10 Biggest WTF Star Trek Moments

There's a specific moment in the Lower Decks episode I, Excretus that raises a lot of questions about holodeck technology.

In the episode, the Cerritos crew were playing through various holographic training simulations inside of holopods (the newly introduced, miniaturised versions of holodecks).

Boimler kept replaying a 'Borg Encounter' holoprogram for hours in a desperate attempt to score 100%, but just as he finished, he was ordered by Captain Freeman to remain in the simulation for even longer. The Pandronian conducting the tests (Yem) was intentionally trying to fail the Cerritos crew, but couldn't submit the final report as long as Boimler remained in the holopod.

By the time Boimler was removed from the pod, he seemed to have been genuinely traumatised by the experience. In the simulation, he was assimilated into the Collective, and it actually seemed like he lost control of his body. His eyes went blank and emotionless, and he referred to himself as Excretus of Borg. He came back to reality pretty quick once he left the program, but for a while it seemed like Boimler really believed that he was assimilated. Perhaps he could even hear the voices of the Collective.

This all happened with the safety protocols turned on, but can you imagine how real it could feel if they were deactivated? Perhaps the holographic nanoprobes would actually enter your bloodstream, control your body, and link you to a hive mind. This scene really showcases how horrific some holoprograms can be.