7.02 imperfection

All of the Borg children except Icheb leave, and Seven begins to cry. The doctor discovers that her ocular implant is malfunctioning. Without it, her Borg implants will cease to function and she will die. Janeway returns to a Borg debris field and extracts an ocular implant from a dead drone, having to fight off some warriors who have laid claim to the debris. But 12 simulations later, the doctor has killed Seven all 12 times, and has to concede that the ocular implant from a dead drone will not work. Janeway wants to take the implant from a live drone, which the doctor cannot condone. Then Icheb, the oldest and only remaining Borg child, suggests that his implant be removed. Because he is younger and was not in the Borg maturation chamber for the full cycle, he believes he can adapt without it. Seven will not endanger Icheb’s life and refuses the donation, but Icheb forces things by removing it on his own. He makes an impassioned speech, asking Seven to start relying on other people just as she asked him to do. The speech works: Seven and Icheb both recover, and Seven sheds real tears when Icheb is out of danger. A powerful episode, aided by the intense performance by the actor who plays Icheb. By the time this emotional episode ended, I had to check to see if my ocular implant was malfunctioning, if you know what I mean.