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The Star Trek franchise has always been known for its analogies and metaphorical narrative structures; seen first in the original 1960s series where racial and political references were bursting from its seams. Needless to say, Star Trek frequently adhered to the classic science fiction style of representing and almost masking current affairs amongst a futuristic backdrop. The writer Michael Pounds fittingly summed this concept up by stating that American society was facing a “future in flux” where “creators of cultural products must have recognised in Science Fiction an intriguing metaphor and vehicle for media productions that could be shaped to resonate in contemporary affairs” (1999:36).
Using a topic of discussion as varied as Identity, ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ (Jonathan Frakes, 1996) is the perfect example of a specific tackling of the concept. More precisely, ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ takes an alien invasion theme and strongly suggests in a socio-political manner that American ideology is the dominant and morally correct identity to have. Identity, defined as a set of characteristics and qualities that make something recognisable, can very much be a matter of perspective. After all, it can define something as either ‘the same’ or ‘different’; obviously two very separate things. In the context of Star Trek, identity is frequently used as a way of conveying values of a specific group or person. For example, The Klingons are identified by their rough, aggressive appearance and their deep, grisly language. This is directly aimed at creating a race whose values are more negatively received by the target audience. We are meant to see these ‘creatures’ as the ‘bad guys’. The purpose behind this identity involves the classic connotation of Cold War tensions. The Original Series being a television show whose syndication stretched the ‘hottest’ periods of the Cold War; it is no surprise that this sci-fi created strong and obvious references to the USSR. Proof enough of this can be found with Leonard Nimoy, portrayer of Mr. Spock, who commented that “We’ve always used the Klingons as our analogy for the Communist bloc” (Shatner: 1994:350). This is no isolated incident; another example being the many racial issues relating to the Civil Right Act of the 1960s represented in Star Trek through characters such as the black bridge officer Uhura. It would appear that with a film as contemporary as ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ this formula of representation, analogy and identity is still very prominent through its characters and narrative structure.
The best way to describe the identity crisis at hand in ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ is to explain its opposing sides. On one side is the Borg and on the other, The Federation. The Borg as they are simply known, are half organic half machine creatures who have evolved to ‘assimilate’ and conquer other species into their own. They no longer learn, but simply collect together information from others. As a result, they have powerful and fast adapting technology and the very efficient goal of assimilating everything in their path. First introduced in the TV Series Star Trek: The Next Generation, they soon became the most formidable enemy to ever threaten the status quo of the Star Trek universe. The obvious question is what does the Borg represent? The Klingons were an analogy of Russian Soviets, the Romulans sometimes seen as an analogy of the Chinese. The answer is not so much a distinct group of people, but a form of identity itself. The socio-political structure of the Borg is clearly collective. There is only one voice, one aim in their collective state. To become Borg means to become part of a collective organisation. In being assimilated by a Borg, a being will lose every ounce of their individualism. This can be seen as another poke at Russia and its past Communist rule, but I want to look wider than that. I want to view this analogy as more focused on the form of identity itself, which is collective, rather than just a single user of that identity. Therefore, it could be argued that it is far more than just a communism jibe, but a metaphor for any ideology which conflicts with that of the American way of life. Again, this way of living is looked on as negative and wrong. The Borg are never shown to be trying to bring people a better style of existence. It is only ever viewed as evil and invasive. And thus, I move onto the polar opposite to the Borg in ‘Star Trek: First Contact’; The Federation.
The Federation is a united organisation made up of peaceful alien races coexisting under the quasi-military rule of Starfleet. Starfleet is the Earth-wide organisation that was created by humans after the Third World War. In line with Star Trek’s utopian outlook on the future, this organisation would bring paradise to the planet and unite man like never seen before. Starfleet has often been seen as a very white American dominated group. This is obviously a result of Producer and audience expectations. After all, Star Trek is an American science fiction. Their outlook can be considered racist in that white Americans are the dominant force, and by a natural connection, the same white American ideological morals and values are conveyed through this Starfleet. Whilst the Borg represents a collective ideology, the Federation represent individualism. They put emphasis on individual achievement and growth. It is a clear representation of American values, resonating in a somewhat Capitalist way. Therefore, it is no wonder the Borg are represented as evil, and no wonder that the good Federation must stop them.
The premise of ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ involves the invasion of the Federation by the Borg. They send one ship which is soon destroyed by Starfleet on route to Earth. A smaller ship survives and travels back through time. The Borg’s time travelling plan is to destroy the first warp ship and its inventor Zefram Cochrane. In doing so, humans will never make first contact with aliens and thus Starfleet will never exist; leaving the Borg to freely assimilate Earth. Representing Starfleet is the Enterprise, the only ship to follow them back in time. Commanded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), they must now save mankind. Not long after, the Borg manage to get onboard the Enterprise and begin to assimilate it. A fight ensues. Something worth noting is that during the phaser fights on various decks of the ship, Picard comes across a crewman who has been assimilated. He calls to Picard for help; his body slowly becoming Borg. To Picard, this man’s life is over. It is not an option to allow him to lose his individualistic self. Therefore, Picard shoots him in the heart, killing him instantly. There is no questioning the issue; he cannot be part of a collective state. The Borg viewpoint is never an option. The Borg Queen argues that they are simply trying to bring a higher level of existence to people. The validity of her argument is somewhat questionable given her plan to manipulate her biggest challenge yet, Data.
It is around this section of the film that a subplot develops. The android known as Data (Brent Spiner) is the only one of his kind on board the Enterprise. Through his time with Starfleet, he has continually battled with his identity. He has a simple goal, much like the Borg. He wishes to be human. Obviously, this is a futile goal, as he is an android. Therefore, his quest is more psychological. When Data is abducted by the Borg, he is given the chance to become a human. This is however a plot to openly convert him and gain his knowledge of the computer lockout stopping the Borg’s plans. Therefore, it is not enough to simply assimilate him. Believing he can become human; he allows the changes to his android body. Data can be considered another example of white dominance. He is a high-ranking respected officer on the Enterprise, and his face is ‘white’, or more precisely a silvery gold colour. The connotation however is clear. In ‘Star Trek: First Contact’, this representation is confirmed when the human skin grafted onto his metal skeleton is indeed Caucasian, where it could just as easily have been African, Chinese or Arab (an easy possibility given the equal multicultural haven that is meant to be Starfleet). The truth behind this is that it’s another example of representation. The Producers are predominantly white Americans making a film for white Americans. It is in this same style that ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ takes on the Borg. The Borg are not spreading their ideals, they are simply invading. This can be seen as an analogy of the spread of Communism into Europe and the Far East. The Vietnam War was fought simply because the Americans feared its spread into Vietnam.
Out of the entire planet, the focus is put on the American survivors of the nuclear war. They alone have built a machine that will usher a new age for mankind. The Enterprise crew help the flight of the warp ship occur despite the attacks from the Borg. According to this film, white Americans will be the first humans that aliens will encounter, perhaps explaining the racial course the Earth seemingly takes for the next 400 years. The Enterprise thwarts the Borg’s plans leading to the death of all the Borg on the ship. Their invasion of ideals has failed. Starfleet and the Federation are free to exist and their ideals (largely coming from a white American ideological background) can prosper.
When one refers back to the representational values Star Trek has nurtured throughout its existence, it is so surprise that this was the narrative outcome. This eighth instalment to the movie franchise is without doubt one of the greatest cinematic additions. With its special effects, action packed storyline and the inclusion of the Borg (a fan favourite); ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ was always going to be a critical and commercial success. But it does make one wonder, was it so well received by the western world because it conveyed a story where western ideology prevailed against that which was collective? It is on that level that the film reveals its representational value. It is about conflicting ideological and moral values. But on another level, a more distinctive and basic level, it looks at conflicting identities. The individual identity is taken on by the collective identity, or as I’d rather view it, ‘opposing’ identity. Star Trek is clearly an American/Western Identity; its ideals and beliefs being generalised to the rest of the world as a primary and correct way of thinking. It would seem ‘Star Trek: First Contact’ is no exception to this rule. As the Borg so coldly state to their prey before assimilation: resistance is futile…
Country: USA
Budget: £30 million
Length: 111mins
Bibliography:
Pounds, M (1999) Race in Space: the representation of ethnicity in Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Scarecrow Press, Inc: Lanham, Maryland, US Shatner, W and Kreski, C (1994)
Star Trek Movie Memories, Harper prism: New York
Filmography:
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Q, Who (1989, Rob Bowman, Season 2, Episode 16)
Pub/2008
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