Hugh (Star Trek)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into List of Star Trek characters: G-M. (Discuss)

In the fictional Star Trek universe, Hugh, otherwise known as Third of Five, is a Borg that appeared in The Next Generation episodes I, Borg and Descent. He was portrayed by Jonathan del Arco.

Third of Five was a young Borg that was sent on a mission in the Argolis Cluster. His ship crash landed in 2368, leaving him the sole, wounded survivor of the five-borg crew. The USS Enterprise-D arrived soon after and hesitantly brought him aboard for medical treatment. He was put into the brig and remained there, save for occasional interrogation and examination sessions. Enterprise crewmembers considered the idea of sending Hugh back to the collective with a virus that would destroy it (the virus was actually an impossible object that would, upon Hugh's reassimilation, spread throughout the collective and cause massive system failure), but ultimately abandoned the plan, not willing to use him as a living weapon of mass destruction.

Interactions with Guinan and Geordi La Forge brought him to the realization that resistance is not futile and that individuality is to be appreciated. Hugh was offered the choice of staying on the Enterprise or being returned to the collective but, in the interests of his new friends' safety, he asked to be reintegrated with the Borg at the site of his vessel's crash. He was reassimilated into the collective, but apparently retained enough individuality to fleetingly acknowledge La Forge before departure.

Several years later, Hugh reemerged as a member of a band of renegade Borg, one of the first indications within Star Trek of fractures within the Borg collective. He and his band were in opposition to the band led by Lore, and he was instrumental in Lore's removal from power and eventual deactivation.