History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E23IBorg

* BelievingTheirOwnLies: It's implied in this episode that the Borg simply ignore any defeats or failures they suffer; Hugh initially believes that "resistance is futile", only to be informed of Guinan's people successfully (if only barely) resisting assimilation, and he still sees Picard as Locutus despite Picard being removed from the Borg's HiveMind, both facts that the Borg should be well aware of. He also voices a belief that "no Borg leaves the Collective" while speaking with Picard, who has done exactly that.

** Hugh forms an extremely close bond with Geordi: he cites him as someone he cares about, initially protests Picard-as-Locutus by fearfully asking "Geordi must be assimilated?", and, when given the choice between remaining on the ''Enterprise'' and returning to the Collective, remarks "I would choose to stay with Geordi." It's easy to read his attachment as queer love (as noted under the Trivia tab, there's also a healthy dose of Reality Subtext involved, as Jonathan Del Arco, Hugh's actor, is openly gay and had lost his long-term partner to AIDS just a year before).

* HeelRealization: Hugh realizing that the Borg basically wiped out Guinan's people.

** When Geordi is analyzing Hugh to learn more about him, Hugh helpfully points out that the Borg do the exact same thing with the species they assimilate, and so expects Geordi to like the idea. It's [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] when Geordi explains how the Borg's tactic of forcible absorption differs from consensual curiosity.

* FantasticRacism: Picard, which after "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E26S4E1TheBestOfBothWorlds The Best of Both Worlds]]" is a bit understandable. Guinan as well, until she actually talks to Hugh.

* HappinessInMindControl: Hugh, thanks to Borg indoctrination, is genuinely unable to understand why the ''Enterprise'' crew is so reluctant to be assimilated. Gradually, he comes to understand the concept of individuality, and why it's important to them.

* FinalSolution/GenocidalDilemma: Given the unique threat presented by the Borg and apparent lack of other options, most of the crew is fully in favor of destroying them completely, with only Dr. Crusher opposing the plan. As the rest of the crew comes to see Hugh as an individual, they begin to develop doubts, and ultimately abandon the idea.

* FinalSolution: Oddly, it's the heroes who consider doing this. It is still treated as JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope.
* GenocideDilemma: Dr. Crusher argues strenuously against committing genocide, even against the Borg, which do nothing else. The other characters eventually come around to her point of view.
* HappinessInMindControl: Hugh, thanks to Borg indoctrination, genuinely believes that being assimilated is an amazing thing, and can't understand why the ''Enterprise'' crew is so reluctant to experience it. Thanks to Geordi's explanation of free will and individuality, Hugh gradually comes to understand why others are so resistant to their processes.

* NotSoDifferent: When Geordi is analyzing Hugh to learn more about him, Hugh helpfully points out that the Borg do the exact same thing with the species they assimilate, and so expects Geordi to like the idea. It's [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] when Geordi explains how the Borg's tactic of forcible absorption differs from consensual curiosity.

* HappinessInSlavery: Hugh, thanks to Borg indoctrination, genuinely believes that being assimilated is an amazing thing, and can't understand why the ''Enterprise'' crew is so reluctant to experience it. Thanks to Geordi's explanation of free will and individuality, Hugh gradually comes to understand why others are so resistant to their processes.

--->'''Hugh: We are also lonely...

* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: This is the first episode in the franchise which humanizes the Borg (or more precisely, the drones who have been severed from the Collective). Hugh's introduction would eventually to lead to the characters of Seven of Nine and Icheb on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. Hugh, Seven of Nine and Icheb would later guest star in ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' where one of the major themes of the show is the galaxy-wide FantasticRacism against former Borg. In Hugh's own words, "People either see us as property to be exploited, or as a hazard to be warehoused," but as Picard himself would gradually acknowledge, "They're victims. Not monsters."

'''Guinan:''' [[RepeatedForEmphasis If you're going to use this]] '''[[InsistentTerminology person]]''' to destroy his entire species, you should at least look him in the eye. Otherwise, you might find that decision much harder to live with than you realize.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: A very late example regarding the Borg. This is the first time Borg drones are given numerical designations, and use ordinal numbers (Third of Five). Later appearances would use cardinal numbers (Seven of Nine).

'''Picard:''' [[SuddenlyShouting IT'S NOT A PERSON, DAMMIT, IT'S A BORG!]]

--->'''Guinan:''' If you're going to use this '''[[InsistentTerminology person]]''' to destroy his entire species, you should at least look him in the eye. Otherwise, you might find that decision much harder to live with than you realize.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: When the away team discovers the surviving Borg drone, the honor-obsessed, ProudWarriorRaceGuy Worf recommends killing it, making it look like an accident, and running like hell. The compassionate, unflappable Captain Picard seriously considers doing so before reluctantly deciding to show the drone mercy.

* BlatantLies: Picard is okay with beaming an injured Borg to the ''Enterprise'' for medical treatment.

* SacrificialLamb: Hugh volunteers for the job.

The ''Star Trek'' episode that dares to ask, "[[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman What Measure Is a Borg?]]"

Guinan does eventually go visit Hugh, and she maintains her harsh facade until she lets it slip that her people had been very nearly obliterated by the Borg. Hugh notes that she is lonely, being so far away from any of her kind, and that "we [sic, referring to himself; hold that thought] are lonely too". Guinan is, to say the least, speechless at this unexpected acknowledgment of emotion from the Borg. And so the LogicBomb plot is working, only [[InvertedTrope in reverse]]; one by one, the ''Enterprise'' crew are growing attached to Hugh and subsequently reluctant to initiate genocide through him. Guinan goes to Picard with her new misgivings, only to find him as fiercely defiant as she herself had been. And I really mean "fiercely"; at one point Picard roars, "IT'S '''NOT''' A PERSON, DAMMIT; IT'S A '''[[FantasticRacism BORG]]!!'''" Guinan is having none of it, though, and insists that Picard too must at least look Hugh in the eye before turning him into a TykeBomb.

Now Picard realizes that, with Hugh's newfound individuality, it really would be morally wrong to use him as a TykeBomb, and the option is floated that Hugh could be offered asylum from reintegration with the Borg. When told this, though, Hugh realizes that the Borg would simply hunt him down and harm the people he now sees as friends, and he [[SacrificialLamb voluntarily returns]] to the crash site where the other Borg will re-assimilate him. As a final note, it is suggested that the Borg will erase Hugh's memory of these events but, in the brief time before they do so, they will be subject to Hugh's experiences as an individual... "and that may be the most pernicious program of all!"

So they beam Hugh back to the crash site; shortly thereafter, the other Borg arrive and quickly reintegrate Hugh as a drone. But, just before they depart, Hugh gives a clandestine nod to Geordi, indicating his yet-intact individuality.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: At the meeting to discuss the LogicBomb, both Crusher and Riker bring up legitimate points in opposing and supporting its use. Crusher hammers the point that using it would tantamount to genocide, while Riker responds that [[GodzillaThreshold the Borg are such a huge, existential threat that it would be justifiable]].

** Third of Five / Hugh is basically a kid separated from the totalitarian cult that raised him, and is pretty unclear on the mere concept of thinking for himself or deciding who he is or what he wants to do beyond what he's been told.

* FinalSolution: Oddly, it's the '''heroes''' who consider doing this. It is still treated as JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope.

* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: This is the first episode in the franchise which humanizes the Borg (or more precisely, the drones who have been severed from the Collective). Hugh's introduction would eventually to lead to the characters of Seven of Nine and Icheb on ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. Hugh, Seven of Nine and Icheb would later guest star in ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' where one of the major themes of the show is the galaxy-wide FantasticRacism against xBs. In Hugh's own words, "People either see us as property to be exploited, or as a hazard to be warehoused," but as Picard himself would gradually acknowledge, "They're victims. Not monsters."
* ItIsDehumanizing:
** Inverted with Guinan, who is perturbed by the fact that Third of Five has gotten nicknamed Hugh by the crew.
** Enforced by Picard, who likewise isn't too keen on the idea of his crew's "attempt to turn it [Hugh] into some sort of PET".

* ShaggyDogStory: Retroactively. Later stories would reveal that even if they ''had'' introduced the LogicBomb, it wouldn't have worked anyway; [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E24S7E1Descent as it turned out]], the Borg simply cut off the affected ship to protect the Collective as a whole.
* ShoutOut: The title is a play on the classic science fiction story ''Literature/IRobot'', although [[EverythingIsAnIpodInTheFuture modern audiences might think it a play on products like the iPod and iPad]].

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: See FinalSolution.