DATA: Personnel File

This time on the Personnel File, I take a look at the career of one of Starfleet's finest and a nearly unique Federation citizen, Lieutenant Commander Data.
This Soong-Type android's life is pretty much all documented there on screen for us to see and even an epilogue of sorts with Star Trek Picard.
I will be using apocrypha and beta content in this video, but primarily sticking to canon.
Other Files,
RIKER: • Will Riker: Personnel ...
SCOTTY: • "Scotty" Montgomery Sc...
BARCLAY: • Reginald Barclay: Pers...
PARIS: • Tom Paris: Personnel File
Music from bensound.com, purple-planet.com and freesfx.co.uk
Star Trek Online developed by Cryptic Studios and Perfect World.
Star Trek, Star Trek Enterprise/Voyager/Deep Space Nine/Discovery/Lower Decks/Picard and The Next Generation are all owned and distributed by CBS.
Star Trek Films are owned and distributed by Paramount Pictures
This Video is for critical purposes with commentary.

[@michaeldriggers7681]

"The tissue was subsequently removed" is a nice way to say that his new skin was boiled off with plasma coolant.

[@donovanulrich348]

Huh If it can boil your skin off, *Data's skinn* off How fucking cooling is this coolant? XD

[@matyasofinvention6304]

@@donovanulrich348 the whole point of coolant is to absorb heat energy and pull it away from whatever device needs to be cooled. So a coolant that could boil off skin after doing its job first could be said to be very good coolant. It's also very possible that the coolant is corrosive to organic matter.

[@laughingman3777]

He's also fully functional. Yar Liked this comment.

[@chrisneumann4202]

And programmed in multiple techniques

[@ChristianAkacro]

I'm surprised and disappointed you didn't mention Data's foray into poetry as among his creative pursuits. Ode to Spot is a masterpiece.

[@zippy-zappa-zeppo-zorba-etc]

Really moving. It brings a tear to my eye socket.

[@moniquebaldea9299]

OMG! SO true… “O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.”

[@ponyperson7513]

Ah yes, Data, the only acceptable robot overlord

[@richmcgee434]

Sorry, Norman from "I, Mudd" already has my vote. The perks were irresistible. No, not Harry's sexbot harem. It's the ability to be able to live 10,000+ years in a nigh-indestructible cyborg body that calls to me, especially when all my friends can do the same so we don't have to go through that ridiculous "lonely immortal" crap bad fiction writers love to dwell on. Try living a few thousand years before you tell me eternity isn't worth the price of your humanity, you angsty prats. It's like a mayfly speculating on how it must feel to hit fifty years old - no empirical basis whatsoever. Uhura had the right idea if she hadn't let that prat Kirk con her out of it. Jackass. Guarantee you he never even thought about polling the crew on that choice.

[@cockatooinsunglasses7492]

He would refuse.

[@robertmiller2831]

My favorite Data episode is Thine Own Self. It shows that Data truly is human. While he does not know he is an Android he makes huge leaps of science and emotion. When he knows he is an Android it holds him back because on some level he still believes he is “just a machine”

[@hotscottrulz]

Thine Own Self is one of my favourite episodes of all of Star Trek. I don’t know what exactly it is that makes me love it so much, but something about its premise really attracts me to it.

[@CaptainJonathan]

I've often thought Data developed emotions on his own, but not until the emotion chip did he experience them fully.

[@DeaconBlues117]

In "Pen Pal", when Data was ordered to cease subspace contact with the girl on the doomed planet, the logical and unemotional course of action would have been to simply stop answering her hails. The next mist reasonable would have been to notify her in the next scheduled communication. Instead, he went to the control panel in the conference room, with Picard and Riker present, and immediately opened a voice channel. He had to have known the effect this would have on his extremely human commanding officer. It was an emotional ploy, for all his protests that he had no emotions.

[@jimmyryan5880]

I agree. I think he had low level emotions he wasnt fully aware of.

[@Solo_Traveling]

@@DeaconBlues117 Yeah and also at the end of the 'Legacy' episode, where she meets Tasha's sister Ishara, you can tell he's sad and feels betrayed.

[@mattakins3422]

Too bad we couldn't see Data and Odo meet.

[@anona2017]

That's a really interesting idea that I had never thought of before.

[@lonsunokrogan]

I remember one of those you have 5 dollar build your away team things was going around on facebook, Data was like 3 and Odo was 2 and I was like perfect team for literally any situation.

[@SuprSBG]

Data would say, “Your chemical structure seems very interesting.” Or something, then Odo replies by saying... “HUH.”

[@richmcgee434]

@@lonsunokrogan Add a few holo-programs with mobile emitters and I think you've got your bases covered. Of course your GM then throws nothing but social obstacles and seduction challenges in your way and you wish you'd brought a stud muffin like Kirk along. :) Or gods help you, nothing but problems that require an empath to solve. "Yeah, we know Troi's right there, but can we maybe get that Gem gal from TOS instead? Yes, I know she's mute. It just means she can't state the obvious. Win-win."

[@joegrimes9232]

That's actually an interesting idea. They probably never actually have a lot in common. At first. Odo would research the hell out of him to assess his threat potential. Data never really engages with Odo because he's a closed book and dismisses him. It would have to be over an extended period that they realise they have a common history. Both created and left to find by another. Abandoned and emulate their surroundings. They'd probably have a mutual respect and have deep conversations, but muted and clipped because of their natures. I'd say, on the rare occasion data visits ds9, Odo and him arrange to have "lunch" but only once per visit they meet, order a meal but obviously they don't touch it. It's a ritual thing and they just shoot the breeze. To outsiders its a bizarre exchange but to them it's akin to meeting a friend at a bar and just enjoying one another's company without saying a lot. Like the cop trope

[@insane0042]

Well Q did allow him to laugh and feel before.

[@DDoubleDrew]

This was the comment I was looking for before saying something similar. I very much appreciated the gift Q gave Data when he made him laugh. If I were to give an emotion to a being that never felt any emotions before, it would definitely be humor and laughter. I feel like love might have been too much in part because the loss of that feeling when it ended might feel like pain. But a good laugh can be appreciated by anyone.

[@Tigershark_3082]

I love that scene. First, he starts laughing, and everyone is confused. They all ask what's wrong, so he turns to speak, but then busts out laughing again. It's such a heartwarming scene

[@donovanulrich348]

He could always process emotion But im glad someone mentioned he couldnt feel them Lul could both process and then eventually feel emotion

[@marshallhuffer4713]

A Data episode I like is Season 4, Episode 11's "Data's Day" where we're shown what a normal day is like for Data on the Enterprise.

[@ptonpc]

I was thinking the same thing. The bit where Dr Crusher teaches him to dance was hilarious. (edited to remove a typo)

[@narutobroken]

That’s one of my favorite episodes

[@Prime-gu8xw]

Absolutely love that one, it’s one of my favorite episodes of trek. They took what would normally be the “A” plot and put it in the background of a smaller, more character focused story.

[@marshallhuffer4713]

@@ptonpc Gates McFadden and Brent Spiner actually did their own dancing in the episode, except for the overhead shots where Spiner requested a double as he didn't feel confident enough to pull it off. McFadden did the choreography, as she was a well-known Hollywood choreographer long before TNG. According to episode director Robert Wiemer, the two of them also developed the lines in the scene which were later accepted by the scriptwriters.

[@ptonpc]

@@marshallhuffer4713 Yes. It added something at the time knowing these actors were doing it for real.

[@jacara1981]

Spot is important to Data's development. Given that the cat changed 3 times, including from female to male and back to female, it shows a contrast to hisgrowing creativity throughout the series. He seems to name all his cats Spot, this is either from a lack of creativity or sentimental bonding to the name.

[@Werezilla]

I thought Spot was a changeling.

[@SuprSBG]

@@Werezilla o so that’s how they infiltrated... understandable.

[@TheGuardianofAzarath]

Or Brent Spinner had a cat named Spot :P

[@uss_04]

Can you imagine being in the same graduating class as Data and having to explain to your overachieving parents why you didn’t get top grades in your class?

[@jimmyryan5880]

I dont want to be racist but are you asian?

[@ptonpc]

"Well mum and dad. There is this android. He's programmed in multiple techniques...."

[@youtubeviewer4472]

I will point out that Picard hadn't explained to him to go above and beyond yet, so he would always do EXACTLY what was asked, so students that go above and beyond what was asked could have surpassed him on overall grades though not on multiple choice exams.

[@swj719]

Parent: "What do you mean you didn't get top scores again? We spent a fortune on every tutor imaginable!" Cadet: "What part of 'MY CLASSMATE IS A GOD DAMN COMPUTER' do you not understand?!? I did better than the VULCAN, doesn't that count for SOMETHING???"

[@1014p]

Imagine in an Asian parent accent with a spin of the meme joke. You failure, I built a business up hill while other leg went to school… At the same time. An Android is equal competition and you lost… Comedians name escapes me currently.

[@nobodyyouknow1065]

Remember, we don’t talk about those times Data very clearly showed emotion. Like that time he accidentally tossed Geordi across Engineering and there was that 1/4 second of Brent Spiner reacting to how Geordi’s stuntman landed.

[@ARCCommanderOrar]

I need more "Lore" on Data.... I'm going to show myself out...

[@nagash303]

Stay! You need to see what happened B4 that.

[@DemoDick1]

LOL...or perhaps Lal.

[@zachzorn9930]

Glad you finally got around to everyones favorite android

[@righty-o3585]

My favorite Data line is " one is my name, and the other is not" lol was so straight forward and true, and there was no argument to be had about it. 😁

[@CharlesUrban]

I can't remember the name of the episode, but one of the subplots involved Data losing a certain type of game to one of its masters, then having the android version of a crisis of confidence in his abilities. He wound up accepting that even his skills could be surpassed sometimes. Data went on to play the champ again; this time he made his opponent ragequit by playing him to a draw instead of trying to win. "I busted him up."

[@marshallhuffer4713]

That episode was called "Peak Performance".

[@CharlesUrban]

@@marshallhuffer4713 Thank you!

[@mattakins3422]

Watched it one or two nights ago!

[@nagash303]

Yes the Zakdorn episode. good luck on playing chess with only 2 kings remaining.

[@uss_04]

A lot of credit needed to go to the crew for dealing with Data’s poetry

[@ptonpc]

I expect Troi had special counselling sessions set aside to deal with the traumatised crew.

[@suemeade2471]

You left off that time he killed the borg,then kept trying to figure out where his rage went!

[@seanspeer9991]

saying good bye to data from Picard was honestly the saddest part of trek to date.

[@SomeGuyHowGoesIt]

the release of Picard was the saddest part of star trek

[@NotBroihon]

@@SomeGuyHowGoesIt nah

[@joshuabell5580]

@@SomeGuyHowGoesIt Careful you've had to much to think

[@prolamer7]

The saddest part was entire Picard trash serries. It was made as mockery of ST with purpose to destroy beloved characters and deconstruct entire universe and some even applaud it omfg....

[@NotBroihon]

@@prolamer7 lmao make this just a little bit longer and it'd be a great copypasta.

[@NotMyRealName6]

Spot deserves a Personnel File.

[@christoph.schneider]

Yes, I wanna know when he graduated from Starfleet Academy!

[@dwightbutler2221]

and was a lizard in one episode

[@rolandet]

The 'removal' of his skin in Fist Contact, was quite violent 🤨

[@Evilbob33]

Life forms, you tiny little life forms, you prescious little life forms, where are you ba da beep beep beep LOL, made me think of this scene!

[@fiveyearmission9987]

I like to think that before the chip Data lacked not emotions but emotional awareness.

[@polarknight5376]

Definitely. My headcanon is that the chip allowed him to process his emotions, and expanded his ability to interpret them beyond just being a simple "these numbers good, these numbers bad," rather than just straight up giving him emotions. That's why the chip wasn't useless to Lore, despite him already "having emotions;" it enhanced his emotional processing power too, just like Data.

[@misterlau5246]

He said he didn't have emotions while showing us he has them. Many times. The chip seems to process them differently, emotions were there. Just not like a human would.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I prefer your explanation for why Data wanted his brain in a box to be turned off over what was textually said. That it’s an uncomfortable reminder for him for what he’s lost and what he’s missing. And that he sees life being temporary, and is conscious that he isn’t (he had dialogue like that in TNG). The dialogue in the show implies nothing is meaningful unless it disappears, which is a bit strange since he also likes history. But to see it as an inherent part of life, and also influenced by his desire to “be a real boy” as it were, is why. But still, why didn’t they give him a new body? Why force him to live in that simulation instead? That was part of what made me think maybe Altan Inigo was secretly Lore. To be honest, I still suspect it a little bit. It’s essentially a torture box for someone like Data, who valued being in the real world. It’s understandable to ask to be put out of his misery, but why not ask to be given a body back? Of course, part of why is just how much stuff they crammed into Picard. They probably wanted to justify it but just didn’t have the runtime.

[@JackgarPrime]

"Failed Ethics and Moral Principles" Not so different from his brother, after all!

[@BNuts]

Except he failed because he couldn't 'play devil's advocate.'

[@JackgarPrime]

@@BNuts Well yeah, he basically failed for the opposite reason Lore would fail.

[@SuprSBG]

Well, for the exact opposite reason as Lore. Lore wouldn’t be able to be the good guy.

[@swj719]

@@JackgarPrime I disagree - as a true sociopath, I bet Lore would ace such a class.

[@moniquebaldea9299]

THIS video explains EVERYTHING I’ve ever been trying to say about Data and how he evolved as a person and his emotions. He is such a beloved character as you say. I adore him and he is my favorite, hands down. Thank you for a wonderful video!

[@soubigo]

Are we just going to ignore the season 1 episode where data got a chance to use his flash drive with tasha yar? Cause yeah.... ide say that was a milestone for him.

[@dreadedpixel9022]

"Data did not wish to continues Sungs work as he did not want to be dismantled" So Data 5 is alive, No disassemble?

[@jonmcgee6987]

That's a funny old movie. Maybe have El Debarche do a song called Who's Data?

[@nagash303]

A Priest, a Minister, and a Rabbi discuss how much they give to charity ...

[@the79]

I grew up on Star Trek TNG. Data was my favorite character, followed by Worf and Riker. It was hard to watch the Data character die in Nemesis. It was harder to watch his program essentially "die" in the series ending of Picard. Watching you beloved character die twice hard. Kurtzman can jump off a cliff for that. But both deaths were written well. I so wanted to see the Data character in command of the Enterprise. But, it is what it is. Great job with the video, Rick! 👍

[@misterpeterman]

We were shown the episode “Measure of a Man” in a philosophy class I took when I was in college back in the late ‘90s. I think it was more of an excuse to watch Star Trek than it was any sort of actual lesson.

[@DeejDart]

The death of Data was the first time I cried over the death of a character. This episode reminded me of my love of Data and brought tears to my eyes. I saw so much of myself in Data.

[@strikerevimus]

If there is one episode I would personally add to the list, it's Data's Day. Simply for the fact it gives us a look, from his own perspective, what a day in his life aboard the Enterprise D is like. Granted, the events in that episode aren't exactly average, what with the marriage of his friend Miles O'Brien, learning how to dance and the whole thing with the Romulan spy disguised as a Vulcan occurring in a 24 hour period. But, over-all, it still gives us a fantastic look into the character and his thought processes.

[@aarontalksculture4946]

Data is my favorite character from my favorite series in my favorite franchise. Trek forever!!

[@lonsunokrogan]

Says "Data had decided it was more important to take the journey before reaching the destination" Me "How close was he to speaking the first ideal of the Knights Radiant."

[@CheezyDee]

You forgot to mention he was fully functional and was programmed in many techniques.

[@thenobleoak]

I'd love to see a video about the alternative future for data in the non canon books.

[@michaeldriggers7681]

Data, he saw the world the way a child does but was more intelligent than any human or Vulcan.

[@michaeldriggers7681]

@Mafineko you're right and I should have specified baseline human, not humans given their intelligence, knowledge, or abilities by alien technology, the Q, or any external force. My bad.

[@LanMandragon1720]

@Pillepolle Barclay doesn't count that wasn't Barclay At the time. He was instead a tool of a superior race. As for seven prove that she had higher processing power.

[@thepoetoffall7820]

Please do the apocryphal versions, I don't like how they chose Data's end. Life has no additional meaning just because it ends, it ends because it's an inevitability; nothing more. Like, I understand doing it since the actor can't be Data forever. But they could have done something better with the character imo.

[@The_Horse-leafs_Cabbage]

On your point about how "life has no additional meaning just because it ends," I vehemently disagree. Without Death, or even delaying Death unnaturally, can drastically change what we are capable of doing in a single life. And what we are capable of doing in a single life is, in essence, the meaning of life itself, at least as far as sentient creatures are concerned. An immortal being that's lived for thousands of years will inevitably value life and its meaning in a significantly different way from a terminally ill 28 year old who has to think about what they want to do with their last few months on Earth, what they will leave behind.

[@dyne313]

"Spoilers for Picard". Don't worry, you're not missing much.

[@simoncordell1327]

Great video, and I'm glad you included his appearance in Star Trek: Bridge Commander!

[@Kinepho]

Please do the apocryphal reviews! Data is an amazing character and totally deserves it, Rick.

[@m0r1arty]

Data is the existentialist journey we all go through.

[@arisakathedappergoose4796]

Pinocchio became a real boy. I am confident Mikey Spock will make it one day too

[@TheDiloEmpire]

Mikey spock

[@tommyaoi1183]

WoW!! This is got to be one of your best Personnel files you have done so far. I've been waiting for you to do one on Data quite a bit and you did not disappoint. ^_^

[@Bitchslapper316]

I know it wasn't very popular but I enjoyed "pen pals". It showed us how an emotionless android could be more human then the humans around him.

[@Alteringrealitystudios]

I believe my absolute favorite character from the series is Brent Data Spiner. One of my favorite moments was when he had the beard. And ask if he Strokes it thusly does it not give him a air of authority or intellect. Absolutely a Data-esque moment.

[@ericbrett3095]

Data sacrificing himself for Captain Picard and the Crew of the Enterprise in the movie Nemesis was the one true human act he did. That is when he became human.

[@raelewallen9967]

Data is my favorite character in the next generation.

[@Verse_Jumper]

When you're sadly reminded that Picard and STD exist

[@dunmermage]

Do like I do, consider STO as the Alpha Timeline (Even though it includes STD) and treat Picard as a Gamma Timeline.

[@kolgax2064]

It's simple, they're not Trek

[@LanMandragon1720]

@@dunmermage STO is terrible Iconians are you serious man?

[@sagesheahan6732]

For those wondering, the U.S.S. Trieste is a Merced-class ship. A frigate, I think. And Rick, beautiful that you used THAT model for it. 👍💯😎🖖

[@jimmyryan5880]

Datas day. The one where data has a girlfriend, The one where data takes command of a ship.

[@Zeithri]

Brothers and Birthright Part 1. Brothers give us some more depth to Lore in seeing his voice cracks when he learns that Soong is dying,. And Birthright well, " _Data... You are the Bird._ " I am personally a fan of the idea that Data outlived the Federation, goes back in time, takes Lore's place after the first episode we saw Lore in ( _thus it's Future Data not Lore in the Brothers episode_ ). It provides an interesting thought I find. Data is the best character in TNG hands down. If it weren't for Data, I doubt I'd enjoy TNG as much - except the Q episodes and Inner Light.

[@cmoser22]

I'm blown away how good I am at identifying the sto star systems in your b-footage. This episode had alot of andoria I believe.

[@gizfpv]

Although data strived to be more human, he once told Q that if offered, he wouldn't want Q to make him human. I think that was a key point in data's life

[@TheManWithTheFlan]

I call absolute BS on Data not feeling emotion. He clearly displays motivations toward others that can't be explained as purely rational, and he is more than smart enough to understand that morality can't have a purely rational basis without being incoherent. He doesn't experience or process emotion like human beings do, but he obviously had them. The "emotion chip" was just a "act like a neurotypical human" chip.

[@tba113]

I always chalked it up to Data having no context to treat the influence of emotion on his thought processes, and dismissing less-intense emotions as minor glitches that just happen sometimes. It was only when he completely lost it and flipped out in one of the minor Borg episodes that he had to stop and figure out what losing his temper meant. It also didn't help that the writers themselves kind of glitched out in that episode, and delivered one of the weakest portrayals of Counselor Troi in the entire series. An experienced, educated therapist with minor psychic powers, chosen to serve on highest-profile ship in all of Starfleet, and who routinely gets tapped to help out in first-contact situations with bizarre alien psychologies... Who stumbles and verbally face-plants when asked what "anger" is, and basically tells Data to figure it out himself? Either writing Troi's dialogue for that scene was a Friday-afternoon job, or Troi's application packet to join Starfleet was just pictures of herself in the catsuits and yoga leotards she planned to wear on board.

[@aaronrodriguez6978]

Data was one of my favorite characters til this day cause its good to be different and to be human. He learned to learned being human throughout the series.

[@geofftottenperthcoys9944]

Data and Q episodes are my favs.

[@Knightess]

This was wonderful. Would love to see a Part Two where you cover the alternate versions of Data's future where he was recovered or just survived (such as in the TNG finale episode). There are so many of them in so many different media, it'd be great to have it all in one place to compare and contrast. Even if you don't get around to that, this Personnel File on Data was fantastic. Thank you for sharing it.

[@tektoy8]

What a great video! Thank you for your content!

[@SorakuFett]

As someone who is not as much of a fan of modern TV Trek, I would personally love to see your suggested "Apocryphal Version" of the Post-Nemesis Data!

[@maxrander0101]

oh and oh dear friend data needs his personnel file updated

[@Guy-zf5of]

I cannot Thank you enough for including the vesuvi incident

[@bpdmf2798]

What's the vesuvi incident? Did i just miss it on the video or is it something i would know but that's just the official name?

[@Guy-zf5of]

@@bpdmf2798 it is from the game Star Trek: Bridge Commander. Rick mentions it as he talked about the kessok. I can tell you the plot if you want me to

[@bpdmf2798]

@@Guy-zf5of of you want to I'm interested. I only know the shows movies and some books. The only game I've played was star trek online and honestly i prefer listening to it played by this channel than playing it, not a very good game mechanics wise.

[@Guy-zf5of]

@@bpdmf2798 I agree, land combat mechanics are flawed. Stardate 57... (Right after dominion War) A vesuvi star blows up - captain ded - now player is the captain - help colonies that were damaged in supernova - investigate few fishy things about Cardassians - fight with Cardassians - investigate the supernova dust cloud with data - a rogue house declares war against former federation alliance - a few battles here and there - discover a device on one of Cardassian bases - leave data behind because too late - know of a previously unheard race, the aforementioned kessok - more fights - rescue data - the device is actually a solar terraformer of some kind - search and destroy these devices before they are about to cause another supernova - kill matan, leader of the rogue house arterius - commendation from Captain Picard - the end.

[@bpdmf2798]

@@Guy-zf5of Of course you get a commendation from Captain Picard. Thanks. Is it worth playing, and what system is it for or is it PC?

[@Reynevan100]

Data and The Doctor (aka EMH) would be an interesting duo, I wish they met on screen!

[@richmcgee434]

If you're going to do apocrypha involving Data, I'd like to see a discussion of the bizarre and remarkably elaborate reality-simulation program he built for himself known as "Fresh Hell." :)

[@RedDwarfNerd]

You beauty, just the personnel file I was hoping for!

[@Geth7777]

While Data always said he was an Android, I felt he was more Human than he realised

[@andrewolson5471]

Data is my favorite TNG character.

[@leviklopfenstein8158]

Curious Love the vids thanks for keeping my interest in trek alive

[@marvelboy74]

Head canon: Chief Science officer is a senior staff position and part of the reason Data was often on away missions. Data, however, was not content just to be just the science officer so he did "double duty." This likely allowed Picard the luxury of bringing Counselor Troi into senior staff. Real world reason: probably had to do more with set design.

[@ACN380]

"I have been Rick" I see what you did there

[@PrinceAnakin]

Can you please do Data Personal file part 2 with all media more brake down would be awesome and I enjoy your works keep up good work Rick.

[@camwyn256]

Soong asked Data "Why Starfleet? I thought you would become a scientist." But Data did become a scientist. The two are mutually exclusive

[@DarkSapiens]

Thank you for this!

[@Erykthebat]

The emotion chip was an advanced placebo dongle

[@AlexIsModded]

Fun fact: Brent Spiner HATED doing the scenes with the cat that play Spot. The reason was because they could never get the cat to do what it was supposed to do, so they had to do an outrageous amount of takes. Also, my favorite episode was the one with the "lizard" disease that was going around the Enterprise, and Spot got turned into a lizard, but it was so hilariously obvious that the show's director just replaced the cat with an iguana. The utter stupidity of the episode is what made it the one I remember most.

[@hatuletoh]

Pronunciation tip: The USS Tripoli NCC-19386, is pronounced 'TRIP-oh-lee', rather than 'TRIP-oh-lie'. It's named after a naval battle fought in and around Tripoli Harbor in North Africa that the very new United States fought (and lost, but gallantly, as would have been said at the time) against Barbary Coast pirates who had been capturing US and European ships and forcing their crews into slavery. Besides being a demonstration of the newly formed US's willingness to project its military power, and protect its citizens and financial interests in foreign theaters, the battle is also notable for being one of the first in which US Marines played a significant part. Indeed, the "Marine's Hymn", as it's called--basically the Marine Corps anthem--begins with the lines "From the Halls of Montezuma/To the shores of Tripoli/We will fight our country's battles/On the land and on the sea" in commemoration of the battle. And "Tripoli" rhymes with "sea," of course.

[@Numba003]

For an android, Data was a big chunk of the heart in TNG. Stay well out there everybody, and Jesus Christ be with you friends.😊

[@Dan19870]

"Never saw the sun." "Never saw the sun."

[@CathrineMacNiel]

"shining so bright."

[@The_Starfleet_Ensign]

I like how he was an andriod but not evil.

[@brianburgess5242]

You should do one on DS9's Vic Fontaine. If you haven't already.

[@Imedge6]

In all Star Trek 3 caracter were the soul of the series. Spoke, 7 of 9 and Data.

[@johnsimonson1207]

I would add Odo to that as well.

[@fredrikcarlstedt393]

Data - the most human of them all on the USS Enterprise .

[@johnnyrepine937]

Regarding contractions, I thought it was stated in the episode with his daughter that she could use them and he could not, not that he wouldn't.

[@acerimmer7557]

Would not.

[@narutobroken]

Ugh ST Picard story was so awful. I like how Star Fleet made millions of data android servants even though and entire TNG episode talked about how not to do that 😒

[@janedoe3043]

I decided the TNG movies never happened because they don't mesh with the shows at all. Therefore to me, Data lives.

[@GankbotShuk]

A video about the data on Data. Nice.

[@ShaunStephens777]

Any chance for a Spock video?

[@fourthofjulygaming3795]

Perfection.

[@georgematthew1850]

Personaly I believe Data did have emotions before the emotion chip, and the installation of the chip functioned more like a placebo effect, or perhaps increased his emotional processecing capabilities and could've just aided in allowing him to percieve his own emotions, instead of just giving him emotions

[@WhittyPics]

My favorite Data episode when he commanded the Sutherland

[@MultiMackD]

Plus Data being artificial comes in handy in the event of a toxic situation aboard ship

[@joshuabell5580]

I wasn't a fan of how they treated Data in Picard, the great thing is that since it's fiction I get to imagine a better ending. Where to start? Picard wakes up, sits up and says "Beverly my dear, I've just had the strangest dream".

[@worldtraveler930]

I like your way of thinking. 😁👍

[@anonymoose9315]

They didn't really treat any legacy characters well in Picard. It's part of the "out with the old" policy they have and the fact that they dont have any fans of ST and Scifi in general writing for the show nor for Discovery. ST is dead and SW is hanging by a thread. Just enjoy what we have in older shows like TNG, OS, VOY, and ENT.

[@radionoakmont7756]

and in the first season Data was a mentor to a young boy who lost his parents from a ship accident while the enterprise was in a dark matter cloud of sorts the more power to shields they added the more powerful the energy waves hit the enterprise-d he told the young boy androids never lie he was being a father figure to the young kid who was so alone and grieving data gave him hope.

[@BNuts]

I disagree with the end of _Picard_ , as I never saw Data as a death-seeker. I believe he would have continued to seek improvement in order to find further fulfilment. If B4 was insufficient to support his matrix, he would have designed a frame that could. And Geordi would have been happy to help him do it. Not to mention O'Brien and Bashir.

[@augiegirl1]

In “Time’s Arrow,” Data tells Geordi (in explaining why he finds foreknowledge of his death comforting), “It brings a sense of completion to my future. In a way, I am not that different from anyone else; I can now look forward to death. One might also conclude that it brings me one step closer to being human. I am mortal.”

[@Moonbeam143]

My favorite robot man. 💜

[@brandonangstman]

As an autistic person I always identified with Data and his confusion with human behaviour as well as his desire to become more human like, it always echoed my own feelings of standing out and wishing to understand others.

[@MegaCyberleader]

I liked the episode where a kid became a fan of data and started emulating data as he was. That was the episode That changed my life, so i did simular things and let me tell ya, with federation rules and self examination, and discovery made me want to do that formyself. To find my own humanity. Once I realized I was as rare as data was.

[@jacara1981]

Maybe do Voyager's Doctor next?

[@Fluffybabybuffalo]

Great!

[@mayarosexxx]

The technique to transfer memories to Data was likely taught to Soong by Ira Graves.