This episode has an unusual but effective dynamic: Picard is in the wrong, and everyone else has to convince him not to go through with his plan. It works, of course, because of Picard and Guinan’s past with The Borg, and because of the unique nature of the Borg as an entity. It would probably rank higher for us, but the solution to the whole predicament is egregiously half baked, and I can’t shake that the only thing that really stopped Picard and the crew of the Enterprise from obliterating the Borg from the galaxy is the sad eyes of a ‘lil drone boy.
Enterprise finds an injured Borg! Beverly wants to treat him even though he’s so gross.Picard comes up with a plan to send him back to the collective with a kind of virus that would wipe them all out. Aside from Beverly, everyone is super into this idea. Even/Especially Guinan (!)The fix him up, and the Borg makes some Wrath of Khan jokes.They decide he should have a name. Geordi comes up with “Hugh” just from hearing Crusher say “you.” ?? Better than B4 I guess 🤷♂️Like us, the drone is confused by the Hugh/you thing. Geordi, quit messing around, this is going to be his name forever!One by one, everyone meets Hugh and he’s just so dang charming they change their minds about killing off the entire collective.Data and Geordi do their best to spice up the pitch, but their plan to kill the Borg is classic “confuse the robot to death with a paradox” tomfoolery.Picard doesn’t want to talk to Hugh! He’s sticking with the plan.Picard immediately relents! Worf chaperones!he says “I” – Classic Hugh charm.So Picard thinks maybe instead of sending the virus, the real virus will be that all the Borg will see how nice Hugh has become, and want individuality. Sure!So they give Hugh back. Goodbye forever, You 🎉
