The Hidden Desires of the Borg Queen: Unveiling the Truth Behind her Connection with Data and Lore

Summary

The Borg Queen targeted Data in Star Trek: First Contact due to his brother Lore's history with the Borg and his ability to manipulate their behavior.

Data's loyalty to his friends and his divergence from Lore's nature hindered his voluntary alliance with the Borg Queen. In Star Trek: Picard season 3, the Borg Queen anticipated this and chose to align herself with the Changelings instead, which eventually led to her downfall.

In the Star Trek film, "First Contact," the Borg Queen, portrayed by Alice Krige, makes her debut. She develops a particular interest in Lt. Commander Data, played by Brent Spiner, but it is possible that her true target was his malevolent brother, Lore. The plot revolves around Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the USS Enterprise-E's mission to prevent the Borg from altering history by assimilating Earth in the past. When they arrive in the year 2063, the Borg invade the Enterprise and capture Data. It is during this time that the Borg Queen reveals herself and begins attempting to entice the android Starfleet officer romantically.

Data's brother Lore, introduced in Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, was his complete opposite. Lore, also portrayed by Brent Spiner, was deceptive, arrogant, self-centered, and considered himself superior to all living organisms. After stealing the emotion chip that was intended for Data, Lore returns with a plan to destroy the Federation. In Season 6, Episode 26, titled "Descent," Lore reappears on the Enterprise as the self-proclaimed leader of a faction of Borg drones. Through manipulation, Lore deactivates Data's ethical subroutines and instills anger and hatred within him. Despite Lore's intricate schemes, Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew ultimately foil his plans and save Data.

Why Star Trek: First Contact’s Borg Queen Seduction May Have Been About Lore, Not Data

The Borg Queen captured Data in Star Trek: First Contact to acquire the encryption codes for the Enterprise-E's computer. She was confident in her ability to manipulate him, possibly based on his connection to Lore, who had influenced Borg drones to kill rather than assimilate. Lore had temporarily convinced Data to join him by manipulating his emotions, but the Borg Queen understood Data less than Lore did, and she wrongly believed he would willingly join her ranks.

It is plausible that the Borg Queen admired Lore's alliance with the Borg and desired him as a recruit. However, since Lore had been permanently deactivated in the "Descent" episodes of TNG, the Borg Queen settled for Data, assuming he would have a similar inclination. Those familiar with Data understand that he would never betray his friends knowingly. He was only briefly tempted by the Borg Queen's offer to experience physical touch for 0.68 seconds, highlighting his steadfast loyalty. The Queen was unaware of the substantial differences between Data and Lore and mistakenly assumed Data's interest in joining the Borg.

The Borg Queen Passed Up Data In Star Trek: Picard Season 3

In Star Trek: Picard season 3, it appears that the Borg Queen had moved on from Data and Lore. Following her defeat by Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager, the Borg Queen formed an alliance with the Changelings to destroy the United Federation of Planets. Data's previous deaths in Star Trek: Nemesis and Picard season 1 might have meant that the Borg Queen was unaware of his return. Therefore, her plan with the Changelings was already in motion and did not depend on Data or Lore.

It is possible that the Borg Queen learned from past experiences, such as Star Trek: First Contact, and decided to align herself with other enemies of the Federation instead of attempting to manipulate individuals to join her cause. In Star Trek: Picard season 3, although the Borg Queen had the opportunity to capture Data once again through her Changeling minion Vadic, she showed no interest in the upgraded android. Additionally, after receiving his new golem body in Picard season 3, Data would not have been swayed by any offers from the Borg Queen. Whatever the Borg Queen's reasoning may have been, her ultimate demise in the finale of Picard season 3 marked the end of one of Star Trek's most formidable adversaries.