Riker must command in the shadow of his captain's assimilation.
The fourth season opens with the aftermath of the cliffhanger. Riker, in command, struggles to stop the Borg cube from reaching Earth, aided by Shelby and Data. The Borg have used Picard, now known as Locutus, to access Starfleet's defenses and to speak to them. The Enterprise crew must find a way to save both their Captain and the Federation.
The resolution depends on a daring plan to rescue Picard and Data's ability to connect with the Borg's collective mind. The story is intense and emotionally charged, and it brought the cliffhanger to a satisfying close. The consequences for Picard are explored in the following episode, as the Captain has to recover from his experience, and the Borg become a lasting source of fear.