8 Essential Star Trek Episodes to Understand Seven of Nine’s Journey

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One beloved character from the 1990s Star Trek series is Seven of Nine (played by Jeri Ryan), and episodes from both Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard demonstrate why she’s so captivating. Initially introduced in Star Trek: Voyager during season 4 to boost flagging viewership, Seven of Nine quickly became a standout character who revitalized the show. Jeri Ryan’s physical attractiveness was just one aspect of Seven’s allure; her intriguing character development, which followed the former Borg drone as she rediscovered her humanity and adjusted to life beyond the Collective, played a much larger role in her popularity.

Approximately twenty years following Seven of Nine’s four-season run as a main character on “Star Trek: Voyager,” her entire “Star Trek” narrative was brought to a closure in “Star Trek: Picard.” The harrowing effects of the Borg’s torment inflicted upon Seven of Nine were finally revealed, thanks to Picard delving into the dark aspects of Seven of Nine’s past. Each episode further enriches the portrait of Seven of Nine as a multifaceted character who broke free from the Borg’s oppressive programming, developed empathy, and eventually ascended to commanding officer of the USS Enterprise.

8. “The Gift”

Star Trek: Voyager Season 4, Episode 2

Seven of Nine first appeared in the fourth season of Star Trek: Voyager, specifically in the episode “Scorpion, Part 2”. However, it was the subsequent episode, “The Gift”, that provided a more compelling portrayal of Seven as a character following her separation from the Borg Collective. In this storyline, Seven yearns to rejoin the Borg, as that’s the only existence she’s familiar with. Yet, her body is unable to accommodate the Borg implants, making it impossible. In a state reminiscent of a trapped beast, Seven expresses her fear through aggression, antagonism, and a threatening vow to eliminate Captain Janeway’s (Kate Mulgrew) crew from USS Voyager.

Instead of responding with threats, however, Seven of Nine encounters empathy and warmth. Upon discovering that the prisoner in Voyager’s cell was a human girl named Annika Hansen, Captain Janeway firmly believes that Seven of Nine’s humanity is hidden beneath her technology. Despite not wanting to acknowledge it, “The Gift” demonstrates that Seven’s struggle against her humanness is in vain: she will be set free.

7. “The Omega Directive”

Star Trek: Voyager Season 4, Episode 21

In “The Omega Directive”, Seven of Nine presents the Borg not merely as an indiscriminate force of nature, but rather a civilization with their unique values. While Starfleet’s Omega Directive mandates the destruction of the Omega Molecule due to its destructive potential, Seven of Nine contends that the Borg sought to assimilate it because they revered its perfection as a divine ideal to aspire towards. To her, experiencing the Omega Molecule is akin to a religious encounter, as the Borg hold perfection in such high regard that they almost worshipped it.

Through demonstrating that the Borg regard perfection similarly to how Vulcans value logic, “The Omega Directive” offers an insightful view into the culture that shaped Seven of Nine. Seven was instilled with the belief that assimilation serves not as a means for domination, but as a path towards perfection by effectively absorbing the strengths of other cultures. This process was also viewed as a generous offering from the Borg, enabling others to approach perfection more closely. Recognizing that Seven continues to embrace the Borg values of efficiency and striving for perfection offers us a clearer understanding of her motivations and actions.

6. “Infinite Regress”

Star Trek: Voyager Season 5, Episode 7

In “Infinite Regress”, Seven of Nine demonstrates peculiar actions as the personalities absorbed by her when she was a Borg drone begin to surface and dominate her body. Jeri Ryan showcases her exceptional acting talents in portraying Seven transforming into numerous individuals, such as a lively child interacting with Naomi Wildman (Scarlett Pomers), a fierce Klingon warrior, and an aged Ferengi. However, when Seven of Nine returns to herself, she’s filled with fear, confusion, and struggles to comprehend the bizarre events occurring within her.

Seven of Nine was not just an ordinary drone; she served as the Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01, which meant that she herself was responsible for assimilating numerous thousands of new drones. Now that Seven has regained her individuality, she is fully conscious of the lives she took and the suffering she inflicted by turning people into drones. Even if Seven manages to break free from the Collective, every life she took will continue to burden her with guilt. This is a serious theme for an episode that could have been a comedy.

5. “Dark Frontier”

Star Trek: Voyager Season 5, Episodes 15 & 16

In the two-part “Star Trek: Voyager” episode titled “Dark Frontier,” there is a significant shift for the character Seven of Nine. This occurs when she decisively embraces her humanity, permanently leaving the Borg collective behind. As she plans to steal a Borg Cube, old journals from the Hansens resurface, stirring memories of her childhood capture and assimilation by the Borg.

Through flashbacks, we uncover the past that Seven had suppressed. She begins to harbor resentment towards her parents for their inability to protect her, and mourns the life she might have lived.

In the course of the robbery towards its climax, Susanna Thompson’s portrayal of the Borg Queen subtly coerces Seven into remaining with the Borg by hinting at potential danger to Voyager’s team. As Seven grapples with her newfound humanity, she finds herself both intrigued and repulsed by the Borg Queen, who skillfully distorts reality much like a self-centered parent might. This revelation of the toxic upbringing that Seven of Nine experienced provides insight into why she is so shaped by the Borg, and showcases her remarkable progress throughout Voyager’s journey.

4. “Someone to Watch Over Me”

Star Trek: Voyager Season 5, Episode 22

If any episode of “Star Trek: Voyager” portrays Seven of Nine as a character with traits similar to autism, it’s “Someone to Watch Over Me”. In this storyline, Seven of Nine endeavors to grasp the complexities of human dating due to her struggles with social interactions. The Doctor acts as her mentor, guiding her through a set of dating lessons that she awkwardly implements, showing the rigid precision of her Borg background. It’s not that Seven is cold-hearted; rather, the intricacies and unpredictability of human courtship are perplexing and bewildering to her.

In the story, it happens that the Doctor unintentionally develops feelings for Seven, yet those emotions aren’t reciprocated. Fortunately, this doesn’t affect their friendship as Seven of Nine and the Doctor. Instead, the encounter deepens their bond even more. The Doctor persists in educating Seven about human nature throughout Star Trek: Voyager’s remaining episodes. Although Seven doesn’t find a romantic match in “Someone to Watch Over Me,” viewers are given valuable insights into Seven’s thoughts on social interactions.

3. “Imperfection”

Star Trek: Voyager Season 7, Episode 2

By the seventh season of Star Trek: Voyager, Seven of Nine is fully assimilated into the crew of the USS Voyager, accompanied by Icheb (Manu Intiraymi), one of Seven’s Borg offspring. The malfunctioning nature of Seven’s cortical node means certain death, as such defective drones are dismantled in the Collective. Consequently, Seven views her broken node as a personal shortcoming and distances herself from her closest companions —Icheb, Janeway, and the Doctor—. She is reluctant to let them see her imperfections, instead contemplating her own demise.

Inherently instilled Borg principles make it challenging for Seven to accept genuine concern from others, despite their evident affection. The Borg prioritize perfection and self-sufficiency above everything else, leading Seven to believe that she must be flawless and productive to hold worth and gain acceptance. Additionally, proving her individuality means accomplishing tasks independently. However, this becomes slightly less arduous when Icheb risks his life by donating his cortical node to Seven, thereby rescuing her.

2. “Stardust City Rag”

Star Trek: Picard Season 1, Episode 5

For approximately twenty years following her time on the Starship Voyager, the intriguing narrative of Seven of Nine unfolds in “Stardust City Rag.” The story begins when Seven becomes a member of the Fenris Rangers, a vigilante group. Seven’s history is entangled with the captivating villain Bjayzl, portrayed by Necar Zadegan, who manipulated Seven to reach Icheb (Casey King). Bjayzl extracted Icheb’s Borg implants and left him for dead. This Bjayzl was arguably one of the first individuals Seven trusted after Voyager, and the betrayal of that trust made Seven more cautious about forming new relationships.

This version of Seven is characterized by her thirst for vengeance and propensity towards violence. She holds a cynical view of hope, believing it to be a luxury for optimists like Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.

Seven of Nine: “Did you honestly feel you had reclaimed your humanity?”

Admiral Picard: “Yes.”

Seven of Nine: “All of it?”

Admiral Picard: “No. … But we’re working on it, aren’t we?”

Seven of Nine: “Every damn day of my life.”

In “Stardust City Rag” of Star Trek: Picard, we get a glimpse of Seven of Nine’s character in a grittier, almost suffocating interpretation of the Star Trek universe. Without her Voyager comrades by her side, Seven appears disillusioned and battered – yet not defeated. Being a Fenris Ranger is a burden she bears as it is hopeless, meaningless, and draining, but giving up would be worse for her. Her relentless fight against injustice and brutality serves as her affirmation of her own humanity. It’s a difficult and grim existence, yet if Seven has the ability to aid even a single individual, she will do so without hesitation.

1. “The Last Generation”

Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 10

In the series Star Trek: Picard, numerous pivotal instances shaping Seven of Nine are presented – yet it is “The Last Generation” that crowns her development. Essentially, through the course of Star Trek: Picard, Seven of Nine learns to let go of the need for perfection. This becomes evident when she disregards protocol to do what she believes is right. As the seasons progress, Seven no longer feels compelled to make amends for her Borg past, but continues to grapple with doubts about her true place, especially due to Captain Liam Shaw’s (Todd Stashwick) biases.

Despite Commander Seven of Nine spearheading the USS Titan-A’s assault against the Changeling and Borg Alliance, leaving uninfected individuals eager to fight, Seven herself felt the need to step down from Starfleet. It was only after Shaw’s posthumous endorsement, coupled with Captain Tuvok’s (Tim Russ) rejection of her resignation, that Seven of Nine came to realize her true worth—as an individual, a Starfleet officer, and future starship Captain. Each challenge in Star Trek: Voyager ultimately paved the way for Captain Seven of Nine to assume command of the USS Enterprise-G in Star Trek: Picard, with potential continuation in Star Trek: Legacy.

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2025-04-20 01:10