star trek what is data

How is Data in 'Star Trek: Picard' if he died in 'Star Trek: Nemesis?'

In Picard season 3 episode 6, "The Bounty," Riker, Worf and Raffi Musiker's away mission reunites them with an old friend, but how?

• How Data died in Star Trek: Nemesis
• Data lived on in B-4
• Another Data head?
• Why is Data old now?

What can Data do now?

Warning: Spoilers ahead if you haven't watched "Star Trek: Picard" episode 6, The Bounty .  

Even though Spock died saving the Enterprise in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Star Trek used the restorative powers of the Genesis planet to bring him back. So when Data made a noble sacrifice of his own in "Star Trek: Nemesis," it wasn't really a surprise when the door was left open – albeit slightly – for the android's future return.

"Star Trek: Picard" season one on Paramount Plus focused heavily on Data's legacy, introducing a family of synthetic offspring and revealing that his consciousness had been preserved in a virtual simulation. Jean-Luc Picard subsequently watched his friend die for a second time, but the show’s third season has just dropped the bombshell that – in true "Jurassic Park" style – something has survived.

In Picard season 3 episode 6 , "The Bounty," Riker, Worf and Raffi Musiker's away mission to the top-secret Daystrom Station reunites them with an old friend, an android with a familiar face who's been given responsibility for the facility's security. But how did Data (still portrayed by actor Brent Spiner) survive certain death in "Star Trek: Nemesis?" Why does he look so much older now? And is he still the same android we knew on the Enterprise-D? These questions and more are answered below.  If you're behind, you can catch up on Star Trek: Picard Season 3" with our Star Trek streaming guide .

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Didn't Data die in Star Trek: Nemesis?

Yes. "Star Trek: Nemesis" is the 10th film in the Star Trek movie franchise and the last to feature the cast of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." It features a clone of Jean-Luc Picard called Shinzon who's out to get Picard (and the Federation), with Data discovering an earlier prototype of himself called B-4 along the way.

In the film's climax, the Picard clone Shinzon had rigged his Romulan/Reman (don't ask) warbird, the Scimitar, to unleash its lethal thalaron radiation weapon on a severely damaged USS Enterprise-E. With Picard on board the enemy vessel, transporters inoperative, and the crew trapped in the quintessential no-win scenario, Data came up with his own solution to the Kobayashi Maru test. 

Effectively blowing himself out of an airlock, Data leapt across the void of space to the Scimitar and placed an emergency transport beacon on Picard, who was instantly beamed back to the Enterprise. With the weapon nearly charged, Data fired his phaser at the thalaron generator, destroying himself and the ship in the process. He had sacrificed himself to save his captain and the crew, a fact Picard subsequently struggled to live with. RIP, Data. 

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Data lived on in B-4, or DID he?

Data wasn't the only android built by his creator: genius cyberneticist Dr. Noonian Soong (also portrayed by Brent Spiner). 

"Evil twin" Lore (Brent Spiner again) tormented the Enterprise crew on several occasions throughout "The Next Generation," and "Nemesis" introduced the earlier prototype model called B-4 (say the name out loud). Before his death, Data used B-4 as a kind of hard drive to back up his memories and personality, but – aside from sharing Data's ability to recite Irving Berlin standards – B-4's neural pathways lacked the sophistication to replicate his late brother.

But this is where it gets complicated ... The first season of "Picard" revealed that Data's consciousness had survived after all. Along with Soong's human son, Altan (also Brent Spiner), cyberneticist Bruce Maddox – who'd previously tried to prove Data was Starfleet property in classic "TNG" episode "The Measure of a Man" – used a process called "fractal neuronic cloning" to replicate a virtual Data from one of B-4's neurons. This version of the android lived in a "massively complex quantum simulation" until Picard agreed to his old friend's request to help him die for a second time.

There's another Data head in Star Trek: Picard, but whose is it?

Data, Lore and B-4 were all crafted in Noonian Soong's image, so it's almost impossible to tell them apart. It seems most likely, though, that the disembodied head we see in the top secret Daystrom research facility belongs to B-4. 

First, we know from Picard's meetings with Dr. Agnes Jurati in season one that B-4 is in Starfleet’s possession. Second, when Will Riker reminds us that "Data copied everything he was onto B-4," the camera very deliberately cuts to the android head.

There's still a chance, however, that this is a misdirection, and that the head belongs to Lore. We have no idea what happened to Soong's more problematic son after his Borg misadventures in "TNG" two-parter "Descent" – we know he was dismantled but everything beyond that is a mystery. So while it's conceivable Starfleet have brought Lore back somehow, the show would have to fill in some gaps in the canon to explain his presence here.

The head probably isn’t Data's. The explosion at the end of Nemesis was pretty cataclysmic, and besides, if part of Data had survived, surely Maddox, Soong and Starfleet wouldn’t have resorted to using neurons from the inferior B-4 to bring him back.

Why is Data "old" now?

Picard season one used some clever digital tricks to de-age actor Brent Spiner to look like he did in "The Next Generation" era, but the Data we see in "The Bounty" looks much older. His complexion is also much more human.

While the change undoubtedly saved some money on the show’s VFX budget, there's also an in-universe explanation. This is an entirely different type of synthetic body to Data's, much more similar to the "golem" the late Altan Soong gifted to Picard, allowing to survive his incurable irumodic syndrome. 

Soong Jr. had originally planned to transfer his own consciousness into the golem before he died, but ended up going down a very different route. He instead decided to combine the consciousnesses of Lore, B-4, Data and Lal (the "daughter" Data built in "TNG" episode "The Offspring") in one body, aka Daystrom Android M-5-10. Soong built this older-looking version "with the wisdom and true human aesthetic of age. With the hope that in totality, something, someone will rise to be the best of us."

 That's the million-dollar question, though it's clear there's much more to this new-look Data than simply managing the security systems at Daystrom Station. It’s also clear this isn't quite the Data we knew and loved. 

Altan Soong never got the chance to finish the project before he died, leaving the various personalities vying for supremacy within the vessel. Data still recognizes Geordi La Forge, Picard and the rest of the crew, but with Lore also lurking in that shared mind, this resurrected body could be a danger to everyone.

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Richard's love affair with outer space started when he saw the original "Star Wars" on TV aged four, and he spent much of the ’90s watching "Star Trek”, "Babylon 5” and “The X-Files" with his mum. After studying physics at university, he became a journalist, swapped science fact for science fiction, and hit the jackpot when he joined the team at SFX, the UK's biggest sci-fi and fantasy magazine. He liked it so much he stayed there for 12 years, four of them as editor. 

He's since gone freelance and passes his time writing about "Star Wars", "Star Trek" and superheroes for the likes of SFX, Total Film, TechRadar and GamesRadar+. He has met five Doctors, two Starfleet captains and one Luke Skywalker, and once sat in the cockpit of "Red Dwarf"'s Starbug.  

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Admin said: How is Data in 'Star Trek: Picard' if he died in 'Star Trek: Nemesis?' : Read more

• OneOfTwelve Data already had a built-in aging program according to the TNG episode with his "mother" Juliana. Reply
• Newhouse75 That head is in Mark Twains time. Don't forget. The one in the future was used to restore Data in The future. Reply
• Backcountry164 It's called plot armor. Tripping over yourself making excuses for lazy writers seems pointless... Reply
• View All 4 Comments

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Star Trek: Picard: What REALLY Happened to Data?

While Data seems doomed in Star Trek: Picard, the TNG hero's final act could have given him a second shot at life.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Season 1 , now streaming on CBS All Access.

Lieutenant Commander Data was a firm fan favorite on Star Trek: The Next Generation . And when he nobly gave his life to save the day from an evil Romulan Picard clone portrayed by Tom Hardy in the divisive Star Trek: Nemesis , it was one of many aspects of the film that caused dissension and debate.

But what really happened to Data? Could he even die in the traditional sense? Before his untimely demise, Data transferred his positronic brain's memories into his less advanced younger brother, B-4. But Star Trek: Nemesis's critical and commercial failure brought the Next Generation franchise to an abrupt halt, leaving fans hanging with B-4 humming Data's favorite song at the end of the movie, and a tantalizing hint that Data was coming back.

RELATED: Star Trek: Picard Episode 4 Recap - The Truth Shall Set You Free

However, the fate of B-4 and Data’s consciousness has now been revealed.

In Star Trek: Picard , an aged and retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard haunted by Data’s death as he and his new crew embark on a quest to save the last of the android’s mysterious offspring, Soji, from certain destruction by the Romulan Zhat Vash. So far, B-4 seems to have been relegated to being a red herring. Although B-4 successfully became a new Data in the theoretically canonical comic, Star Trek: Countdown , Star Trek:   Picard reveals that B-4 never evolved into Data.

Still, it's clear that B-4's dismantled body is still around. Could Data's consciousness somehow still be lying dormant within it? Since Dr. Agnes Jurati makes it pretty clear that B-4 was an inferior copy whose brain simply lacked the capacity to revive Data as we knew him, that seems unlikely. Beyond that, though, it's also a possibility that this almost-throwaway explanation of B-4's fate was just a quick and easy way to tie up the B-4 loose end left after Nemesis . That would make sense following the movie's mixed critical reception, and it would leave a clean slate for the events of  Picard  to unfold independently.

When Bruce Maddox supposedly created Data's two "daughters,"  Soji and Dahj, he somehow made them far more human than Data ever was. In fact, they're so human that neither seemed aware that they were synthetic life forms at all. So far, everyone assumes that Maddox used neuronic fractal cloning to create the two sisters using one of Data's neurons. That gives way to another theory in itself. Could another neuron be used to clone Data, too?  Putting that aside for the moment, though, some fans are suggesting that Data may have had nothing to do with creating Soji and Dahj.

RELATED: Star Trek: Picard - Is Soji ACTUALLY Data’s Daughter?

Data had an older "brother" with a positronic brain, Lore, who could potentially make things more interesting on Star Trek: Picard . Lore is an evil version of Data, who was created by Dr. Soong and became a recurring villain on Star Trek: The Next Generation . In many ways, Lore was more advanced than Data -- particularly on the emotional spectrum.

What if Dahj and Soji were created using Lore's consciousness? That could explain their advanced emotional depth, which was already present in Lore long before Data received his emotional upgrade. The alternative is that perhaps the twins were the product of both Data and  Lore. Either scenario could make it more likely for one of them to be the "Destroyer" that the Zhat Vash are after.

Alternatively, could it be possible that Dahj contained the last semblance of Data and Soji is a product of Lore? If indeed that's the case, it could mean that Data really is no more following Dahj's apparent destruction. And if Soji is the offspring of Lore, rather than Data, when she's activated as her sister was, the Destroyer -- a true child of Lore -- will emerge through her.

After the events of Star Trek: Nemesis , there may be one question that fans are neglecting to ask: What exactly happened when Data stuck the emergency transport device onto Picard, sending him back to the Enterprise? Transporters effectively disassemble and reassemble a traveler's molecules from scratch. With that in mind, could it be possible that the Picard that was "reassembled" following his emergency transport was not quite the same as the one that left the Reman Bridge before Data made his ultimate sacrifice?

Could Data somehow have downloaded a part of himself into the transport device, merging an echo of his consciousness with Picard when he reconstituted on the Enterprise? Data's bond with technology is undeniable, so it's not entirely inconceivable that he could have made a connection with the transporter.

RELATED: Star Trek: Picard Gives Data’s Daughter a New Significance

Perhaps Picard's visions of Data are actually evidence of the android's consciousness being stored organically within himself. Stranger things have certainly happened in the Star Trek canon. And if this is the case, there's a possibility that Data could ultimately be reformed using a more organic process, which would make it easier for showrunners to explain Brent Spiner's aging.

With only a handful of episodes remaining in  Star Trek: Picard' s first season, though, fans may have to wait a little longer than they'd hoped to discover Data's true fate.

Star Trek: Picard stars Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera, and Harry Treadaway. New episodes of the series premiere every Thursday on CBS All Access.

KEEP READING:  Star Trek: Picard's Michelle Hurd Reveals What She Loves About Raffi

Star Trek: Picard: how Data died, and his appearance in Picard explained

The death of Data explained, and what his appearances in Picard mean

If you've been watching Star Trek : Picard, you may have a few questions about Data, the android who appears in Picard's dreams – and who may very well be the 'father' of new characters Dahj and Soji. Data was an important character in The Next Generation, which this new series is a direct continuation of, and he led an interesting life. So here's everything you need to know about Lieutenant Commander Data, including how he ultimately died in the movie Star Trek: Nemesis.

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Who is Data?

Data was an android designed by Dr. Noonian Soong, a brilliant cyberneticist. Other androids exist in the greater Star Trek universe, but Data's positronic brain gave him a greater depth and nuance of personality – to the point where the Federation considered him sentient, with the same rights as any biological being. 

Data was unable to feel emotion, however, and struggled to understand the many idiosyncrasies of the human race. But he was still capable of loyalty, wisdom, friendship and sensitivity, which earned him many friends when he served aboard the Federation starship Enterprise.

How did Data join Starfleet?

A mysterious alien life-form known as the Crystalline Entity destroyed a colony on the planet Omicron Theta, and Data's deactivated body was discovered among the debris by the USS Tripoli. He was revived by the Federation, and was accepted into Starfleet Academy when it became apparent that he had achieved a level of sentience never before seen in a synthetic being. 

Data graduated, despite the social challenges of being the only android in the academy, and served as an ensign aboard the USS Trieste, before being assigned to the Enterprise-D in 2364 – which is where we meet him in The Next Generation.

How did Data die in Star Trek: Nemesis?

Nemesis was the last of the Next Generation movies. Released in 2002, it starred Tom Hardy as Shinzon, a clone of Picard who stages a violent coup and becomes leader of the Romulan Empire. At the end of the movie, Data sacrifices his own life to save Picard's, destroying Shinzon's ship in the process. Before he died, Data downloaded his memories into a prototype Soong-type android, B-4. But this model's positronic brain was not as advanced as Data's, meaning he had none of his brother's individuality or personality: just raw memories.

How can Data be in Star Trek: Picard?

Brent Spiner reprises his role as Data in Star Trek: Picard, only in dreams so far. Picard is still haunted by the loss of his friend, and the heroic sacrifice he made to save his life. So whenever you see Data in the new series, it's Picard experiencing a vision; an echo of the past. But who knows what the rest of the series has in store? Perhaps we'll see a return of the old Data at some point in this story – although that might cheapen his sacrifice in Star Trek: Nemesis somewhat.

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Is Data still alive in Star Trek: Picard? 

Alas, the Data we knew from The Next Generation is gone forever. But a major plot point in season one of Picard is his memories – the ones he downloaded to B-4 – being used to create two 'daughters', Dahj and Soji. These android twins were designed by Dr. Bruce Maddox, a cyberneticist, using a process called fractal neuronic cloning. So while Lieutenant Commander Data of the USS Enterprise, lover of cats and Sherlock Holmes, is no more, his spirit lives on in them.

Star Trek: Picard is released every Thursday on CBS All Access in the US, and every Friday on Amazon Prime internationally. 

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21 Years Later, Brent Spiner Helped Reboot Data For Star Trek Canon

Data is back. But for how long?

In Star Trek: Picard Season 3 , the saddest moment of Star Trek: Nemesis has seemingly been undone. After dying on the Reman warship, the Scimitar , in 2379, Data has been reborn in 2401. But, after the events of “The Bounty,” this new version of Data is decidedly different than the one we remember. Jammed in the same body as his evil android brother, Lore, the latest version of Data is fighting for his existential life in the episode “Dominion.” And, for actor Brent Spiner, the meaning of life and death for Data are very different than you might think.

Spoilers for Star Trek: Picard ahead.

Because Data’s living consciousness, which existed in limbo from 2379 to 2399, died at the end of Picard Season 1 , the presence of another copy of Data’s memory in this new human-ish body, might make you wonder if those other Data deaths counted . But for Spiner, it’s a bit simpler than all that.

“People have said Data's died twice now. But, well, Data didn't die . He’s not a human being!” Spiner tells Inverse with a laugh. “It's like if your computer blew up, and you were still able to retrieve the hard drive. That’s the essence of him. So, Data goes on because they were able to access his memories and his experiences.”

Brent Spiner as Data, Michelle Hurd as Raffi Musiker, Michael Dorn as Worf and Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker

Mental gymnastics aside, Spiner did have several conversations with Terry Matalas and the other Picard writers to determine that this resurrection made sense.

“I wouldn’t say I was resistant,” Spiner reveals. “But I was dubious , at first. The writers and Terry were so open and receptive. I don’t mean they just let me do everything the way I asked. I mean, we struggled. These are smart people and talented people, and so we would go back and forth. They were always wide open and available. And, finally, I think we came to something that satisfied all of us. Also, at the end of the day, I don't want to be home, wondering if my friends are having a really good time on the set, playing their characters again.”

In “Dominion,” we learn that Data's personality has been partitioned from Lore’s in this body, and the outcome of that struggle will determine, eventually, which persona will become dominant. In this way, the Data-Lore-Soong hybrid in Picard Season 3, is actually a new character, and not just a copy-and-paste of Data from Nemesis .

“It is a new character in a sense,” Spiner says. “But also, I think what we’re saying is that we are our memories. Obviously, we all have memories of things we love. But also of things that we don’t love. Of sad things. Of horrible things. Data is all of that now.”

In “The Bounty,” fans were reminded of Data’s love of Sherlock Holmes , something which feels appropriate in real life. After Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed off the detective in “The Final Problem,” the sheer popularity of the character forced him to bring Holmes back. And Data is very much the same. “Well, we tried to off Data,” Spiner jokes. “But they keep tracking me down. They keep bringing me back in.”

Now that Picard Season 3 is warping toward its conclusion in just three weeks, it feels like the swan song for The Next Generation crew is truly coming to an end. With a (potentially) newly reborn Data, would Spiner want to continue doing more Star Trek? Or is this really, really it ?

Data and Lore in The Next Generation episode "Datalore."

“The thing about being an actor is no one ever retires,” Spiner says. “Cagney. He was retired after One, Two, Three . Then he came back and did Ragtime . Fred Astaire said he never wanted to do it again, and there he is in Finian's Rainbow. Nobody really wants to stop.”

In this way, Spiner is open to appearing in a future Trek project beyond Picard Season 3, should a hypothetical spinoff series materialize or not.

“We don't have any control over it. I know Terry would like to do more. Certainly, if there was a deal on the table, and they said we’d love you to come back, then I’d have another decision to make. I can't imagine that I would say no. Certainly, if everybody else was doing it, like I said, I don't want to be at home while they're having fun,” Spiner says. “But there’s also something to be said for going out with goodwill. This season has achieved so much goodwill from the fans and critics and everybody who’s seen it. It wouldn’t be a terrible place to stop if we had to stop.”

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 streams on Paramount+

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Published Sep 23, 2022

Data and His Artistic Pursuits

Exploring the sentient android's many interests.

StarTrek.com

The characters of Star Trek: The Next Generation engage in artistic endeavors in many of the show’s 179 episodes.

Commander William Riker plays jazz music, while Captain Jean-Luc Picard has his interests in Shakespeare and Ressikan music. Dr. Beverly Crusher directs plays and Worf enjoys Klingon opera. This constant attention to art and creativity in the narratives of The Next Generation represents the Star Trek theme that in the future, humanity will improve itself. "We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity," reveals Picard in Star Trek: First Contact . The fictional characters of TNG are what writer Henry Miller called “truly alive.”

Ironic, then, that the most artistically active character from TNG is an android. Data is a robotic version of Pinocchio, wishing to obtain the human emotions he was denied by design. Data realizes that the quest, in comparison to the boon, is more meaningful, and he wishes to learn about the human experience despite his lack of emotions. He will not be human physically, but art provides him an appreciation for humanity. Indeed, art and creativity are Data’s textbooks of understanding. “You are here to learn about the human condition and there's no better way than embracing Shakespeare,” Picard teaches as he coaches Data in a play as King Henry (“The Defector”).

Data engages in numerous art forms — poetry (“Schisms”), painting (“Birthright”), acting (“The Defector” and “Emergence”), violin (“Sarek”), oboe (“In Theory”), and singing ( Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek Nemesis ).

Data is sometimes successful at his art, and, at other times, the crew reacts with trepidation and incredulousness at his poems or painting. With poetry, such as Data’s “Ode to Spot” written for his cat, it is understandable that the crew is often uncertain how to react to the android’s art:

“O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you displayconnote a fairly well-developed cognitive arrayAnd though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehendI nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend" — Data ("Schisms")

The reason why Data's art is successful sometimes and other times — not quite so — may be found in the ideas of poet Sir Stephen Spender who believed that the necessary traits of artists are concentration, memory, inspiration, faith and song.

Data obviously has very little problem with concentration being an android. In “A Matter of Time,” he explains his ability to listen to 150 different musical compositions at the same time, yet reveals that “in order to analyze the aesthetics, I try to limit myself to ten or less.” His memory is no slouch either, sharing with Commander Riker, “I remember every fact I am exposed to, sir.” Data also possesses the inspiration to be a good artist. He is inspired by his fellow crew, from Captain Picard who challenges him to learn about humanity through acting in Shakespeare’s plays, to Dr. Beverly Crusher who offers advice on the arts. He expresses delights in everyday experiences, from growing a beard (“The Schizoid Man”) to learning about Sherlock Holmes (“Elementary, Dear Data”).

If Data has a problem, it may be that he is short sometimes on faith and song, at least in the sense that Spender defines the terms. Confidence in one’s artistry is what Spender means by faith and confidence in one’s own unique voice is the song. The most common criticism of Data’s art by his fellow crew is that he should stop imitating the works of others, and start expressing his own experiences.

For example, in "The Defector," after Picard credits Data with a fine performance of King Henry, the android reveals he has been studying the performances of famous thespians, to which Picard chides him, “You must discover it through your own performance, not by imitating." When recommending ways to improve his poetry, Geordi advises, “Next time, don't worry so much about rhyme and meter. Some of the world's greatest poets didn't pay attention to rules.” Spender and Geordi might suggest that Data needs to listen to his own proverbial voice.

It is when Data imitates — when he does not show confidence in his own art (voice) and own voice (song) — that his art doesn't quite reach the levels he hopes. The paintings and poems aren’t really failures, though, because artistic endeavors are never really failures. Indeed, it is Data’s desire to try to be an artist that is most important. Data is inspired to learn about humanity through art. And when Data looks at his artistic expressions and endeavors, he too can claim, as Spender does, “What failures there are!”

This article was originally published on August 28, 2016.

Maria Jose and John Tenuto are both sociology professors at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois, specializing in popular culture and subculture studies. The Tenutos have conducted extensive research on the history of Star Trek, and have presented at venues such as Creation Conventions and the St. Louis Science Center. They have written for the official Star Trek Magazine and their extensive collection of Star Trek items has been featured in SFX Magazine. Their theory about the “20-Year Nostalgia Cycle” and research on Star Trek fans has been featured on WGN News, BBC Radio and in the documentary The Force Among Us. They recently researched all known paperwork from the making of the classic episode "Space Seed" and are excited to be sharing some previously unreported information about Khan's first adventure with fellow fans.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

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Screen Rant

Star trek: picard’s soong made way more androids than data’s tng creator.

Dr. Altan Soong created far more androids in Star Trek: Picard than his father Noonien Soong did during the days of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

• Altan Soong, son of Noonien Soong, surpassed his father's work in creating advanced androids, including the creation of a synthetic golem body.
• Altan and Dr. Bruce Maddox developed a method to create identical android pairs using Data's positronic neurons, leading to a community of synthetics on Coppelius.
• Many of Altan's android creations, like Soji and Dahj, are nearly indistinguishable from humans, blurring the line between synthetic and humanoid beings.

In Star Trek: Picard , Dr. Altan Inigo Soong (Brent Spiner) built far more androids than his father Dr. Noonien Soong. For generations, the Soong family was interested in cloning and genetics, until Arik Soong switched to researching synthetic life while in a United Federation of Planets prison in Star Trek: Enterprise . It was not until Dr. Noonien Soong, in the 2330s, that the family's research into androids and cybernetics finally paid off. After a few less successful attempts, Noonien created Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), the most advanced android of his time and an accomplished Starfleet officer aboard the USS Enterprise-D.

Before Data, Dr. Noonien Soong created B-4, Lore (both also Brent Spiner), and at least two other prototypes. Soong later created a more realistic android recreation of his wife, Juliana (Fionnula Flanagan) . B-4's brain was not nearly as complex as Lore's or Data's, so the android had difficulty processing even simple information. Lore was much more sophisticated, but he quickly grew unstable, believing himself superior to the humanoids around him. Data was Noonien Soong's greatest accomplishment. The positronic android was kind and empathetic despite his supposed lack of emotion. Noonien created six total androids, but his son, Altan, far surpassed that number.

Every male Soong, as well as Data, B-4, and Lore, have all been portrayed by Brent Spiner.

Every Soong Character Brent Spiner Plays In Star Trek

Star trek: picard’s dr. altan soong built way more androids than tng’s noonien soong, altan soong built on his father's research, cementing his family's legacy..

The Soongs could have stopped after creating Data, but Altan continued his father's research, building on the technology used to create Data and his brothers. With help from Dr. Bruce Maddox (John Ales) , Altan developed a means of creating a pair of identical androids using one of Data's positronic neurons. Using this method, Soong and Maddox created a community of synthetics on the planet Coppelius. At this point, Altan had already created more androids than his father, but he kept working to improve the technology. Altan began creating a synthetic golem body into which he could transfer a human consciousness.

Although Dr. Altan Soong intended to use the golem body for himself, he later gifted it to Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) when the former Enterprise captain succumbed to his terminal brain abnormality. Picard's new golem body was indistinguishable from his human one, and allowed him to live out the rest of the life he would have had. After this, Altan went back to work on his father's androids, constructing a new android body to house the personalities of Data, Lore, B-4, and Data's daughter, Lal (Hallie Todd). Data's personality eventually became the dominant one, providing the android with something as close to humanity as possible.

Other scientists and cyberneticists continued to build on Altan Soong's work. Star Trek: Discovery season 5 introduces an android named Fred (J. Adam Brown), who bears a striking resemblance to Data and has a serial number beginning with AS for Altan Soong.

Picard’s Altan Soong Made Star Trek Androids More Human

Many of altan's androids are nearly indistinguishable from humans..

On Coppelius, Altan Soong and Bruce Maddox created numerous android pairs, including twins Soji and Dahj Asha (Isa Briones) . Soji and Dahj were so human-like that they initially believed themselves to be human, and Soji only learned of her true nature after her sister's death drew her into a complex conspiracy. Soji and Dahj had enhanced strength and speech, but their synthetic bodies functioned almost like human ones. The synthetic golem bodies Altan created for Picard and Data also appeared incredibly human, with Data's yellow eyes the only indication he may be something more.

Although Data exhibited many human characteristics throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation , he was always, unmistakably, a machine. Data's upgrade in Star Trek: Picard season 3 was the culmination of both Noonien and Altan Soong's work, and also the fulfillment of Data's dream. Like many of the Soongs , Altan may have made some questionable decisions, but he ultimately cemented the Soong legacy as a positive one. Star Trek: Picard season 1 did not reveal exactly how many androids were living on Coppelius, but the number far surpasses the six androids created by Noonien Soong.

All three seasons of Star Trek: Picard are streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Picard

What Only True Star Trek Fans Noticed About Data's Cat

Data is one of the most beloved characters within the "Star Trek" universe. Per Nerdist , Data first appeared on the pilot episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"  in 1987 as the only known sentient android in history. Throughout the series and its movie offshoots, Data learning and encountering a full range of human experiences and emotions was an ongoing highlight for "Star Trek" fans. Data even became a pet owner, obtaining a cat named Spot. Spot's first appearance came during the fourth season of TNG on the episode "Data's Day," which first aired on January 7, 1991, as reported by  Ex Astris Scientia . Spot was referred to as "he" and was portrayed as a long-haired Somali cat. This version of Spot appeared once more, in the episode titled "In Theory," before disappearing from the show for a time. 

During the sixth season of TNG, Spot reappeared on the episode "A Fistful of Datas" and became a series regular. However, sharp-eyed fans (or those with a particularly good memory) noticed something about Data's cat: it was a different Spot. Not only was Spot eventually referred to as "she," the cat was now an American shorthair with a brighter coat, new pattern, and of course shorter hair.

So why the new Spot? According to Issue 105 of the magazine Star Trek: Communicator, published in February of 1991 and quoted by Memory Alpha , not only did the first cat who portrayed Spot die between the fourth and sixth season, but producer Jeri Taylor decided Spot should give birth.

The portrayal of Spot was a multi-cat production

Per the 1991 article in Star Trek: Communicator, quoted by Memory Alpha , the new Spot was first portrayed by two cats, twin tabbies Monster and Brandy, followed by cats named Bud, Tyler, Spencer, and Zoe. The episode on which Spot gave birth, "Genesis," also featured her temporarily turning into an iguana, at which point she was played by an actual iguana named Willie. This episode also featured Spot as a hero who indirectly saves the crew of the Enterprise. The entire crew is infected by a synthetic T-cell that causes de-evolution; hence Spot's transformation to a lizard. It's only when Spot's kittens are born unaffected that Data and Captain Picard , who return from an away mission, realize that Spot's placenta protected them, giving them the idea to create an antidote using amniotic fluid from Nurse Ogawa, who was also pregnant. 

While the character of Data loved Spot, famously composing an ode to his pet and even crying tears of joy thanks to a newly-implanted emotion chip when he learns Spot survived the destruction of the Enterprise in the movie "Star Trek: Generations," actor Brent Spiner was seemingly not as much of a fan. During a question and answer session (available in part on YouTube ), Spiner joked that the cats who played Spot "were three of the worst actors I ever worked with" and "would not do anything you asked them to. I hated working with them, I'll be honest." 

The Best Data Episodes Of Star Trek: The Next Generation

You can't really talk about  Star Trek: The Next Generation  ( TNG ) without talking about Data. Played by Brent Spiner , this sentient android appeared in all seven seasons of the series, has a recurring role in  Star Trek: Picard , and showed up in all four  TNG  films. Data proved to quickly be one of the most popular  TNG  characters, as fans enjoyed following the synthetic officer's struggles to understand humanity and grow closer to it. 

As for his backstory, Data is discovered before the events of the series on the otherwise lifeless Omicron Theta colony. About halfway through the first season of TNG , in "Datalore," we learn most of the colony was wiped out by a powerful spacefaring being known only as the Crystalline Entity (take Galactus, but make him look like a giant snowflake). Fortunately, the android is rescued by Starfleet, which heavily influences his choice to join the organization. On board the  Enterprise , Data regularly proves to be one of the crew's best assets, though occasionally his android origins allow villains to turn him into a crippling liability. 

Throughout the series, most of the crew's   senior officers were the focus of at least a couple of episodes, but Data's struggles and adventures proved compelling enough to fans that the Enterprise 's own Pinocchio could rightly be accused of hogging the spotlight. And today, we're going to look at the episodes where Data shined the brightest. Here are our picks for the best Data episodes of  Star Trek: The Next Generation .  

'Phantasms' is one of Data's weirdest and funniest episodes

In 1968, Philip K. Dick penned one of his best-known novels, one where the title poses an interesting question: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Well, after watching the 1993  TNG  episode "Phantasms," we can't tell you if androids dream of electric sheep, but we  can  report they occasionally dream of cakes made of out of crew members.

In season six's "Birthright," Data discovers a program that allows him to dream. And in the following season's "Phantasms," Data's dreams haunt him to the point where he appears to be losing his positronic marbles. His dreams are filled with absolutely bizarre images. For example, in one, he finds in a party on Ten Forward in which Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) is a cake whom his crew members are devouring. We eventually learn the weird dreams are actually giving Data the key to save the  Enterprise . After the ship takes on a brand new warp core, invisible parasites start feeding on the crew. Data unconsciously detects the creatures, and the strange imagery of his dreams is actually designed to alert him of the danger.

"Phantasms" goes into weird  Twin Peaks  territory that no one ever expected from  Star Trek , and for that alone, it deserves a spot on this list. But the episode also proves to be one of the funniest  TNG stories, particularly with some uncharacteristic off-color humor that begins to surface after Data discusses his dreams with a holographic version of Sigmund Freud (who had a reputation for linking most neuroses to sex) .

'Descent' puts Data against two of Star Trek's best villains

Two of TNG 's most compelling bad guys form something of an alliance in the two-parter "Descent." And this terrifying union starts early in part one, when Data surprises us by getting murderously enraged when attacked by Borg drones — to the point that he continues to beat on an already dead drone when he should be helping out his crew members. 

Data is puzzled by the spontaneous burst of emotion and concerned with his homicidal urges, and we eventually learn he's being manipulated by his brother Lore, a predecessor to Data who's programmed with emotions but suffers mental instability. Lore is gathering Borg drones detached from the Borg Collective and recruiting them into a cult committed to the rise of cybernetic beings over organic life. To this end, Lore is behind Data's murderous emotions, and he manipulates him to the point where he's almost willing to kill his best friend, Geordi (Levar Burton).

Bookending the penultimate and final seasons of  TNG , "Descent" not only gives us another chance to see the Borg, but it also marks the return of the free-thinking Borg Hugh (Jonathan Del Arco) who first appeared in "I, Borg." It also proves to be the final confrontation between Data and his twisted brother Lore. It's as sad as it is satisfying when Data deactivates his wayward sibling, whose final profession of love before his death is almost certainly a lie. 

'Hero Worship' explores the pros to being an android

When you first discover how badly Data wants to be a human, it's natural to at least briefly wonder why he would want to be something that — in so many ways — is inferior. That's part of what occurs to the young Timothy (Joshua Harris) in the season five episode "Hero Worship." Timothy is the sole survivor of the wrecked ship  Vico , and it's Data who saves him. Traumatized by so much death, Timothy takes comfort in pretending to be an android. Counselor Troi encourages Data to help Timothy find shelter in this temporary fantasy, and he teaches the boy what it's like to be a synthetic person, including finding Timothy appropriate clothes and combing his hair to look more like Data.

Data's time with Timothy is touching and bittersweet. We can tell from the beginning that Data enjoys the company of someone who wants to be more like him and that he'll miss Timothy when, inevitably, he emerges from the fantasy. Regardless, the exercise helps the boy open up to his rescuers. Timothy initially tells the  Enterprise  crew that his ship was attacked by aliens, but by the end, it comes out Timothy wrongly blames himself. Moments before the ship's destruction, Timothy fell and hit a console, and he erroneously believes that whatever he hit on the console is what destroyed  Vico . But in a nice twist, it's Timothy's memory of the  Vico 's final moments that gives Data the clues he needs to save the  Enterprise  from the Vico 's actual fate.

'The Quality of Life' asks some heavy questions

"The Quality of Life" is unique in that it puts Data at odds with his shipmates, but it's not because any villain infiltrates his positronic net. Instead, Data refuses the orders of a superior officer on his own free will.

Early in "The Quality of Life," we meet Dr. Farallon (Ellen Bry), the head of a project she hopes will be approved by the Federation. To help with her work, Farallon creates small, mobile, problem-solving machines called exocomps. After one of the exocomps refuses to perform a task, Data — while everyone else assumes the exocomp is malfunctioning — determines the machine is self-aware. Toward the end of the episode, Data locks horns with Riker over using the exocomps to save Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) and Geordi from an accident but in a manner that would destroy the machines. Riker solves the problem by suggesting that Data ask the exocomps to help rather than ordering them. The machines agree to help, and they find an alternative means of saving Picard and Geordi, though sadly one of them chooses to sacrifice itself for the sake of the others. 

"The Quality of Life" is an episode that challenges its audience. It doesn't take much to feel sympathy for Data. He may be a machine, but he looks like a person and is being played by a flesh-and-blood human. It's quite another thing to root for Data when he's treating the rights of three drone-like machines as inviolate enough to risk the lives of beloved regular characters. 

'Elementary, Dear Data' is The Next Generation having a whole lot of fun

Picard loves his Dixon Hill, and Data loves Sherlock Holmes. And in "Elementary, Dear Data," we get to see Data indulge in his love for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective, while Geordi LaForge plays his loyal companion, Watson. 

It begins, as most holodeck-gone-wrong episodes do, with the heroes just having a bit of fun. Geordi gets frustrated when Data, rather than going through an entire Holmes mystery, ends the story early by revealing the killer. Only instead of using deduction, Data knows who committed the crime simply by having read the story already. Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) gets involved when she overhears the two in Ten Forward, and she challenges Data to solve an original Holmesian mystery. That challenge inadvertently leads Geordi to give the holodeck a command that makes the holographic version of Holmes' nemesis, Professor Moriarty, sentient. And soon enough, the classic bad guy becomes aware he's a hologram on a space ship. 

Once the challenge gets interesting, Data and Geordi throw themselves into their roles, and their enthusiasm is infectious. But what makes the episode one of the  TNG 's most memorable is Daniel Davis' portrayal of Moriarty. Picard is forced to get involved after Moriarty figures out a way to briefly take control of the  Enterprise.  However, Moriarty's evolution makes him much more than a villain, and his portrayal is surprisingly affecting. When Moriarty tells Picard, "What I have seen, what I have learned, fascinates me — I do not want to die," it takes you off guard. Against all odds, you actually care about this holographic recreation of a Victorian-era villain. 

Brent Spiner shows off his acting chops in 'Brothers'

When Data's twin brother Lore threatens the  Enterprise , Brent Spiner does double-duty by playing both androids. But in the fourth season episode "Brothers," Spiner does  triple  duty as Data, Lore, and their enigmatic creator, Dr. Noonian Soong .

In "Brothers," Dr. Soong activates a homing device that summons both Data and Lore to his workshop deep in the jungle of an otherwise seemingly unpopulated planet. Soong is dying, and before his passing, he wants to give Data a chip he's developed that will give Data human emotions but without the flaws that lead to Lore's instability. Before Lore's predictable betrayal and Soong's death, we learn much of what Lore told us in the earlier episode "Datalore" was untrue. In particular, while Lore claims to be a perfected version of Data, Soong reveals Lore was built first and was deactivated because humans feared him. Data seems genuinely stunned to learn he isn't inferior to Lore, so much so that he repeats the revelation "I am not less perfect than Lore" out loud, much to his brother's aggravation. 

Spiner's performances in all three roles genuinely feels like a troubled family reunion. Data and Lore come off like two feuding brothers under the tutelage of an impatient father, including in the perfectly touching and funny moment when Soong orders them through clenched teeth to both sit down. "Brothers" is a testament to Spiner's acting abilities, and the episode is an essential piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding Data.

'Data's Day' lets us look through the android's eyes

The plot of season four's "Data's Day" isn't particularly memorable. Data prepares for the wedding of Chief O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Keiko (Rosalind Chao), while the  Enterprise  heads for the Romulan Neutral Zone with a Vulcan ambassador in tow. Really, "Data's Day" is pretty much a meat-and-potatoes TNG episode, but it's elevated by being told completely through Data's adorably hopeless point of view

"Data's Day" references the episode "The Measure of a Man," with Data writing a letter to Bruce Maddox, the same cyberneticist who caused the android so much trouble in the earlier story. Data writes his letter as a log entry, explaining everything that's happening, what he believes will resolve each situation, and inevitably how laughably wrong he proves to be. For example, Data tries and fails to understand the drama between O'Brien and Keiko when the latter gets cold feet and cancels their wedding. And the eventual betrayal by the Vulcan ambassador, who proves to be a Romulan incognito, seems almost unnecessary compared to the fun of Data learning to dance while wearing a Joker-like smile that is the stuff of nightmares.

"Data's Day" is equally sweet, sad, and funny in showing us Data's attempts to understand human behavior. One interesting aspect of the episode is when he describes Worf (Michael Dorn) as a "kindred spirit." With both often finding themselves confused by humans, the connection makes sense. Still, with both taking vastly different approaches to most situations, it's a surprising revelation. 

'In Theory' is a heartbreaking Star Trek episode

In the early first season episode "The Naked Now," Data famously gets intimate with Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby). After that, Data doesn't have a lot of chance at romance until the fourth season's "In Theory." 

As Data's friend Jenna (Michele Scarabelli) is getting over a break-up with an on-again/off-again boyfriend, it suddenly occurs to her that her synthetic buddy might just be her best new candidate for romance. As Jenna's interest gradually becomes clear to Data, he goes to each of his  Enterprise  friends in turn, asking their advice. He decides to move forward with the relationship and creates a program for it. Slowly, Jenna begins to realize that having a romantic relationship with an emotionless android means ... having a romantic relationship with an emotionless android. Data never knows how to react to what Jenna does, whether it's what to do when she brings him a gift or when he abruptly initiates a lovers' quarrel simply because he thinks that's what Jenna wants. 

The episode's final scene is gut-punching. Once Jenna tells Data their relationship is over, he responds emotionlessly with, "Then I will delete the appropriate program." Jenna is crushed while Data seems perfectly fine, as untroubled by the break-up as if it'd never happened. Most Data episodes end with some kind of sentiment hinting towards Data being more human than he appears. "In Theory" swerves hard in the other direction, letting you viscerally feel the impact Data's lack of humanity can have on those around him. 

Data goes looking for his father in 'Birthright, Part I'

As far as  TNG  two-parters go, season six's "Birthright" is a little different than most. "Birthright, Part I" is maybe 60 percent Data and 40 percent Worf, with the Klingon officer dealing with the reveal that his father Mogh — long presumed dead — may still be alive. In the meantime, Data is gifted with a strange dream-like vision of his father, Dr. Soong, after an accident involving Geordi, Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) of  Deep Space Nine , and a mysterious device found in the Gamma Quadrant. 

Data and Worf's narratives come together when Data tells the Klingon about this experience, and Worf sees the event as a powerful vision. Taking Worf's advice, Data does everything he can to interpret his vision. At first, he tries to read his dream through art and is inspired enough to create dozens of paintings, many of which include images that Data didn't even see in his vision. Eventually, he recruits Geordi and Bashir to help recreate the accident that caused it in the first place so he can experience the vision in its entirety. 

The result is a powerful, tear-jerking reunion with Data's father, albeit not "in the flesh." By recreating the accident, Data unlocks a program that his father had set to be activated when Data reached a specific point in his evolution. As a result, Data not only gets to see and speak to his dead father, but he leaves the experience with the newfound ability to dream. 

'The Measure of a Man' is Star Trek: The Next Generation at its finest

Among the first two seasons of  TNG , few episodes are as impressive as "The Measure of a Man," in which Data finds himself on trial for his life — not for a crime but simply for being.

Starfleet scientist Bruce Maddox (Brian Brophy) wants to perform experiments on Data, but Data is worried he won't survive them. When Maddox forces the issue, Data tries to resign his commission. Maddox argues Data is Starfleet's property and doesn't have the right to resign his commission, so Picard is forced to face-off against Riker in a legal proceeding to determine whether or not Data has sentience. He famously tells the judge, "Your Honor, Starfleet was founded to seek out new life." Then, pointing to Data, he says, " Well, there it sits ."

Perhaps even more powerful is Data's defense. When Maddox visits Data's quarters in hopes of convincing him to submit to his experiments, Data tells him, "When Doctor Soong created me, he added to the substance of the universe. If, by your experiments, I am destroyed, something unique, something wonderful, will be lost. I cannot permit that." The lines' power comes from the fact that they're spoken by Data. If a human being were to describe themselves as "something unique" or "wonderful" that must be protected, it might come off as sappy or even self-important. Coming from an android without emotion to corrupt his logic, it seems like nothing but the wisdom it is. 

'The Offspring' is definitely Data's saddest episode

If "The Offspring" doesn't make your eyes sweaty, nothing will. The emotions all start when Data builds an android that he names Lal (Hallie Todd). As Picard predicts, Lal's creation attracts all the wrong kind of attention. Starfleet Admiral Haftel (Nicolas Coster) makes it clear he wants Lal to be supervised by Starfleet scientists, while Data is adamant that he will keep his daughter with him.

Lal's time aboard the  Enterprise  is marked by the same kind of well-intentioned confusion we're used to from her father. Unaware school children are laughing  at  her, Lal determines that because they laugh so much, she must have "mastered" the concept of humor. She then agrees to work in Ten Forward with Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) in an attempt to learn human behavior. Lal becomes something of a child to the entire crew, making her loss that much tougher to handle. Lal experiences intense emotion at the prospect of being taken away from her father, and it triggers a cascade failure . Data races to save her with such determination that even Admiral Haftel is struck by it, but in the end, Lal can't be saved. She thanks Data for her life and tells her father, since he can't feel love, that she will love for them both. 

Having transferred Lal's memories into himself, Data assures the heartbroken crew, "She is here ," and then points to his head. Unwilling to allow her fade into oblivion, Data keeps her memories in his positronic net so she'll always be with him. That right there is a truly tear-jerking Star Trek moment , and if you're not weeping, then you're probably an android.

Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Tasha Yar

7. data i barely know her.

What was so wonderful was the humour and the absurdity of it […]. That episode was fun because you got to see the other side of Tasha. You'd seen her as this fierce warrior, this take-charge character, and then she gets contaminated with this virus or whatever it was, and she takes on this other persona. That was a lot of fun.

Jack Kiely is a writer with a PhD in French and almost certainly an unhealthy obsession with Star Trek.

Star Trek: Discovery‘s Season 5 Premiere Easter Egg Explained: Who Are the [Spoiler]?

Star Trek: Discovery co-showrunner Alex Kurtzman previously told TVLine that the sci-fi drama's fifth and final season was dependent on a "very significant" Star Trek Easter egg , and we finally know what he meant by that.

The season's first two episodes, which are now streaming on Paramount+, sent the Discovery crew on one last adventure to find the missing clues spread throughout the galaxy that will lead them to the ancient device used by an ancient species, known as the Progenitors, to create life as we know it.

So, who are the Progenitors? In the Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6 episode "The Chase," Captain Picard (played by Sir Patrick Stewart) assembled Cardassian and Klingon representatives on a remote, uninhabited planet to combine their DNA samples with that of the final piece of a strange puzzle. A scan of the object then unlocked a hidden message from the Progenitors, who revealed that they were responsible for all life in the Alpha Quadrant.

That came into play in the premiere , as outlaws Moll ( Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Eve Harlow) and L'ak ( Shadowhunters ' Elias Toufexis) stole a tan zhekran - a traditional Romulan puzzle box; Narek (Harry Treadaway) used one as a thinking aid in Star Trek: Picard Season 1 - from an 800-year-old Romulan science vessel.

The Federation was also heavily invested in finding this mystery box, and Dr. Kovich and Admiral Vance remained tightlipped while briefing Burnham on a secretive mission to retrieve it. Captain Burnham nearly caught Moll and L'ak aboard the science vessel but they escaped to the Dune -like planet Q'mau.

There, the fugitive duo convinced a Synth dealer named Fred to open the box under the guise of selling it along with other timeless treasures, including a self-sealing stem bolt (frequently mentioned throughout Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , though their specific use is unclear) and an old tricorder (a hand-held sensor issued by Starfleet that can be used for scanning, recording and analyzing data). 

Naturally, the deal fell apart once Fred opened the box and revealed the diary hidden inside. We later learn that it belonged to Dr. Vellek, a Romulan who was present when Picard & Co. unlocked that message from the Progenitors.

Dr. Vellek found the ancient humanoids' life-creating device and recorded everything he knew about it in that diary. He then hid the device sometime before disappearing 800 years ago, and the diary contains important clues - such as the drawing of two moons - to find it.

Book and Burnham tracked Moll and L'ak to Q'mau, where they came upon Fred's lifeless body. As they continued pursuing the outlaws, Culber, Stamets and Saru examined Fred aboard Discover y and realized that he was built from one of Dr. Soong's designs.

Dr. Noonien Soong (Brent Spiner) created several android prototypes, including Data, Lore and B-4 - all portrayed by Spiner throughout TNG's seven-season run.

L'ak and Mall again evaded Burnham & Co., but not before starting a catastrophic avalanche that forced the Discovery captain and a frustratingly aggressive Captain Raynor ( The Umbrella Academy's Callum Keith Rennie) to refocus their efforts on saving a nearby settlement.

When the dust settled, Saru, who'd been mulling an offer to leave Discovery and become a Federation ambassador, accepted the new position to stay close to President T'Rina. That was met with a surprising proposal from T'Rina, who politely suggested they codify their mutual commitment in a more official capacity.

But not everyone was in a celebratory mood. In Episode 2 , Federation officials - including President Villak and Admiral Vance - opened an inquiry into Raynor's actions on Q'mau and the avalanche that caused a messy cleanup. When pressed, Burnham admitted to disagreeing with how Raynor handled things and Raynor called the meeting a waste of time.  

While the Federation mulled his future, Discovery embarked on a trip to Lyrek in search of another clue. The uninhabited planet was used by the Promellians as a burial ground before the species went extinct. (In the TNG episode "Booby Trap," we learned that early Federation starships were influenced by their design.)

In their exploration of the forest-heavy planet, Burnham and Saru accidentally tripped a complex security system which launched droids that immediately opened fire. Saru leaped into action, though, drawing the killer bots away and buying Tilly enough time to disarm them. He and Burnham then reached their target location, where they uncovered a Romulan revlav, aka a message in a poem.

While all of that was happening, Book reached out to Moll and L'ak about buying the diary, which he knew would be a hot commodity in the galaxy. But his conversation with the fugitives revealed something else. Studying Moll's image later on, Book figured out why Moll seemed so familiar. Her real name was Malinne and she was the daughter of his mentor Cleveland Book IV, making her the closest thing to family he has left.

Back on Lyrek, the looming threat of the security system acting up again forced Burnham and Saru to bail, but they did recover an important piece of the puzzle. Burnham hypothesized that it was part of a map that was broken into five portions. With the first one in their possession, they needed to find the remaining pieces before L'ak and Moll. Their next destination? Trill.

But first, Burnham needed to secure a new Number One. She turned to Raynor, who'd been asked by Vance to retire. In offering him Saru's old role, she was giving him a second chance - one that had been granted to her back in Season 1.

What did you think of the first two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery's final season? Grade them below, and share your thoughts about the overarching mystery in the comments.

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Data crystal

• View history

A data crystal

Data crystals were small, sophisticated information storage devices able to store large amounts of information. They could be connected to dataports .

In the 2250s of the mirror universe , the Terran Empire rebellion used data crystals to store information on their listening posts. In 2257 , Shukar gave the ISS Shenzhou 's Captain Michael Burnham , who was posing as her Terran counterpart , was given a data crystal that contained the location of the Rebellion's listening post. ( DIS : " The Wolf Inside ")

In 2373 , Jadzia Dax found some blank data crystals in the computer room of a crashed Jem'Hadar ship . ( DS9 : " The Ship ")

Prior to Arissa 's undercover assignment to the Orion Syndicate , which required her memories to be altered, a copy of her memories were stored inside a data crystal so that her identity could be restored after the assignment was complete. ( DS9 : " A Simple Investigation ")

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While most 2024 offerings arrive in October, the first ornament of the year hits stores this July, when Hallmark celebrates the 60th anniversary of “The Cage” with The Keeper . This is the Talosian leader who kept Captain Pike hostage in the original Star Trek  pilot episode; it’s priced at $19.99.

Moving into the fall’s character spotlights, Hallmark is starting with the beloved chief medical officer of the Enterprise- D: Beverly Crusher! With so many licensees often leaving Crusher out of the roster of character-themed releases, it’s nice to see Hallmark including the good doctor in their 2024 lineup.

Clad in her trademark blue coat and with trusty medical tricorder in hand, the Crusher ornament will available in October for $19.99.

Also from  The Next Generation is the first electronic ornament for 2024, recreating the encounter between Ambassador Spock and Data in “Unification II.” This ornament will be priced at $29.99 when released in October, and plays audio clips from the Next Gen episode.

For this year’s “modern  Trek ” release, Hallmark turns to  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds with an ornament featuring Captain Pike seated in his  Enterprise command chair. The base of his chair plays  Strange New Worlds audio clips, and will be available for $21.99 this October.

Moving next to Trek movie anniversaries, Hallmark celebrates the 30th anniversary of  Star Trek: Generations with the first-ever  USS Enterprise -B ornament! Hallmark’s Kevin Dilmore once highlighted the technical challenges that held back the Excelsior -class design for many years back in 2021, so it’s nice to see this long-awaited ship will make it to fans’ collections.

The Enterprise- B ornament lights up and will be available for $34.99 in October.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture also hits a big anniversary this year, and Hallmark will be honoring that milestone with a pair of miniature ornaments tied to the film. A small edition of the refit  USS Enterprise will be released at a $10.99 price point, and a small sculpt of Science Officer Spock wearing his TMP-era uniform will be $9.99. Each will be out in October.

Finally, the fan-favorite  Star Trek homage  Galaxy Quest hits its 25th anniversary this year, and Hallmark will be taking us back to 1999 with a new ornament of that film’s  NSEA Protector spaceship.

Like the other 2024 releases, the  Protector ornament will be out this October for $24.99.

What’s your favorite of this year’s Hallmark  Star Trek ornament offerings? Is there one you were really hoping for that didn’t make 2024’s lineup? Let us know in the comments below!

• Galaxy Quest
• Hallmark Ornaments
• Keepsake Ornaments
• Star Trek: Generations
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture
• Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: The Original Series
• Trek Merchandise

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