History Recap / StarTrekPicardS3E10TheLastGeneration

* SpecialEditionTitle: The opening bumper replaces the ''Titan''-A with the ''Enterprise''-D, and uses darker, more subdued music.

** The two Borg drones Riker and Worf fight move more tactically, use energy weapons and have some hand-to-hand combat ability. This is unusual as Borg drones typically rely on a ZergRush with an AdaptiveAbility with shields and don't bother defending themselves, but it is reminiscent of the splinter Borg group encountered in the "Descent" two-parter.

*** The staging and angle of the ''Enterprise''-D when it comes out of warp in that shot also matches the very first shot we ever saw of her in [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E1EncounterAtFarpoint "Encounter at Farpoint"]] (the episode itself, obviously, and not the opening credits).

** Chronologically, the Borg story began at Earth nearly [[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS02E023Regeneration 250 years earlier]]. The drones that had survived the Sphere's destruction were discovered, awoken, and set off the chain of events that created a StableTimeLoop and brought the Collective to the Alpha Quadrant -- and with all that ensued at System J-25, Wolf 359, etc. Now, the Borg's story chronologically ends at Earth 250 years later.

* FinalBattle: The events of Frontier Day in orbit of Earth and Jupiter ultimately serve as the final engagement between the Federation and the Borg.

* StunnedSilence: Played for laughs with the [[JustForPun collective]] reactions of Geordi, Deanna, and even Data when Beverly uses the D's weapons systems (and with precision and force that even ''Worf'' never did) to [[MamaBear wreck the Queen's cube like a baseball bat whacking a piñata]].

* TheReveal: The Borg Queen's vessel ''wasn't'' hiding in a nebula as "Vox" implied, but in Jupiter's atmosphere, or at least made a beeline there from wherever she picked up Jack and assimilated him.

->''"The only way to save the fleet--to save Earth--is to sever that connection, no matter the cost. What began [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E26S4E1TheBestOfBothWorlds over 35 years ago]] ends '''tonight'''!"''

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Picard's final confrontation with the Queen confirms (without actually naming her) that this final campaign against the Federation is Janeway's fault. The neurolytic pathogen that Alternate Janeway "bequeathed" back in "Endgame" ravaged the Collective, leaving the Queen reduced to a wreck, alone, and hellbent on revenge against Starfleet and the Federation.

* CurbStompCushion: Spacedock is getting pounded on by hundreds of ships and by all accounts it can't hold out forever, but not only does it manage to hold with Earth's planetary shields protecting it, it also is able to lay the hurt on attacking fleet. In one scene it disables at least 5 ships with all its return fire

** Played for BlackComedy in the Stringer. Having experienced and survived his father's archenemy (the Borg), Jack now find himself facing his father's ''other'' perpetual pain in his posterior (i.e. Q).

** Played for BlackComedy in the Stringer. Having experienced and survived his father's archenemy (the Borg), Jack now find himself facing his father's ''other'' pain in the ass (i.e. Q).

* ArsonMurderAndLifesaving: Captain Tuvok confronts Seven Of Nine for helping the old Enterprise crew hijack the ''Titan''. Before he can finish, Seven Of Nine announces that she is resigning from Starfleet. Tuvok then shows her a holo-recording of Captain Shaw (shortly before his death), giving his evaluation of Seven, commending her for her courage, loyalty and willingness to [[ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight go against the rules if it's the right thing]], and recommending her for promotion. Tuvok then tells Seven, "Resignation denied. Captain."

-->'''Deanna''': Why am I sensing enjoyment?

* EvilEvolves: The Borg Queen managed to survive the events of Voyager's GrandFinale through desperate, cannibalistic measures, sustained by a super massive Cube (possibly rebuilt from the Unimatrix Zero One complex) but is in no condition to make a direct assault against any modest spacefaring civilization, let alone the Federation and Starfleet. So they changed their tactics, utilizing Changelings to infiltrate Starfleet and secretly mess with the genetic code of near all of [[ManchurianAgent its officers to make them susceptible to mass assimilation once the trigger occurs]]. This change is cited by the Borg Queen herself no less as the catalyst for where they're going next.

** Back in [[Recap/StarTrekPicardS3E06TheBounty "The Bounty"]], Jack tells Seven of Nine that the refit Constitution class ''Enterprise''-A was his personal favorite. In the post-credits stinger, a model of the ''Enterprise''-A can be seen in Jack's quarters. [[https://i.imgur.com/mofKppy.png Blink and you will miss it.]]

* DidntSeeThatComing: The Borg Queen though the Beacon was safe from enemy fire deep inside the Cube. She never anticipated that Picard's team would be daring and crazy enough to actually fly the ''Enterprise''-D ''into'' the Cube itself.

** Back in [[Recap/StarTrekPicardS3E06TheBounty "The Bounty"]], Jack tells Seven of Nine that the refit Constitution class ''Enterprise''-A was his personal favorite. In the post-credits stinger, a model of the ''Enterprise''-D can be seen in Jack's quarters, implying that he now favors his father's ship instead.

** Subtle one, but Data when takes the helm, [[Film/StarTrekNemesis he seems to finally understand the human predilection for piloting vehicles at unsafe velocities]].

* ArcWelding: A variation. While the Federation-Borg conflict began on TNG, VOY had developed its own distinct Borg arc that branched off from the main narrative. After being implied last episode, VOY's Borg arc now formally circles back to and merges with the primary TNG Borg arc (as the events of "Endgame" and the damage Janeway did to the Collective are the catalyst for this final apocalyptic campaign.)

* GetOutOfJailFreeCard: After saving the Federation from a Borg takeover and near-annihilation, Starfleet can't exactly court-martial or dishonorably discharge Picard, Riker, Seven, and the 1701-D/E command crew (to say nothing of the ''Titan'' officers and crew) for offenses and criminal acts committed throughout the season -- not without igniting a political firestorm across all 4 Quadrants, at any rate.

** Subtle one, but Data when takes the helm, [[Film/StarTrekNemesis he finally understands the human predilection for piloting vehicles at unsafe velocities]].

* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Since the TNG characters fled ''Titan'' last episode, Seven and Raffi have no idea what Geordi's plan was (as there was no time for him to share it before the shuttlebay deck came under attack). So, when the ''Titan'' first registers the ''Enterprise''-D's presence in the Sol System, both Raffi and Seven are initially confused as to what the hell this is (at least until Seven puts the pieces togethr and deduces Team Picard's plan).