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Annie Wersching, Who Played Borg Queen on ‘Star Trek: Picard,’ Dies at 45

Ms. Wersching was best known for playing the Borg Queen on the Paramount+ “Star Trek” series. She was also on the television series “24,” “Bosch” and “Timeless.”

A close-up portrait of Wersching smiling. She has red hair and is wearing a black leather jacket.

By Livia Albeck-Ripka

The actress Annie Wersching, best known for her roles in positions of authority on television series like “Star Trek: Picard,” “24,” “Bosch” and “Timeless,” died on Sunday in Los Angeles. She was 45.

The cause was cancer, her publicist, Craig Schneider, said in a statement. He noted that even after Ms. Wersching was diagnosed in 2020, she continued her acting work, playing the Borg Queen on the second season of “Picard,” a “Star Trek” spinoff on Paramount+, as well as the serial killer Rosalind Dyer on the ABC crime series “The Rookie.”

Ms. Wersching was also known for playing Julia Brasher, a police officer on the Amazon series “Bosch,” and Emma Whitmore, an engineer, on the NBC series “Timeless.” On Fox’s “24,” about a counterterrorism team that protects the United States from potential attacks, she played the F.B.I. special agent Renee Walker, which she once called “a dream role.”

“She gets to experience so much action and do so many stunts; she is so cool,” Ms. Werschling told Alive St. Louis magazine in 2009. “Plus, I can relate to her; in real life, I’m not too much of a girly girl.”

Ms. Wersching also provided the voice for the character Tess in The Last of Us , a 2013 video game that has recently been adapted into a television series on HBO, with Anna Torv as Tess.

In an interview on the Paramount+ show “The Ready Room,” Ms. Wersching described playing the Borg Queen as “certainly a little intimidating.” She noted that she had familiarized herself with the role and those who had previously played it before going forward with her own interpretation and performance. “It’s such an iconic role,” she said. “I’m incredibly excited to have everyone see.”

Ms. Wersching was born on March 28, 1977, and raised in St. Louis. Her parents, Sandy and Frank Wersching, were involved in the local arts community. Her father died when she was 12.

Annie spent her youth competing in Irish dance with the St. Louis Celtic Stepdancers. She graduated from Crossroads College Preparatory School in 1995 and received a B.F.A. in musical theater from Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., in 1999. She had intended to make a career in theater but changed her mind after she was on tour with a musical in Los Angeles and went to a live taping of the sitcom “Stark Raving Mad.”

“I thought, ‘This is the best of both worlds — they are performing like it’s theater with the audience interaction, but you are on TV,’” she told Edge magazine. “This is the dream.”

She moved to Los Angeles in 2001.

She is survived by her husband, Stephen Full, whom she married in 2009, and three children, Freddie, Ozzie and Archie Full.

“There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today,” Mr. Full said in a statement. “But she left us the tools to fill it. She found wonder in the simplest moment. She didn’t require music to dance. She taught us not to wait for adventure to find you.”

Mr. Full noted that whenever he and his sons left their house, Ms. Wersching would shout “Bye!” until they were out of earshot.

“I can still hear it ringing,” he added.

Amisha Padnani contributed reporting.

Livia Albeck-Ripka is a reporter for The Times based in California. She was previously a reporter in the Australia bureau. More about Livia Albeck-Ripka

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Annie Wersching Dies; ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Borg Queen Actress Was 45

| January 29, 2023 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 32 comments so far

Sunday brings shocking news that Annie Wersching passed away. First reported on social media, the news was confirmed by Wersching’s family. She played the Borg Queen in the second season of Star Trek: Picard .

RIP Wersching

According to reports Wersching died of cancer after learning of her diagnosis in 2020. Even after getting the news, the actress continued to work, with her recurring role in the second season of Star Trek: Picard as the Borg Queen being one of her final parts.

Allison Pill as Jurati and Annie Wersching as Borg Queen

In a statement (via Deadline ) Wersching’s husband said: “There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today. But she left us the tools to fill it. She found wonder in the simplest moment. She didn’t require music to dance. She taught us not to wait for adventure to find you. ‘Go find it. It’s everywhere.’ And find it we shall.”

Wersching may best be known for her role as FBI agent Renee Walker in two seasons of 24 . She also had regular roles on Bosch and Runaways as well as recurring roles in Timeless and The Vampire Diaries . Her final roles were in Picard and a recurring role on The Rookie .

Annie Wersching attending Star Trek Day event in Los Angeles – September 8, 2021

Trek community remembers Wersching

The surprising news of Wersching’s passing has generated an outpouring of condolences from the cast and crew of Star Trek: Picard … and beyond.

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https://t.co/3UOp6iOc5n — Terry Matalas (@TerryMatalas) January 29, 2023

This was Annie Wersching pic.twitter.com/6KioDkIGct — daní ᱬ (@LtMenalippe) January 29, 2023

Just hearing of this now. Impossible to process. So much passion, energy and love for her work. Such a joy to work with. She loved this role so much and really had fun with it. Damn. pic.twitter.com/hQKqiAQoqh — Dave Blass (@DaveBlass) January 29, 2023

I just heard about this. Losing a member of the Trek fam is always heartbreaking. All of my love & condolences to the friends and family of #AnnieWersching . https://t.co/31rdtXPfKi — Anson Mount (@ansonmount) January 29, 2023

A true loss to our Trek family, and to television. May she rest in God’s peace. #RIP #AnnieWersching https://t.co/qyQvxwwOkc — Doug Jones (@actordougjones) January 29, 2023

TrekMovie offers our condolences to the friends and family of Annie Wersching.

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So sad, so talented, so young.

She was one of the most memorable parts of Picard so far. Condolences to her family and friends.

Wow this is so shocking! I guess she didn’t tell anyone and she looked fine when she was doing interviews for Picard. After going through the pandemic (which is still killing tons of people even though most have practically forgotten about it) it’s another reminder any of us can go at any time or age.

That’s why I’m retiring in 2 months, at 57. Life is short.

When my beloved mom-in-law was fighting Stage IV lung cancer (though she never smoked a day in her life), she was taking a specific immunotherapy drug for her cancer which was of a specific genetic type.

She didn’t slow down much at all during her remaining time until about a month or so before her end, when the cancer had mutated and the drug was consequently no longer effective. From there it was a quick and steep decline. Maybe that was the case with Ms. Wersching. : (

You have to admire someone who most likely knew their time was limited and still threw themselves into life with verve that she apparently have. I find it truly inspiring.

Very sad to learn of her passing. Her Borg Queen was the right combinations of playful, seductive, and terrifying.

I had a hard time believing this news. She was the best part of S2 of Picard. She was amazing and terrifying at the same time. My thoughts are with her family tonight.

She was one of the best parts of Picard Season 2 and brought greatness to the role.

Oh my god, I knew Annie. She was so nice. This is heartbreaking. I had no idea she was even sick. Those poor kids.

Very sad news. How awful for her young children to lose their mother. Her performance was a highlight of season 2 of Picard and knowing now what she was dealing with during filming it’s even more impressive. RIP.

Rough news, and hitting close to home, having lost my brother to cancer about seven weeks ago. MRNA research can’t find a cure/vastly superior treatments fast enough… :-(

I’m so sorry to hear that. There’s no right way to grieve, we just try to muddle through in our own ways and find a way to live with the scars but also the happy memories.

So sorry to hear this. Condolences to you and your family for your loss.

My sincerest condolences…

Very sad news. She was so young and talented and I’m sure her family and friends are absolutely devastated. RIP.

Can’t believe this, watched several interviews and she looked so full of good vibes and energy. Such an amazing actor playing the Queen. Her performance was one of the highlights of Picard Season 2.

Breaks my heart thinking about her kids. My condolences to her family and friends. R.I.P.

Loved her on “24,” “Bosch,” and “Picard.” That’s a very bright light that just went out. :(

This is so sad. Annie Wersching’s Borg Queen was brilliant … right up there with Alice Krige. The interplay between Wersching and Allison Pill made up the most exciting parts of those middle six episodes (of PIC S2). So very sad she’s gone.

That video of Annie had me laughing and crying at the same time. I was ALWAYS impressed by her work. SHE WILL BE MISSED.

Very sad news. I’m currently re-watching Picard S2 in the run up to S3 and she was terrific in her role as the Borg queen. Annie Wersching was an undisputed highlight of S2. I also remember she appeared in an episode of Enterprise.

The Queen is dead, Long live the Queen! This is so tragic and unexpectedly sad, she was only 45 years of age. May she rest in peace.

This is truly sad news. She was a great incarnation of the Borg Queen.

It reminds me of the early Trek movies when we lost so many guest stars at such a young age… Merritt Butrick, Persis Khambatta, Bibi Besch It’s hard to lose those great talents at 85, but 45… so, so utterly sad…

Agree and well observed about early Trek movie losses.

She took a character created by Alice Krige and played it with relish. Sad to hear of her passing.

This is sad news and very unexpected. Far too young for this to happen to anyone. Annie Wersching was one of those instantly recognisable familiar faces on television; always an excellent actress too. She was great on 24 and Timeless, and of course most recently our very own Star Trek.

Rest in Peace. My condolences to Annie’s family and friends.

Love, Love, Love Timeless. Probably my all time fave show. I wanted a new season. But without Annie it wouldn’t be the same.

So sad, so talented. So bee Hive Queen vibes… my Condolences to her Family and Friends

This is so sad. Rest in Peace.

I’m shocked! I am a trekker from Sweden. Picard is very popular on Amazon Prime here in Sweden! Annie was perfect as the Borg Queen! R.I.P Annie Wersching

RIP and my condolences to her family. : (

Cancer is a killer and, as much as you can deny it, especially when you’re young, life is really short. Love is the answer and trying to live a life that is decent, kind, and good. Everyone will have regrets in the end, but we should work to be the best we can be.

Ms. Wersching sounds like she was a wonderful person, a loving mother and wife, and a gifted performer. The outpouring of love from her family and friends is evidence of that. She sounds like a person who’s life was well-lived. Bless her! My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this truly horrible time for them.

Depressing news. When I saw the announcement, it didn’t mention her Picard role and didn’t know THAT until I got to this site. I’m just numb. I’ve had relatives drop just about every 30-45 days the last few months. Its awful. Her Borg Queen portrayal was creepy with the blackened eyes, but effective.

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Published Jan 29, 2023

Remembering Annie Wersching, 1977-2023

StarTrek.com honors the late actress and her contributions to the Star Trek universe.

Black and white image of Annie Wersching

Getty Images / StarTrek.com

StarTrek.com is saddened to learn of the passing of actress Annie Wersching , who played the Borg Queen on the second season of Star Trek: Picard . Wersching passed away on January 29, 2023, at the age of 45.

Wersching began her Hollywood career with an appearance on Star Trek: Enterprise , and most recently, left an indelible mark with her portrayal of the formidable Borg Queen, who entrenched herself among the crew of the La Sirena in hopes of rebuilding the Borg Collective on Picard .

On a segment of The Ready Room last year, Wersching expressed her interpretation of the Borg Queen, “It’s fun. It’s playful. I feel like there’s a little bit more like snark to her. I think she was excited just to have this control and just owning it,” before connecting it with her first acting appearance on Enterprise , “One of my first conversations with Akiva, just about the Borg Queen in general…. He’s like, ‘You know, we could put it in there that Liana was actually assimilated.’ He’s like, ‘It’s Star Trek , we can do whatever we want.’”

Akiva Goldsman, executive producer, Star Trek: Picard , shared with StarTrek.com, “Annie was a gift to us all, and an utter joy to work with. Her entire Star Trek family is heartbroken. Our deepest condolences go out to her family.”

Outside of the Star Trek universe, Wersching’s most memorable works include Pride member Leslie Dean on Marvel’s Runaways , Renee Walker on 24 , Emma Whitmore on Timeless , matriarch Lily Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries , Julia Brasher on Bosch , and the voice of Tess on The Last of Us video game.

Jonathan Weiner

“My heart was broken to hear that we lost Annie this morning. She made our set a joy every day she was there. A true professional and a beautiful human being in every way possible,” expressed Terry Matalas, executive producer, Star Trek: Picard .

Wersching is survived by her husband Stephen Full, and their three children, Freddie, Ozzie, and Archie. A GoFundMe has been set up in support of Wersching’s family .

The entire Star Trek family sends their condolences to Wersching’s family, friends, loved ones, and fans around the world.

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Annie Wersching, the Borg Queen of 'Star Trek: Picard,' dies at 45

The talented actress passed away on Sunday after a two-year illness.

Annie Wersching as 'Star Trek: Picard's' sinister Borg Queen.

The " Star Trek " universe has lost one of its stars.

Trekkies of all stripes are mourning the death of Annie Wersching today as news of her untimely demise due to cancer on Sunday filters around the world as reported by the New York Times .

The St. Louis-born Wersching was a prolific actress and had also been featured in multiple TV shows over the years such as "General Hospital," "24," "The Vampire Diaries," "The Rookie," "The Runaways," "Bosch," and "Timeless," in addition to her motion capture and vocal work as the character Tess in the hit video game "The Last of Us," which was recently adapted into a streaming series on HBO Max.

For sci-fi fans, many will recall her memorable portrayal of the Borg Queen in Paramount Plus' " Star Trek: Picard " Season 2 last year where she stepped into the cyborgian role to fill the shoes of Alice Krige from 1996's " Star Trek: First Contact ."

Related: 'Star Trek: Picard' Season 3 trailer unveiled

Wersching's performance was one of the standouts in that sophomore outing of "Picard" where she played the series' primary villain with palpable presence and style.

"There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today," Wersching's husband Stephen Full said in an official statement. "But she left us the tools to fill it. She found wonder in the simplest moment. She didn't require music to dance. She taught us not to wait for adventure to find you. 'Go find it. It's everywhere.' And find it we shall.

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"As I drove our boys, the true loves of her life, down the winding driveway and street, she would yell BYE! until we were out of earshot and into the world. I can still hear it ringing. Bye my Buddie. 'I love you little family…'"

Picard was not Wersching's first voyage to the final frontier as one of her early acting gigs in her long 23-year career was on "Star Trek: Enterprise" where she played the character Liana in a 2002 episode titled "Oasis."

Actress Annie Wersching speaks on stage at the

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"My heart is broken in more pieces than I can count," said 24 executive producer Jon Cassar regarding her premature death. "Annie came into my world with an open heart and a contagious smile. Brandishing such talent, she took my breath away. Annie became more than a workmate, she became a real friend to me, my family and every cast and crew member that worked with her. She'll be truly missed by them and the fans she always found time to interact with. Annie you'll be missed, you left your mark, and we’re all the better for it."

Wersching is survived by her husband Stephen Full and three children Freddie, Ozzie and Archie.

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Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.

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'Star Trek: Picard' Actress Annie Wersching Dead at 45

Wersching also originated the role of fan-favorite Tess in 'The Last of Us' video game.

Annie Wersching , the actress who brought to life a number of fan-favorite TV characters has sadly passed away today. Wersching most recently appeared as the villainous Borg Queen in Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard , a role that saw her return to the Star Trek franchise in a much bigger capacity a decade after initially making her Star Trek debut in a guest role in Star Trek: Enterprise . Wersching also had roles in popular TV shows such as 24 , Bosch , and The Vampire Diaries . Away from TV, Wersching was a big part of the fast-rising The Last of Us franchise. She lent her voice and performed motion capture for the beloved role of non-player character Tess who was recently brought to live action on the HBO series by Anna Torv . Wersching was 45 years old at the time of her death.

Confirming her death to the media, Wersching's husband, actor Stephen Full penned a heartfelt tribute saying:

“There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today. But she left us the tools to fill it. She found wonder in the simplest moment. She didn’t require music to dance. She taught us not to wait for adventure to find you. ‘Go find it. It’s everywhere.’ And find it we shall. As I drove our boys, the true loves of her life, down the winding driveway and street, she would yell BYE! until we were out of earshot and into the world. I can still hear it ringing. Bye my Buddie. ‘I love you little family…'"

Wersching was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, however, she pressed on with her career and continued to take up acting gigs one of those being the Borg Queen, another iteration of the Cyborg leader of the alien species in the second season of Star Trek: Picard , a character which previously appeared in The Next Generation , Star Trek: First Contact , and as well as Star Trek: Voyager series. Wersching became the third actress to take on the role following Alice Krige and Susanna Thompson .

RELATED: ‘The Last of Us’ Showrunners Reveal the Tess Plot They Scrapped

Annie Wersching began her career picking up bit parts in hit TV shows including Birds of Prey , Frasier , Boston Legal , and Supernatural . After recurring briefly on General Hospital , Wersching landed her first major TV gig as the FBI Special Agent, Renee Walker in Seasons 7 and 8 of the action series, 24 . Her subsequent main TV roles came in Bosch , and Hulu's Runaways based on the eponymous Marvel Comics superhero team and set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She also appeared in the films Bruce Almighty and Below the Beltway .

Since news of her passing was made public, tributes have begun pouring in from Wersching's industry colleagues including Jon Cassar , the producer, and director of 24 , who reflected on their time working together writing;

“My heart is broken in more pieces than I can count. Annie came into my world with an open heart and a contagious smile. Brandishing such talent, she took my breath away. Annie became more than a workmate, she became a real friend to me, my family, and every cast and crew member that worked with her. She’ll be truly missed by them and the fans she always found time to interact with. Annie you’ll be missed, you left your mark, and we’re all the better for it.”

Wersching is survived by her husband Stephen and their three sons Freddie, Ozzie, and Archie. Our deepest condolences are with her loved ones at this difficult time; if you would like to make a donation to her family's GoFundMe you can do so here .

The Women Behind the Pale Skin and Circuits of Star Trek’s Borg Queen

By Eric Pesola
Updated Sep 6, 2021 at 6:36pm

Paramount The Borg Queen with Picard

When the Borg were first introduced in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” their appeal was simple — they were a threat that could defeat the mighty Enterprise-D and her captain, Jean-Luc Picard. Sometimes the ship itself seemed too advanced for any rival to touch, as the Enterprise could quickly dispatch any challenge — except for the new Romulan D’deridex class ship and the god-like being, Q.

The Borg’s first appearance was on the episode “ Q Who ?” when the being spun the Enterprise out hundreds of light-years from where they started. Thanks to Q, the crew encountered the Borg, who outmatched their technology at every level. Q told Picard (Patrick Stewart) that the Federation was now competing at the highest levels. Picard complained about losing 18 members of his crew in the encounter.

“If you can’t take a little bloody nose, maybe you better go back home and crawl under your bed,” Q responded . Q, of course, is played by John de Lancie. “It’s not safe out here. It’s wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it’s not for the timid.”

Q introduces the Borg

The Federation was now on notice. They knew that the Borg would be coming, and they would be hard-pressed to stop this onslaught. And in the two-parter, “The Best of Both Worlds,” fans got to see exactly what kind of destruction the Borg could cause.

Thanks to Starfleet’s defeat at Wolf 359 , the minds in the Federation started to work on new ways of battling the Borg. Those ideas included the new Sovereign-class and Defiant-class ships (seen on the TNG-era films and “Deep Space Nine,” respectively).

By the time fans got to see “Star Trek: First Contact,” they were familiar with the mentality of the Borg. Many episodes of Trek tackled how the “collective” worked and how they tried to assimilate those they conquered.

But “First Contact” introduced a new wrinkle into the Borg political hierarchy. Instead of just being a collective, like soulless robots, the Borg transformed into insects, with a queen at the top of their society. The Borg Queen, created by Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore , was a new evil, which could play an exciting role on “First Contact.” Rather than Picard and Data (Brent Spiner) interacting with monotone automatons, they could spar against a more interesting character. The Borg Queen was interesting, influential and she had sexual intentions toward Mr. Data .

Had “Star Trek: Enterprise” gone on into a fifth season, the show’s writers planned to tell the origin story of the Borg Queen . This, of course, did not happen since the show was canceled after Season 4.

Since fans are aware that a new actress has been tabbed to play the Borg Queen, here’s a list of who has portrayed her in the past.

Alice Krige

South African actress Alice Krige was cast for “First Contact” to play the Borg Queen. Her performance certainly impacted the character. According to Krige , when she arrived on set in her costume for the first time, the crew “gasped,” and she simply “channeled” the character. While she was the first Borg Queen, she took a break from the role, allowing another actress ( Susanna Thompson ) to fill her shoes. Krige returned to the part for “Star Trek: Voyager” episode “ Endgame .”

Susanna Thompson

A veteran actress in her own right, Susanna Thompson became the Borg Queen for the episodes “Dark Frontier,” “Unimatrix Zero,” and “Unimatrix Zero, Part II.” Thompson actually tried out for the original role of the Borg Queen for “First Contact” but lost out to Krige. She appeared in three other episodes of Trek, most notably, the memorable and controversial “ Rejoined .” This DS9 story featured Dax and Kahn, who were married as symbionts with their previous hosts.

Annie Wersching

Thanks to recent reports and releases, fans know that Annie Wersching will bring the Borg Queen back to life in Season 2 of “Star Trek: Picard.” She is a veteran of such shows as “24,” “Bosch,” “Castle,” “Dallas,” “General Hospital,” “Timeless,” “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.” Wersching appeared on a 2002 episode called “ Oasis ” and fell in love with Trip Tucker.

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Considered: Cher

Yes! That Cher ! The iconic musical superstar who has been in the public eye since the 1970s was a name that producers thought could nail the role of the Borg Queen. Many fans think of Cher as just a singer. Still, she’s also an accomplished actress and won an Academy Award for her role in the comedy “Moonstruck” in 1988.

Thanks to an interview appearing in The Hollywood Reporter, we now know that Cher was considered to play the part. Ultimately, the job went to Krige, which was a good choice, according to “First Contact” makeup artist Scott Wheeler .

“That character would not have worked without Alice playing the role,” Wheeler told The Hollywood Reporter. “They were talking about Cher playing the role. And no offense to Cher, she’s had some great moments, but it would have been so gimmicky, and I doubt she would have been willing to sit through the 4 1/2-hour makeup we were putting on Alice.”

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‘picard’ borg queen actress weighs in on debated ‘star trek’ character question.

Annie Wersching becomes the third actress to play the iconic role in an experience that has been something of a roller coaster due to the pandemic.

By Ryan Parker

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[Warning: This story contains spoilers for episode two of Star Trek: Picard .]

It has been a question pondered by Star Trek fans for years: Is there more than one Borg Queen, or have multiple actresses played the same alien in assorted franchise projects? Picard newcomer Annie Wersching has thoughts on the matter.

“In my opinion, she is a different incarnation of the Queen,” says the third actress to embody the iconic role. “[My version] is going to have all the information and all the memories that the other two queens have, but she is her own incarnation.”

Wersching made her debut as the (unmasked) Borg Queen in “Penance,” the second episode of the Paramount+ series’ second season. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter prior to the episode’s Thursday premiere, the actress detailed her roller-coaster experience while also teasing what’s to come with one of Jean-Luc Picard’s ( Patrick Stewart ) greatest adversaries.

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“It was a very different feel for the character.”

'Lower Decks' finally resolves a huge Star Trek villain mystery [Exclusive]

There is only one Borg Queen. Or are there several? First introduced in the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact , the enigmatic leader of the Borg seemed to transcend time and space. She also represents a paradox: A single person speaking for an entire hivemind collective.

Played first by Alice Krige, there are now three Borg Queens in total. Susanna Thompson took on the role in several episodes of Voyager ; and in Picard Season 2 , another Borg Queen will be played by Annie Wersching.

But who is the “real” Borg Queen? In a recent surprising (and hilarious) cameo in Lower Decks , the answer seems to be that the original Borg Queen is still the canonical one — at least during Starfleet training simulations!

To get to the bottom of this classic Star Trek mystery, we spoke to the Borg Queen herself. Here’s what Alice Krige had to say about her surprise return to the Star Trek canon and why she thinks her character is always there, even when you don’t see her.

LAS VEGAS, NV - AUGUST 12: Actress Alice Krige participates in the 11th Annual Official Star Trek ...

Alice Krige at the 11th Annual Official Star Trek Convention in 2021.

In Lower Decks, Season 2, Episode 8, “I, Excretus,” Boimler ( Jack Quaid) finds himself in a holographic drill where he has to do everything he can to “resit the Borg.” After obsessively running the drill over and over, Boimler meets a holographic recreation of the Borg Queen. Cue an Easter egg from First Contact.

The Borg Queen blows gently on Boimler’s skin, referencing something similar she did to Data when his android skin was briefly grafted with human skin. It’s a hilarious scene, and all-to-brief, but there’s a degree of Trekkie legitimacy brought to it because it really is the voice of Alice Krige.

The original Borg Queen tells Inverse she never expected to return to Star Trek, especially not like this.

“They just, they just called and asked if I would do it. It was great fun,” Krige says, revealing she recorded most of her dialogue in her husband’s closet. “It has the best sound in the house. It’s so full of clothing, plenty of insulation.”

Boimler (Jack Quaid) prepares to be assimilated by the Borg Queen (Alice Krige).

This isn’t the first time since First Contact that Krige has returned to her famous Star Trek role. When the Borg Queen initially crashed the Voyager party for the episode “Dark Frontier,” she was not played by Krige, but instead by Susanna Thompson (perhaps more famous for her role as Lenara Kahn in the DS9 episode “Rejoined.) But when it was time for Voyager’s big finale, Krige was asked once again to don her Borg leather. This put her in the unique position of being one of the few Star Trek villains (Q is another) who have tangoed with both Captain Picard and Captain Janeway.

Krige says that when she returned for Voyager , she realized she’d based much of her performance on the Borg Queen’s attempts to seduce Next Generation ’s leading men.

“There's sexual energy that she kind of manipulated both Data and Picard,” Krige says. “Well, she didn't manipulate either of them, but she thought she was. So I had to decide how to play that in Voyager because instead of two men this was two women [Janeway and Seven of Nine.]”

This led Krige to a quick phone call with “the producers” of Voyager , in which it was decided the Borg Queen was “Omnisexual,” which meant, yes, she would probably have some kind of flirtation with Janeway or Seven, too, if she wanted to.

“After that, I thought great . I just went and had a great time because they're two wonderful actresses,” Krige tells Inverse . “It was a very different feel for the character because it was a very different sort of energetic exchange.”

A time-traveling Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the Borg Queen (Alice Krige)

It’s been exactly 20 years since Krige last played the Borg Queen in Voyager, and because she perished in that episode and we also saw Picard take her out in First Contact , fans have wondered for years just how many copies of the Borg Queen there are, or if the Queens are actually different characters.

With Annie Wersching’s Borg Queen coming to Picard Season 2 and Alice Krige’s delightful return to Lower Decks , could there ever be a meeting of all these Borg Queens? How does she keep coming back? Alice Krige isn’t sure, but she wouldn’t rule out a live-action return.

“She manifests in many different ways, or maybe she doesn't?” Krige says playfully. “Even if she’s not there, it doesn't mean she's not there . She’s so mysterious and endlessly interesting. Who knows how she shows up?”

Lower Decks is streaming now on Paramount+.

This article was originally published on Oct. 8, 2021

Science Fiction

Who Plays The Borg Queen In Star Trek: Picard Season 3?

Season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard" has functioned a bit like a family reunion. As this marks the last time Patrick Stewart will play the role of Jean-Luc Picard, the series has brought together nearly the entire crew of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" for one last adventure through the stars. And, in the last leg of the season, major villains have returned as well, most notably the Borg Queen.

The Borg, terrifying hive-minded and technologically augmented collective who absorb entire worlds, have plagued Picard his entire life. In the darkest chapter of his life, he was even turned into a Borg operative, the notorious Locutus of Borg. And in the 1996 film "Star Trek: First Contact," Picard comes face-to-face with the physical embodiment of the hive mind: the Borg Queen.

The Borg Queen has since popped up occasionally across "Star Trek" media, and a version of her was even a central figure in "Picard" Season 2. Now, in Season 3, she returns again, this time played by Alice Krige, the original actor who portrayed her in "Star Trek: First Contact."

Alice Krige reprises her nearly 30-year-old role as Borg Queen

Alice Krige plays The Borg Queen in Season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard." Krige originally played the character nearly three decades ago in "Star Trek: First Contact." In that movie, she time travels to the mid-21st century in order to assimilate Earth into the Borg Collective before humanity has developed the technology to fight them. Picard and the crew of the Enterprise travel back in time to fight the Borg, and they encounter Krige's Borg Queen there.

Krige is a highlight of the movie, playing the Borg Queen as a devil with a deal to make. She tempts the android Data (Brent Spiner) with the possibility of real human sensations and emotions. Meanwhile, she tortures Picard with memories of his time as Locutus of Borg.

Krige reprised the role twice thereafter before joining "Star Trek: Picard," appearing as the Borg Queen in an episode of "Star Trek: Voyager" and voicing the character on an episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

Additionally, MCU fans may know Krige from "Thor: The Dark World," in which she played the Asgardian doctor, Eir. And horror aficionados may remember her as the sinister Mrs. MC from Netflix's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and as the cult leader Christabella in 2006's "Silent Hill." The darkness of Krige's roles has taken quite a toll on her, the actor told Looper.

Krige has also appeared in episodes of "NCIS" and "Law and Order: Criminal Intent." Additionally, she played a sex worker named Maddie on five episodes of the Western drama "Deadwood."

View history

The Borg Queen was the name of the entity that existed within and served as the queen of the Borg Collective . An ancient being, the Queen has existed for many hundreds of years. ( Star Trek: First Contact ; PIC : " Surrender ") In the event of her body's destruction, she would appear to be reincarnated with her personality and memories intact. ( Star Trek: First Contact ; VOY : " Dark Frontier ", " Unimatrix Zero ", " Unimatrix Zero, Part II ", " Endgame ")

Two decades after suffering catastrophic defeat at the hands of Admiral Janeway , the Borg Queen collaborated with a rogue faction of Changelings to rebuild her collective and take revenge upon the Federation . Her final scheme was thwarted by her old enemy, Jean-Luc Picard , and she was killed once and for all by the USS Enterprise -D , bringing an end to the threat of the Borg. ( PIC : " Võx ", " The Last Generation ")

1 Role and personality
2.2 Attacks on Earth
2.3 Conflicts with Voyager
2.4 Alliance with the Changelings
3 Alternate timeline
5.1 Appearances
5.2 Background information
5.3.1 Borg Invasion 4D
5.4 External links

Role and personality [ ]

The Queen defined herself as: " I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. I am the Borg. " As the queen of the Borg Collective and the lone individual within it, the Borg Queen provided direction and purpose for the hive mind. ( Star Trek: First Contact ; VOY : " Unimatrix Zero ", " Unimatrix Zero, Part II ", " Endgame "; PIC : " Watcher ", " Hide and Seek ")

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 in 2378 . 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 Collective's transwarp hubs and interspatial manifolds . She effectively brought "order to chaos" for all things. ( VOY : " Endgame ")

According to Seven of Nine , " The Borg Queen has a kind of trans-temporal awareness. It bridges into adjacent times, realities. They hear echoes of themselves, of— of each other. " ( PIC : " Penance ")

The death of the Borg Queen, while traumatic to drones in the immediate vicinity, did not seem to permanently affect the Collective or its hive mind as a whole. The Queen was subsequently replicated after each death, although the exact mechanism of her reincarnations remains unclear. Borg drones were capable of functioning without a Queen for any length of time by forming a Hive mind of their own. ( Star Trek: First Contact ; VOY : " Unity ", " Dark Frontier ")

The disembodied Borg Queen aboard the partially-assimilated Enterprise -E

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 octahedron . 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.

The Borg Queen assembled in 2377

Where her drones showed no emotions , the Queen herself did. She was ruthless, vindictive, petty, and selfish. She would do anything to expand the Borg Collective, employing psychological tactics like extortion, manipulation, plain intimidation or even seduction to further her goals. The Queen placed her own self-preservation over that of the Collective, cannibalizing the bodies of her last remaining drones to keep herself alive after the collapse of the hive. On a personal level, she considered Seven of Nine her favorite drone, because the Queen considered her to be unique. ( VOY : " Unimatrix Zero ", " Dark Frontier ")

Despite being one with the minds of billions, the Queen felt a sense of profound isolation and loneliness. Her inexorable drive to assimilate was partially motivated by a desire for connection. With millions of species not enough to sate her, she attempted to fill this void by grooming potential counterparts that were more than mere drones. Jean-Luc Picard , Data , Seven of Nine , and Agnes Jurati were all such candidates. ( Star Trek: First Contact ; VOY : " Dark Frontier "; PIC : " Hide and Seek ")

Following the decimation of the Borg Collective, the Borg Queen succumbed to desperation and insanity from the isolation she endured. Nevertheless, she retained her intellect and tactical mind, working with the Changelings from behind the scenes to execute her plans for a Borg resurgence. ( PIC : " Võx ", " The Last Generation ")

History [ ]

The Borg Queen (or perhaps merely one of her bodies) was assimilated to the Collective from Species 125 around the age of 7-8, along with her parents, and was already active in the Delta Quadrant in 2354 . ( VOY : " Unimatrix Zero, Part II ")

Attacks on Earth [ ]

The existence of the Borg Queen was documented 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 a contingent of drones, traveled back to Earth's past to prevent First Contact , and by doing so, hoped to be able to assimilate Earth.

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 – a counterpart that 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 and Data killed the Borg Queen after she tried to persuade 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 Earth without Humans or the Federation in it, when the torpedoes missed. Data told her, "Resistance is futile!" and vented the warp core plasma coolant , which destroyed her organic parts. Picard then broke her cybernetic spinal cord, which ensured that she could no longer function. ( Star Trek: First Contact )

In 2399 , Picard mentally recalled the image of the Borg Queen and Locutus while aboard The Artifact . ( PIC : " The Impossible Box ")

As of 2401 , the remains of this incarnation of the Queen were stored at Daystrom Station . ( PIC : " The Bounty ")

Conflicts with Voyager [ ]

Starfleet's second documented encounter with the 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 Voyager in the Delta Flyer . The Borg Queen's octahedron 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 2376 and 2377 , the 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 in 2378

Admiral Janeway confronts the Borg Queen in 2378

The last encounter between Voyager and the Borg Queen was in 2378 . 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-six 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 end of the Borg Queen

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 ")

Alliance with the Changelings [ ]

Despite the peace brokered between Jurati's Borg and Starfleet, the original Collective remained hostile, and set in motion a plan to assimilate Starfleet from within. The Collective had slowly dwindled following the neurolytic pathogen infection from Admiral Janeway. The Queen managed to survive by cannibalizing parts of her drones, though without the ability to assimilate new drones into the Collective, the Queen was eventually left alone as her drones died of starvation and old age which apparently drove her insane.

As those voices fell silent, the Queen began to hear a new voice - that of Jack Crusher , the son of Jean-Luc Picard and carrier of a transmitter protein inherited from his father's Borg-altered DNA. She realized that the future of the Borg no longer lay in assimilation, but in evolution, propagation, and the annihilation of all other life forms in the galaxy. Over the years, the Queen communicated with Jack, intending to lure him to her. Jack believed the voice was that of his mother.

The Borg Queen communicating with Vadic as "The Face"

In order to enact her plan, the Borg Queen made a deal with rogue Changelings , lead by Vadic sometime leading up to 2401 . The Changelings, who were vengeful themselves for what had happened to them in the Dominion War, agreed to help by stealing Jean-Luc Picard's body from Daystrom Station in order to extract his Borg DNA and spread it through Starfleet's transporter system as common biology. They would also hunt Jack Crusher with the intent of bringing him to the Borg Queen. ( PIC : " The Last Generation ")

She communicated with Vadic via Vadic's severed hand , with which the Borg Queen formed a simulacrum of a face in mid-air.

Vadic reported that the USS Titan -A , carrying their "asset" Jack Crusher , had fallen into the gravity well at the center of the Ryton Nebula , where her ship the Shrike could not follow due to its portal weapon . The Borg Queen ordered Vadic to pursue regardless, stating that everything, including her and her crew, was expendable. ( PIC : " No Win Scenario ")

After capturing and interrogating William T. Riker and Deanna Troi but failing to gain any information, Vadic contacted the Borg Queen again to report that they would not break. The Borg Queen demanded that she try harder to break them, and noted that Vadic's physiology was not as special or complex as she believed. She stated that the Changelings' nature was to be malleable, while the enemy's kind were "beholden to a singular flesh." The Borg Queen then reiterated that Starfleet's fallure was near and she needed Jack Crusher, but warned that should Vadic fail, the Changelings' existence would become "meaningless." ( PIC : " Dominion ")

After Jack became aware of his true nature, he sought out the Borg Queen, with the intention of killing her. Arriving aboard her makeshift mega-cube in the atmosphere of Jupiter , the Queen welcomed Jack, telling him that she had "thought of so many names" for him – "Regenerati. Peur Dei." Jack rejected these names, and the Borg Queen responded that he was Võx, not Locutus, "the one that speaks". Jack was "the voice itself". Boarding the cube to confront her, Jack raised his phaser but was unable to kill the Borg Queen, who mocked him for his inability. She then assimilated Jack and used him to broadcast a signal to all affected Starfleet personnel, triggering the last stage of their assimilation. ( PIC : " Võx ")

The crew of the USS Enterprise -D tracked a Borg signal to Jupiter. Picard, William T. Riker and Worf beamed aboard the Borg vessel to find both Jack and the origin of the signal. Picard separated from Riker and Worf to find Jack, who had already been transformed completely into Võx .

Picard's confrontation with the Queen escalated until Picard reconnected with Jack and convinced Jack to reject the Borg. The Enterprise flew in overhead, and was able to beam them to safety as the Cube exploded from the Enterprise 's attack, killing the Queen and ending the Collective once and for all.

Following the Borg Queen's death and the destruction of her Cube, the signal to Starfleet was cut ending the Borg control over it. Dr. Beverly Crusher was subsequently able to find a way to remove the Borg DNA from everyone, ending the Borg Queen's plan permanently. ( PIC : " The Last Generation ")

Alternate timeline [ ]

The Borg Queen from an alternate 2401

In 2401 , an atypical version of the Borg Queen beckoned Jean-Luc Picard to a region of space , where she expressed a desire to join the Federation. After it seemingly appeared to take over the USS Stargazer , Picard destroyed the ship, rather than to allow it to be assimilated.

Following the destruction of the Stargazer , Picard and other members of the Stargazer crew found themselves in an alternate timeline , created through the intervention of Q . Xenophobic Humans dominated parts of the galaxy, and even managed to defeat the Borg; their immobilized Queen was held by the Earth's Confederation. This Borg Queen, who possessed an awareness of the split in the timeline, was set to be executed by Picard. With her species having been wiped out in this timeline, the Borg Queen agreed to help Picard and his crew travel back in time and correct the timeline.

Though killed by a shotgun blast from Jurati, after arriving in 2024 , this Queen had managed to assimilate Dr. Agnes Jurati and live on through Jurati. ( PIC : " The Star Gazer ", " Penance ", " Mercy ", " Farewell ")

See : Agnes Jurati, Borg Queen

Hologram [ ]

A hologram of the Borg Queen

A hologram of the Borg Queen appeared in Starfleet 's Borg Encounter holographic training drill , in use by 2381 . In the simulation , it was possible for the user to beat the Queen at chess and teach her empathy to improve their score. ( LD : " I, Excretus ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

Star Trek: First Contact
" Dark Frontier "
" Unimatrix Zero "
" Unimatrix Zero, Part II "
" Endgame "
" The Impossible Box " (archive footage)
" The Star Gazer " (alternate timeline)
" Penance " (alternate timeline)
" Assimilation " (alternate timeline)
" Watcher " (alternate timeline)
" Fly Me to the Moon " (alternate timeline)
" Two of One " ( illusion )
" No Win Scenario " (as "The Face")
" Dominion " (as "The Face")
" The Last Generation "
LD : " I, Excretus " (hologram)

Background information [ ]

The Borg Queen was played by Alice Krige in Star Trek: First Contact , VOY : " Endgame ", PIC : " Võx ", " The Last Generation " (voice only) and (as a holographic duplicate ) LD : " I, Excretus ". The character was played by Susanna Thompson in the Star Trek: Voyager episodes " Dark Frontier ", " Unimatrix Zero ", and " Unimatrix Zero, Part II ". In Star Trek: Picard season 2 , the Borg Queen was played by Annie Wersching . The Borg Queen's Changeling simulacrum, identified in end credits as "The Face", was voiced by Garth Kemp . The body of the Queen in season 3 of Picard was portrayed by Jane Edwina Seymour , credited as "Borg Queen Body Double ".

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. Writer Brannon Braga has stated in this respect, " I think some people liked the Borg Queen and some didn't, but to us the Borg Queen was the thing that made it all work. We realized very quickly that the Borg aren't that interesting for a feature film for two hours because they don't say anything. They're robot zombies. So, to me, the Borg Queen was the coolest new thing about that movie. " [2]

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.

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; [3] ) Krige speculated, " Whoever had played the role, I would have made the same decision. " [4] 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. " [5] 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; [6] )

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. ( citation needed • edit ) 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. [7]

When asked whether the Queen was a "virtual entity; the personification of the collective", Braga's writing partner, Ronald D. Moore , said, " This was not the intention. We saw her as a literal person. " ( AOL chat , 1997 )

According to Judith 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. [8]

An undersuit that was worn by Krige in First Contact was sold off as lot 9677 in the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay.

The Borg Queen, Dimitri Valtane , Lojur , Admiral Hayes , B-4 , and the punk on the bus are the only characters to debut in a Star Trek film before appearing in a Star Trek television series.

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 of Romulan origins had emerged before 2409 and led 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.

In the miniseries The Q Conflict , as part of a contest between various omnipotent beings organised by Q , Trelane challenges the four competing crews to capture a Borg Queen for his menagerie. After being transported to a unimatrix, the Queen is captured by a team consisting of Captain Picard, Spock , Odo and Seven of Nine .

The Borg Queen appears as a boss in Star Trek: Voyager - The Arcade Game .

Borg Invasion 4D [ ]

In 2004, the Borg Queen made a re-entry onto the big screen when the Borg Invasion 4D -ride premiered at the Star Trek: The Experience , an interactive attraction that incorporated live-action stage performance and animation, in which the visitors had a limited part themselves, within a 3D cinema environment. The movie for the attraction was mostly produced by the veteran Star Trek production team on the studio's own premises.

The storyline, set after the events depicted in "Endgame" entailed yet another incursion into Federation space by a Borg cube, attacking Copernicus Station and capturing a shuttle with its occupants (the attraction visitors), who were trying to escape from the overrun space station. While the captured crew was being prepared for assimilation, the Queen made a dramatic entrance and, true to form, begins lecturing about the perfection of the Borg Collective and demanded the surrender of the group's inhibitions and instructed them to join the hive mind. When all seemed lost and much to the dismay of the Queen, Admiral Janeway came to the rescue, by flying USS Voyager straight into the cube, destroying the tractor beam that held the shuttle, enabling it to escape, in the process inflicting critical damage to the cube, which subsequently blew up. Again true to form, the Queen made her escape, but not before exclaiming, " Savor your victory! We will meet again! "

For the film portion of the ride, some of the original, former Voyager cast reprised their respective roles, including Alice Krige as the Queen. Many of the Borg featured in the film (as opposed to the attraction live crew performing as such), were played by performers who had already done so for First Contact (or for the respective Voyager television episodes); " It was a most joyful reunion, " Krige declared tongue-in-cheek. When presented with the first 3D footage of her close-up scenes, Krige admitted to being flabbergasted by her own, literal in-your-face performance. ( VOY Season 7 DVD -special feature, "The Making of Borg Invasion 4D") While an official Star Trek franchise production, events depicted in the film are, as usual for these kind of productions, not considered canon , and treated as apocrypha.

External links [ ]

Borg Queen at StarTrek.com
Borg Queen at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
Borg Queen at the Star Trek Online Wiki
Borg Queen at Wikipedia
2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Creation of the Borg Queen in Star Trek: Not A Writer’s Idea, But A Studio Executive’s Vision

T he iconic portrayal of the Borg Queen in “Star Trek: First Contact” was not the brainchild of its writers, but rather the inspiration of a Paramount executive. The film, which tackles a Borg invasion of Earth, sees the Enterprise-E and her crew thwart the assault and then travel back to 2063 to prevent the Borg from changing history.

Viewers are introduced to the Borg Queen one-third into the movie. Differing from her Borg counterparts, the Queen exhibits individuality, seductiveness, and has a gamut of emotions. She claims to communicate for the collective. Her introduction transformed the Borg dynamic, moving away from the unified front to a group that had a distinguishable leader, opening possibilities for negotiation.

The change was exactly what Jonathan Dolgen, an executive at Paramount who was also an avid “Star Trek” fan, was looking for. Dolgen had commented that without a unique voice, the Borg were nothing more than robotic zombies. This feedback was taken seriously by screenwriter Brannon Braga, who created the concept of the Borg Queen:

“We did a substantial rewrite. Also, it was Jonathan Dolgen at the time who ran Paramount, the biggest cheese there was, and he was also a ravenous ‘Star Trek’ fan. Rick and I used to go into his office for meetings all the time, and he would say, ‘Oh, I really like this episode and that episode.’ I think he was the one who said the Borg are boring. They’re just zombies, you need a voice. We thought, ‘S***, okay, it’s like a hive. Like a bee colony. Let’s make a queen,’ and it was probably the best invention we could have possibly come up with.”

The concept of a hive and its queen was thus embraced, shaping the Borg into a more nuanced adversary.

FAQ: The Borg Queen and Her Creation

A: The Borg Queen concept was suggested by Paramount executive Jonathan Dolgen.

Q: Did any of the “Star Trek” writers disagree with the addition of the Borg Queen?

A: The article does not specify if any writers disagreed, but it does indicate that screenwriter Brannon Braga worked on incorporating the idea effectively.

Q: What movie features the Borg Queen?

A: The Borg Queen appears in the movie “Star Trek: First Contact.”

Q: Why was the character of the Borg Queen introduced?

A: The Borg Queen was created to give the Borg a more dynamic and less monotonous character, moving them away from the perception of being ‘just zombies.’

Q: What was the influence of the Borg Queen on the dynamic of the Borg collective?

A: The Borg Queen provided the collective with a singular voice and leadership, thereby adding a new layer of complexity to the Borg’s portrayal.

The revelation that the Borg Queen’s inception was influenced by a Paramount executive demonstrates the significant role that studio input can have on creative decisions. Jonathan Dolgen’s idea to introduce a central voice to the Borg collective in “Star Trek: First Contact” led to the conceptualization of an iconic character that would leave a lasting impression on the franchise’s lore. It remains a testament to the collaborative nature of film-making, where even a single suggestion can alter the course of a storyline and enrich a fictional universe.

Star Trek's Writers Didn't Invent The Borg Queen – A Paramount Executive Did

When the Borg were first introduced on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (in the 1989 episode "Q Who"), they were terrifying. Clearly inspired by the works of H.R. Giger, the Borg sported tubes, servos, wires, and ineffable black machinery sprouting from their bodies. The Borg were made up of other species that had been kidnapped and assimilated into their collective, their minds wiped and replaced with a singular, terrifying machine consciousness. The Borg traversed space in outsized cube-shaped vessels, likewise crisscrossed with wires and ducts. They only had one goal: to grow. As Q (John de Lancie) described them, the Borg are the ultimate users. They look out at the universe and emotionlessly see nothing but raw materials to expand with.

The Borg returned periodically throughout "Next Generation," becoming one of the show's more impressive antagonists. The race of soulless machine people proved to be a great villain.

Naturally, when "Next Generation" moved into feature films, the Borg had to return. Jonathan Frakes' 1996 film "Star Trek: First Contact" featured the Borg traveling back in time to a vulnerable moment of Earth's history, hoping to alter events in their favor. In the past, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise discovered a new Borg wrinkle: they didn't have a group consciousness but were ruled by a sweaty, malevolent, emotional Queen (Alice Krige). Giving the Borg a "boss monster" was a silly twist that has, unfortunately, become a key part of "Star Trek" lore.

In the oral history book "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams," edited by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, "First Contact" co-writer Brannon Braga revealed that the Borg Queen was invented by a Paramount executive named Jonathan Dolgen ... who thought the Borg were boring.

To elucidate: "Star Trek: First Contact" is about a Borg attack on Earth that is cut short by the tactical savvy of Starfleet and the Enterprise-E. Just before their ship is destroyed, the Borg send a small spherical vessel through a mysterious time portal. The Enterprise pursues, getting caught briefly in a "time wake" and for a moment see that history has been altered. The Earth's population is now nine billion Borgs. The Enterprise goes back to the year 2063 to prevent their timeline alteration.

Audiences finally meet the Borg Queen a third of the way into the film. Unlike the other Borgs, the Queen is individualistic, sexual, and emotional and claims to speak for the Borg. Uncharacteristically, she states very specific goals. She was a fun, slinky, terrifying movie monster, but she made the Borg less threatening; the previously single-minded cyborgs now had a leader one could negotiate with.

Which is how Dolgen wanted it. The exec said that the Borg were dull, amounting to little more than robot zombies. They needed a voice. Screenwriter Brannon Braga hastened to come up with a "fix." Braga recalled:

"We did a substantial rewrite. Also, it was Jonathan Dolgen at the time who ran Paramount, the biggest cheese there was, and he was also a ravenous 'Star Trek' fan. Rick and I used to go into his office for meetings all the time, and he would say, 'Oh, I really like this episode and that episode.' I think he was the one who said the Borg are boring. They're just zombies, you need a voice. We thought, 'S***, okay, it's like a hive. Like a bee colony. Let's make a queen,' and it was probably the best invention we could have possibly come up with."

A hive? Sure.

Assimilate this

Turning the Borg into a hive made the villains a lot less interesting. Instead of being an unreasonable machine intelligence, there was now a hierarchy on board a Borg ship, with a "captain" calling the shots and the "drones" taking orders. And if the Queen was sexual and emotional, she was suddenly prone to trickery and manipulation herself. Indeed, in the climax of "First Contact," Data (Brent Spiner) hoodwinks the Borg Queen; she is emotionally distracted enough to let Data (Brent Spiner) re-aim the ship's torpedos.

But Braga was just following orders from Paramount, and a Borg Queen was his most elegant solution. At least the change was demanded by a Trekkie with his own vision of the franchise, and not an ignorant moneyman looking for toyetic images.

Early in the scriptwriting process, it seemed that Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) was to be the hero. Braga realized that Picard should be the one to face off against the Borg again, saying:

"I don't think anyone realized by shuffling Picard and Riker around it would change things so monumentally, but I'm glad it did. Because it was the next movie, and it had been two years since you had last seen Picard, you kind of wanted to do big things with him. You wanted to have him fall in love and take a woman with him at the end. Actually, it was a good instinct on Patrick's part, because you want to see these characters in new situations. But this is an action movie. A romance? What a stupid idea. In the rewrite, the Borg meets the captain and he's our action hero."

"First Contact," despite its action film trappings , was a big hit, and is often considered the best of the "NextGen" movies. A Hive it is.

Every Episode of Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Ranked

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 was a varied and emotionally heavy season, and here's how critics and fans ranked each episode in the time-travel saga.

This article contains a brief mention of suicide.

The return of Jean-Luc Picard to the Star Trek universe was always meant to be a three-season affair. The second season was filmed during the height of the pandemic, and went through many iterations under the direction of three executive producers. In more ways than one, it was a tonal shift from the seasons on either side of it. How critics and fans ranked every episode of Star Trek: Picard Season 2 shows how challenging and contentious the middle chapter of this saga was. The story explored time travel, introduced an alternate timeline, and was bookended by a massively important moment in Starfleet's present.

Picard Season 2 was an emotionally heavy season with a clear political point of view and a sense of fun that comes with setting sci-fi characters in the contemporaneous present. In both the special features of The Complete Star Trek: Picard home release and the making-of book Star Trek: Picard: The Art and Making of the Series , the challenges in making this season are laid bare. With Rotten Tomatoes representing the critics and IMDB's user ratings representing the audience, each episode of Star Trek: Picard Season 2 is ranked based on the story it told and the impact it had on both the characters and audience.

10 The Picard Season 2 Premiere Was Full of Promise

Star trek: picard season 2, episode 1 "the star gazer", star trek theory: picard retconned the divisive enterprise series finale.

Of all Star Trek: Picard 's ten sophomore episodes, "The Star Gazer" ranks the highest among its peers in Season 2 . It's a fantastic beginning to the story, which both ties up loose ends from Season 1 and sets the characters on a new adventure. Most importantly, however, it brings Starfleet back into the fold in a big way. Picard delivers a Starfleet Academy commencement address, and he is then summoned to the USS Stargazer to answer a plea for help.

The episode sends off Soji, an ambassador for her synthetic siblings on the galactic stage. Dr. Agnes Jurati is with her, but quickly beams aboard the Stargazer, commanded by (her ex) Captain Cristobal Rios. Raffi, Elnor and Laris return, the first two also in Starfleet and the latter still with Jean-Luc but yearning for something more. It ends with the return of Q who, at the last moment, whisks Picard away from certain death.

9 Picard Season 2 Almost Took Place in an Alternate Timeline

Star trek: picard season 2, episode 2, "penance".

The first two episodes of Star Trek: Picard Season 2 debuted the same day, so it makes sense they are ranked close together. The strange new world this episode introduces may be why some viewers became disillusioned with the rest of the season's 21st Century setting. Executive Producer Terry Matalas said on Inglorious Treksperts that this episode mostly came from the Season 1 showrunner Michael Chabon before he left to adapt one of his novels for Paramount.

The characters were meant to spend more time in this alternate timeline , which reveres Adam Soong, one of many Brent Spiner lookalikes related to the creation of Data. The Earth is ravaged by climate change and seems very similar to the xenophobic Mirror Universe. Picard, Raffi, Seven of Nine, Elnor, Jurati and Rios have to bust a Borg Queen out of prison so that they can time travel and fix the past. Still, it might have been fun to spend more time in this evil, alternate future.

8 Season 2 Teamed Picard Up With a Character Tying TOS to TNG

Star trek: picard season 2, episode 5, "fly me to the moon".

Actor Orla Brady played Laris, who is absent from the season save for the first and final episodes. However, she returned to the cast as Talinn, the Romulan successor to Gary Seven from The Original Series . The character known as a "Watcher" was introduced as a potential spinoff from Gene Roddenberry for NBC. While it didn't take off, it did create an interesting bit of Star Trek lore. While Gary Seven was a human with access to advanced alien technology, Talinn is a Romulan tasked with protecting the timeline on Earth.

Laris is primarily responsible for the safety of Renée Picard, ancestor of Jean-Luc and the woman who discovers "a sentient microbe" on Europa that helps fix climate change. It's also the episode where the other political storyline (Rios and the present-day "Butterflies" being persecuted by ICE for helping undocumented migrants) are broken out of custody in a fun action sequence. It's also the episode where Agnes is injected with Borg nanoprobes by the queen, setting up the next episode in the Star Trek: Picard Season 2 ranked list.

7 A Gala, a Sassy Borg Queen and a Musical Number Shook Up Picard Season 2

Star trek: picard season 2, episode 6, "two of one", 'keep being noisy': picard star provides star trek: legacy update.

This version of the Borg Queen was played by Annie Wersching , who passed away in January 2023 from cancer. Great throughout the series, this episode features the Borg Queen and Jurati sharing a mind. As the Borg Queen tries to take over her body (reliant on emotional responses for control), the two make a great inside woman as they help Team Picard sneak into a gala. Allison Pill also does a rendition of the great Pat Benatar song, "Shadows of the Night."

"Two of One" doesn't just refer to the Borg-ified Jurati, either. This episode features Jean-Luc have a touching heart-to-heart conversation with his ancestor Renée. They are also two of a kind. Picard also faces off with Adam Soong, though he runs the Admiral down with his car. Because of his synthetic body, Rios, Raffi and his friends take him to Dr. Teresa Ramirez, leader of the Butterflies and physician who doesn't ask a lot of questions.

6 Picard Season 2 Does 'Star Trek: The Voyage Home'

Star trek: picard season 2 episode 3, "assimilation".

The third episode of Picard Season 2 is ranked high because it continued the breakneck pace established by the first two episodes. Team Picard time travels to the past with the help of the Borg queen, presenting the third new locale for the series: the 21st Century . However, this is where the bulk of the season takes place, much like Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was mostly set in the then-contemporaneous present.

A lot happened in this episode. Seven of Nine and Raffi try to blend in to the 21st Century and scan for a person using technology too advanced for the time. Rios is meant to help, but he's injured and ends up in a clinic with Dr. Teresa Ramirez and her son Ricardo, who are eventually arrested by ICE. Agnes and Picard try to outwit the Borg Queen. However, the most important moment in the episode was the death of Elnor. Fatally wounded by Seven of Nine's alternate timeline husband, his death devastates Raffi.

5 Guinan Brought the Return of an Old Friend With a New Face

Star trek: picard season 2 episode 4, "watcher".

Whoopi Goldberg's affable bartender Guinan returned in the Picard Season 2 premiere , but the character returned in a big way played by Ito Aghayere. The first episode established that Guinan, an ageless El Aurian, can alter her appearance to older or younger as she sees fit. Picard has to convince her to help him save humanity, even though she doesn't think Earthlings are worth the effort.

This is the episode which focuses most heavily on the immigration story in Season 2, with Rios in ICE custody trying to explain why he has no identification. As Seven of Nine and Raffi try to find him, they discover how migrants can fall through the cracks of the system. This plays out while juxtaposed with Guinan's condemnation of humanity. However, Picard is able to make a plea based on what he knows of where humanity can go in the future, in a very Roddenberry-esque Star Trek moment.

4 Picard and Guinan Find Mercy and Vulcans from Agent Wells

Star trek: picard season 2 episode 8, "mercy", star trek's wil wheaton wants a crusher brothers spinoff series.

Introduced at the end of the previous episode, Jay Karnes makes his return to Star Trek . Having previously played a time agent in Star Trek: Voyager , in Picard Season 2, he plays FBI Agent Wells, who is a firm believer in alien activity and arrests both Guinan and Picard based on video footage he has of the latter transporting onto the street. He questions them both, threatening the mission and the timeline. It's revealed that he had a pre- First Contact Vulcan encounter as a child . He ultimately lets Picard and Guinan go, seemingly fired for bringing them in at all.

Meanwhile, the Borg Queen has control of Agnes, and Seven of Nine and Raffi have to try to find and capture her. They find her consuming metals from car batteries, which is toxic to Agnes, but is what the Borg Queen needs to assimilate more people. She doesn't kill Seven or Raffi, proving Agnes still has some measure of control. Borg Jurati then goes to Adam Soong, convincing him to help her steal La Sirena and strand Team Picard in the 21st Century.

3 Season 2 Brought Picard Face-to-Face With His Greatest Fear and Regret

Star trek: picard season 2 episode 7, "monsters".

This episode is ranked one of the lowest by Picard viewers, and it's understandable. Not a lot happens in the episode, despite the introduction of James Callis as a hallucination of a therapist and Picard's father . This episode dives deeply into the memories of guilt and the mystery of what happened to Jean-Luc's mother. It's emotionally heavy and does somewhat lag on the breathless urgency of trying to find Agnes and stop Adam Soong.

Still, this is an emotionally powerful episode that recontextualizes what viewers have been seeing about Picard's past. His father is revealed to not be the abusive villain fans thought. Picard's mother is not a victimized woman trying to be free, but rather someone suffering from mental illness or injury. It's a traumatic, frightening event and (with help of Watcher Talinn and some sci-fi telepathic technology), Picard works through it.

2 The New Borg Were the Best Thing Picard Season 2 Brought to Star Trek

Star trek: picard season 2 episode 10, "farewell".

While the finale of Picard Season 2, "Farewell" is mostly about denouement, outside of the last mission to ensure that Adam Soong doesn't kill Renée Picard. Talinn sacrifices herself. Rios decides to stay behind in the 21st Century. Wesley Crusher returns as a Watcher , and Q and Picard have a final heart-to-heart chat, just before he sends them all back to the proper future. He's even able to resurrect Elnor since he had a little power left over because Rios stayed behind.

The best part of the finale was the reveal that Agnes Jurati was the Borg Queen from the first episode of Picard Season 2. With the alternate timeline Borg Queen, she created a new kind of collective. People choose to join the Borg, and even retain some measure of individuality . These new Borg agree to stand guard against a rupture in spacetime through which an unknown threat has yet to emerge. They become provisional members of the Federation, continuing the Star Trek tradition of old enemies, eventually becoming allies.

1 Star Trek's Most Emotionally Heavy Episode Is About Picard's Guilt

Star trek: picard season 2 episode, "hide and seek".

The penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard Season 2 is a massive episode, both for its action and its emotional weight. There is a big battle at Chateau Picard where the new Jurati Borg assimilate mercenaries hired by Adam Soong. They try to kill Picard and his friends, but Agnes eventually convinces the Queen to try a different way than she had in the past, since in every timeline assimilation and violence leads to the Borg's destruction.

Most importantly, this episode reveals how Picard's mother died and why Jean-Luc felt so much guilt for it. His father locked her in a room to stop her from hurting herself. Jean-Luc unlocked the door and went to lie with his mother and comfort her. After he fell asleep, she took her own life. As much as Picard Season 2 was about fixing the past, outsmarting the Borg and other Star Trek things, Picard's revelation was the true mission . He had to forgive himself by letting go of the guilt that kept him at arm's length from people and preparing him to be a father.

The complete Star Trek: Picard is available to own on Blu-ray, DVD, digital and streams on Paramount+ .

Star Trek: Picard

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 pits the iconic Admiral against his greatest nemesis Q for a time-travel adventure that exposes Jean-Luc's deepest secret.

Screen Rant

"no drone ever forgets": star trek confirms dark secret technology all borg drones can build (even after being freed).

Being assimilated by the Borg is a traumatic experience, and now Star Trek has confirmed a drone's memory lasts even after they are liberated.

Assimilation by the Borg means losing your identity and soul, making it a fate worse than death.
Former drones, like Hugh, remember Borg functions even after being freed, leaving lasting trauma.
In Star Trek: Defiant #14, Hugh saves the crew by using Borg knowledge to defeat a takeover.

Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #14!

In the Star Trek universe, the chances of coming back from assimilation by the Borg are slim, and even when people are freed, they still retain terrible knowledge of their times as drones. The ex-drone, Hugh, has joined Worf’s crew in Star Trek: Defiant, and in issue 14, with the team’s back against the wall, Hugh saves the day using Borg knowledge that he somehow retained.

Star Trek: Defiant #14 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. B’Elanna Torres has been taken over by one of the parasites from “Conspiracy.” Spock attempts a mind-meld to free her, but it fails. Running out of options, Hugh suggests he “assimilate” B’Elanna. The parasites cannot infect the Borg, making it B’Elanna’s only salvation. When asked how he plans to do this, he tells Worf and company he can jury-rig an assimilation chamber from various parts.

He tells Worf that it is something all drones remember –even after they have been liberated.

The Borg Not Only Takes Your Technology--They Take Your Soul As Well

Assimilation is a fate worse than death.

The Borg are one of the most powerful, and scariest, alien species in the Star Trek franchise. Residing in the distant Delta Quadrant, the Borg travel the galaxy (and some even speculate the entire universe), assimilating other lifeforms into their collective. The Borg gain the knowledge of those they assimilate. As seen in the epic Star Trek: The Next Generation two-part episode “The Best of Both Worlds,” this makes them extremely difficult to defeat. When assimilated, a person loses their identity and their essence, making it a kind of “living death.”

Assimilation was not initially a part of the Borg, but was added later for dramatic effect.

In the Star Trek franchise, very few individuals have come back from being assimilated. Captain Picard, Hugh and Seven of Nine were all Borg at one point, and all of them were freed from the Collective. Yet as seen in other episodes and other media, pulling a person out of the Collective can have lethal effects on them, making it a delicate procedure. After being freed, the person must then come to terms with the trauma they have experienced. Picard, Seven and Hugh carry the scars for the rest of their lives.

Star Trek's 2009 Movie Hid the Full Power of Nero's Ship (& Its Borg Connection)

Borg drones carry more than just their guilt, it seems there is no escape from the borg.

And now, Hugh has revealed that not only do former drones carry the guilt of what they did, but also, horrifyingly enough, can still perform Borg functions. Previous issues of Star Trek: Defiant revealed that when Hugh was severed from the Collective, he lost all memory of who he was prior to assimilation. This, when coupled with drones retaining their knowledge of Borg procedures and technology, paints a truly terrifying picture of the horrors of assimilation. Being assimilated into the Borg can last a lifetime, and even being freed from them is no guarantee of happiness.

Star Trek: Defiant #14 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!

Review of Hide and Seek

IMAGES

Annie Wersching Dies; ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Borg Queen Actress Was 45
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Alice Krige / Rainha Borg Film Star Trek, Star Trek 2009, Best Sci Fi
Annie Wersching Dies; ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Borg Queen Actress Was 45
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This is What Star Trek Actresses Look Like Without Makeup

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Star Trek Voyager
Why The Borg Queen Was So Weak in Star Trek Picard
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COMMENTS

Alice Krige
Alice Krige. Actress: Star Trek: First Contact. Alice Maud Krige was born on June 28, 1954 in Upington, South Africa where her father, Dr. Louis Krige, worked as a young physician. The Kriges later moved to Port Elizabeth where Alice grew up in what she describes as a "very happy family", a family that also included two brothers (both of whom became physicians) and her mother, Pat, a clinical ...
Annie Wersching, Who Played Borg Queen on 'Star Trek: Picard,' Dies at 45
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images. The actress Annie Wersching, best known for her roles in positions of authority on television series like "Star Trek: Picard," "24," "Bosch" and ...
Alice Krige
Alice Maud Krige (Afrikaans: [ˈkriːχə]; born 28 June 1954) is a South African actress and producer. Her big break came in 1981, when she starred as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the British historical film Chariots of Fire, and as Eva Galli / Alma Mobley in the American supernatural horror film Ghost Story.She received a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in the ...
Annie Wersching
Annie Wersching (March 28, 1977 - January 29, 2023) was an American actress. She was known for her television roles as Renee Walker in 24, Julia Brasher in Bosch, ... In 2022, she returned to the Star Trek franchise to play the Borg Queen in the second season of Star Trek: Picard.
Annie Wersching Dies; 'Star Trek: Picard' Borg Queen Actress Was 45
Sunday brings shocking news that Annie Wersching passed away. First reported on social media, the news was confirmed by Wersching's family. She played the Borg Queen in the second season of Star ...
Annie Wersching
Annie Wersching. Actress: The Last of Us. This talented actress was born Anne Marie Wersching and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She opted early on for a life in the entertainment industry, performing in community theatre and later as a dancer for some fourteen years with a troupe called the St. Louis Celtic Stepdancers. After moving to Chicago, she acted in several touring plays and at the ...
Alice Krige
Alice Krige. Actress: Star Trek: First Contact. Alice Maud Krige was born on June 28, 1954 in Upington, South Africa where her father, Dr. Louis Krige, worked as a young physician. The Kriges later moved to Port Elizabeth where Alice grew up in what she describes as a "very happy family", a family that also included two brothers (both of whom became physicians) and her mother, Pat, a clinical ...
Everything You Need to Know About the Borg Queen
In Star Trek: Picard, the Borg Queen is cut off from the Borg Collective due the actions of Q and a divergence in time. As a result, she becomes wholly and fully obsessed with Agnes Jurati. StarTrek.com. Seen as the last of the Borg, instead of finding the Collective, she sets her sights on Agnes in hopes of building out a new Borg collective.
Remembering Annie Wersching, 1977-2023
StarTrek.com is saddened to learn of the passing of actress Annie Wersching, who played the Borg Queen on the second season of Star Trek: Picard.Wersching passed away on January 29, 2023, at the age of 45. Wersching began her Hollywood career with an appearance on Star Trek: Enterprise, and most recently, left an indelible mark with her portrayal of the formidable Borg Queen, who entrenched ...
'Star Trek: Picard's' Borg Queen Annie Wersching dies at 45
Annie Wersching, the Borg Queen of 'Star Trek: Picard,' dies at 45. The talented actress passed away on Sunday after a two-year illness. The " Star Trek " universe has lost one of its stars ...
Annie Wersching Dead: Bosch, 24, The Last of Us Actress Was 54
Wersching, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020, most recently had a series of recurring roles on Star Trek: Picard, where she played the Borg Queen, as well as The Rookie, where she appeared as ...
Every Borg Queen In Star Trek
The first Borg Queen was played by Alice Krige ( Thor: The Dark World) in the 1996 TNG movie Star Trek: First Contact. Surprisingly for the Queen of a race of emotionless drones, she had a distinct personality and even attempted to seduce Lieutenant Data (Brent Spiner) with promises of the humanity he craved.
Who Plays The Borg Queen In Star Trek Picard Season 3 Finale?
The Borg Queen is played by Australian actress Jane Edwina Seymour in Star Trek: Picard season 3's final two episodes. Seymour is now the fifth actress to portray the Borg Queen, although there was also The Face (voiced by Garth Kemp), the visage Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) communicated with in Picard season 3, who was tacitly revealed to be the Borg Queen all along.
'Star Trek: Picard' Actress Annie Wersching Dead at 45
Annie Wersching, known for playing the Borg Queen in Star Trek: Picard Season 2 and Tess in the Last of Us video games, has passed away at age 45.
A Look at the Borg Queen Actresses From 'Star Trek'
A veteran actress in her own right, Susanna Thompson became the Borg Queen for the episodes "Dark Frontier," "Unimatrix Zero," and "Unimatrix Zero, Part II.". Thompson actually tried ...
Picard Borg Queen Annie Wersching Talks Debated Star Trek Question
The actress would be the third Borg Queen in all of Star Trek, the first being Alice Krige in the feature film Star Trek: First Contact and then Susanna Thompson in the series Star Trek: Voyager.
'Lower Decks' finally resolves a huge Star Trek villain ...
Alice Krige, the actress who originated the Borg Queen in 'Star Trek: First Contact,' talks about returning for 'Lower Decks' and how she thinks of the character
Alice Krige
Alice Krige (born 28 June 1954; age 69) is an actress who played the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact and the Star Trek: Voyager seventh season episode "Endgame". She also provided the voice of the Borg Queen in the Star Trek: Picard third season episodes "Vox" and "The Last Generation" and voiced a hologram of the Borg Queen in the Star Trek: Lower Decks second season episode "I ...
Who Plays The Borg Queen In Star Trek: Picard Season 3?
Alice Krige reprises her nearly 30-year-old role as Borg Queen. Paramount+. Alice Krige plays The Borg Queen in Season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard." Krige originally played the character nearly three ...
Susanna Thompson
Star Trek: Voyager. 7.9. TV Series. Borg Queen; 1999-2000 • 3 eps; Credits. Edit. Actress 57. Self 6 Thanks 1 Archive Footage 6. IMDbPro. Expand below. Actress. Previous; 57; Truth Be Told. 7.1. TV Series. Sybil Hackman; 2023; ... Said in an interview that being in costume for the Borg Queen was "painful". She was in hair and make up for ...
Borg Queen
The Borg Queen was the name of the entity that existed within and served as the queen of the Borg Collective. An ancient being, the Queen has existed for many hundreds of years. (Star Trek: First Contact; PIC: "Surrender") In the event of her body's destruction, she would appear to be reincarnated with her personality and memories intact. (Star Trek: First Contact; VOY: "Dark Frontier ...
Star Trek: Picard
Actress Annie Wersching's makeup and prosthetics for portraying the Borg Queen took around two hours to apply. Watch a timelapse of Wersching undergoing the ...
Creation of the Borg Queen in Star Trek: Not A Writer's Idea ...
T he iconic portrayal of the Borg Queen in "Star Trek: First Contact" was not the brainchild of its writers, but rather the inspiration of a Paramount executive. The film, which tackles a Borg ...
Star Trek's Writers Didn't Invent The Borg Queen
When the Borg were first introduced on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (in the 1989 episode "Q Who"), they were terrifying. Clearly inspired by the works of H.R. Giger, the Borg sported tubes ...
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Captain Jean-Luc Picard : You're lying. You wanted more than just another Borg drone. You wanted a human being with a mind of his own, who could bridge the gulf between humanity and the Borg! You wanted a counterpart! But I resisted. I fought you. Borg Queen : You can't begin to imagine the life you denied yourself.
Every Episode of Star Trek: Picard Season 2, Ranked
Great throughout the series, this episode features the Borg Queen and Jurati sharing a mind. As the Borg Queen tries to take over her body (reliant on emotional responses for control), the two make a great inside woman as they help Team Picard sneak into a gala. Allison Pill also does a rendition of the great Pat Benatar song, "Shadows of the ...
"No Drone Ever Forgets": Star Trek Confirms Dark Secret Technology All
Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #14!. In the Star Trek universe, the chances of coming back from assimilation by the Borg are slim, and even when people are freed, they still retain terrible knowledge of their times as drones. The ex-drone, Hugh, has joined Worf's crew in Star Trek: Defiant, and in issue 14, with the team's back against the wall, Hugh saves the day using ...
southdavid's Review of Hide and Seek
Check out southdavid's 5/10 review of "Star Trek: Picard: Hide and Seek" Menu. ... What to Watch Latest Trailers IMDb Originals IMDb Picks IMDb Spotlight IMDb Podcasts. Awards & Events. Oscars Cannes Film Festival Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Star Wars STARmeter Awards Awards Central Festival Central All Events.