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When I watched "First Contact" my impression was, that in the end, our heroes repaired the damage the Borg did to the timeline. But there were so many subtle and not so subtle changes, one could ask if there was really no impact on the timeline as we know it from TNG.

As answered in this question it is highly doubtfull that the Borg entcounters were unrecorded (and the following Borg events in Enterprise also) up to the TNG era and that the actions of our heroes in the past with Cochrane were completely without any impact on the timeline.

But if the timeline changed, what about the events in "Q Who" were the premise that the humans never met the Borg before is no longer true (and Q should know)?

So what impact did "First Contact" have on the TNG timeline as we know it?

Remember that after the first borg encounters (original timeline) the federation build stronger war ships like the Defiant (DS9/First Contact) to prepare for them. If there was a similiar effect after the events in "Enterprise", even the TOS era should have been completely changed (like in the reboot timeline).

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  • I don't think the answer you quoted is more than a wild theory. In the movie they worry a lot about time continuity, I believe that this was the intention- just done very sloppily. I don't know if there is some obscure comic book that explains all of that (someone will have read it), but I can tell you that one shouldn't worry about Star Trek continuity. I already stated that in the other topic. Star Trek isn't Star Wars (insert SW insult), it's about GR's vision of the future which was burried with this movie - if that answers your question.
    – Raditz_35
    Commented Sep 4, 2017 at 17:04
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    Trusting in the word of a being known (on Brax) as the "God of Lies" is probably a mistake. Q is not a reliable source of information
    – Valorum
    Commented Sep 4, 2017 at 17:41

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The events of First Contact appear to be a predestination paradox. The Enterprise didn't cause any damage to the timeline because their presence was (unbeknownst to them) always part of the timeline. Riker was always on the Phoenix assisting with the launch and Geordi was always instrumental in getting the engines ready for its first flight.

Without Borg interference, the launch window might have been missed and/or the first warp test a failure.

DUCANE: The Pogo Paradox.

SEVEN: A causality loop in which interference to prevent an event actually triggers the same event.

DUCANE: Excellent. Can you give me an example?

SEVEN: The Borg once travelled back in time to stop Zefram Cochrane from breaking the warp barrier. They succeeded, but that in turn led the starship Enterprise to intervene. They assisted Cochrane with the flight the Borg was trying to prevent. Causal loop complete.

DUCANE: So, in a way, the Federation owes its existence to the Borg.

SEVEN: You're welcome. The Seven of Nine paradox.

Voy: Relativity

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