Ketracel-White

[SignGuyHPW]

Hypothetically, if the Borg attempted to assimilate Jem'Hadar soldiers would that introduce a Ketracel-White addiction into the collective? Or would it be filtered out and allow the Jem'Hadar to live without the drug?

 

[wingsabre]

A Jem'Hadar solder does not need to eat, or sleep. They use the Ketracel-White as their sold source of energy. As we've seen from previous episodes, once deprived of Ketracel-White they lose the ability to camouflage, then their mental control, and eventually death. A Borg drone does not need to eat like the Jem'Hadar, however they need to regenerate. Species that were assimilated by the Borg would not need to eat or require Ketracel-White to function, it's energy source would be recharging.

Question is, would a Jem'Hadar solder, who was formerly assimilated, require Ketracel-White? Seven-of-Nine did not need to consume food to the degree her other crew-mates required because she regenerated. Theoretically you can liberate a Jem'Hadar solder from the Dominion control by using Borg implants and a regeneration unit.

 

[R. Star]

Yeah, Borg nanoprobes were always a plot conscious thing. I'd say if they can eliminate need for sustenance, drug addiction falls under that.

 

[Pondwater]

The Borg would find the Jem'Hadar useless as they are clones. The only thing other thing that they'd be useful to the collective is to become tactical drones.

 

[Jono]

The Borg's aim is to achieve perfection and the Jem'Hadar's need for Ketracel-White would probably be seen as contrary to that goal. If they have the technology the Borg would fix the problem in any assimilated drones with some sort of implant to produce the enzyme the Jem'Hadar are missing.

 

[PhoenixClass]

I think it was in "I, Borg" when it was mentioned that the Borg implants generate any compounds the drone's body needs. Jem'Hadar are physiologically dependent on the white, so it would stand to reason that the implants would simply produce it for a Jem'Hadar drone, just as the implants would produce anything else.

 

[Anwar]

We've seen Jem'Hadar that don't need the White to survive, and that this is likely the result of the Founders themselves altering them as such. If the Founders can do it, then so can the Borg.

 

[Marie1]

I think they'd like the mental and physical power of the Jem'Hadar, and the huge numbers.
I'd imagine their nano-tech could replace the need for the White.

 

[Richard Baker]

Ketracel-White was an interesting control mechanism, it reminded me of way back in 'Encounter at Farpoint' where Q showed a future soldier controlled by drugs when they first met him.
I doubt the Borgified Jem'Hadar would need it as mentioned above with the implants providing what is needed and regeneration. I do think it was a real design flaw to have a big dangley tube providing the Ketracel-White - something that could be yanked out or severed in hand to hand combat.

 

[soapp]

Lets say the borg take care of the addiction. The Jem'Hadar can cloak, they would make deadly borg infiltration units. And to tie it in with the Borg trying to assimilate the founders, it would make for challenging situations.

 

[Tosk]

Lets say the borg take care of the addiction. The Jem'Hadar can cloak, they would make deadly borg infiltration units.

It depends though...Jem'Hadar shrouding is a biological asset, but we don't know if being assimilated would leave the ability intact.

After all, The Borg assimilate species with the ability to run, yet we never see a drone do it.