History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E26S4E1TheBestOfBothWorlds

* HoistByTheirOwnPetard: Starfleet ''and'' the Borg are hit with this -- The Borg use Picard's knowledge of Starfleet tactics to initiate the ''very'' brutal Battle of Wolf 359 while the crew of the ''Enterprise'' are able to use a plan that was told to Picard in order to sneak in and rescue him.

** In Part 2, Locutus dismisses Data as being primitive and will be rendered obsolete when the Borg conquer the Federation. In First Contact, Data is instead regarded by the Borg with a great deal more reverence and the Queen commits a great deal of effort to persuading a FaceHeelTurn.

** Admiral Hanson appears to be relying on this trope when he declares that TheDeterminator he know would never aid the Borg. What results afterwards, however, is that Picard finds that ResistanceIsFutile.

* AsideGlance: done during TheReveal in Part I. As Shelby's party invade the Borg ship, Crusher notices Picard, standing in profile, some distance away. But he turns... revealing Borg prosthetics on the side of his face that was hidden. The prosthetics include an attached laser pointer, which [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou shines directly into the camera]] as Picard gazes at the viewer.

** Admiral Hanson appears to be relying on this trope when he declares that TheDeterminator he know would never aid the Borg. What results afterwards however, is that Picard finds that ResistanceIsFutile.

** After months of waiting between seasons, Riker finally fires the improvised WaveMotionGun... to absolutely no effect. Even the Borg don't usually adapt so quickly to a new weapon, but in this case, Picard's knowledge was all they needed.
* NothingIsTheSameAnymore: Wolf 359 has been retroactively called "Starfleet's 9/11" (despite airing in 1990). It shatters Starfleet's sense of security and superiority, and the ripple effect spreads through the whole franchise, often in ways that severely test the Federation's principles.

* {{Retcon}}: These episodes were later given two small ones. The first episode of ''Deep Space Nine'' changes it so that instead of the battle of Wolf 359 having no survivors, there are, in fact, several (Sisko being one of them). The second one is that the Borg Queen from ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' is on the Cube the whole time - though in some senses, she's everywhere the Borg are, always. She does, however, have a particular interest in "Locutus" (also explaining why he gets a ''name'', rather than the number designation established in "I, Borg").

--> '''Riker:''' But this is not the time for change. I need all of you where you are, where Captain Picard always relied on you.

* WaveMotionGun: The ''Enterprise'''s makeshift deflector weapon.
* WeNeedADiversion: Shelby suggests separating the saucer section with a skeleton crew as a diversion. Riker opposes the plan as it's too dangerous. However knowing that Locutus knows this, he later sends the Away Team over in the saucer section, knowing that the Borg will ignore it and concentrate on the hull section, which now serves as the diversion.

* WhatWouldXDo / ThisIsMyChair: After Picard is assimilated by the Borg, Riker becomes captain. He's in the ready room looking at Picard's chair and wondering, "What would you do?" Guinan then enters the room and sits in the chair, making the point that he's got to forget Picard and start thinking, "What should Captain Riker do?"

* FinaleProductionUpgrade: Well-known to even the general public, and a TropeCodifier in itself, "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1", Season 3's finale, blew the entire series up to that point out of the water, shaking up the status quo of not only characters for years to come, but also the quality and general atmosphere of future installments and spinoffs. This included the Borg threatening the existence of the entire United Federation of Planets containing billions of individuals, showing their destructive power by obliterating 39 starships ([[BattleDiscretionShot the battle of which could not be shown because of its sheer horror]], and the series' budget and technology at the time would not allow it), and putting into question whether '''''the''''' star of the show, Captain Picard, was going to survive. What fueled this was that Patrick Stewart at this time was in talks to leave the series, and his future involvement with TNG was just as questionable as his character's survival.

* AntiClimax: The "Mr. Worf, ''fire'' cliffhanger from Part 1 resolves in a wet fart at the beginning of Part 2, since the Borg Cube is completely unaffected by the ''Enterprise'''s new superweapon. This is a downplayed example, though, since the confrontation with the Borg still takes up the rest of Part 2.

** The end of Part I:

** Admiral Hanson appears to be relying on this trope when he declares that TheDeterminator he know would never aid the Borg. RealityEnsues and Picard finds that ResistanceIsFutile.

** After this episode Riker stays as NumberTwo instead of leaving to command his own ship, which would require Frakes leaving the show.

* StatusQuoIsGod: Riker all but says this when he makes Shelby his XO instead of Data or Worf.

* CallBack: The entire two-parter validates Q's position [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS2E16QWho last season]] even more so. The Federation is deeply unprepared for this threat and victory is only just barely achieved after heavy losses.

The cube then continues on its course for Earth. [[Website/SFDebris After all, it's not like they'd want to assimilate the most powerful ship in the fleet or anything.]] The ''Enterprise'' contacts Admiral Hanson, who agrees with Riker's decision [[YouAreInCommandNow and grants him a field promotion to Captain]]. He's assembling a fleet to intercept the cube at Wolf 359, and Riker orders that the ''Enterprise'' rendezvous with them as soon as possible.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The Borg's mindset gets highlighted with Locutus when the crew snatch him back. From their point of view, they're raising everyone's quality of life by mind-raping them, stripping away their individuality and turning them into faceless cyborgs. They don't get why all the other species are so darned uppity about it.

* HoistByTheirOwnPetard: Starfleet ''and'' the Borg are hit with this -- The Borg use Picard's knowledge of Starfleet tactics to initiate the ''very'' brutal Battle of Wolf 359 while the crew of the ''Enterprise'' are able to use a plan that was told to Picard in order to sneak in and rescue them.

** In this episode, the assimilated Picard is given the designation "Locutus." Later stories would establish that Borg are instead given numbers according to their batches. This name would get an explanation a few years later in ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' that "Locutus" wasn't going to be a run-of-the-mill drone.

* TheEndOrIsIt: Part 2 ends with things back to normal and Picard back at work, but while alone, he reflects quietly about the ordeal he has been through and that he's not done recovering from.

* FaceRevealingTurn: With a TwoFaced Picard, converted from human to Locutus of Borg.

'''Riker:''' Really? How terrible for you!\\

* ChekhovsGun: Shelby comes up with an idea of separating the saucer section as a decoy. Riker opposes the idea, so she brings it to Picard over his head. Knowing that Borg!Picard knows this plan, Riker uses the saucer section for their main assault and the rest of the Enterprise as the decoy.

* StockFootage: The shots of Data and Worf firing at Borg drones are reused in Part 2.