Resistance is futile

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"Resistance is futile" is a famous phrase used by the Borg from the Star Trek fictional universe. Its subsequent assimilation into popular culture has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

The full message states: "We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Locutus of Borg in the Star Trek episode "The Best of Both Worlds" said: "I am Locutus of Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. You will disarm all your weapons and escort us to Sector Zero Zero One. If you attempt to intervene, we will destroy you."

"Resistance is futile" has been used in a 2006 advertising campaign for Leerdammer cheese. The popularity of this phrase may have been a factor in the eventual widespread popularity of "All your base are belong to us."

Notes on Possible Origin

The origins of this phrase in Star Trek scripts may be found in the novel The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) and appears early in the book:

A huge young Vogon guard stepped forward and yanked them out of their straps with his huge blubbery arms. "You can't throw us into space," yelled Ford, "we're trying to write a book."

"Resistance is useless!" shouted the Vogon guard back at him. It was the first phrase he'd learnt when he joined the Vogon Guard Corps.

Although no reference to this book is noted by Star Trek writers, the similarity, and the strong possibility that those writers would be Hitchhiker's fans, makes this a very likely reference.

Douglas Adams, in turn, may have picked up the phrase as part of his association with the BBC series Doctor Who. The phrase "resistance is useless" was used by the Daleks in the episode "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" and later by the cybernetically enhanced Cybermen in The Tenth Planet in 1966. The main Borg article contains more information on the possible influences of the Cybermen on the Borg.

Use of the exact phrase "Resistance is futile" can be traced back to the late 1970s British science fiction television series Space: 1999. The following dialogue occurs in the 2nd season episode The Dorcons, which first aired on May 1, 1978:

Consul Varda: Commander, the Psychon [Maya] will tell you how futile it is to resist us.

Maya [nodding with obvious discomfort]: Resistance IS futile.

Of particular note, Fred Freiberger, an executive producer of Star Trek: The Original Series, was also the executive producer of Space: 1999 when The Dorcons was filmed.