Picard was also known as Locutus of the Borg in the episodes `` Best of Both Worlds '' 1 and 2 . The third season finale , `` The Best of Both Worlds , Part I '' , depicts Picard being assimilated by the Borg to serve as a bridge between humanity and the Borg ; Picard 's assimilation and recovery are a critical point in the character 's development , and provided backstory for the film Star Trek : First Contact and the development of Benjamin Sisko , the protagonist of Star Trek : Deep Space Nine . Stewart asked Roddenberry to keep Picard a Borg for a few more episodes beyond the third season finale , as he thought that would be more interesting than simply restoring Picard in Part II .