Summary
Warning: contains spoilers forStar Trek Annual 2024!
In his quest to be more human, Data had some embarrassing encounters, and nowStar Trekhas confirmed he will never live down his most cringe-worthy moment.Data returns to IDW’sStar TrekcomicsinStar Trek Annual 2024, hot on the trail of his brother Lore.Data’s search takes him across the galaxy–-and a certain aspect of his reputation proceeds him.
Star Trek Annual 2024was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Rachael Stott. Data, Geordi La Forge and Chief O’Brien have arrived at the Orion homeworld, seeking an audience with the crime lord Madam Vivo. Vivo sizes up the three newcomers, and takes a particular interest in Data. She tells him that Lore informed her “where the androids of Doctor Soong sit on the spectrum of pleasure.” She then calls him “fully functional.”
Data’s Quest to Be More Human Was One ofStar Trek’sBest Character Arcs
Data’s Journey Also Took Him to Some Awkward Places
Data, patterned loosely after another Gene Roddenberry character called Questor, was a one of a kind being in theStar Trekuniverse. Created by the brilliant but eccentric scientist Noonian Soong, Data lacked emotions. Like a futuristic Pinocchio,Data seeks to becomeflesh and blood. Thisjourney led Data to some interesting places, including a sexual rendezvous with Tasha Yar in the first seasonNext Generationepisode “The Naked Now.”In that episode, Data referred to himself as “fully functional,” just like Madam Vivo called him inStar Trek Annual 2024.
Madam Vivo is not the first woman in theStar Trekuniverse to reference Data’s reproductive anatomy, and subsequently tries to seduce him. In the feature filmStar Trek: First Contact, the Borg Queen attempts to lure Data to her side by stimulating his pleasure centers. Data recently activated his emotion chip, which intensified the experience. Data, thanks to his strong moral character, was able to resist the Borg Queen’s advances, but it demonstrated an understanding on her part of how Data works. Much like Spock before him, Data has proven irresistible to women in theStar Trekuniverse.
Data Has a Surprising Reputation Around the Galaxy
Data Will Never Live the “Fully Functional” Thing Down
YetStar Trek Annual 2024confirms that Data will never live down the reputation his encounter with Tasha gave him. Various episodes ofStar Trek: The Next Generationhinted that Data’s reputation was known throughout the galaxy, but more in terms of his strength and intelligence. Yet word of Data’s sexual exploits has made the rounds as well. Given that Data was built, it makes sense that all his parts would be large and work well. Data only used it once that fans know of, but it was enough to give Data a reputation in theStar Trekuniverse he will never live down.
