What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" script?

Discussion in 'Star Trek: Voyager' started by Lance, Apr 2, 2013.

  1. Lance

    Lance Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Never knew about this until today:

    http://cyberspace5.net/agentrichard07/voy-origin.htm

    Apparently this was close to being shot but got rejected as it didn't tie in with where TPTB were going with the Borg at the time.

    You know, on the one hand I think this is kind of neat. Whitta was clearly doing a "Genesis of the Daleks" for the Borg, which is a neat idea. Why not explore where they came from? What would the Voyager writers have had to lose? Doing this script would have been risky, but it might have been a risk that paid off... reading this, I can see it as being a sort of launch-pad to loads of potentially interesting new stories, particularly with 7 of 9.

    On the other hand, the script reads like a throwback in other ways. The pacing, the dialogue, could have come from TNG in season two. Whitta's story is good, but it lacks that extra polish. I'm not sure if the Borg's origin as told here is actually very good either. Reavealing them to have been a scientific experiment, designed to be some kind of semi-bilogical weapon which just grew out of control... say what we will about how Star Trek lost the original mystique that the Borg had, but at least we were still left with our own interpretations of who or what the Borg are. The fact that they didn't really have an 'origin' nailed down was one of the things they had going in their favor. I also wonder how the Borg Queen fits into Whitta's tapestry...?

    What do you guys think? A potential lost classic, or a story best left alone? :)
     
  2. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Okay I started reading it and..
    :eek:

    This is NOT going well.
     
  3. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Just another guy, one of no doubt thousands, who tried to write for Star Trek and failed.
     
  4. R. Star

    R. Star Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Wow, that is a heck of a teaser! :p

    Having read the whole thing, I'd actually say that would've made a pretty good episode. Sure it was fairly predictable where they were going with it, but interesting all the same. Chakotay was almost life like in this "episode." Janeway kills a member of her crew, has no qualms about her lackeys killing a few more and just accepts Seven's "my bad" apology when she accidentally assimilates someone. I'd call this insane behavior, but... typical Voyager material! :p
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2013
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  5. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    I liked everything but the conclusion which was the whole point of the story. The frozen guy, the virus concept, Janeway having to shoot him after some mutual attraction.. a nice one off Borg ep. if the same old same old. But the origin of the Borg being a weapon gone wrong, BLECH, enough already with that deal. Way too predictable and Trek cliche. Boring, even.

    I'm glad we never saw this filmed because the origin of the Borg as a mystery we never got a glimpse of any answers for worked very well. And I'm also glad because the answers we did get in Treklit's Destiny trilogy were fascinating and complex and a great story. Doesn't compare at all to this morality tale of "WMD's are bad mmmmkay".
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2013
  6. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Admiral Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    I skimmed it, and that it was pretty "meh" and on-par with most fan-fics.

    I like Shatner's "V'ger did it," a lot more.
     
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  7. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    There were some oddities that would have been edited out I'm sure, like the newly awakened ancient borg alien dude saying, "well if you guys say that I'm safe.." to Janeway and the Doctor. Aliens, women and serious starfleet people don't use words like "guys", only male buddies like Tom and Harry and Julian and Miles use words like "guys".

    Language in Star Trek is oddly priggish and when it's not it's making a point about how relaxed and friendly the speakers are.
     
  8. E-DUB

    E-DUB Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    I enjoyed it. Clearly a "first draft" that doubtless would have received some polishing. The substance of the story also rang true to me. I've long thought that the "Borg" were the nanoprobes and that the assimilated species were just their way of getting around.
     
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  9. nightwind1

    nightwind1 Commodore Commodore

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Why is someone's fanfic even "news"?
    :wtf:
     
  10. Third Nacelle

    Third Nacelle Captain Captain

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Liked the script, but sort of glad it wasn't filmed. The origin of the Borg needs mystery.
     
  11. R. Star

    R. Star Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Voyager already watered down the Borg to the point where they're just another ineffectual villain of the week, may as well shred away any mystery element from it completely. :p
     
  12. Candlelight

    Candlelight Admiral Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    I'd have preferred the Borg to have been a single species trying to better itself OR combating another species in the same or neighbouring star system. Their experiment caused the assimilation of their own species but began the conquest to assimilate all life in the galaxy.
     
  13. lennier1

    lennier1 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    :cardie:
     
  14. Lt. Uhura-Brown

    Lt. Uhura-Brown Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Bad fanfiction is bad.

    Also, the Doctor's Mobile Emitter can't pass through solid matter.
     
  15. Marcus Porcius Cato

    Marcus Porcius Cato Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    This script would require several rewrites to be usable.
     
  16. Takeru

    Takeru Space Police Commodore

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Maybe those are new celsius, they could have changed the scale along with the warp factors.:rofl:

    Or maybe it's someone writing stuff without doing even basic research and is just throwing scientific terms in to sound smart like "It will take us 3 lightyears to get there".:rommie:
     
  17. lennier1

    lennier1 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    How many parsecs does Voyager need for the Kessel Run? :devil:
     
  18. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Well perhaps parsec means something different in the SW universe. :p
     
  19. xBiophagex

    xBiophagex Ensign Newbie

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    Didn't like it at all. Dialogue seems forced and corny- something that Voyager did not need more of.
     
  20. MrPointy

    MrPointy Captain Captain

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    Re: What are your thoughts on Gary Whitta's "Origins of the Borg" scri

    I remember reading this about 10 years ago, when it floating around the web as a .txt file. It was evocative, but not really something I'd like to see filmed.