Data's Journey to Humanity in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Picard Season 3
Exploring Lt. Commander Data's evolution from an android to a being as close to human as possible.
The Evolution of Lt. Commander Data
Star Trek: The Next Generation's Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) finally became everything Gene Roddenberry wanted him to be in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Soon after TNG began, Data became one of the show's most popular characters, and his journey to discover his humanity became one of the best parts of the show. As an android, Data was unable to experience human emotions, but he still grew to care about the people around him in his own way. Data had a lovely and subtle story arc over the course of TNG's seven seasons, but it wasn't until Picard season 3 that the android got his ultimate wish.
Star Trek Picard The Last Generation Data
Star Trek: The Next Generation primarily focused on stand-alone episodic stories, and Data's quest to be human was one of the few arcs that lasted throughout the entire series. Although Data took steps backward in a few episodes (such as TNG season 4's 'In Theory'), he generally became more human-like as TNG progressed. Picard season 3 finally saw the culmination of Data's quest for humanity, but Brent Spiner felt Data's TNG arc still fulfilled Roddenberry's original plan for the character. In the Star Trek oral history, The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Brent Spiner discusses Data's story arc on TNG. Read his full quote below:
Star Trek Picard Data Tasha Yar
The Emotion Chip Dilemma
Data had a wonderful story arc on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the TNG movies undid much of the character's progress. Data's emotion chip was introduced in TNG season 4, episode 3, 'Brothers,' when the android visited his creator, Dr. Noonian Soong (Brent Spiner). Dr. Soong had created the chip as a way to give Data emotions, but Data's evil brother Lore stole the chip for himself. After Lore was eventually dismantled, Data kept the emotion chip, but didn't install it until Star Trek Generations. Generations turned Data's emotional journey into a series of gags, making the feelings generated by the emotion chip feel like a parody of the real thing.
Star Trek Picard Surrender Data Geordi La Forge
Thankfully, Star Trek: Picard season 3 fixed this problem, not once mentioning any kind of emotion chip. When Data returns in Picard season 3, he not only has a newly upgraded synthetic body, but also the ability to experience emotions organically. Data becomes as close to human as he could ever hope to be, and his Picard season 3 storyline feels right for the character. Data gets to experience real feelings, without his emotional reactions being played merely for laughs. Picard season 3 builds on Data's Star Trek: The Next Generation storyline without sacrificing any of the characteristics that made the character so great in the first place.
Data and Spot the cat in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 8
The Legacy of Lt. Commander Data
In conclusion, Data's journey from a blank tablet to a being as close to human as possible has been a compelling and enduring aspect of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard. His evolution from an emotionless android to a being capable of experiencing genuine emotions has been a central theme that resonates with fans across generations. The culmination of Data's quest for humanity in Picard season 3 represents a fitting tribute to Gene Roddenberry's original vision for the character, and it solidifies Data's legacy as one of the most beloved and iconic figures in the Star Trek universe.
Picard Data Evolved
