Highlights
- Data's desire to be human showcases his innermost human traits and emotions.
- Data's struggles with grief and saying goodbye demonstrate his capacity for deep emotional connections.
- Data's love for his cat Spot reveals his endearing and humorous personality despite being emotionless.
One of the best characters in all of Star Trek, Data is an android who desires nothing more than to be human, with all the emotions that come with it, good and bad. Featuring first in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Data had an important role across the 7 seasons of one of the best Star Trek series, and later, in four films and a wonderful conclusion in Star Trek: Picard. Across these decades within one of the most famous sci-fi series of all time, Data has made strong impressions with his character.
6 Weirdest Star Trek Easter Eggs
With decades of history, Star Trek holds plenty of weird easter eggs for one of the best sci-fi series.
Despite being an android, Data is anything but cold and calculating. Unusually, it is Data that exhibits the most human of traits, despite not being human at all. Across his time in Star Trek, Data has provided audiences with some wonderful quotes, whether they are humorous or a keen look into the mechanisms and wonder of his mind.
5 “I Would Gladly Risk Feeling Bad At Times, if It Also Meant That I Could Taste My Dessert.”
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 5, Episode 11 “Hero Worship”
After Data helps to rescue an orphan named Timothy, the boy decides that the best way to repress and avoid his feelings and his pain is to mimic Data. This is a cause for concern for the Enterprise crew, who understand what Timothy is going through. Whilst it’s an interesting outlook on grief, especially in children, it’s an even greater look at how Data deals with it.
Data tries to sympathize with Timothy without lecturing, and he showcases to Timothy that the boy should not want to be Data, as although he has an interesting personality, the simple fact of the matter is that he cannot feel, good or bad. Data helps to explain how the simple pleasures in life, like tasting a sweet dessert, are worth the negatives, like grief, because at least feelings are the most human as they can be.
4 “I Do Not Know How To Say Goodbye.”
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 5, Episode 24 “The Next Phase”
When Geordi La Forge and Ensign Ro are involved in a transporter malfunction, the crew of the Enterprise believes that they are dead. As such, many prominent members of the Enterprise are grieving colleagues and friends. One member in particular who is affected by these deaths is Data, the android supposedly without feeling, who seems to feel all too much with the knowledge that Geordi, his best friend, is dead.
Star Trek: 6 Characters That Just Disappeared
While the number of recurring characters in the Star Trek mythos is too many to count, these characters vanished entirely, never to be seen again.
It's a heartbreaking quote, and all too human. Not knowing how to say goodbye when someone just isn’t there anymore is a harsh reality many must face with the passage of time. To see an android like Data, seemingly immortal and collected in such a confused state over his friend’s end, is devastating.
3 “You Must Talk To Him; Tell Him He Is A Pretty Cat, And A Good Cat.”
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 7, Episode 6 “Phantasms”
Data begins to experience waking nightmares on board the Enterprise, and whilst he is concerned for the safety of the crew, he is most concerned about the safety of his cat, Spot. Spot is one of the most adoring members of Star Trek: The Next Generation for being a cute cat, and one that Data is extremely fond of, which is why he expresses such concern for his cat’s safety and leaves Spot under the care of Worf.
Star Trek: 6 Best Planets To Live On
Of all the planets visited in Star Trek's history, these places would make for the best locations to settle down on.
The fact that Data and Worf are the most emotionless and strongest members of the Enterprise, and here they are looking after a cat, is hilarious and adorable. Data’s fascination and love for his cat is entertaining, especially with all the requests he has for Worf, who shows utter disdain for even being near the cat.
2 “Mortality Gives Meaning To Human Life, Captain.”
Star Trek: Picard – Season 1, Episode 10 “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2”
After Data’s tragic death, life goes on. Yet, in Star Trek: Picard, Jean Luc, and Data had one last reunion during Season 1, in which Data expressed his desire to be allowed to die. There was nothing inherently wrong with Data, and it wasn’t out of sadness to die, but his desire for the human condition. In Data’s own words, “mortality gives meaning to human life.”
This is a rather touching quote, as Data is accepting that to be human, is to be mortal. Death is a part of life, and if Data wants to be a part of life and not a machine, then to die is the most natural course of action and one that sees him finally at peace.
1 "0.68 Seconds Sir. For An Android, That Is Nearly An Eternity."
Star Trek: First Contact
When enticed by the Borg Queen to be human, Data is tempted by her offer, which would involve betraying the people he is most loyal to. When Picard asks Data how long Data was tempted by this offer, he simply replies with a calculated and exact “0.68 seconds.” Whilst seemingly nothing to human life, and a humorous quote in itself, it highlights the sheer capabilities of Data, who specifies that this time is an eternity for an android.
The human mind couldn’t possibly comprehend the calculations and theories that would have been circulating through Data’s mind as he contemplates this decision from the Borg Queen. If barely a second is an eternity, then what is a century to an immortal?
