Data is avoiding Omicron Theta
Okay, so I am rewatching TNG right now, and a few days ago I watched Datalore. And apart from the obvious stuff that makes this episode untapped potential (in my opinion) and also a couple of weird behaviors and plot holes… I was alarmed by Data’s reaction to his home planet.
Hear me out:
So, first off, the Enterprise is minutes or hours away from the planet where Data was found. Where is the dear Commander? Not on the bridge. Not eagerly involved or overly curious like he normally is. No, he isn’t infodumping to anyone. He isn’t having philosophical discussions with Geordi or Deanna.
Nope. He thinks sneezing is the way to go.
Yes, he is currently practicing how to sneeze. And his explanation when Wesley asks him? Yes, he is interested in the planet, but like… also in sneezing, so yeah. That is how he will spend his day.
Second scene that makes me listen closely:
Data gets offered to pilot the Enterprise into the orbit of the planet.
His response?
“No, thank you.”
Like… what?
No, thank you?
Mister Starfleet-protocol, Mister I-Am-Honored-To-Be-Here-And-Serve-With-All-Of-You?
As a psychologist, this behavior seems to me like avoidance. I don’t even know if the episode intended this, but it reads very strongly as avoidance to me. Both of those scenes show, in my humble opinion, that Data isn’t interested in the planet. No, he might be afraid of what he will find. Perhaps, and this is speculation, he is afraid of what they will find. Of being back where he was abandoned.
Sneezing is something small and learnable. Something easily controlled. Especially when you are an android who doesn’t need to sneeze. A planet your dust-covered, deactivated body was found on is not controllable. It’s not safe or calming.
But in the spirit of season 1, they ignored this whole untapped plotline and focused on the evil twin, so yeah…
Anyway, that is just how I see it and speculation, of course, but I felt the need to share this.
