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{{real world}}
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{{sidebar film
{{featured}}
 
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|<!-- See [[Memory Alpha:Projects/Episode data project]] -->
{{sidebar film|
 
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|image = First Contact poster.jpg
<!-- See [[Memory Alpha:Episode data project]] -->
 
| aSelf = Star Trek: First Contact
+
|screenplay = [[Brannon Braga]] & [[Ronald D. Moore]]
  +
|story = [[Rick Berman]] & Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore
| sTitle = Star Trek: First Contact
 
  +
|director = [[Jonathan Frakes]]
|sProductionSerialNumber = Unk
 
  +
|producer = Rick Berman
| nReleaseYear = 1996
 
  +
|date = 50893.5 ([[2373]])
| sReleaseMonth = November
 
  +
|other date = [[April|April 4 &ndash; 5]], [[2063]]
| nReleaseDay = 22
 
  +
|<!-- Arcs -->
| sImage = First Contact poster.jpg
 
| wsScreenplayBy = [[Brannon Braga]] & [[Ronald D. Moore]]
+
|arc = [[Jean-Luc Picard|Picard]] as [[Dixon Hill]]
  +
|arc prev = Clues (episode)
| wsStoryBy = [[Rick Berman]] & [[Brannon Braga]] & [[Ronald D. Moore]]
 
  +
|arc number = 4
| wsDirectedBy = [[Jonathan Frakes]]
 
  +
|arc count = 4
| wsProducedBy = [[Rick Berman]]
 
  +
|arc2 = The [[Borg]] and [[First Contact]]
| nNthReleasedInSeries = 8
 
  +
|arc2 next = Regeneration (episode)
| nNthReleasedInAll = 441
 
| nSerialAirdate = 19961122
+
|arc2 number = 1
  +
|arc2 count = 3
| wsDate = 50893.5 ([[2373]], [[2063]])
 
  +
|title card = F08 First Contact title card.jpg
| aNextReleasedInAll = The Ascent
 
| aPrevReleasedInAll = Warlord
 
| aNextReleasedInSeries = Star Trek: Insurrection
 
| aPrevReleasedInSeries = Star Trek Generations
 
|aNextInUniverseTimeline = Trials and Tribble-ations
 
|aPrevInUniverseTimeline = Future's End, Part II
 
| wsArc0Desc = [[Borg]] and [[First Contact]]
 
| aArc0PrevPart =
 
| aArc0NextPart = Regeneration (episode)
 
| nArc0PartNumber = 1
 
| nArc0PartCount = 3
 
 
}}
 
}}
:"''Resistance is futile.''"
+
"''Resistance is futile.''"
   
Captain Jean-Luc Picard, in command of the new Starship ''Enterprise''-E, must defy orders and come to the rescue of Earth when a new Borg invasion threatens the Federation. But the incursion is a cover for the Borg's real objective: to change Earth's history so the first warp flight, made by Zefram Cochrane, never happens. The ''Enterprise''-E and her crew are tasked with following the Borg to 2063, to ensure that Cochrane's achievement is not interfered with.
+
Six years have passed since Captain Jean-Luc Picard was captured and assimilated by the Borg. Now, the Borg make a second attempt to conquer the Federation. Starfleet believes that Picard's experience makes him an "unstable element to a critical situation" and orders him to stay behind. But, when Starfleet's fight does not go well, Picard and the crew of the new USS ''Enterprise'' disobey orders to join the fight, following the Borg three hundred years into the past just as Zefram Cochrane prepares to launch Humanity's first warp-capable engine, the ''Phoenix'', and make first contact with an alien race.
   
==Summary==
+
== Summary ==
===Act One===
+
=== Act One ===
====24th Century====
+
==== 24th century ====
[[Image:Picard surrounded by Borg.jpg|thumb|Picard relives his assimlation]]
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[[File:Picard surrounded by Borg.jpg|thumb|Picard relives his assimilation]]
  +
Still [[The Best of Both Worlds, Part II (episode)|haunted by memories]] of his [[assimilation]] [[2366|six years ago]], [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]] awakes from a [[nightmare]] to wash his face. In the mirror, he is surprised by a [[Borg]] assimilation unit emerging from under his skin on his face. Awakening for real, Picard receives a [[subspace communication|communiqué]] from [[Starfleet Command]]. Appearing on his [[desktop monitor|desktop terminal]], [[Starfleet]] [[Vice admiral|Admiral]] {{dis|Hayes|Male Admiral}} relays distressing news that Picard partially guesses from his dream: a [[Borg cube]] has attacked a [[Federation]] outpost on [[Ivor Prime]] and crossed into Federation space.
   
  +
[[File:USS Enterprise-E senior staff, 2373.jpg|thumb|left|Picard announces the ''Enterprise'' will not be participating in the battle with the Borg]]
Still haunted by memories of his [[assimilation]], [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]] awakes from a nightmare to a [[subspace communication|communiqué]] from [[Starfleet Command]]. Appearing on his [[desktop monitor|desktop terminal]], Starfleet [[Vice Admiral|Admiral]] [[Hayes (Male Admiral)|Hayes]] relays distressing news: the [[Borg]] have crossed into [[Federation]] space.
 
  +
Picard dutifully informs his crew that they are to take the new {{class|Sovereign}} {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}} to patrol the [[Romulan Neutral Zone]], a minor threat compared to the Borg. In the ''Enterprise''-E's [[observation lounge]], the senior crew members protest and are confused as to why the most advanced ship in the fleet is being relegated to a relatively unimportant task; the Romulans have not caused any incidents recently and would almost certainly not take the opportunity to start a conflict. Picard doesn't disagree with the protests but is compelled to follow orders. He later confides to [[first officer]] [[William T. Riker]] that the reason Starfleet is keeping the ''Enterprise'' away from the Borg is due to Picard's history with them. Riker emphatically disagrees with Starfleet's decision, saying that given Picard's experience with the Borg he should be leading the fight instead of being kept away from it. They then receive word that the fleet has engaged the Borg and listen as the battle appears to go badly.
   
  +
[[File:Picard defying orders.jpg|thumb|"''Set a course for Earth. Maximum warp.''"]] Picard announces his intention to commit a direct violation of their orders and that if anyone on the bridge objects, it will be noted in his log. The crew votes unanimously to disobey their orders and set a course for [[Earth]] at maximum warp, where they join a fleet of [[starship|vessels]] repelling an advancing Borg cube. Among them is the badly-damaged [[warship]] {{USS|Defiant|2370}} commanded by [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Worf]]. With the ship under heavy fire and its shields and weapons gone, he orders that the ''Defiant'' ram the cube when he is informed that the ''Enterprise'' has arrived. As the ''Defiant''<nowiki/>'s survivors are beamed aboard, Riker reports that the fleet admiral's ship has been destroyed. Informed by [[Data]] that the cube's outer hull has been heavily damaged and its power grid fluctuating, Picard has a good look at the cube on the [[viewscreen]] and uses his remaining connection to the Borg to briefly "listen in" on them. Picard takes command of the fleet and swiftly destroys the cube by ordering all vessels to target a seemingly insignificant region of the cube. As it explodes, however, the foundering Borg ship launches a [[Borg sphere|sphere]]-shaped vessel into [[orbit]] of Earth.
:"''[[Captain's log]], [[stardate]] 50893.5. The moment I have dreaded for [[2367|nearly six years]] has finally arrived. The Borg, our most lethal enemy, have begun an invasion of the Federation, and this time, there may be no stopping them.''"
 
   
[[Image:Enterprise-E enters the vortex.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Enterprise''-E enters the temporal vortex]]
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[[File:USS Enterprise-E enters temporal vortex.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Enterprise''-E enters the temporal vortex]]
  +
Worf arrives on the bridge and (after being formally welcomed aboard the ''Enterprise''-E) offers his assistance. He asks about the status of the ''Defiant'' and is relieved when told it is adrift but salvageable. Picard requests he takes tactical and Riker jokingly asks if he "remembers how to fire phasers." Suddenly, the sensors detect that the Borg sphere is creating a [[Time travel|temporal vortex]]; the crew watches the viewscreen as the Borg vessel disappears through the vortex and Earth dramatically changes. Seeing that it is now populated entirely by [[Borg drone]]s and has a toxic atmosphere only suitable to them, they determine that history has been changed, having been protected from the changes themselves by the wake of the temporal vortex. As the vortex collapses, Captain Picard orders [[Lieutenant]] {{dis|Hawk|Lieutenant}} not to alter course and have the ''Enterprise'' follow the Borg into the past &ndash; to repair whatever damage they've done.
   
  +
==== 21st century ====
Despite orders relegating them to patrol the [[Romulan Neutral Zone]], Picard and the crew of the new {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}} disobey their superiors and set a course for [[Earth]], where they join a fleet of [[starship|vessel]]s repelling an advancing [[Borg cube]]. Rescuing survivors from the badly damaged [[warship]] [[USS Defiant (NX-74205)|''Defiant'']], Picard takes command of the fleet and quickly dispatches the cube. However, as it explodes, the foundering Borg ship launches a [[Borg sphere|sphere]]-shaped vessel into [[orbit]] of Earth where it disappears into a [[temporal vortex]].
 
  +
[[File:LilyCochrane.jpg|thumb|Lily and Cochrane spot the attackers]]
  +
In the small shanty town of [[Bozeman]], [[Montana]], [[Lily Sloane]] and [[Zefram Cochrane]] wander out of [[Crash-n-Burn Bar|a makeshift bar]] as their town is unexpectedly pulverized by a volley of [[disruptor]] fire. Lily and Cochrane run for cover but are unaware that the Borg sphere is responsible for the destruction raining down upon them. Lily suspects that they're under attack by the forces of the [[Eastern Coalition]] (ECON).
   
  +
The ''Enterprise'' emerges from the temporal vortex and destroys the Borg sphere with [[quantum torpedo]]es. Scanning the surface, the crew discovers that they have arrived on [[April|April 4th]], [[2063]] &ndash; one day before Earth's [[First Contact]] with an [[alien]] species, and a decade following the destruction of [[World War III]]. Picard surmises that the Borg were attempting to prevent the launch of Earth's first [[warp]]-powered craft. He gathers Lieutenant Commander Data and [[Doctor]] [[Beverly Crusher]], leading an [[away team]] to locate the warp ship's inventor, Doctor Zefram Cochrane.
Welcoming aboard [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Worf]] from the ''Defiant'', the crew of the ''Enterprise''-E watches the [[viewscreen]] as Earth dramatically changes. Now populated entirely by [[Borg drone]]s, they determine that history has been changed. As the temporal vortex collapses, Captain Picard orders the ''Enterprise'' to follow the Borg into the past - to repair whatever damage they've done.
 
   
  +
[[File:Tactile contact.jpg|thumb|left|Picard, Data and the ''Phoenix'']]
====21st Century====
 
  +
After [[beaming]] down, Picard's away team enters Cochrane's missile silo where they find the occupants dead but the [[prototype]] warpship, the ''[[Phoenix]]'', suffering only minor damage. Picard and Data inspect the rocket but are surprised by Lily, who fires at the ''Enterprise'' officers. Impervious to bullets, however, Data intercepts the [[21st century]] woman before she succumbs to radiation poisoning. Doctor Crusher returns to the ''Enterprise'' with Lily in her care, promising to keep her unconscious as Picard calls up to [[Geordi La Forge]], asking the [[chief engineer]] to bring a [[alpha team|repair crew]] to the silo.
[[Image:LilyCochrane.jpg|thumb|Lily and Cochrane spot the attackers]]
 
   
  +
[[File:Borg approach in dark.jpg|thumb|The Borg overrun the ship]]
In the small shanty town of [[Bozeman]], [[Montana]], [[Lily Sloane]] and [[Zefram Cochrane]] wander out of a makeshift bar as their town is unexpectedly pulverized by a volley of [[disruptor]] fire. Running for cover, Lily and Chochrane are unaware that the Borg sphere is responsible for the destruction raining down upon them.
 
  +
As the damage control team departs the ship, engineers [[Paul Porter|Porter]] and [[Eiger]] are left to deal with environmental difficulties that have mysteriously cropped up. One after the other, both officers crawl into a [[Jefferies tube]], wherein they are quietly assimilated by unseen Borg stowaways. Sensing that something is wrong aboard the ''Enterprise'', Picard returns with Data to the ship, leaving Commander Riker in charge.
   
  +
Indeed, something is dreadfully wrong, as the Borg infiltrate the ''Enterprise''; Picard surmises that the Borg, knowing their vessel was doomed, must have transported aboard undetected while the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s [[shields]] were down. Fleeing Borg drones in [[sickbay]], Doctor Crusher is forced to revive Lily. With the help of the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s [[EMH]], Crusher, [[Nurse]] [[Alyssa Ogawa|Ogawa]], [[Martinez]], and other medical personnel are able to escape into the Jefferies tubes where Lily quietly slips away while the medical officers flee the deck. On the [[bridge]], Picard orders Data to lockout the [[computer core|main computer]] with an [[fractal encryption code|encryption code]] as the Borg attempt to take command of the ship. Picard knows that, once the Borg have control of the ''Enterprise'', they will assimilate Earth.
Emerging from the temporal vortex, the ''Enterprise'' destroys the Borg sphere with [[quantum torpedo]]es. Scanning the surface, the crew discovers that they have arrived in [[April]] of [[2063]] - one day before Earth's [[first contact]] with an [[alien]] species. Surmising that the Borg were attempting to prevent the launch of Earth's first [[warp]]-powered craft, Picard assembles Lieutenant Commander [[Data]] and [[Doctor]] [[Beverly Crusher]], leading an [[away team]] to locate the warp ship's inventor: Doctor Zefram Cochrane.
 
   
  +
=== Act Two ===
[[Image:Tactile_contact.jpg|thumb|left|Picard, Data and the ''Phoenix'']]
 
  +
[[File:Cochrane and Troi toast.jpg|left|thumb|Troi and Cochrane share a drink]]
  +
Below decks, Picard briefs Data, Worf, and a team of [[security]] officers as they arm themselves with [[phaser rifle]]s (Worf informing the crew that even with a [[Phaser adapter|rotating modulation]], they will get at most twelve shots before the Borg adapt). As the Borg have taken control of [[main engineering]], Picard explains their objective: puncture one of the [[warp plasma]] [[coolant tank]]s. Doing so will release the plasma coolant, liquefying the Borg's organic components, without which, Picard explains, the cyborgs cannot survive. Picard also warns his officers that they should not show mercy to assimilated ''Enterprise'' crew members &ndash; indeed, killing them would be the merciful thing to do.
   
  +
On Earth, Commander Riker finds a drunken Counselor Troi at the town's makeshift bar. The counselor introduces Riker to Zefram Cochrane, himself intoxicated, explaining that the [[scientist]] doesn't believe their cover story &ndash; and that, in her professional opinion as [[ship's counselor]], she thinks he's "nuts." Riker is very amused by Troi's drunken behavior, which annoys Troi even more. As Cochrane activates a [[rock and roll]]-spouting [[jukebox]], Troi bemoans her first experience with [[tequila]] then finally passes out while Cochrane continues to dance to the music.
[[Transporter|Beam]]ing down, Picard's away team enters Cochrane's missile silo where they find the occupants dead, but the [[prototype]] warpship, the ''[[Phoenix]]'', suffering only minor damage. Inspecting the rocket, Picard and Data are surprised by Lily, who fires at the ''Enterprise'' officers with a machine gun. Impervious to bullets however, Data intercepts the [[21st century]] woman before she succumbs to radiation poisoning. Doctor Crusher returns to the ''Enterprise'' with Lily in her care, promising to keep her unconscious as Picard calls up to [[Geordi La Forge]], asking the [[Chief Engineer]] to bring a repair crew to the silo.
 
   
[[Image:Data encrypts the computer.jpg|thumb|Data locks out the main computer]]
+
[[File:Picard and Data hunt Borg.jpg|thumb|Picard and Data hunt Borg in the corridors of the ''Enterprise'']]
  +
Meanwhile, two teams march through the [[corridor]]s of the ''Enterprise''-E &ndash; one led by Worf, the other by Picard and Data. Rounding a corner on deck 16, the crew finds that the usually pristine and immaculate [[bulkhead]]s of a Federation starship have been replaced by the grotesque and mechanical equipment of a Borg vessel. In response, an anxious Data deactivates his [[emotion chip]]. Elsewhere, Worf and his men encounter Dr. Crusher as she emerges from the Jefferies tubes with her medical staff and patients. She notifies the [[Klingon]] that Lily has gone missing and Worf promises to watch out for the woman. Moving on, the two teams meet outside of engineering, in corridors crawling with Borg drones. At first ignoring the Starfleet officers' arrival, the Borg suddenly spring into action as Picard and Data attempt to gain entry to main engineering. A battle ensues, but the Borg quickly adapt to [[phaser]] fire and Picard calls for a retreat. The captain tells the ''Enterprise'' crew to regroup on deck 15 and warns his officers not to let the Borg touch them. Too late, however, for Data, who is captured by the Borg and taken into their hive.
   
  +
[[File:Lily captures Picard.jpg|thumb|left|Lily captures Picard]]
As the damage control team departs the ship, engineers [[Paul Porter|Porter]] and [[Eiger]] are left to deal with environmental difficulties that have mysteriously cropped up. Crawling into a [[Jeffries tube]], both officers are quietly dispatched by unseen Borg stowaways. Sensing that something is wrong aboard the ''Enterprise'', Picard returns with Data to the ship, leaving [[Commander]] [[William T. Riker|Riker]] and [[Counselor]] [[Deanna Troi|Troi]] in charge.
 
  +
Rushing to a Jefferies tube, Picard sees a crewman begging for help as Borg technology starts to take over his body and, believing he is saving him from a worse fate, shoots him dead before escaping into a hatch. Inside the access tube, Lily catches Picard by surprise, turning the captain's phaser on him and demanding to be returned home. Picard tells her that is not going to be easy at the moment, but Lily informs Picard that he had better make it easy or else she will fire the phaser on him. Picard tells her to follow him and she warns the captain to go slow.
   
  +
Data awakes in engineering, restrained to a Borg operating table and surrounded by drones. He assures them that they cannot gain the ''Enterprise'' [[access code]]s stored in his [[neural net]], speaking directly to the disembodied voice of the Borg. The Borg tell Data that breaking the code is only a matter of finding the [[android]]'s weakness.
Indeed, something is dreadfully wrong as the Borg infiltrate the ''Enterprise''. Fleeing Borg drones in [[sickbay]], Doctor Crusher is forced to revive Lily and escape into the Jeffries tubes where Lily quietly slips away. On the [[bridge]], Picard orders Data to lockout the [[computer core|main computer]] with an [[fractal encryption code|encryption code]] as the Borg attempt to take command of the ship. Picard knows that once the Borg have control of the ''Enterprise'', they will assimilate Earth.
 
   
  +
[[File:Riker La Forge and Troi convince Cochrane.jpg|thumb|Convincing Cochrane to make his flight]]
===Act Two===
 
  +
On the surface, Riker, Troi, and La Forge attempt to convince Cochrane that the story about the Borg and their mission is true. Adjusting the scientist's [[telescope]], La Forge gives Cochrane a glimpse of the ''Enterprise''-E, orbiting high above Montana. The ''Enterprise'' officers urge Cochrane to continue with his plans to launch the ''Phoenix'', telling him of the Utopian society that warp travel and first contact will bring to Earth. On the same day that Cochrane makes his first warp flight, a survey ship from a neighboring alien race will be passing through Earth's [[Sol system|solar system]]: upon noticing that Humans have discovered faster-than-light travel, they will decide that Humanity is advanced enough to officially make first contact. Thus, even if Cochrane's test flight is simply delayed a few days, it will drastically alter history. If Cochrane hurries to make his warp flight as scheduled, the aliens will make contact, and Humanity will put aside its differences and unite as never before, to rebuild from the world war and, within fifty years, build a utopia on Earth. Grudgingly, Cochrane agrees.
[[Image:Cochrane and Troi toast.jpg|left|thumb|Troi and Cochrane share a drink]]
 
  +
[[File:Borg assimilating Enterprise-E corridor.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' undergoing assimilation]]
Below decks, Picard briefs Data, Worf and a team of [[security]] officers as they arm themselves with [[phaser rifle]]s. As the Borg have taken control of [[engineering]], Picard explains their objective: puncture the [[warp plasma]] [[coolant tank]]s. Doing so will release the plasma which will liquify the Borg's organic components. Picard also warns his officers that they should not show mercy to assimilated ''Enterprise'' crew members.
 
  +
Meanwhile, the fight does not go well aboard the ''Enterprise''. The Borg continue their relentless assimilation of the ship and its crew, taking control of more than half of the starship. In command of the bridge, Worf is informed by [[Chief of Security]] {{dis|Daniels|Lieutenant}} that the Borg have halted their approach after seizing control of deck 11, which contains {{dis|hydroponics|section}}, {{dis|stellar cartography|section}}, and [[deflector control]]; none of which are vital ''Enterprise'' systems; Worf is mystified, as the Borg would only have ceased their attack there if they gained a tactical advantage. Meanwhile, still crawling through the bowels of the ship, Picard leads Lily to a porthole looking out over Earth. Shocked to find herself in space, Lily surrenders her phaser and begins to trust the captain.
   
  +
[[File:Borg Queen disembodied.jpg|thumb|left|"''The beginning, the end, the one who is many&hellip;''"]]
On Earth, Commander Riker finds a drunken Counselor Troi at the town's makeshift bar. The counselor introduces Riker to Zefram Cochrane, himself intoxicated, explaining that the scientist doesn't believe their cover story - and that she thinks he's "nuts". As Cochrane activates a [[rock and roll]]-spouting [[jukebox]], Troi bemoans her first experience with [[tequila]] then finally passes out.
 
  +
Down in engineering, Data continues his conversation with the [[Borg Queen]], who finally shows herself as a head and upper torso descending to a robotic body. Reactivating Data's emotion chip, the Queen reveals a patch of Human flesh grafted onto his android skeleton. With this new skin, Data is able to feel all new sensations and gets to experience pleasure for the first time when the Queen blows on the flesh.
   
  +
In a corridor, Picard describes the Federation and the Borg to Lily, who reacts in terror as they enter a section overrun by Borg. As they make their escape, Picard fires his phaser, provoking a response from two drones who pursue them into the [[holosuite]]. Activating a [[holonovel]], Picard recreates a scene from ''[[The Big Good-Bye]]'', using a holographic [[Thompson submachine gun|Tommy gun]] to blast the two Borg in a fit of rage. He goes berserk and plans on ripping apart the dead Borg with the gun before being calmed down by Lily. Nonetheless, he starts pulling open the chest cavity of one of the drones when Lily notices the Borg has partial remains of a Starfleet uniform on. Picard unemotionally informs her that the Borg was formerly Starfleet [[Ensign]] [[Lynch]]. The captain retrieves a Borg [[neural processor]] and proceeds to the bridge, surprising Lily at how emotionally detached he was at the thought of killing his own crew member.
[[Image:Picard and Data hunt Borg.jpg|thumb|Picard and Data hunt Borg in the corridors of the ''Enterprise'']]
 
   
  +
On Earth, Cochrane has grown frustrated with the high esteem bestowed upon him by the [[24th century]] officers as they repair the ''Phoenix''. After a run-in with [[Lieutenant]] [[Reginald Barclay|Barclay]] (who, like many of the crew had already done, asks to shake his hand), Cochrane expresses his reservations to La Forge, who admits that he too is experiencing feelings of [[hero worship]]. La Forge reveals to Cochrane that the missile silo would eventually become home to [[Zefram Cochrane's statue|a statue in his honor]]. The scientist quickly escapes into the woods, attempting to flee. Riker and La Forge give chase, ultimately stunning Cochrane to prevent his escape.
Meanwhile, two teams march through the [[corridor]]s of the ''Enterprise''-E - one led by Worf, the other by Picard and Data. As they head into sections of the ship that show signs of assimilation, an anxious Data deactivates his [[emotion chip]]. Elsewhere, Worf and his men encounter Dr. Crusher as she emerges from the Jeffries tubes with her medical staff and patients. She notifies the [[Klingon]] that Lily has gone missing and Worf promises to watch out for the woman. Moving on, the two teams meet outside of engineering, in corridors crawling with Borg drones. At first ignoring the Starfleet officers' arrival, the Borg suddenly spring into action as Picard and Data attempt to gain entry to main engineering. A battle ensues, but the Borg quickly adapt to [[phaser]] fire and Picard calls for a retreat. Too late, however, for Data who is captured by the Borg and taken into their hive.
 
   
[[Image:Lily captures Picard.jpg|thumb|left|Lily captures Picard]]
+
[[File:Data kissing the Borg Queen.jpg|thumb|left|The Borg Queen seduces Data]]
  +
In engineering, the operation to give Data flesh and blood continues. Exploiting a small window of opportunity, Data breaks free of the operating table and attempts to escape his captors. He is stopped, however, when a drone slashes at and cuts Data's new Human skin. Data is then forced to experience another new feeling &ndash; pain &ndash; and is left confused that, despite the fact he wants to rip the flesh off, he can't bring himself to do it. The Borg Queen then sets about seducing the android, who explains that he is "fully functional" and "programmed in multiple techniques," but it has been just over [[2364|eight years]] [[The Naked Now (episode)|since]] he has used them. Just as he tells the Queen this, the two fall into a passionate embrace.
   
  +
[[File:Hawk Picard and Worf in space.jpg|thumb|Picard, Worf, and Hawk on the hull of the ''Enterprise'']]
Rushing to a Jeffries tube, Picard is forced to kill an assimilated crewman before escaping into a hatch. Inside the access tube, Lily catches Picard by surprise, turning the captain's phaser on him and demanding to be returned home.
 
  +
On the bridge, Picard returns to brief his crew on the situation: the Borg plan to use the ship's [[navigational deflector]] to contact reinforcements in the [[Delta Quadrant]] which would easily conquer Earth. With no other way to gain access to the deflector dish, Picard, Worf, and the ship's [[helmsman]], Lieutenant Hawk, don [[environmental suit|EV suits]] and cross the exterior hull of the ship on foot (much to Worf's dismay, as the zero-gravity makes him [[nausea|sick to his stomach]]), finding several drones constructing a [[interplexing beacon|beacon]] atop the [[particle emitter]]. Unable to simply destroy the dish due to the risk of severe damage to the ship, Picard and company work to manually release it into space. Arousing a response from the drones, the ''Enterprise'' officers battle the Borg, who are able to injure Worf and assimilate Hawk. Hawk, now assimilated, tries to kill Picard by throwing him to a wall, cracking the glass in his helmet. Just as Hawk is about to slam his foot down on Picard's helmet, Worf shoots Hawk and he flies away into space. Recovering quickly, Picard finishes his task and releases the deflector into space. Worf allows the deflector to drift away from the ship, then destroys it with his phaser rifle.
   
  +
Sensing the destruction of the beacon, the Borg Queen announces to Data &ndash; still undergoing the operation &ndash; that she has changed her plans.
Data awakes in engineering held to a Borg operating table and surrounded by drones. He assures them that they cannot gain the ''Enterprise'' access codes stored in his [[neural net]], speaking directly to the disembodied voice of the [[Borg Queen]]. The Queen tells Data that breaking the code is only a matter of finding the [[android]]'s weakness.
 
   
  +
=== Act Three ===
[[Image:Riker La Forge and Troi convince Cochrane.jpg|thumb|Convincing Cochrane to continue his flight]]
 
  +
Aboard the repaired ''Phoenix'', with less than an hour before launch, Cochrane mulls over some final details as Riker joins him. Cochrane admits that he's suffering from a [[hangover]] which is either from the [[whiskey]] or Riker's phaser blast (or both), but is ready to make history nonetheless. As the launch doors are opened, Riker marvels at the sight on the moon visible in the early morning sky. Cochrane, unimpressed, wonders if maybe there is no moon in the 24th century. Riker admits that there is but it just looks very much different here in the 21st century as 50 million people live on the moon in the 24th century. Riker points out [[Tycho City]], [[New Berlin]] and [[Lake Armstrong]], but Cochrane doesn't want to hear any of it being credited to him, as he's had quite enough of hearing about ''"the great Zefram Cochrane."'' Cochrane advises Riker that the ''Enterprise'' crew has some pretty unbelievable ideas about who he really is as he has observed them treating him as some kind of saint or visionary. Riker admits that he doesn't think Cochrane is a saint, but he most definitely had a vision - the ''Phoenix'' itself. Cochrane admits, however, his real vision is [[dollar|dollar signs]] and [[money]]. He confides in Riker that he didn't build the ''Phoenix'' to usher in a new era for Humanity - he doesn't even like to fly, preferring [[train]]s. He built the ''Phoenix'' to be able to retire to a tropical island filled with naked women, which amuses Riker, but Cochrane vehemently defends his vision as who he truly is and dismisses the historical figure that the crew sees him as while also believing he'll never be the man history knows him to be. Riker offers Cochrane a quote - ''"Don't try to be a great man, just be a man and let history make it's own judgments."'' Cochrane dismisses it as rhetorical nonsense before quizzing Riker on who said that. Riker, quite amusedly, tells Cochrane it was he himself, ten years from the present, before leaving the doctor to finish his pre-launch checklist.
   
  +
Returning to the bridge, Picard and Worf find the situation has worsened: Daniels, bloodied, emerges from the Jeffries Tube and reports that the Borg have continued their takeover of the ship, assimilating decks five and six, with the intent of charging their way to the bridge, and the crew's phasers can no longer affect their adversaries. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, Picard orders Daniels to tell his men to stand their ground, even fight hand-to-hand if need be. Worf and Dr. Crusher argue against this, instead suggesting evacuating the ''Enterprise'' in [[escape pod]]s and setting the ship to [[auto-destruct|self-destruct]] to destroy the Borg. Picard angrily balks and decrees that the crew will stay and fight. Worf believes however that the ''Enterprise'' has been lost, but Picard retorts he has no intention of losing the ''Enterprise'', certainly not to the Borg while he's in command. Worf, owing to all due respect to the captain, attempts to reason with Picard telling him that his experience with the Borg is influencing his judgement. Picard responds by calling the Klingon a coward by wanting to destroy the ship and simply run away. Worf, insulted and outraged, snarls at Picard: "''If you were any other man, I would kill you where you stand!''" Unfazed by the threat, Picard angrily fires back at Worf ''"Get off my bridge!"'' and retreats into the observation lounge, alone. Dr. Crusher begins to coordinate the remaining crew in defense of the ship, but Lily argues in favor of the self-destruct. Dr. Crusher points out that when the captain makes up his mind the discussion is over. Lily, not one of the crew, doesn't accept this and follows Picard to confront him&hellip;
On the surface, Riker, Troi and La Forge attempt to convince Cochrane that the story about the Borg and their mission is true. Adjusting the scientist's [[telescope]], La Forge gives Cochrane a glimpse of the ''Enterprise''-E, orbiting high above Montana. The ''Enterprise'' officers urge Cochrane to continue with his plans to launch the ''Phoenix'', telling him of the utopian society that warp travel and first contact will bring to Earth. Grudgingly, Cochrane agrees.
 
   
  +
[[File:Picard as Ahab.jpg|thumb|right|''"The line must be drawn HERE! This far, NO FURTHER!''"]]
The fight does not go well aboard the ''Enterprise''. The Borg continue their assimilation of the ship and its crew, taking control of seemingly non-vital areas of the ship including [[deflector control]]. Still crawling through the bowels of the ship, Picard leads Lily to a porthole looking out over Earth. Shocked to find herself in space, Lily surrenders her phaser and begins to trust the captain.
 
  +
In the observation lounge, Picard sits at the table and tries to reconfigure his phaser rifle as Lily enters calling him a "''son of a bitch''." The captain, with little time to spare, waves her off. Lily admits that while she may not know anything about the time where the crew comes from, she knows that everyone on the bridge believes that staying aboard the ship and fighting the Borg is suicide, they just won't tell Picard. The captain dismisses her belief with the assumption that the crew will follow his orders as they always have. Lily reminds him that his orders probably make sense most of the time. Picard's temper rises and silences her by saying the crew cannot understand the Borg as he does and no one can, he says quietly. Lily doesn't understand what Picard means.
   
  +
Picard explains [[The Best of Both Worlds (episode)|the circumstances]] surrounding his abduction and incorporation into the Collective six years earlier and smugly tells her that his experiences give him a unique perspective on the Borg and how to fight them. He asks that she excuse him, as he has work to do. Lily begins to understand Picard's motivations &ndash; the Borg hurt him before and now he's going to pay them back. The captain sneers that in the 24th century, mankind doesn't succumb to revenge as they have a more evolved sensibility than what Lily can appreciate. "''Bullshit!''" she exclaims as she watched him earlier murder two Borg in the holosuite in cold blood with a look of enjoyment on his face. Picard is appalled she would make such an accusation and snarls at her to get out. Lily, defiant, stands her ground and wonders if he'll kill her like he did Ensign Lynch if she refuses. Picard, his emotions running high, dismisses the incident, claiming "there was no way to save him." Lily doesn't buy it and asks where his "evolved sensibility" was then. Picard tries to ignore her claims, but Lily compares him to the obsessed Captain [[Ahab]] in the novel ''[[Moby Dick]].'' Picard is momentarily jarred, but he shifts the conversation away from the accusation saying his refusal to abandon ship is more about saving the future of Humanity. Lily presses him bluntly, screaming at him to "blow up the damn ship!" Picard now loses control entirely, yelling "''No!''" and in a moment of total rage smashes his phaser rifle into the display case containing models of [[Enterprise history|previous starship ''Enterprise''s]]. As he watches the shattered models of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-C|-C}} and {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} fall and break, he is momentarily taken aback. He tells her that sacrificing the ''Enterprise''-E would be another compromise in a long line of compromises in Humanity's dealings with the Borg. "''No further''," Picard intones, for he intends to make the Borg pay for what they've done.
[[Image:Borg Queen disembodied.jpg|thumb|left|''"The beginning, the end, the one who is many..."'']]
 
   
  +
Seemingly defeated, Lily examines the broken pieces of the ''Enterprise''-D model and gently chides the captain that his little ships are broken and begins to exit the lounge. "''See you around, Ahab.''" As she does, the words of ''Moby Dick'' echo from his memory&hellip;
Down in engineering, Data continues his conversation with the Borg Queen, who finally shows herself as a head and upper torso descending to a robotic body. Reactivating Data's emotion chip, the Queen reveals a patch of Human flesh grafted onto his android skeleton. With this new skin, Data is able to feel all new sensations.
 
   
  +
:"''&hellip;and he piled upon the whale's white hump; the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his heart upon it.''"
In a corridor, Picard describes the Federation and the Borg to Lily, who reacts in terror as they enter a section overrun by Borg. As they make their escape, Picard fires his phaser, provoking a response from two drones who pursue them into the [[holodeck]]. Activating a [[holonovel]], Picard recreates a scene from [[Dixon Hill (holonovel)|''The Big Good-Bye'']], using a holographic [[Thompson submachine gun|Tommy gun]] to blast the two drones in a fit of rage. Pulling open the chest cavity of one of the drones - formerly Starfleet [[Ensign]] [[Lynch]] - the captain retrieves a Borg [[neural processor]] and uncovers their plans.
 
   
  +
Lily confesses she never actually read the book. With a smile on his lips, Picard explains that Captain Ahab had spent years hunting the whale that had crippled him, but his quest for vengeance eventually destroyed him and his ship. Realizing that he is indeed walking the same path, Picard sets his phaser rifle next to the broken pieces of the ''Enterprise''-D model and enters the bridge and gives the order&hellip;
On Earth, Cochrane has grown frustrated with the high esteem bestowed upon him by the [[24th century]] officers as they repair the ''Phoenix''. After a run in with [[Lieutenant]] [[Reginald Barclay|Barclay]], Cochrane expresses his reservations to La Forge, who admits that he too is experiencing feelings of hero worship. La Forge reveals to Cochrane that the missile silo would eventually become home to a statue in his honor. The scientist quickly escapes into the woods, attempting to flee. Riker and La Forge give chase, ultimately stunning Cochrane to prevent his escape.
 
   
  +
"''Prepare to evacuate the ''Enterprise''.''"
[[Image:Data and the Borg Queen (2063).jpg|thumb|left|The Borg Queen seduces Data]]
 
   
  +
At the launch site, Riker, La Forge, and Cochrane begin the pre-ignition sequence to launch the ''Phoenix'' while on the ''Enterprise'' bridge, Picard, Crusher, and Worf arm the auto-destruct sequence. Programming the [[escape pod]]s to head for the isolated [[Gravett Island]], the captain activates the destruct order: fifteen minutes with a silent countdown. Dr. Crusher laments the quick death of the ''Enterprise''-E and wonders if Starfleet will build another one. Picard, as hopeful as he was following the destruction of the ''Enterprise''-D, quips that there are still "''plenty of letters left in the alphabet.''" Worf turns to exit as Picard stops him, regretting some the remarks he made to him earlier. The captain adds that the Klingon is the bravest man he's ever known. Worf accepts the apology and they shake hands. Now alone on the bridge, his Starfleet career seemingly over and his command minutes away from destruction, Picard suddenly becomes very much aware that Data is still held in the clutches of the Collective.
In engineering, the operation to give Data flesh and blood continues. Exploiting a small window of opportunity, Data breaks free of the operating table and attempts to escape his captors. He is stopped however, when a drone slashes at and cuts Data's new Human skin. Confused and experiencing pain for the first time in his life, the android is easily seduced by the Borg Queen and the two soon fall into a passionate embrace.
 
   
  +
From mission control in Montana, Counselor Troi, on headset to the cockpit of the ''Phoenix'', advises Cochrane, Riker and Geordi that final launch checks are complete and wishes them good luck. Riker wonders if everyone is ready to make history, which La Forge concedes that he always is. Cochrane, however, is bothered by a nagging feeling that he has forgotten something, although he dismisses it as probably nothing. As Troi begins the ignition sequence and the countdown to launch begins, Cochrane suddenly realizes what he has forgotten. As Riker and Geordi begin to abort, Cochrane finds what he's looking for in his pocket - a green disc, which he inserts into the console. As the countdown approaches zero, Cochrane orders the ''Phoenix'' launched - ''"Let's rock and roll!"'' He presses a button on the console with the disc as "[[Magic Carpet Ride]]" by [[Steppenwolf]] blasts into the cockpit (and Troi's headset) at maximum volume. The ''Phoenix'' blasts off as the townspeople look on. As she begins to achieve orbit, Riker, more of a [[jazz]] enthusiast, wonders if Cochrane might turn the song down a little as Geordi reports a red light on the second intake valve. Cochrane, unconcerned, tells them to ignore it as the ''Phoenix'' completes first-stage shut down and separation. As it does, the [[warp nacelle]]s deploy from the port and starboard sides of the craft. Riker brings the warp core online as Cochrane marvels at the sight of the Earth out of the window. Geordi promises him ''"you ain't seen nothing yet!"''
[[Image:Hawk Picard and Worf in space.jpg|thumb|Picard, Worf and Hawk on the hull of the ''Enterprise'']]
 
   
  +
[[File:Sovereign type escape pods.jpg|thumb|left|Flight of the escape pods]]
Elsewhere, Picard returns to the bridge to brief his crew on the situation: the Borg plan to use the ship's [[navigational deflector]] to contact reinforcements. With no way to gain access to the deflector dish, Picard, Worf and the ship's [[helmsman]] Lieutenant [[Hawk (Lieutenant)|Hawk]] don [[Environmental suit|EV suit]]s and cross the exterior hull of the ship on foot, finding several drones constructing a [[interplexing beacon|beacon]]. Unable to simply destroy the dish, Picard and company work to manually release it into space. Arousing a response from the drones, the ''Enterprise'' officers battle the Borg who are able to incapacitate Worf and assimilate Hawk. Left on his own, Picard is able to finish his task and release the deflector into space just before Worf destroys it with his phaser rifle.
 
  +
Escorting Lily to her escape pod, Picard hands her a [[PADD]] containing orders for Commander Riker, informing him and their crew on the surface to find a quiet corner of North America and to stay out of history's way. Lily wishes Picard good luck and does he, but she quickly realizes that the captain has no intention of leaving the ship. He explains to her that when he was held captive on the Borg ship years earlier, the crew risked everything to save him and that there is one member of the ''Enterprise'' crew still aboard and he owes him the same. Accepting his decision, Lily tells Picard to go find his friend and boards her pod as dozens of escape craft disengage from the ''Enterprise'' and travel towards Earth.
   
  +
[[File:Picard fights off the Queen.jpg|thumb|Grappling with the Queen]]
Sensing the destruction of the beacon, the Borg Queen announces to Data - still undergoing the operation - that she has changed her plans.
 
  +
Picard advances to engineering where he comes face-to-face with the Borg Queen. She recalls the last time they met &ndash; during his assimilation &ndash; and notes how Picard can still hear "their song" - the call of the Collective. Picard, incredulous, begins to remember the Queen but cannot understand how she survived the destruction of the Borg cube that invaded the Federation six years earlier. The Queen, disgusted with Picard's limited understanding, admonishes him for how small he has become and how Data understands her and calls to the android. Picard turns to see a new Data, plugged into a [[regeneration alcove|Borg alcove]], with half of his face now sporting organic Human flesh. The captain demands to know what the Queen has done to him, but she simply states she has simply given him what he's always wanted - flesh and blood. Picard requests that the Queen let Data go as he is not the one she wants. As she quizzes the captain on whether he's offering himself to the Borg, Picard has a sudden realization that it wasn't enough that the Borg assimilate him six years earlier, he had to give himself over to the Borg to satisfy the Queen's intentions. She angrily rebukes his claim, stating that she has overseen the assimilation of countless millions and that Picard was no different. The captain accuses her of lying, stating he knows that she wanted him to be more than just another Borg drone, she was seeking a Human counterpart to herself to bridge the gap between Humanity and the Borg, but that plan failed as Picard resisted. The Queen laments that Picard couldn't begin to understand the life he denied himself. Picard makes his offer - Locutus rejoins the collective willingly without any resistance in exchange for letting Data go. The Queen commends Picard's nobility and releases the forcefield containing Data and allows him to leave. However, Data remains motionless. The captain orders Data to go but he refuses, stating he does not wish to leave. With a glint of satisfaction, the Queen informs Picard that she doesn't need him as she's already found her equal - Data. She orders him to deactivate the self-destruct sequence and he obliges. Picard desperately tries to convince Data not to do it, but he ignores him as the ship's computer acknowledges that the auto-destruct sequence has been deactivated. After deactivating the self-destruct sequence, the Queen orders Data to now enter the encryption codes on the main computer, which will give the Queen command of the ''Enterprise.'' Data, again, obliges as Picard woefully notes that Data will not listen to him. Data, instead, leaves the captain and takes his place at the Queen's side, telling her that Picard will be an "excellent drone" as Borg drones take hold of the betrayed captain.
   
  +
Aboard the ''Phoenix'', Geordi reports everything is looking good and the ship is prepared for warp speed as Riker warns that they had best break the warp barrier in the next five minutes if history is to fulfill itself. Cochrane orders Riker and La Forge to jump to warp with a familiar command - ''"Engage!"'' Riker and Geordi allow themselves a grin at the parallel as the ''Enterprise'' begins to bear down on the ''Phoenix.'' Back in engineering, Picard is confined to an operation table as Data targets the ''Phoenix'' with [[quantum torpedo]]es, which the Queen orders destroyed. The torpedoes are launched from the ''Enterprise'' as a delighted Borg Queen taunts the captain to watch as Humanity's future comes to an end, not noticing Data quietly moving towards a [[plasma coolant]] tank behind her. Picard can only watch in horror as the torpedoes close in on the ''Phoenix'' until they finally&hellip; ''miss'' their target. The horrified Queen and smirking captain realize that Data has deceived the Borg, not joined them. Data mockingly repeats the Borg's mantra back to the Queen - ''"Resistance is futile!"'' and thrusts his fist into the coolant tank, enveloping him in the deadly gas as Picard scrambles for cover. The ''Phoenix'' engages it's warp drive as Cochrane hangs on for dear life. On the ''Enterprise'', Picard utilizes some suction hoses from the ceiling to escape the lethal plasma coolant. Just below him, the Queen grabs hold of his foot, impeding his climb to safety. Picard struggles against her grip until Data &ndash; his new skin dissolved &ndash; emerges from the plasma coolant and grabs hold of her. After a desperate struggle, Data pulls the Borg Queen into the deadly gas. Screaming in pain and rage, the Borg Queen's flesh quickly disintegrates. With her control of the Borg on the ''Enterprise'' destabilized, drones all over the ship collapse and die.
===Act Three===
 
Repairs to the ''Phoenix'' have finally been completed and Riker joins Cochrane in the warp ship's cockpit. Cochrane admits to the commander that he is not the hero the ''Enterprise'' crew makes him out to be, but Riker assures him that he is a more honorable man than even he knows.
 
   
[[Image:Picard as Ahab.jpg|thumb|''"A sum of all the rage and hate..."'']]
+
[[File:Borg Queen dead.jpg|thumb|left|The remains of the fallen Borg Queen]]
  +
[[File:Data and Jean-Luc Picard in Enterprise-E engineering.jpg|thumb|"''Data, are you all right?''"<br />"''I would imagine I look worse than I&hellip; feel.''"]]
  +
After a few moments traveling faster than the speed of light, Riker aboard the ''Pheonix'' orders throttle back. As the ''Phoenix'' drops out of warp, it begins it's return journey to Earth. Cochrane, amazed at his experience, notices how small Earth looks from the cockpit window. Riker reminds him that it's about to get a whole lot bigger once history takes it's course. Picard vents the plasma from engineering and descends to the deck, which is littered with Borg corpses. Finding the metallic skeletal remains of the Borg Queen still clinging to life near the warp core, Picard breaks her [[spinal column]] and terminates her once and for all, finally allowing him some form of closure. The captain finds Data not far away; knowing that the melting of his Borg-given Human skin has left some of his inner circuits revealed but caused no real damage, he quips that he probably doesn't ''feel'' as bad as he might look, allowing a small chuckle at the irony. The android expresses a sense of sadness at the death of the "unique" Borg Queen and the glimpses of Humanity she brought him. He admits that he was tempted by her offer for a mere 0.68 seconds, but also notes that this involved much more deliberation than the captain might suspect. Picard extends his hand to Data and helps him to his feet. They both take a look at the Borg assimilated engineering and exit.
   
  +
[[File:T'Plana-Hath in crowd.jpg|thumb|left|First contact]]
Returning to the bridge, Picard and Worf find the situation has worsened. Worf advises evacuating the ''Enterprise'' and setting the ship to [[auto destruct|self-destruct]]. Picard balks, calling the Klingon a coward and ordering him off the bridge. In the ship's [[observation lounge]], Lily and Picard engage in a heated argument that reveals Picard's true hopes of gaining vengeance against the Borg for his assimilation. Realizing that he is no better than [[Ahab]] of ''[[Moby Dick]]'', the captain finally relents, ordering the destruction of the ''Enterprise''. Reassembling on the bridge, Picard, Dr. Crusher and Worf activate the self-destruct sequence and begin launching the [[escape pod]]s. As they evacuate, Picard and Worf reconcile, but as he prepares to depart, the Captain becomes keenly aware of Data's presence in the clutches of the Borg.
 
  +
In Montana, a crowd of observers, including Cochrane, Lily, Picard, and the other Human members of the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s [[senior staff]], watch the historic landing of the first extraterrestrial craft to openly and publicly visit Earth. Cochrane, amazed, marvels to Riker that the aliens really are from another world as Riker reminds him that they're going to want to meet the man who flew that warp ship that drew them there. Cochrane approaches them as the alien leader makes his way forward and removes his hood, revealing [[Vulcan|a set of pointed ears]] and extends [[Vulcan salute|his hand in greeting:]] ''"Live long and prosper."'' Cochrane attempts to return the gesture, but cannot get his fingers to mimic the alien's. Instead, he offers him the Human equivalent - a [[handshake]]. ''"Thanks."'' he says. Picard, happily noting that all is proceeding as it should, notes to his crew that the time has come for them to make a discreet exit and let history unfold as it should. With that, Riker taps his combadge and orders the ''Enterprise'' to stand by to beam them up as the captain heads for Lily. She notes that the time has come for him to go and remarks how she envies him and the world he's going to. Picard responds how much he envies her that she gets to witness Humanity's first steps into a new frontier before telling her that he'll miss her. With a kiss good-bye, the ''Enterprise'' crew departs unnoticed.
   
  +
Back on the bridge, Worf tells Picard that the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s warp signature was obscured by the moon's [[gravitational field]] and thus was not detected by the Vulcans, while La Forge can recreate the temporal vortex that brought them there by reconfiguring their [[warp field]]. Data, with his damaged face, informs the captain that helm stands by for his orders. Picard, confident that the future they know will be waiting for them, has Data lay in a course for the 24th century. On Earth, as Lily watches in the sky as the ''Enterprise'' disappears through the vortex, a happily blitzed Cochrane unsuccessfully tries to get the Vulcans to drink and dance along to "[[Ooby Dooby]]" by [[Roy Orbison]].
From the tight confines of the missile silo in Montana to the remarkable wonder of the stars, the ''Phoenix'' is launched, flown by Cochrane, Riker and La Forge. As the ''Phoenix'' soars above the Earth's [[atmosphere]], the craft's occupants prepare to engage warp and Cochrane marvels at the experience.
 
   
  +
== Log entries ==
[[Image:Sovereign class escape pod.jpg|thumb|left|Flight of the escape pods]]
 
  +
:"''[[Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)|Captain's log]], [[stardate]] 50893.5. The moment I have dreaded for [[2367|nearly six years]] has finally arrived. The [[Borg]], our most lethal enemy, have begun an invasion of the [[Federation]], and this time, there may be no stopping them.''"
   
  +
:"''Captain's log, April 5, [[2063]]. The voyage of the ''[[Phoenix]]'' was a success &ndash; again. The [[T'Plana-Hath (starship)|alien ship]] detected the [[warp signature]], and is on its way to rendezvous with history.''"
Escorting Lily to her escape pod, Picard hands her a [[PADD]] containing orders for Commander Riker. Lily realizes that the captain has no intention of leaving the ship and he admits that he must risk his life to save Data. Accepting his decision, Lily boards her pod as dozens of escape craft disengage from the ''Enterprise'' and fly towards Earth.
 
   
  +
== Memorable quotes ==
[[Image:Picard fights off the Queen.jpg|thumb|Grappling with the Queen]]
 
  +
"''I've just received a disturbing report from Deep Space 5. Our colony on Ivor Prime was destroyed this morning. Long range sensors have picked up the&ndash;''"<br />
  +
"''&hellip;Yes, I know, the Borg.''"
  +
: - '''Admiral Hayes''', informing '''Picard''' of the Borg incursion
   
Alone, Picard advances into engineering where he comes face-to-face with the Borg Queen. She recalls the last time they met - during his assimilation - and presents him with a new Data, whose face is now partially Human. Picard attempts to parlay for the android's release, but it is no use. Data stands at the Queen's side as Borg drones take hold of the captain. As the ''Phoenix'' prepares to jump to warp, Data targets the warp ship with quantum torpedoes. Picard can only watch as the torpedoes are launched, much to the delight of the Borg Queen. In space, however, the torpedoes narrowly miss the ''Phoenix'' and the Queen knows she has been betrayed. Thrusting his fist into a plasma coolant tank, Data is enveloped in the deadly gas as Picard scrambles for cover. Just below him, the Queen grabs hold of his foot impeding his climb to safety. Picard struggles against her grip until Data - his new skin dissolved - emerges from the plasma and pulls the Borg Queen into it. Screaming in pain and rage, the Borg Queen's flesh quickly disintegrates.
 
   
  +
"''Bridge to Captain Picard.''"<br />
[[Image:Borg Queen dead.jpg|thumb|left|The remains of the fallen Borg Queen]]
 
  +
"''Go ahead.''"<br />
  +
"''We've just received word from the fleet. They've engaged the Borg.''"
  +
: - '''Troi's''' message to '''Picard'''
   
As the ''Phoenix'' drops out of warp and returns to Earth, Picard vents the plasma from engineering and descends to the deck littered with Borg corpses. Finding the remains of the Borg Queen still clinging to life, Picard breaks her cerebellum and terminates her once and for all. The captain finds Data not far away. The android expresses a sense of sadness at the death of the "unique" Borg Queen and the glimpses of humanity she brought him. He admits that he was - albeit briefly - tempted by her offer.
 
   
  +
"''Flagship to [[USS Endeavour (NCC-71805)|Endeavour]], stand by to engage at grid A-15.''"<br />
:"''Captain's log, April 5, 2063. The voyage of the ''Phoenix'' was a success &ndash; again. The [[T'Plana-Hath (starship)|alien ship]] detected the [[warp signature]], and is on its way to rendezvous with history.''"
 
  +
"''[[USS Defiant (2370)|Defiant]] and [[USS Bozeman|Bozeman]], fall back to mobile position 1.''"<br />
  +
"''Acknowledged.''"<br />
  +
"''We have it a visual range, a [[Borg cube]] on course 0 mark 2-1-5, speed warp nine&hellip;''"
  +
: - Four '''Starfleet Crew members''' on flagship on audio.
   
[[Image:TPlana hath in crowd.jpg|thumb|First contact]]
 
   
  +
"''We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.''"
In Montana, a crowd of observers including Cochrane, Lily, Picard and the other Human members of the ''Enterprise''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[senior staff]] watch the historic landing of the first extraterrestrial craft to visit Earth. In awe and not without a little difficulty, Cochrane welcomes a trio of [[Vulcan]]s to Earth. Picard bids Lily a brief farewell and returns with his crew to his own ship. By recreating the temporal vortex that brought them there, the crew of the ''Enterprise''-E departs the 21st century, leaving Lily, Cochrane and the Vulcans on Earth as the history of the future begins.
 
  +
: - A chilling message sent from the '''Borg''', for the rest of the Starfleet, as the ''Enterprise'' sweeps the Neutral Zone {{Audio|file=Resistance is futile.ogg|text=Listen to this quote}}
   
== Memorable Quotes ==
 
"''We've finished our first sensor sweep of the Neutral Zone.''"<br />
 
"''Oh, fascinating. Twenty particles of space dust per cubic meter, fifty-two ultraviolet radiation spikes, and a class two comet. Well, this is certainly worthy of our attention.''"
 
: - '''Riker''' and '''Picard'''
 
   
  +
"''All units, open fire!''"<br />
  +
"''Remodulate shield&hellip;''"<br />
  +
"''They've broken through the defense perimeter toward Earth!''"<br />
  +
"''Pursuit Course.''"<br />
  +
"''The cube is changing course! 0-2-1 mark 4!''"<br />
  +
"''Defiant continue to attack! Flagship to Starfleet command, We need reinforcements!'''<br />
  +
"''Casualty reports coming in!''"<br />
  +
"''96 dead, 22 wounded on the [[USS Lexington (NCC-30405)|Lexington]]!''"
  +
: - Admiral on Flagship and other '''Starfleet Crew Members''' on audio.
   
"''Captain, I believe I speak for everyone here sir when I say, 'To Hell with our orders'.''"
 
: - '''Data'''
 
   
  +
"''I'm about to commit a direct violation of our orders. Any of you who wish to object should do so, now. It will be noted in my log."''
  +
: - '''Picard''', to his crew about disobeying his orders before heading back to Earth
   
"''Main power is off-line, we've lost shields and our weapons are gone!''"<br />
 
(hits a console) "''Perhaps today '''is''' a good day to die! Prepare for ramming speed!''"
 
: - '''Helm officer''' and '''Worf''', on the ''Defiant''
 
   
  +
"''Isn't it amazing? This ship used to be a nuclear missile!''"<br />
  +
"''It is an historical irony that Doctor Cochrane would use an instrument of mass destruction to inaugurate an era of peace.''"
  +
: - '''Picard''' and '''Data''', on the ''[[Phoenix]]''
   
"''Tough little ship.''"<br />
 
"''Little?''"
 
: - '''Riker''' and '''Worf''', speaking about the ''Defiant''
 
   
  +
"''This isn't part of my program! I'm a doctor, not a doorstop!''"
  +
: - The ''Enterprise''{{'}}s EMH, upon being ordered to delay Borg pursuers in sickbay
   
"''You do remember how to fire phasers...?''"
 
: - '''Riker''', to Worf
 
   
  +
"''And you people, you're all astronauts on&hellip; some kind of star trek?''"
  +
: - '''Cochrane''', checking his understanding of the ''Enterprise'' crew members
   
"''Please state the nature of the medical emergency.''"<br />
 
"''Twenty Borg are about to break through that door. We need time to get out of here. Create a diversion!''"<br />
 
"''This isn't a part of my program. [[I'm a doctor, not a...|I'm a doctor, not a doorstop]].''"<br />
 
"''Well, do a dance, tell a story, I don't care; just give us a few seconds!''"
 
: - '''Emergency Medical Hologram''' and '''Dr. Crusher'''
 
   
  +
"''Who is this jerk? ''(slurring)'' And who told him he could turn off my music?''"
  +
: - '''Cochrane''', after Riker unplugs the jukebox
   
"''I'm just trying to blend in.''"<br />
 
"''You're blended, all right.''"
 
: - '''Troi''' and '''Riker''', about Troi's intoxication
 
   
  +
"''Timeline!? This is no time to argue about time!! We don't have the time!! What was I saying?''"
 
  +
: - '''Troi''', visibly drunk
"Timeline?'' This is no ''time'' to be arguing about ''time''! We don't have the ''time!''... what was I saying?''"
 
: - '''Troi''', to Riker, while intoxicated
 
 
 
"''If you want my ''professional'' opinion, as ship's counselor... he's nuts!''"<br />
 
"''I'll be sure to note that in my log.''"
 
: - '''Troi''' and '''Riker''', about Zefram Cochrane
 
 
 
"''Captain, I believe I am beginning to feel...anxiety. It is an intriguing sensation, a most distracting...''"<br />
 
"''Data, I'm sure it's a fascinating experience, but perhaps you should deactivate your emotion chip for now.''"<br />
 
"''Good idea, sir.''(twists neck)'' Done.''"<br />
 
"''Data, there are times that I envy you.''"
 
: - '''Data''' and '''Picard''', as they encounter the Borg modifications to the ''Enterprise''
 
   
   
 
"''You'd better find a way to make it easy, soldier, or I'm going to start ''pushing buttons''!''"
 
"''You'd better find a way to make it easy, soldier, or I'm going to start ''pushing buttons''!''"
: - '''Lily''', holding a hand phaser on Picard
+
: - '''Lily''', pointing a phaser at Picard
   
   
  +
"''I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. I am the Borg.''"
"''Your efforts to break the encryption codes will not be successful, nor will your attempts to assimilate me into your collective.''"<br />
 
  +
: - '''Borg Queen'''
"''Brave words. I've heard them before. From thousands of species across thousands of world since long before you were created. But now, they are all Borg.''"
 
"''I am unlike any species you have assimilated''"<br />
 
: - "Data" and the "Borg Queen"
 
   
   
  +
"''Assimilate'' this!"
"''So, you're all... astronauts, on... some kind of [[Star Trek|star trek]]?''"
 
: - '''Zefram Cochrane''', to Riker, Troi, and La Forge
+
: - '''Worf''', before destroying the interplexing beacon
   
   
  +
"''I will not sacrifice the ''Enterprise''. We've made too many compromises already. Too many retreats. They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds and we fall back. Not again! The line must be drawn here&hellip; THIS far, NO further! And I will make them '''PAY''' for what they've done.''"
"''What is this?''"
 
  +
: - '''Jean -Luc Picard''', to Lily Sloane &ndash; {{Audio|file=The line must be drawn here.ogg|text=Listen to this quote}}
"''Australia. New Guinea. Solomon Islands. Montana will be up soon, but you may want to hold your breath. It's a long way down.''"
 
: - '''Lily''' and '''Picard''', as Picard proves they're aboard the '''Enterprise'''
 
   
   
  +
"''Watch&hellip; your future's end.''"
"''Maximum setting. If you'd fired this you would have vaporized me.''"<br />
 
  +
: - '''Borg Queen''' to Picard, as the quantum torpedoes head toward the ''Phoenix''
"''It's my first ray gun.''"
 
: - '''Picard''' and '''Lily'''
 
   
   
"''Borg? Sounds Swedish...''"
+
"''Resistance is futile!''"
  +
: - '''Data''', to the Borg Queen, once the torpedoes have safely missed the ''Phoenix'', just before destroying a plasma coolant tank &ndash; {{Audio|file=Data - Futile.ogg|text=Llisten to this quote}}
: - '''Lily Sloane''', to Picard
 
   
   
  +
"''Live long and prosper.''"<br />
"''Definitely not Swedish!''"
 
  +
"''Thanks.''"
: - '''Lily Sloane''', after she sees Borg drones
 
  +
: - '''Vulcan captain''' and '''Cochrane''', greeting each other after the ''T'Plana-Hath'' lands
   
   
"''No money? You mean you don't get paid?''"<br />
+
"''I envy you, the world you're going to.''"<br />
  +
"''I envy you, taking these first steps into a new frontier.''"<br />
"''The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We wish to better ourselves and the rest of humanity.''"
 
 
: - '''Lily''' and '''Picard'''
 
: - '''Lily''' and '''Picard'''
   
   
  +
"''Mister Data, lay in a course for the twenty-fourth century. I suspect our future is there waiting for us.''"<br />
"''AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! AAAAHH...''"<br />
 
"''HEY!'' (stopping Picard) ''I think you got him...''"
 
: - '''Picard''' and '''Lily''', while Picard uses a Tommy Gun to attack a Borg drone
 
 
 
"''Tell your men to stand their ground. Fight hand to hand if they have to.''"
 
: - '''Picard''', to Daniels
 
 
 
"''I gotta take a leak.''"<br />
 
"''Leak? I'm not detecting any leak.''"<br />
 
"''Don't people from the 24th century ever pee?''"<br />
 
"''Oh. Right. That's pretty funny.''"
 
:- '''Zefram Cochrane''' and '''La Forge'''
 
 
 
"''I don't want to be a statue!''"
 
: - '''Zefram Cochrane''', to Riker and La Forge
 
 
 
"''You told him about the statue?''"
 
: - '''Riker''', to La Forge
 
 
 
"''Assimilate THIS!''"
 
: - '''Worf''', before blowing up the interplexing beacon floating off the ''Enterprise''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s deflector dish
 
 
 
"''I don't know jack about the 24th century, but everyone out there thinks that fighting the Borg is suicide''"
 
:-'''Lily Sloane''', to '''Picard'''
 
 
 
"''Humans no longer seek revenge. We in the 24th century have an evolved sensibility.''<br />
 
"''Oh'' bullshit!''"
 
: - '''Picard''' and '''Lily Sloane'''
 
 
 
"''Jean-Luc, blow up the damned ship!''"<br />
 
"''No! Nooooo!''"<br />
 
(smashes glass and model ships with his phaser rifle)<br />
 
"''I will not sacrifice the'' Enterprise. ''We've made too many compromises already; too many retreats. They invade our space, and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds, and we fall back. Not again. The ''line'' must be drawn ''here!'' This far, no further! And ''I'' will make them ''pay'' for what they've done!''"<br />
 
(a brief silence)
 
"''You broke your little ships. See you around, Ahab.''"
 
: - '''Lily Sloane''' and '''Picard'''
 
 
 
"''Let's rock 'n' roll!!!''"
 
: - '''Zefram Cochrane''', just before he plays a recording of ''[[Magic Carpet Ride]]'' seconds before the ''Phoenix'' launches
 
 
 
"''Engage.''"
 
: - '''Zefram Cochrane''', unintentionally mirroring Jean-Luc Picard's famous order
 
 
 
"''Watch your future's end.''"
 
: - '''Borg Queen''' to Picard, having ordered the destruction of the Phoenix
 
 
 
"''Resistance is futile.''"
 
: - '''Data''', to the Borg Queen before destroying a plasma coolant tank
 
 
 
"''Mr. Data, lay in a course for the 24th century. I suspect our future is there waiting for us.''"<br />
 
 
"''Course laid in, sir.''"<br />
 
"''Course laid in, sir.''"<br />
"''Make it so.''"
+
"''Make it so."''
: - '''Picard''' and '''Data''' as the ''Enterprise'' leaves the 21st century
+
: - '''Picard''' and '''Data''', the film's last lines
   
==Background Information==
+
== Background information ==
===Development===
+
=== Development ===
[[Image:ST-VIII head.png|thumb|The teaser poster for ''Star Trek: First Contact'']]
+
[[File:ST-VIII head.png|thumb|The teaser poster for ''Star Trek: First Contact'']]
With the success of ''[[Star Trek Generations]]'' and its worldwide gross of US$120,000,000 [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111280/business], [[Paramount Pictures]] development executives approached producer [[Rick Berman]] in {{m|February|1995}} to ready the next installment in the ''[[Star Trek]]'' franchise. During an impromptu meeting with writers [[Ronald D. Moore]] and [[Brannon Braga]], Berman revealed his interest in a time travel story.
+
With the success of {{film|7}} and its worldwide gross of US$120,000,000, {{imdb|title/tt0111280/business}} [[Paramount Pictures]] development executives approached producer [[Rick Berman]] in {{m|February|1995}} to ready the next installment in the ''[[Star Trek]]'' franchise. During an impromptu meeting with writers [[Ronald D. Moore]] and [[Brannon Braga]], Berman revealed his interest in a time travel story.
   
:"''All of the ''Star Trek'' films and episodes I have been most impressed with &ndash; {{film|4}}, {{e|Yesterday's Enterprise}}, {{e|The City on the Edge of Forever}}, and I could give you half a dozen more &ndash; have all been stories that deal with time travel. In a way, ''Star Trek Generations'' dealt with time travel. [[Nicholas Meyer|Nick Meyer]]'s wonderful movie ''{{w|Time After Time (film)|Time After Time}}'', dealt with time travel. The paradoxes that occur in writing, as well as in the reality of what the characters are doing and what the consequences are, have always been fascinating to me. I don't think I've ever had as much fun as being involved with "Yesterday's Enterprise," and having to tackle all the logical, paradoxical problems that we would run into and figure out ways to solve them.''"
+
:"''All of the ''Star Trek'' films and episodes I have been most impressed with &ndash; {{film|4}}, {{e|Yesterday's Enterprise}}, {{e|The City on the Edge of Forever}}, and I could give you half a dozen more &ndash; have all been stories that deal with time travel. In a way, ''Star Trek Generations'' dealt with time travel. [[Nicholas Meyer|Nick Meyer]]'s wonderful movie {{wt|Time After Time (1979 film)|Time After Time}}, dealt with time travel. The paradoxes that occur in writing, as well as in the reality of what the characters are doing and what the consequences are, have always been fascinating to me. I don't think I've ever had as much fun as being involved with "Yesterday's Enterprise," and having to tackle all the logical, paradoxical problems that we would run into and figure out ways to solve them.''"
   
The Moore/Braga writing team, however, wanted to tell a story focusing on the Borg. Moore recalled the first meeting:
+
The Moore/Braga writing team, however, wanted to tell a story focusing on the Borg. Moore recalled the first meeting:
   
:"''We were standing outside on the Hart Building steps. Rick had just come back from that studio meeting, and stopped us and he said, 'I really want you guys to think about it... I want to do a time travel piece.' Brannon and I added, 'We want to do something with the Borg.' And right on the spot, we said maybe we can do both, the Borg and time travel.''"
+
:"''We were standing outside on the Hart Building steps. Rick had just come back from that studio meeting, and stopped us and he said, 'I really want you guys to think about it&hellip; I want to do a time travel piece.' Brannon and I added, 'We want to do something with the Borg.' And right on the spot, we said maybe we can do both, the Borg and time travel.''"
   
Brainstorming sessions began between the writer/producers day jobs on ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' and ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]''. Again, Moore recalled:
+
Brainstorming sessions began between the writer/producers' day jobs on {{s|DS9}} and {{s|VOY}}. Again, Moore recalled:
   
:"''...We started talking about the places and times that had been done on screen or had not been done on screen. Certain things we just crossed off, because they would be took hokey. We could go to the [[Roman Empire]] which would be cool in a lot of ways. But Picard in a toga? You don't want to do that. Put him in a spacesuit.''"
+
:"''&hellip;We started talking about the places and times that had been done on screen or had not been done on screen. Certain things we just crossed off, because they would be too hokey. We could go to the [[Roman Empire]] which would be cool in a lot of ways. But Picard in a toga? You don't want to do that. Put him in a spacesuit.''"
   
Other time periods in history including the [[American Civil War]] were bandied about, eventually the Italian Renaissance time period was seized upon. An early story draft entitled ''Star Trek Renaissance'' expanded upon this idea. According to Moore, the story would have found Picard and company searching history for a group of time-traveling Borg. Happening upon a Renaissance village, the crew would hear stories about strange creatures taking over neighboring villages:
+
Though other time periods in history including the [[American Civil War]] were bandied about, eventually the Italian Renaissance time period was seized upon. An early story draft entitled ''Star Trek Renaissance'' expanded upon this idea. According to Moore, the story would have found Picard and company searching history for a group of time-traveling Borg. Happening upon a Renaissance village, the crew would hear stories about strange creatures taking over neighboring villages:
   
:"''We begin to realize that these horrific monsters... were the Borg. We track them down to a castle near the village where a nobleman runs a feudal society. We suspect the Borg are working in there, but no one can get in. So Data becomes our spy, impersonating an artist's apprentice... Data became friends with [[Leonardo da Vinci]], who at the time, was working for the nobleman as a military engineer... you would have sword fights and phaser fights mixed together, in fifteenth-century [[Europe]]... it risked becoming really campy and over-the-top.''"
+
:"''We begin to realize that these horrific monsters&hellip; were the Borg. We track them down to a castle near the village where a nobleman runs a feudal society. We suspect the Borg are working in there, but no one can get in. So Data becomes our spy, impersonating an artist's apprentice&hellip; Data became friends with [[Leonardo da Vinci]], who at the time, was working for the nobleman as a military engineer&hellip; you would have sword fights and phaser fights mixed together, in fifteenth-century [[Europe]]&hellip; it risked becoming really campy and over-the-top.''"
   
According to some reports, [[Patrick Stewart]] nixed the idea upon first mention, objecting to the prospect of wearing tights throughout production. Additionally, the producers realized that the time period was expensive to realize on screen, with audience knowledge of and identification with the period very low. [http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/6952/ron35.txt]
+
The producers realized that the time period was expensive to realize on screen, with audience knowledge of and identification with the period very low. {{AOLchat|Ronald D. Moore|ron035|1997}}
   
Ultimately, a time period after modern history was selected: The birth of the Federation. According to Brannon Braga:
+
Ultimately, a time period after modern history was selected: The birth of the Federation. According to Brannon Braga:
   
:"''The one image that I brought to the table is the image of the Vulcans coming out of the ship. I wanted to see the birth of ''Star Trek''. We ended up coming back to that moment. That, to me, is what made the time travel story fresh. We get to see what happened when humans shook hands with their first aliens.''"
+
:"''The one image that I brought to the table is the image of the Vulcans coming out of the ship. I wanted to see the birth of ''Star Trek''. We ended up coming back to that moment. That, to me, is what made the time travel story fresh. We get to see what happened when Humans shook hands with their first aliens.''"
   
A revised storyline was constructed, this time called ''Star Trek Resurrection''. Utilizing elements laid into place by [[Gene Roddenberry]]'s original concepts for the ''Star Trek'' universe and the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|The Original Series]]'' episode {{e|Metamorphosis}}, ''Resurrection'' closely resembled the final film. In the story, the Borg attack Zefram Cochrane's Montana laboratory, severely injuring the scientist. With Doctor Crusher fighting to save Cochrane's life, Captain Picard assumes his place in history, rallying a town around reconstructing the damaged warp ship. As the action unfolded, Picard would have become romantically involved with a local photographer and X-ray technician named Ruby, who helps the captain reconstruct a key element of the ship. Aboard the ''Enterprise'', Commander Riker would be engaged in combat with invading Borg drones. The Borg, in ''Resurrection'' would remain faceless automatons.
+
A revised storyline was constructed, this time called ''Star Trek Resurrection''. Utilizing elements laid into place by [[Gene Roddenberry]]'s original concepts for the ''Star Trek'' universe and the {{s|TOS}} [[TOS Season 2|second season]] episode {{e|Metamorphosis}}, ''Resurrection'' closely resembled the final film. In the story, the Borg attack Zefram Cochrane's Montana laboratory, severely injuring the scientist. With Doctor Crusher fighting to save Cochrane's life, Captain Picard assumes his place in history, rallying a town around reconstructing the damaged warp ship. As the action unfolded, Picard would have become romantically involved with a local photographer and X-ray technician named Ruby, who helps the captain reconstruct a key element of the ship. Aboard the ''Enterprise'', Commander Riker would be engaged in combat with invading Borg drones. The Borg in ''Resurrection'' would remain faceless automatons.
   
With a draft of ''Resurrection'' sent to studio executives, generally positive notes were returned. However, one Paramount executive pointed out the weakness of the Borg as being that they were "basically zombies." Despite the Borg's inception as a faceless swarm, the writers chose to incorporate a figurehead into the Collective. The Borg Queen was created, a logical extension of the insect-like qualities incorporated into the Borg's characterization. Having read the early script pages too, Patrick Stewart, however, was dissatisfied with the film. Stewart suggested that the Picard and Riker stories be switched. Thus, the focus of the film was transferred to the action aboard the ''Enterprise'' with a B-story on the planet's surface. Elements like Ruby the photographer and an injured Cochrane were ultimately scrapped. As was any prospect of a love affair for Picard. Ronald D. Moore described the thought process:
+
With a draft of ''Resurrection'' sent to studio executives, generally positive notes were returned. However, one Paramount executive pointed out the weakness of the Borg as being that they were "basically zombies." Despite the Borg's inception as a faceless swarm, the writers chose to incorporate a figurehead into the Collective. The Borg Queen was created, a logical extension of the insect-like qualities incorporated into the Borg's characterization. Having read the early script pages too, Patrick Stewart, however, was dissatisfied with the film. Stewart suggested that the Picard and Riker stories be switched. Thus, the focus of the film was transferred to the action aboard the ''Enterprise'' with a B-story on the planet's surface. Elements like Ruby the photographer and an injured Cochrane were ultimately scrapped. As was any prospect of a love affair for Picard. Ronald D. Moore described the thought process:
   
:"''Let's get simple. Bring Cochrane into the story. Let's make him an interesting fellow, and it could say something about the birth of the Federation. The future that Gene Roddenberry envisioned is born out of this very flawed man, who is not larger than life but an ordinary flawed human being.''"
+
:"''Let's get simple. Bring Cochrane into the story. Let's make him an interesting fellow, and it could say something about the birth of the Federation. The future that Gene Roddenberry envisioned is born out of this very flawed man, who is not larger than life but an ordinary flawed Human being.''"
   
With that adjustment in the structure of the film, Berman suggested the addition of a holodeck sequence: The "cocktail party". In {{m|August|1995}} an early draft of the script, still titled ''Resurrection'', was circulated to key members of the production staff, headed by Martin Hornstein and [[Peter Lauritson]]. Using this script, the production heads would budget the film, ultimately falling into the US$45,000,000 range. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117731/business]
+
With that adjustment in the structure of the film, Berman suggested the addition of a holodeck sequence: The "cocktail party". In {{m|August|1995}} an early draft of the script, still titled ''Resurrection'', was circulated to key members of the production staff, headed by Martin Hornstein and [[Peter Lauritson]]. Using this script, the production heads would budget the film, ultimately falling into the US$45,000,000 range. {{imdb|title/tt0117731/business}}
   
Key positions were filled as preproduction began. With several members of the cast volunteering for the director's chair, [[Jonathan Frakes]] won out. According to Frakes, the film was offered to A-list directors who had little interest in the franchise; as a result he was offered the job "a month later than would have been ideal." Frakes appointed [[Jerry Fleck]], [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281386/] a veteran of [[TNG]], as first assistant director and [[John W. Wheeler]] as editor. [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923871/] Veteran costume designer [[Deborah Everton]] was assigned the task of creating all non-Starfleet clothing, plus redesigning the Borg with [[Michael Westmore]]. Everton's credits at the time included ''{{w|The Abyss (film)|The Abyss}}'' and ''[[x-files:The X-Files|The X-Files]]'' TV series; she later costumed Ronald D. Moore's ''{{w|Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries)|Battlestar Galactica}}'' miniseries. [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0263715/] [[Robert Blackman]] returned to once again redesign the Starfleet [[Starfleet uniform (2373)|uniforms]], this time to compliment Frakes' darker color palette and stand up better to big screen scrutiny.
+
Key positions were filled as preproduction began. With several members of the cast volunteering for the director's chair, [[Jonathan Frakes]] won out. According to Frakes, the film was offered to A-list directors who had little interest in the franchise; as a result he was offered the job "a month later than would have been ideal." Frakes appointed [[Jerry Fleck]], {{imdb|name/nm0281386/}} a veteran of {{s|TNG}}, as first assistant director and [[John W. Wheeler]] as editor. {{imdb|name/nm0923871/}} Veteran costume designer [[Deborah Everton]] was assigned the task of creating all non-Starfleet clothing, plus redesigning the Borg with [[Michael Westmore]]. Everton's credits at the time included {{wt|The Abyss (film)|The Abyss}} and ''[[x-files:The X-Files|The X-Files]]'' TV series; she later costumed Ronald D. Moore's {{wt|Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries)|Battlestar Galactica}} miniseries. {{imdb|name/nm0263715/}} [[Robert Blackman]] returned to once again redesign the Starfleet [[Starfleet uniform (2370s-early 2380s)|uniforms]], this time to complement Frakes' darker color palette and stand up better to big screen scrutiny.
   
===Preproduction===
+
=== Pre-production ===
====The New ''Enterprise''====
+
==== The New ''Enterprise'' ====
[[Image:Enterprise-E design sketch.jpg|thumb|John Eaves' infamous "chicken in a pan" design]]
+
[[File:Enterprise-E design sketch.jpg|thumb|John Eaves' so-called "chicken in a pan" design]]
Upon delivery of the script to production designer [[Herman Zimmerman]], the art department's first task was the creation of a new ''Enterprise''. Having been retained from his work on ''Generations'', illustrator [[John Eaves]] operated in conjunction with Zimmerman to develop the ''Enterprise''-E, based upon direction by Berman and the writers. According to Ronald D. Moore, "''We described the new ''Enterprise'' in some detail. We said we want a sleeker look, with more of a muscular, almost warship kind of a look to it.''"
+
Upon delivery of the script to production designer [[Herman Zimmerman]], the art department's first task was the creation of a new ''Enterprise''. Having been retained from his work on ''Generations'', illustrator [[John Eaves]] operated in conjunction with Zimmerman to develop the ''Enterprise''-E, based upon direction by Berman and the writers. According to Ronald D. Moore, "''We described the new ''Enterprise'' in some detail. We said we want a sleeker look, with more of a muscular, almost warship kind of a look to it.''"
   
According to illustrator Eaves, the process began by reviewing what came before, specifically [[Bill George]]'s [[USS Excelsior|''Excelsior'']] from {{film|3}}. Over twenty or thirty sketches, the designer honed the look of the ship into an even sleeker design, rotating the oval-shaped saucer of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|''Enterprise''-D]] to fit the new concept.
+
According to illustrator Eaves, the process began by reviewing what came before, specifically [[Bill George]]'s {{USS|Excelsior|NCC-2000}} from {{film|3}}. Over twenty or thirty sketches, the designer honed the look of the ship into an even sleeker design, rotating the oval-shaped saucer of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} to fit the new concept.
   
:"''I wanted to carry some of the ''Enterprise''-D lines into the E &ndash; not with the saucer or body, but where the [[warp nacelle|nacelles]] connected. At this point, the nacelles were almost a third longer than in the finished product. But I had the struts holding the nacelles up; they branched off the body and returned forward , making a little horseshoe, the way the D does. But instead of having them angled back, I had them angled forward.''"
+
:"''I wanted to carry some of the ''Enterprise''-D lines into the E &ndash; not with the saucer or body, but where the [[warp nacelle|nacelles]] connected. At this point, the nacelles were almost a third longer than in the finished product. But I had the struts holding the nacelles up; they branched off the body and returned forward, making a little horseshoe, the way the D does. But instead of having them angled back, I had them angled forward.''"
   
By {{m|October|1995}}, Eaves and Zimmerman proceeded with their design with approval from Rick Berman. Featuring the same basic shape that appears in the finished film, this version of the ''Enterprise''-E included [[Variable geometry pylon|movable warp pylon]]s recalling the starship ''[[USS Voyager|Voyager]]''. Showing a dorsal-view sketch to a member of the production staff, Eaves received negative feedback that compared the ship to a [[chicken]]. "''...From the moment he said that, the design was cursed. Every time I looked at it, I saw not a starship, but a chicken in a pan. Sadly, Herman saw it, too, so we had to (pardon the pun) scratch that one.''"
+
By {{m|October|1995}}, Eaves and Zimmerman proceeded with their design with approval from Rick Berman. Featuring the same basic shape that appears in the finished film, this version of the ''Enterprise''-E included [[Variable geometry pylon|movable warp pylons]] recalling the starship {{USS|Voyager}}. Showing a dorsal-view sketch to a member of the production staff, Eaves received negative feedback that compared the ship to a chicken. "''&hellip;From the moment he said that, the design was cursed. Every time I looked at it, I saw not a starship, but a chicken in a pan. Sadly, Herman saw it, too, so we had to (pardon the pun) scratch that one.''"
   
Over the next several months, the ship was again refined. In sketched dated {{m|January|1996}}, the ''Enterprise''-E had finally been settled upon. Now distinguished by back-swept engine pylons, the ship was almost ready to be constructed. Eaves described the next steps:
+
Over the next several months, the ship was again refined. In sketches dated {{m|January|1996}}, the ''Enterprise''-E had finally been settled upon. Now distinguished by back-swept engine pylons, the ship was almost ready to be constructed. Eaves described the next steps:
   
[[Image:Enterprise-E final design sketch.jpg|thumb|Eaves' finalized overview drawings for the ''Enterprise''-E]]
+
[[File:Enterprise-E final design sketch.jpg|thumb|Eaves' finalized overview drawings for the ''Enterprise''-E]]
:"''So now it's January 1996, and we're just officially starting on the feature. Things were extremely hectic, as I was splitting my time between ''Deep Space Nine'' and the movie. Herman and I started presenting the last of the ''Enterprise''-E drawings to Mr. Berman, and he loved all our efforts. This gave [[Rick Sternbach|Rick [Sternbach]]] the time he needed to do his blueprints. Just when I thought I was finished with the E, Mr. Berman told Herman, 'You know, I love the shape we've got right now &ndash; but let's make sure. Let's do some more passes on the E, some different variations.' ''"
+
:"''So now it's January 1996, and we're just officially starting on the feature. Things were extremely hectic, as I was splitting my time between ''Deep Space Nine'' and the movie. Herman and I started presenting the last of the ''Enterprise''-E drawings to Mr. Berman, and he loved all our efforts. This gave [[Rick Sternbach|Rick [Sternbach]]] the time he needed to do his blueprints. Just when I thought I was finished with the E, Mr. Berman told Herman, 'You know, I love the shape we've got right now &ndash; but let's make sure. Let's do some more passes on the E, some different variations.' ''"
   
With several days of sketching alternatives behind him, Eaves returned to his original design to focus on the smaller details that allowed Sternbach to complete his plans. By the spring of {{y|1996}}, the ship's blueprints were turned over to [[Industrial Light & Magic]]'s model building team under [[John Goodson]]. The ten-foot model was fabricated under extreme time constraint (about half the normal time period); with photographs of rooms and people inserted into the ship's windows. A computer-generated model was also constructed (with almost indistinguishable differences between the two). [http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/sovereign.htm]
+
With several days of sketching alternatives behind him, Eaves returned to his original design to focus on the smaller details that allowed Sternbach to complete his plans. By the spring of {{y|1996}}, the ship's blueprints were turned over to [[Industrial Light & Magic]]'s model building team under [[John Goodson]]. The ten-foot model was fabricated under extreme time constraint (about half the normal time period); with photographs of rooms and people inserted into the ship's windows. A computer-generated model was also constructed (with almost indistinguishable differences between the two). {{eas|articles/sovereign.htm}}
   
====Interiors====
+
==== Interiors ====
Working simultaneously on the exterior ''Enterprise''-E, Eaves and Zimmerman focused inward, generating drawings of the ''Enterprise'' bridge as early as {{m|November|1995}}. First designing a smaller space to fit with the smaller, sleeker direction of the ''Enterprise'', the art department eventually opened the set up, creating a space that was larger than the bridge of the ''Enterprise''-D. Eaves described the decision:
+
Working simultaneously on the exterior ''Enterprise''-E, Eaves and Zimmerman focused inward, generating drawings of the ''Enterprise'' bridge as early as {{m|November|1995}}. First designing a smaller space to fit with the smaller, sleeker direction of the ''Enterprise'', the art department eventually opened the set up, creating a space that was larger than the bridge of the ''Enterprise''-D. Eaves described the decision:
   
:"''We thought it would be a bad thing, because we'd decided the E's bridge should be sleeker and therefore smaller. But it wound up being a great thing; it was a beautiful set, with warmth and depth, and the colors Herman chose gave the bridge a sense of ballistic beauty and great function... we left the framework, but removed the walls, so that you could see other stations beyond those walls. The major players are in the main bridge, and off in the alcoves you have secondary crew members working, which adds a lot of scope and function to the bridge.''"
+
:"''We thought it would be a bad thing, because we'd decided the E's bridge should be sleeker and therefore smaller. But it wound up being a great thing; it was a beautiful set, with warmth and depth, and the colors Herman chose gave the bridge a sense of ballistic beauty and great function&hellip; we left the framework, but removed the walls, so that you could see other stations beyond those walls. The major players are in the main bridge, and off in the alcoves you have secondary crew members working, which adds a lot of scope and function to the bridge.''"
 
[[Image:Sovereign class bridge.jpg|thumb|The bridge of the ''Enterprise''-E as seen on film]]
 
   
  +
[[File:Sovereign class bridge.jpg|thumb|The bridge of the ''Enterprise''-E as seen on film]]
 
A collaborative process, Eaves received input from [[Doug Drexler]] regarding his new bridge:
 
A collaborative process, Eaves received input from [[Doug Drexler]] regarding his new bridge:
   
:"''Doug Drexler, who is quite the ''Star Trek'' expert, took a look at one of my sketches for the bridge and said 'Hey, you've got to have a row of blinkies &ndash; blinking running lights &ndash; under the viewscreen. It's a tradition on every ''Enterprise'', those lights simply MUST be there.' We wound up designing a detailed area on the floor that acted like a holographic projector array &ndash; and we attached the blinking lights to that. So when the viewscreen came on, the lights on the back of the bridge would go down, and an image would appear on our new, viewscreen &ndash; with, of course, Doug's running blinkies.''"
+
:"''Doug Drexler, who is quite the ''Star Trek'' expert, took a look at one of my sketches for the bridge and said 'Hey, you've got to have a row of blinkies &ndash; blinking running lights &ndash; under the viewscreen. It's a tradition on every ''Enterprise'', those lights simply MUST be there.' We wound up designing a detailed area on the floor that acted like a holographic projector array &ndash; and we attached the blinking lights to that. So when the viewscreen came on, the lights on the back of the bridge would go down, and an image would appear on our new, viewscreen &ndash; with, of course, Doug's running blinkies.''"
   
The final details of the bridge were honed through early 1996, alongside other new sets including new corridors and an expanded engineering. Again designed by Eaves and Zimmerman, ''Enterprise''-E corridor sets were constructed in a basic horseshoe shape with built-in handrails, back-lit monitors and removable panels that could be easily swapped for "Borgified" parts. Two lighting schemes were created for the corridor sets for normal and "[[red alert]]" conditions, though the former was not seen until {{film|9}}. For the evacuation sequence, set decorator John Dwyer created vacuum-formed pieces molded from the hood of a Camaro, to be used as escape pod hatches. Paramount's [[Paramount Stage 14|Stages 14]] and [[Paramount Stage 15|15]] housed the vast corridor complex which connected to Herman Zimmerman's and Nancy Mickleberry's main engineering. Eaves recalled the experience:
+
The final details of the bridge were honed through early 1996, alongside other new sets including new corridors and an expanded engineering. Again designed by Eaves and Zimmerman, ''Enterprise''-E corridor sets were constructed in a basic horseshoe shape with built-in handrails, back-lit monitors and removable panels that could be easily swapped for "Borgified" parts. Two lighting schemes were created for the corridor sets for normal and "[[red alert]]" conditions, though the former was not seen until {{film|9}}. For the evacuation sequence, set decorator John M. Dwyer created vacuum-formed pieces molded from the hood of a Camaro, to be used as escape pod hatches. Paramount's [[Paramount Stage 14|Stages 14]] and [[Paramount Stage 15|15]] housed the vast corridor complex which connected to Herman Zimmerman's and Nancy Mickleberry's main engineering. Eaves recalled the experience:
   
[[Image:Sovereign class corridor (set).jpg|thumb|Corridor sets under construction]]
+
[[File:Sovereign class corridor (set).jpg|thumb|Corridor sets under construction]]
  +
:"''We&hellip; wound up designing a lot of 'ends', which are pieces that you can put at the back of a particular set, to create different areas of the ship. We could take a corridor and put a Jefferies tube end piece on it, or a hatchway. And we had a lot of corridor &ndash; two full quarter-circles of it, with a couple of T-intersections and walkways. You could walk for a good five minutes from the engine room set through Jefferies tubes without ever walking out of the set. There was also this big main door to engineering that Nancy Mickleberry had come up with. She put a second level of corridor above that, and you still had another story-and-a-half of warp core going up. The set was immense! Nancy and Herman worked together for a long time designing it (after all, it had to seem "Federation-style" and "Borgified"). The set had many neat areas, many of which never made it into the finished film.''"
   
  +
Despite the number of new sets created for the film, the production once again reused old material, including turbolift wall sections dating back to {{y|1979}}'s {{film|1}}. Sections of the starship ''Voyager'' from {{s|VOY}} were cannibalized for the film, as filming was to take place between that series' [[VOY Season 2|second]] and [[VOY Season 3|third]] seasons. ''Voyager''{{'}}s sickbay was repainted and redressed for use as Doctor Crusher's sickbay, and the ''Voyager'' [[cargo bay]] set became the ''Enterprise'' [[weapons locker]] with relatively little modification. Having been saved from the wrecking crews following the completion of ''Generations'', the ''Enterprise''-D observation lounge, first built in {{y|1987}} for {{S|TNG}} was put into service, overhauled and expanded, then connected to the bridge set. For the first time in the ''Star Trek'' film series, the [[transporter room]] did not appear. Also omitted from the finished picture, a large, cylindrical [[fish]] tank constructed for Picard's new ready room was replaced with nondescript ''objet d'art'' before the cameras rolled.
:"''We... wound up designing a lot of 'ends', which are pieces that you can put at the back of a particular set, to create different areas of the ship. We could take a corridor and put a Jefferies tube end piece on it, or a hatchway. And we had a lot of corridor - two full quarter-circles of it, with a couple of T-intersections and walkways. You could walk for a good five minutes from the engine room set through Jefferies tubes without ever walking out of the set. There was also this big main door to engineering that Nancy Mickleberry had come up with. She put a second level of corridor above that, and you still had another story-and-a-half of warp core going up. The set was immense! Nancy and Herman worked together for a long time designing it (after all, it had to seem "Federation-style" and "Borgified"). The set had many neat areas, many of which never made it into the finished film.''"
 
   
  +
It was not only from previous ''Star Trek'' productions, the movie scavenged set pieces from as Production Illustrator John Eaves divulged in 2009, "''We did ''Osiris'' immediately after ''Generations'' and both were Paramount films. When ''First Contact'' was starting up we brought over all the sets from ''Osiris'' and incorporated them into ''Star Trek''. It was an oddity to take elements I had drawn for OC and then redraw them into the TNG world&hellip;everything came together well and if you have seen ''Osiris'' or (Battle lords) the tub shaped set piece that the Plentum was in became the center piece of the [[Warp core]] of the ''Enterprise'' E.''" {{Eavesdropping|2009/07/01/the-osiris-chronicles-shuttlecraft/#comment-5473}} Eaves was referring to the planned science fiction television series ''The Osiris Chronicles'', for which a pilot episode, "{{w|The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy}}", was produced in 1995/1996. A somewhat ill-conceived attempt to further capitalize on the new found popularity of science-fiction television shows, the series was not picked up however.
Despite the number of new sets created for the film, the production once again reused old material, including turbolift wall sections dating back to {{y|1979}}'s {{film|1}}. Sections of the starship ''Voyager'' from ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' were cannibalized for the film, with that series' sickbay repainted and redressed for use as Doctor Crusher's sickbay; the ''Voyager'' [[cargo bay]] set became the ''Enterprise'' [[weapons locker]] with relatively little modification. Having been saved from the wrecking crews following the completion of ''Generations'', the ''Enterprise''-D observation lounge, first built in {{y|1987}} for [[TNG]] was put into service, overhauled and expanded, then connected to the bridge set. For the first time in the ''Star Trek'' film series, the [[transporter room]] did not appear. Also omitted from the finished picture, a large, cylindrical [[fish]] tank constructed for Picard's new ready room was replaced with nondescript objet d'art before the cameras rolled.
 
   
====The Borg====
+
==== The Borg ====
[[Image:Borg behind-the-scenes.jpg|thumb|A little less menacing: the Borg relax off camera]]
+
[[File:Borg behind-the-scenes.jpg|thumb|A little less menacing: the Borg relax off camera]]
Assigned to refresh the Borg make up that had previously consisted of simple pale faces and cobbled together bodysuits, Deborah Everton and Michael Westmore cooperated with Herman Zimmerman and his team. As late as January of '96, pages of Borg designs flowed from the art department, with contributions by Alex Delgado of [[DS9]]. Working for Disney in addition to ''Star Trek'', Delgado often worked on his time off, generating complex and sometimes grotesque images of the Borg, heavily influenced by [[insect]] life and ancient Egyptian culture. While many of Delgado's ideas (including exposed organs and obelisk-shaped vessels) were ultimately rejected, much of his work was integrated into Everton's and Westmore's final designs. According to Westmore:
+
Assigned to refresh the Borg make up that had previously consisted of simple pale faces and cobbled together bodysuits, Deborah Everton and Michael Westmore cooperated with Herman Zimmerman and his team. As late as January of '96, pages of Borg designs flowed from the art department, with contributions by Alex Delgado of {{S|DS9}}. Working for Disney in addition to ''Star Trek'', Delgado often worked on his time off, generating complex and sometimes grotesque images of the Borg, heavily influenced by [[insect]] life and ancient Egyptian culture. While many of Delgado's ideas (including exposed organs and obelisk-shaped vessels) were ultimately rejected, much of his work was integrated into Everton's and Westmore's final designs. According to Westmore:
   
:"''I wanted it to look like they were Borgified from the inside out rather than the outside in, it was very difficult. We didn't want somebody to come along and say, 'Oh that looks like ''{{w|Alien (film)|Alien}}.'"
+
:"''I wanted it to look like they were Borgified from the inside out rather than the outside in, it was very difficult. We didn't want somebody to come along and say, 'Oh that looks like {{wt|Alien (film)|Alien}}.{{'}}''"
   
 
What resulted were eight Borg body-suits that would be combined with individually molded pieces to be swapped into various configurations representing different drones.
 
What resulted were eight Borg body-suits that would be combined with individually molded pieces to be swapped into various configurations representing different drones.
   
:''"Instead of having an entire helmet, now we have these individual pieces that are on the head, so you get this bald look. That way the pieces look like they're clamped into the head individually, instead of being a full cap that pulls over the top.''"
+
:''"Instead of having an entire helmet, now we have these individual pieces that are on the head, so you get this bald look. That way the pieces look like they're clamped into the head individually, instead of being a full cap that pulls over the top.''"
   
Electronics built into the Borg suits often included blinking lights that spelled out production members' names in [[Morse code]]. Makeup effects were achieved by airbrushing tiny "wires" that would appear to be just below the surface of the Borg drones' skin; a wide variety of [[humanoid]] and alien drones were created, including Klingons, [[Cardassian]]s and [[Romulan]]s, though the latter two never appeared in the theatrical cut. With days beginning as early as 2am, it took the makeup department thirty minutes to get the eight Borg actors into their costumes, another five hours to apply makeup, and ninety minutes to remove the makeup at the end of the day. According to Westmore:
+
Electronics built into the Borg suits often included blinking lights that spelled out production members' names in [[Morse code]]. Makeup effects were achieved by airbrushing tiny "wires" that would appear to be just below the surface of the Borg drones' skin; a wide variety of [[humanoid]] and alien drones were created, including Klingons, [[Cardassian]]s and [[Romulan]]s, though the latter two never appeared in the theatrical cut. With days beginning as early as 2 am, it took the makeup department thirty minutes to get the eight Borg actors into their costumes, another five hours to apply makeup, and ninety minutes to remove the makeup at the end of the day. According to Westmore:
   
:"''As they bettered their prep times, they were using two tubes, and then they were using three tubes, and then they were sticking tubes in the ears and up the nose. And we were using a very gooey caramel coloring, maybe using a little bit of it, but by the time we got to the end of the movie we had the stuff dripping down the side of their faces &ndash; it looked like they were leaking oil! So, at the very end, they're more ferocious.''"
+
:"''As they bettered their prep times, they were using two tubes, and then they were using three tubes, and then they were sticking tubes in the ears and up the nose. And we were using a very gooey caramel coloring, maybe using a little bit of it, but by the time we got to the end of the movie we had the stuff dripping down the side of their faces &ndash; it looked like they were leaking oil! So, at the very end, they're more ferocious.''"
   
[[Image:Borg Queen behind-the-scenes.jpg|thumb|Alice Krige as the Queen's torso, lowered on a crane]]
+
[[File:Borg Queen behind-the-scenes.jpg|thumb|Alice Krige as the Queen's torso, lowered on a crane]]
As the leader of the hoard of eight, [[Alice Krige]]'s Borg Queen costume was unique. A tight-fitting, one piece bodysuit, combined with a large headpiece and integrated lighting systems, the first of the Queen's costumes was built out of hard rubber. After the first of Krige's ten-day shoot, the actress suffered from blisters raised by the tight rubber. A second, soft foam suit was fabricated overnight. Despite the relative comfort of the new suit, Krige was still required to wear painful silver contact lenses that could be worn for only four minutes at a time. According to Jerry Fleck, the actress never complained.
+
As the leader of the horde of eight, [[Alice Krige]]'s Borg Queen costume was unique. A tight-fitting, one piece bodysuit, combined with a large headpiece and integrated lighting systems, the first of the Queen's costumes was built out of hard rubber. After the first of Krige's ten-day shoot, the actress suffered from blisters raised by the tight rubber. A second, soft foam suit was fabricated overnight. Despite the relative comfort of the new suit, Krige was still required to wear painful silver contact lenses that could be worn for only four minutes at a time. According to Jerry Fleck, the actress never complained.
   
Borg vessels were handled by John Eaves, based upon script pages, referring to a "tetragon", or rectangular-shaped vessel. Eaves generated drawings in January of 1996, labeled "Borg teragon":
+
Borg vessels were handled by John Eaves, based upon script pages, referring to a "tetragon", or rectangular-shaped vessel. Eaves generated drawings in January 1996, labeled "Borg tetragon":
   
:"''The first one I did had beveled edges and deep canyons throughout; I was trying to get away from the familiar ''Next Generation'' series cube... I did three or four passes in the rectangular shape. As time went on, Rick Berman, Ron Moore and Brannon Braga rewrote the scenes, returning to the original cube style of the Borg ship.''"
+
:"''The first one I did had beveled edges and deep canyons throughout; I was trying to get away from the familiar ''Next Generation'' series cube&hellip; I did three or four passes in the rectangular shape. As time went on, Rick Berman, Ron Moore and Brannon Braga rewrote the scenes, returning to the original cube style of the Borg ship.''"
   
Unable to reuse the Borg cube built for the television series, created out of inexpensive pieces from model kits, a new cube had to be designed. Described by Eaves as "nonsensical", a distinctly new surface was designed, distinguished by interlocking shapes and angles, with a hidden hatchway for Eaves' Borg sphere. Intricate details of ILM's Borg cube model were achieved through the use of recycled paper clips.
+
Unable to reuse the Borg cube built for the television series, created out of inexpensive pieces from model kits, a new cube had to be designed. Described by Eaves as "nonsensical", a distinctly new surface was designed, distinguished by interlocking shapes and angles, with a hidden hatchway for Eaves' Borg sphere. Intricate details of ILM's Borg cube model were achieved through the use of recycled paper clips.
   
  +
Besides several background and stunt performers who changed into Borg, there were also a few Borg mannequins. One of these mannequins was sold off on the [[It's A Wrap! sale and auction]] on eBay. {{stala|9613}}
====The ''Phoenix''====
 
In their original concept of Zefram Cochrane's warp ship, the ''Phoenix'', Moore and Braga's script referred to a [[space shuttle]]-type lander, constructed on a large, outdoor platform. Difficult to realize without the aid of extensive digital effects, the production searched for more practical methods. Rick Berman ultimately seized upon the idea of utilizing a real nuclear missile, inspiring the writers to adjust the script to accommodate the "irony" of a weapon of mass destruction used to "inaugurate an era of peace."
 
   
  +
==== The ''Phoenix'' ====
With the cooperation of the United States military, the production gained permission to shoot within a real missile silo in Green Valley, Arizona, near Tucson. Utilizing the real, though hollowed out [[Titan V]] missile still in its silo, the team resolved to construct a new nose to sit atop the missile, acting as the cockpit of the ''Phoenix''. John Eaves:
 
  +
In their original concept of Zefram Cochrane's warp ship, the ''Phoenix'', Moore and Braga's script referred to a [[space shuttle orbiter|space shuttle-type lander]], constructed on a large, outdoor platform. Difficult to realize without the aid of extensive digital effects, the production searched for more practical methods. Rick Berman ultimately seized upon the idea of utilizing a real nuclear missile, inspiring the writers to adjust the script to accommodate the "irony" of a weapon of mass destruction used to "inaugurate an era of peace."
   
  +
With the cooperation of the United States military, the production gained permission to shoot within a real missile silo in Green Valley, Arizona, near Tucson. Utilizing the real, though hollowed out [[Titan II]] missile still in its silo, the team resolved to construct a new nose to sit atop the missile, acting as the cockpit of the ''Phoenix''. John Eaves:
[[Image:Logo Kris phoenix.gif|thumb|Eaves' approved ''Phoenix'' logo]]
 
   
  +
[[File:Phoenix logo.png|thumb|Eaves' approved ''Phoenix'' logo]]
:"''I started out by drawing a standard space capsule cone; I figured they had used whatever pre-existing technology they could find, then added to it whatever was needed... I wanted something that had a double window on the front and two side windows &ndash; bubbled, so that you could look out and around. However, construction-wise, a flat window was easiest, so that's what we did.''"
 
  +
:"''I started out by drawing a standard space capsule cone; I figured they had used whatever pre-existing technology they could find, then added to it whatever was needed&hellip; I wanted something that had a double window on the front and two side windows &ndash; bubbled, so that you could look out and around. However, construction-wise, a flat window was easiest, so that's what we did.''"
   
Completing his design for the full-size cockpit facade, Eaves next began conceptualizing the second-stage ''Phoenix'', basing his drawings on designs appearing in Michael Okuda's ''[[Star Trek Chronology]]''. Incorporating [[TOS]]-style warp nacelles into his drawings, Eaves refined the ''Phoenix'' from rough drawings to finalized designs over months. Turning over the plans to ILM and John Goodson's team, Eaves was stunned by the finished product:
+
Completing his design for the full-size cockpit facade, Eaves next began conceptualizing the second-stage ''Phoenix'', basing his drawings on designs appearing in Michael Okuda's {{ste|c}}. Incorporating {{S|TOS}}-style warp nacelles into his drawings, Eaves refined the ''Phoenix'' from rough drawings to finalized designs over months. Turning over the plans to ILM and John Goodson's team, Eaves was stunned by the finished product:
   
:"''...They all worked so hard; I've never seen a drawing translate so accurately into a finished model. They came up with a beautiful color scheme for it &ndash; a gold capsule with a lot of silver framework on the rocket, with silver, white and black graphics.''"
+
:"''&hellip;They all worked so hard; I've never seen a drawing translate so accurately into a finished model. They came up with a beautiful color scheme for it &ndash; a gold capsule with a lot of silver framework on the rocket, with silver, white and black graphics.''"
   
 
Though mostly invisible on screen, a logo for Cochrane's warp ship was also designed by Eaves on the fly.
 
Though mostly invisible on screen, a logo for Cochrane's warp ship was also designed by Eaves on the fly.
   
:"''One beautiful morning, Herman [Zimmerman] ran into my office and said, 'Stop what you're doing! We need a logo for the ''Phoenix'', and we need it approved by eleven o'clock. This morning!' ...I'm from Phoenix [Arizona] originally, and immediately my mind was filled with images of phoenix birds. I especially remember this one beautiful large abstract sculpture of a phoenix outside the Town and Country Mall, right in the heart of the city.''"
+
:"''One beautiful morning, Herman [Zimmerman] ran into my office and said, 'Stop what you're doing! We need a logo for the ''Phoenix'', and we need it approved by eleven o'clock. This morning!' &hellip;I'm from Phoenix [Arizona] originally, and immediately my mind was filled with images of phoenix birds. I especially remember this one beautiful large abstract sculpture of a phoenix outside the Town and Country Mall, right in the heart of the city.''"
   
Calling a number of gift shops in the area, Eaves was finally able to locate a postcard with an appropriate picture of the phoenix he remembered. Taking the postcard to a local store, the gift shop owner faxed a picture of the phoenix to the Paramount production offices where Eaves went to work. With only a single pass, the logo was approved by Rick Berman.
+
Calling a number of gift shops in the area, Eaves was finally able to locate a postcard with an appropriate picture of the phoenix he remembered. Taking the postcard to a local store, the gift shop owner faxed a picture of the phoenix to the Paramount production offices where Eaves went to work. With only a single pass, the logo was approved by Rick Berman.
   
===Production===
+
=== Production ===
In the spring of 1996, newly-recruited director Jonathan Frakes and producer Rick Berman cast their three "guest stars". The role of Zefram Cochrane went to [[James Cromwell]], a veteran of [[TNG]] and [[DS9]], and recent Oscar nominee for his role in the {{y|1995}} movie ''{{w|Babe (film)|Babe}}''. According to Jonathan Frakes: "''In spite of having been nominated for an Academy Award, he actually came in and read for the part... He nailed it. He left Berman and me with our jaws in our laps.''" Cromwell later reprised his role as Cochrane in {{y|2001}}'s ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise|Enterprise]]'' pilot, {{e|Broken Bow}}.
+
In the spring of 1996, newly-recruited director Jonathan Frakes and producer Rick Berman cast their three "guest stars". Two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, an admitted Trekker, was slated to play Zefram Cochrane but he was busy with his directorial debut. The role went to [[James Cromwell]], a veteran of {{s|TNG}} and {{s|DS9}}, and Oscar nominee for his role in the {{y|1995}} movie {{wt|Babe (film)|Babe}}. According to Jonathan Frakes: "''In spite of having been nominated for an Academy Award, he actually came in and read for the part&hellip; He nailed it. He left Berman and me with our jaws in our laps.''" Cromwell later reprised his role as Cochrane in the {{s|ENT}} [[ENT Season 1|first season]] episode {{e|Broken Bow}}.
   
[[Image:Doctor not a doorstop.jpg|thumb|Robert Picardo cameos as another EMH]]
+
[[File:EMH in Enterprise-E sickbay.jpg|thumb|Robert Picardo cameos as another EMH]]
  +
For the role of Lily, Frakes' immediate inclination after reading the script was to cast actress [[Alfre Woodard]]. Woodard, an Oscar nominee herself and multiple Emmy Award winner, was Frakes' self-proclaimed "godmother": "''The first time we got through the script, I think everyone's first words were 'Alfre Woodard'.''" A challenge for Frakes and Berman, though, was ultimately solved in the casting of South African-born actress [[Alice Krige]] as the Borg Queen. Both Frakes and the Moore/Braga writing duo would later recall a sense of uneasy sexiness in Krige's portrayal of the Queen, aided by the application of a wet sheen to her skin by the make up department. Other guest players were added to the ''Resurrection'' call sheets as they were added to the script, including ''Trek'' vets [[Dwight Schultz]] as [[Reginald Barclay|Barclay]], [[Ethan Phillips]] as the holographic ''maitre'D'', and [[Robert Picardo]] as the [[EMH]] of the ''Enterprise''-E (not to be confused with [[The Doctor]]). Phillips' role went uncredited, a request made by the actor to confuse fans who may or may not recognize him from his role as [[Neelix]].
   
  +
Other cast additions included [[Patti Yasutake]]'s final appearance as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, having first appeared back in TNG's [[TNG Season 4|fourth season]]. [[Don Stark]] was cast as [[Nicky the Nose]], most memorable in his role as Bob Pinciotti in TV's {{wt|That '70s Show}} &ndash; he also appeared in the {{s|DS9}} [[DS9 Season 2|second season]] episode {{e|Melora}} as [[Ashrock]] the [[Yridian]]. [[Jack Shearer]] appears as Admiral Hayes, later reprising the role (Hayes apparently escaping the destruction of his ship) in ''Voyager'' episodes {{e|Hope and Fear}} and {{e|Life Line}}. Actor [[Eric Steinberg]] portrayed [[Paul Porter]], taken early in the film but appearing throughout as a partially assimilated Borg drone in engineering.
For the role of Lily, Frakes' immediate inclination after reading the script was to cast actress [[Alfre Woodard]]. Woodard, an Oscar nominee herself and multiple Emmy Award winner, was Frakes' self-proclaimed "godmother": "''The first time we got through the script, I think everyone's first words were 'Alfre Woodard'.''" A challenge for Frakes and Berman, though, was ultimately solved in the casting of South African-born actress [[Alice Krige]] as the Borg Queen. Both Frakes and the Moore/Braga writing duo would later recall a sense of uneasy sexiness in Krige's portrayal of the Queen, aided by the application of a wet sheen to her skin by the make up department. Other guest players were added to the ''Resurrection'' call sheets as they were added to the script, including ''Trek'' vets [[Dwight Schultz]] as [[Reginald Barclay|Barclay]], [[Ethan Phillips]] as the holographic Maitre'D, and [[Robert Picardo]] as [[The Doctor]]. Phillips' role went uncredited, a request made by the actor to confuse fans who may or may not recognize him from his role as [[Neelix]]. Robert Picardo's appearance in the film was equally notable, inserted into one of the few sickbay scenes despite protestations by [[Gates McFadden]].
 
   
  +
Brannon Braga is clearly visible as an extra in the holodeck nightclub as the Borg enter the scene, though writing partner Moore's appearance was never shot &ndash; despite sixteen hours of waiting with his then wife Ruby, an anniversary present. Rumors persist{{incite}} that both [[Nichelle Nichols]] and [[Kelsey Grammer]] (captain of the {{USS|Bozeman}} from {{e|Cause And Effect}}) have uncredited "voice cameos", though these claims are unsubstantiated.
Other cast additions included [[Patti Yasutake]]'s final appearance as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, having first appeared back in [[TNG]]'s [[TNG Season 4|fourth season]]. [[Don Stark]] was cast as [[Nicky the Nose]], most memorable in his role as Bob Pinciotti in TV's ''{{w|That '70s Show}}'' &ndash; he also appeared in the [[DS9]] episode {{e|Melora}} as [[Ashrock]] the [[Yridian]]. [[Jack Shearer]] appears as Admiral Hayes, later reprising the role (apparently not dead) in ''Voyager'' episodes {{e|Hope and Fear}} and {{e|Life Line}}. [[Michael Zaslow]] was the first person ever to be pronounced "''He's dead, Jim''" by Doctor [[Leonard McCoy|McCoy]] in ''The Original Series'' episode ({{e|The Man Trap}}), appears as [[Eddy]], Zefram Cochrane's bartender. Actor [[Eric Steinberg]] portrayed Paul Porter, taken early in the film but appearing throughout as a partially assimilated Borg drone in engineering.
 
   
  +
Production on ''Star Trek Resurrection'' began on {{d|8|April|1996}}, but within a month, a new title had been chosen. Mere weeks prior, 20th Century Fox had announced the title of the fourth installment in their ''Alien'' film franchise: {{wt|Alien Resurrection}}. A number of new titles were proposed for the film including ''Star Trek Destinies'', ''Star Trek: Future Generations'', and ''Star Trek Regenerations''. The titles ''Star Trek: Borg'' and ''Star Trek Generations II'' were even chosen as working titles for the film until ''Star Trek: First Contact'' was finally selected, made official in a {{d|3|May|1996}} fourth draft script. (''[[Star Trek: Borg]]'' went on to become the title of a video game, released not long after.)
Brannon Braga is clearly visible as an extra in the holodeck nightclub as the Borg enter the scene, though writing partner Moore's appearance was never shot &ndash; despite sixteen hours of waiting with his then wife Ruby, an anniversary present. Rumors persist that both [[Nichelle Nichols]] and [[Kelsey Grammer]] (captain of the {{USS|Bozeman}} from {{e|Cause and Effect}}) have uncredited "voice cameos", though they are as unsubstantiated as those indicating that actor Tom Hanks was up for the role of Zefram Cochrane.
 
   
  +
[[File:Picard as Ahab.jpg|thumb|''"The line must be drawn here!"'': A pivotal scene]]
Production on ''Star Trek Resurrection'' began on {{d|8|April|1996}}, but within a month, a new title had been chosen. Mere weeks prior, 20th Century Fox had announced the title of the fourth installment in their ''Alien'' film franchise: ''{{w|Alien Resurrection}}''. A number of new titles were proposed for the film including ''Star Trek Destinies'', ''Star Trek: Future Generations'', and ''Star Trek Regenerations''. The titles ''Star Trek: Borg'' and ''Star Trek Generations II'' were even chosen as working titles for the film until ''Star Trek: First Contact'' was finally selected, made official in a {{d|3|May|1996}} fourth draft script. (''[[Star Trek: Borg]]'' went on to become the title of a video game, released not long after.)
 
  +
Minor details in the script, even as shooting was under way, continued to evolve. Early drafts were vague regarding the fate of the ''Defiant'', DS9's resident warship. Having read the script, ''Deep Space Nine'' producer [[Ira Steven Behr]]'s only note was an objection to the apparent destruction of the ''Defiant''. The writers added the clarification "adrift but salvageable" and no mention of the ship's near annihilation was made in the TV series. Minor details in the script's pages included the ill-fated ''Enterprise'' crew member [[Ensign]] [[Lynch]], named after a friend of writer Brannon Braga, but thought by many named for Internet critic Timothy W. Lynch, who reviewed every episode of TNG and DS9. Gravett Island was not a real Earth location, but a fictional one named after Jacques Gravett, Ronald D. Moore's then assistant. Rumors circulated during production, even reported by some LGBT publications, that another ill-fated ''Enterprise'' crewman, [[Neal McDonough]]'s Lieutenant Hawk was gay. No reference is made in the finished film to this fact; the producers have denied the rumors. {{el|webpan.com/dsinclair/trek.html}} Regarding the film's emotional battle played out between Picard and Lily, Brannon Braga recalled: "''I'd have to say that scene was nailed and perfect only about a week before it was filmed.''"{{incite}}
   
  +
Location shooting dominated the early schedule for the ''Star Trek: First Contact'' production team. First up were scenes set in Bozeman, Montana, shot in the Titan Missile Museum outside Tucson, Arizona for a duration of four days. The production then moved to the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains not far from Los Angeles. Two weeks of nighttime shooting followed, with a large village constructed by Herman Zimmerman's art department to represent exterior Bozeman. Minor details in the sets included the 52-star [[American flag]] referencing an early TNG episode, {{e|The Royale}}. A full-size section of the Vulcan lander was brought to this location for the film's finale. The film then moved to Los Angeles Union Station's art deco restaurant where the Dixon Hill holonovel sequence played out, including over 120 extras in period costumes and two Borg drones. Everton designed the costumes for Picard, Ruby, Sloane, and the other speaking parts, while many others were rented. ({{STTM|1|13|67}})
[[Image:The line must be drawn here!.jpg|thumb|''"The line must be drawn here!"'': A pivotal scene]]
 
   
  +
Production finally moved to Paramount Pictures studios in Hollywood on May 3 for a half day of shooting on the three story ''Enterprise''-E engine room set. Cameras were then moved from Stage 14 to Stage 15 where scenes were shot on the bridge, observation lounge and ready room sets. Jonathan Frakes recalled:
Minor details in the script, even as shooting was under way, continued to evolve. Early drafts were vague regarding the fate of the ''Defiant'', [[DS9]]'s resident warship. Having read the script, ''Deep Space Nine'' producer [[Ira Steven Behr]]'s only note was an objection to the apparent destruction of the ''Defiant''. The writers added the clarification "adrift but salvageable" and no mention of the ship's near annihilation was made in the TV series. Minor details in the script's pages included the ill-fated ''Enterprise'' crew member [[Ensign]] [[Lynch]], named for Internet critic Timothy W. Lynch, who reviewed every episode of [[TNG]] and [[DS9]]. Gravett Island was not a real Earth location, but a fictional one named after Jacques Gravett, Ronald D. Moore's then assistant. Rumors circulated during production, even reported by some GLBT publications, that another ill-fated ''Enterprise'' crewman, [[Neal McDonough]]'s Lieutenant Hawk was homosexual. No reference is made in the finished film to this fact; the producers have denied the rumors. [http://www.webpan.com/dsinclair/trek.html] Regarding the film's emotional battle played out between Picard and Lily, Brannon Braga recalled: "''I'd have to say that scene was nailed and perfect only about a week before it was filmed.''"
 
 
Location shooting dominated the early schedule for the ''Star Trek: First Contact'' production team. First up were scenes set in Bozeman, Montana, shot in the Titan Missile Museum outside Tuscan, Arizona for a duration of four days. The production then moved to the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains not far from Los Angeles. Two weeks of nighttime shooting followed, with a large village constructed by Herman Zimmerman's art department to represent exterior Bozeman. Minor details in the sets included the 52-star [[American flag]] referencing an early [[TNG]] episode, {{e|The Royale}}. A full-size section of the Vulcan lander was brought to this location for the film's finale. The film then moved to Los Angeles Union Station's art deco restaurant where the Dixon Hill holonovel sequence played out, including over 120 extras in period costumes and two Borg drones.
 
 
Production finally moved to Paramount Pictures studios in Hollywood on May 3 for a half day of shooting on the three story ''Enterprise''-E engine room set. Cameras were then moved from Stage 14 to Stage 15 where scenes were shot on the bridge, observation lounge and ready room sets. Jonathan Frakes recalled:
 
   
 
:"''It was as if we had gone back in time. It was the same sort of fantastic, cynical, fearless, take-no-prisoners abuse your fellow cast member that has kept us together all these long years.''"
 
:"''It was as if we had gone back in time. It was the same sort of fantastic, cynical, fearless, take-no-prisoners abuse your fellow cast member that has kept us together all these long years.''"
  +
[[File:Filming spacewalk scene in First Contact.jpg|thumb|Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, and Neal McDonough film the "space walk" scene]]
  +
The next two months were dubbed by the crew, "Borg Hell", with scenes shot on stages 14, 15 and [[Paramount Stage 8|8]] that included heavily made-up Borg extras, stunts, pyrotechnics, and one large deflector dish. Likely the film's most labor intensive sequence to shoot was the battle on the ''Enterprise'' hull, on the film's largest set. The deflector dish itself, while massive, was shot at angles intended to exaggerate its size &ndash; the manual input computers were labeled "AE35", a subtle reference to {{wt|2001: A Space Odyssey}}. The sequence also required Patrick Stewart as Picard, [[Michael Dorn]] as Worf, and Neal McDonough as Hawk to wear restrictive [[environmental suit]]s that incorporated internal lighting and cooling systems. With the addition of flying rigs and complex stunts, tempers on the set were pushed, as was Patrick Stewart's endurance; the actor suffered breathing problems in his spacesuit, halting production for an entire day. Problems also arose in the realism of the sequence, with smoke rising from the set, then quickly falling, contrary to the physics of real life zero-G. This required Frakes to shoot around the smoke, or shoot takes short enough to prevent the falling smoke to be seen. Writers Moore and Braga agreed that, had the film been produced only a few years later, the entire sequence was likely to have been less complicated if shot with computer-generated sets.
   
  +
Despite the complications, ''Star Trek: First Contact'' wrapped production on {{d|2|July|1996}} (two days over schedule), with the flashback that opened the film. Fittingly, the sequence required Patrick Stewart to don the {{dis|Starfleet uniform|2350s-2370s}} he had worn for at least five of the seven seasons on ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''. According to Ronald D. Moore, everyone involved with the film knew it was going to be a hit.
The next two months were dubbed by the crew, "Borg Hell", with scenes shot on stages 14, 15 and [[Paramount Stage 8|8]] that included heavily made-up Borg extras, stunts, pyrotechnics and one large, deflector dish. Likely the film's most labor intensive sequence to shoot was the battle on the ''Enterprise'' hull, on the film's largest set. The deflector dish itself, while massive was shot at angles intended to exaggerate its size &ndash; the manual input computers were labeled "AE35", a subtle reference to ''{{w|2001: A Space Odyssey}}''. The sequence also required Patrick Stewart as Picard, [[Michael Dorn]] as Worf, and Neal McDonough as Hawk to wear restrictive [[environmental suit]]s that incorporated internal lighting and cooling systems. With the addition of flying rigs and complex stunts, tempers on the set were pushed, as was Patrick Stewart's endurance; the actor suffered breathing problems in his spacesuit, halting production for an entire day. Problems also arose in the realism of the sequence, with smoke rising from the set, then quickly falling, contrary to the physics of real life zero-G. This required Frakes to shoot around the smoke, or shoot takes short enough to prevent the falling smoke to be seen. Writers Moore and Braga agreed that, had the film been produced only a few years later, the entire sequence was likely to have been less complicated if shot with computer-generated sets.
 
   
  +
==== Production history ====
Despite the complications, ''Star Trek: First Contact'' wrapped production on {{d|2|July|1996}} (two days over schedule), with the flashback that opened the film. Fittingly, the sequence required Patrick Stewart to don the [[Starfleet uniform (2366-2370s)|Starfleet uniform]] he had worn for seven seasons on ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''. According to Ronald D. Moore, everyone involved with the film knew it was going to be a hit.
 
  +
* {{d|8|January|1996}} &ndash; Second draft script, titled ''Star Trek: Resurrection''
  +
* {{d|12|March|1996}} &ndash; Third draft script, titled ''Star Trek: Borg''
   
===Post Production===
+
=== Post-production ===
====Visual Effects====
+
==== Visual effects ====
As described by visual effects supervisor [[John Knoll]], time allotted for post production visual effects and model building resulted in a "brutal effort". Not only did ILM's team have to construct the ''Enterprise''-E, large models representing the Borg sphere, the new Borg cube, and the ''Phoenix'' were also required.
+
As described by visual effects supervisor [[John Knoll]], time allotted for post production visual effects and model building resulted in a "brutal effort". Not only did ILM's team have to construct the ''Enterprise''-E, large models representing the Borg sphere, the new Borg cube, and the ''Phoenix'' were also required.
   
[[Image:Akira and Millennium Falcon.jpg|thumb|The ''Millennium Falcon'' appears below an ''Akira''-class starship]]
+
[[File:Millennium Falcon.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' appears below an ''Akira''-class starship]]
Even more so than the previous film, the ''First Contact'' visual effects team also utilized computer-generated imagery, lending itself to sequences that required large numbers of starships. To stand up to the Borg cube alongside the new ''Enterprise'' and the old ''Defiant'', ILM art director [[Alex Jaeger]] designed sixteen new Starfleet vessels, four of them rendered digitally and appearing in the massive opening battle sequence. The new starships included {{ShipClass|Akira}}, {{ShipClass|Saber}}, {{ShipClass|Steamrunner}}, and {{ShipClass|Norway}} vessels; the latter starship was lost after production due to a computer glitch, never to appear in ''Star Trek'' again. Also included in the melee were a {{ShipClass|Nebula}} starship, a {{ShipClass|Miranda}} vessel, and an {{ShipClass|Oberth}} science ship in its final use. As a joke, the ''[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Millennium_Falcon Millennium Falcon]'' CG model (created for the ''{{w|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars}}'' Special Editions) was inserted into the Borg attack, though generally indistinguishable.
+
Even more so than the previous film, the ''First Contact'' visual effects team also utilized computer-generated imagery, lending itself to sequences that required large numbers of starships. To stand up to the Borg cube alongside the new ''Enterprise'' and the old ''Defiant'', ILM art director [[Alex Jaeger]] designed sixteen new Starfleet vessels, four of them rendered digitally and appearing in the massive opening battle sequence. The new starships included {{class|Akira}}, {{class|Saber}}, {{class|Steamrunner}}, and {{class|Norway}} vessels; the latter starship was lost after production due to a computer glitch, never to appear in ''Star Trek'' again. Also included in the melee were a {{class|Nebula}} starship, a {{class|Miranda}} vessel, and an {{class|Oberth}} science ship in its final use. As a joke, the ''[[starwars:Millennium Falcon|Millennium Falcon]]'' CG model (created for the {{wt|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars}} Special Editions) was inserted into the Borg attack, though generally indistinguishable.
   
Other computer-generated vessels included the John Eaves' designed ''Enterprise'' lifeboats and the Vulcan lander, constructed by the VisionArt company. At that time, ''First Contact'' included more complex visual effects shots than any ''Star Trek'' film before; low-tech methods, however, were still utilized. Close-up shots of La Forge's new ocular implants were achieved through the use of of a sprocket-shaped shower handle, matted against black contact lenses.
+
Other computer-generated vessels included the John Eaves' designed ''Enterprise'' escape pods and the Vulcan lander, constructed by the VisionArt company. At that time, ''First Contact'' included more complex visual effects shots than any ''Star Trek'' film before; low-tech methods, however, were still utilized. Close-up shots of La Forge's new ocular implants were achieved through the use of a sprocket-shaped shower handle, matted against black contact lenses.
   
====Music====
+
==== Music ====
:''See also: [[Star Trek: First Contact (Soundtrack)]]''
+
:'''See also:''' ''[[Star Trek: First Contact (soundtrack)]]''
[[Jerry Goldsmith]], who composed the music for ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' and {{film|5}}, returned to score ''First Contact'' and the remaining two [[TNG]] films after it. Because of his hectic schedule, Goldsmith shared much of the work with his son, Joel Goldsmith; as a result much of the music in ''First Contact'' does not appear on the commercial soundtrack. Among the two Goldsmiths' work, a theme established in ''The Final Frontier'', referred to as the "A Busy Man" theme, was used throughout ''First Contact'', likely as a theme for Picard. It can be heard just after the opening fanfare at the beginning of the film. It can also be heard only briefly in ''Insurrection'', but is used quite heavily in {{film|10}}. Also repeated in ''First Contact'' was the Klingon theme, originally introduced in ''The Motion Picture'' and used in this film to represent Worf.
 
   
  +
[[Jerry Goldsmith]], who composed the music for ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' and {{film|5}}, returned to score ''First Contact'' and the remaining two [[Star Trek: The Next Generation|TNG]] films after it. Because of his hectic schedule, Goldsmith shared much of the work with his son, Joel Goldsmith; as a result much of the music in ''First Contact'' does not appear on the commercial soundtrack.
The opera that Picard listens to in his ready room is [[Berlioz]]' ''Les Troyens'' &ndash; "Hylas' Song" from the beginning of Act V. (Hylas is a homesick young sailor being rocked to sleep by the sea as he dreams of the homeland he will never see again.) This is the first and only ''Star Trek'' movie to have rock and roll in the soundtrack (though {{film|4}} did feature late '80s jazz by the Yellowjackets, as well as a [[I Hate You|punk song]]). In their joint audio commentary on the ''[[Star Trek: First Contact (Special Edition)|Special Edition]]'' DVD, Ron Moore and Brannon Braga credited Peter Lauritson with the selection of [[Steppenwolf]]'s original recording of "Magic Carpet Ride" (and not "some cheap cover"). They criticized, however, the choice of [[Roy Orbison]]'s "[[Ooby Dooby]]" as being "too goofy".
 
   
  +
Among the two Goldsmiths' work, a theme established in ''The Final Frontier'', referred to as the "A Busy Man" theme, was used throughout ''First Contact'', likely as a theme for Picard. It can be heard just after the opening fanfare at the beginning of the film. It can also be heard only briefly in ''Insurrection'', but is used quite heavily in {{film|10}}. Also repeated in ''First Contact'' was the Klingon theme, originally introduced in ''The Motion Picture'' and used in this film to represent Worf. As with all ''Star Trek'' films scored by Goldsmith, the theme from ''The Motion Picture'' was used in the end credits, and the opening fanfare from the ''[[Theme from Star Trek]]'' was used to segué into the opening and closing themes.
====Promotion and Merchandising====
 
[[Image:First-contact-trailer-cap.jpg|thumb|A shot of ''Voyager'' created for the ''First Contact'' trailer]]
 
[[Image:Borg drones First Contact trailer.jpg|thumb|Borg from a cut scene appearing in the trailer]]
 
The teaser trailer for ''Star Trek: First Contact'' premiered with Paramount movies in early summer 1996. As much of the film had yet to be shot when the advertisements were assembled, footage from ''Star Trek Generations'' and episodes from ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' was included. Inter-cut with sequences from the film, the reused footage included snippets of {{e|The Best of Both Worlds}} and {{e|Emissary}}. The trailer utilized score from "The Best of Both Worlds", ''Generations'' and {{film|2}}, most notably, however, from {{film|6}}.
 
   
  +
The opera that Picard listens to in his ready room is [[Berlioz]]' ''Les Troyens'' &ndash; "Hylas' Song" from the beginning of Act V. (Hylas is a homesick young sailor being rocked to sleep by the sea as he dreams of the homeland he will never see again.) This is the first and only ''Star Trek'' movie to have rock and roll in the soundtrack (though {{film|4}} did feature late '80s jazz by the Yellowjackets, as well as a [[I Hate You|punk song]], and {{film|11}}, {{film|12}}, and {{film|13}} all included [[hip hop music|hip hop]] songs &ndash; all three featured songs by the [[Beastie Boys]], and {{film|13}} also included a song by [[Public Enemy]]). In their joint audio commentary on the ''[[Star Trek: First Contact (Special Edition)|Special Edition]]'' DVD, Ron Moore and Brannon Braga credited Peter Lauritson with the selection of [[Steppenwolf]]'s original recording of "Magic Carpet Ride" (and not "some cheap cover"). They criticized, however, the choice of [[Roy Orbison]]'s "[[Ooby Dooby]]" as being "too goofy".
The theatrical trailer included footage unique only to it, with some visual effects created specifically for the trailer. Unique shots included the USS ''Voyager'' firing phasers at a Borg cube, cut takes of various Borg drones, and an alternate version of Picard's soon-to-be infamous speech, "''The line must be drawn here!''" This appears to be the only evidence of cut material; no deleted scenes have surfaced or been officially released. [http://movies.trekcore.com/firstcontact/]
 
   
  +
==== Promotion and merchandising ====
As with the previous film and [[TNG]], [[Playmates Toys]] released a line of action figures and accessories in conjunction with the premiere of the film. Among the toys was a model of the ''Enterprise''-E, apparently based upon early sketches of the ship and not the finalized version - featuring several key structural differences from the finalized designed. Out of scale to their previous lines, the larger ''First Contact'' action figures were made in the likenesses of the entire ''Enterprise''-E crew, Lily, Zefram Cochrane, Picard in an environmental suit, and a Borg drone &ndash; also based on production drawings. [http://www.thelogbook.com/toy/trek-con/] In recent years, [[Art Asylum]] has released a detailed action figure in the likeness of Captain Picard from ''First Contact'', complete with the skull of the Borg Queen.
 
  +
[[File:USS Voyager in First Contact trailer.jpg|thumb|A shot of ''Voyager'' created for the ''First Contact'' teaser]]
  +
[[File:Borg drones First Contact trailer.jpg|thumb|Borg from a cut scene appearing in the trailer]]
  +
The teaser trailer for ''Star Trek: First Contact'' premiered with Paramount movies in early summer 1996. As much of the film had yet to be shot when the advertisements were assembled, footage from ''Star Trek Generations'' and episodes from ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' was included. Inter-cut with sequences from the film, the reused footage included snippets of {{e|The Best of Both Worlds}} and {{e|Emissary}}. The trailer utilized score from "The Best of Both Worlds", ''Generations'', and {{film|2}}, most notably, however, from {{film|6}}.
   
  +
Both the teaser and theatrical trailers included footage unique only to them, with some visual effects created specifically for the trailer. Unique shots included the USS ''Voyager'' firing phasers at a differently-designed Borg cube and an alternate version of Picard's soon-to-be infamous speech, "''The line must be drawn here!''" in the teaser, and cut takes of various Borg drones in the theatrical. {{trekcore|s=movies|firstcontact/}}
[[Marvel Comics]] released both a [[Star Trek: First Contact (comic)|comic adaptation]] of the movie, and a sequel [[comics|comic book]] that crossed the crew with the X-Men in "[[Second Contact]]". This had a later sequel [[novels|novel]] by [[Michael Jan Friedman]], called ''[[Planet X (novel)|Planet X]]''.
 
   
  +
As with the previous film and TNG, [[Playmates Toys]] released a line of action figures and accessories in conjunction with the premiere of the film. Among the toys was a model of the ''Enterprise''-E, apparently based upon early sketches of the ship and not the finalized version &ndash; featuring several key structural differences from the finalized design. Out of scale to their previous lines, the larger ''First Contact'' action figures were made in the likenesses of the entire ''Enterprise''-E crew, Lily, Zefram Cochrane, Picard in an environmental suit, and a Borg drone &ndash; also based on production drawings. {{el|thelogbook.com/toy/trek-con}} In recent years, [[Art Asylum]] has released a detailed action figure in the likeness of Captain Picard from ''First Contact'', complete with the skull of the Borg Queen.
''First Contact'' [[Star Trek: First Contact (novel)|novelization]]s and soundtracks were also released, as were updated version of the ''[[Star Trek Chronology]]'' and ''[[Star Trek Encyclopedia]]''.
 
   
  +
[[Marvel Comics]] released both a {{dis|Star Trek: First Contact|comic|comic adaptation}} of the movie, and a sequel {{comic}} that crossed the crew with the X-Men in "{{dis|Second Contact|comic}}". This had a later sequel {{novel}} by [[Michael Jan Friedman]], called ''{{dis|Planet X|novel}}''.
===Reaction===
 
''Star Trek: First Contact'' premiered in American cinemas on {{datelink|22|November|1996}}, number one at the box office. With a budget of around US$45,000,000, it opened on 2,812 screens and went on to garner around US$150,000,000 worldwide. By comparison, ''Star Trek Generations'', with a budget of US$35,000,000, opened at US$23,100,000 and grossed US$120,000,000 worldwide. It was the second highest grossing ''Star Trek'' film ever, falling just behind {{y|1986}}'s ''Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home''. The film, however, was considered by most to be not only a financial success, but a critical one as well.
 
   
  +
''First Contact'' {{dis|Star Trek: First Contact|novel|novelizations}} and {{dis|Star Trek: First Contact|soundtrack|soundtracks}} were also released, as were updated version of the {{ste|c}} and {{ste|2}}.
The film review website {{w|Rotten Tomatoes}} calculated a 91% overall approval rate for ''First Contact'', with 40 of 44 reviews giving positive remarks. [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_first_contact/] Giving the film "Two thumbs up!", ''{{w|Ebert & Roeper|Siskel & Ebert}}'' host Roger Ebert elaborated in his ''Chicago Sun Times'' review:
 
   
  +
=== Box office performance ===
:"''...The story gives us yet another intriguing test of the differences among humans, aliens and artificial intelligence. And the paradoxes of time travel are handled less murkily than sometimes in the past... ''STFC'' was directed by Frakes, who did some of the ''The Next Generation'' shows for television, and here achieves great energy and clarity. In all of the shuffling of timelines and plotlines, I always knew where we were. He also gets some genial humor out of Cromwell... There is such intriguing chemistry between Picard and the Woodard character that I hope a way is found to bring her on board in the next film. ''Star Trek'' movies in the past have occasionally gone where no movie had gone, or wanted to go, before. This one is on the right beam.''"
 
  +
''Star Trek: First Contact'' premiered in American cinemas on {{d|22|November|1996}}, number one at the box office. With a budget of around US$45,000,000, it opened nationwide on 2,812 screens at US$30,716,131 and went on to eventually garner US$146,027,888 worldwide. {{el|boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0117731/?ref_{{=}}bo_se_r_1}} By comparison, ''Star Trek Generations'', with a budget of US$35,000,000, opened at US$23,116,394 on 2,659 screens, but only grossed US$118,071,125 worldwide. {{el|boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0111280/?ref_{{=}}bo_se_r_1}} It made ''First Contact'' the highest grossing ''Star Trek'' film ever, surpassing the hitherto highest grossing film {{y|1986}}'s ''Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'' &ndash; though it remained the second-most profitable one after {{film|2}} &ndash; until the release of {{y|2009}}'s {{film|11}} and its two sequels.
   
  +
In the United Kingdom, despite becoming the first ''Star Trek'' movie not to reach the top of the box office since ''The Wrath of Khan'', the film was a success earning £3,555,980 for its opening weekend and £8,735,340 overall. It was the highest grossing ''Star Trek'' film overall in that territory until the release of {{film|11}}. {{el|25thframe.co.uk/detail-page/?rimage{{=}}star_trek_first_contact}}
While often negative in his reviews of other ''Trek'' films, Ebert elaborated, "''how I love the ''Star Trek'' jargon!''" and even expressed his fondness for the Borg Queen:
 
   
  +
The film, however, was considered by most to be not only a financial success, but a critical one as well, beating out both ''The Wrath of Khan'' and ''The Voyage Home'' respectively in this regard, as of 2020 only to be surpassed by 2009's ''Star Trek'' by the slimmest of margins.
:"''I also admired the interiors of the Borg probe, and the peculiar makeup work creating the Borg Queen, who looks like no notion of sexy I have ever heard of, but inspires me to keep an open mind.''" [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19961122/REVIEWS/611220304/1023]
 
   
  +
:See ''[[Star Trek films#Performance summary|''Star Trek'' films: Performance summary]]'' for a detailed overview.
{{w|BBC}} Films' Emily Carlisle, however, was less enamored:
 
   
  +
=== Reactions ===
:"''While some quality dark humour comes from the dominatrix-outfitted Borg Queen's attempts to seduce android Data, other attempts at lightening the tone seem forced and stiff in comparison... Patrick Stewart believably plays Captain Picard... and he and [[Brent Spiner]] are clearly the most talented actors on display. While others try hard (Alfre Woodard in particular), their energies are dissipated in the broad storyline which switches uncomfortably between a running battle on board the ''Enterprise'' and an effort on the surface of the Earth to ensure that first contact is made on schedule. Focusing more on action sequences than characterisation, the breakneck pace gives an unsatisfying result.''" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/02/07/star_trek_first_contact_1996_review.shtml]
 
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The film review website {{w|Rotten Tomatoes}} calculated a {{el|rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_first_contact|92% critic score}} for ''First Contact'', with 40 of 44 reviews giving positive remarks. {{el|rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_first_contact}} Giving the film "Two thumbs up!", {{wt|Ebert & Roeper|Siskel & Ebert}} host Roger Ebert elaborated in his ''Chicago Sun Times'' review:
   
  +
:"''&hellip;The story gives us yet another intriguing test of the differences among humans, aliens and artificial intelligence. And the paradoxes of time travel are handled less murkily than sometimes in the past&hellip;''STFC'' was directed by Frakes, who did some of the ''The Next Generation'' shows for television, and here achieves great energy and clarity. In all of the shuffling of timelines and plotlines, I always knew where we were. He also gets some genial humor out of Cromwell&hellip; There is such intriguing chemistry between Picard and the Woodard character that I hope a way is found to bring her on board in the next film. ''Star Trek'' movies in the past have occasionally gone where no movie had gone, or wanted to go, before. This one is on the right beam.''"
In his {{d|18|November|1996}} review, ''{{w|Variety (magazine)|Daily Variety}}'' magazine writer Joe Leydon expressed his approval:
 
   
  +
While often negative in his reviews of other ''Trek'' films, Ebert elaborated, "''how I love the ''Star Trek'' jargon!''" and even expressed his fondness for the Borg Queen:
:"''Frakes makes an auspicious debut as a feature filmmaker, sustaining excitement and maintaining clarity as he dashes through a two-track storyline... Stewart once again comports himself with all the gravity and panache you would expect from a Shakespearean-trained actor. He is at his best playing opposite Woodard in a scene that has their characters arguing over the best way to battle the Borg... It is a credit to both actors that their emotion-charged conversation is genuinely compelling. Purists who recall [[Gene Roddenberry]]'s original vision of a less blood-soaked ''Star Trek'' universe may be put off by the rough stuff. But mainstream audiences will be more approving of the greater emphasis on high-voltage shocks and action-movie heroics.''"
 
   
  +
:"''I also admired the interiors of the Borg probe, and the peculiar makeup work creating the Borg Queen, who looks like no notion of sexy I have ever heard of, but inspires me to keep an open mind.''" {{el|rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID{{=}}/19961122/REVIEWS/611220304/1023}}
Leydon concluded, "''If ''First Contact'' is indicative of what the next generation of ''Star Trek'' movies will be like, the franchise is certain to live long and prosper.''" [http://www2.variety.com/ref.asp?u=IMDB&p=H2BE&sid=VE1117911494]
 
   
  +
{{w|BBC}} Films' Emily Carlisle, however, was less enamored:
''Star Trek: First Contact'' was nominated for an [[Academy Award]] for Best Makeup, Michael Westmore, ultimately losing to Rick Baker's ''{{w|The Nutty Professor (1996 film)|The Nutty Professor}}''. Despite an effort by the producers, the film failed to receive a nomination for the Data/Borg Queen kiss at the 1996 {{w|MTV Movie Awards}}. The film, however, received numerous other nominations including Best Dramatic Presentation, [[Hugo Award]]s; Best Science Fiction Film, [[Saturn Award]]s; and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture, Alfre Woodard, {{w|Image Award}}s.
 
   
  +
:"''While some quality dark humour comes from the dominatrix-outfitted Borg Queen's attempts to seduce android Data, other attempts at lightening the tone seem forced and stiff in comparison&hellip; Patrick Stewart believably plays Captain Picard&hellip; and he and [[Brent Spiner]] are clearly the most talented actors on display. While others try hard (Alfre Woodard in particular), their energies are dissipated in the broad storyline which switches uncomfortably between a running battle on board the ''Enterprise'' and an effort on the surface of the Earth to ensure that first contact is made on schedule. Focusing more on action sequences than characterisation, the breakneck pace gives an unsatisfying result.''" {{el|bbc.co.uk/films/2001/02/07/star_trek_first_contact_1996_review.shtml}}
Wins included a BMI Film Music Award for Jerry Goldsmith at the {{w|BMI Film & TV Awards}}; and Best Costumes for Deborah Everton, Best Supporting Actor for Brent Spiner, and Best Supporting Actress for Alice Krige at the 1996 Saturn Awards. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117731/awards]
 
   
  +
In his {{d|18|November|1996}} review, {{wt|Variety (magazine)|Daily Variety}} magazine writer Joe Leydon expressed his approval:
===Notes===
 
*Despite the use of the television series uniforms in the previous film, {{film|7}}, this is the only movie starring ''The Next Generation'' cast where the television series combadge is seen, as visible on Picard's uniform in the "Best of Both Worlds" flashback in the opening of the film.
 
   
  +
:"''Frakes makes an auspicious debut as a feature filmmaker, sustaining excitement and maintaining clarity as he dashes through a two-track storyline&hellip; Stewart once again comports himself with all the gravity and panache you would expect from a Shakespearean-trained actor. He is at his best playing opposite Woodard in a scene that has their characters arguing over the best way to battle the Borg&hellip; It is a credit to both actors that their emotion-charged conversation is genuinely compelling. Purists who recall [[Gene Roddenberry]]'s original vision of a less blood-soaked ''Star Trek'' universe may be put off by the rough stuff. But mainstream audiences will be more approving of the greater emphasis on high-voltage shocks and action-movie heroics.''"
*The reference that Data makes about using his "fully functional organs" seemingly references the time he used them with Tasha in {{TNG|The Naked Now}}, eight years before the Borg invasion.
 
   
  +
Leydon concluded, "''If ''First Contact'' is indicative of what the next generation of ''Star Trek'' movies will be like, the franchise is certain to live long and prosper.''" {{el|www2.variety.com/ref.asp?u{{=}}IMDB&p{{=}}H2BE&sid{{=}}VE1117911494}}
*''First Contact'' references and even explicitly quotes ''Moby Dick''. Despite the story parallels, the producers hesitated using it, as {{film|2}} was also heavy in ''Moby Dick'' references. Two years after ''First Contact'' premiered, Patrick Stewart played Captain Ahab in a 1998 TV mini-series.
 
   
  +
=== Notes ===
  +
* This film opened on the same day that [[Mark Lenard]], the actor best known for portraying the character of [[Sarek]], died at the age of 72.
  +
* Despite the use of the {{dis|Starfleet uniform|2350s-2370s|uniform}}s in the previous film, {{film|7}}, this is the only movie starring ''The Next Generation'' cast where the {{s|TNG}} and early {{s|DS9}} combadge is seen, as visible on Picard's uniform in the flashback from {{e|The Best of Both Worlds}} in the opening of the film.
  +
* The reference that Data makes about using his "fully functional" sexual organs seemingly references the time he used them with Tasha in {{TNG|The Naked Now}}, eight years before the Borg invasion (though that would place that episode in [[2365]]). This would seem to indicate Data and his fourth-season "girlfriend" [[Jenna D'Sora]] were never sexually intimate during the course of their relationship.
  +
* This film marks the first canon reference to the number of planets in the Federation (over 150) and its size (over 8,000 light years)
  +
* The bar in Bozeman featured bar signs based on mission patches for NASA vessels, including the ''[[Molly Brown]]''.
  +
* ''First Contact'' references and even explicitly quotes ''Moby Dick''. Despite the story parallels, the producers hesitated using it, as {{film|2}} was also heavy in ''Moby Dick'' references. Two years after ''First Contact'' premiered, Patrick Stewart played Captain Ahab in a 1998 TV mini-series.
  +
* However, Picard slightly misquotes the ''Moby Dick'' passage. The actual passage is "''He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it.''"
 
* Early in the movie, Zefram Cochrane points out the constellation Leo, the constellation in which [[Wolf 359]] is located.
 
* Early in the movie, Zefram Cochrane points out the constellation Leo, the constellation in which [[Wolf 359]] is located.
  +
* ''First Contact'' marked the first time the phrase "star trek" was ever uttered in the franchise. In the TNG finale {{e|All Good Things...}}, however, [[Q]] tells Picard "''It's time to put an end to your ''trek'' through the ''stars''.''"
 
  +
* When Picard announces to the crew his intention to break his orders and join the engagement, Data's response is "''Captain, I believe I speak for everyone here sir when I say, 'To hell with our orders'.''" Similarly in {{film|6}}, Spock's response to the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s orders to return to spacedock is "''If I were Human, I believe my response would be, 'Go to hell'.''"
* ''First Contact'' marked the first time the words "Star Trek" were ever uttered in the franchise. In the TNG finale {{e|All Good Things...}}, however, [[Q]] tells Picard "''It's time to put an end to your ''trek'' through the stars.''"
 
  +
[[File:Holosuite program display on Enterprise E.jpg|thumb|The different holodeck programs on the ''Enterprise''-E]]
 
  +
* The program menu in the holosuite depicts various holodeck programs from previous episodes, specifically ''[[Café des Artistes]]'', ({{TNG|We'll Always Have Paris}}) ''[[Charnock's Comedy Cabaret]]'', ({{TNG|The Outrageous Okona}}) ''[[The Big Goodbye]]'', ({{TNG|The Big Goodbye|Manhunt|Clues}}) ''[[Emerald Wading Pool]]'', ({{TNG|Conundrum}}) and the ''[[Equestrian Adventure]]''. ({{TNG|Pen Pals}})
[[Image:Holosuite program display on Enterprise E.jpg|thumb|The different holosuite programs on the ''Enterprise''-E]]
 
  +
* Picard's line "''Reports of my assimilation have been greatly exaggerated''" is a paraphrasing of a famous quotation by [[Mark Twain]], concerning his premature obituary. Picard had made a similar paraphrasing in {{TNG|Samaritan Snare}} ("''Any rumors of my brush with death are greatly exaggerated''").
* The program menu in the holosuite depicts various holodeck programs from previous episodes. Specifically: [[Café des Artistes]] ({{TNG|We'll Always Have Paris}}), [[Charnock's Comedy Cabaret]] ({{TNG|The Outrageous Okona}}), "[[The Big Goodbye]]" ({{TNG|The Big Goodbye|Manhunt|Clues}}), [[Emerald Wading Pool]] ({{TNG|Conundrum}}) and the "[[Equestrian Adventure]]" ({{TNG|Pen Pals}}).
 
  +
* Riker calls the ''Defiant'' a "tough little ship." In the DS9 [[DS9 Season 3|third season]] episode {{e|Defiant}}, [[Thomas Riker]] called it the same thing.
 
  +
* According to the (apocryphal) ''Customizable Card Game'' by [[Decipher]], the Vulcan who greeted Zefram Cochrane was named [[Solkar]], the grandfather of [[Sarek]] and the great-grandfather of [[Spock]]. This was later supported by dialogue in {{ENT|The Catwalk}}.
* During the end of the Dominion War, Quark would speak, in {{DS9|The Dogs of War}}, the same words ("''The line must be drawn here! This far and no further!''") as Picard does during ''Star Trek: First Contact''.
 
  +
* The events of ''Star Trek: First Contact'' were later referred to in {{DS9|In Purgatory's Shadow}}, {{VOY|Year of Hell, Part II}}, and {{VOY|Relativity}}, the latter using those events as an example for the [[Pogo paradox]]. The Borg sphere was recovered in {{ENT|Regeneration}}, while a slightly different version of Earth's first contact with Vulcans &ndash; utilizing footage from the film &ndash; can be seen in {{ENT|In a Mirror, Darkly}}.
 
  +
* According to {{ENT|Carbon Creek}}, though this movie records the first official contact between Earth and Vulcan, contact was actually made in [[1957]] in a place called [[Carbon Creek]], [[Pennsylvania]], nearly 110 years prior.
* Riker calls the ''Defiant'' a "tough little ship." In the [[DS9]] episode {{e|Defiant}}, [[Thomas Riker]] called it the same thing.
 
  +
* Subsequent [[Vulcan starship classes|Vulcan starships]] seen in {{s|ent}} were based upon the {{type|T'Plana-Hath}} lander seen in this movie.
 
  +
* [[Geordi La Forge]], who with Riker participates in Cochrane's historic first warp flight, had earlier compared being at [[Bilana III]] to view the [[soliton wave]] experiment to being present when Cochrane engaged the first warp drive in {{TNG|New Ground}}.
* According to the (apocryphal) Customizable Card Game by [[Decipher]], the Vulcan who greeted Zefram Cochrane was named [[Solkar]], the grandfather of [[Sarek]] and the great-grandfather of [[Spock]]. This was later confirmed in {{ENT|The Catwalk}}.
 
  +
* According to {{DS9|The Search, Part I}}, the ''Defiant'' had originally been designed to counter the Borg threat, but was then assigned to [[Deep Space 9]]. The [[Battle of Sector 001]] was the only time the ''Defiant'' eventually battled the Borg.
 
* The events of ''Star Trek: First Contact'' were later referred to in {{DS9|In Purgatory's Shadow}}, {{VOY|Year of Hell, Part II}}, and {{VOY|Relativity}}. The Borg sphere was recovered in {{ENT|Regeneration}}, while a slightly different version of Earth's first contact with Vulcans - utilising footage from the film - can be seen in {{ENT|In a Mirror, Darkly}}.
 
 
* According to the ENT episode {{e|Carbon Creek}}, though this movie records the first official contact between Earth and Vulcan, contact was actually made in [[1957]] in a place called [[Carbon Creek]], [[Pennsylvania]], nearly 110 years prior.
 
 
* Subsequent [[Vulcan starship classes|Vulcan starships]] seen in ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' would be based upon the [[T'Plana-Hath type|''T'Plana-Hath''-type]] lander seen in this movie.
 
 
* The partial flesh in Data's face resembles the mask of the Phantom of the Opera.
 
 
 
* The model of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701| (NCC-1701)}} that was on display in the conference room was auctioned off (albeit broken) in the [[It's A Wrap! sale and auction]].
 
* The model of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701| (NCC-1701)}} that was on display in the conference room was auctioned off (albeit broken) in the [[It's A Wrap! sale and auction]].
  +
* Lily says that "Borg" sounds Swedish. In Swedish, "borg" actually means "castle", although it would be pronounced as "borj". "Borg" is also a Swedish surname. In addition, the word is spelled and means the same in Norwegian and Danish, and in these cases is pronounced very similar to the English word. The most well-known "Borg" is the internationally-known Swedish tennis player {{w|Björn Borg}}.
  +
* This marks the fourth of five times the captain shows a female native her home planet from orbit. This happened previously with [[Rivan]] in {{e|Justice}}, [[Nuria]] in {{e|Who Watches The Watchers}}, and [[Mirasta Yale]] in the episode {{e|First Contact}}, and later with [[Bethany]] in "[[North Star (episode)|North Star]]". This approach clearly has meaning to the captain as he tells [[Anij]] in {{film|9}}, seeing his home planet from space for the first time was a moment when time stood still.
  +
* Besides making references to ''Moby Dick,'' this film is also similar to ''The Wrath of Khan'' in that they're both sequels to classic episodes of their respective series; ''TWOK'' follows {{e|Space Seed}} while ''FC'' follows {{e|The Best of Both Worlds}} and {{e|The Best of Both Worlds, Part II}}.
  +
* Among the items seen in this film which were sold off on the [[It's A Wrap! sale and auction]] on eBay are the ''Phoenix Launch Silo Missile Manual'', {{stala|8700}} a broken model of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}, {{stala|8734}} a broken model of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-C|-C}}, {{stala|9435}} a pair of boots worn by a background actor, {{stala|9440}} a ''Phoenix'' button board, {{stala|9633}} and an undersuit of [[Alice Krige]]. {{stala|9677}}
  +
* This movie includes one of the explicit mentions of the attributes of the [[New World Economy]]. Picard tells Lily that money (as she understands it) no longer existed in the 24th century, and that people worked not for the acquisition of wealth, but for the betterment of all Humanity.
  +
* In the {{s|DS9}} episode {{e|In the Cards}}, [[Jake Sisko]] repeats Picard's line "''we work to better ourselves and the rest of Humanity,''" only to be challenged by [[Nog]] saying, "''What does that mean, exactly?''" Similarly, in {{DS9|The Dogs of War}}, [[Quark]] speaks almost the same words ("''The line ''has to'' be drawn here! This far ''and'' no further!''") as Picard does during ''Star Trek: First Contact''. The two episodes were, respectively, written and co-written by Ronald D. Moore, who also co-wrote ''First Contact''. Said Moore, "''I take great glee at mocking my own work.''" {{AOLchat|Ronald D. Moore|ron130|1999}}
  +
* Based on averaging the differences of the stardates from {{s|DS9}}{{'}}s {{e|Children of Time}} and {{e|Empok Nor}}, the initial events of this film should have occurred between {{e|Blaze of Glory}} and {{e|Empok Nor}}. However, [[Benjamin Sisko|Sisko]]'s mention of "''the recent [[Borg]] attack''" in {{e|In Purgatory's Shadow}}, actually places ''First Contact'' before ''that'' episode. Furthermore, based on the stardates, the initial events of the film would have taken between the events of the {{s|VOY}} episodes {{e|Real Life}} and {{e|Displaced}}. It is unclear whether these events take place before, after or contemporaneously with the events of {{e|Distant Origin}}, which was broadcast in the interim and does not feature a stardate.
  +
* In the ending credits, [[Zefram Cochrane]]'s name is misspelled as "Zefram Cochran".
  +
* This is the only ''Star Trek'' movie to feature a female primary antagonist, the [[Borg Queen]].
  +
* This film is the only appearance of the ''Defiant'' outside of {{s|DS9}}.
  +
* It is the first ''Star Trek'' film to be rated PG-13.
  +
* This was the first ''Star Trek'' film since ''The Motion Picture'' to not re-use any footage from previous films.
  +
* This is the only ''Star Trek'' film not to feature scenes on a planet other than Earth.
  +
* This was the first of two ''Star Trek'' films ({{film|12}} being the other) to be given a certification during the end credits by the {{w|American Humane}} Association that no animals were harmed during the film's production.
  +
* The [[Starfleet uniform (2370s-early 2380s)|new Starfleet uniforms]], which were introduced in the film, would later be adopted in the {{s|DS9}} episode, {{e|Rapture}} onward, but the crew on {{s|VOY}} continued to use the [[Starfleet uniform (late 2360s-early 2370s)|old ''DS9'' Starfleet uniforms]], due to being stranded in the [[Delta Quadrant]].
   
  +
=== Apocrypha ===
* Lily says that "Borg" sounds Swedish. In Swedish, "borg" actually means "castle", although it would be pronounced as "borj". "Borg" is also a Swedish surname. In addition, the word is spelt and means the same in Norwegian and Danish, and in these cases is pronounced very similar to the English word.
 
  +
The {{novel}}ization of ''{{dis|Star Trek: First Contact|novel}}'' establishes that during the Battle of Sector 001 as the ''Defiant'' attacked the Borg Cube, Worf thought that by keeping the ''Enterprise'' away from the battle, Starfleet Command was doing Picard a great dishonor by not allowing him the opportunity to gain revenge against his mortal enemy.
   
  +
In ''[[Oblivion's Gate]]'', the third and final novel of the ''[[Star Trek: Coda]]'' trilogy, it was revealed that Captain Picard and the crew of the ''Enterprise''-E caused the creation of the First Splinter timeline during their attempt to stop the Borg from assimilating Earth in the year 2063, and the [[Devidian]]s used this to their own advantage as part of the Temporal Apocalypse.
* Besides making references to ''Moby Dick,'' this film is also similar to ''The Wrath of Khan'' in that they're both sequels to classic episodes of their respective series; ''TWOK'' follows {{e|Space Seed}} while ''FC'' follows "The Best of Both Worlds" parts [[The Best of Both Worlds|I]] and [[The Best of Both Worlds, Part II|II]].
 
   
===Merchandise gallery===
+
=== Merchandise gallery ===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
Image:Star Trek First Contact Soundtrack.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (soundtrack)|soundtrack]]
+
File:Star Trek First Contact soundtrack.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (soundtrack)|soundtrack]]
Image:ST8 First Contact novel.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (novel)|novelization]]
+
File:First Contact novel cover.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (novel)|novelization]]
Image:First Contact young adult novel.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (young adult novelisation)|young adult novelization]]
+
File:First Contact young adult novel.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (young adult novelization)|young adult novelization]]
Image:First Contact - The Borg.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact - The Borg|''The Borg'']]
+
File:First Contact - The Borg.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact - The Borg|''The Borg'']]
Image:First Contact - Breaking the Barrier.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact - Breaking the Barrier|''Breaking the Barrier'']]
+
File:First Contact - Breaking the Barrier.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact - Breaking the Barrier|''Breaking the Barrier'']]
Image:First Contact - Movie Storybook.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact - The Movie Storybook|The Movie Storybook]]
+
File:First Contact - Movie Storybook.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact - The Movie Storybook|The Movie Storybook]]
Image:The Making of Star Trek First Contact cover.jpg|[[The Making of Star Trek: First Contact]]
+
File:The Making of Star Trek First Contact cover.jpg|''[[The Making of Star Trek: First Contact]]''
Image:First contact comic.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (comic)|comic book adaptation]]
+
File: First Contact Making of the Classic Film.jpg|''[[Star Trek: First Contact - The Making of the Classic Film]]''
  +
File:Star Trek First Contact Official Movie Magazine cover.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact - Official Movie Souvenir Magazine|Official Movie Souvenir Magazine]]
Image:Ross Guide to FC.jpg|[[Movies UK VHS#Special releases|Jonathan Ross' Essential Guide to ''Star Trek: First Contact'']]
 
Image:First Contact UK VHS original cover.jpg|[[Movies UK VHS|Original UK VHS release]]
+
File:First Contact comic.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (comic)|comic book adaptation]]
  +
File:Ross Guide to FC.jpg|[[Jonathan Ross' Essential Guide To Star Trek: First Contact|Jonathan Ross' Essential Guide to ''Star Trek: First Contact'']]
Image:First Contact Collectors Edition cover.jpg|UK Collectors Edition VHS
 
Image:First Contact 1998 UK VHS cover.jpg|1998 UK VHS rerelease
+
File:First Contact UK VHS original cover.jpg|[[Star Trek films (UK VHS)|Original UK VHS release]]
Image:Star Trek First Contact Special Edition DVD cover (Region 1).jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (Special Edition)|Region 1 Special Edition DVD]]
+
File:First Contact Collectors Edition cover.jpg|UK Collectors Edition VHS
Image:Star Trek First Contact Special Edition DVD cover (Region 2).jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (Special Edition)|Region 2 Special Edition DVD]]
+
File:First Contact 1998 UK VHS cover.jpg|1998 UK VHS rerelease
  +
File:Star Trek First Contact DVD cover.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (DVD)|DVD]]
  +
File:Star Trek First Contact Special Edition DVD cover (Region 1).jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (Special Edition)|Region 1 Special Edition DVD]]
  +
File:Star Trek First Contact Special Edition DVD cover (Region 2).jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (Special Edition)|Region 2 Special Edition DVD]]
  +
File:Star Trek First Contact BD cover Region A.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (Blu-ray)|Blu-ray Disc (Region A)]]
  +
File:Star Trek First Contact 2009 DVD cover Region 1.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (2009 DVD)|2009 DVD rerelease (Region 1)]]
  +
File:Star Trek First Contact expanded soundtrack cover.jpg|[[Star Trek: First Contact (expanded soundtrack)|Expanded score]]
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
== Links and References ==
+
== Awards and honors ==
  +
''Star Trek: First Contact'' received the following awards and honors.
===Cast===
 
*[[Patrick Stewart]] as [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]] / [[Locutus of Borg]]
 
*[[Jonathan Frakes]] as [[Commander]] [[William T. Riker]]
 
*[[Brent Spiner]] as [[Lt. Commander]] [[Data]]
 
*[[LeVar Burton]] as Lt. Commander [[Geordi La Forge]]
 
*[[Michael Dorn]] as Lt. Commander [[Worf]]
 
*[[Marina Sirtis]] as Commander ([[Counselor]]) [[Deanna Troi]]
 
*[[Gates McFadden]] as Commander (Dr.) [[Beverly Crusher]]
 
*[[Alfre Woodard]] as [[Lily Sloane]]
 
*[[James Cromwell]] as [[Zefram Cochrane]]
 
*[[Alice Krige]] as the [[Borg Queen]]
 
   
  +
{| class="grey" style="text-align:left;"
====Starfleet Personnel====
 
  +
|-
*[[Michael Horton]] as [[Daniels (Lieutenant)|Daniels]] (credited as Security Officer)
 
  +
!Year
*[[Neal McDonough]] as Lt. [[Hawk (Lieutenant)|Hawk]]
 
  +
!Group
*[[Marnie McPhail]] as [[Alice Eiger|Eiger]]
 
  +
!Award
*[[Robert Picardo]] as the [[Emergency Medical Hologram|Holographic Doctor]]
 
  +
!Nominee(s)
*[[Dwight Schultz]] as Lt. [[Reginald Barclay|Barclay]]
 
  +
!Result
*[[Adam Scott]] as the [[Unnamed Deep Space 9 personnel#Defiant Helmsman (2373)|''Defiant'' Conn Officer]]
 
  +
|-
*[[Jack Shearer]] as [[Admiral]] [[Hayes (Male Admiral)|Hayes]]
 
  +
| rowspan="17" |{{y|1997}}
*[[Eric Steinberg]] as [[Paul Porter|Porter]]
 
  +
|[[Academy Award]]s
*[[Scott Strozier]] as a [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) personnel#Security Officer|Security Officer]]
 
  +
|Best Makeup
*[[Patti Yasutake]] as [[Nurse]] [[Alyssa Ogawa|Ogawa]]
 
  +
|[[Michael Westmore]], [[Scott Wheeler]], [[Jake Garber]]
*[[Victor Bevine]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) personnel#Guard 1|Guard #1]]
 
  +
| rowspan="4" |Nominated
*[[David Cowgill]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) personnel#Guard 2|Guard #2]]
 
  +
|-
*[[Scott Haven]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) personnel#Guard 3|Guard #3]]
 
  +
|[[NAACP Image Award]]s
*[[Annette Helde]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) personnel#Assimilated Lieutenant|Guard #4]]
 
  +
|Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
*[[Majel Barrett]] as the [[computer voice]]
 
  +
|[[Alfre Woodard]]
  +
|-
  +
|[[Hugo Award]]s
  +
|Best Dramatic Presentation
  +
|Screenplay by [[Brannon Braga]] and [[Ronald D. Moore]], Story by [[Rick Berman]], [[Brannon Braga]] and [[Ronald D. Moore]], Directed by [[Jonathan Frakes]]
  +
|-
  +
|[[Satellite Award]]s
  +
|Outstanding Visual Effects
  +
|[[John Knoll]]
  +
|-
  +
|[[BMI Film & TV Award]]s
  +
|BMI Film Music Award
  +
|[[Jerry Goldsmith]]
  +
| rowspan="4" |Won
  +
|-
  +
| rowspan="10" |[[Saturn Award]]s
  +
|Best Supporting Actor
  +
|[[Brent Spiner]]
  +
|-
  +
|Best Supporting Actress
  +
|[[Alice Krige]]
  +
|-
  +
|Best Costumes
  +
|[[Deborah Everton]]
  +
|-
  +
|Best Actor
  +
|[[Patrick Stewart]]
  +
| rowspan="9" |Nominated
  +
|-
  +
|Best Director
  +
|[[Jonathan Frakes]]
  +
|-
  +
|Best Special Effects
  +
|[[John Knoll]] ([[Industrial Light & Magic]])
  +
|-
  +
|Best Music
  +
|[[Jerry Goldsmith]]
  +
|-
  +
|Best Writer
  +
|[[Brannon Braga]], [[Ronald D. Moore]]
  +
|-
  +
|Best Makeup
  +
|[[Michael Westmore]], [[Scott Wheeler]], [[Jake Garber]]
  +
|-
  +
|Best Science Fiction Film
  +
| -
  +
|-
  +
| rowspan="2" |[[Blockbuster Entertainment Award]]s
  +
|Favorite Actor &ndash; Science Fiction
  +
|[[Patrick Stewart]]
  +
|-
  +
|Favorite Supporting Actor &ndash; Science Fiction
  +
|[[Jonathan Frakes]]
  +
|}
   
  +
== Links and references ==
====Nightclub====
 
  +
=== <span class="mw-customtoggle-Credits" style="cursor:row-resize;" title="Click to expand or collapse">Credits</span> ===
*[[C.J. Bau]] as a [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Bartender|Bartender]]
 
  +
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed noicon" id="mw-customcollapsible-Credits">
*[[Hillary Hayes]] as [[Ruby (The Big Goodbye)|Ruby]]
 
  +
{{#lst:Credits for Star Trek: First Contact|credits}}
*[[Julie Morgan]] as a [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Nightclub singer|Singer in Nightclub]]
 
  +
</div>
*[[Ronald R. Rondell]] as a [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Henchman|Henchman]]
 
*[[Don Stark]] as [[Nicky the Nose]]
 
   
====Missile Complex====
+
=== Uncredited ===
  +
==== Performers ====
*[[Cully Fredricksen]] as a [[Unnamed Vulcans (21st century)|Vulcan Captain]]
 
  +
* [[Al Ahlf]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 011|security officer]]
*[[Tamara Lee Krinsky]] as a [[Unnamed Humans (21st century)#Townsperson|Townsperson]]
 
  +
* [[David Keith Anderson]] as [[Armstrong]]
  +
* [[Patrick Barnitt]] as [[Borg Queen's sphere drone 007|Borg drone]]
  +
* [[Terrence Beasor]] as Additional Voices
  +
* [[Denise Blasor]] as Additional Voices
  +
* [[Renna Bogdanowicz]] as {{dis|Lopez|Lieutenant}}
  +
* [[Mike Boss]] as [[Dixon Hill club patrons 001|holographic nightclub patron]] (''unconfirmed'')
  +
* [[Harry Boykoff]] as [[Eddy]]
  +
* [[Brannon Braga]] as [[Dixon Hill club patron 003|holographic nightclub patron]]
  +
* [[Michael Braveheart]] as [[Martinez]]
  +
* [[Cameron]] as [[Kellogg]]
  +
* [[Steve Carnahan]] as [[Borg Queen's sphere drones 000|Borg drone]]
  +
* [[Tracee Lee Cocco]] as [[Jae]]
  +
* [[Jeff Coopwood]] as [[Borg voice 001|The Voice of the Borg]]
  +
* [[John Copage]] as [[Dixon Hill club patron 007|holographic nightclub patron]]
  +
* [[David Paul Cutler]] as [[USS Enterprise-E unnamed 000|civilian engineer]]
  +
* [[Kenneth David Ebling]] as [[USS Enterprise-E sciences officer 001|sciences officer]]
  +
* [[Heather Ferguson]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 009|security officer]]
  +
* [[Kevin Finister]] as [[USS Enterprise-E command engineer 001|command crewman]]
  +
* [[Sylvester Foster]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations security 010|operations officer]]
  +
* [[Tracey Frakes]] as [[Dixon Hill Nicky's girls 001|Nicky's girl #2]]
  +
* [[Star Halm]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations security 013|security officer]]
  +
* [[Noelle Hannibal]] as [[Vulcan 21st century first officer|Vulcan officer]]
  +
* [[Jon Horback]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 012|security officer]]
  +
* [[Randy James]] as {{dis|Jones|Lieutenant}}
  +
* [[Jimmy Kupenwoff]] as [[USS Enterprise-E unnamed 000|operations division officer]]
  +
* [[Dan Magee]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations officer 001|assimilated operations officer]]
  +
* [[James Mapes]] as {{dis|Buster|deleted material}} ([[deleted scene]])
  +
* [[Angus McClellan]] as |[[USS Enterprise-E science Bajoran 001|Bajoran sciences officer]]
  +
* [[Ronald D. Moore]] as [[Dixon Hill club patrons 001|Holodeck Nightclub Patron]]
  +
* [[Louis Ortiz]] as
  +
** [[Borg Queen's deflector dish drone 001|Borg drone]]
  +
** [[Vulcan 21st century second officer|Vulcan officer]]
  +
* [[Ethan Phillips]] as [[Dixon Hill nightclub maitre d' 001|nightclub maître d']]
  +
* [[Larry Polson]] as [[Human 21st century man with dog|man with dog]]
  +
* [[Woody Porter]] as [[USS Enterprise-E science lieutenant 001|science division lieutenant]]
  +
* [[Jackie Rainey]] as [[USS Enterprise-E unnamed 000|operations division officer]] (''unconfirmed'')
  +
* [[Aric Rogokos]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 006|Starfleet security officer]]
  +
* [[Shepard Ross]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 010|Starfleet security officer]]
  +
* [[Rick Rossi]] as [[Dixon Hill club musicians 001|nightclub musician]]
  +
* [[Janelle Showalter]]
  +
* [[Steph Silvestri]] as [[USS Enterprise-E operations engineers 001|''Enterprise''-E engineer]]
  +
* [[Pablo Soriano]] as [[Dixon Hill club patron 001|holographic nightclub patron]]
  +
* [[Gregory Sweeney]] as [[USS Enterprise-E science Bolian 001|Bolian science officer]]
  +
* [[Chris Tedesco]] as [[Dixon Hill club musicians 001|nightclub musician]]
  +
* [[Ray Uhler]] as [[Dixon Hill club patron 002|holographic nightclub patron]]
  +
* [[Unknown performers]] as
  +
** [[USS Enterprise-E operations engineers 001|''Enterprise''-E engineer]]
  +
** [[Dixon Hill club patrons 001|Holographic nightclub patrons]]
  +
** [[Dixon Hill Nicky's girls 001|Nicky's girl #1]]
  +
** [[Dixon Hill club musicians 001|Nightclub musicians]]
  +
** [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 004|Security officer (female)]]
  +
** [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 005|Security officer (female)]]
  +
** [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 007|Security officer (male)]]
  +
** [[USS Enterprise-E operations guard 008|Security officer (male)]]
  +
** [[USS Enterprise-E operations security 011|security team officer]]
  +
** [[USS Enterprise-E operations security 012|security team officer]]
   
====Borg====
+
==== Stunt performers ====
  +
*[[Billy Burton, Jr.]] as [[stunt double]] for [[Neal McDonough]]
*[[Don Fischer]]
 
*[[J.R. Horsting]]
+
*[[Mark DeAlessandro]]
  +
*[[Andy Epper]] as stunt double for [[James Cromwell]]
*[[Heinrich James]]
 
  +
*[[Richard Epper]] &ndash; Stunt Rigger
*[[Andrew Palmer]]
 
  +
*[[Marguerite Happy]] as stunt double for [[Alice Krige]]
*[[Jon David Weigand]]
 
*[[Dan Woren]]
 
*[[Robert L. Zachar]] as [[Unnamed Borg#First Drones Sighted|Borg #7]]
 
   
====Uncredited====
+
==== Stand-ins and photo doubles ====
  +
* [[David Keith Anderson]] &ndash; [[Stand-in]] for [[LeVar Burton]]
;Named characters:
 
*[[David Anderson]] as [[Armstrong]]
+
* [[Gerald David Bauman]] &ndash; Stand-in
  +
* [[Debbie David]] &ndash; Stand-in for [[Brent Spiner]]
*[[Michael Braveheart]] as [[Martinez]]
 
*[[Cameron]] as [[Kellogg]]
+
* [[Cameron]] &ndash; Stand-in for [[Gates McFadden]]
  +
* [[Tracee Lee Cocco]] &ndash; Stand-in for [[Alice Krige]]
*[[Unknown actress]] as [[Lopez (Lieutenant)|Lopez]]
 
  +
* [[Kenneth David Ebling]] &ndash; Photo double for Brent Spiner
*[[Michael Zaslow]] as [[Eddy]]
 
  +
* [[Randy James]] &ndash; Stand-in for [[Jonathan Frakes]] (2 weeks)
  +
* [[Nora Leonhardt]] &ndash; Stand-in for [[Marina Sirtis]]
  +
* [[Richard Sarstedt]] &ndash; Stand-in for [[Jonathan Frakes]]
  +
* [[Scott Somers]] &ndash; Stand-in/[[photo double]] for [[LeVar Burton]]
  +
* [[James A. Swan]] &ndash; Photo Double for [[Patrick Stewart]]
  +
* [[John Tampoya]] &ndash; Stand-in for [[Eric Steinberg]]
  +
* [[Dennis Tracy]] &ndash; Stand-in for [[Patrick Stewart]]
   
  +
==== Production staff ====
;Unnamed characters:
 
  +
* [[Anna Albrecht]] &ndash; Special Effects Artist
*[[Patrick Barnitt]] as a [[Unnamed Borg#Borg Drone, Engeneering|Borg drone]]
 
  +
* [[Bill Bannerman]] &ndash; Development Executive
*[[Mike Boss]] as a [[Dixon Hill characters|Nightclub Patron]]
 
  +
* [[Mark Banning]] &ndash; Associate Music Executive Producer
*[[Brannon Braga]] as a [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Man at table|holographic Nightclub man at table]]
 
  +
* [[William D. Barber]] &ndash; Additional Camera Operator
*[[Jeff Coopwood]] as the [[Borg]] voice
 
  +
* [[Jason Dante Bardis]] &ndash; Movie Effects Lighting Designer
*[[Noelle Hannibal]] as a [[Unnamed Vulcans (21st century)#Officer|Vulcan]]
 
  +
* [[Brent W. Bell]] &ndash; Lead Man
*[[Ronald D. Moore]] as a [[Dixon Hill characters|Nightclub Patron]]
 
  +
* [[Jennifer Bender]] &ndash; Extras Casting
*[[Ethan Phillips]] as the [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Nightclub maître d'|Maître d']]
 
  +
* [[Francois Blaignan]] &ndash; Additional Sound Designer
*[[Pablo Soriano]] as a [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Dancer #2|holographic dancer]]
 
  +
* [[Tom Boyd]] &ndash; Musician: Oboe
*[[Ray Uhler]] as a [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Dancer|Dancer]]
 
  +
* [[Rob Bredow]] &ndash; Digital Artist: [[Vision Art]]
  +
* [[Christian H. Burton]] &ndash; Assistant Camera Operator
  +
* [[Ed Callahan]] &ndash; Foley Editor
  +
* [[Valerie Canamar]] &ndash; Assistant to [[Michael Westmore]]
  +
* [[Lois Carruth]] &ndash; Assistant to [[Jerry Goldsmith]]
  +
* [[Dave Cervantes]] &ndash; Adviser (Stunt)
  +
* [[Shane Clark]] &ndash; Production Assistant
  +
* [[Michael Condro]] &ndash; First Assistant Camera Operator
  +
* [[Henryk Cymerman]] &ndash; 2nd Unit Director of Photography
  +
* [[Eric Darensborg]] &ndash; Production Assistant
  +
* [[Fon Davis]] &ndash; Model Maker: [[ILM]]
  +
* [[A.Y. Dexter Delara]] &ndash; Visual Effects Assistant
  +
* [[Joe Diaz]] &ndash; Costumer
  +
* [[Linda Di Franco]] &ndash; Foley Editor/Sound Editor
  +
* [[Norm Dlugatch]] &ndash; Assistant Music Engineer
  +
* [[Dragon Dronet]] &ndash; Props and Weapons Creator
  +
* [[Kevin Dukes]] &ndash; Musician: Guitarist
  +
* [[Earl Ellis]] &ndash; FX Make-Up Artist
  +
* [[Kenneth E. Estes]] &ndash; Computer & Video Playback Operator
  +
* [[Ted Fay]] &ndash; Director of Technology: [[Vision Art]]
  +
* [[Mark Fiorenza]] &ndash; Model Maker
  +
* [[Edward J. Franklin]] &ndash; Special Effects Artist
  +
* [[Don E. Gaffney]] &ndash; Prop Construction
  +
* [[Jane Galli]] &ndash; Special Make-Up Effects Artist
  +
* [[J. Armin Garza II]] &ndash; Driver: Camera Car
  +
* [[Brian J. Geary]] &ndash; Propmaker Foreman
  +
* [[Katy Genovese]] &ndash; Payroll Accountant
  +
* [[Bob Gillan]] &ndash; Pre-Production Assistant
  +
* [[Christopher Gilman]] &ndash; Head of [[Global Effects, Inc.]]
  +
* [[Glenn Goldstein]] &ndash; Production Assistant
  +
* [[Dominic Gonzalez]] &ndash; Assistant Music Engineer
  +
* [[Sam Greenmun]] &ndash; Prop Designer/Spacesuit Technician
  +
* [[Tom Harper]] &ndash; Assistant Stunt Coordinator
  +
* [[Aaron Haye]] &ndash; Model Maker: [[ILM]]
  +
* [[Russ Herpich]] &ndash; Special Effects Mechanic
  +
* [[Matthew A. Hoffman]] &ndash; Key Costumer
  +
* [[Tina Hoffman]] &ndash; Make-Up Artist
  +
* [[Christopher Horvath]] &ndash; Digital Compositor: [[Matte World Digital]]
  +
* [[Jeffery J. Jenkins]] &ndash; Paint Foreman
  +
* [[Tom Keefer]] &ndash; 2nd Unit Key Grip
  +
* [[Roger L. King]] &ndash; Property Maker
  +
* [[Barry R. Koper]] &ndash; Make-Up Artist
  +
* [[Toby Lamm]] &ndash; Special Make-Up Effects Artist
  +
* [[David Luckenbach]] &ndash; Steadicam Operator
  +
* [[John Mann]] &ndash; Storyboard Artist
  +
* [[John McCunn]] &ndash; Visual Effects Associate Producer
  +
* [[Alan McFarland]] &ndash; Puppeteer "[[Borg Queen]]"/Borg Suit & Space Suit Electronics Designer
  +
* [[Gary Metzen]] &ndash; Painter
  +
* [[Richard Miller]] &ndash; Model Maker
  +
* [[Robert Miller]] &ndash; Helmet & Chest Designer: [[Todd Masters Effects]]
  +
* [[Bart Mixon]] &ndash; Make-Up Artist
  +
* [[Mark Moore]] &ndash; Concept Designer: ILM
  +
* [[David W. Mosher]] &ndash; Mold Technician: [[Todd Masters Effects]]
  +
* {{dis|Neil Norman|producer}} &ndash; Executive Music Producer
  +
* [[Michael Olague]] &ndash; Visual Effects Gaffer
  +
* [[Lowell Peterson]] &ndash; Additional Photography
  +
* [[Joe Podnar]] &ndash; Special Make-Up Effects Artist
  +
* [[Alex Proctor]] &ndash; Make-Up Artist
  +
* [[Karen Ragan]] &ndash; Assistant to Producers
  +
* [[Brandon Ramos]] &ndash; Assistant to Producers
  +
* [[Rick Rische]] &ndash; Matte Artist: [[Matte World Digital]]
  +
* [[Theresa M. Roehner]] &ndash; Driver
  +
* [[Philip Rogers]] &ndash; Sound Recordist
  +
* [[Ira Stanley Rosenstein]] &ndash; Production Supervisor (credited as "Location Manager")
  +
* [[Jorge Sanchez]] &ndash; Additional Photographer
  +
* [[Lee Scott]] &ndash; Music Editor
  +
* [[Michael Shelton]] &ndash; Creature Effects Artist
  +
* [[Gregory Shummon]] &ndash; Electric Rigger
  +
* [[Andrew Silver]] &ndash; Preview Music Editor
  +
* [[Jennifer Small]] &ndash; Production Assistant
  +
* [[Bryan Smith]] &ndash; Sculptor & Painter: [[Todd Masters Effects]]
  +
* [[Douglas James Smith]] &ndash; Digital Effects Artist
  +
* [[Bing Sokolsky]] &ndash; 2nd Unit Director of Photography
  +
* [[Perri Sorel]] &ndash; Make-Up Artist
  +
* [[Thomas E. Surprenant]] &ndash; Make-Up Artist (Klingon Borg)
  +
* [[Tom Talley]] &ndash; Location Foreman
  +
* [[Chris Tedesco]] &ndash; Musician: Trumpet
  +
* [[Trevor Tuttle]] &ndash; Model Maker
  +
* [[Pam Vick]] &ndash; Digital Rotoscope Artist
  +
* [[Nick Vidar]] &ndash; Music Programmer/Computer Programmer
  +
* [[Michael Walters]] &ndash; Special Costumes
  +
* [[Harold Weed]] &ndash; Model Maker
  +
* [[Paul Wertheimer]] &ndash; Assistant Music Engineer
  +
* [[Natalie Wood]] &ndash; Make-Up Artist: Borg Make-Up
  +
* [[Susumu Yukuhiro]] &ndash; Visual Effects Production Assistant
  +
* [[Sarah Ziff]] &ndash; Choreographer
   
====Stunt performers====
+
==== Production companies ====
  +
* [[Cogswell Video Services, Inc.]] &ndash; Video Assist Company
*[[Kenny Alexander]]
 
  +
* [[Global Effects, Inc.]] &ndash; Space Suit Creator and Provider
*[[Janet Brady]]
 
  +
* [[Matte World Digital]] &ndash; Special Effects Company (Digital [[Matte painting]]s)
*[[Chic Daniel]]
 
  +
* [[Professional VisionCare Associates]] &ndash; Contact Lens company
*[[Mark De Alessandro]]
 
  +
* [[Vision Art]] &ndash; Visual Effects Company
*[[Eddy Donno]]
 
*[[Tony Donno]]
 
*[[Kenny Endoso]]
 
*[[Christian Fletcher]]
 
*[[Frankie Garbutt]]
 
*[[Andy Gill]] as stunt double for Brent Spiner
 
*[[Gary Guercio]]
 
*[[Jim Halty]]
 
*[[Tom Harper]] as a [[Unnamed Borg#Drone Protecting Engineering|Borg drone]]
 
*[[Rosine "Ace" Hatem]] as a [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Woman #2|Nightclub woman]]
 
*[[Billy Hank Hooker]]
 
*[[Buddy Joe Hooker]]
 
*[[Maria R. Kelly]] as a [[Unnamed Dixon Hill characters#Woman #1|Nightclub woman]]
 
*[[Jamie Keyser]]
 
*[[Kim Robert Koscki]]
 
*[[Joyce McNeal]]
 
*[[Dustin Meier]]
 
*[[Johnny C. Meier]]
 
*[[Rita Minor]] as stunt double for Alfre Woodard
 
*[[Jimmy Nickerson]]
 
*[[John Nowak]] as stunt double for Patrick Stewart
 
*[[Manny Perry]] as a [[Unnamed Humans (21st century)#Townsperson 2|Townsperson]]
 
*[[Steve Picerni]]
 
*[[Danny Rogers]]
 
*[[Jimmy Romano]]
 
*[[Pat Romano]]
 
*[[Debby Lynn Ross]]
 
*[[John Rottger]]
 
*[[Craig Shuggart]]
 
*[[Brian J. Williams]] as stunt double for Brent Spiner
 
   
====Stunt Borg====
+
=== References ===
  +
[[1940s]]; [[2053]]; [[2063]]; [[2073]]; [[2367]]; [[2372]]; [[2373]]; [[21st century]]; [[24th century]]; [[access point]]; [[actuation servo]]; [[Ahab]]; [[alien]]; [[Alpha team]]; [[alphabet]]; [[ammonite]]; [[analgesic cream]]; [[antiproton]]; [[April]]; [[assimilation]]; [[atmospheric pressure]]; [[atomic weapon]]; [[Australia]]; [[auto-destruct]]; [[auto-destruct sequence]]; [[barbecue grill]]; [[Basic Warp Design]]; [[Battle of Sector 001]]; [[battle stations]]; [[beer]]; {{revname|Hector|Berlioz}} ; [[bicycle]]; "{{revname|The|Big Good-Bye}}"; [[biohazard]]; [[bionics]]; {{revname|Georges|Bizet}}; [[blood]]; [[blueprint]]s; [[Borg]]; [[Borg Collective]]; [[Borg drone]]; [[Borg hive]]; [[Borg Queen]]; [[bridge]]; [[bullet]]; "[[bullshit]]"; [[cafe]]; [[Café des Artistes]]; [[Calico M960]]; [[campfire]]; [[cannon]]; [[Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)|captain's log]]; [[carbon monoxide]]; [[cell membrane]]; [[Celsius]]; [[Champs-Elysees]]; [[chapter]]; [[Charnock's Comedy Cabaret]]; [[checklist]]; {{dis|chest|anatomy}}; [[chorus]]; [[chronometric particle]]; [[cigarette]]; [[class 2 comet]]; [[cockpit]]; [[collective consciousness]]; [[comet]]; [[command authorization]]; [[coolant tank]]; [[counselor]]; [[course]]; [[cover story]]; [[cripple]]; [[critical velocity]]; [[cybernetic device]]; [[cybernetic lifeform]]; [[damage]]; [[Deep Space 5]]; [[defense checkpoint]]; [[deflector control]]; [[deflector dish]]; [[Delta Quadrant]]; [[detective]]; [[Dixon Hill]]; [[dog]]; [[dollar]]; [[doorstop]]; [[dress code]]; [[dust]]; [[Dyson]]; [[Earth]]; [[ECON]]; [[economics]]; ''[[Emerald Wading Pool]]''; [[Emergency Medical Hologram]]; [[emotion chip]]; [[endoskeletal structure]]; [[engineering detail]]; [[Unnamed engineering tools#Picard's tool|engineering tool]]; [[USS Enterprise-E chef 001|USS ''Enterprise''-E chef]]; [[environmental conditions]]; [[environmental control]]s ([[environmental system]]); [[environmental suit]]; [[EPS]]; [[EPS conduit]]; ''[[Equestrian Adventure]]''; [[escape pod]]; [[external sensor]]s; [[extraterrestrial]]; [[Federation]]; [[First Contact]]; [[flattery]]; [[fluorine]]; [[force field]]; [[fractal encryption code]]; [[French]]; [[front line]]; [[fuel manifold]]; [[fuselage]]; [[glasses]]; [[Gravett Island]]; [[H]]; [[H-46]]; [[H-47]]; [[H-48]]; [[H-49]]; [[H-50]]; [[H-925]]; [[H-926]]; [[hate]]; [[heart]]; [[hemisphere]]; [[henchman]]; [[hero worship]]; [[high school]]; [[historical figure]]; [[holodeck]]; [[holodeck safety protocol]]; [[hologram]]; [[holosuite]]; [[horse]]; [[hour]]; [[hull]]; [[humidity]]; {{dis|hydroponics|section}}; [[hypospray]]; [[injection]]; [[inoculation]]; [[intermix chamber]]; [[internal sensor]]s; [[interplexing beacon]]; [[intoxication]]; [[irritation]]; [[Ivor Prime]]; [[Jefferies tube]]; [[Jesus]]; [[jukebox]]; {{dis|Kaplan|Crewman}}; [[kilopascal]]; [[kiss]]; [[Klingon]]; [[Lake Armstrong]]; [[laser]]; [[leader]]; {{dis|Leo|constellation}}; ''[[Les Troyens]]''; [[lie]]; {{dis|life support|system}}; [[light speed]]; [[linguistic communication]]; [[long range sensor]]; [[Ludwig]]; [[Luna]]; "[[Magic Carpet Ride]]"; [[main engineering]]; [[maglock]]; [[marble]]; [[maximum warp]]; [[meade]]; [[medical tricorder]]; ''[[mek'leth]]''; [[memory chip]]; [[methane]]; [[meter]]; [[Mintakan tapestry]]; ''[[Moby Dick]]''; [[money]]; [[Montana]]; [[Montana Lions]]; "[[Moonlight Becomes You]]"; [[monument]]; [[nanopolymer]]; [[neural net]]; [[neuroprocessor]]; [[New Berlin]]; [[New Guinea]]; [[no smoking sign]]; [[North America]]; [[nuclear missile]]; [[number one]]; [[missile complex]]; "[[Ooby Dooby]]"; [[opera]]; [[ocular implant]]; [[outer hull]]; {{revname|Roy|Orbison}}; [[Paris]]; [[particle emitter]]; [[particle weapon]]; [[particles per cubic meter]]; [[patrol]]; [[peep show]]; [[phaser]]; [[phaser rifle]]; [[Unnamed tools and technology#Phoenix music player|''Phoenix'' music player]]; [[plasma coolant]]; [[plasma injector]]; [[pool]]; [[positronic net]]; [[power grid]]; [[Prime Directive]]; [[primitive culture]]; [[pulse emitter]]; [[quantum torpedo]]; [[radiation poisoning]]; [[radioactive isotope]]; [[rage]]; [[ramming speed]]; [[ray gun]]; [[ready room]]; [[red alert]]; [[replicator]]; [[rhetoric|rhetorical nonsense]]; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[saint]]; [[satin]]; [[Schlitz]]; [[scotch]]; [[security team]]; [[sensor]]; [[sensor sweep]]; [[sexuality]]; [[shakedown]]; [[shields]]; "[[idioms|shooting blanks]]"; [[sickbay]]; [[skin]]; [[skirt]]; [[Skylab]]; [[Smithsonian]]; [[smoking]]; [[Sobriety|sober]]; [[Sol]]; [[Sol system]]; [[Solomons]]; [[Sovereign class decks|''Sovereign'' class decks]]; [[space walk]]; [[space sickness]]; [[spinal tissue]]; [[Starfleet Academy]]; [[Starfleet Command]]; [[statue]]; [[Statue of Liberty]]; {{dis|stellar cartography|section}}; [[Steppenwolf]]; [[stomach]]; [[structural integrity]]; [[subspace transmitter]]; [[Sumiko III]]; [[sunglasses]]; [[survey mission]]; [[Swedish]]; [[telescope]]; [[temperature]]; [[temporal vortex]]; [[temporal wake]]; [[tent]]; [[tequila]]; [[theta radiation]]; [[Thompson submachine gun]]; [[throttle assembly]]; [[time travel]]; [[Titan II]]; [[titanium]]; [[toast]]; [[train]]; [[transporter room]]; [[tricorder]]; [[truck]]; [[Tycho City]]; [[Typhon sector]]; [[ultraviolet radiation]]; [[vaporize]]; [[vice admiral]]; "[[Vallon sonore]]"; [[visionary]]; [[Vulcan]]; [[warp barrier]]; [[warp core]]; [[warp drive]]; [[warp field]]; [[warp plasma conduit]]; [[warp signature]]; [[warp threshold]]; [[whale]]; [[whiskey]]; [[white]]; ''{{revname|The|Wizard of Oz}}''; [[World War III]]; [[year]]; "[[Z]]"; [[Zefram Cochrane High School]]; [[Zefram Cochrane's statue]]; [[zero-gravity combat training]]; [[zombie]]
*[[Joey Anaya, Jr.]]
 
*[[Billy Burton, Jr.]]
 
*[[Steve DeRelian]] as the [[Unnamed Borg#One Armed Drone|one armed Borg drone]]
 
*[[Andy Epper]]
 
*[[Gary Epper]] as [[Lynch|Ensign Lynch]]
 
*[[Wayne King]] as a [[Unnamed Klingon military personnel (24th century)#Klingon Drone, Enterprise Hull|Klingon borg]]
 
*[[Bob McGovern]]
 
*[[Monte Rex Perlin]]
 
*[[Tom Poster]]
 
   
  +
==== Spacecraft references ====
===Crew===
 
  +
{{class|Akira}} ([[Akira unnamed 002|starships]]); ''[[Apollo 15]]''; {{USSr|Appalachia}}; [[Borg cube]]; [[Borg sphere]]; {{USSr|Bozeman}}; {{USSr|Budapest}}; {{class|Defiant}}; {{USSr|Defiant|2370}}; {{USSr|Endeavour|NCC-71805}}; {{USSr|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}}; {{USSr|Lexington|NCC-30405}}; {{USSr|Madison}}; {{class|Miranda}} ([[Miranda unknown 003|starships]]); {{class|Nebula}} ([[Nebula unnamed 005|starship]]); {{class|Norway}} ([[Norway unnamed 001|starships]]); {{class|Oberth}} ([[Oberth unnamed 002|starships]]); ''[[Phoenix]]''; {{class|Saber}} ([[Saber unnamed 002|starships]]); [[shuttlecraft]]; {{class|Sovereign}}; [[Sovereign type escape pod|''Sovereign''-type escape pod]]; [[spaceship]]; {{class|Steamrunner}} ([[Steamrunner unnamed 002|starships]]); ''{{dis|T'Plana-Hath|starship}}''; {{type|T'Plana-Hath}}; {{USSr|Thunderchild}}; [[warp ship]]; {{USSr|Yeager|NCC-61947}}
*Director: [[Jonathan Frakes]]
 
*Writers: [[Rick Berman]] (story), [[Brannon Braga]] (story & screenplay), [[Ronald D. Moore]] (story & screenplay)
 
*Based Upon ''[[Star Trek]]'' Created by: [[Gene Roddenberry]]
 
*Producer: [[Rick Berman]]
 
*Executive Producer, Unit Production Manager: [[Marty Hornstein]] (as Martin Hornstein)
 
*Cinematographer: [[Matthew F. Leonetti]]
 
*Production Designer: [[Herman Zimmerman]]
 
*Editors: [[Anastasia Emmons]], [[John W. Wheeler]]
 
*Costume Designer: [[Deborah Everton]]
 
**[[Starfleet uniform]]s designed by: [[Robert Blackman]]
 
*Composer: [[Jerry Goldsmith]]
 
*Co-Producer, Second Unit Director: [[Peter Lauritson]]
 
*Casting Directors: [[Junie Lowry-Johnson]], [[Ron Surma]]
 
*Visual Effects Supervisor: [[John Knoll]]
 
*First Assistant Director: [[Jerry Fleck]]
 
*Second Assistant Director: [[Rosemary Cremona]]
 
*Second Second Assistant Director: [[David A. Ticotin]]
 
*Stunt Coordinator: [[Ronald R. Rondell]]
 
*Art Director: [[Ron Wilkinson]]
 
*Set Decorator: [[John M. Dwyer]]
 
*Production Supervisor: [[Ira S. Rosenstein]]
 
*Production Assistants: [[Anthony Bro]], [[Todd W. Buhmiller]], [[Shane Clark]], [[Eric Darensborg]], [[Karen Garutso]], [[Stephanie Gorsuch]], [[Ellen J. Hornstein]], [[Robert Newlin-Mazaraki]], [[Seth Squadron]], [[Simon Stotler]], [[Brenda Taylor]], [[Kerry A. Vill]], [[Glenn Goldstein]] (uncredited)
 
*Space suit creator and provider: [[Christopher Gilman]] and his company "Global Effects, Inc." (uncredited)
 
   
=== References ===
+
==== Other references ====
  +
* '''USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-E) dedication plaque''': {{revname|Tom|Arp}}; {{revname|Shawn|Baden|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Lloyd|Barcroft|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Rick|Berman|Admiral}}; {{revname|Benjamin|Betts|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Pat|Blymyer}}; {{revname|Brannon|Braga|Captain}}; {{revname|Judi|Brown|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Tom|Causey|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Rosemary|Cremona|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Ricardo|Delgado|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Bill|Dolan|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Doug|Drexler|Starfleet}}; {{revname|John M.|Dwyer|Captain}}; {{revname|John|Eaves|24th century}}; {{revname|Deborah|Everton|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Jerry|Fleck|Captain}}; {{revname|Jonathan|Frakes|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Terry|Frazee|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Anthony|Fredrickson|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Bill|George|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Les|Gobruegge}}; {{revname|John|Goodson|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Bill|Hawkins|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Marty|Hornstein|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Matt|Jefferies|Starfleet}}; {{revname|John|Josselyn|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Penny M.|Juday}}; {{revname|Linda|King|Starfleet}}; {{revname|John|Knoll|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Peter|Lauritson|Vice Admiral}}; {{revname|Frank|Leasure|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Matt|Leonetti|Starfleet}}; {{revname|David|Luckenbach|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Larry|Markart|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Nancy|Mickelberry|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Ronald D.|Moore|Vice Admiral}}; {{revname|Joseph|Musso|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Denise|Okuda|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Michael|Okuda|Doctor}}; [[Propulsion Systems]]; [[Research and Development]]; {{revname|Gene|Roddenberry|Admiral}}; {{revname|Dave|Rossi|Starfleet}}; [[San Francisco Yards]]; {{revname|Debbie|Schwab|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Sarah|Shaw|Starfleet}}; [[Spaceframe Development]]; [[Starfleet Command]]; {{revname|Rick|Sternbach|Doctor}}; [[Systems Management]]; {{revname|David|Takemura|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Yolanda|Toussieng|Starfleet}}; {{revname|James|Van Over|Starfleet}}; {{revname|Michael|Westmore|24th century}}; {{revname|Ron|Wilkinson|24th century}}; {{revname|Dean|Wilson|Starfleet}}; [[Yard Engineer]]; {{revname|Herman|Zimmerman|Captain}}
[[Ahab]]; {{ShipClass|Akira}}; [[antiproton]]; [[USS Appalachia|''Appalachia'', USS]]; [[assimilation]]; [[atomic weapon]]; [[authorization code]]; [[auto-destruct]]; [[Battle of Sector 001]]; [[Louis Hector Berlioz|Berlioz, Louis Hector]]; "[[The Big Good-Bye|Big Good-Bye, The]]"; [[Georges Bizet|Bizet, Georges]]; [[Borg]]; [[Borg cube]]; [[Borg drone]]; [[Borg sphere]]; [[Borg Queen]]; [[USS Bozeman|''Bozeman'', USS]]; [[USS Budapest|''Budapest'', USS]]; [[chronometric particle]]; [[Deep Space 5]]; [[USS Defiant (NX-74205)|''Defiant'', USS]]; [[deflector control]]; [[deflector dish]]; [[Dixon Hill]]; [[Dyson]]; [[Earth]]; [[ECON]]; [[economics]]; [[Emergency Medical Hologram]]; [[emotion chip]]; [[USS Endeavour (NCC-71805)|''Endeavour'', USS]]; [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)|''Enterprise''-E, USS]]; [[escape pod]]; [[First Contact]]; [[fractal encryption code]]; [[Gravett Island]]; [[high school]]; [[holodeck]]; [[holodeck safety protocol]]; [[hydroponics]]; [[interplexing beacon]]; [[Ivor Prime]]; [[Kaplan (Crewman)]]; [[kilopascal]]; [[Lake Armstrong]]; [[USS Lexington (Nebula class)|''Lexington'', USS]]; [[Luna]]; [[Lynch]]; [[USS Madison|''Madison'', USS]]; "[[Magic Carpet Ride]]"; [[main engineering]]; [[maglock]]; ''[[mek'leth]]''; {{ShipClass|Miranda}}; ''[[Moby Dick]]''; [[Montana]]; "[[Moonlight Becomes You]]"; {{ShipClass|Nebula}}; [[neuroprocessor]]; [[New Berlin]]; {{ShipClass|Norway}}; {{ShipClass|Oberth}}; "[[Ooby Dooby]]"; [[opera]]; [[ocular implant]]; [[Roy Orbison|Orbison, Roy]]; [[phaser rifle]]; ''[[Phoenix]]''; [[plasma coolant]]; [[quantum torpedo]]; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[Romulan Star Empire]]; {{ShipClass|Saber}}; [[sickbay]]; [[Smithsonian Institution]]; {{ShipClass|Sovereign}}; [[Starfleet Academy]]; {{ShipClass|Steamrunner}}; [[stellar cartography]]; [[Steppenwolf]]; ''[[T'Plana-Hath (starship)|T'plana-Hath]]''; [[tequila]]; [[temporal vortex]]; [[theta radiation]]; [[throttle assembly]]; [[USS Thunderchild|''Thunderchild'', USS]]; [[Titan V]]; [[tricorder]]; [[Tycho City]]; [[Typhon sector]]; [[vice admiral]]; [[Vulcan]]; [[warp drive]]; [[whiskey]]; [[World War III]]; [[USS Yeager (NCC-61947)|''Yeager'', USS]]; [[Zefram Cochrane High School]]; [[zero-gravity combat training]]
 
   
=== Media ===
+
==== Unreferenced material ====
  +
[[blacksmith]]; {{dis|Buster|deleted material}}; [[Cornell]]; {{dis|DePaul|deleted material}}; [[dome money]]; [[Earth Defense Network]]; [[Great Depression]]; [[hovercar]]; {{dis|Kirby|deleted material}}; [[McDonald's]]; [[militia]]; {{dis|Mitchell|deleted material}}; [[night vision]]; [[No Zone solution]]; [[Molly Brown]]; [[paper]]; [[planetary defense system]]; [[plutonium]]; [[ration]]; [[Resurrection City]]; [[Resurrection Protective Force]]; {{dis|Rippert|deleted material}}; [[San Francisco]]; {{revname|Jonathan|Scrimm}}; [[survivalist]]; [[trinary language]]; [[windmill]]; [[Wright brothers]]; [[zombie]]
* [[Star Trek: First Contact (Special Edition)|''Star Trek: First Contact'' (Special Edition DVD)]]
 
* [[Star Trek: First Contact (DVD)|''Star Trek: First Contact'' (DVD)]]
 
* [[Star Trek: First Contact (soundtrack)|''Star Trek: First Contact'' (soundtrack)]]
 
* [[Star Trek: First Contact (novel)|''Star Trek: First Contact'' (novel)]]
 
   
===Sources===
+
=== Sources ===
*''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'', [[Larry Nemecek]], Pocket Books, {{y|2002}}.
+
*{{tngc|3}} (3rd ed.), [[Larry Nemecek]], Pocket Books, {{y|2002}}.
 
*''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Sketchbook: The Movies]]'', [[John Eaves]] & [[J.M. Dillard]], Pocket Books, {{y|1998}}.
 
*''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Sketchbook: The Movies]]'', [[John Eaves]] & [[J.M. Dillard]], Pocket Books, {{y|1998}}.
 
*''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission]]'', [[Judith Reeves-Stevens|Judith]] & [[Garfield Reeves-Stevens]], Pocket Books, {{y|1998}}.
 
*''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission]]'', [[Judith Reeves-Stevens|Judith]] & [[Garfield Reeves-Stevens]], Pocket Books, {{y|1998}}.
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=== External links ===
 
=== External links ===
  +
*{{ml|star-trek-first-contact|''Star Trek: First Contact''|external}}
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* {{startrek.com|database_article/star-trek-first-contact|''Star Trek: First Contact''|external}}
  +
* {{mbeta-title}}
 
* {{wikipedia-title|Star Trek: First Contact}}
 
* {{wikipedia-title|Star Trek: First Contact}}
* {{IMDb-link|type=title|page=tt0117731}}
+
* {{IMDb-title|tt0117731}}
* [http://www.ottens.co.uk/forgottentrek/ds9_5.php Behind the scenes on ''Star Trek: First Contact''] at [http://www.ottens.co.uk/forgottentrek/ Forgotten Trek] - features production history, concept art, and costume design.
+
* {{Forgotten Trek|ds9_5.php|Behind the scenes on ''Star Trek: First Contact''|external}} &ndash; features production history, concept art, and costume design
  +
* {{st-minutiae|resources/scripts/fc.txt|Draft version of ''Star Trek: First Contact'' script|external}}
   
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{{Film nav|prev=7|next=9}}
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{{featured|date=February 2008|id=753247}}
   
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[[Category:Star Trek films]]
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[[Category:Saturn Award nominees]]

Latest revision as of 14:06, 17 February 2024

Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

"Resistance is futile."

Six years have passed since Captain Jean-Luc Picard was captured and assimilated by the Borg. Now, the Borg make a second attempt to conquer the Federation. Starfleet believes that Picard's experience makes him an "unstable element to a critical situation" and orders him to stay behind. But, when Starfleet's fight does not go well, Picard and the crew of the new USS Enterprise disobey orders to join the fight, following the Borg three hundred years into the past just as Zefram Cochrane prepares to launch Humanity's first warp-capable engine, the Phoenix, and make first contact with an alien race.

Summary

Act One

24th century

Picard surrounded by Borg

Picard relives his assimilation

Still haunted by memories of his assimilation six years ago, Captain Jean-Luc Picard awakes from a nightmare to wash his face. In the mirror, he is surprised by a Borg assimilation unit emerging from under his skin on his face. Awakening for real, Picard receives a communiqué from Starfleet Command. Appearing on his desktop terminal, Starfleet Admiral Hayes relays distressing news that Picard partially guesses from his dream: a Borg cube has attacked a Federation outpost on Ivor Prime and crossed into Federation space.

USS Enterprise-E senior staff, 2373

Picard announces the Enterprise will not be participating in the battle with the Borg

Picard dutifully informs his crew that they are to take the new Sovereign-class USS Enterprise-E to patrol the Romulan Neutral Zone, a minor threat compared to the Borg. In the Enterprise-E's observation lounge, the senior crew members protest and are confused as to why the most advanced ship in the fleet is being relegated to a relatively unimportant task; the Romulans have not caused any incidents recently and would almost certainly not take the opportunity to start a conflict. Picard doesn't disagree with the protests but is compelled to follow orders. He later confides to first officer William T. Riker that the reason Starfleet is keeping the Enterprise away from the Borg is due to Picard's history with them. Riker emphatically disagrees with Starfleet's decision, saying that given Picard's experience with the Borg he should be leading the fight instead of being kept away from it. They then receive word that the fleet has engaged the Borg and listen as the battle appears to go badly.

Picard defying orders

"Set a course for Earth. Maximum warp."

Picard announces his intention to commit a direct violation of their orders and that if anyone on the bridge objects, it will be noted in his log. The crew votes unanimously to disobey their orders and set a course for Earth at maximum warp, where they join a fleet of vessels repelling an advancing Borg cube. Among them is the badly-damaged warship USS Defiant commanded by Lieutenant Commander Worf. With the ship under heavy fire and its shields and weapons gone, he orders that the Defiant ram the cube when he is informed that the Enterprise has arrived. As the Defiant's survivors are beamed aboard, Riker reports that the fleet admiral's ship has been destroyed. Informed by Data that the cube's outer hull has been heavily damaged and its power grid fluctuating, Picard has a good look at the cube on the viewscreen and uses his remaining connection to the Borg to briefly "listen in" on them. Picard takes command of the fleet and swiftly destroys the cube by ordering all vessels to target a seemingly insignificant region of the cube. As it explodes, however, the foundering Borg ship launches a sphere-shaped vessel into orbit of Earth.

USS Enterprise-E enters temporal vortex

The Enterprise-E enters the temporal vortex

Worf arrives on the bridge and (after being formally welcomed aboard the Enterprise-E) offers his assistance. He asks about the status of the Defiant and is relieved when told it is adrift but salvageable. Picard requests he takes tactical and Riker jokingly asks if he "remembers how to fire phasers." Suddenly, the sensors detect that the Borg sphere is creating a temporal vortex; the crew watches the viewscreen as the Borg vessel disappears through the vortex and Earth dramatically changes. Seeing that it is now populated entirely by Borg drones and has a toxic atmosphere only suitable to them, they determine that history has been changed, having been protected from the changes themselves by the wake of the temporal vortex. As the vortex collapses, Captain Picard orders Lieutenant Hawk not to alter course and have the Enterprise follow the Borg into the past – to repair whatever damage they've done.

21st century

LilyCochrane

Lily and Cochrane spot the attackers

In the small shanty town of Bozeman, Montana, Lily Sloane and Zefram Cochrane wander out of a makeshift bar as their town is unexpectedly pulverized by a volley of disruptor fire. Lily and Cochrane run for cover but are unaware that the Borg sphere is responsible for the destruction raining down upon them. Lily suspects that they're under attack by the forces of the Eastern Coalition (ECON).

The Enterprise emerges from the temporal vortex and destroys the Borg sphere with quantum torpedoes. Scanning the surface, the crew discovers that they have arrived on April 4th, 2063 – one day before Earth's First Contact with an alien species, and a decade following the destruction of World War III. Picard surmises that the Borg were attempting to prevent the launch of Earth's first warp-powered craft. He gathers Lieutenant Commander Data and Doctor Beverly Crusher, leading an away team to locate the warp ship's inventor, Doctor Zefram Cochrane.

Tactile contact

Picard, Data and the Phoenix

After beaming down, Picard's away team enters Cochrane's missile silo where they find the occupants dead but the prototype warpship, the Phoenix, suffering only minor damage. Picard and Data inspect the rocket but are surprised by Lily, who fires at the Enterprise officers. Impervious to bullets, however, Data intercepts the 21st century woman before she succumbs to radiation poisoning. Doctor Crusher returns to the Enterprise with Lily in her care, promising to keep her unconscious as Picard calls up to Geordi La Forge, asking the chief engineer to bring a repair crew to the silo.

Borg approach in dark

The Borg overrun the ship

As the damage control team departs the ship, engineers Porter and Eiger are left to deal with environmental difficulties that have mysteriously cropped up. One after the other, both officers crawl into a Jefferies tube, wherein they are quietly assimilated by unseen Borg stowaways. Sensing that something is wrong aboard the Enterprise, Picard returns with Data to the ship, leaving Commander Riker in charge.

Indeed, something is dreadfully wrong, as the Borg infiltrate the Enterprise; Picard surmises that the Borg, knowing their vessel was doomed, must have transported aboard undetected while the Enterprise's shields were down. Fleeing Borg drones in sickbay, Doctor Crusher is forced to revive Lily. With the help of the Enterprise's EMH, Crusher, Nurse Ogawa, Martinez, and other medical personnel are able to escape into the Jefferies tubes where Lily quietly slips away while the medical officers flee the deck. On the bridge, Picard orders Data to lockout the main computer with an encryption code as the Borg attempt to take command of the ship. Picard knows that, once the Borg have control of the Enterprise, they will assimilate Earth.

Act Two

Cochrane and Troi toast

Troi and Cochrane share a drink

Below decks, Picard briefs Data, Worf, and a team of security officers as they arm themselves with phaser rifles (Worf informing the crew that even with a rotating modulation, they will get at most twelve shots before the Borg adapt). As the Borg have taken control of main engineering, Picard explains their objective: puncture one of the warp plasma coolant tanks. Doing so will release the plasma coolant, liquefying the Borg's organic components, without which, Picard explains, the cyborgs cannot survive. Picard also warns his officers that they should not show mercy to assimilated Enterprise crew members – indeed, killing them would be the merciful thing to do.

On Earth, Commander Riker finds a drunken Counselor Troi at the town's makeshift bar. The counselor introduces Riker to Zefram Cochrane, himself intoxicated, explaining that the scientist doesn't believe their cover story – and that, in her professional opinion as ship's counselor, she thinks he's "nuts." Riker is very amused by Troi's drunken behavior, which annoys Troi even more. As Cochrane activates a rock and roll-spouting jukebox, Troi bemoans her first experience with tequila then finally passes out while Cochrane continues to dance to the music.

Picard and Data hunt Borg

Picard and Data hunt Borg in the corridors of the Enterprise

Meanwhile, two teams march through the corridors of the Enterprise-E – one led by Worf, the other by Picard and Data. Rounding a corner on deck 16, the crew finds that the usually pristine and immaculate bulkheads of a Federation starship have been replaced by the grotesque and mechanical equipment of a Borg vessel. In response, an anxious Data deactivates his emotion chip. Elsewhere, Worf and his men encounter Dr. Crusher as she emerges from the Jefferies tubes with her medical staff and patients. She notifies the Klingon that Lily has gone missing and Worf promises to watch out for the woman. Moving on, the two teams meet outside of engineering, in corridors crawling with Borg drones. At first ignoring the Starfleet officers' arrival, the Borg suddenly spring into action as Picard and Data attempt to gain entry to main engineering. A battle ensues, but the Borg quickly adapt to phaser fire and Picard calls for a retreat. The captain tells the Enterprise crew to regroup on deck 15 and warns his officers not to let the Borg touch them. Too late, however, for Data, who is captured by the Borg and taken into their hive.

Lily captures Picard

Lily captures Picard

Rushing to a Jefferies tube, Picard sees a crewman begging for help as Borg technology starts to take over his body and, believing he is saving him from a worse fate, shoots him dead before escaping into a hatch. Inside the access tube, Lily catches Picard by surprise, turning the captain's phaser on him and demanding to be returned home. Picard tells her that is not going to be easy at the moment, but Lily informs Picard that he had better make it easy or else she will fire the phaser on him. Picard tells her to follow him and she warns the captain to go slow.

Data awakes in engineering, restrained to a Borg operating table and surrounded by drones. He assures them that they cannot gain the Enterprise access codes stored in his neural net, speaking directly to the disembodied voice of the Borg. The Borg tell Data that breaking the code is only a matter of finding the android's weakness.

Riker La Forge and Troi convince Cochrane

Convincing Cochrane to make his flight

On the surface, Riker, Troi, and La Forge attempt to convince Cochrane that the story about the Borg and their mission is true. Adjusting the scientist's telescope, La Forge gives Cochrane a glimpse of the Enterprise-E, orbiting high above Montana. The Enterprise officers urge Cochrane to continue with his plans to launch the Phoenix, telling him of the Utopian society that warp travel and first contact will bring to Earth. On the same day that Cochrane makes his first warp flight, a survey ship from a neighboring alien race will be passing through Earth's solar system: upon noticing that Humans have discovered faster-than-light travel, they will decide that Humanity is advanced enough to officially make first contact. Thus, even if Cochrane's test flight is simply delayed a few days, it will drastically alter history. If Cochrane hurries to make his warp flight as scheduled, the aliens will make contact, and Humanity will put aside its differences and unite as never before, to rebuild from the world war and, within fifty years, build a utopia on Earth. Grudgingly, Cochrane agrees.

Borg assimilating Enterprise-E corridor

The Enterprise undergoing assimilation

Meanwhile, the fight does not go well aboard the Enterprise. The Borg continue their relentless assimilation of the ship and its crew, taking control of more than half of the starship. In command of the bridge, Worf is informed by Chief of Security Daniels that the Borg have halted their approach after seizing control of deck 11, which contains hydroponics, stellar cartography, and deflector control; none of which are vital Enterprise systems; Worf is mystified, as the Borg would only have ceased their attack there if they gained a tactical advantage. Meanwhile, still crawling through the bowels of the ship, Picard leads Lily to a porthole looking out over Earth. Shocked to find herself in space, Lily surrenders her phaser and begins to trust the captain.

Borg Queen disembodied

"The beginning, the end, the one who is many…"

Down in engineering, Data continues his conversation with the Borg Queen, who finally shows herself as a head and upper torso descending to a robotic body. Reactivating Data's emotion chip, the Queen reveals a patch of Human flesh grafted onto his android skeleton. With this new skin, Data is able to feel all new sensations and gets to experience pleasure for the first time when the Queen blows on the flesh.

In a corridor, Picard describes the Federation and the Borg to Lily, who reacts in terror as they enter a section overrun by Borg. As they make their escape, Picard fires his phaser, provoking a response from two drones who pursue them into the holosuite. Activating a holonovel, Picard recreates a scene from The Big Good-Bye, using a holographic Tommy gun to blast the two Borg in a fit of rage. He goes berserk and plans on ripping apart the dead Borg with the gun before being calmed down by Lily. Nonetheless, he starts pulling open the chest cavity of one of the drones when Lily notices the Borg has partial remains of a Starfleet uniform on. Picard unemotionally informs her that the Borg was formerly Starfleet Ensign Lynch. The captain retrieves a Borg neural processor and proceeds to the bridge, surprising Lily at how emotionally detached he was at the thought of killing his own crew member.

On Earth, Cochrane has grown frustrated with the high esteem bestowed upon him by the 24th century officers as they repair the Phoenix. After a run-in with Lieutenant Barclay (who, like many of the crew had already done, asks to shake his hand), Cochrane expresses his reservations to La Forge, who admits that he too is experiencing feelings of hero worship. La Forge reveals to Cochrane that the missile silo would eventually become home to a statue in his honor. The scientist quickly escapes into the woods, attempting to flee. Riker and La Forge give chase, ultimately stunning Cochrane to prevent his escape.

Data kissing the Borg Queen

The Borg Queen seduces Data

In engineering, the operation to give Data flesh and blood continues. Exploiting a small window of opportunity, Data breaks free of the operating table and attempts to escape his captors. He is stopped, however, when a drone slashes at and cuts Data's new Human skin. Data is then forced to experience another new feeling – pain – and is left confused that, despite the fact he wants to rip the flesh off, he can't bring himself to do it. The Borg Queen then sets about seducing the android, who explains that he is "fully functional" and "programmed in multiple techniques," but it has been just over eight years since he has used them. Just as he tells the Queen this, the two fall into a passionate embrace.

Hawk Picard and Worf in space

Picard, Worf, and Hawk on the hull of the Enterprise

On the bridge, Picard returns to brief his crew on the situation: the Borg plan to use the ship's navigational deflector to contact reinforcements in the Delta Quadrant which would easily conquer Earth. With no other way to gain access to the deflector dish, Picard, Worf, and the ship's helmsman, Lieutenant Hawk, don EV suits and cross the exterior hull of the ship on foot (much to Worf's dismay, as the zero-gravity makes him sick to his stomach), finding several drones constructing a beacon atop the particle emitter. Unable to simply destroy the dish due to the risk of severe damage to the ship, Picard and company work to manually release it into space. Arousing a response from the drones, the Enterprise officers battle the Borg, who are able to injure Worf and assimilate Hawk. Hawk, now assimilated, tries to kill Picard by throwing him to a wall, cracking the glass in his helmet. Just as Hawk is about to slam his foot down on Picard's helmet, Worf shoots Hawk and he flies away into space. Recovering quickly, Picard finishes his task and releases the deflector into space. Worf allows the deflector to drift away from the ship, then destroys it with his phaser rifle.

Sensing the destruction of the beacon, the Borg Queen announces to Data – still undergoing the operation – that she has changed her plans.

Act Three

Aboard the repaired Phoenix, with less than an hour before launch, Cochrane mulls over some final details as Riker joins him. Cochrane admits that he's suffering from a hangover which is either from the whiskey or Riker's phaser blast (or both), but is ready to make history nonetheless. As the launch doors are opened, Riker marvels at the sight on the moon visible in the early morning sky. Cochrane, unimpressed, wonders if maybe there is no moon in the 24th century. Riker admits that there is but it just looks very much different here in the 21st century as 50 million people live on the moon in the 24th century. Riker points out Tycho City, New Berlin and Lake Armstrong, but Cochrane doesn't want to hear any of it being credited to him, as he's had quite enough of hearing about "the great Zefram Cochrane." Cochrane advises Riker that the Enterprise crew has some pretty unbelievable ideas about who he really is as he has observed them treating him as some kind of saint or visionary. Riker admits that he doesn't think Cochrane is a saint, but he most definitely had a vision - the Phoenix itself. Cochrane admits, however, his real vision is dollar signs and money. He confides in Riker that he didn't build the Phoenix to usher in a new era for Humanity - he doesn't even like to fly, preferring trains. He built the Phoenix to be able to retire to a tropical island filled with naked women, which amuses Riker, but Cochrane vehemently defends his vision as who he truly is and dismisses the historical figure that the crew sees him as while also believing he'll never be the man history knows him to be. Riker offers Cochrane a quote - "Don't try to be a great man, just be a man and let history make it's own judgments." Cochrane dismisses it as rhetorical nonsense before quizzing Riker on who said that. Riker, quite amusedly, tells Cochrane it was he himself, ten years from the present, before leaving the doctor to finish his pre-launch checklist.

Returning to the bridge, Picard and Worf find the situation has worsened: Daniels, bloodied, emerges from the Jeffries Tube and reports that the Borg have continued their takeover of the ship, assimilating decks five and six, with the intent of charging their way to the bridge, and the crew's phasers can no longer affect their adversaries. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, Picard orders Daniels to tell his men to stand their ground, even fight hand-to-hand if need be. Worf and Dr. Crusher argue against this, instead suggesting evacuating the Enterprise in escape pods and setting the ship to self-destruct to destroy the Borg. Picard angrily balks and decrees that the crew will stay and fight. Worf believes however that the Enterprise has been lost, but Picard retorts he has no intention of losing the Enterprise, certainly not to the Borg while he's in command. Worf, owing to all due respect to the captain, attempts to reason with Picard telling him that his experience with the Borg is influencing his judgement. Picard responds by calling the Klingon a coward by wanting to destroy the ship and simply run away. Worf, insulted and outraged, snarls at Picard: "If you were any other man, I would kill you where you stand!" Unfazed by the threat, Picard angrily fires back at Worf "Get off my bridge!" and retreats into the observation lounge, alone. Dr. Crusher begins to coordinate the remaining crew in defense of the ship, but Lily argues in favor of the self-destruct. Dr. Crusher points out that when the captain makes up his mind the discussion is over. Lily, not one of the crew, doesn't accept this and follows Picard to confront him…

Picard as Ahab

"The line must be drawn HERE! This far, NO FURTHER!"

In the observation lounge, Picard sits at the table and tries to reconfigure his phaser rifle as Lily enters calling him a "son of a bitch." The captain, with little time to spare, waves her off. Lily admits that while she may not know anything about the time where the crew comes from, she knows that everyone on the bridge believes that staying aboard the ship and fighting the Borg is suicide, they just won't tell Picard. The captain dismisses her belief with the assumption that the crew will follow his orders as they always have. Lily reminds him that his orders probably make sense most of the time. Picard's temper rises and silences her by saying the crew cannot understand the Borg as he does and no one can, he says quietly. Lily doesn't understand what Picard means.

Picard explains the circumstances surrounding his abduction and incorporation into the Collective six years earlier and smugly tells her that his experiences give him a unique perspective on the Borg and how to fight them. He asks that she excuse him, as he has work to do. Lily begins to understand Picard's motivations – the Borg hurt him before and now he's going to pay them back. The captain sneers that in the 24th century, mankind doesn't succumb to revenge as they have a more evolved sensibility than what Lily can appreciate. "Bullshit!" she exclaims as she watched him earlier murder two Borg in the holosuite in cold blood with a look of enjoyment on his face. Picard is appalled she would make such an accusation and snarls at her to get out. Lily, defiant, stands her ground and wonders if he'll kill her like he did Ensign Lynch if she refuses. Picard, his emotions running high, dismisses the incident, claiming "there was no way to save him." Lily doesn't buy it and asks where his "evolved sensibility" was then. Picard tries to ignore her claims, but Lily compares him to the obsessed Captain Ahab in the novel Moby Dick. Picard is momentarily jarred, but he shifts the conversation away from the accusation saying his refusal to abandon ship is more about saving the future of Humanity. Lily presses him bluntly, screaming at him to "blow up the damn ship!" Picard now loses control entirely, yelling "No!" and in a moment of total rage smashes his phaser rifle into the display case containing models of previous starship Enterprises. As he watches the shattered models of the USS Enterprise-C and USS Enterprise-D fall and break, he is momentarily taken aback. He tells her that sacrificing the Enterprise-E would be another compromise in a long line of compromises in Humanity's dealings with the Borg. "No further," Picard intones, for he intends to make the Borg pay for what they've done.

Seemingly defeated, Lily examines the broken pieces of the Enterprise-D model and gently chides the captain that his little ships are broken and begins to exit the lounge. "See you around, Ahab." As she does, the words of Moby Dick echo from his memory…

"…and he piled upon the whale's white hump; the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his heart upon it."

Lily confesses she never actually read the book. With a smile on his lips, Picard explains that Captain Ahab had spent years hunting the whale that had crippled him, but his quest for vengeance eventually destroyed him and his ship. Realizing that he is indeed walking the same path, Picard sets his phaser rifle next to the broken pieces of the Enterprise-D model and enters the bridge and gives the order…

"Prepare to evacuate the Enterprise."

At the launch site, Riker, La Forge, and Cochrane begin the pre-ignition sequence to launch the Phoenix while on the Enterprise bridge, Picard, Crusher, and Worf arm the auto-destruct sequence. Programming the escape pods to head for the isolated Gravett Island, the captain activates the destruct order: fifteen minutes with a silent countdown. Dr. Crusher laments the quick death of the Enterprise-E and wonders if Starfleet will build another one. Picard, as hopeful as he was following the destruction of the Enterprise-D, quips that there are still "plenty of letters left in the alphabet." Worf turns to exit as Picard stops him, regretting some the remarks he made to him earlier. The captain adds that the Klingon is the bravest man he's ever known. Worf accepts the apology and they shake hands. Now alone on the bridge, his Starfleet career seemingly over and his command minutes away from destruction, Picard suddenly becomes very much aware that Data is still held in the clutches of the Collective.

From mission control in Montana, Counselor Troi, on headset to the cockpit of the Phoenix, advises Cochrane, Riker and Geordi that final launch checks are complete and wishes them good luck. Riker wonders if everyone is ready to make history, which La Forge concedes that he always is. Cochrane, however, is bothered by a nagging feeling that he has forgotten something, although he dismisses it as probably nothing. As Troi begins the ignition sequence and the countdown to launch begins, Cochrane suddenly realizes what he has forgotten. As Riker and Geordi begin to abort, Cochrane finds what he's looking for in his pocket - a green disc, which he inserts into the console. As the countdown approaches zero, Cochrane orders the Phoenix launched - "Let's rock and roll!" He presses a button on the console with the disc as "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf blasts into the cockpit (and Troi's headset) at maximum volume. The Phoenix blasts off as the townspeople look on. As she begins to achieve orbit, Riker, more of a jazz enthusiast, wonders if Cochrane might turn the song down a little as Geordi reports a red light on the second intake valve. Cochrane, unconcerned, tells them to ignore it as the Phoenix completes first-stage shut down and separation. As it does, the warp nacelles deploy from the port and starboard sides of the craft. Riker brings the warp core online as Cochrane marvels at the sight of the Earth out of the window. Geordi promises him "you ain't seen nothing yet!"

Sovereign type escape pods

Flight of the escape pods

Escorting Lily to her escape pod, Picard hands her a PADD containing orders for Commander Riker, informing him and their crew on the surface to find a quiet corner of North America and to stay out of history's way. Lily wishes Picard good luck and does he, but she quickly realizes that the captain has no intention of leaving the ship. He explains to her that when he was held captive on the Borg ship years earlier, the crew risked everything to save him and that there is one member of the Enterprise crew still aboard and he owes him the same. Accepting his decision, Lily tells Picard to go find his friend and boards her pod as dozens of escape craft disengage from the Enterprise and travel towards Earth.

Picard fights off the Queen

Grappling with the Queen

Picard advances to engineering where he comes face-to-face with the Borg Queen. She recalls the last time they met – during his assimilation – and notes how Picard can still hear "their song" - the call of the Collective. Picard, incredulous, begins to remember the Queen but cannot understand how she survived the destruction of the Borg cube that invaded the Federation six years earlier. The Queen, disgusted with Picard's limited understanding, admonishes him for how small he has become and how Data understands her and calls to the android. Picard turns to see a new Data, plugged into a Borg alcove, with half of his face now sporting organic Human flesh. The captain demands to know what the Queen has done to him, but she simply states she has simply given him what he's always wanted - flesh and blood. Picard requests that the Queen let Data go as he is not the one she wants. As she quizzes the captain on whether he's offering himself to the Borg, Picard has a sudden realization that it wasn't enough that the Borg assimilate him six years earlier, he had to give himself over to the Borg to satisfy the Queen's intentions. She angrily rebukes his claim, stating that she has overseen the assimilation of countless millions and that Picard was no different. The captain accuses her of lying, stating he knows that she wanted him to be more than just another Borg drone, she was seeking a Human counterpart to herself to bridge the gap between Humanity and the Borg, but that plan failed as Picard resisted. The Queen laments that Picard couldn't begin to understand the life he denied himself. Picard makes his offer - Locutus rejoins the collective willingly without any resistance in exchange for letting Data go. The Queen commends Picard's nobility and releases the forcefield containing Data and allows him to leave. However, Data remains motionless. The captain orders Data to go but he refuses, stating he does not wish to leave. With a glint of satisfaction, the Queen informs Picard that she doesn't need him as she's already found her equal - Data. She orders him to deactivate the self-destruct sequence and he obliges. Picard desperately tries to convince Data not to do it, but he ignores him as the ship's computer acknowledges that the auto-destruct sequence has been deactivated. After deactivating the self-destruct sequence, the Queen orders Data to now enter the encryption codes on the main computer, which will give the Queen command of the Enterprise. Data, again, obliges as Picard woefully notes that Data will not listen to him. Data, instead, leaves the captain and takes his place at the Queen's side, telling her that Picard will be an "excellent drone" as Borg drones take hold of the betrayed captain.

Aboard the Phoenix, Geordi reports everything is looking good and the ship is prepared for warp speed as Riker warns that they had best break the warp barrier in the next five minutes if history is to fulfill itself. Cochrane orders Riker and La Forge to jump to warp with a familiar command - "Engage!" Riker and Geordi allow themselves a grin at the parallel as the Enterprise begins to bear down on the Phoenix. Back in engineering, Picard is confined to an operation table as Data targets the Phoenix with quantum torpedoes, which the Queen orders destroyed. The torpedoes are launched from the Enterprise as a delighted Borg Queen taunts the captain to watch as Humanity's future comes to an end, not noticing Data quietly moving towards a plasma coolant tank behind her. Picard can only watch in horror as the torpedoes close in on the Phoenix until they finally… miss their target. The horrified Queen and smirking captain realize that Data has deceived the Borg, not joined them. Data mockingly repeats the Borg's mantra back to the Queen - "Resistance is futile!" and thrusts his fist into the coolant tank, enveloping him in the deadly gas as Picard scrambles for cover. The Phoenix engages it's warp drive as Cochrane hangs on for dear life. On the Enterprise, Picard utilizes some suction hoses from the ceiling to escape the lethal plasma coolant. Just below him, the Queen grabs hold of his foot, impeding his climb to safety. Picard struggles against her grip until Data – his new skin dissolved – emerges from the plasma coolant and grabs hold of her. After a desperate struggle, Data pulls the Borg Queen into the deadly gas. Screaming in pain and rage, the Borg Queen's flesh quickly disintegrates. With her control of the Borg on the Enterprise destabilized, drones all over the ship collapse and die.

Borg Queen dead

The remains of the fallen Borg Queen

Data and Jean-Luc Picard in Enterprise-E engineering

"Data, are you all right?"
"I would imagine I look worse than I… feel."

After a few moments traveling faster than the speed of light, Riker aboard the Pheonix orders throttle back. As the Phoenix drops out of warp, it begins it's return journey to Earth. Cochrane, amazed at his experience, notices how small Earth looks from the cockpit window. Riker reminds him that it's about to get a whole lot bigger once history takes it's course. Picard vents the plasma from engineering and descends to the deck, which is littered with Borg corpses. Finding the metallic skeletal remains of the Borg Queen still clinging to life near the warp core, Picard breaks her spinal column and terminates her once and for all, finally allowing him some form of closure. The captain finds Data not far away; knowing that the melting of his Borg-given Human skin has left some of his inner circuits revealed but caused no real damage, he quips that he probably doesn't feel as bad as he might look, allowing a small chuckle at the irony. The android expresses a sense of sadness at the death of the "unique" Borg Queen and the glimpses of Humanity she brought him. He admits that he was tempted by her offer for a mere 0.68 seconds, but also notes that this involved much more deliberation than the captain might suspect. Picard extends his hand to Data and helps him to his feet. They both take a look at the Borg assimilated engineering and exit.

T'Plana-Hath in crowd

First contact

In Montana, a crowd of observers, including Cochrane, Lily, Picard, and the other Human members of the Enterprise's senior staff, watch the historic landing of the first extraterrestrial craft to openly and publicly visit Earth. Cochrane, amazed, marvels to Riker that the aliens really are from another world as Riker reminds him that they're going to want to meet the man who flew that warp ship that drew them there. Cochrane approaches them as the alien leader makes his way forward and removes his hood, revealing a set of pointed ears and extends his hand in greeting: "Live long and prosper." Cochrane attempts to return the gesture, but cannot get his fingers to mimic the alien's. Instead, he offers him the Human equivalent - a handshake. "Thanks." he says. Picard, happily noting that all is proceeding as it should, notes to his crew that the time has come for them to make a discreet exit and let history unfold as it should. With that, Riker taps his combadge and orders the Enterprise to stand by to beam them up as the captain heads for Lily. She notes that the time has come for him to go and remarks how she envies him and the world he's going to. Picard responds how much he envies her that she gets to witness Humanity's first steps into a new frontier before telling her that he'll miss her. With a kiss good-bye, the Enterprise crew departs unnoticed.

Back on the bridge, Worf tells Picard that the Enterprise's warp signature was obscured by the moon's gravitational field and thus was not detected by the Vulcans, while La Forge can recreate the temporal vortex that brought them there by reconfiguring their warp field. Data, with his damaged face, informs the captain that helm stands by for his orders. Picard, confident that the future they know will be waiting for them, has Data lay in a course for the 24th century. On Earth, as Lily watches in the sky as the Enterprise disappears through the vortex, a happily blitzed Cochrane unsuccessfully tries to get the Vulcans to drink and dance along to "Ooby Dooby" by Roy Orbison.

Log entries

"Captain's log, stardate 50893.5. The moment I have dreaded for nearly six years has finally arrived. The Borg, our most lethal enemy, have begun an invasion of the Federation, and this time, there may be no stopping them."
"Captain's log, April 5, 2063. The voyage of the Phoenix was a success – again. The alien ship detected the warp signature, and is on its way to rendezvous with history."

Memorable quotes

"I've just received a disturbing report from Deep Space 5. Our colony on Ivor Prime was destroyed this morning. Long range sensors have picked up the–"
"…Yes, I know, the Borg."

- Admiral Hayes, informing Picard of the Borg incursion


"Bridge to Captain Picard."
"Go ahead."
"We've just received word from the fleet. They've engaged the Borg."

- Troi's message to Picard


"Flagship to Endeavour, stand by to engage at grid A-15."
"Defiant and Bozeman, fall back to mobile position 1."
"Acknowledged."
"We have it a visual range, a Borg cube on course 0 mark 2-1-5, speed warp nine…"

- Four Starfleet Crew members on flagship on audio.


"We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile."

- A chilling message sent from the Borg, for the rest of the Starfleet, as the Enterprise sweeps the Neutral Zone Listen to this quote file info


"All units, open fire!"
"Remodulate shield…"
"They've broken through the defense perimeter toward Earth!"
"Pursuit Course."
"The cube is changing course! 0-2-1 mark 4!"
"Defiant continue to attack! Flagship to Starfleet command, We need reinforcements!'
"Casualty reports coming in!"
"96 dead, 22 wounded on the Lexington!"

- Admiral on Flagship and other Starfleet Crew Members on audio.


"I'm about to commit a direct violation of our orders. Any of you who wish to object should do so, now. It will be noted in my log."

- Picard, to his crew about disobeying his orders before heading back to Earth


"Isn't it amazing? This ship used to be a nuclear missile!"
"It is an historical irony that Doctor Cochrane would use an instrument of mass destruction to inaugurate an era of peace."

- Picard and Data, on the Phoenix


"This isn't part of my program! I'm a doctor, not a doorstop!"

- The Enterprise's EMH, upon being ordered to delay Borg pursuers in sickbay


"And you people, you're all astronauts on… some kind of star trek?"

- Cochrane, checking his understanding of the Enterprise crew members


"Who is this jerk? (slurring) And who told him he could turn off my music?"

- Cochrane, after Riker unplugs the jukebox


"Timeline!? This is no time to argue about time!! We don't have the time!! What was I saying?"

- Troi, visibly drunk


"You'd better find a way to make it easy, soldier, or I'm going to start pushing buttons!"

- Lily, pointing a phaser at Picard


"I am the beginning, the end, the one who is many. I am the Borg."

- Borg Queen


"Assimilate this!"

- Worf, before destroying the interplexing beacon


"I will not sacrifice the Enterprise. We've made too many compromises already. Too many retreats. They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds and we fall back. Not again! The line must be drawn here… THIS far, NO further! And I will make them PAY for what they've done."

- Jean -Luc Picard, to Lily Sloane – Listen to this quote file info


"Watch… your future's end."

- Borg Queen to Picard, as the quantum torpedoes head toward the Phoenix


"Resistance is futile!"

- Data, to the Borg Queen, once the torpedoes have safely missed the Phoenix, just before destroying a plasma coolant tank – Llisten to this quote file info


"Live long and prosper."
"Thanks."

- Vulcan captain and Cochrane, greeting each other after the T'Plana-Hath lands


"I envy you, the world you're going to."
"I envy you, taking these first steps into a new frontier."

- Lily and Picard


"Mister Data, lay in a course for the twenty-fourth century. I suspect our future is there waiting for us."
"Course laid in, sir."
"Make it so."

- Picard and Data, the film's last lines

Background information

Development

ST-VIII head

The teaser poster for Star Trek: First Contact

With the success of Star Trek Generations and its worldwide gross of US$120,000,000, [1] Paramount Pictures development executives approached producer Rick Berman in February 1995 to ready the next installment in the Star Trek franchise. During an impromptu meeting with writers Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga, Berman revealed his interest in a time travel story.

"All of the Star Trek films and episodes I have been most impressed with – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, "Yesterday's Enterprise", "The City on the Edge of Forever", and I could give you half a dozen more – have all been stories that deal with time travel. In a way, Star Trek Generations dealt with time travel. Nick Meyer's wonderful movie Time After Time, dealt with time travel. The paradoxes that occur in writing, as well as in the reality of what the characters are doing and what the consequences are, have always been fascinating to me. I don't think I've ever had as much fun as being involved with "Yesterday's Enterprise," and having to tackle all the logical, paradoxical problems that we would run into and figure out ways to solve them."

The Moore/Braga writing team, however, wanted to tell a story focusing on the Borg. Moore recalled the first meeting:

"We were standing outside on the Hart Building steps. Rick had just come back from that studio meeting, and stopped us and he said, 'I really want you guys to think about it… I want to do a time travel piece.' Brannon and I added, 'We want to do something with the Borg.' And right on the spot, we said maybe we can do both, the Borg and time travel."

Brainstorming sessions began between the writer/producers' day jobs on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. Again, Moore recalled:

"…We started talking about the places and times that had been done on screen or had not been done on screen. Certain things we just crossed off, because they would be too hokey. We could go to the Roman Empire which would be cool in a lot of ways. But Picard in a toga? You don't want to do that. Put him in a spacesuit."

Though other time periods in history including the American Civil War were bandied about, eventually the Italian Renaissance time period was seized upon. An early story draft entitled Star Trek Renaissance expanded upon this idea. According to Moore, the story would have found Picard and company searching history for a group of time-traveling Borg. Happening upon a Renaissance village, the crew would hear stories about strange creatures taking over neighboring villages:

"We begin to realize that these horrific monsters… were the Borg. We track them down to a castle near the village where a nobleman runs a feudal society. We suspect the Borg are working in there, but no one can get in. So Data becomes our spy, impersonating an artist's apprentice… Data became friends with Leonardo da Vinci, who at the time, was working for the nobleman as a military engineer… you would have sword fights and phaser fights mixed together, in fifteenth-century Europe… it risked becoming really campy and over-the-top."

The producers realized that the time period was expensive to realize on screen, with audience knowledge of and identification with the period very low. (AOL chat, 1997)

Ultimately, a time period after modern history was selected: The birth of the Federation. According to Brannon Braga:

"The one image that I brought to the table is the image of the Vulcans coming out of the ship. I wanted to see the birth of Star Trek. We ended up coming back to that moment. That, to me, is what made the time travel story fresh. We get to see what happened when Humans shook hands with their first aliens."

A revised storyline was constructed, this time called Star Trek Resurrection. Utilizing elements laid into place by Gene Roddenberry's original concepts for the Star Trek universe and the Star Trek: The Original Series second season episode "Metamorphosis", Resurrection closely resembled the final film. In the story, the Borg attack Zefram Cochrane's Montana laboratory, severely injuring the scientist. With Doctor Crusher fighting to save Cochrane's life, Captain Picard assumes his place in history, rallying a town around reconstructing the damaged warp ship. As the action unfolded, Picard would have become romantically involved with a local photographer and X-ray technician named Ruby, who helps the captain reconstruct a key element of the ship. Aboard the Enterprise, Commander Riker would be engaged in combat with invading Borg drones. The Borg in Resurrection would remain faceless automatons.

With a draft of Resurrection sent to studio executives, generally positive notes were returned. However, one Paramount executive pointed out the weakness of the Borg as being that they were "basically zombies." Despite the Borg's inception as a faceless swarm, the writers chose to incorporate a figurehead into the Collective. The Borg Queen was created, a logical extension of the insect-like qualities incorporated into the Borg's characterization. Having read the early script pages too, Patrick Stewart, however, was dissatisfied with the film. Stewart suggested that the Picard and Riker stories be switched. Thus, the focus of the film was transferred to the action aboard the Enterprise with a B-story on the planet's surface. Elements like Ruby the photographer and an injured Cochrane were ultimately scrapped. As was any prospect of a love affair for Picard. Ronald D. Moore described the thought process:

"Let's get simple. Bring Cochrane into the story. Let's make him an interesting fellow, and it could say something about the birth of the Federation. The future that Gene Roddenberry envisioned is born out of this very flawed man, who is not larger than life but an ordinary flawed Human being."

With that adjustment in the structure of the film, Berman suggested the addition of a holodeck sequence: The "cocktail party". In August 1995 an early draft of the script, still titled Resurrection, was circulated to key members of the production staff, headed by Martin Hornstein and Peter Lauritson. Using this script, the production heads would budget the film, ultimately falling into the US$45,000,000 range. [2]

Key positions were filled as preproduction began. With several members of the cast volunteering for the director's chair, Jonathan Frakes won out. According to Frakes, the film was offered to A-list directors who had little interest in the franchise; as a result he was offered the job "a month later than would have been ideal." Frakes appointed Jerry Fleck, [3] a veteran of Star Trek: The Next Generation, as first assistant director and John W. Wheeler as editor. [4] Veteran costume designer Deborah Everton was assigned the task of creating all non-Starfleet clothing, plus redesigning the Borg with Michael Westmore. Everton's credits at the time included The Abyss and The X-Files TV series; she later costumed Ronald D. Moore's Battlestar Galactica miniseries. [5] Robert Blackman returned to once again redesign the Starfleet uniforms, this time to complement Frakes' darker color palette and stand up better to big screen scrutiny.

Pre-production

The New Enterprise

Enterprise-E design sketch

John Eaves' so-called "chicken in a pan" design

Upon delivery of the script to production designer Herman Zimmerman, the art department's first task was the creation of a new Enterprise. Having been retained from his work on Generations, illustrator John Eaves operated in conjunction with Zimmerman to develop the Enterprise-E, based upon direction by Berman and the writers. According to Ronald D. Moore, "We described the new Enterprise in some detail. We said we want a sleeker look, with more of a muscular, almost warship kind of a look to it."

According to illustrator Eaves, the process began by reviewing what came before, specifically Bill George's USS Excelsior from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Over twenty or thirty sketches, the designer honed the look of the ship into an even sleeker design, rotating the oval-shaped saucer of the USS Enterprise-D to fit the new concept.

"I wanted to carry some of the Enterprise-D lines into the E – not with the saucer or body, but where the nacelles connected. At this point, the nacelles were almost a third longer than in the finished product. But I had the struts holding the nacelles up; they branched off the body and returned forward, making a little horseshoe, the way the D does. But instead of having them angled back, I had them angled forward."

By October 1995, Eaves and Zimmerman proceeded with their design with approval from Rick Berman. Featuring the same basic shape that appears in the finished film, this version of the Enterprise-E included movable warp pylons recalling the starship USS Voyager. Showing a dorsal-view sketch to a member of the production staff, Eaves received negative feedback that compared the ship to a chicken. "…From the moment he said that, the design was cursed. Every time I looked at it, I saw not a starship, but a chicken in a pan. Sadly, Herman saw it, too, so we had to (pardon the pun) scratch that one."

Over the next several months, the ship was again refined. In sketches dated January 1996, the Enterprise-E had finally been settled upon. Now distinguished by back-swept engine pylons, the ship was almost ready to be constructed. Eaves described the next steps:

Enterprise-E final design sketch

Eaves' finalized overview drawings for the Enterprise-E

"So now it's January 1996, and we're just officially starting on the feature. Things were extremely hectic, as I was splitting my time between Deep Space Nine and the movie. Herman and I started presenting the last of the Enterprise-E drawings to Mr. Berman, and he loved all our efforts. This gave Rick [Sternbach] the time he needed to do his blueprints. Just when I thought I was finished with the E, Mr. Berman told Herman, 'You know, I love the shape we've got right now – but let's make sure. Let's do some more passes on the E, some different variations.' "

With several days of sketching alternatives behind him, Eaves returned to his original design to focus on the smaller details that allowed Sternbach to complete his plans. By the spring of 1996, the ship's blueprints were turned over to Industrial Light & Magic's model building team under John Goodson. The ten-foot model was fabricated under extreme time constraint (about half the normal time period); with photographs of rooms and people inserted into the ship's windows. A computer-generated model was also constructed (with almost indistinguishable differences between the two). [6]

Interiors

Working simultaneously on the exterior Enterprise-E, Eaves and Zimmerman focused inward, generating drawings of the Enterprise bridge as early as November 1995. First designing a smaller space to fit with the smaller, sleeker direction of the Enterprise, the art department eventually opened the set up, creating a space that was larger than the bridge of the Enterprise-D. Eaves described the decision:

"We thought it would be a bad thing, because we'd decided the E's bridge should be sleeker and therefore smaller. But it wound up being a great thing; it was a beautiful set, with warmth and depth, and the colors Herman chose gave the bridge a sense of ballistic beauty and great function… we left the framework, but removed the walls, so that you could see other stations beyond those walls. The major players are in the main bridge, and off in the alcoves you have secondary crew members working, which adds a lot of scope and function to the bridge."
Sovereign class bridge

The bridge of the Enterprise-E as seen on film

A collaborative process, Eaves received input from Doug Drexler regarding his new bridge:

"Doug Drexler, who is quite the Star Trek expert, took a look at one of my sketches for the bridge and said 'Hey, you've got to have a row of blinkies – blinking running lights – under the viewscreen. It's a tradition on every Enterprise, those lights simply MUST be there.' We wound up designing a detailed area on the floor that acted like a holographic projector array – and we attached the blinking lights to that. So when the viewscreen came on, the lights on the back of the bridge would go down, and an image would appear on our new, viewscreen – with, of course, Doug's running blinkies."

The final details of the bridge were honed through early 1996, alongside other new sets including new corridors and an expanded engineering. Again designed by Eaves and Zimmerman, Enterprise-E corridor sets were constructed in a basic horseshoe shape with built-in handrails, back-lit monitors and removable panels that could be easily swapped for "Borgified" parts. Two lighting schemes were created for the corridor sets for normal and "red alert" conditions, though the former was not seen until Star Trek: Insurrection. For the evacuation sequence, set decorator John M. Dwyer created vacuum-formed pieces molded from the hood of a Camaro, to be used as escape pod hatches. Paramount's Stages 14 and 15 housed the vast corridor complex which connected to Herman Zimmerman's and Nancy Mickleberry's main engineering. Eaves recalled the experience:

Sovereign class corridor (set)

Corridor sets under construction

"We… wound up designing a lot of 'ends', which are pieces that you can put at the back of a particular set, to create different areas of the ship. We could take a corridor and put a Jefferies tube end piece on it, or a hatchway. And we had a lot of corridor – two full quarter-circles of it, with a couple of T-intersections and walkways. You could walk for a good five minutes from the engine room set through Jefferies tubes without ever walking out of the set. There was also this big main door to engineering that Nancy Mickleberry had come up with. She put a second level of corridor above that, and you still had another story-and-a-half of warp core going up. The set was immense! Nancy and Herman worked together for a long time designing it (after all, it had to seem "Federation-style" and "Borgified"). The set had many neat areas, many of which never made it into the finished film."

Despite the number of new sets created for the film, the production once again reused old material, including turbolift wall sections dating back to 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Sections of the starship Voyager from Star Trek: Voyager were cannibalized for the film, as filming was to take place between that series' second and third seasons. Voyager's sickbay was repainted and redressed for use as Doctor Crusher's sickbay, and the Voyager cargo bay set became the Enterprise weapons locker with relatively little modification. Having been saved from the wrecking crews following the completion of Generations, the Enterprise-D observation lounge, first built in 1987 for Star Trek: The Next Generation was put into service, overhauled and expanded, then connected to the bridge set. For the first time in the Star Trek film series, the transporter room did not appear. Also omitted from the finished picture, a large, cylindrical fish tank constructed for Picard's new ready room was replaced with nondescript objet d'art before the cameras rolled.

It was not only from previous Star Trek productions, the movie scavenged set pieces from as Production Illustrator John Eaves divulged in 2009, "We did Osiris immediately after Generations and both were Paramount films. When First Contact was starting up we brought over all the sets from Osiris and incorporated them into Star Trek. It was an oddity to take elements I had drawn for OC and then redraw them into the TNG world…everything came together well and if you have seen Osiris or (Battle lords) the tub shaped set piece that the Plentum was in became the center piece of the Warp core of the Enterprise E." [7] Eaves was referring to the planned science fiction television series The Osiris Chronicles, for which a pilot episode, "The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy", was produced in 1995/1996. A somewhat ill-conceived attempt to further capitalize on the new found popularity of science-fiction television shows, the series was not picked up however.

The Borg

Borg behind-the-scenes

A little less menacing: the Borg relax off camera

Assigned to refresh the Borg make up that had previously consisted of simple pale faces and cobbled together bodysuits, Deborah Everton and Michael Westmore cooperated with Herman Zimmerman and his team. As late as January of '96, pages of Borg designs flowed from the art department, with contributions by Alex Delgado of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Working for Disney in addition to Star Trek, Delgado often worked on his time off, generating complex and sometimes grotesque images of the Borg, heavily influenced by insect life and ancient Egyptian culture. While many of Delgado's ideas (including exposed organs and obelisk-shaped vessels) were ultimately rejected, much of his work was integrated into Everton's and Westmore's final designs. According to Westmore:

"I wanted it to look like they were Borgified from the inside out rather than the outside in, it was very difficult. We didn't want somebody to come along and say, 'Oh that looks like Alien.'"

What resulted were eight Borg body-suits that would be combined with individually molded pieces to be swapped into various configurations representing different drones.

"Instead of having an entire helmet, now we have these individual pieces that are on the head, so you get this bald look. That way the pieces look like they're clamped into the head individually, instead of being a full cap that pulls over the top."

Electronics built into the Borg suits often included blinking lights that spelled out production members' names in Morse code. Makeup effects were achieved by airbrushing tiny "wires" that would appear to be just below the surface of the Borg drones' skin; a wide variety of humanoid and alien drones were created, including Klingons, Cardassians and Romulans, though the latter two never appeared in the theatrical cut. With days beginning as early as 2 am, it took the makeup department thirty minutes to get the eight Borg actors into their costumes, another five hours to apply makeup, and ninety minutes to remove the makeup at the end of the day. According to Westmore:

"As they bettered their prep times, they were using two tubes, and then they were using three tubes, and then they were sticking tubes in the ears and up the nose. And we were using a very gooey caramel coloring, maybe using a little bit of it, but by the time we got to the end of the movie we had the stuff dripping down the side of their faces – it looked like they were leaking oil! So, at the very end, they're more ferocious."
Borg Queen behind-the-scenes

Alice Krige as the Queen's torso, lowered on a crane

As the leader of the horde of eight, Alice Krige's Borg Queen costume was unique. A tight-fitting, one piece bodysuit, combined with a large headpiece and integrated lighting systems, the first of the Queen's costumes was built out of hard rubber. After the first of Krige's ten-day shoot, the actress suffered from blisters raised by the tight rubber. A second, soft foam suit was fabricated overnight. Despite the relative comfort of the new suit, Krige was still required to wear painful silver contact lenses that could be worn for only four minutes at a time. According to Jerry Fleck, the actress never complained.

Borg vessels were handled by John Eaves, based upon script pages, referring to a "tetragon", or rectangular-shaped vessel. Eaves generated drawings in January 1996, labeled "Borg tetragon":

"The first one I did had beveled edges and deep canyons throughout; I was trying to get away from the familiar Next Generation series cube… I did three or four passes in the rectangular shape. As time went on, Rick Berman, Ron Moore and Brannon Braga rewrote the scenes, returning to the original cube style of the Borg ship."

Unable to reuse the Borg cube built for the television series, created out of inexpensive pieces from model kits, a new cube had to be designed. Described by Eaves as "nonsensical", a distinctly new surface was designed, distinguished by interlocking shapes and angles, with a hidden hatchway for Eaves' Borg sphere. Intricate details of ILM's Borg cube model were achieved through the use of recycled paper clips.

Besides several background and stunt performers who changed into Borg, there were also a few Borg mannequins. One of these mannequins was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [8]

The Phoenix

In their original concept of Zefram Cochrane's warp ship, the Phoenix, Moore and Braga's script referred to a space shuttle-type lander, constructed on a large, outdoor platform. Difficult to realize without the aid of extensive digital effects, the production searched for more practical methods. Rick Berman ultimately seized upon the idea of utilizing a real nuclear missile, inspiring the writers to adjust the script to accommodate the "irony" of a weapon of mass destruction used to "inaugurate an era of peace."

With the cooperation of the United States military, the production gained permission to shoot within a real missile silo in Green Valley, Arizona, near Tucson. Utilizing the real, though hollowed out Titan II missile still in its silo, the team resolved to construct a new nose to sit atop the missile, acting as the cockpit of the Phoenix. John Eaves:

Phoenix logo

Eaves' approved Phoenix logo

"I started out by drawing a standard space capsule cone; I figured they had used whatever pre-existing technology they could find, then added to it whatever was needed… I wanted something that had a double window on the front and two side windows – bubbled, so that you could look out and around. However, construction-wise, a flat window was easiest, so that's what we did."

Completing his design for the full-size cockpit facade, Eaves next began conceptualizing the second-stage Phoenix, basing his drawings on designs appearing in Michael Okuda's Star Trek Chronology. Incorporating Star Trek: The Original Series-style warp nacelles into his drawings, Eaves refined the Phoenix from rough drawings to finalized designs over months. Turning over the plans to ILM and John Goodson's team, Eaves was stunned by the finished product:

"…They all worked so hard; I've never seen a drawing translate so accurately into a finished model. They came up with a beautiful color scheme for it – a gold capsule with a lot of silver framework on the rocket, with silver, white and black graphics."

Though mostly invisible on screen, a logo for Cochrane's warp ship was also designed by Eaves on the fly.

"One beautiful morning, Herman [Zimmerman] ran into my office and said, 'Stop what you're doing! We need a logo for the Phoenix, and we need it approved by eleven o'clock. This morning!' …I'm from Phoenix [Arizona] originally, and immediately my mind was filled with images of phoenix birds. I especially remember this one beautiful large abstract sculpture of a phoenix outside the Town and Country Mall, right in the heart of the city."

Calling a number of gift shops in the area, Eaves was finally able to locate a postcard with an appropriate picture of the phoenix he remembered. Taking the postcard to a local store, the gift shop owner faxed a picture of the phoenix to the Paramount production offices where Eaves went to work. With only a single pass, the logo was approved by Rick Berman.

Production

In the spring of 1996, newly-recruited director Jonathan Frakes and producer Rick Berman cast their three "guest stars". Two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, an admitted Trekker, was slated to play Zefram Cochrane but he was busy with his directorial debut. The role went to James Cromwell, a veteran of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Oscar nominee for his role in the 1995 movie Babe. According to Jonathan Frakes: "In spite of having been nominated for an Academy Award, he actually came in and read for the part… He nailed it. He left Berman and me with our jaws in our laps." Cromwell later reprised his role as Cochrane in the Star Trek: Enterprise first season episode "Broken Bow".

EMH in Enterprise-E sickbay

Robert Picardo cameos as another EMH

For the role of Lily, Frakes' immediate inclination after reading the script was to cast actress Alfre Woodard. Woodard, an Oscar nominee herself and multiple Emmy Award winner, was Frakes' self-proclaimed "godmother": "The first time we got through the script, I think everyone's first words were 'Alfre Woodard'." A challenge for Frakes and Berman, though, was ultimately solved in the casting of South African-born actress Alice Krige as the Borg Queen. Both Frakes and the Moore/Braga writing duo would later recall a sense of uneasy sexiness in Krige's portrayal of the Queen, aided by the application of a wet sheen to her skin by the make up department. Other guest players were added to the Resurrection call sheets as they were added to the script, including Trek vets Dwight Schultz as Barclay, Ethan Phillips as the holographic maitre'D, and Robert Picardo as the EMH of the Enterprise-E (not to be confused with The Doctor). Phillips' role went uncredited, a request made by the actor to confuse fans who may or may not recognize him from his role as Neelix.

Other cast additions included Patti Yasutake's final appearance as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, having first appeared back in TNG's fourth season. Don Stark was cast as Nicky the Nose, most memorable in his role as Bob Pinciotti in TV's That '70s Show – he also appeared in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine second season episode "Melora" as Ashrock the Yridian. Jack Shearer appears as Admiral Hayes, later reprising the role (Hayes apparently escaping the destruction of his ship) in Voyager episodes "Hope and Fear" and "Life Line". Actor Eric Steinberg portrayed Paul Porter, taken early in the film but appearing throughout as a partially assimilated Borg drone in engineering.

Brannon Braga is clearly visible as an extra in the holodeck nightclub as the Borg enter the scene, though writing partner Moore's appearance was never shot – despite sixteen hours of waiting with his then wife Ruby, an anniversary present. Rumors persist (citation needededit) that both Nichelle Nichols and Kelsey Grammer (captain of the USS Bozeman from "Cause And Effect") have uncredited "voice cameos", though these claims are unsubstantiated.

Production on Star Trek Resurrection began on 8 April 1996, but within a month, a new title had been chosen. Mere weeks prior, 20th Century Fox had announced the title of the fourth installment in their Alien film franchise: Alien Resurrection. A number of new titles were proposed for the film including Star Trek Destinies, Star Trek: Future Generations, and Star Trek Regenerations. The titles Star Trek: Borg and Star Trek Generations II were even chosen as working titles for the film until Star Trek: First Contact was finally selected, made official in a 3 May 1996 fourth draft script. (Star Trek: Borg went on to become the title of a video game, released not long after.)

Picard as Ahab

"The line must be drawn here!": A pivotal scene

Minor details in the script, even as shooting was under way, continued to evolve. Early drafts were vague regarding the fate of the Defiant, DS9's resident warship. Having read the script, Deep Space Nine producer Ira Steven Behr's only note was an objection to the apparent destruction of the Defiant. The writers added the clarification "adrift but salvageable" and no mention of the ship's near annihilation was made in the TV series. Minor details in the script's pages included the ill-fated Enterprise crew member Ensign Lynch, named after a friend of writer Brannon Braga, but thought by many named for Internet critic Timothy W. Lynch, who reviewed every episode of TNG and DS9. Gravett Island was not a real Earth location, but a fictional one named after Jacques Gravett, Ronald D. Moore's then assistant. Rumors circulated during production, even reported by some LGBT publications, that another ill-fated Enterprise crewman, Neal McDonough's Lieutenant Hawk was gay. No reference is made in the finished film to this fact; the producers have denied the rumors. [9] Regarding the film's emotional battle played out between Picard and Lily, Brannon Braga recalled: "I'd have to say that scene was nailed and perfect only about a week before it was filmed." (citation needededit)

Location shooting dominated the early schedule for the Star Trek: First Contact production team. First up were scenes set in Bozeman, Montana, shot in the Titan Missile Museum outside Tucson, Arizona for a duration of four days. The production then moved to the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains not far from Los Angeles. Two weeks of nighttime shooting followed, with a large village constructed by Herman Zimmerman's art department to represent exterior Bozeman. Minor details in the sets included the 52-star American flag referencing an early TNG episode, "The Royale". A full-size section of the Vulcan lander was brought to this location for the film's finale. The film then moved to Los Angeles Union Station's art deco restaurant where the Dixon Hill holonovel sequence played out, including over 120 extras in period costumes and two Borg drones. Everton designed the costumes for Picard, Ruby, Sloane, and the other speaking parts, while many others were rented. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 13, p. 67)

Production finally moved to Paramount Pictures studios in Hollywood on May 3 for a half day of shooting on the three story Enterprise-E engine room set. Cameras were then moved from Stage 14 to Stage 15 where scenes were shot on the bridge, observation lounge and ready room sets. Jonathan Frakes recalled:

"It was as if we had gone back in time. It was the same sort of fantastic, cynical, fearless, take-no-prisoners abuse your fellow cast member that has kept us together all these long years."
Filming spacewalk scene in First Contact

Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, and Neal McDonough film the "space walk" scene

The next two months were dubbed by the crew, "Borg Hell", with scenes shot on stages 14, 15 and 8 that included heavily made-up Borg extras, stunts, pyrotechnics, and one large deflector dish. Likely the film's most labor intensive sequence to shoot was the battle on the Enterprise hull, on the film's largest set. The deflector dish itself, while massive, was shot at angles intended to exaggerate its size – the manual input computers were labeled "AE35", a subtle reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey. The sequence also required Patrick Stewart as Picard, Michael Dorn as Worf, and Neal McDonough as Hawk to wear restrictive environmental suits that incorporated internal lighting and cooling systems. With the addition of flying rigs and complex stunts, tempers on the set were pushed, as was Patrick Stewart's endurance; the actor suffered breathing problems in his spacesuit, halting production for an entire day. Problems also arose in the realism of the sequence, with smoke rising from the set, then quickly falling, contrary to the physics of real life zero-G. This required Frakes to shoot around the smoke, or shoot takes short enough to prevent the falling smoke to be seen. Writers Moore and Braga agreed that, had the film been produced only a few years later, the entire sequence was likely to have been less complicated if shot with computer-generated sets.

Despite the complications, Star Trek: First Contact wrapped production on 2 July 1996 (two days over schedule), with the flashback that opened the film. Fittingly, the sequence required Patrick Stewart to don the Starfleet uniform he had worn for at least five of the seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation. According to Ronald D. Moore, everyone involved with the film knew it was going to be a hit.

Production history

  • 8 January 1996 – Second draft script, titled Star Trek: Resurrection
  • 12 March 1996 – Third draft script, titled Star Trek: Borg

Post-production

Visual effects

As described by visual effects supervisor John Knoll, time allotted for post production visual effects and model building resulted in a "brutal effort". Not only did ILM's team have to construct the Enterprise-E, large models representing the Borg sphere, the new Borg cube, and the Phoenix were also required.

Millennium Falcon

The Millennium Falcon appears below an Akira-class starship

Even more so than the previous film, the First Contact visual effects team also utilized computer-generated imagery, lending itself to sequences that required large numbers of starships. To stand up to the Borg cube alongside the new Enterprise and the old Defiant, ILM art director Alex Jaeger designed sixteen new Starfleet vessels, four of them rendered digitally and appearing in the massive opening battle sequence. The new starships included Akira-class, Saber-class, Steamrunner-class, and Norway-class vessels; the latter starship was lost after production due to a computer glitch, never to appear in Star Trek again. Also included in the melee were a Nebula-class starship, a Miranda-class vessel, and an Oberth-class science ship in its final use. As a joke, the Millennium Falcon CG model (created for the Star Wars Special Editions) was inserted into the Borg attack, though generally indistinguishable.

Other computer-generated vessels included the John Eaves' designed Enterprise escape pods and the Vulcan lander, constructed by the VisionArt company. At that time, First Contact included more complex visual effects shots than any Star Trek film before; low-tech methods, however, were still utilized. Close-up shots of La Forge's new ocular implants were achieved through the use of a sprocket-shaped shower handle, matted against black contact lenses.

Music

See also: Star Trek: First Contact (soundtrack)

Jerry Goldsmith, who composed the music for Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, returned to score First Contact and the remaining two TNG films after it. Because of his hectic schedule, Goldsmith shared much of the work with his son, Joel Goldsmith; as a result much of the music in First Contact does not appear on the commercial soundtrack.

Among the two Goldsmiths' work, a theme established in The Final Frontier, referred to as the "A Busy Man" theme, was used throughout First Contact, likely as a theme for Picard. It can be heard just after the opening fanfare at the beginning of the film. It can also be heard only briefly in Insurrection, but is used quite heavily in Star Trek Nemesis. Also repeated in First Contact was the Klingon theme, originally introduced in The Motion Picture and used in this film to represent Worf. As with all Star Trek films scored by Goldsmith, the theme from The Motion Picture was used in the end credits, and the opening fanfare from the Theme from Star Trek was used to segué into the opening and closing themes.

The opera that Picard listens to in his ready room is Berlioz' Les Troyens – "Hylas' Song" from the beginning of Act V. (Hylas is a homesick young sailor being rocked to sleep by the sea as he dreams of the homeland he will never see again.) This is the first and only Star Trek movie to have rock and roll in the soundtrack (though Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home did feature late '80s jazz by the Yellowjackets, as well as a punk song, and Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond all included hip hop songs – all three featured songs by the Beastie Boys, and Star Trek Beyond also included a song by Public Enemy). In their joint audio commentary on the Special Edition DVD, Ron Moore and Brannon Braga credited Peter Lauritson with the selection of Steppenwolf's original recording of "Magic Carpet Ride" (and not "some cheap cover"). They criticized, however, the choice of Roy Orbison's "Ooby Dooby" as being "too goofy".

Promotion and merchandising

USS Voyager in First Contact trailer

A shot of Voyager created for the First Contact teaser

Borg drones First Contact trailer

Borg from a cut scene appearing in the trailer

The teaser trailer for Star Trek: First Contact premiered with Paramount movies in early summer 1996. As much of the film had yet to be shot when the advertisements were assembled, footage from Star Trek Generations and episodes from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was included. Inter-cut with sequences from the film, the reused footage included snippets of "The Best of Both Worlds" and "Emissary". The trailer utilized score from "The Best of Both Worlds", Generations, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, most notably, however, from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Both the teaser and theatrical trailers included footage unique only to them, with some visual effects created specifically for the trailer. Unique shots included the USS Voyager firing phasers at a differently-designed Borg cube and an alternate version of Picard's soon-to-be infamous speech, "The line must be drawn here!" in the teaser, and cut takes of various Borg drones in the theatrical. [10]

As with the previous film and TNG, Playmates Toys released a line of action figures and accessories in conjunction with the premiere of the film. Among the toys was a model of the Enterprise-E, apparently based upon early sketches of the ship and not the finalized version – featuring several key structural differences from the finalized design. Out of scale to their previous lines, the larger First Contact action figures were made in the likenesses of the entire Enterprise-E crew, Lily, Zefram Cochrane, Picard in an environmental suit, and a Borg drone – also based on production drawings. [11] In recent years, Art Asylum has released a detailed action figure in the likeness of Captain Picard from First Contact, complete with the skull of the Borg Queen.

Marvel Comics released both a comic adaptation of the movie, and a sequel comic book that crossed the crew with the X-Men in "Second Contact". This had a later sequel novel by Michael Jan Friedman, called Planet X.

First Contact novelizations and soundtracks were also released, as were updated version of the Star Trek Chronology and Star Trek Encyclopedia.

Box office performance

Star Trek: First Contact premiered in American cinemas on 22 November 1996, number one at the box office. With a budget of around US$45,000,000, it opened nationwide on 2,812 screens at US$30,716,131 and went on to eventually garner US$146,027,888 worldwide. [12] By comparison, Star Trek Generations, with a budget of US$35,000,000, opened at US$23,116,394 on 2,659 screens, but only grossed US$118,071,125 worldwide. [13] It made First Contact the highest grossing Star Trek film ever, surpassing the hitherto highest grossing film 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – though it remained the second-most profitable one after Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – until the release of 2009's Star Trek and its two sequels.

In the United Kingdom, despite becoming the first Star Trek movie not to reach the top of the box office since The Wrath of Khan, the film was a success earning £3,555,980 for its opening weekend and £8,735,340 overall. It was the highest grossing Star Trek film overall in that territory until the release of Star Trek. [14]

The film, however, was considered by most to be not only a financial success, but a critical one as well, beating out both The Wrath of Khan and The Voyage Home respectively in this regard, as of 2020 only to be surpassed by 2009's Star Trek by the slimmest of margins.

See Star Trek films: Performance summary for a detailed overview.

Reactions

The film review website Rotten Tomatoes calculated a 92% critic score for First Contact, with 40 of 44 reviews giving positive remarks. [15] Giving the film "Two thumbs up!", Siskel & Ebert host Roger Ebert elaborated in his Chicago Sun Times review:

"…The story gives us yet another intriguing test of the differences among humans, aliens and artificial intelligence. And the paradoxes of time travel are handled less murkily than sometimes in the past…STFC was directed by Frakes, who did some of the The Next Generation shows for television, and here achieves great energy and clarity. In all of the shuffling of timelines and plotlines, I always knew where we were. He also gets some genial humor out of Cromwell… There is such intriguing chemistry between Picard and the Woodard character that I hope a way is found to bring her on board in the next film. Star Trek movies in the past have occasionally gone where no movie had gone, or wanted to go, before. This one is on the right beam."

While often negative in his reviews of other Trek films, Ebert elaborated, "how I love the Star Trek jargon!" and even expressed his fondness for the Borg Queen:

"I also admired the interiors of the Borg probe, and the peculiar makeup work creating the Borg Queen, who looks like no notion of sexy I have ever heard of, but inspires me to keep an open mind." [16]

BBC Films' Emily Carlisle, however, was less enamored:

"While some quality dark humour comes from the dominatrix-outfitted Borg Queen's attempts to seduce android Data, other attempts at lightening the tone seem forced and stiff in comparison… Patrick Stewart believably plays Captain Picard… and he and Brent Spiner are clearly the most talented actors on display. While others try hard (Alfre Woodard in particular), their energies are dissipated in the broad storyline which switches uncomfortably between a running battle on board the Enterprise and an effort on the surface of the Earth to ensure that first contact is made on schedule. Focusing more on action sequences than characterisation, the breakneck pace gives an unsatisfying result." [17]

In his 18 November 1996 review, Daily Variety magazine writer Joe Leydon expressed his approval:

"Frakes makes an auspicious debut as a feature filmmaker, sustaining excitement and maintaining clarity as he dashes through a two-track storyline… Stewart once again comports himself with all the gravity and panache you would expect from a Shakespearean-trained actor. He is at his best playing opposite Woodard in a scene that has their characters arguing over the best way to battle the Borg… It is a credit to both actors that their emotion-charged conversation is genuinely compelling. Purists who recall Gene Roddenberry's original vision of a less blood-soaked Star Trek universe may be put off by the rough stuff. But mainstream audiences will be more approving of the greater emphasis on high-voltage shocks and action-movie heroics."

Leydon concluded, "If First Contact is indicative of what the next generation of Star Trek movies will be like, the franchise is certain to live long and prosper." [18]

Notes

  • This film opened on the same day that Mark Lenard, the actor best known for portraying the character of Sarek, died at the age of 72.
  • Despite the use of the uniforms in the previous film, Star Trek Generations, this is the only movie starring The Next Generation cast where the Star Trek: The Next Generation and early Star Trek: Deep Space Nine combadge is seen, as visible on Picard's uniform in the flashback from "The Best of Both Worlds" in the opening of the film.
  • The reference that Data makes about using his "fully functional" sexual organs seemingly references the time he used them with Tasha in TNG: "The Naked Now", eight years before the Borg invasion (though that would place that episode in 2365). This would seem to indicate Data and his fourth-season "girlfriend" Jenna D'Sora were never sexually intimate during the course of their relationship.
  • This film marks the first canon reference to the number of planets in the Federation (over 150) and its size (over 8,000 light years)
  • The bar in Bozeman featured bar signs based on mission patches for NASA vessels, including the Molly Brown.
  • First Contact references and even explicitly quotes Moby Dick. Despite the story parallels, the producers hesitated using it, as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was also heavy in Moby Dick references. Two years after First Contact premiered, Patrick Stewart played Captain Ahab in a 1998 TV mini-series.
  • However, Picard slightly misquotes the Moby Dick passage. The actual passage is "He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it."
  • Early in the movie, Zefram Cochrane points out the constellation Leo, the constellation in which Wolf 359 is located.
  • First Contact marked the first time the phrase "star trek" was ever uttered in the franchise. In the TNG finale "All Good Things...", however, Q tells Picard "It's time to put an end to your trek through the stars."
  • When Picard announces to the crew his intention to break his orders and join the engagement, Data's response is "Captain, I believe I speak for everyone here sir when I say, 'To hell with our orders'." Similarly in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Spock's response to the Enterprise's orders to return to spacedock is "If I were Human, I believe my response would be, 'Go to hell'."
Holosuite program display on Enterprise E

The different holodeck programs on the Enterprise-E

Apocrypha

The novelization of Star Trek: First Contact establishes that during the Battle of Sector 001 as the Defiant attacked the Borg Cube, Worf thought that by keeping the Enterprise away from the battle, Starfleet Command was doing Picard a great dishonor by not allowing him the opportunity to gain revenge against his mortal enemy.

In Oblivion's Gate, the third and final novel of the Star Trek: Coda trilogy, it was revealed that Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-E caused the creation of the First Splinter timeline during their attempt to stop the Borg from assimilating Earth in the year 2063, and the Devidians used this to their own advantage as part of the Temporal Apocalypse.

Merchandise gallery

Awards and honors

Star Trek: First Contact received the following awards and honors.

Year Group Award Nominee(s) Result
1997 Academy Awards Best Makeup Michael Westmore, Scott Wheeler, Jake Garber Nominated
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Alfre Woodard
Hugo Awards Best Dramatic Presentation Screenplay by Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore, Story by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore, Directed by Jonathan Frakes
Satellite Awards Outstanding Visual Effects John Knoll
BMI Film & TV Awards BMI Film Music Award Jerry Goldsmith Won
Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor Brent Spiner
Best Supporting Actress Alice Krige
Best Costumes Deborah Everton
Best Actor Patrick Stewart Nominated
Best Director Jonathan Frakes
Best Special Effects John Knoll (Industrial Light & Magic)
Best Music Jerry Goldsmith
Best Writer Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore
Best Makeup Michael Westmore, Scott Wheeler, Jake Garber
Best Science Fiction Film -
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Actor – Science Fiction Patrick Stewart
Favorite Supporting Actor – Science Fiction Jonathan Frakes

Links and references

Credits

Opening credits

Casting by
Music by
Visual Effects Producer
Co-Producer
Costume Designer
Film Editor
Production Designer
Director of Photography
Executive Producer
Based upon Star Trek created by
Produced by

Rick Berman

Story by

Rick Berman & Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore

Screenplay by

Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore

Directed by

Closing credits

Unit Production Manager
First Assistant Director
Second Assistant Director
Cast
Starfleet Personnel
Nightclub
Missile Complex
Borg
Stunt Coordinator
Stunt Players
Stunt Borg
Visual Effects Supervisor
Make-Up Designed and Supervised by
Additional Music by
Starfleet Uniforms Designed by
Art Director
Set Director
Scenic Art Supervisor/Technical Consultant
Set Designers
Illustrators
Second Unit Director
Additional Photography
  • Ivan "Bing" Sokolsky
Camera Operator
  • David Lukenbach
Camera Operator/B Camera
  • Randy Feemster
First Assistant Photographers
  • Michel D. Weldon
  • Mark Santoni
Second Assistant Photographer
  • Paul Santoni
Loader
Still Photographer
  • Elliot S. Marks
Video Assist
  • Wayne Tidwell
Chief Lighting Technician
  • Patrick R. Blymyer
Assistant Chief Lighting Technicians
  • Tim Marshall
  • Frank X. Valdez III
Rigging Chief Lighting Technician
Rigging Assistant Chief Lighting Technician
  • Christopher Lama
First Company Grip
  • Lloyd Barcroft
Second Company Grips
Rigging First Company Grip
  • Anthony Mollicone
Rigging Second Company Grip
  • Tino Contreras
Dolly Grip
  • Alan Schultz
Rigging Grip
  • John D. Babin
Sound Mixer
  • Thomas Causey
Boom Operator
  • Joe Brennan
Cable Person
Script Supervisor
Special Effects Coordinator
Special Effects Forepersons
Special Effects Assistants
  • Donald T. Black
  • Andy Evans
  • Logan Z. Frazee
  • Scott Lingard
  • Samuel Price
  • Ralph Allen Winiger
Make-Up Artists
Borg Effects Created by
  • Todd Masters Co.
Borg Design Supervisor
Project Foreperson
  • Greg Johnson
Key Sculptor
  • Jaremy Aiello
Borg Department Heads
  • David Matherly
  • Timothy P. Huizing
  • Scott D. Tebeau
Crew
  • Claudia Regne
  • Shanna Tebeau
  • Robert W. Miller
  • Alex Diaz
  • A.J. Venuto
  • Bernhard Eichholz
  • Patrick M. Gerrety
  • Patrick A. Chitty
  • Walter T. Phelan
  • Joe Colwell
  • John F. Shea
  • Gloria Munoz
  • Thomas D. Bacho, Jr.
  • Cory Sylvester
  • Alan Tuskes
  • Derik Wingo
  • William J. Fesh
  • Harry Blom
  • Thomas Zimmerman
  • Brian Van Dorn
  • Alexi Bustamante
Borg Production Coordinator
  • Kristine Morgan
Electronic Appliances by
Key Hairstylist
Hairstylists
Property Master
  • Dean Wilson
Assistant Property Master
  • Glen Feldman
Lead Person
  • William K. Dolan
Set Dressers
  • Jerry Wax
  • Elijah Bryant
  • Philip Calhoun
On Set Dresser
  • James Buckley
Scenic Artist/Video Supervisor
Scenic Artists
Video and Computer Supervisor
  • Elizabeth Radley
Video Engineer
Video Playback Operator
  • Larry Markart
Costume Supervisor
  • Sarah Shaw
Key Costumer
Costumers
  • Leah P. Brown
  • Charles Ray de Muth
  • Sonny Merrit
  • Heidi Strasburg
Senior Sketch Artist
Additional Editing
  • Timothy Board
Visual Effects Editor
  • John A. Haggar
Appreciate Editor
  • Travis G. Rendich
Supervising Sound Editors
Sound Effects Editors
  • Jeffrey Clark
  • Doug Jackson
  • David F.Van Slyke
  • Kerry Dean Williams
  • Scott G.G. Haller
  • Tony Milch
Supervising Dialogue Editor
  • Michael Szakmeister
Dialogue Editor
  • Richard Corwin
Supervising ADR Editor
  • Robert Ulrich
ADR Editor
  • Zack Davis
Supervising Foley Editor
  • Pamela Bentkowski
Foley Editors
  • Tammy Fearing
  • Scott Curtis
Assistant Sound Editors
  • Anne Couk
  • Courtenay Marvin
  • Roger Fearing, Jr.
  • Robert Morrisey
Digital Sound Editing by
ADR Mixer
  • Bob Baron
Foley Mixer
Foley Artists
Re-Recording Mixers
  • Steve Pederson
  • Brad Sherman
  • Tom Perry
Orchestra Conducted by
Orchestrations by
Music Presentation
  • Bob Bornstein
Orchestra Contractor
  • Sandy De Crescent
Music Editors
  • Ken Hall
  • Clifford Kohlweck
Music Recorded and Mixed by
  • Bruce Botnick
Score Recorded and Mixed at
Voice Casting
Choreographer
  • Smith Wordes
Location Manager
  • Ira Stanley Rosenstein
Assistant Location Manager
  • James Selzer
Second Second Assistant Director
  • David A. Ticotin
Additional Second Assistant Director
DGA Trainee
  • Robin Bronner
Production Office Coordinator
Post Production Coordinator
Assistant Production Office Coordinators
  • Barbara Casner
  • Cindy M. Ichikawa
Construction Coordinator
Construction Foreperson
Propmaker Forepersons
Labor Foreperson
  • Aaron H. Rockler
Paint Foreperson
  • Gary A. Clark
Production Painter
  • David R. Galvan
Greensperson
  • Barry R. Tugendhaft
Production Auditor
  • Vincent R. Heileson
Assistant Auditors
  • Mary Elder
  • Primrose V. Fukuchi
Unit Publicist
  • Alex Worman
Art Department Coordinator
Assistant to Mr. Frakes
  • Lisa J. Olin
Assistant to Mr. Lauritson
Assistant to Mr. Stewart
Production Associate
Assistant Production Associates
Casting Assistant
  • Jeff Roth
Production Assistants
Transportation Coordinator
  • Wayne Nelson
Transportation Captains
  • Kenneth Newland
  • Tim Edwards
Craft Service
  • Bill Nuzzo
Assistant Craft Service
  • Bruce Moore
First Aid
Wescam Provided by
  • Wescam, Inc.
Cranes and Dollies by
Extra Casting
Special Visual Animation and Visual Effects by
Associate Visual Effects Supervisor
  • George Murphy
Visual Effects Producer
  • Jeff Olson
Visual Effects Art Director
CG Supervisor/Animator
  • Habib Zargarpour
CG Sequence Supervisor
  • Dennis Turner
Digital Effects Artists
  • Joakim Arnesson
  • Mike Bauer
  • Steve Braggs
  • Kyeng-Im Chung
  • Marc Cooper
  • Mitch Deoudes
  • Jeremy Goldman
  • Matt Hendershot
  • Stu Maschwitz
  • Steve Molin
  • Pat Myers
  • Eric Texier
  • Ken Wesley
Assistant Digital Effects Artist
  • Doug Smith
Sabre Compositing Artists
Production Coordinators
  • Luke O'Byrne
  • Heather Smith
Art Consultant
Digital Matte
  • Noel Brevick
  • Tad Leckman
  • Chris Stillman
Digital Animatic Artist
  • Jonathan Rothbart
Digital Modelers
Digital Compositors
  • Tim Alexander
  • Kathleen Beeler
  • Don Butler
  • Betsy Cox
  • Jeff Doran
  • Scott Frankel
  • Greg Maloney
  • Tom Rosseter
Digital Rotoscope & Paint
  • Cathy Burrow
  • Kate Elsen
  • Deb Fought
  • Susan Kelly Andrews
  • Heidi Zabit
Digital Matchmovers
  • Selwyn Eddy III
  • Dave Hanks
  • Jodie Maier
  • Patrice D. Saenz
Visual Effect Editors
  • Mike McGovern
  • Mike Gleason
Assistant Visual Effects Editors
Projectionist
  • Tim Greenwood
Optical Supervisor
  • Kenneth Smith
Negative Supervisor
  • Doug Jones
Film Scanning/Recording Supervisor
  • Joshua Pines
Senior Scanning Operator
  • George Gambetta
Scanning Operators
  • Todd Mitchell
  • Earl Beyer
Optical Scanning Department Coordinator
  • Amanda Micheli
Optical Scanning Department PA
  • Jodi Birdsong
Negative Line-up
  • Andrea Biklian
  • Timothy Geideman
Dirt Removal
  • Nancy Jencks
Motion Control and Pyrotechnics Unit
Visual Effects Director of Photography
  • Marty Rosenberg
Additional Visual Effects Photgraphy
Visual Effects Camera Assistant
Camera Assistant
  • John Gadzik
Model Support
  • Keith London
Key Grip/Lighting Technician
  • Brad Jerrell
Key Pyrotechnician
  • Geoff Heron
Key Grip
  • Bill Barr
Electric Gaffer
  • Tim Morgan
Best Boy Grip
  • Chuck Biagio
Electricians
  • Berny Demolski
  • David Murphy
Effects Technicians
  • Adam Bennes
  • Dan Nelson
Plate Coordinator
  • David Dranitzke
Model Project Supervisor
Chief Modelmakers
Mechanical Engineer
  • Bryan Dewe
Modelmakers
  • Rick Anderson
  • Jeff Brewer
  • Giovanni Donovan
  • John Duncan
  • Ira Keeler
  • Ed Miarecki
CG Resource Manager
  • Nancy Luckoff
CG Production Manager
  • Suzie Vissotzky Tooley
CG Resource Assistant
  • Amanda Montgomery
Digital Technical Assistants
  • Heidi Schmidt
  • Anthony Pitone
CG Software
  • Rodney Bogart
  • Jeffery Yost
CG Technical Assistants
  • Dugan Beach
  • Dan Shumaker
  • Christa Starr
  • Lam Van To
Electronic Editor
  • Angela Leaper
Still Photo
  • David Owen
Production Assistant
  • Heather McCurdy
ILM Senior Staff
Digital Effects by
Digital Visual Effects Supervisors
Digital Visual Effects Producer
  • Andrea D'Amico
Digital Optical Supervisor
  • Greg Kimble
Digital Production Manager
  • Dale Brodt
Digital Post Supervisor
  • Carol Brzezinski
Digital Editorial Coordinator
  • Caleb Aschkynazo
Digital Compositors
  • Kenneth Littleton
  • Lawrence Littleton
  • Jennifer German
  • Brandon McNaughton
  • Michael Peterson
  • David Crawford
Computer Animators
  • Kirk Cadrette
  • Stephane Couture
Digital Visual Effects by
Digital Producer
Digital Coordinator
  • Richard J. Cook
CG Animators
Digital Compositor
  • Dorene Haver
Digital Paint Artists
  • Bethany Berndt-Shackelford
  • Robert Tom
Digital Film I/O
  • Jeff Pierce
  • Celine Jackson
Borg Matte Painting
Matte Artists
Digital Supervisor
  • Richard Patterson
Digital Compositing
  • Ken Nakada
Digital Animator
  • Fumi Mashimo
Digital Matte Paintings by
Visual Effects Supervisor
Visual Effects Producer
  • Krystyna Demkowicz
Chief Digital Matte Artist
Digital Matte Artist
  • Caroleen Green
Digital Compositing Supervisor
  • Paul Rivera
Digital Compositor
  • Morgan Trotter
Motion Control Camera
  • Cameron Noble
Additional Optical Effects
  • Pacific Title
Color Timer
  • Mike Milliken
Negative Cutter
  • Theresa Repola Mohammed
Main Titles by
  • Bruce Schluter Design, Inc.
Soundtrack Album available on
Theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture by
"Ooby Dooby"
Theme from "Star Trek" TV Series
"Moonlight Becomes You"
"Vallone Sonore" from "Les Troyens"
  • by Hector Berlioz
  • Performed by Ryland Davies and The Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Convent Garden
  • Conducted by Sir Collin Davis
  • Courtesy of Phillips Classics by arrangement with PolyGram Film & TV Licensing
"Magic Carpet Ride"
  • by John Kay & Rushton Moreve
  • Performed by Steppenwolf
  • Courtesy of MCA Records by special arrangement with MCA Special Markets and Products
The Producers wish to thank the following for their assistance
We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the Department of Defense and the Department of the Air Force, specifically
  • Department of Defense
    • Philip M. Strub
  • Secretary of the Air Force Office Of Public Affairs Western Region
    • Lieutenant Colonel Thomas R. Worsdale
Printed on
  • Eastman Kodak Film
Color by
Deluxelogo2006
Filmed in

Uncredited

Performers

Stunt performers

Stand-ins and photo doubles

Production staff

  • Anna Albrecht – Special Effects Artist
  • Bill Bannerman – Development Executive
  • Mark Banning – Associate Music Executive Producer
  • William D. Barber – Additional Camera Operator
  • Jason Dante Bardis – Movie Effects Lighting Designer
  • Brent W. Bell – Lead Man
  • Jennifer Bender – Extras Casting
  • Francois Blaignan – Additional Sound Designer
  • Tom Boyd – Musician: Oboe
  • Rob Bredow – Digital Artist: Vision Art
  • Christian H. Burton – Assistant Camera Operator
  • Ed Callahan – Foley Editor
  • Valerie Canamar – Assistant to Michael Westmore
  • Lois Carruth – Assistant to Jerry Goldsmith
  • Dave Cervantes – Adviser (Stunt)
  • Shane Clark – Production Assistant
  • Michael Condro – First Assistant Camera Operator
  • Henryk Cymerman – 2nd Unit Director of Photography
  • Eric Darensborg – Production Assistant
  • Fon Davis – Model Maker: ILM
  • A.Y. Dexter Delara – Visual Effects Assistant
  • Joe Diaz – Costumer
  • Linda Di Franco – Foley Editor/Sound Editor
  • Norm Dlugatch – Assistant Music Engineer
  • Dragon Dronet – Props and Weapons Creator
  • Kevin Dukes – Musician: Guitarist
  • Earl Ellis – FX Make-Up Artist
  • Kenneth E. Estes – Computer & Video Playback Operator
  • Ted Fay – Director of Technology: Vision Art
  • Mark Fiorenza – Model Maker
  • Edward J. Franklin – Special Effects Artist
  • Don E. Gaffney – Prop Construction
  • Jane Galli – Special Make-Up Effects Artist
  • J. Armin Garza II – Driver: Camera Car
  • Brian J. Geary – Propmaker Foreman
  • Katy Genovese – Payroll Accountant
  • Bob Gillan – Pre-Production Assistant
  • Christopher Gilman – Head of Global Effects, Inc.
  • Glenn Goldstein – Production Assistant
  • Dominic Gonzalez – Assistant Music Engineer
  • Sam Greenmun – Prop Designer/Spacesuit Technician
  • Tom Harper – Assistant Stunt Coordinator
  • Aaron Haye – Model Maker: ILM
  • Russ Herpich – Special Effects Mechanic
  • Matthew A. Hoffman – Key Costumer
  • Tina Hoffman – Make-Up Artist
  • Christopher Horvath – Digital Compositor: Matte World Digital
  • Jeffery J. Jenkins – Paint Foreman
  • Tom Keefer – 2nd Unit Key Grip
  • Roger L. King – Property Maker
  • Barry R. Koper – Make-Up Artist
  • Toby Lamm – Special Make-Up Effects Artist
  • David Luckenbach – Steadicam Operator
  • John Mann – Storyboard Artist
  • John McCunn – Visual Effects Associate Producer
  • Alan McFarland – Puppeteer "Borg Queen"/Borg Suit & Space Suit Electronics Designer
  • Gary Metzen – Painter
  • Richard Miller – Model Maker
  • Robert Miller – Helmet & Chest Designer: Todd Masters Effects
  • Bart Mixon – Make-Up Artist
  • Mark Moore – Concept Designer: ILM
  • David W. Mosher – Mold Technician: Todd Masters Effects
  • Neil Norman – Executive Music Producer
  • Michael Olague – Visual Effects Gaffer
  • Lowell Peterson – Additional Photography
  • Joe Podnar – Special Make-Up Effects Artist
  • Alex Proctor – Make-Up Artist
  • Karen Ragan – Assistant to Producers
  • Brandon Ramos – Assistant to Producers
  • Rick Rische – Matte Artist: Matte World Digital
  • Theresa M. Roehner – Driver
  • Philip Rogers – Sound Recordist
  • Ira Stanley Rosenstein – Production Supervisor (credited as "Location Manager")
  • Jorge Sanchez – Additional Photographer
  • Lee Scott – Music Editor
  • Michael Shelton – Creature Effects Artist
  • Gregory Shummon – Electric Rigger
  • Andrew Silver – Preview Music Editor
  • Jennifer Small – Production Assistant
  • Bryan Smith – Sculptor & Painter: Todd Masters Effects
  • Douglas James Smith – Digital Effects Artist
  • Bing Sokolsky – 2nd Unit Director of Photography
  • Perri Sorel – Make-Up Artist
  • Thomas E. Surprenant – Make-Up Artist (Klingon Borg)
  • Tom Talley – Location Foreman
  • Chris Tedesco – Musician: Trumpet
  • Trevor Tuttle – Model Maker
  • Pam Vick – Digital Rotoscope Artist
  • Nick Vidar – Music Programmer/Computer Programmer
  • Michael Walters – Special Costumes
  • Harold Weed – Model Maker
  • Paul Wertheimer – Assistant Music Engineer
  • Natalie Wood – Make-Up Artist: Borg Make-Up
  • Susumu Yukuhiro – Visual Effects Production Assistant
  • Sarah Ziff – Choreographer

Production companies

References

1940s; 2053; 2063; 2073; 2367; 2372; 2373; 21st century; 24th century; access point; actuation servo; Ahab; alien; Alpha team; alphabet; ammonite; analgesic cream; antiproton; April; assimilation; atmospheric pressure; atomic weapon; Australia; auto-destruct; auto-destruct sequence; barbecue grill; Basic Warp Design; Battle of Sector 001; battle stations; beer; Berlioz, Hector ; bicycle; "Big Good-Bye, The"; biohazard; bionics; Bizet, Georges; blood; blueprints; Borg; Borg Collective; Borg drone; Borg hive; Borg Queen; bridge; bullet; "bullshit"; cafe; Café des Artistes; Calico M960; campfire; cannon; captain's log; carbon monoxide; cell membrane; Celsius; Champs-Elysees; chapter; Charnock's Comedy Cabaret; checklist; chest; chorus; chronometric particle; cigarette; class 2 comet; cockpit; collective consciousness; comet; command authorization; coolant tank; counselor; course; cover story; cripple; critical velocity; cybernetic device; cybernetic lifeform; damage; Deep Space 5; defense checkpoint; deflector control; deflector dish; Delta Quadrant; detective; Dixon Hill; dog; dollar; doorstop; dress code; dust; Dyson; Earth; ECON; economics; Emerald Wading Pool; Emergency Medical Hologram; emotion chip; endoskeletal structure; engineering detail; engineering tool; USS Enterprise-E chef; environmental conditions; environmental controls (environmental system); environmental suit; EPS; EPS conduit; Equestrian Adventure; escape pod; external sensors; extraterrestrial; Federation; First Contact; flattery; fluorine; force field; fractal encryption code; French; front line; fuel manifold; fuselage; glasses; Gravett Island; H; H-46; H-47; H-48; H-49; H-50; H-925; H-926; hate; heart; hemisphere; henchman; hero worship; high school; historical figure; holodeck; holodeck safety protocol; hologram; holosuite; horse; hour; hull; humidity; hydroponics; hypospray; injection; inoculation; intermix chamber; internal sensors; interplexing beacon; intoxication; irritation; Ivor Prime; Jefferies tube; Jesus; jukebox; Kaplan; kilopascal; kiss; Klingon; Lake Armstrong; laser; leader; Leo; Les Troyens; lie; life support; light speed; linguistic communication; long range sensor; Ludwig; Luna; "Magic Carpet Ride"; main engineering; maglock; marble; maximum warp; meade; medical tricorder; mek'leth; memory chip; methane; meter; Mintakan tapestry; Moby Dick; money; Montana; Montana Lions; "Moonlight Becomes You"; monument; nanopolymer; neural net; neuroprocessor; New Berlin; New Guinea; no smoking sign; North America; nuclear missile; number one; missile complex; "Ooby Dooby"; opera; ocular implant; outer hull; Orbison, Roy; Paris; particle emitter; particle weapon; particles per cubic meter; patrol; peep show; phaser; phaser rifle; Phoenix music player; plasma coolant; plasma injector; pool; positronic net; power grid; Prime Directive; primitive culture; pulse emitter; quantum torpedo; radiation poisoning; radioactive isotope; rage; ramming speed; ray gun; ready room; red alert; replicator; rhetorical nonsense; Romulan Neutral Zone; saint; satin; Schlitz; scotch; security team; sensor; sensor sweep; sexuality; shakedown; shields; "shooting blanks"; sickbay; skin; skirt; Skylab; Smithsonian; smoking; sober; Sol; Sol system; Solomons; Sovereign class decks; space walk; space sickness; spinal tissue; Starfleet Academy; Starfleet Command; statue; Statue of Liberty; stellar cartography; Steppenwolf; stomach; structural integrity; subspace transmitter; Sumiko III; sunglasses; survey mission; Swedish; telescope; temperature; temporal vortex; temporal wake; tent; tequila; theta radiation; Thompson submachine gun; throttle assembly; time travel; Titan II; titanium; toast; train; transporter room; tricorder; truck; Tycho City; Typhon sector; ultraviolet radiation; vaporize; vice admiral; "Vallon sonore"; visionary; Vulcan; warp barrier; warp core; warp drive; warp field; warp plasma conduit; warp signature; warp threshold; whale; whiskey; white; Wizard of Oz, The; World War III; year; "Z"; Zefram Cochrane High School; Zefram Cochrane's statue; zero-gravity combat training; zombie

Spacecraft references

Akira-class (starships); Apollo 15; Appalachia, USS; Borg cube; Borg sphere; Bozeman, USS; Budapest, USS; Defiant-class; Defiant, USS; Endeavour, USS; Enterprise-E, USS; Lexington, USS; Madison, USS; Miranda-class (starships); Nebula-class (starship); Norway-class (starships); Oberth-class (starships); Phoenix; Saber-class (starships); shuttlecraft; Sovereign-class; Sovereign-type escape pod; spaceship; Steamrunner-class (starships); T'Plana-Hath; T'Plana-Hath-type; Thunderchild, USS; warp ship; Yeager, USS

Other references

Unreferenced material

blacksmith; Buster; Cornell; DePaul; dome money; Earth Defense Network; Great Depression; hovercar; Kirby; McDonald's; militia; Mitchell; night vision; No Zone solution; Molly Brown; paper; planetary defense system; plutonium; ration; Resurrection City; Resurrection Protective Force; Rippert; San Francisco; Scrimm, Jonathan; survivalist; trinary language; windmill; Wright brothers; zombie

Sources

External links

Previous film:
Star Trek Generations
Star Trek films Next film:
Star Trek: Insurrection
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