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| imagecap = The Borg Queen in 2373
 
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| born = ''[[Distant past|Unknown]]''
 
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| actor = [[Alice Krige]]<br />[[Susanna Thompson]]
 
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:"''I am the beginning ... the end ... the one who is many ... I am the Borg.''"
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{{aquote|I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. I am the Borg.|The Borg Queen|2373|8}}
 
The '''Borg Queen''' was the name given to the entity that existed within and served as a central nexus for the [[Borg Collective]]. The name was given to her by the [[Federation]] [[scientist]]s [[Magnus Hansen|Magnus]] and [[Erin Hansen]], who discovered her existence. ({{VOY|Dark Frontier}}) There were multiple, (but identical) Borg Queens.
::- '''Borg Queen'''
 
The '''Borg Queen''' was the name given to the entity that existed within and served as a central nexus for the [[Borg Collective]]. The name was given to this entity by the [[Federation]] [[scientist]]s [[Magnus Hansen|Magnus]] and [[Erin Hansen]], who discovered its existence. ({{VOY|Dark Frontier}})
 
   
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
The Borg Queen was assimilated to the Collective around the age of 7-8, and was already present in [[2354]]. ({{VOY|Unimatrix Zero, Part II}}) The Queen defined herself as: "''I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. I am the Borg.''" Although this suggested she was an individual within the Collective, while addressing Borg drones as "my drones", she was not an individual. The purpose of the Queen was to bring order to chaos.
It is unknown when a Borg Queen first appeared within the Collective, but it is known that she was assimilated around the age of 7-8 ({{VOY|Unimatrix Zero, Part II}}) and was already present in [[2354]].
 
   
 
[[File:Borg Queen disembodied.jpg|thumb|The disembodied Borg Queen in 2373]]
A Borg Queen defined herself as, "''I am the beginning... the end. The one who is many. I am the Borg.''" Although this might suggest she would be an individual within the Collective (while addressing them, she referred to drones as "my drones"), she was not. The purpose of a Borg Queen was to bring order to chaos.
 
 
The Borg Queen was a [[humanoid]] female of [[Species 125]]. In accordance with the Borg pursuit of perfection, a blending of the organic and synthetic, very little of her original humanoid form remained. Her face and upper torso were organic while the rest of her body, including her [[skull]] and [[spinal cord]], were [[cybernetic|synthetic]]. Because of her disembodiment she saw herself as the epitome of perfection. The Queen had her own chambers within the Borg [[Unicomplex]] from which she could oversee and control the Borg via the [[command interface]]. Whether she had her own ship or not is unknown, but she used different [[Borg#Spacecraft|Borg vessels]] to travel, such as a [[Borg cube]], [[Borg sphere|sphere]], or [[Borg Queen's vessel|diamond]]. When her physical presence was not necessary her organic part resided above this chamber while her synthetic parts were stored below it, under the floor. If she desired to do so, both could be brought together, and in doing so, created a humanoid form for herself.
   
 
In Human terms, the Borg Queen could be characterized as ruthless. She would do anything to protect the Borg Collective. Where drones showed no [[emotion]]s, the Queen herself did. When necessary, she would employ psychological tactics, like extortion or plain intimidation to get what she wanted. The Queen even displayed self-preservation when she was held at gunpoint by [[Captain]] [[Kathryn Janeway|Janeway]], who threatened to kill her. On a personal level, she considered [[Seven of Nine]] her favorite drone, because the Queen considered her to be unique. This had to do with Seven's experiences as an individual when she served aboard {{USS|Voyager}}. The Queen's goal was to re-assimilate Seven into the Collective to enhance the Borg's, and so her own, perfection. She launched Borg Diamond and followed the ''[[Delta Flyer]]'' into a [[Transwarp conduit]]. The attempt failed, but she survived. ({{VOY|Unimatrix Zero|Dark Frontier}})
[[File:Borg Queen disembodied.jpg|thumb|left|The disembodied Borg Queen]]
 
Her appearance was that of a [[humanoid]] female of [[Species 125]]. In accordance with the Borg pursuit of perfection, a blending of the organic and synthetic, very little of her original humanoid form remained. Her face and upper torso were organic while the rest of her body, including her [[skull]] and spinal cord, were [[cybernetic|synthetic]]. Because of her disembodiment she saw herself as the epitome of perfection. The Queen had her own chambers within the Borg [[Unicomplex]] from which she could oversee the Borg. Whether she had her own ship or not was unknown, but she used different [[Borg#Spacecraft|Borg vessels]] to travel, such as a [[Borg cube]], [[Borg sphere|sphere]], or [[Borg Queen's vessel|diamond]]. When her physical presence was not necessary her organic part resided above this chamber while her synthetic parts were stored below it, under the floor. If she desired to do so both could be brought together and in doing so create a humanoid form for herself.
 
   
 
[[File:Borg Queen 2376.jpg|thumb|left|The Borg Queen in 2376]]
In Human terms, a Borg Queen could be characterized as ruthless. She would do anything to protect the Borg Collective. Where drones showed no [[emotion]]s, the Queen herself did. When necessary she would employ psychological tactics, like extortion or plain intimidation to get what she wanted. The Queen even displayed self-preservation when she was held at gunpoint by [[Captain]] [[Kathryn Janeway|Janeway]], who threatened to kill her. On a personal level she considered [[Seven of Nine]] her favorite drone, because the Queen considered her to be unique. This had to do with Seven's experiences as an individual when she served aboard {{USS|Voyager}}. The Queen's goal was to re-assimilate Seven into the Collective to enhance the Borg's, and so her own, perfection. She launched her vessel and followed the ''[[Delta Flyer]]'' into a [[transwarp conduit]]. The attempt failed, but she survived. ({{VOY|Unimatrix Zero|Dark Frontier}})
 
 
The death of a Borg Queen did not seem to affect the Collective or its [[Hive mind]]. When a Borg drone died, its memories would still be within the Hive mind. Borg drones were capable of functioning without a Queen for any length of time by forming a Hive mind of their own. ({{VOY|Unity}})
   
 
It was thought by Federation [[Exobiology|exobiologist]] [[Erin Hansen]], that the Borg Queen functioned like the queen of an insect hive, to coordinate the drones. Evidence of this was later seen when the Queen countermanded the Collective's judgment about assimilating ''Voyager''. While the Collective felt that assimilation was warranted, the Borg Queen countermanded them and justified the decision due to the fact that ''Voyager'' didn't compromise their security. ({{VOY|Endgame}}) The Queen, while providing coordination for the drones she commanded, also provided other functions such as regulation of the Borg's [[Transwarp hub]]s and [[Interspatial manifold]]s. She effectively brought "order to chaos" for all things. ({{VOY|Endgame}})
[[File:Borg Queen 2376.jpg|thumb|Borg Queen being assembled in 2376]]
 
The death of a Borg Queen did not seem to affect the Collective or its [[hive mind]]. When a Borg drone died, its memories would still be within the hive mind. There was no evidence that a Borg Queen would be more than a drone. Borg drones were capable of functioning without a queen for any length of time by forming a hive mind of their own. ({{VOY|Unity}})
 
   
 
The Borg Queen that was present in [[2377]], was [[assimilation|assimilated]] when she was a child, together with her parents. Years later, she could still hear them. ({{VOY|Unimatrix Zero, Part II}})
It was thought by Federation [[Exobiology|exobiologist]] [[Erin Hansen]] that the Borg Queen functioned like the queen of an insect hive, to coordinate the drones. Evidence of this was later seen when the Queen countermanded the Collective's judgment about assimilating ''Voyager''. While the Collective felt that assimilation was warranted, the Borg Queen countermanded them justifying the decision due to the fact that ''Voyager'' didn't compromise their security. ({{VOY|Endgame}}) The Queen, while providing coordination for the drones she commands, also provides other functions such as regulation of the Borg's [[transwarp hub]]s and [[interspatial manifold]]s. She effectively brought "order to chaos" for all things. ({{VOY|Endgame}})
 
   
 
=== First encounter ===
The Borg Queen that was present in [[2377]] was [[assimilation|assimilated]] when she was a child, together with her parents. Years later she could still hear them. ({{VOY|Unimatrix Zero, Part II}})
 
 
The existence of a Borg Queen was first established sometime prior to [[2365]] by the [[exobiologist]]s Erin and [[Magnus Hansen]]. However, because the Hansens were assimilated, their discovery never reached the [[Federation]]. ({{VOY|The Raven}}) It was not until [[2373]], that the [[Federation]] became aware of her when the Federation [[starship]] {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}} prevented the assimilation of [[Earth]]. This was the second attempt by the Borg, also known as the [[Battle of Sector 001]]. The Borg Queen, along with other drones, traveled back to Earth's past to prevent [[First Contact]], and by doing so, hoped to be able to assimilate Earth.
   
 
[[File:Locutus of Borg and Borg Queen.jpg|thumb|The Borg Queen with Locutus in 2366]]
== First encounter ==
 
 
During this conflict, while Captain [[Jean-Luc Picard]] was trying to destroy the Borg, the Queen claimed to have been present during the [[Battle of Wolf 359]], and even admitted that [[Locutus of Borg]] &ndash; the assimilated Picard &ndash; was intended to be a singular intelligence &ndash; her counterpart, was intended to ease the burden of loneliness. However, when Picard continued to resist, even when he could not control Locutus' body, she was regretfully forced to turn him into the form in which Starfleet encountered him, a glorified drone. Whether or not she physically took part in the Battle of Wolf 359 was unknown.
The existence of a Borg Queen was first established sometime prior to [[2365]] by the [[exobiologist]]s Erin and [[Magnus Hansen]]. However, because the Hansens were assimilated, their discovery never reached the [[Federation]]. ({{VOY|The Raven}}) It was not until [[2373]] that the [[Federation]] became aware of her when the Federation [[starship]] {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}} prevented the assimilation of [[Earth]]. This was the second attempt by the Borg, also known as the [[Battle of Sector 001]]. They traveled back to Earth's past to prevent [[First Contact]], and by doing so hoped to be able to assimilate Earth.
 
   
 
Picard killed that Borg Queen after she tried to persuade [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Data]] to give her the encryption code by which he had locked the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s [[computer]]. She ordered Data to destroy the Phoenix spaceship with quantum torpedoes, and taunted Picard that she would rule the earth without humans or the Federation in it when, the torpedoes missed. Angry at Data for the failure to take over Earth, the android told her: "Resistance is futile!". The [[Warp core]] [[plasma coolant]] that was released by Data destroyed her organic parts, after which Picard broke her cybernetic spinal cord, which ensured that she could no longer function. ({{film|8}})
[[File:Locutus of Borg and Borg Queen.jpg|thumb|The Queen with Locutus]]
 
During this conflict, while Captain [[Jean-Luc Picard]] was trying to destroy the Borg, she claimed to have been present during the [[Battle of Wolf 359]], and even admitted that [[Locutus of Borg]] &ndash; the assimilated Picard &ndash; was intended to be a singular intelligence; her counterpart, intended to ease the burden of loneliness. However, when Picard continued to resist, even when he could not control Locutus' body, she was regretfully forced to turn him into the form in which Starfleet encountered him, a glorified drone. Whether or not she physically took part in the Battle of Wolf 359 is unknown.
 
   
 
=== Subsequent encounters ===
That Borg Queen was killed by Picard after she tried to persuade [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Data]] to give her the encryption key by which he had locked the ''Enterprise'''s [[computer]]. [[Warp core]] [[plasma coolant]] released by Data destroyed her organic parts, after which Picard broke her cybernetic [[spinal cord]], ensuring she could no longer function. ({{film|8}})
 
 
The second encounter with a Borg Queen was in [[2375]] in the [[Delta Quadrant]]. Here, the lost Federation starship USS ''Voyager,'' tried to rescue the former Borg Drone, Seven of Nine, who was then part of ''Voyager''{{'}}s crew, when the plan to steal a [[Transwarp coil]] from a [[Borg sphere]] did not work out as planned. The Queen also revealed that Seven of Nine was not really freed by ''Voyager'' from the Collective, but was allowed to leave by the Borg. During this encounter, the Borg Queen hoped to assimilate Seven of Nine again, who experienced life as an individual for two years, and by doing so, add to her own perfection. However, Seven rejected the Queen and fled with a rescue mission sent by the ''Voyager'' in the ''Delta Flyer''. The Borg Queen's Diamond was sent by the Queen to intercept the [[shuttle]], but it was destroyed in the attempt. ({{VOY|Dark Frontier}})
   
 
The Borg Queen was one of several real people who was adapted into a character in [[Kelis]]' play, based on descriptions from [[B'Elanna Torres]]. ({{VOY|Muse}})
== Subsequent encounters ==
 
The second encounter with a Borg Queen was in [[2375]] in the [[Delta Quadrant]]. Here the lost Federation starship USS ''Voyager'' tried to rescue the former Borg drone Seven of Nine, who was then part of ''Voyager''{{'}}s crew, when the plan to steal a [[transwarp coil]] from a Borg sphere did not work out as planned. The Queen also revealed that the drone Seven of Nine was not really freed by ''Voyager'' from the Collective, but allowed to leave by the Borg. During this encounter the Borg Queen hoped to assimilate Seven of Nine again, who experienced life as an individual for two years, and so add to her own perfection. However, Seven rejected the Queen and fled with a rescue mission sent by the ''Voyager'' in the ''Delta Flyer''. A Borg vessel was sent by the Queen to intercept the [[shuttle]], but it was destroyed in the attempt. ({{VOY|Dark Frontier}})
 
   
 
In [[2377]], a Borg Queen was again encountered by ''Voyager''. This time the Queen wanted to destroy [[Unimatrix Zero]], a virtual world that was populated by regenerating Borg with a genetic mutation. This world was discovered by Seven of Nine and posed a threat to the Borg. During ''Voyager''{{'}}s efforts to rescue this virtual world, the Borg Queen demonstrated her powers by destroying a Borg sphere because she could no longer "hear" only one drone. When a [[Nanovirus]] was released to prevent the detection of [[Unimatrix Zero]], the Queen destroyed several Borg vessels, and killed 75,000 Borg Drones in the process, in the hope of persuading the captured Captain Janeway to give her the antidote. ({{VOY|Unimatrix Zero|Unimatrix Zero, Part II}})
The Borg Queen was one of several real people adapted into a character in [[Kelis]]' play, based on descriptions from [[B'Elanna Torres]]. ({{VOY|Muse}})
 
   
 
[[File:Borg Queen, 2378.jpg|thumb|The Borg Queen in 2378]]
In [[2377]], a Borg Queen was again encountered by ''Voyager''. This time the Queen wanted to destroy [[Unimatrix Zero]], a virtual world populated by regenerating Borg with a genetic mutation. This world was discovered by Seven of Nine and posed a threat to the Borg. During ''Voyager''{{'}}s efforts to rescue this virtual world the Borg Queen demonstrated her powers by destroying a Borg sphere because she could no longer 'hear' only one drone. When a [[nanovirus]] was released to prevent the detection of [[Unimatrix Zero]], the Queen destroyed several Borg vessels, killing 75,000 Borg drones in the process, in the hope of persuading the captured Captain Janeway to give her the antidote. ({{VOY|Unimatrix Zero|Unimatrix Zero, Part II}})
 
 
[[File:Borg Queen confronts Admiral Janeway.jpg|thumb|left|Admiral Janeway confronts the Borg Queen in 2378]]
 
The last encounter between a Federation Starship and a Borg Queen was in [[2378]], and again ''Voyager'' played a part in it. ''Voyager'' accidentally discovered a Borg [[Transwarp hub ]]within a [[Nebula]] and were helped by [[Admiral]] Kathryn Janeway, who came from an [[Alternate timeline]] around twenty-three years in the future, to use the [[Borg transwarp network]] to get back to the [[Alpha Quadrant]]. Because the Borg guarded their Transwarp hub closely, Admiral Janeway devised a plan by which she would infect the Borg Queen with a [[Neurolytic pathogen]] and in doing so make her lose control over the [[Force field]]s which protected the Interspatial manifolds. When the admiral was captured by the Borg, near the [[Unicomplex]], she was assimilated by the Borg Queen herself. Soon after, the Queen began to lose control over her drones. The pathogen even made her lose control over her own synthetic parts, as her body literally fell apart. Her death caused the destruction of the Unicomplex and despite her efforts, ''Voyager'' reached Earth safely. The Borg sphere that was sent after them by the Queen was destroyed by ''Voyager''{{'}}s [[Transphasic torpedo]]es, which were given to them by Admiral Janeway from the future. ({{VOY|Endgame}})
   
 
{{bginfo|It was unknown if the Neurolytic pathogen infected Borg drones who were not in the Unicomplex at the time. The current status of the Borg and whether or not a new Borg Queen was in place were also unknown.}}
[[File:Borg Queen, 2378.jpg|thumb|The Queen in 2378]]
 
[[File:Borg Queen confronts Admiral Janeway.jpg|thumb|left|Admiral Janeway confronts the Queen]]
 
The last encounter between a Federation starship and a Borg Queen was in [[2378]], and again ''Voyager'' played a part in it. ''Voyager'' accidentally discovered a Borg [[transwarp hub]] within a [[nebula]] and were helped by [[Admiral]] Kathryn Janeway, who came from an [[alternate timeline]], around twenty-three years in the future, to use the [[Borg transwarp network]] to get back to the [[Alpha Quadrant]]. Because the Borg guarded their transwarp hub closely, Admiral Janeway devised a plan by which she would infect the Borg Queen with a [[neurolytic pathogen]] and in doing so making her lose control over the [[force field]]s which protected the interspatial manifolds. When the admiral was captured by the Borg, near the [[unicomplex]], she was assimilated by the Borg Queen herself. Soon after the Queen began to lose control over drones. The pathogen even made her lose control over her own synthetic parts, as her body literally fell apart. Her death caused the destruction of the unicomplex and despite her efforts ''Voyager'' reached Earth safely. The Borg sphere sent after them by the Queen was destroyed by ''Voyager''{{'}}s [[transphasic torpedo]]es, given to them by the admiral from the future. ({{VOY|Endgame}})
 
 
{{bginfo|It is unknown if the neurolytic pathogen infected Borg drones who were not in the unicomplex at the time. The current status of the Borg and whether or not a new Borg Queen is in place, are also unknown.}}
 
   
 
== Appendices ==
 
== Appendices ==
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</div>
 
</div>
   
=== Background ===
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=== Background information ===
 
* The Borg Queen was [[Roles with multiple performers|played by]] [[Alice Krige]] in {{film|8}} and {{VOY|Endgame}}. The character was played by [[Susanna Thompson]] in the ''[[Star Trek: Voyager|Voyager]]'' episodes {{e|Dark Frontier}}, {{e|Unimatrix Zero}}, and {{e|Unimatrix Zero, Part II}}.
 
* The Borg Queen was [[Roles with multiple performers|played by]] [[Alice Krige]] in {{film|8}} and {{VOY|Endgame}}. The character was played by [[Susanna Thompson]] in the ''[[Star Trek: Voyager|Voyager]]'' episodes {{e|Dark Frontier}}, {{e|Unimatrix Zero}}, and {{e|Unimatrix Zero, Part II}}.
* In an early design meeting for the Borg Queen the movie ''{{w|Captain Eo}}'' was mentioned, regarding {{w|Anjelica Huston}}'s performance as a villainous woman who lived in the ceiling and would descend on cables. [http://johneaves.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/jeager-n-eaves-battle-over-the-borg-queen/]
+
* In an early design meeting for the Borg Queen, the movie ''{{w|Captain Eo}}'' was mentioned, regarding {{w|Anjelica Huston}}'s performance as a villainous woman who lived in the ceiling and would descend on cables. [http://johneaves.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/jeager-n-eaves-battle-over-the-borg-queen/]
* The appearance of the Borg Queen in ''First Contact'' was a controversial one in the ''Trek'' universe. Though the Borg provided for a threatening and intriguing ''alien'' enemy, their lack of a single villain presented a challenge for the writers. To counter this, and to expand some on the original notion of the Borg as an insect-hive type of race, they created the Queen as a focal point for their story.
+
* The appearance of the Borg Queen in ''First Contact'' was a controversial one in the ''Star'' ''Trek'' universe. Though the Borg provided for a threatening and intriguing alien enemy, their lack of a single villain presented a challenge for the writers. To counter this, and to expand some on the original notion of the Borg as an insect-hive type of race, they created the Borg Queen as a focal point for their story.
* Consequently, many different theories have developed over the role of the Queen and the extent to which she may represent a hierarchical structure in the previously supposed-to-be Collective nature of the Borg. The exact nature of the Queen is still hotly debated and has many possible explanations. When Data asked her about this in ''First Contact'', she openly denied simply controlling the Collective, and said that she ''was'' the Collective, claiming to "bring order to chaos" when Data tried to get a clearer explanation. He considered her response "interesting, if cryptic."
+
* Consequently, many different theories have developed over the role of the Queen and the extent to which she may have represented a hierarchical structure in the previously supposed-to-be Collective nature of the Borg. The exact nature of the Queen is still hotly debated and has many possible explanations. When Data asked her about this in ''First Contact'', she openly denied simply controlling the Collective, and said that she ''was'' the Collective, and claimed to "bring order to chaos" when Data tried to get a clearer explanation. He considered her response "interesting, if cryptic."
* Later in ''First Contact'', when asked by Picard how she had survived when the cube sent to Earth in [[2367]] was destroyed, the Queen only replied that Picard had become small, thinking in three-dimensional terms. Exactly what was meant by this is also a subject of speculation.
+
* Later in ''First Contact'', when asked by Picard how she had survived when the cube that was sent to Earth in [[2367]] was destroyed, the Queen only replied that Picard had become small, and thought in three-dimensional terms. Exactly what was meant by this was also a subject of speculation.
 
* This was further complicated by the re-appearance of a Queen during the run of ''Voyager'', and her subsequent "deaths" and reappearances during the show's run, but was not directly addressed.
 
* This was further complicated by the re-appearance of a Queen during the run of ''Voyager'', and her subsequent "deaths" and reappearances during the show's run, but was not directly addressed.
  +
* Alice Krige purposely limited the ways in which she prepared for "Endgame", reviewing neither her own work on ''First Contact'' nor any of Susanna Thompson's portrayal of the same character. This choice was not motivated out of any sort of disrespect for Thompson, and had nothing at all to do with the actress. ({{STM|169}}, p. 52; {{st.com|first-contacts-borg-queen-alice-krige||article}}) Krige speculated, "''Whoever had played the role, I would have made the same decision.''" {{st.com|first-contacts-borg-queen-alice-krige||article}} Explaining why she made the choice, Krige conceded, "''I thought to see someone else's performance would throw me off course. It was already going to be fairly different because it was the Borg Queen with two females, as opposed to the Borg Queen with two males [....] I just felt it wouldn't help the process.''" ({{STM|169}}, p. 52) She also related, "''I didn't want something in my head, in my imagination. I needed my performance to happen in the moment.''" {{st.com|first-contacts-borg-queen-alice-krige||article}} Krige did, however, request to receive and read all the ''Voyager'' scripts featuring the Borg Queen, including the new teleplay for "Endgame". She indeed read the scripts, despite not watching any of the episodes. ({{STM|169}}, p. 52; {{st.com|first-contacts-borg-queen-alice-krige||article}})
 
* In 2002, the Borg Queen was placed second in ''TV Zone''{{'}}s list of the top twenty science fiction television villains. [[Dukat]] was fourth, [[Weyoun]] was eighth, [[Q]] was eleventh, and [[Seska]] was nineteenth.
 
* In 2002, the Borg Queen was placed second in ''TV Zone''{{'}}s list of the top twenty science fiction television villains. [[Dukat]] was fourth, [[Weyoun]] was eighth, [[Q]] was eleventh, and [[Seska]] was nineteenth.
 
* In an early version of the script of {{film|8}} (a script very different from the movie), [[Geordi La Forge]] tells Data that he is sending the Borg Queen's remains to the [[Daystrom Institute]] for study. [http://movies.trekcore.com/firstcontact/script.txt]
 
* In an early version of the script of {{film|8}} (a script very different from the movie), [[Geordi La Forge]] tells Data that he is sending the Borg Queen's remains to the [[Daystrom Institute]] for study. [http://movies.trekcore.com/firstcontact/script.txt]
 
* When asked whether the Queen was a "virtual entity; the personification of the collective", [[Ronald D. Moore]] said, "''This was not the intention. We saw her as a literal person.''" {{AOLchat|Ronald D. Moore|ron046|1997}}
 
* When asked whether the Queen was a "virtual entity; the personification of the collective", [[Ronald D. Moore]] said, "''This was not the intention. We saw her as a literal person.''" {{AOLchat|Ronald D. Moore|ron046|1997}}
* According to [[Judith Reeves-Stevens]] and [[Garfield Reeves-Stevens]], they pitched a story for an episode of ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' where Alice Krige would play a Starfleet medical technician who made contact with the Borg from {{e|Regeneration}}. The encounter would have seen the birth of the Borg Queen. [http://trekmovie.com/2007/09/22/interview-gar-judy-reeves-stevens-talk-mars-and-enterprise/]
+
* According to [[Judith Reeves-Stevens]] and [[Garfield Reeves-Stevens]], they pitched a story for an episode of ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' where Alice Krige would play a Starfleet medical technician who made contact with the Borg from {{e|Regeneration}}. The encounter would have been the birth of the Borg Queen. [http://trekmovie.com/2007/09/22/interview-gar-judy-reeves-stevens-talk-mars-and-enterprise/]
* An undersuit worn by Krige in ''First Contact'' was sold off on the [[It's A Wrap! sale and auction|''It's A Wrap!'' sale and auction]] on eBay. {{stala|9677}}
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* An undersuit that was worn by Krige in ''First Contact'' was sold off on the [[It's A Wrap! sale and auction|''It's A Wrap!'' sale and auction]] on eBay. {{stala|9677}}
   
 
=== Apocrypha ===
 
=== Apocrypha ===
According to the [[Pocket VOY]] novel ''[[The Farther Shore]]'' published after the television series concluded, a Borg Queen can be replaced in mere seconds by using the Royal Protocol. Seven of Nine was specifically mentioned in the Royal Protocol and was most likely to become the next Queen.
+
According to the [[Pocket VOY]] novel, ''[[The Farther Shore]]'' published after the television series concluded, a Borg Queen could be replaced in mere seconds by using the Royal Protocol. Seven of Nine was specifically mentioned in the Royal Protocol and was most likely to become the next Queen.
   
The [[Pocket TNG]] novel ''[[Resistance (novel)|Resistance]]'' showed the creation of another Queen, who was destroyed by the crew of the ''Enterprise''-E. Subsequently, in the Pocket TNG novel ''[[Before Dishonor]]'' Admiral Janeway is assimilated by the Borg and becomes a Queen who is eventually defeated by Seven of Nine.
+
The [[Pocket TNG]] novel ''[[Resistance (novel)|Resistance]]'' showed the creation of another Queen, who was destroyed by the crew of the ''Enterprise''-E. Subsequently, in the Pocket TNG novel ''[[Before Dishonor]],'' Admiral Janeway was assimilated by the Borg and became a Queen who was eventually defeated by Seven of Nine.
   
In the ''[[Star Trek: Destiny]]'' trilogy, a newly installed Queen oversees a massive Borg invasion of the Alpha Quadrant. It is later revealed that the Borg Queen is merely an avatar for the true power behind the Collective. The ''Destiny'' trilogy also mentions that multiple Queens have been known to exist simultaneously in the Collective, but they all possess the same agenda.
+
In the ''[[Star Trek: Destiny]]'' trilogy, a newly installed Queen oversaw a massive Borg invasion of the Alpha Quadrant. It was later revealed that the Borg Queen was merely an avatar for the true power behind the Collective. The ''Destiny'' trilogy also mentioned that multiple Queens have been known to exist simultaneously in the Collective, but they all possessed the same agenda.
   
One theory regarding the creation of a Queen is that "queens" are members of a specific race, one that was chosen because its females exhibit superior higher-order brain processing-speed, and are therefore assimilated and bred for that purpose. (''[[Star Trek: Elite Force II]]''; ''[[Star Trek: Legacy]]'')
+
One theory regarding the creation of a Queen is that "queens" are members of a specific race, one that was chosen because its females exhibited superior higher-order brain processing-speed, and were therefore assimilated and bred for that purpose. (''[[Star Trek: Elite Force II]]''; ''[[Star Trek: Legacy]]'')
  +
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The extra section of the game ''[[Star Trek: Legacy]]'' contained the "Origin of the Borg", which told the story of ''[[V'ger]]'' being sucked into a black hole. ''V'ger'' was found by a race of living machines which gave it a form suitable to fulfilling its simplistic programming. Unable to determine who its creator could be, the probe declared all carbon-based life an infestation of the creator's universe, leading to assimilation. From this, the Borg were created, as extensions of ''V'ger''{{'}}s purpose. Drones were made from those assimilated and merged into a collective consciousness. The Borg Queen was created out of the necessity for a single unifying voice. However, with thoughts and desires of her own, she was no longer bound to serve ''V'ger''. This explanation, however, was not canon.
  +
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In ''[[Star Trek Online]]'', a new Borg Queen had emerged in 2409 and lead the Collective in an invasion of the Alpha and [[Beta Quadrant]]s, her main targets being the Federation and the [[Klingon Empire]].
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According to "[[Shinsei Shinsei]]", the Borg Queen's name was Danzek.
   
 
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Revision as of 04:53, 19 July 2015

"I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. I am the Borg."
– The Borg Queen, 2373 (Star Trek: First Contact)

The Borg Queen was the name given to the entity that existed within and served as a central nexus for the Borg Collective. The name was given to her by the Federation scientists Magnus and Erin Hansen, who discovered her existence. (VOY: "Dark Frontier") There were multiple, (but identical) Borg Queens.

History

The Borg Queen was assimilated to the Collective around the age of 7-8, and was already present in 2354. (VOY: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II") The Queen defined herself as: "I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. I am the Borg." Although this suggested she was an individual within the Collective, while addressing Borg drones as "my drones", she was not an individual. The purpose of the Queen was to bring order to chaos.

Borg Queen disembodied

The disembodied Borg Queen in 2373

The Borg Queen was a humanoid female of Species 125. In accordance with the Borg pursuit of perfection, a blending of the organic and synthetic, very little of her original humanoid form remained. Her face and upper torso were organic while the rest of her body, including her skull and spinal cord, were synthetic. Because of her disembodiment she saw herself as the epitome of perfection. The Queen had her own chambers within the Borg Unicomplex from which she could oversee and control the Borg via the command interface. Whether she had her own ship or not is unknown, but she used different Borg vessels to travel, such as a Borg cube, sphere, or diamond. When her physical presence was not necessary her organic part resided above this chamber while her synthetic parts were stored below it, under the floor. If she desired to do so, both could be brought together, and in doing so, created a humanoid form for herself.

In Human terms, the Borg Queen could be characterized as ruthless. She would do anything to protect the Borg Collective. Where drones showed no emotions, the Queen herself did. When necessary, she would employ psychological tactics, like extortion or plain intimidation to get what she wanted. The Queen even displayed self-preservation when she was held at gunpoint by Captain Janeway, who threatened to kill her. On a personal level, she considered Seven of Nine her favorite drone, because the Queen considered her to be unique. This had to do with Seven's experiences as an individual when she served aboard USS Voyager. The Queen's goal was to re-assimilate Seven into the Collective to enhance the Borg's, and so her own, perfection. She launched Borg Diamond and followed the Delta Flyer into a Transwarp conduit. The attempt failed, but she survived. (VOY: "Unimatrix Zero", "Dark Frontier")

File:Borg Queen 2376.jpg

The Borg Queen in 2376

The death of a Borg Queen did not seem to affect the Collective or its Hive mind. When a Borg drone died, its memories would still be within the Hive mind. Borg drones were capable of functioning without a Queen for any length of time by forming a Hive mind of their own. (VOY: "Unity")

It was thought by Federation exobiologist Erin Hansen, that the Borg Queen functioned like the queen of an insect hive, to coordinate the drones. Evidence of this was later seen when the Queen countermanded the Collective's judgment about assimilating Voyager. While the Collective felt that assimilation was warranted, the Borg Queen countermanded them and justified the decision due to the fact that Voyager didn't compromise their security. (VOY: "Endgame") The Queen, while providing coordination for the drones she commanded, also provided other functions such as regulation of the Borg's Transwarp hubs and Interspatial manifolds. She effectively brought "order to chaos" for all things. (VOY: "Endgame")

The Borg Queen that was present in 2377, was assimilated when she was a child, together with her parents. Years later, she could still hear them. (VOY: "Unimatrix Zero, Part II")

First encounter

The existence of a Borg Queen was first established sometime prior to 2365 by the exobiologists Erin and Magnus Hansen. However, because the Hansens were assimilated, their discovery never reached the Federation. (VOY: "The Raven") It was not until 2373, that the Federation became aware of her when the Federation starship USS Enterprise-E prevented the assimilation of Earth. This was the second attempt by the Borg, also known as the Battle of Sector 001. The Borg Queen, along with other drones, traveled back to Earth's past to prevent First Contact, and by doing so, hoped to be able to assimilate Earth.

Locutus of Borg and Borg Queen

The Borg Queen with Locutus in 2366

During this conflict, while Captain Jean-Luc Picard was trying to destroy the Borg, the Queen claimed to have been present during the Battle of Wolf 359, and even admitted that Locutus of Borg – the assimilated Picard – was intended to be a singular intelligence – her counterpart, was intended to ease the burden of loneliness. However, when Picard continued to resist, even when he could not control Locutus' body, she was regretfully forced to turn him into the form in which Starfleet encountered him, a glorified drone. Whether or not she physically took part in the Battle of Wolf 359 was unknown.

Picard killed that Borg Queen after she tried to persuade Lieutenant Commander Data to give her the encryption code by which he had locked the Enterprise's computer. She ordered Data to destroy the Phoenix spaceship with quantum torpedoes, and taunted Picard that she would rule the earth without humans or the Federation in it when, the torpedoes missed. Angry at Data for the failure to take over Earth, the android told her: "Resistance is futile!". The Warp core plasma coolant that was released by Data destroyed her organic parts, after which Picard broke her cybernetic spinal cord, which ensured that she could no longer function. (Star Trek: First Contact)

Subsequent encounters

The second encounter with a Borg Queen was in 2375 in the Delta Quadrant. Here, the lost Federation starship USS Voyager, tried to rescue the former Borg Drone, Seven of Nine, who was then part of Voyager's crew, when the plan to steal a Transwarp coil from a Borg sphere did not work out as planned. The Queen also revealed that Seven of Nine was not really freed by Voyager from the Collective, but was allowed to leave by the Borg. During this encounter, the Borg Queen hoped to assimilate Seven of Nine again, who experienced life as an individual for two years, and by doing so, add to her own perfection. However, Seven rejected the Queen and fled with a rescue mission sent by the Voyager in the Delta Flyer. The Borg Queen's Diamond was sent by the Queen to intercept the shuttle, but it was destroyed in the attempt. (VOY: "Dark Frontier")

The Borg Queen was one of several real people who was adapted into a character in Kelis' play, based on descriptions from B'Elanna Torres. (VOY: "Muse")

In 2377, a Borg Queen was again encountered by Voyager. This time the Queen wanted to destroy Unimatrix Zero, a virtual world that was populated by regenerating Borg with a genetic mutation. This world was discovered by Seven of Nine and posed a threat to the Borg. During Voyager's efforts to rescue this virtual world, the Borg Queen demonstrated her powers by destroying a Borg sphere because she could no longer "hear" only one drone. When a Nanovirus was released to prevent the detection of Unimatrix Zero, the Queen destroyed several Borg vessels, and killed 75,000 Borg Drones in the process, in the hope of persuading the captured Captain Janeway to give her the antidote. (VOY: "Unimatrix Zero", "Unimatrix Zero, Part II")

Borg Queen, 2378

The Borg Queen in 2378

File:Borg Queen confronts Admiral Janeway.jpg

Admiral Janeway confronts the Borg Queen in 2378

The last encounter between a Federation Starship and a Borg Queen was in 2378, and again Voyager played a part in it. Voyager accidentally discovered a Borg Transwarp hub within a Nebula and were helped by Admiral Kathryn Janeway, who came from an Alternate timeline around twenty-three years in the future, to use the Borg transwarp network to get back to the Alpha Quadrant. Because the Borg guarded their Transwarp hub closely, Admiral Janeway devised a plan by which she would infect the Borg Queen with a Neurolytic pathogen and in doing so make her lose control over the Force fields which protected the Interspatial manifolds. When the admiral was captured by the Borg, near the Unicomplex, she was assimilated by the Borg Queen herself. Soon after, the Queen began to lose control over her drones. The pathogen even made her lose control over her own synthetic parts, as her body literally fell apart. Her death caused the destruction of the Unicomplex and despite her efforts, Voyager reached Earth safely. The Borg sphere that was sent after them by the Queen was destroyed by Voyager's Transphasic torpedoes, which were given to them by Admiral Janeway from the future. (VOY: "Endgame")

It was unknown if the Neurolytic pathogen infected Borg drones who were not in the Unicomplex at the time. The current status of the Borg and whether or not a new Borg Queen was in place were also unknown.

Appendices

Appearances

Background information

  • The Borg Queen was played by Alice Krige in Star Trek: First Contact and VOY: "Endgame". The character was played by Susanna Thompson in the Voyager episodes "Dark Frontier", "Unimatrix Zero", and "Unimatrix Zero, Part II".
  • In an early design meeting for the Borg Queen, the movie Captain Eo was mentioned, regarding Anjelica Huston's performance as a villainous woman who lived in the ceiling and would descend on cables. [1]
  • The appearance of the Borg Queen in First Contact was a controversial one in the Star Trek universe. Though the Borg provided for a threatening and intriguing alien enemy, their lack of a single villain presented a challenge for the writers. To counter this, and to expand some on the original notion of the Borg as an insect-hive type of race, they created the Borg Queen as a focal point for their story.
  • Consequently, many different theories have developed over the role of the Queen and the extent to which she may have represented a hierarchical structure in the previously supposed-to-be Collective nature of the Borg. The exact nature of the Queen is still hotly debated and has many possible explanations. When Data asked her about this in First Contact, she openly denied simply controlling the Collective, and said that she was the Collective, and claimed to "bring order to chaos" when Data tried to get a clearer explanation. He considered her response "interesting, if cryptic."
  • Later in First Contact, when asked by Picard how she had survived when the cube that was sent to Earth in 2367 was destroyed, the Queen only replied that Picard had become small, and thought in three-dimensional terms. Exactly what was meant by this was also a subject of speculation.
  • This was further complicated by the re-appearance of a Queen during the run of Voyager, and her subsequent "deaths" and reappearances during the show's run, but was not directly addressed.
  • Alice Krige purposely limited the ways in which she prepared for "Endgame", reviewing neither her own work on First Contact nor any of Susanna Thompson's portrayal of the same character. This choice was not motivated out of any sort of disrespect for Thompson, and had nothing at all to do with the actress. (Star Trek Magazine issue 169, p. 52; Borg Queen) Krige speculated, "Whoever had played the role, I would have made the same decision." Borg Queen Explaining why she made the choice, Krige conceded, "I thought to see someone else's performance would throw me off course. It was already going to be fairly different because it was the Borg Queen with two females, as opposed to the Borg Queen with two males [....] I just felt it wouldn't help the process." (Star Trek Magazine issue 169, p. 52) She also related, "I didn't want something in my head, in my imagination. I needed my performance to happen in the moment." Borg Queen Krige did, however, request to receive and read all the Voyager scripts featuring the Borg Queen, including the new teleplay for "Endgame". She indeed read the scripts, despite not watching any of the episodes. (Star Trek Magazine issue 169, p. 52; Borg Queen)
  • In 2002, the Borg Queen was placed second in TV Zone's list of the top twenty science fiction television villains. Dukat was fourth, Weyoun was eighth, Q was eleventh, and Seska was nineteenth.
  • In an early version of the script of Star Trek: First Contact (a script very different from the movie), Geordi La Forge tells Data that he is sending the Borg Queen's remains to the Daystrom Institute for study. [2]
  • When asked whether the Queen was a "virtual entity; the personification of the collective", Ronald D. Moore said, "This was not the intention. We saw her as a literal person." (AOL chat, 1997)
  • According to Judith Reeves-Stevens and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, they pitched a story for an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise where Alice Krige would play a Starfleet medical technician who made contact with the Borg from "Regeneration". The encounter would have been the birth of the Borg Queen. [3]
  • An undersuit that was worn by Krige in First Contact was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [4]

Apocrypha

According to the Pocket VOY novel, The Farther Shore published after the television series concluded, a Borg Queen could be replaced in mere seconds by using the Royal Protocol. Seven of Nine was specifically mentioned in the Royal Protocol and was most likely to become the next Queen.

The Pocket TNG novel Resistance showed the creation of another Queen, who was destroyed by the crew of the Enterprise-E. Subsequently, in the Pocket TNG novel Before Dishonor, Admiral Janeway was assimilated by the Borg and became a Queen who was eventually defeated by Seven of Nine.

In the Star Trek: Destiny trilogy, a newly installed Queen oversaw a massive Borg invasion of the Alpha Quadrant. It was later revealed that the Borg Queen was merely an avatar for the true power behind the Collective. The Destiny trilogy also mentioned that multiple Queens have been known to exist simultaneously in the Collective, but they all possessed the same agenda.

One theory regarding the creation of a Queen is that "queens" are members of a specific race, one that was chosen because its females exhibited superior higher-order brain processing-speed, and were therefore assimilated and bred for that purpose. (Star Trek: Elite Force II; Star Trek: Legacy)

The extra section of the game Star Trek: Legacy contained the "Origin of the Borg", which told the story of V'ger being sucked into a black hole. V'ger was found by a race of living machines which gave it a form suitable to fulfilling its simplistic programming. Unable to determine who its creator could be, the probe declared all carbon-based life an infestation of the creator's universe, leading to assimilation. From this, the Borg were created, as extensions of V'ger's purpose. Drones were made from those assimilated and merged into a collective consciousness. The Borg Queen was created out of the necessity for a single unifying voice. However, with thoughts and desires of her own, she was no longer bound to serve V'ger. This explanation, however, was not canon.

In Star Trek Online, a new Borg Queen had emerged in 2409 and lead the Collective in an invasion of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, her main targets being the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

According to "Shinsei Shinsei", the Borg Queen's name was Danzek.

External links