Locutus

For the mirror universe counterpart, see Locutus of Borg (mirror).

For the alternate mirror universe counterpart, see Locutus (AMU).

Locutus
Full name:	Locutus of Borg Jean-Luc Picard (pre-assimilation)
Species:	Assimilated Human
Gender:	Male
Affiliation:	Borg Collective

Locutus was the Borg designation for the assimilated Jean-Luc Picard.

Locutus was created when the Borg assimilated Jean-Luc Picard to act as Speaker of the Borg Collective to the Federation, to prepare the people of the Federation for assimilation. Locutus ceased to exist when the link with the Collective was severed and Picard was returned to normal. (TNG episode: "The Best of Both Worlds")

The memory of his time as Locutus would haunt Picard for many years to come. (TNG movie: First Contact , et al.)

History

Borg Incursion of 2366-2367

Picard's assimilation underway in 2366

The Borg intended to use Picard as an intermediary, a spokesman for the Human race in order to facilitate the assimilation of Earth so that the process would be as quick and efficient (or as perfect, from the perspective of the Borg Collective) as possible, with the fewest number of casualties on both sides. He may have had some form of individuality, as shown by his use of the pronoun "I." (TNG episode: "The Best of Both Worlds")

Locutus with the Borg Queen in 2366

The Borg Queen herself had been aboard the Borg cube where Picard had undergone his transformation into Locutus. Interested in overseeing this event, she had intended for Picard to become her equal counterpart. (TNG movie: First Contact)

Locutus' complexion is drained during the final stages of his assimilation in 2366

Picard's assimilation allowed the Borg to acquire the whole of his knowledge and experience, as well as his own personal knowledge (a fact that was made apparent when Locutus addressed Commander Riker as "Number one"). Picard's detailed information regarding Federation technology and strategy yielded the Borg a significant tactical advantage when Starfleet confronted the Borg cube at Wolf 359. (TNG episode: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", DS9 episode: "Emissary")

Locutus of Borg in 2367

This access proved two-way, however, as the crew of the USS Enterprise-D was able to capture Locutus and use his link to disable and destroy the Borg vessel by sending the Borg cube a command to regenerate, which created a feedback loop that destroyed the cube and severed Picard's link to the Collective. (TNG episode: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II")

Though his implants were removed and his wounds were allowed to heal, Picard's assimilation continued to haunt him. He returned to Earth, and paid a visit to his family in La Barre, France, where he eventually came to terms with the ordeal. (TNG episode: "Family")

Despite this, he carried the trauma for years, with it nearly overwhelming him when he visited the Artifact. (PIC episode: "The Impossible Box")

Despite his separation from the Collective, Borg drones that had never encountered Locutus, such as Third of Five, still referred to Picard using this name, due to Locutus' experiences remaining within the shared Hive mind. (TNG episodes: "I Borg", "Descent")

When Benjamin Sisko made contact with the Prophets in 2369, one took the form of Locutus as he appeared on the viewscreen of Sisko's ship, the USS Saratoga, shortly before the Battle of Wolf 359. (DS9 episode: "Emissary")

When the Borg attempted a second invasion in 2373, Picard's experience with the Borg not only gave him prior warning of the attack, but also allowed him to pinpoint a weakness in the Borg defenses, which resulted in the fleet destroying the invading vessel. (TNG movie: First Contact)

When Captain Kathryn Janeway was conducting negotiations with the Borg in 2374 during the Borg-Species 8472 War, she requested to speak to an individual, and cited to the Borg: "You've done it before, when you transformed Jean-Luc Picard into Locutus. (VOY episode: "Scorpion, Part II")

When Picard went to the Artifact, looking to find Soji Asha, he ran a computer search. One of the images that came up was of Locutus, which Picard reacted to by placing his hand on his own face, where the Borg implants had once been. Once he reached the Artifact, Hugh reassured Picard that he was no longer Locutus. Nevertheless, one of the former drones there recognized him as such. (PIC episode: "The Impossible Box")

Locutus cloned

Locutus, the clone

Locutus returned in 2376 when in the first stages of an invasion of the Alpha Quadrant the Borg assimilated a Dominion cloning facility and recreated the assimilated form of Picard.

This Locutus lead the Borg invasion, and in one timeline succeeded in the complete assimilation of the Federation leading the Borg forces to take Earth. However, with the help of the USS Premonition Picard was able to take the USS Enterprise-E back in time to prevent the Borg invasion. Locutus's cube was destroyed but he managed to escape in a Borg sphere fleeing back in time to destroy the USS Enterprise-D shortly after its first mission to Farpoint Station. Fortunately the USS Premonition followed Locutus back and destroyed the sphere before it could attack the Enterprise and alter history. The clone died as a result. (TNG video game: Armada)

Locutus returns

In 2380, Picard again heard the "voice" of the Borg and discovered the location of a nearby hive that was close to completing construction on a giant cube and resurrecting the Borg Queen by transforming a normal drone into the appropriate female form.

Defying the orders of Admiral Kathryn Janeway, Picard diverted the Enterprise from her assigned mission, and went to confront the Borg.

After losing an away team to the Borg, who now attacked on sight, Picard determined that the only way to get close enough to the queen to destroy her was to infiltrate himself, as Locutus.

His transformation was accomplished by Dr. Beverly Crusher, who implanted a chip in Picard's Borg cybernetics that would allow him to remain himself.

The operation didn't go as planned and Picard was captured by the Queen, who finished his transformation back into Locutus. Utilizing a Romulan cloaking device, Commander Worf brought the Enterprise within range of the cube and began a rescue operation.

The Queen was defeated by Dr. Crusher, who had developed a way to reverse the Queen's transformation and revert her to a normal drone. With the Queen's defeat all of her drones, including Locutus, went into hibernation mode.

Upon returning with Locutus/Picard to the Enterprise, Dr. Crusher was able to reverse the process, and restore Picard. (TNG novel: Resistance)

At some point in the same year, Picard encountered the rogue Vulcan T'Uerell who was attempting to form a Collective of her own in order to impose her cold logic and order on the galaxy. When she encountered Picard's assembled task force of Federation, Klingon Empire and Romulan Star Empire; she refered to Picard as Locutus. (ST video game: Legacy)

Also in the same year, the Borg appeared in orbit of Earth claiming that they had encountered a powerful alien from an alternate universe. They specifically requested the help of Picard. This turned out to be a Borg ruse, however, and the fleet was decimated. But when a version of Data appeared from the future, having been sent by Locutus of 500 years hence, Picard agreed to allow himself to be assimilated again, directly by the queen. He briefly became Locutus again, but in the process introduced a nanovirus to the collective that destroyed them utterly. (TNG comic: "Hive")

This account contradicts the method of the Borg's destruction seen in Star Trek: Destiny.

Parallel universes

In a parallel universe where (among other differences) the USS Enterprise-D's attempt to retrieve Locutus during the intial invasion failed, Locutus managed to circumvent the collective to open rifts to different universes. (TNG comic: "The Worst of Both Worlds")

The Enterprise crew from both universes worked together to retrieve Locutus from the former Starfleet headquarters on Earth and implement an "eat" command, destroying the Borg by forcing them to draw energy all at once. Beverly Crusher then restored the alternate Picard to human form. (TNG comic: "And Death Shall Have No Dominion")

In 2375, Q took Picard to other parallel universes, in order to bring balance to all of reality. They arrived in one where Locutus continued to thrive; deadlier and more consistent than the version of "their" universe. Q was actually relieved when "mon Capitain" finally stopped his pursuit of them, with an explosion. (TNG novel: I, Q)

Alternate timeline

In an alternate timeline, the Borg succeeded in a ruse to destroy most of Starfleet and, in the process, they re-assimilated Picard. He once again became Locutus, and reigned for 500 years alongside the Borg Queen. He then recreated Data from his stored intelligence and sent him on a mission to the past to destroy the Borg. (TNG comic: "Hive")