Object
Borg Tractor Beam
The Borg project this gravitational energy beam from their cube to seize the Enterprise. It locks onto the hull, causing violent shudders that test shield integrity. Geordi modulates shields to deflect the initial grip; later strikes bypass defenses entirely. Worf reports the lock, Picard orders countermeasures, and Shelby disrupts it briefly with phaser frequency shifts. Crew watches it strain the ship on bridge viewers, marking the Borg's probing assaults and final capture maneuver.
12 appearances
Purpose
Locks onto and restrains target vessels, bypassing shields to enable boarding or towing
Significance
Drives escalation from standoff to direct confrontation; enables Picard's capture, shifting crew from defense to desperation and exposing Federation vulnerabilities against adaptive Borg tech
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used