Written By: Brannon Braga & Joe Menonsky
Directed By: David Livingston
Rating: ***** (out of 5)
�Scorpion� is an action episode that wastes no time, the first shot in the teaser are two Borg Cubes coming towards us, �We are the Borg, yadda yadda, Resistance is-� And than Bang!! A beam hits both of them and they are gone. If you think that�s good, than hold on to your seats because the Wow factor in �Scorpion� is 100% and not even nearly over from here!!
You�d think that just reaching Borg Territory is enough, but no, the Borg are being exterminated by an aggressive alien race called Species 8472, who are a race from another plane of existence and aren�t able to be assimilated by the Borg.
Species 8472 is one remarkable looking creature. The CGI is wonderful. Admittedly it doesn�t look fully real, but for a TV show it really delivers quite a punch. And when it lunges from the wall and gets Harry was creepy.
But the amazing SFX aren�t the only thing about �Scorpion� that makes it a fantastic episode, there is excellent suspense, especially on the Borg Cube with Borg sprawled about the place, and that pile of daed Borg was creepy. The music is wonderful too and adds even more suspense to the episode.
We also have an interesting dilemma for Janeway, should she attempt to travel across Borg Territory, or turn around? And her final decision is clever; an alliance with the Borg. She decides to give the Borg the information the Doc acquired while trying to help Harry. Using Nano-probes is an interesting way to defeat Species 8472, and believable for the context of the show.
Chakotay disagrees with Janeway�s decision and they debate, both arguments are clever and it�s tough to decide who is really right. But Janeway being in command decides to continue with her plan. Just as negotiations with the Borg begin, Species 8472 attacks an entire planet and some Borg Cubes, Voyager managing to barley get out, if it wasn�t for being tractored by a cube that just manages to make it.
�Scorpion� is an exciting story, with superb music, superb production values, acting and hopefully a gripping conclusion.