Star Trek: 10 CORE Seven Of Nine Moments
6. You Are Hurting Me
In the fifth season episode Drone, Seven becomes a mother, of sorts, for the first time. After an accident that sees some of her nanoprobes fuse with the Doctor's mobile holoemitter (and some of Ensign Mulcahy's DNA, lest we forget the Daddy!), a new Borg Drone is created in Voyager's science lab. Ageing at an accelerated rate, the Drone matures in a matter of days, and it is up to Seven to guide him.
This episode sees some of the finest examples of Jeri Ryan's earlier emotional work on the show. She is initially hesitant to take responsibility for the Drone, though it quickly imprints on her as its mentor. She softens as they spend time together, teaching him the history of the Collective, as well as the importance of remaining an individual.
His technology, based on that from five hundred years in the future, is too tempting for the Borg to ignore. Once they receive an inadvertently shared message from him, they send a Sphere to nab him.
The Drone's defence of Voyager, and his subsequent self-sacrifice are devastating for Seven. Though he survives the destruction of the Borg ship, he refuses to allow the Doctor to provide medical aid, understanding that as long as he survives, the Borg will hunt him and Voyager.
She pleads with him, even going so far as to tell him how much he is hurting her. He assures her that she will adapt and then quietly passes away.
The final shot of Seven looking into the same mirror she had practised smiling in earlier is brutal.