Descent, part 1

Borg who act as individuals attack an outpost and the Enterprise; Data feels anger and, goaded by a captured Borg, goes off in a shuttle with him. Picard's team follows and finds a Borg hall, where Lore appears and Data declares the sons of Soong will destroy the Federation.

• Follows Brothers (S04E03): Lore, last seen in Brothers, reappears in Descent and stands with Data: 'The sons of Soong have joined together.'
• Follows I, Borg (S05E23): Hugh, sent back to the Borg in I, Borg, may explain why the Borg act as individuals; Picard defends the decision.
• Leads to Descent, part 2 (S07E01): Resolves the cliffhanger: Lore controls Data until Picard's team restores his ethics and Hugh's Borg turn on Lore.

Captain's log, stardate 46982.1. Because of his unusual behaviour on the planet surface, Commander Data has asked to be temporarily relieved of duty. Unfortunately, this means he will not be able to help us investigate a disturbing new change in the behaviour of the Borg.

Captain's log, stardate 46984.6. No additional Borg attacks have been reported in the past two days. However, Starfleet has dispatched Admiral Nechayev to take command in this sector in preparation for a possible Borg invasion.

Captain's log, supplemental. We have been on patrol for sixteen hours, and there are no reports of further Borg activity. But tensions continue to run high on the colonies and outposts in this sector.

Characters with no lines who appear according to the cast list or the stage directions.

• Ensign Gates (cast list)

From Memory Alpha. Linked where the credit could be matched to a transcript label.

Starring

• Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Captain Jean-Luc Picard)
• Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William Riker (Commander William T. Riker)

Also starring

• LeVar Burton as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge)
• Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf (Lieutenant Worf)
• Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher (Dr Beverly Crusher)
• Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi (Counselor Deanna Troi)
• Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data / Lore (Lieutenant Commander Data)

Guest stars

• John Neville as Isaac Newton
• Jim Norton as Albert Einstein (Albert Einstein)
• Natalija Nogulich as Alynna Nechayev (Admiral Alynna Nechayev)
• Brian J. Cousins as Crosis (Crosis)

Co-stars

• Richard Gilbert-Hill as Bosus
• Stephen James Carver as Tayar

Uncredited co-stars

• J. Aldrin, Pam Blackwell, Steven Boz, Debra Dilley, Gary Hunter, Dennis Madalone, H. McLaughlin, M. Rotter, Adrian Tafoya, Rogan Wilde as Borg (10 performers)
• David Keith Anderson as Ohniaka III science division officer
• Majel Barrett as USS Enterprise -D computer voice
• Joe Baumann as Garvey
• Christine Anne Baur as Corelki
• Cameron as Kellogg
• Tracee Lee Cocco as Jae
• Gerard David, Jr., Ken Lesco, Noriko Suzuki, John Tampoya as operations division ensign (4 performers)
• Joey Davis, Heather, Curt Truman as Ohniaka III command division officer (3 performers)
• Jonathan Del Arco as Hugh (archive footage) (Hugh)
• Matt Goodrich as Ohniaka III operations division officer
• Grace Harrell as operations division officer
• Jeff as Ohniaka III operations officer
• Kathy as Towles
• Michael Moorehead as science division ensign
• Tom Morga as Borg / Hologram
• Geoffrey Mutch as operations division officer
• Mark Riccardi as Franklin
• Joycelyn Robinson as Gates (Ensign Gates)
• Sissy Sessions as Ohniaka III operations division officer
• Oliver Theess as Enterprise -D crewmember
• Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace
• Vaun Wilmott as Bajoran security ensign