10 Most Unexpected Star Trek Moments

2. Picard Is Assimilated And Riker Gives The Order To Fire

Locutus of Borg
Paramount Pictures

Captain Picard is assimilated by the Borg and transformed into Locutus. As the audience feels the panic begin to rise, the camera zooms in on Commander Riker's face as he grimly gives the order to fire a devastating weapon to destroy both the Borg and the man he calls captain.

In the first cliffhanger ending for the franchise, there came almost no greater shock to the system than the apparent loss of Picard to the Borg. The move was ingenius, absolutely solidifying the fact that the audience would return for the fourth season premiere. It still ranks as probably the greatest cliffhanger in the franchise, as the emotional weight behind the shock of the scene gives it a one-two punch.

For a moment, the audience really believed that all was lost and Picard was gone. However, although he was saved from the Borg, the scars he received have remained with him - and the franchise - to this day.

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Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"