Let's speculate on the deep, dark secret

[SJGardner]

It might be just as crackpot as many other theories I've seen floated here and there, and I'm not even sure it fits how technology works in Trek, but if Maddox or even Soong used Borg technology to create androids/synths, then perhaps the very act of making Borg and Federation technology compatible with each other could open a gigantic backdoor for the Borg to be able to access and subvert every piece of networked Federation technology. Imagine if the Borg were able to use that backdoor to reprogram every single replicator to saturate every meal with nanoprobes.

Realistically thinking, it can be anything at this point, and the only clues we have are the Zhat Vash being ancient, Soji being called the Destroyer, Maddox sending her to a Borg cube which suffered a submatrix collapse after assimilating a couple of Romulans (which reminds me a bit of Icheb as a genetically engineered anti-Borg weapon), and the fact that Oh/Jurati thought Maddox was too dangerous to be left alive (not to mention his lab being razed by the Tal Shiar to destroy all his research). So I think the most probable reason is that Maddox's synths were based on Borg technology, and there's some connection between the Romulans/Vulcans and the Borg. I am eager to learn more in the coming 5 episodes because I'm finding it a good mystery so far.

 

[The Old Mixer]

2. Narek is obviously stalling with his sister. For what purpose? Is he a double agent? Does he work for the Borg? Or is he a synth?

A hologram!

6. Did Oh tell Jumati that Maddox deliberately had the synths destroy Mars? When in fact Maddox is innocent?

Not likely. When she was killing Maddox, she said, "I wish you knew what I know. I wish I didn't know what I know...I wish they hadn't shown me."

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

Everyone seems to be assuming that the "far older cabal" must be of Vulcan/Romulan origin. Whilst we're probably supposed to believe that, there is the possibility it just existed in Romulan space before their arrival, and was adopted by the newcomers based on knowledge passed on to a few.

 

[iamzod]

People could also be looking at this from the wrong angle. Rather than the Romulans having created the Borg. Maybe the Romulans discovered Borg Tech in the past thousands of years ago whilst looking for somewhere to settle & it scared the pants out of them & they are now left with a deep rooted fear of Cybernetics.

 

[Cake]

My money is on the Vulcans creating the Romulans a la Cylons.

If that is true, why are the Romulans hating androids so much? If the Romulans are like Cylons or Kaylons, wouldn't they rather hate biological lifeforms?

 

[Dukhat]

If that is true, why are the Romulans hating androids so much?

They took their jobs?

 

[Cake]

2. Narek is obviously stalling with his sister. For what purpose? Is he a double agent? Does he work for the Borg? Or is he a synth?

I think he is falling in love and don't want to kill her. Maybe he also thinks by now that she is too good to be threat and to deserve death. I think the writing will go this way.

So the big dark secret is:

1. Romulans are ALL synths. Created as disposable soldiers by the Vulcans during their warlike period.
2. Peace comes to Vulcan through Surak. Vulcans try to eliminate their Cylon creations. But they rebel and some escape.
3. The Vulcans create a Blade Runner corps called the Zhat Vash. After hunting down all the synths on Vulcan, they infiltrate Romulan society, govt, including the Tal Shiar.
4. The Zhat Vash seen an opportunity to eliminate the Cylon Vulcans (Romulans) once and for all, by using Borg tech to cause a supernova.
5. They also collaborate to eliminate Federation synths and use them to attack Mars. Dooming more synth Romulans to destruction and getting the Federation synths banned. Two birds with one stone.
6. Narek is a Vulcan Zhat Vash, but the Borg have their OWN plans. They allow this all to happen as it serves their interests to see Romulans and synths weakened. But in fact, they have their own sleeper agent plan that is about to swing into action.
7. Romulans do not know they are synths, but the Borg discover it by assimilating them.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

If this is right, they would turn Vulcans into really hugh assholes. I mean they didn't just kill Cylon Vulcans (Romulans) and human Synths, they killed 92,143 people on Mars and the Mars atmosphere is still in flames. Vulcan is an influential Federation member. They could have tried to prevent the building of Synths though political means, but it seems they didn't.

And there is also no logical reason to want to destroy the Romulans nowadays. They weren't a big threat to the Federation in the 24th century. Too weak and they don't appear to have any kind of super powers or super intelligence or anything which makes them more dangerous and capable than biological races like the Klingons or the Cardassians. They definitely appear more harmless than the Borg and the Changelings.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Wait, if Romulans are synths, how can they procreate? Asking for Saavik.

This begs the (philosophical) question: even if Romulans originated as Synths, wouldn't that point be moot after the second generation is born? Because they're not "manufacuted", they're genetically grown from their parents -- i.e. living beings.

 

[Crazyewok]

They took their jobs?

 

[eschaton]

I don't have any grand predictions for the deep dark secret, but I do have one small prediction:

Soji will not directly or indirectly cause the apocalypse to happen. Either the Romulans are wrong about the prophecy, or they're misinterpreting it. She's not going to end up the Borg Queen or something.

Why do I say that? Because one of the central themes of Trek - which Picard seems to be following - is every sentient being is a person, and worthy of equal respect. It would be so unbelievably off-brand to have Soji become the antagonist, because it would mean that the Zhat Vash were right all along - that synthetics are monsters that need to be suppressed, rather than just people who are discriminated against.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Soji will not directly or indirectly cause the apocalypse to happen. Either the Romulans are wrong about the prophecy, or they're misinterpreting it. She's not going to end up the Borg Queen or something.

Why do I say that? Because one of the central themes of Trek - which Picard seems to be following - is every sentient being is a person, and worthy of equal respect. It would be so unbelievably off-brand to have Soji become the antagonist, because it would mean that the Zhat Vash were right all along - that synthetics are monsters that need to be suppressed, rather than just people who are discriminated against.

I suspect they're going for a situation in which Soji has a deep, dark destiny, and her character arc becomes about fighting it.

 

[El Maestro]

I don't have any grand predictions for the deep dark secret, but I do have one small prediction:

Soji will not directly or indirectly cause the apocalypse to happen. Either the Romulans are wrong about the prophecy, or they're misinterpreting it. She's not going to end up the Borg Queen or something.

Why do I say that? Because one of the central themes of Trek - which Picard seems to be following - is every sentient being is a person, and worthy of equal respect. It would be so unbelievably off-brand to have Soji become the antagonist, because it would mean that the Zhat Vash were right all along - that synthetics are monsters that need to be suppressed, rather than just people who are discriminated against.

I think a lot of how this plays out will depend on what The Destroyer is supposed to destroy. It might not be literal destruction but metaphorical destruction that brings about great change. Maybe Soji is the destroyer because she represents a big evolution in how life is propagated (we can manufacture it in an industrial process as opposed to biological reproduction).

ETA: your username checks out for this!

 

[eschaton]

Here's some more generalized speculation:

Romulans aren't synths, Romulans are "Borg" - kinda.

One of the big questions involving the Romulans has always been how even though they are biologically Vulcan - and presumably driven to fits of rage and the like when they don't embrace Surak's teachings - they seem to get by just fine overall. What if after they left Vulcan, the Romulans decided upon a technological solution to the problem? A small cortical implant which would help them keep their own emotions in check. This implant would have to be some nearly undetectable type of tech, but it would still be there.

This helps to explain why the disordered Romulans exist - there's hardware in Romulan bodies which is incompatible with assimilation (as we know the Borg have a hard time assimilating alien tech, unlike alien biology). As for their hatred of synthetic life, their implants may just leave them incredibly vulnerable to being "hacked" - which means they absolutely do not want to be anywhere near an android which may be able to use its powers to enact mind control.

 

[Jedi_Master]

This whole show is just Bob Hartley's latest dream.

 

[Tarek71]

A hologram!


Not likely. When she was killing Maddox, she said, "I wish you knew what I know. I wish I didn't know what I know...I wish they hadn't shown me."

I think getting help from Borg tech was the undoing of Maddox's work. I think the Cube is a Borg plant. I think the whole trade in Borg parts has been infiltrated by the Borg. They have embedded some kind of corrupting computer code that allows them to hack anything the Borg tech networks with, including the synths. The Borg buried an activation code to take over the synths, and use them to destroy Mars.

Maddox is who entered the Code, but like NuBSG Baltar he doesnt know that a malicious trojan horse is buried within. It makes him seem guilty, but he was used, as Baltar was.

 

[The Old Mixer]

They have embedded some kind of corrupting computer code that allows them to hack anything the Borg tech networks with, including the synths. The Borg buried an activation code to take over the synths, and use them to destroy Mars.

Maddox is who entered the Code, but like NuBSG Baltar he doesnt know that a malicious trojan horse is buried within. It makes him seem guilty, but he was used, as Baltar was.

Much as I don't want this to turn out to be "Here come the Borg again!"...if that is what they're going for, that's not a bad theory.

 

[Tarek71]

I think he is falling in love and don't want to kill her. Maybe he also thinks by now that she is too good to be threat and to deserve death. I think the writing will go this way.

No doubt they will do the whole "at first it was just a mission to get close to you, Soji, but then the feelings became real", etc etc. But I think they are being set up to be tragic figures. One or both will have an activation code, whose programming they cannot overcome. And the other will have to destroy them. Ie Narek is infected with the Borg trojan horse, just as he infected all the Borg tech with it, including the synths. Soji will be the one to have to phaser-vaporize him.

Or vice versa. It is Soji who, owing her existence to Maddox work, has been infected with the Borg assimilation computer virus, and she will have to be destroyed.

That's my guess anyway.

 

[Dukhat]

Wait, if Romulans are synths, how can they procreate? Asking for Saavik.

Saavik is not half-Romulan. Simon Tarses, on the other hand, had a Romulan grandparent.

 

[El Maestro]

I wonder if Narek and weird sister (can't remember her name) might be synths too? They are made in pairs, but do they have to be identical? This might explain his fascination with her (or maybe I'm looking for just about any alternative to "the feelings became real" stuff).

 

[Tarek71]

Much as I don't want this to turn out to be "Here come the Borg again!"...if that is what they're going for, that's not a bad theory.

I think he is like David Marcus and Nu Baltar. Like David in that using the Borg tech solved certain problems that he was struggling to overcome to create the synths. But it was too good to be true.