"The Best of Both Worlds" is the 26th episode of the third season and the first episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. It comprises the 74th and 75th episodes of the series overall. The first part was originally aired on June 18, 1990, and the second on September 24, 1990, in broadcast syndication television. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this two part episode, the Enterprise must battle the Borg who are intent on conquering Earth, with a captured and assimilated Captain Picard as their emissary. Part 1 was the finale to season three, while Part 2 was the premiere of season four. It is considered one of the most popular Star Trek episodes. In April 2013, "The Best of Both Worlds" was re-released edited together as a single feature film, released on Blu-ray disc and shown as a one-night only event in movie theaters.
Plot
Part I The Starship Enterprise responds to a distress call from the Federation colony on Jouret IV and arrives to discover the colony gone. The Federation suspect the Borg—a hive mind of cybernetic humanoids. Starfleet Admiral Hanson arrives on board the Enterprise with Lieutenant Commander Shelby, an expert on the Borg, who assists the crew in determining the cause of the colony's disappearance. Hanson informs Captain Picard that Commander Riker has been offered the command of the Starship Melbourne and suggests that Riker take the position, having turned it down twice previously. Shelby's research confirms that the colony was destroyed by the Borg. Tension emerges between Riker and the ambitious Shelby, who wants to take over his position as first officer; at one point, Shelby goes over Riker's head to suggest to Picard that the Enterprise split into its component saucer and stardrive sections, after Riker rejects the idea. Hanson advises Picard that another Federation vessel encountered a strange "cube shaped" vessel before sending a distress call that ended abruptly. Enterprise moves to intercept and confronts a Borg cube. The Borg demand that Picard surrender himself, which he refuses. The Borg lock the vessel in a tractor beam and begin cutting into the hull. Shelby suggests randomly changing the frequency of the ship's phasers to prevent the Borg from adapting to the attack, which frees the vessel. The Enterprise escapes to a nearby nebula, where Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge and Ensign Wesley Crusher adapt a technique suggested by Shelby to modify the ship's deflector dish to fire a massive energy discharge capable of destroying the Borg cube. The Borg flush Enterprise from the nebula, board the ship, and abduct Picard. The Borg Cube moves at high warp speed towards Earth, with Enterprise in pursuit.
Riker, now in command of the ship, prepares to join an away team to board the Cube to rescue Picard, but Counselor Troi reminds him his place is now on the bridge. Shelby leads the away team onto the Borg cube, where they are ignored by the Borg drones. The team locate Picard's uniform and communicator and destroy power nodes inside the cube, forcing it out of warp. As the team prepares to transport back to Enterprise, they see Picard, with cybernetic attachments turning him into a Borg drone. The Borg contact Enterprise, speaking through Picard; he identifies himself as "Locutus of Borg" and tells them that "Resistance is futile." Riker orders Worf to fire the deflector dish.
Part II The deflector dish discharge has no effect on the Borg cube; Locutus reveals that the Borg prepared for the attack using Picard's knowledge. The Borg cube continues at warp speed towards Earth, with the crippled Enterprise unable to follow. Upon reporting their failure to Hanson, Riker is promoted to captain and makes Shelby his first officer. The crew learns that a fleet of starships is massing at Wolf 359 to stop the Borg. Guinan, the Enterprise's bartender and Picard's friend, suggests to Riker that he "let go of Picard", since Picard's knowledge is being used to thwart Starfleet tactics, in order to defeat the Borg and possibly save Picard's life. The Enterprise arrives at Wolf 359 to find the fleet has been destroyed, including the Melbourne. It follows the cube's warp trail to an intercept point, where Riker offers to negotiate with Locutus. The request is denied, but the communication reveals Locutus's location within the cube. Riker orders the Enterprise to separate into saucer and stardrive sections—but contrary to Shelby's original suggestion, Riker orders the saucer section rather than the stardrive to fire an anti-matter spread on the cube, disrupting its sensors so that a shuttlecraft piloted by Lieutenant Commander Data and Lt. Worf can bypass the Borg shields, allowing them to transport aboard the cube. They kidnap Locutus, although the Borg ignore this and continue to Earth. Data and Dr. Crusher create a neural link with Locutus to gain access to the Borg's collective consciousness. Data attempts to use the link to disable the Borg's weapons and defensive systems, but cannot, as they are protected by security protocols. Picard breaks free from Borg control enough to mutter, "sleep". Data realizes that Picard is suggesting accessing the Borg regeneration subroutines, which are less protected than key systems like weapons or power. Data issues a command to the Borg to enter sleep mode, causing their weapons and shields to deactivate. A feedback loop builds in the Borg cube, which destroys the vessel. Dr. Crusher and Data remove the Borg implants and augmentations from Picard. The Enterprise is awaiting repairs at an orbital shipyard, and Riker, although offered command of his own ship, insists on remaining as first officer. Shelby is reassigned to a task force dedicated to rebuilding the fleet. Picard recovers, but is still disturbed by his ordeal.
Production
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
