VOY - Collective

[clearspira]

It actually does make a lot of sense that the Collective breeds new drones as assimilation is a very inefficient way of reproduction as it depends on the Borg not losing more drones in the process of attacking an enemy than it is going to gain. The Enterprise (D and E) as well as Voyager have probably killed enough drones to fill a small country by now. I imagine as well that these are genetically engineered babies designed with all of the best parts of every creature that they have assimilated.

Incidentally, I really doubt that there are only 5,000 drones on a cube. Its a ridiculously small figure and I am fairly certain that it is contracted by both the pan out shot on ''Q Who'' as well as ''Picard''.

[Deledrius]

It actually does make a lot of sense that the Collective breeds new drones as assimilation is a very inefficient way of reproduction as it depends on the Borg not losing more drones in the process of attacking an enemy than it is going to gain.

Good point. I don't see why it can't be both. At least, depending on the situation, I'm sure they adapt as needed.

Incidentally, I really doubt that there are only 5,000 drones on a cube. Its a ridiculously small figure and I am fairly certain that it is contracted by both the pan out shot on ''Q Who'' as well as ''Picard''.

It makes sense with the original concept that it's a bio-mechanical race where the humanoids are only a small part of the greater body. They aren't the most important organ in the Cube; they may perhaps even be partially vestigial, though this later changes when the assimilation aspect comes in full time.

ST:Picard clearly isn't concerned with anything but spectacle, so it's a terrible indicator of anything and I doubt the people making those shots considered the drone density at all. Especially since the plot tells us this cube was abandoned due to "infection" by the Tal Shiar's Tal Shiar murderous brain delusions. Trying to make sense out of a script written to justify the first and last scene of the entire season where everything else is just nonsense filler won't get you anywhere good, and it'll be contradicted next season anyway if it's even remembered at all. Tell yourself it was a "Troop Transport"/"Assimilation Scoop" cube and you'll have done more work to make it consistent than anyone on the show did.