Unveiling the Untold Story: Seven of Nine's Secret Desire to Reconnect with the Borg
Janeway's resistance to Seven of Nine's desire to rejoin the Borg sparks a gripping conflict in Star Trek: Voyager This article delves into the complex reasons behind Janeway's decision and the ultimate impact it has on the ship's crew
Summary
Originally, Seven of Nine had a strong desire to depart from Voyager and rejoin the Borg, as she considered the Collective her sole place of belonging. The abrupt separation from her accustomed surroundings and the imposition of individuality upon her took a significant toll.
On Voyager, Seven was compelled to confront the trauma of assimilation and reevaluate her beliefs regarding human inferiority. Confronting her fear of imperfection and embracing failure became unavoidable.
Captain Janeway opted to retain Seven on Voyager, recognizing her inherent value as an individual and envisioning her potential. Janeway's consistent display of empathy and compassion aided Seven in transcending her conditioning and discovering her capabilities extended beyond mere efficiency. This decision also resulted in heightened ratings for Star Trek: Voyager.
When Seven of Nine, played by Jeri Ryan, initially appeared on Star Trek: Voyager, she expressed her desire to rejoin the Borg Collective, but Captain Kathryn Janeway, portrayed by Kate Mulgrew, refused to allow it. As a member of the Collective, Seven of Nine had a clear role and understanding of her purpose. However, Commander Chakotay's temporary neural connection with Seven revealed her early human memories as a girl named Annika Hansen before her assimilation by the Borg. This connection to the Alpha Quadrant, which was the home for the crew of the USS Voyager, led Janeway to make the decision not to let Seven revert back to being a mere drone.
In the fourth season, episode one of Star Trek: Voyager titled "Scorpion Part 2," Captain Janeway forms an alliance with the Borg. As a result, the Borg outfit Janeway and Lt. Tuvok, played by Tim Russ, with neuro-transceivers to facilitate efficient communication. However, Janeway strongly objects to anything resembling assimilation and instead requests a representative similar to Locutus of Borg, portrayed by Patrick Stewart. Seven of Nine, designated as Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One, is chosen for this role, allowing her to become more of an individual compared to her fellow drones. Following the destruction of her Borg home cube by Species 8472 and a failed attempt to assimilate Voyager, Seven's connection to the Collective is ultimately severed.
Seven Of Nine Originally Wanted To Leave Voyager & Return To The Borg
Seven of Nine did not choose to be separated from the Borg. In fact, she had requested to leave Voyager in order to rejoin the Collective as soon as possible by contacting the nearest cube. Since she was assimilated at a young age, she never had the opportunity to truly be herself as Annika Hansen, and the Collective had always been her only home. In the Collective, she never had to consider the feelings of others or make decisions, as individuality did not matter. Now without the guidance and comfort of the Collective, Seven felt desperately alone. She believed that she had been violently torn away from everything that was familiar and safe, unwillingly forced into an individual existence.
Being on Voyager forced Seven of Nine to confront the trauma of her assimilation, which was challenging because she struggled to acknowledge that it had been traumatic to begin with. Her time in the Collective had conditioned her to not understand the value of any other perspective, especially that of being human. She viewed humans as weak and inefficient, with their slow and imperfect communication and their need to consider various opinions in decision-making. Seven's disgust and disdain for individuals concealed a deep-rooted fear that she would have to step out of her comfort zone and consciously embrace becoming a messy, impractical, and flawed human. She would have to accept the possibility of failure as an individual.
Why Captain Janeway Kept Seven On Voyager
Captain Janeway chose to keep Seven of Nine aboard Voyager because she recognized and valued Seven's individual worth. Janeway firmly believed that complying with Seven's desire to return to the Borg would be a harmful act, akin to abandoning her to an undesirable fate. Despite Seven's plea being influenced by her Borg upbringing rather than her own individuality, Janeway's unwavering kindness gradually dismantled the barriers built by her conditioning. This allowed Seven to realize her true potential beyond mere efficiency. Janeway, with her unwavering determination, saw Seven as a complete person and was resolute in helping her see this for herself.
The television producers of Star Trek: Voyager also shared this determination as they noticed a decline in viewership during the show's second and third seasons. Introducing Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine in the first episode of the fourth season, titled "Scorpion, Part 2," resulted in a significant increase in ratings. This episode marked the first time in over a year that Voyager achieved a 10 share in ratings. Seven of Nine swiftly became a beloved character among fans, not solely due to her sex appeal but primarily because of her intriguing inner conflict between her humanity and her Borg origins. Additionally, the ongoing struggles between Seven and the rest of the crew added depth to her character. Thanks to Captain Janeway's steadfast refusal to allow Seven's return to the Borg, Seven underwent significant personal growth and Star Trek: Voyager's fan rankings improved.
