Unleashing the Dark Side: Lore's Sinister Return in Star Trek TNG Exceeds Evil Kirk's Legacy
Lore's debut in Star Trek: TNG revisits the iconic Evil Kirk concept from TOS, as Data encounters his malevolent doppelganger Explore the realm of evil duplicates in the Star Trek universe
Summary
Lore's debut in Star Trek: TNG's "Datalore" resembles TOS' "The Enemy Within" with evil doppelgangers wreaking havoc on the Enterprise-D and requiring reintegration.
Star Trek has a rich tradition of delving into the notion of evil twins and doppelgangers, spanning from the Mirror Universe in The Original Series to various instances in Deep Space Nine, Discovery, and Picard.
The narrative of Lore and Data in The Next Generation serves as merely one illustration of the numerous doppelganger tales present in the Star Trek universe, with the introduction of Captain Kirk's malevolent counterpart in The Original Series.
In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lore is introduced as the malevolent sibling of Lt. Commander Data. This echoes a memorable episode from the original Star Trek series. In "Datalore," the thirteenth episode of the first season, Captain Jean-Luc Picard brings the USS Enterprise-D to Omicron Theta, the planet where Starfleet discovered Data, an android, years before. While exploring the deserted planet, the Enterprise crew stumbles upon the dismantled body of an android that bears an uncanny resemblance to Data. As this android is reassembled and activated, he identifies himself as Lore, claiming superiority over Data.
Initially, Captain Picard and his crew are apprehensive about Lore's presence, but they eventually begin to educate him on the workings of the starship. Despite their uncertainties about Lore, he is given considerable freedom on the ship and unrestricted access to its computer systems. Lore holds the belief that he is superior to all human beings and has formed an alliance with the destructive Crystalline Entity, responsible for eradicating the colony on Omicron Theta. Seizing the opportunity, Lore incapacitates Data and assumes his identity. Only Wesley Crusher, a brilliant young prodigy, harbors suspicions about Data's peculiar behavior.
How Lore’s Star Trek: TNG Debut Rehashes Evil Kirk In TOS
In the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, there is an episode called "Datalore" that bears a striking resemblance to an episode from the first season of Star Trek: The Original Series called "The Enemy Within." In "The Enemy Within," Captain Kirk is involved in a transporter accident that splits him into two halves - one embodying his negative traits and the other embodying his kinder aspects. The Evil Kirk wreaks havoc on the Enterprise, including assaulting Yeoman Janice Rand, until the crew realizes what has happened and works towards reintegrating the two halves of Kirk.
Similarly, in "Datalore," the character Lore pretends to be Data's alter ego, just as the Evil Kirk impersonates his better half. The two Kirks confront each other, and eventually, the Good Kirk convinces his doppelganger that they need each other to survive and must be recombined. Lore, like the Evil Kirk, later becomes part of Data's consciousness in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Prior to this, Lore and Data have several confrontations, with Lore constantly attempting to manipulate and deceive others. "Datalore" from Star Trek: The Next Generation reimagines certain elements from "The Enemy Within" in order to tell a similar tale of troublesome evil doubles.
Other Evil Doppelgangers In Star Trek
Doppelganger stories have been present since ancient times, and science fiction, in particular, has always been fond of evil twin narratives. Star Trek, from one of its earliest episodes, has explored the concept of duplicates and malevolent doppelgangers. In season 2, episode 4 of TOS, titled "Mirror, Mirror," the show even presents an entire Mirror Universe filled with evil versions of almost every Star Trek character. When Captain Kirk and some of his crew mistakenly find themselves in this alternate reality, they encounter a Starfleet that ruthlessly destroys uncooperative civilizations and inflicts excruciating pain upon disobedient officers.
The Mirror Universe has been revisited in various other Star Trek shows, with notable appearances in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Discovery. Discovery, in particular, introduced two significant characters who crossed over from the Mirror Universe. Captain Gabriel Lorca, disguised as his Prime Universe counterpart, was eventually exposed by Michael Burnham, while Emperor Philippa Georgiou embarked on her journey towards redemption in the Prime Universe. Additionally, DS9 and Star Trek: Picard featured the villainous Changelings, who had the ability to impersonate others for nefarious purposes. Data and Lore from Star Trek: The Next Generation are just one example among numerous Star Trek stories that delve into the concept of doppelgangers, with the origins tracing back to Captain Kirk's malevolent double in TOS.
