Editing Species 8472 (section)

==''Star Trek: Voyager''==
Relevant episodes of ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' in which Species 8472 appear include season 3 episode 26 (season finale) "[[Scorpion (Star Trek: Voyager)|Scorpion: Part 1]]" and season 4 episode 1 (season premiere) "[[Scorpion (Star Trek: Voyager)|Scorpion: Part 2]]", season 4 episode 16 "[[Prey (Star Trek: Voyager)|Prey]]", and season 5 episode 4 "[[In the Flesh (Star Trek: Voyager)|In the Flesh]]".

Species 8472 are discovered by the [[Borg (Star Trek)|Borg]] in 2373 when the Borg invade fluidic space ("[[Scorpion (Star Trek: Voyager)|Scorpion: Part 2]]") by opening a rift in space using a [[deflector dish]]. The Borg discover Species 8472 in the [[Delta Quadrant]] and try to assimilate its [[biotechnology]], which is more advanced than anything the Borg have seen. The Borg quickly realize that Species 8472 is immune to [[assimilation (Star Trek)|assimilation]] and that contemporary Borg technology is no match for it. In fact, 8472 is one of the few species so advanced that its ships are able to destroy Borg cubes in seconds. Species 8472 invades the [[Delta Quadrant]] in retaliation for Borg aggression and begins a systematic extermination of the Borg as well as innocent species. Over the course of five months, tens of billions of drones are lost, as well as several hundred planets and ships. When the crew of ''Voyager'' realizes that it has no choice but to go through Borg space to continue home in any kind of timely manner, Captain [[Kathryn Janeway]] hatches a plan to construct a weapon, based on a treatment that [[The Doctor (Star Trek: Voyager)|the Doctor]] had created, to kill Species 8472 and use it as a bargaining chip with the Borg, in exchange for safe passage through Borg space. The Borg reluctantly accept. In conjunction with Janeway, the Borg develop a high-yield [[warhead]] armed with modified [[Nanoprobe (Star Trek)|nanoprobes]], developed by the [[Doctor (Star Trek)|Doctor]] from the Borg's own technology, that is effective at killing 8472 and forces them to retreat to fluidic space. In return for Janeway's help, the Borg allow ''Voyager'' safe passage through their space for the duration of their cooperative efforts. However, upon Species 8472's retreat from normal space, the Borg terminate the alliance in favor of (unsuccessfully) assimilating ''Voyager''.

A member of Species 8472 is left in the Delta Quadrant during the retreat and is relentlessly hunted by a group of [[Hirogen]] for several months.

Concerned about the threat posed by [[Human|humanity]], Species 8472 builds 13 "terraspheres" in the Delta Quadrant and recreates [[Starfleet Academy]] within, as a staging ground for an intelligence gathering mission on Earth. The plan is uncovered by ''Voyager'' and peace talks commence.  Janeway convinces 8472, led by an individual posing as [[Boothby (Star Trek)|Boothby]], that the [[United Federation of Planets]] has no quarrel with them – in fact, the Federation is not even aware of the existence of Species 8472, except for the ''Voyager'' crew, and the crew is well aware that the Borg themselves started the war between the two species by invading fluidic space to assimilate the superior technology of Species 8472.