Size of the Dominion

[Granitehewer]

i loved the 'epic' feel of the war, and added a new dimension to the Borg, to see them struggling so, ineptly

[Tsukiyumi]

It was rather epic, along the lines of 'Best of both Worlds', and the DS9 war arc, but I just think it shouldn't have been so brief. Voyager staying the hell out of it for a few episodes, watching from the sidelines, then choosing to intervene when it became perfectly clear the Borg were losing badly would've been more to my liking.

Jeez, Picard wanted to wipe them all out with a computer virus in 'I, Borg' (granted, that was more personal); you would think at least a short delay to allow 8472 to cripple their infrastructure would've been on Janeway's 'to do' list, right?

[Sionnach Glic]

Personally, I would've preferred that 'war' to go on for at least a few more episodes before the EMH magically enhanced the Borg nanoprobes.

Personally, I would have preferred Janeway to sit back with a bag of popcorn and watch the Borg getting a can of asswhoop opened on them.
But, no. Instead, she goes and saves the one species who is the largest threat to the survival of the Federation from extinction. Way to go Lameway.

[Teaos]

But, no. Instead, she goes and saves the one species who is the largest threat to the survival of the Federation from extinction. Way to go Lameway.

From the looks of it 8472 were more of a threat. Probably would have been wise to let 8472 destroy the Borg then destroy 8472.

[Thorin]

It's so dumb it's unreal.

They make the Alliance with the Borg
Federation reasons: to get across Borg space
Borg reasons: to destroy species 8472

Why didn't Voyager let 8472 destroy the Borg, then there would be no goddamn Borg space to cross?!?! Then, if required - if no other outcome was possible (even as seen later, 8472 were a perfectly reasonable species and so another outcome is possible) - then destroy 8472.

[Mikey]

Are you seriously suggesting that Janeway show some common sense, and follow a plan of action which would lead to the best possible set of outcomes for herself and the Federation? Preposterous! [/sarcasm]

[Sionnach Glic]

From the looks of it 8472 were more of a threat. Probably would have been wise to let 8472 destroy the Borg then destroy 8472.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. There is no evidence that 8472 were a threat to anyone other than the Borg, who had started the war in the first place.

Are you seriously suggesting that Janeway show some common sense, and follow a plan of action which would lead to the best possible set of outcomes for herself and the Federation? Preposterous! [/sarcasm]

You're right Mikey, I apologise for the brief lapse in sanity.

[Teaos]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. There is no evidence that 8472 were a threat to anyone other than the Borg, who had started the war in the first place.

Dejavu anyone. Remeber last time we had this debate Seafort got those 3 quotes for us that showed they were hostile. One said "purge our galaxy". That is proof.

[Sionnach Glic]

Oh, you mean these quotes?

From the script, immediately after Voyager escapes from the bioship that attacked it while they were investigating the Borg "graveyard".

JANEWAY: Kes...?

KES: I could hear its thoughts... the pilot of the bio- ship it tried to
communicate with me

Kes concentrates, trying to make sense of the impressions.

KES: They're a telepathic species... I think I've been aware of them for
some time now... the premonitions... (beat) Captain, it's not the Borg
we should be worried about... it's them.

JANEWAY: What did it say to you?

Kes looks at her.

KES: It said. "The weak will perish."

Later, after Voyager detects the "northwest passage" filled with bioships emerging from fluidic space:

KES: They come from a place where they're alone... nothing else lives
there...

CHAKOTAY: Some kind of parallel universe...

KES: I don't know...

Kes shivers a little, struck by a sudden malevolence...

KES: I feel... malevolence... a cold hatred... (thinks) The weak... will
perish... it's an invasion... they intend to destroy everything...

In part 2, during the battle

KES: I can hear them... they want to talk. through me...

Kes concentrates... then turns to Janeway...

KES: They saywe've contaminated their realm.

Janeway hesitates- this is a strange way to make First Contact.

JANEWAY: (to Kes) Tell them... we had no choice. we were only trying to
defend ourselves.

INTER CUT:

104 MENTAL FLASH (OPTICAL)
An ALIEN FACE, aggressive, terrifying!

104A RESUME KES
as she "listens" to the aliens

KES: They say our galaxy... is impure. Its proximity is a threat to
their... genetic integrity.

JANEWAY: Tell them we have a weapon... a devastating weapon that can
destroy them at the cellular level. (beat) If they don't stop their
attacks on the Delta Quadrant... we'll be forced to use it.

Kes thinks...

KES: They said, Your galaxy... will be purged.

The first was in response to a unidentified ship whose crew had been poking around both inside a recently disabled enemy ship, and aboard the 8472's own ship. The second was during the assault phase of an incursion from their own space into known hostile territory. The final one was communicating with an intruder into their space, which only enemy forces had done before, equipped with the technology of that known enemy. I would say that the first and last can be explained as aggression towards an enemy, with a good dose of psychological warfare. The other was during the middle of an attack, where aggression is key to success. It's hardly a good way to determine the default attitude of a species towards other species.

And, I'll say what I said in that very thread again:

So the whole 'we'll destroy you're galaxy' line was in response to Voyager, who had attacked them with no provocation, threatening to commit xenocide.
Sounds more like they were trying to threaten her to me.

[Teaos]

"The weak will perish"

Sounds like a mentality rather than a response.

And isnt that quote from before when we first attacked them?

Those quotes show they were a threat to the Galaxy. Voyagers attach just bumped us up the "To kill" list.

The only way she could have handled that better was for her to wait for them to destroy the borg then us to kill them. But by then they probably would have been to far spread and a real threat to everyone.

[Sionnach Glic]

"The weak will perish"

Sounds like a mentality rather than a response.

That could easily mean the Borg, who 8472 were aleady at war with, and who they would consider to be weak.
Or, it could be a simple threat to try to get rid of Voyager.
Or it could simply be the attacker saying 'you're screwed'.
I see no reason why the pilot of a ship would mean that quote to mean the entire galaxy, when its far more likely he meant Voyager.

And isnt that quote from before when we first attacked them?

Seafort answered that in his post.

From the script, immediately after Voyager escapes from the bioship that attacked it while they were investigating the Borg "graveyard".

So there was combat happening there, and psychological warfare might be common among a telepathic race.

Those quotes show they were a threat to the Galaxy.

No, it dosen't. It shows they used psychological warfare, and that they were agressive towards Voyager.

Voyagers attach just bumped us up the "To kill" list.

No, Voyager's attack put us on the 'To Kill' list. I noticed a severe lack of genocidal actions towards other races than the Borg, and the Federation. Both of whom attacked 8472 first.

[Teaos]

Ummm... You said it your self they attacked us in the graveyard before we made any hostile move towards them. So they attacked first taking away a large part of your arguement.

That could easily mean the Borg, who 8472 were aleady at war with, and who they would consider to be weak.

Or it could mean the weak will perish... and considering everything in our Galaxy is weak compared to them it would seem they would all perish. You have to distort the meaning to your own means I take them as they were said.

They are a species that are the only one from there area. Until recently they were unaware of any othr species. Thus the appearence of hundreds of other species may have severly scared them and caused them to restore their sole species universe.

No, it dosen't. It shows they used psychological warfare, and that they were agressive towards Voyager.

You have no evidence it was psycological warfare. You have to take it literally until proven wrong by canon.

No, Voyager's attack put us on the 'To Kill' list. I noticed a severe lack of genocidal actions towards other races than the Borg, and the Federation. Both of whom attacked 8472 first.

No as I stated they attack us first for no reason in the graveyard.

[Thorin]

My point stands that they didn't need an alliance with the Borg, could have waited til the Borg were killed, then Voyager could have destroyed 8472.

[Teaos]

Voyager is as slow as hell. So long as 8472 stayed away from that one ship they could destroy our whole Galaxy and we wouldnt be able to do shit to stop them. Voyager was 60 years away from home, 8472 could have wiped out everyone before we had a chance for full deployment of the weapon to stop them.

They needed the Borg for the deployment of the weapon.

[Thorin]

If the holographic doctor on one ship stranded a long way away could defeat 8472, I'm sure the entirity of Starfleet would have no problem (they have Picard, like Voyager has Seven).