Episode Spotlight: VOY's Scorpion parts 1 and 2 and The Gift

Episode Spotlight

VOY's Scorpion parts 1 and 2 and The Gift

Scorpion Part 1

Voyager reaches Borg Space.  In one of the shortest teasers in the entire franchise two Borg cubes hail an unseen vessel "We are the Borg. Existence as you know it is over. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is-" Suddenly the cubes are struck by energy beams and explode!  After the title sequence we see Janeway in a holodeck recreation of Leonardo DaVinci's workshop, with holographic Leonardo DaVinci played by John Rhys-Davies.  After being called by Chakotay Janeway goes to engineering where she (and we) learn that one of Voyager's probes has been captured and assimilated by the Borg.  Voyager has reached Borg space.  After a meeting with the senior officers to discuss the situation the entire ship and crew are made ready for an encounter with the Borg.  Voyager proceeds to what the crew call "the northwest passage", a narrow area of no Borg ships.  While studying Borg assimilation with the Doctor, Kes has premonitions of dead Borg.  Voyager drops out of warp and is passed by 15! Borg cubes.  One of the cubes scans Voyager, then leaves.  After Voyager resumes course Janeway researches previous Borg encounters, including Wolf 359 (see TNG's Best of Both Worlds).  After detecting that the 15 Borg cubes are now dead in space Voyager changes course.  Arriving they find debris and a bio-ship near one of the wrecked cubes.  Chakotay, Tuvok and Kim board one of the cubes.  Tracing the bio-reading Chakotay and Tuvok enter the bioship.  On the way they find a pile of dismembered Borg, much like in Kes's premonition.  Kim downloads information from the Borg computers.  On Voyager Kes has a premonition of Kim in danger.  Voyager prepares to beam the away team back, but they are cornered and Kim is attacked by the bioship's pilot.  After the away team is beamed back Voyager is attacked by the bioship before escaping at warp.  The Doctor determines that the alien cells in the wound are "eating" Harry Kim alive.  He begins working on a treatment using modified Borg nanoprobes.  According to the data from the Borg computers, the Borg refer to these aliens as Species 8472, and the creatures are coming from the "northwest passage".  Kes is in communication with the creatures.  After doing some soul searching with holographic DaVinci Janeway comes up with a plan: an alliance with the Borg.  Safe passage through Borg space in exchange for the modified nanoprobes to fight Species 8472.  Chakotay is against this and relates the fable of the Scorpion and the Fox, arguing that the Borg will eventually turn against Voyager, it's their nature.  Finding a Borg cube Voyager approaches and hails.  Janeway makes her proposal and tells the collective that any attempt to assimilate Voyager and take the information will be met by the destruction of the data.  The Borg beam Janeway to the cube to continue discussions.  Voyager and the cube come under attack by species 8472.  Nine 8472 bioships combine to emit a "super weapon" energy beam that destroys an entire planet!  The Borg cube, with Voyager in tow, escapes...

Scorpion Part II

Having escaped the attack the Borg cube with Voyager in tow sets a course toward the alpha quadrant.  The Voyager crew attempt unsuccessfully to beam Janeway back.  Janeway hails and tells them to stop, she's reached an agreement with the collective.  She orders Tuvok to join her.  In sickbay the Doctor has finished his nanoprobe treatment for Harry.  He injects the nanoprobes and Harry responds.  The Borg release their tractor beam, Voyager matches their course.  In the medical lab Kes has a vision of Species 8472.  She realizes that through her Species 8472 are watching Voyager.  On the Borg cube Janeway and Tuvok are taken to a workspace near the center of the cube.  Tuvok shows Janeway his readings of the bioship and the alien tissue infecting Kim-they're identical.  Entering the chamber Janeway begins telling the Borg about the modified nanoprobes.  Borg drones grab her and Tuvok and attach neural transceivers to their necks to allow them to communicate directly with the collective.  Janeway protests, she tells the Borg to chose a representative, a single drone they can work with directly, a-la Locutus.  A door opens, tubes disconnect from a female human Borg drone.  The drone steps out of the alcove.  The drone is Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01.  Janeway and Tuvok suggest using the nanoprobes to turn Voyager's torpedoes into biomolecular warheads.  Seven suggests building a weapon of mass destruction.  Janeway protests and Tuvok points out that there is not enough time for the Borg's plan.  In sickbay the Doctor informs Chakotay about Kes's increasing visions.  On the cube Janeway tries to appeal to Seven of Nine's former humanity.  Seven states that she was assimilated 18 years ago.  Voyager hails the cube to tell Janeway about the situation with Kes.  The Borg cube and Voyager alter course.  Seven, Janeway and Tuvok continue work on the weapon.  On the bridge Harry Kim returns to duty, the treatment having been successful.  Paris detects a quantum singularity behind them.  A Species 8472 bioship attacks the cube and Voyager.  The cube changes course, the 8472 bioship collides with it, destroying both.  Tuvok, injured, contacts Chakotay.  He, Janeway and several Borg beamed over to cargo bay 2 just before the cubes destruction.  Chakotay and a security team enter the cargo bay where they meet Seven of Nine.  Janeway and Tuvok are taken to sickbay.  Tuvoks injuries are minor, after being treated he apprises Chakotay of the weapons progress.  Janeway is in a coma, the Doctor will need more time to treat her.  Kes tells Tuvok that her visions have stopped for now.  Back in the cargo bay Chakotay confronts Seven.  He tells her that he's modifying the agreement: the Borg can stay onboard and continue working on the weapon.  Once Voyager is out of Borg territory they'll give the Borg the nanoprobes and part company.  Seven protests, saying that the war with Species 8472 will be lost by then.  She insists that Voyager set course for the nearest Borg ship.  Chakotay refuses, that's several days at maximum warp in the wrong direction.  In a briefing with the senior officers Chakotay decides to end the alliance, drop the Borg off on a nearby planet and take their chances alone.  In the ready room he informs Seven of Nine of his decision.  Seven threatens to assimilate Voyager.  Chakotay counters by threatening to vent the entire cargo bay and any drones in it into space.  Seven points out how humans are "erratic, conflicted, disorganized" and how "You lack harmony, cohesion, greatness.  It will be your undoing."  In cargo bay 2 Seven gets information on losses to species 8472 and orders to take Voyager into 8472s realm.  As Voyager enters orbit of a planet the Borg drones access deflector control from a Jeffries tube and emit a graviton beam.  Chakotay orders the cargo bay vented, all of the drones are blown out except for Seven of Nine.  A singularity opens and Voyager is pulled in to fluidic space.  In the cargo bay Chakotay confronts Seven.  Seven reveals that the Borg have been here before.  It turns out the Borg started the conflict.  Chakotay is called to sickbay, Janeway has recovered.  She and Chakotay argue; Janeway says Chakotay never trusted her idea of working with the Borg, Chakotay says that the Borg lied.  Janeway makes the call: they are going to fight 8472 in full cooperation with the Borg.  On the bridge Janeway tells Seven that she's relieved Chakotay of duty.  She orders Tuvok to give Seven the nanoprobes and begin constructing warheads.  Two hours later, the weapons are ready.  Paris detects bioships approaching, Kes hears Species 8472 communicate with her telepathically "Your galaxy will be purged".  Voyager is attacked by the bioships, Voyager fires the warheads.  After seeming to have no effect, the four bioships explode.  Seven uses a console to open a singularity to return to the Delta Quadrant.  With numerous bioships in pursuit Voyager fires the high yield warhead, destroying 13 bioships.  The remaining bioships retreat to fluidic space.  Seven of Nine gets an update from the collective: all 8472 ships are retreating, the war is over.  Janeway demands the Borg fulfill their end of the agreement; Seven of Nine attempts to assimilate Voyager.  Janeway calls to Chakotay "Scorpion".  In the cargo bay Chakotay uses a neural transceiver and a Borg alcove to connect directly to Seven.  While Seven is distracted Torres send a power surge to burn out Seven's transceiver.  Seven is severed from the collective.  While Voyager proceeds out of Borg space Janeway writes her log entry on a piece of parchment in the DaVinci's workshop holoprogram.  Chakotay joins her, they discuss what to do about Seven.  They disconnected her from the collective, they're responsible for her now.  In sickbay Seven lays on a biobed.

The Gift

Seven of Nine is regenerating in a Borg alcove in the cargo bay.  Janeway orders the Doctor to wake her up.  Realizing that she can no longer hear the collective she panics and insists on being returned to the Borg.  Janeway refuses.  Sevens Borg implants begin rejecting, she attempt to fight but is sedated and taken to sickbay.  In sickbay the Doctor begins removing her Borg implants.  He asks Kes for a hypospray, Kes move the hypospray from the cart across the room to her hand telekinetically.  The Doctor scans Kes and discovers that her serotonin levels are up as they were during her contact with Species 8472.  In the ready room Chakotay gives Janeway the systems status report.  Janeway shows Chakotay the record she found on Seven of Nine: her name was Annika Hansen, her parents were scientists.  They may have been the first Humans assimilated by the Borg.  They discuss bringing her into the fold, but are called to sickbay.  In sickbay the Doctor continues removing implants.  Janeway enters, the Doctor tells her that all of Sevens implants are rejecting and will have to be removed to save her.  Janeway agrees that it's not what Seven would want, but decides that Seven is unfit to make the decision, so she must make it for her.  On Janeways orders, the Doctor begins the surgery.  Seven begins convulsing.  The Doctor orders Kes to assist him but Kes says that she can see the problem, an implant deep within Sevens body.  Kes telekinetically dissolves the implant and Seven stops convulsing.  Later the Doctor shows Janeway the artificial eye he created to replace Sevens ocular implant.  Janeway talks to Kes about her new abilities.  Tuvok volunteers to assist her in exploring these abilities.  The Doctor wakes Seven, who is unhappy about her implants being removed.  Janeway tries to empathize with Seven and tells her that the crew need her help removing the ships Borg modifications.  In engineering Torres and Kim work futilely to remove the Borg technology and get warp drive online.  Janeway enters with Seven to have her help Torres.  In Kes's quarters Tuvok guides Kes in Vulcan meditation.  Kes manipulates the flame from Tuvoks meditation candle at the subatomic level.  Suddenly she can see further, beyond the subatomic.  A new level of existence.  She manipulates the candle and it and the table warp.  Tuvok suggests they stop for now.  In engineering Torres, Seven and Kim continue removing Borg tech.  Seven tells Kim about autonomous regeneration sequencers, a technology assimilated from species 259.  Torres leaves Seven and Kim to work in a Jeffries tube.  Kim attempts to make small talk.  Seeing a communications node Seven knocks Kim out and seals the Jeffries tube.  She accesses a transmitter to send a message to the collective.  In Kes' quarters Kes senses Seven trying to contact the Borg.  She sends an energy surge through the Jeffries tube bulkhead knocking Seven out.  Seven was able to send a partial message.  Tuvok is also concerned about Kes' abilities and the ships safety.  In the brig Janeway and Seven discuss freedom and individuality.  In the mess hall Neelix and Kes share a bottle of wine while discussing Kes' abilities.  Kes demonstrates on the table, an energy surge throws Neelix to the floor.  The surge is detected on the bridge, the bulkhead is destabilizing at the subatomic level.  Janeway and Tuvok go to the mess hall where they see Kes phasing, semi-transparent.  she solidifies and collapses.  In sickbay the Doctor says he's at a loss, there's nothing medically wrong with Kes.  Janeway says it's time to look at physics.  In the brig Seven attacks the forefield, Lt. Ayala calls Captain Janeway.  Janeway enters to find Seven sad that she is one, alone.  She says she doesn't remember being human.  Entering the cell Janeway shows her a picture of herself as a child.  She tells Seven that she is giving her the life she was denied by the Borg.  In Kes' quarters Kes invites Janeway in and tells her that what's happening to her isn't a medical problem but a transformation.  It's time for her to leave Voyager.  She and Janeway hug, then Kes phases.  Janeway calls the bridge to get a shuttle ready.  In a corridor Kes begins transforming, she can't control it.  Something explodes behind them.  Janeway calls for transport, but the transporter can't lock on.  Kes' transformation is destabilizing the hull.  Tuvok meets them in the corridor and mind melds with Kes to try to help her control the transformation.  Once in the shuttle Kes departs from Voyager.  On the bridge Janeway hails her.  Kim reports that Kes' atomic structure is completely destabilizing.  The shuttle is enveloped in bright light and vanishes as Voyager suddenly jumps to super-high warp.  Torres reports the warp core is at 120% before Voyager drops out of warp.  The ship has jumped 9500 lightyears, beyond Borg space.  10 years closer to home.  Kes' gift to Voyager.  Seven of Nine stands in the cargo bay, no longer covered in Borg implants, she now wears a silver cat-suit with high heels.  The Doctor reports that he was able to remove 82% of the implants.  Janeway says she'll consider giving Seven more access to the ship once they can trust that she won't try to contact the Borg again.  In his quarters Tuvok lights his meditation candle and looks out the window.

These three episodes are arguably the height of Voyager.  The ship reaches Borg space, something they always expected to happen.  The twist of finding someone more powerful (and worse) than the Borg, and having to work with the Borg against the common foe (the enemy of my enemy...) is a fun one.  The teaser for Scorpion part 1 is short and powerful, the two Borg cubes getting suddenly blown up.  The visual of 15 Borg cubes on Voyagers' viewscreen and Chakotay's "my god!" really emphasizes the threat level.  Janeway's new DaVinci holoprogram make it's first appearance, as does John Rhys-Davies as Leonardo DaVinci.  The friction between Janeway and Chakotay over Janeway's plan gave just the right amount of character conflict to balance the larger conflict with Species 8472.  The Species 8472 pilot is the franchise's first ever fully CGI character.  Fluidic space is also a fun concept.  Arguably the biggest moment of Scorpion part II is the reveal and introduction of Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine.  The idea of a former Borg joining the crew is an interesting and fun one,  making it a buxom Borg babe was definitely done for ratings (and because of franchise executive producer Rick Berman).  More interesting to me is the idea that she was assimilated as a small child, so her journey going forward will not be rediscovering her humanity, but discovering it for the first time.  I also loved seeing Kes get something to do.  Exploring Kes' powers and using that to build up to her departure was probably the best way for the character to go out, as well as giving Jennifer Lien some really good material.  Add to that Jay Chattaway's iconic score for Scorpion (both parts) and you've got some of Voyager's very best episodes.  

Favorite Quotes:

Scorpion Part I

The Borg: We are the Borg. Existence as you know it is over. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is-

Scorpion Part II

Janeway: I'm Captain Janeway. This is Lieutenant Tuvok.

Seven: We are aware of your designations.

Janeway: What's your designation?

Seven: Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One. But you may call me Seven of Nine.

The Gift

Janeway: I've got an Ocampan who wants to be something more and a Borg who's afraid of becoming something less.  Here's to Vulcan stability.

Kes: My gift to you...