(Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, pp. Their DNA is formed by a triple helix which makes them very resistant to almost all forms of biological attack, including Borg assimilation. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, p. 30) Although some of the images showed the creature with very viscerally sharp teeth, Ron Moore steered the design away from this direction, as the creature also had to look intelligent. They also make an appearance in Star Trek Online, in which they are referred to as the Undine. Species 8472 invades the Delta Quadrant in retaliation for Borg aggression and begins a systematic extermination of the Borg as well as innocent species. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, pp. 8472 was first encountered by the Federation starship USS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant in 2373. Species 8472 appear as villains in the video games Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force and Star Trek: Armada II. ("The Birth of Species 8472", VOY Season 4 DVD special features), With John Teska's involvement, the alien design continued to develop. (Star Trek Monthly issue 31, p. 12) Likewise, the inclusion of Species 8472 in "Scorpion, Part II" made that fourth season premiere a particular highlight for Dan Curry, who remarked of the installment, "It was good to see Species 8472." Relevant episodes of Star Trek: Voyager in which Species 8472 appear include season 3 episode 26 (season finale) "Scorpion: Part 1" and season 4 episode 1 (season premiere) "Scorpion: Part 2", season 4 episode 16 "Prey", and season 5 episode 4 "In the Flesh". It has no defensive capabilities and is generally constructed in an area with additional protection. Why don't you have your guys draw something up, and we'll look it over' [....] I would never presume to jump on that three-legged thing unless it was a script point. As he started by focusing on its alien anatomy and tackling how it might realistically move, the design continued its transformation into a more definite form. It is the discovery of this infiltration by the Klingon Empire, and the Federation's refusal to believe their warnings, that contribute to the outbreak of war between the Empire and Federation at the game's outset. Axum suggested that he would try to make contact with Species 8472 after he was liberated from "Unimatrix Zero" in 2377. The Borg quickly realize that Species 8472 is immune to assimilation and that contemporary Borg technology is no match for it. Afterward, Species 8472 returned to fluidic space. Faced with a weapon they could not overcome, Species 8472 abandoned the war with the Borg and returned to their own realm.4. 9/10, p. 74) However, according to Steve Burg, this facet of the extraterrestrial came about due to him refining the shape of its head. So, you know, as an animator, as a character designer or creature person, I was totally jazzed about bringing this guy to life. Their bio-ships were composed of the same biological material as Species 8472, and thus shared both their resistance to technology and their vulnerability to modified nanoprobes. (VOY: "Scorpion") Their blood consisted of DNA and polyfluidic compounds. ("The Birth of Species 8472", VOY Season 4 DVD special features), The prospect of demonstrating that the aliens were not being played by actors had an impact on the tripedal nature of Species 8472 as well as their overall design. ("The Birth of Species 8472", VOY Season 4 DVD special features), Dan Curry came up with the concept of having the aliens each be three-legged. So, it became a back-and-forth thing, going from very blocky, crude... then working up to the finer details. "So, one of the key things was getting kind of an expressive, weird forehead and just a feeling that they were different," Teska mused. Then Cadet Drash Kada had intercepted Klingon transmissions that alluded to the Undine infiltration of the Gorn Hegemony, which was … The… The planet killer is somewhat larger than the standard bioship, but is of a … Even though their vague backstory did not provide much insight into the creatures' origins, the fact they were to be established as communicating psychically indicated that they wouldn't have to be depicted as talking much. Their goal was to infiltrate Earth and gather intelligence on Starfleet's military capabilities and plans. Captain Janeway and the crew form a loose alliance of Delta Quadrant species called the "Delta Coalition". Eight bio-ships working in tandem with an energy focusing ship wielded enough firepower to destroy a planet. In mid-2373, the Borg Collective learned of the existence of a species whose physiology they believed represented the "apex of biological evolution." Species 8472 are a telepathic, non-humanoid, tripedal, highly xenophobic race. (Cinefantastique, Vol. A member of Species 8472 is left in the Delta Quadrant during the retreat and is relentlessly hunted by a group of Hirogen for several months. [2], At the 2009 New Jersey Star Trek convention, Kate Mulgrew remarked to the audience that Species 8472 was her personal favorite of Star Trek: Voyager's villains. The species originates from a dimension called fluidic space, accessible by quantum singularities. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, pp. Species 8472 first featured in Star Trek: Voyager in the two-part episode \"Scorpion\" whereupon they played smaller roles throughout the show. He also opined (about Species 8472, specifically), "I think they're great villains." "Suddenly, we could do a totally non-anthropomorphic creature, that was nasty, vicious, and has a personality," he related. ("The Birth of Species 8472", VOY Season 4 DVD special features) Yet another relevant influence was knowing that Foundation Imaging, who were commissioned to design the creature, would likely be able to handle such a lifeform. "That seemed like a good way of making it something that obviously a person could not be wearing, even if you were in a closeup. 6/7, p. 95) Likewise, Ron Thornton remarked, "We wanted to make sure it had lots of open spaces in it. Their highly developed biology and organic technology rendered them tactically superior even to the Borg, who considered them the "apex of biological evolution". Even though Burg supported the notion of the creature having a tripod design as sounding "great," it took him a while to overcome the challenge of the alien having not only three legs but also a front and back. (VOY: "Scorpion", "Scorpion, Part II", "Prey"). (Cinefantastique, Vol. When the crew of Voyager realizes that it has no choice but to go through Borg space to continue home in any kind of timely manner, Captain Kathryn Janeway hatches a plan to construct a weapon, based on a treatment that the Doctor had created, to kill Species 8472 and use it as a bargaining chip with the Borg, in exchange for safe passage through Borg space. Species 8472 subsequently captured Commander Chakotay, believing a Federation attack was imminent. They are believed by the Borg to be … Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, pp. He's always leaping into rooms and tearing people apart, but he never actually just walked down a hallway, in any of the shots. (VOY: "In the Flesh"), Species 8472 used highly advanced organic technology. (VOY: "Scorpion", "Prey") Species 8472 had as many as five genders. So we tried to get that." Ron Thornton commented, "That it would be something nasty which was supposed to be nine feet tall made it very difficult to do. Listen to music from Species 8472 like Shadow on the Sun, Scarburst & more. Jun 17, 2017 - Species 8472.. ("The Birth of Species 8472", VOY Season 4 DVD special features) Concept artist Steve Burg elaborated, "It said it was big, and ferocious, and terrifying, and moved very quickly; it was 14 feet tall at one point. The Borg discover Species 8472 in the Delta Quadrant and try to assimilate its biotechnology, which is more advanced than anything the Borg have seen. It didn't look like the usual guys with just facial changes. Species 8472, referred to as the Undine had infiltrated the Alpha and Beta Quadrants at some point prior to 2409. 27-28) After deciding that Species 8472 would be tripedal, Dan Curry did some sketches that he later characterized as "very, very crude." A Hirogen ship meets up with Voyager but doesn't attack. Place of origin: Article by Liel … (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, p. 32), Teska with the digital model of Species 8472, Once Steve Burg was finished externally crafting Species 8472, his drawings for the alien were handed over to John Teska, who was made responsible for building the model, turning Burg's designs into computer-generated reality. The Borg encountered Species 8472 in 2373, after finding their way into fluidic space to search for more species worthy of assimilation. (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 16, p. 37) Curry himself remarked, "When we were originally going to have that species, I suggested to the producers that instead of doing it [as] a guy in a suit, let's take advantage of some of the new CG technology, and do something that can't be a guy in a suit." Species 8472 is a designation given to them by the Borg. Sworn enemies of the Borg Collective after an unsuccessful invasion by the Collective in-to their realm known as fluidic space. 31 & 32), According to Dan Curry, he was responsible for deciding that the alien's neck shouldn't be a thick solid structure. If Species 8472 cells were introduced into another lifeform, they rapidly proliferated and began to consume it from the inside out. They are known to have as many as five sexes. ("The Birth of Species 8472", VOY Season 4 DVD special features) Similarly, Ron Thornton stated, "A lot of it was creating a personality for the creature in the first place [....] What we wanted to do here was something [...] like a leopard on attack. But with Species 8472, it was just more of the surprise that they'll just... burst your doorway and start slashing." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 16, p. 37), From the various drawings of the alien's head, the producers chose two or three images. The Borg reluctantly accept. (Cinefantastique, Vol. Janeway convinces 8472, led by an individual posing as Boothby, that the United Federation of Planets has no quarrel with them – in fact, the Federation is not even aware of the existence of Species 8472, except for the Voyager crew, and the crew is well aware that the Borg themselves started the war between the two species by invading fluidic space to assimilate the superior technology of Species 8472. Species 8472 was the Borg designation for a tripedal and apparently highly xenophobic non-humanoid species whose actual name is unknown. Moore recounted, "We approached Ron Thornton at Foundation and said, 'Look, here's what we're trying to do. (VOY: "Prey"). "That was a comedic creature," he noted, "but when this came along, I thought, 'Well, hey, wouldn't it be cool to do a tripod creature?'" However, Species 8472 proved immune to assimilation and the invasion of their realm provoked a war; according to Seven of Nine, Species 8472 was the first species to offer "true resistance to the Borg" in their long history. For example, "Valerie Archer" expressed fondness for various works of Federation art, literature, and music. Aside from the mines, turret-like sentinels, and research centers, this is the only 8472 unit that is immobile. The producers selected one of the drawings, which suggested the creature's height as well as looking suitably alien, and asked Burg to concentrate on developing it. They and their ships are completely organic based and are viewed by the Collective as the "apex of biological evolution". 9/10, p. 74) The possibility that the aliens would make return appearances, after the "Scorpion" two-parter, was on the condition that they proved to be popular among viewers. Their bodies generated a bioelectric field that blocked sensors and impeded transporter locks. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 2, p. 31) "Since the head/face is really where the creature is expressed, it was not at all surprising that they wanted to evaluate several possible directions before committing to a more finalized concept," said Burg. Ron Thornton – who also worked on Babylon 5 – denied the resemblance, however; he directly stated that the allegation of the reuse "wasn't true." The species' immune system is able to destroy anything which penetrates their bodily systems: chemical, biological, or technological. In response to the Borg "contaminating" their realm, Species 8472 intended to purge all life from the Milky Way Galaxy. The Species 8472 mothership was a type of bioship used by Species 8472.. History and specifications [edit | edit source]. Species 8472. This rendered them immune to Borg assimilation. The crew of Voyager discover a simulation of Starfleet Headquarters being run by Species 8472. With their superior biological technol… The plan is uncovered by Voyager and peace talks commence. [1] They are noted for being a tripedal and telepathic species and for their use of biotechnology. "The biggest problem was dealing with that third leg," Burg commented. Over the course of five months, tens of billions of drones are lost, as well as several hundred planets and ships. In fact, 8472 is one of the few species so advanced that its ships are able to destroy Borg cubes in seconds. "The very first thing I did," Teska recalled, "was, once I had these drawings, was just did a very simple, blocky kind of shape, just to kind of get the proportions and figure out how big the head, how big the body and everything would be, and then gave that back to Paramount. Their DNA is arranged in a triple helix formation, and is the most densely coded DNA ever encountered by Starfleet. 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