Summary

The Borg stay one ofStar Trek ’s beneficial villains , and their pattern owes a debt to theAlienfranchise . Introduced inStar Trek : The Next Generationseason 2 , episode 16 , " Q Who,“the Borg make one of the most memorable entrances of anyStar Trekvillain . When Captain Jean - Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) and the gang of the USS Enterprise - D first play the cybernetic drones , they rapidly realize that , unlike any foreign scourge they have faced before , the Borg can not be reason with . The United Federation of Planets ' saint of diplomacy and peaceful first contact lens establish ineffective , as do the weapons and shields of Starfleet ’s armada of starships .

The Borg were originally suppose as an insectoid species with a beehive mind , but this proved too expensive . So the Borg became cybernetic humanoids , and the approximation of a corporate beehive head was adapted for the new eccentric of Borg . Initially , the plan was to introduce the Borg inStar Trek : The Next Generation’sseason 1 finale , in an episode that would have been part one of a trilogy . However , the1988 Writers Guild of America strikehalted those programme , and the Borg launching was pushed ahead several episodes . As for the blueprint of the Borg drones and their technology , this was largely inspire by the designs of artist H. R. Giger , who created the xenomorph inAlien .

The design of the Borg also drew aspiration from the character Lord Dread from the 1987 television seriesCaptain Power and the Soldiers of the Future .

Scott Bakula as Captain Archer, Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway, and Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard

The Borg were the deadliest enemy to front Starfleet and the Federation in a century , but many Star Trek heroes have kill them to carry through the universe

Star Trek’s Borg Were Influenced By Alien Designer H.R. Giger

Alien’s influence can be seen in the design of the Borg drones themselves, as well as the interior of their ships.

make love for his images that combine human body and machines , Swiss artist H.R. Giger was part of the Academy Award - get ahead special effects team for 1979’sAlien . After manager Ridley Scott see Giger ’s conception , particularly his house painting entitledNecronom IV , Scott inscribe Giger to design the alien for the film as well as the extraterrestrial ’s surround and the derelict spacecraft . Giger plan every variation of the alien , including the " facehugger , " " chestburster , " and the adult xenomorph . With their compounding of organic and mechanically skillful ingredient , Giger ’s creations inAlienled to some of the most memorable eubstance horror moments in cinema .

In much of H.R. Giger ’s workplace , it ’s hard to tell where the organic ends and the mechanical begins .

While the face of the Borg is not quite as visceral as thevarious figure of the xenomorph , the combination of organic and mechanical elements remains disturbing . In much of H.R. Giger ’s work , it ’s hard to tell where the constitutive ends and the mechanically skillful begins . From the grownup Borg drones to the baby Borg bring out by Commander William Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ) in " Q Who,“there is something inherently horrifying about parts of the humanoid body being replaced by mechanical parts . This concept is later more fully realized when the Borg absorb Captain Picard as their embouchure , Locutus .

Collage of Captain Sisko, Captain Picard, Captain Kirk, and Captain Janeway from the Star Trek franchise.

Showrunner Terry Matalas Referenced Giger When Describing Star Trek: Picard Season 3’s Borg Queen

Modern Star Trek creators continue to be influenced by Giger’s work.

In a 2023 interview withEntertainment Weekly , Star Trek : Picardseason 3 showrunner Terry Matalas spoke about theBorg Queen ( Alice Krige ) , and the mental process that get going into designing her new look . The Borg Queen ofStar Trek : First Contacthad a more obviously human appearing ( her power to come away her head word from her body notwithstanding).But the Borg Queen ofPicardseason 3 has seen her collective destroy and nearly been destroy herself . Matalas describes this Borg Queen as an"H.R. Giger - esque demon,“and , with her emaciate appearance , she sure enough looks the part .

While the Borg had become somewhat less horrific over their many appearances inStar Trek : Voyagerand beyond , Star Trek : Picardseason 3 made the Borg genuinely frightening again . Alienmay have focused more on the lifelike elements of H.R. Giger ’s work , but the Borg exemplify the frightful idea of machines taking over one ’s humanity . Star Trekdepicts a very unlike reading of the future from the one see in Ridley Scott’sAlien , but both franchise looked to H.R. Giger to craft some of the most iconic science fiction monsters of all time .

Source : Entertainment Weekly

Picard and Riker in season 1

Star Trek : The Next Generation & Star Trek : Picard are available to stream on Paramount+ .

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A Borg drone from Star Trek and a xenomorph from Alien

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