# Borg vs Lightsabers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 10, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692 "2003-10-10T16:23:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/1 "2003-10-10T16:23:50Z")
Could Borg drones eventually adapt their personal shields to lightsaber strikes? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/2 "2003-10-10T16:44:32Z")
These days it seems like Borg cubes will explode if you shoot a spitball at them, so I doubt it 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/3 "2003-10-10T21:27:02Z")
We’ve seen (in Episode I) that at least some forcefields can block a lightsabre, and even normal metals can resist one somewhat, as seen by Qui-Gonn slicing through the blast door. And even if we reject the prequels as non-canon, whatever it is that makes up a lightsabre blade (usually presumed to be some sort of forcefield) can successfully block another blade. Lightsabres themselves are completely technological (although the Force lets you use one a lot more effectively), so I see no reason to suppose that the Borg could not eventually develop sabre-blade-like technology for their shields. But this does, of course, presume non-wussified Borg. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/4 "2003-10-11T01:56:05Z")
Correction: We’ve seen the Jedi in Episode I _not attack_ destroyer 'droids who were force-shielded. We don’t know if their light sabers would have actually bounced off those force shields. Perhaps the force shields were lethal to touch and the Jedi couldn’t afford to get that close with their short lightsaber blades. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![FabioClone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5f8ce5/32.png) [@FabioClone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FabioClone)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/5 "2003-10-11T02:29:32Z")
Correction to the correction: We’ve seen darth maul in Episode 1 bang his lightsaber on the forcefield that separated him and Obi Wan. Since the saber didn’t go through, we can draw two possible conclusions: 1)Some forcefields can indeed stop lightsabers. OR 2)Darth Maul was using a cheap lightsaber knockoff. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/6 "2003-10-11T02:44:21Z")
Well, are we talking about the original, “Q Who” Borg, or the mostly corrupted “Endgame part II” Borg? If it’s the latter, all you’d have to do to make the lightsaber work is have Janeway wield it. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/7 "2003-10-11T03:42:33Z")
I think both the shielded person and the lightsaber wielder would be blown up in a huge blast of subatomic fusion. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/8 "2003-10-11T05:40:41Z")
I always knew there was an advantage to fighting with a Crysknife. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/9 "2003-10-11T19:27:12Z")
The Borg would eventually adapt but all the Jedis would have to do is reverse the polarity to make them work again. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/10 "2003-10-11T19:54:35Z")
The Borg would eventually adapt to block the lightsabers, but the Force would be a huge factor in any Jedi-Borg matchup. A sufficently powerful Jedi would be able to toss even shielded Borg around like matchsticks. And I wonder if the Borg would be influenced by the old Jedi Mind Trick–certainly as individiuals they would be “weak-minded”. I can’t believe I just posted that. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/11 "2003-10-11T20:13:17Z")
They’re only individuals if their connection to the hive is broken though. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/12 "2003-10-11T21:15:15Z")
[scary thought] If the Borg managed to assimilate a Jedi, would they _all_ be able to use the Force? [/scary thought] Anyway, I don’t think mind tricks would work too well unless the Jedi doing them was also part of a Hive mind. Remember how Luke couldn’t influence Jabba? ---
**Author:** ![Snite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Snite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snite)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/13 "2003-10-11T23:39:23Z")
The only way to use the Force is to be Force sensitive. If the Borg assimilated a Jedi, only the Force sensitive Borg could use the Force. It’s not like magic, ki, or psi where you just have to learn how to use it, you have to be born with an adeptness. And I know jack about Star Trek, so I’ll just leave my two cents as that. Psychopachik Vampire ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/14 "2003-10-12T05:52:14Z")
But, according to Episode I, Force sensitivity is linked to the level of “MidiChlorians” in an individual’s bloodstream. It is at least theoretically possible that the Borg might find a way to artificially generate or reproduce the Midichlorians, and introduce them into the bodies of preexisting Borg. Failing that, they might simply _clone_ assimilated Jedi, to produce a Corps of Force-Wielding Borg. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/15 "2003-10-12T06:19:38Z")
But, according to Episode I, Force sensitivity is linked to the level of “MidiChlorians” in an individual’s bloodstream. It is at least theoretically possible that the Borg might find a way to artificially generate or reproduce the Midichlorians, and introduce them into the bodies of preexisting Borg. Failing that, they might simply _clone_ assimilated Jedi, to produce a Corps of Force-Wielding Borg. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/16 "2003-10-12T06:45:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*I always knew there was an advantage to fighting with a Crysknife. \*\* The slow hand will pass through the Borg defensive sheild… ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/17 "2003-10-12T07:05:08Z")
… until the Borg learn to adapt their Shields to stop slow-moving objects. (You might be able to stab 3 or 4 Borg to death before they catch on, though.) ---
**Author:** ![Shortie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Shortie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shortie)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/18 "2003-10-12T11:11:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*… until the Borg learn to adapt their Shields to stop slow-moving objects. (You might be able to stab 3 or 4 Borg to death before they catch on, though.) \*\* … As opposed to the dozen or so we’ve seen taken out on-screen by knives, clubs and bullets already? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/19 "2003-10-12T15:35:59Z")
I wanna see a Star Trek episode where all the red shirts (yes, I know, they wear yellow now) load up with 12 gauge shotguns, or use smart guns ala _Aliens._ (Vasquez, you’re just _too_ bad!). Let the Borg suck up some 3 in. Magnum saboted slugs. If nothing else, they’ll start tripping and slipping on all of the spent shell casings as they advance. ---
**Author:** ![dinoboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dinoboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinoboy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692/20 "2003-10-12T17:22:49Z")
I agree **ExTank** , nothing kills better than the physical removal of a specimen’s parts. I don’t think laser-thingies will replace good ol’ Hardware for a LOOONG time to come. It’s all about kinetic energy, when will we learn? 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/borg-vs-lightsabers/206692.md?page=2)