Not just necessarily in the show, but in the EU. Can the Borg assimilate the Crystalline Entity? What would the outcome be?
-
that would be cool, i dont know if we have anything to compare the crystalline entity too, the tholians maybe? we know that the for sure cant assimilate everything since they were unable to assimilate the Undine(Species 8472).– HimarmCommented Oct 10, 2014 at 21:55
-
1Given Richard's answer, would be nice to get public apologies from close-voters.– DVK-on-Ahch-ToCommented Oct 11, 2014 at 6:09
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
Unlikely in the short-term.
Every time we've seen assimilation occur, it seems to require a being's bloodstream to disseminate the nanobots involved in the assimilation process. It seems unlikely that the same technique would work on what is essentially a really big rock.
That, plus the neural interfaces the Borg use to connect to the Collective probably require neurons at the very least. A whole host of problems would probably occur, all centered around the issue of Borg tech being designed for humanoid, or at least biological (rather than geological) lifeforms.
That being said, just give them time. The Borg are nothing if not adaptable.
answered Oct 10, 2014 at 22:23
-
3Why the downvote? There is no canon answer, as the only time the scenario is tested is with a bug in a fan-made game mod, but the conclusions in my answer are all drawn from canon evidence of assimilation methods. Commented Oct 10, 2014 at 23:03
-
I downvoted. I recall at least one epidode where the Borg are mentioned to have assimilated a non -biological species.– ValorumCommented Oct 11, 2014 at 6:26
-
-
Voyager : The Gift. The borg are described as having assimilated technology from an "omnicordial species" on a "transmaterial energy plane".– ValorumCommented Oct 13, 2014 at 16:49
-
@Richard And the episode says they assimilated it using pre-existing Borg technology, designed for humanoids, without modification or adaptation? My answer explicitly stated that, given time, the Borg could probably assimilate anything, but that assimilating the Crystalline Entity was "unlikely in the short-term" because their current technology was incompatible. Commented Oct 13, 2014 at 16:58
Although there's no real answer in the TV series (or EU books), there is one instance where the Crytalline Entity encounters the Borg and that's in the game mod for "Star Trek Armada : 3"
Due to a bug, the Borg were able to both assimilate and replicate the Crystalline Entity, creating a Borg/Entity hybrid that was essentially unstoppable.
-
11A bug in a mod to a game from an unrelated universe sounds about as far from canon as you can get...– IzkataCommented Oct 10, 2014 at 23:12
-
2
-
While I'd question how canon that information would be, I admire the Galileo reference. Commented Oct 13, 2014 at 15:34
-
@Ozymandias - Oh, it's not in the least bit canon. And yet there it is on screen.– ValorumCommented Oct 13, 2014 at 16:46
-
I once got in a three way battle with a Borg cube, the crystalline entity and my ships in the game Birth of the Federation. (such a great game, best Christmas present ever) Needless to say, I didn't last long enough to see the outcome but I think the Crystalline entity would have won. It's focus fire was better than the Borg. I could beat it, but it took 10+ ships and I'd lose half of them. The Borg would need multiple ships.– JoshuaCommented Mar 3, 2016 at 15:10