Ep 11. Lineage

Seven of Nine takes center stage in Star Trek: Voyager's season 7 episode 11, "Lineage." As the only full human of the crew, Seven has been exploring what it means to be both human and Borg for years. In this episode, those conflicts come to a head as she grapples with her past and her future.

The episode begins when Seven receives news that her Aunt Irene has died from a degenerative illness. It's an emotional moment for Seven, who decides she wants to receive medical treatment for the same condition in order to prevent it from affecting her life later on. Of course, as a former Borg drone, Seven's physiology is incredibly complex, and the procedure proves difficult.

At the same time, Seven's Borg technology is causing some unexpected issues. As she undergoes the procedure, her nanoprobes - the tiny machines that once kept her linked to the Borg Collective - begin to malfunction. This leads to a number of complications, not only with the medical procedure but also with her mental state. Seven begins to experience vivid hallucinations of her time as a drone, hallucinations that ultimately threaten to derail her attempt to become fully human.

To add to the stress, Seven's mother, Magnus Hansen, and her father, Erin Hansen, make a surprise visit to Voyager. The Hansens were known for their groundbreaking research on the Borg, which led them straight into the Collective's grasp. Magnus was killed during that encounter, and Erin was left to raise Seven alone. Now, years later, he's eager to reconnect with his daughter and make up for lost time.

The tension between Seven and Erin is palpable - Seven is frustrated that he's only now making an effort to be in her life, while Erin is clearly overwhelmed by his daughter's Borg technology. He's particularly upset when he learns that Seven wants to undergo the medical procedure, convinced that it will strip away her uniqueness.

Throughout the episode, Seven grapples with her own identity. She's spent so long trying to suppress her Borg origins and become more human that she's lost touch with her own past. She's also been so focused on her individual survival that she's never considered what her children might look like, what kind of life they might have. This becomes a key point of conflict between her and her mother, who sees Seven's desire to undergo the procedure as a rejection of her Borg heritage.

But as Seven's hallucinations continue, she realizes that she has to confront her past in order to move forward. She travels to the planet where her Aunt Irene lived, hoping to find some answers about her family history. The trip is revealing - she learns that her Aunt had a warm, loving relationship with Seven's mother, one that she herself has always yearned for. And when she speaks candidly with her mother for the first time in ages, she learns that her parents had always wanted a daughter, and that they loved her fiercely.

This emotional journey is accompanied by some incredible performances from the cast. Jeri Ryan brings real nuance to Seven's conflict between her human and Borg sides, while Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway is both supportive and a little uncertain about how to handle her crew member's situation. The episode takes a deep dive into one of the series' most beloved characters, and does so in a way that's both moving and thought-provoking.

Ultimately, "Lineage" is a poignant exploration of what it means to be human, to be different, and to grapple with the past. The episode leaves viewers with plenty to ponder long after the credits roll.