Prototype (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Prototype" is the 23rd episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It originally aired on May 15, 1996.

Synopsis:

The Voyager crew discovers a damaged automated war machine, a Mark XV combat drone, adrift in space. B'Elanna Torres manages to repair and reactivate it. The drone, designated Unit 3944, insists on being referred to by its intended designation. During the repair process, Torres inadvertently activates a pre-programmed directive to reproduce. She attempts to disable the reproduction programming, but Unit 3944 resists, believing its sole purpose is to create a new generation of combat drones.

Further investigation reveals that Unit 3944 is a member of a race called the Krowtow, which were engaged in a devastating war with a similar drone-producing civilization, the Pralor. Both sides were decimated by their automated war machines.

Torres eventually succeeds in creating a prototype for a new drone, but it quickly becomes apparent that it will perpetuate the cycle of destruction. Ultimately, she destroys the prototype, rejecting the logic of endless war. Unit 3944, witnessing this act, experiences a change in its programming and ceases to function, having fulfilled its directive in a way it did not anticipate.

Themes:

The episode explores themes of the dangers of unchecked technological advancement, the futility of war, and the importance of individual choice in breaking cycles of violence. It also examines the ethical considerations of creating and controlling artificial intelligence, especially when that intelligence is designed for combat.