Star Trek: Voyager’s First Borg Episode Set Up Species 8472

Summary The Star Trek: Voyager episode "Unity" subtly hinted at the existence of Species 8472 through a B'Elanna Torres line.

Producer Brannon Braga later confirmed the intentional setup of Species 8472 in "Unity."

Voyager's subtly serialized storytelling connected "Unity" to Species 8472 in "Scorpion," showing that the show's reputation for purely episodic storylines is untrue.

Star Trek: Voyager's first Borg episode in season 3 foreshadowed the introduction of Species 8472. Although the Borg were established as originating from the Delta Quadrant, Voyager's cast of characters didn't encounter the classic franchise villains until season 3, episode 17, "Unity." Even then, the crew only ran into a disabled cube and a group of ex-Borg living as a cooperative on a nearby planet. Voyager's first encounter with the Borg in the Delta Quadrant was less than menacing, but "Unity" did provide a setup for the introduction of the Borg's greatest enemy, Species 8472.

Species 8472 were introduced in Voyager's season 3 finale, "Scorpion, Part 1." An insectoid race from an alternate dimension called Fluidic Space, Species 8472 proved to be a formidable enemy for not only the Borg but Voyager's crew as well. They outmatched the Borg in terms of technological capabilities, and their defensive measures made them so deadly that Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) formed the first Federation-Borg alliance to try and defeat them. Although Voyager would eventually come to a somewhat friendly truce with Species 8472, the crew's initial encounters with the race were truly terrifying.

Star Trek: Voyager’s First Borg Episode Subtly Foreshadowed Species 8472

"Unity" alluded to Species 8472's existence

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Although Species 8472 didn't make their first appearance until the end of season 3, one scene in "Unity" set up their future introduction. While speculating about what could have disabled the Borg Cube, B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) delivered an eerie line about the Borg having possibly been defeated "by an enemy even more powerful than they were." In retrospect, B'Elanna's line is clearly talking about Species 8472, given that one of their defining characteristics was their ability to defeat the Borg. The foreshadowing in B'Elanna's line was subtle, but its connection to Species 8472 was later confirmed by a member of Voyager's creative team.

Star Trek: Voyager Producer Brannon Braga Confirmed B’Elanna’s “Unity” Line Set Up Species 8472

Braga a definitive link between Voyager seasons 3 and 4

In an interview with Star Trek Monthy around the time of "Scorpion's" initial release, Voyager Executive Producer Brannon Braga revealed that the show's creative team had intentionally tied the episode to "Unity" using B'Elanna's line. Braga discussed the fact that "Unity" never made it entirely clear how the abandoned Borg Cube had been disabled, and revealed that Species 8472 had always been meant to be the cause. Read Braga's full quote about the "Scorpion" and "Unity" connection below:

"Scorpion definitely ties in with an event in Unity but not such that you would have to have seen that episode to understand it. In Unity, we find a disabled cube. It was really never made clear how the cube was destroyed, and now, in Scorpion, you'll find out. So Unity was only a hint of things to come."

Although Voyager has garnered a reputation for badly-used episodic storytelling over the years, clever bits of serialized storytelling like the connection between "Unity" and Species 8472 in "Scorpion" demonstrate that the show sometimes used serialization to its advantage. This is especially clear in an era when all of Voyager can be binge-watched on streaming, allowing for easier recognition of the show's smaller connected moments. Star Trek: Voyager's subtle hints at future storylines turned out to be innovative touches that were employed well by the creative team.

Source: Star Trek Monthly issue 28

Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+.