the Borg cube and the Queen, effectively ending the threat of the Borg in the Alpha Quadrant.
Why The Borg Queen Was Picard’s Greatest Enemy
The Borg Queen Got Into Picard's Head (Literally & Figuratively)
Jean-Luc Picard has faced many enemies over the course of his life, but none have come as close to breaking him as the Borg Queen. Picard's transformation into Locutus haunted him throughout his life, even decades later in Star Trek: Picard. As Locutus, Picard oversaw the destruction of 39 Federation ships at the battle of Wolf 359 and the loss of over 10,000 Starfleet personnel. Although Picard had no control over his actions as Locutus, he continued to feel guilt for his role in this devastating battle. And all of this was due to the Borg Queen.
With her intelligence and obvious cunning, the Queen stood toe to toe with Picard, as one of the most formidable villains the Enterprise crew ever faced. With her complete lack of humanity, the Borg Queen had no redeeming qualities, and she left more of an impression on Picard than any other foe. Not only did she literally leave Borg DNA in his brain (that he passed to his son, Jack), but she also caused him severe mental trauma. It took Picard nearly 30 years to defeat the Borg Queen once and for all, making her one of Star Trek's most tenacious villains.
