The Dark Secret Behind Data's Legacy: Unveiling the Dark Side of Lore in TNG & Star Trek: Picard

Summary

Lore, the evil twin of Lt. Commander Data, first appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 and caused trouble for the USS Enterprise-D.

Lore utilized his resemblance to Data to acquire entry into the spaceship's computer system and tried to hand over the Enterprise to the destructive crystalline entity responsible for annihilating his homeworld.

Although Lore made subsequent appearances in later episodes of TNG, in Star Trek: Picard season 3, Data's recollections supplanted Lore's consciousness, leading to his erasure and enabling Data to attain an enhanced iteration of his own being.

In the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lore, the wicked twin of Lt. Commander Data, made his debut and became a recurring troublemaker for the USS Enterprise-D. In episode 13, titled "Datalore," Captain Jean-Luc Picard takes the Enterprise to investigate the planet Omicron Theta, where Data was discovered. During their exploration, the away team stumbles upon the disassembled remains of another android resembling Data. Once reassembled, this android introduces himself as Lore, revealing that he was also created by Dr. Noonian Soong, the cyberneticist who built Data.

Due to Lore's striking resemblance to Data, the crew of the Enterprise initially trust him and allow him to freely move about the ship and access its computer systems. However, Lore swiftly incapacitates Data and establishes communication with the crystalline entity responsible for the destruction of his home planet. Lore intends to hand over the Enterprise to this entity. Fortunately, Wesley Crusher detects something amiss and convinces his mother, Dr. Beverly Crusher, to assist him in restoring the real Data and thwarting Lore's plans.

Data's Evil Twin Lore Explained

Upon waking up after being reassembled, Lore immediately lies by claiming that Data was the first Soong android ever created. This sets a precedent for his personality moving forward: self-centered, devoid of regard for others or his own brother. Contrary to his assertion, Lore was actually the fourth Soong android to be brought into existence, but he was the first to possess a functioning positronic brain. Despite being an incredibly advanced android capable of experiencing emotions, this ultimately led to his emotional instability.

Although Lore is transported into space at the conclusion of "Datalore," he resurfaces in Season 4, Episode 3 of TNG, titled "Brothers," when Dr. Soong summons both Data and Lore. Once again, Lore assumes the identity of his brother in order to pilfer the emotion chip crafted by Dr. Soong specifically for Data. The presence of this chip further destabilizes Lore's mental state, resulting in him lashing out at Dr. Soong and contributing to the elderly scientist's demise. In a subsequent appearance in Season 6, Episode 26 of TNG, titled "Descent," Lore emerges as the self-appointed leader of a faction of Borg drones who have been severed from the collective. He goes on to manipulate Data into joining his cause, aiming to annihilate the Federation. Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew thwart Lore's machinations, leading Data to permanently deactivate his wayward sibling.

What Happened To Lore In Star Trek: Picard Season 3?

The fate of Lore's body after being deactivated by Data remains uncertain, but his consciousness resurfaces in season 3 of Star Trek: Picard. Altan Soong, son of Dr. Noonien Soong, creates an advanced synthetic golem body named Daystrom Android M-5-10, capable of experiencing emotions. After Admiral Picard and his crew rescue the body from Daystrom Station, they discover that Altan Soong has merged his own personality with those of Data, Lore, B-4, and Data's daughter Lal (played by Hallie Todd), within the golem body.

Data and Lore, being the dominant personalities, engage in a battle for control. Briefly, Lore takes over the body when it connects to the computer of the USS Titan-A. However, Commodore Geordi La Forge (played by LeVar Burton) successfully communicates with Data, overpowering Lore. Despite Lore initially appearing stronger, Data manages to deceive him into absorbing all of Data's memories, effectively transforming Lore into Data. Through this, Data realizes that his memories shape his identity, causing his personality to prevail over Lore's. Ultimately, Data emerges as an upgraded version of himself, coming closer to achieving the humanity he had always sought.

Can Lore Return In Star Trek: Legacy?

Lore's consciousness is effectively erased when Data's personality takes over in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 8. This makes it unlikely for Lore to return in the proposed Picard spin-off, Star Trek: Legacy. However, in the realm of Star Trek, anything is possible. Data himself has experienced "death" twice before, and the whereabouts of Lore's original body and a potential copy of his consciousness are unknown. Additionally, the androids created by Dr. Altan Soong and Dr. Bruce Maddox on the planet Coppelius could play a role in Lore's resurrection. Nevertheless, it may be better to let Data's evil twin rest and allow his personality to live on in Data's memories. If Star Trek: Legacy moves forward, new villains should be created for Captain Seven of Nine and her USS Enterprise-G crew to face. Lore has been a significant part of Data's story since Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, and his journey reached a satisfying conclusion in Star Trek: Picard season 3.