Why was Data never promoted?

[alpha_leonis]

I got to thinking about this recently: Data was the only character in the Next Generation main cast who never received, was never even *offered* a promotion during the entire series run, from Farpoint to Nemesis. Not counting characters like Yar and Pulaski, who weren't around long enough.

• Picard: was offered a promotion to Admiral but refused it.
• Riker: was offered promotions to Captain a couple of times, and finally accepted one in "Nemesis"
• LaForge and Worf both started as Lieutenants JG, and both made Lieutenant Commander by the end of the show's run.
• Troi had an entire episode dedicated to her promotion to full Commander
• Even Dr. Crusher had Lt. Commander pips at the beginning of Farpoint -- apparently her promotion to full Commander didn't take effect until she arrived on the Enterprise in that episode. (Then she was a Captain in the alternate future in All Good Things.)

So what's up with Data? My first thought was some sort of anti-Android discrimination a-la "Measure of a Man", but I thought that question was settled as a result of that episode. (Actually, I would have thought it was settled already before they made him a Lieutenant Commander and second officer of the flagship, but that's a different discussion.)

True there was the time Data took command of the Sutherland in "Redemption" and got pushback from one of his officers, but he proved himself by the end. Yet still no promotion.

All of a sudden that bugs me. The only thing I can think of is that Data's character, at least before his emotion chip, lacked ambition. He only made it as far as he did, perhaps, because he was emulating humans and "that's what humans do".

Also he's potentially immortal and could conceivable work and be useful for decades or centuries at each rank. Perhaps he just thought he could be useful as a Lt.Com. for longer than a human would. That seems logical in a Vulcan/Android sense of the word.

Other thoughts?

 

[Leviathan]

To get promoted one must use contractions.

 

[Nakita Akita]

I think it's because of the no emotions he never put forth the sucking up to get promoted.
Sure, there are people that get promoted because of skill or outstanding achievement but most get promoted by sucking up.

 

[Tenacity]

Data's violation of the prime directive in penpals was a part of the ship's official log, and was enough by itself to deny Data promotion.

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

I'd believe it; that was a pretty blatant violation without any real wiggle room. What's worse is that if it weren't for this violation, we wouldn't have had to watch Pen Pals.

 

[JesterFace]

Data was Lieutenant Commander in season 1 and third in command of the Enterprise.
Had he been promoted to commander what would the first officer say... as Riker was commander too.

I think there was no place in the "collar pip scale" for the writers to promote him into.

 

[Twilight Phoenix]

I never understood either...He got a bunch of medals, does good job, he's totally devoted to the ship to the point he's often put his life at stack for it, he always takes the night shifts...but no promotion.
I guess it was just because the writers didn't want to go in depth about his career.
Too bad...Red totally fits him
I'd totally vote for a Captain Data alternate reality

Make it so ! (Fanart from deviantART)

 

[Paradise City]

There's no intrinsic reason not to promote Data I suppose but then again there's no intrinsic to promote him either. Just give him a medal. Data might have been offered a transfer off screen that would've got him his promotion but refused it because the Enterprise had more scope & so the rank promotion didn't happen.

 

[Tenacity]

there's no (real world) reason why both riker and data couldn't be commander in rank, riker would still outrank data and be first officer.

it's like riker could have been promoted to captain and remained first officer with picard as his superior officer.

 

[Burning Hearts of Qo'nos]

There is absolutely no precedent for a captain to serve under another captain as a first officer. That's as silly as an admiral taking over a ship and acting as its captain and then forcing the actual captain to be his first officer for the rest of the mission. There certainly aren't two instances of that happening, either.

 

[DonIago]

I'm reasonably sure there was some anti-android discrimination going on, though perhaps not intentionally so. I also agree that Data's not exactly the type to "push" for a promotion because he's already operating at ridiculously high levels of efficiency relative to basically anyone else.

 

[Mojochi]

There is absolutely no precedent for a captain to serve under another captain as a first officer.

You should post an emoji or something. For a minute I thought you were being serious

Data was Lieutenant Commander in season 1 and third in command of the Enterprise.
Had he been promoted to commander what would the first officer say... as Riker was commander too.

I think there was no place in the "collar pip scale" for the writers to promote him into.

Both Beverly & Troi were eventually commanders. The post of XO holds rank over other officers of the same rank in different posts

As to the OP question. I expect some android discrimination, but that certainly wouldn't come from Picard. So either Picard has pushed for it with his superiors & was shot down, or Data has never pushed for it (Which is plausible I guess). I tend to lean toward them being afraid to let Data hold command rank, even though that's odd

BTW, is it just me or does Data totally look better in the red vs gold?

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

There is absolutely no precedent for a captain to serve under another captain as a first officer.

You should post an emoji or something. For a minute I thought you were being serious

Scotty was also a Captain for most of the TOS movies as well (bar TMP and TWoK were he was a Commander).

There is also partial RW precedence in the USN as the biggest ships can have up to four captains-by-rank on board as standard practice (and maybe even a colonel or two as well). However, it should be noted that USN supercarriers can have up 3-4 times the crew completement of a Galaxy-class starship and over 10x the complement of a Connie. Non-Anglophone nations may also have multiple "captains" on board smaller ships but that's because they use the title for 3-4 ranks between O-4 and O-7 (junior) rather than splitting it into LT CMDR, CMDR, CAPT and (in the RN) CDRE.

 

[Artoo Atari]

Perhaps it was similar to real-world military where the higher ranks have a finite number of "slots." Even though he may have earned the requirements for commander rank, Data may have needed a commander position to open up in order to gain it (e.g. starship XO, station commander, staff adjunct, etc.).

Excellent question. By the way, speaking of Data's rank, there is a costuming error in the series finale. If you'll notice, Data in the past wears the rank of lieutenant JG, instead of Lieutenant Cmdr.

 

[Timo]

As per a parallel thread, there isn't a set length for Starfleet Academy studies. Kirk could do it in three years and Merrick in five if they so wished. Yet Data opted for the "regular" four. Apparently, his career progression is pretty much his own choice, then - and a slow one either because he chooses not to be pitchforked to death by the villagers who feel faster than four years from plebe to Ensign is eldritch, or because he is in no hurry and doesn't care what others feel.

Starfleet is flexible with promotions, not insisting on any particular type of career from its employees. So one won't be granted promotions unless one asks for them, but one won't be kicked out if one doesn't ask, either. Data would understand and accept the system, probably better than most human(oid)s.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Grendelsbayne]

Perhaps it was similar to real-world military where the higher ranks have a finite number of "slots." Even though he may have earned the requirements for commander rank, Data may have needed a commander position to open up in order to gain it (e.g. starship XO, station commander, staff adjunct, etc.).

Excellent question. By the way, speaking of Data's rank, there is a costuming error in the series finale. If you'll notice, Data in the past wears the rank of lieutenant JG, instead of Lieutenant Cmdr.

That's obviously not the case since Troi was promoted to Commander while remaining in her current post.

Data was Lieutenant Commander in season 1 and third in command of the Enterprise.
Had he been promoted to commander what would the first officer say... as Riker was commander too.

I think there was no place in the "collar pip scale" for the writers to promote him into.

That's not how rank works, and even if you ignore all the relevant evidence to the contrary and assume that's just how Starfleet works, it also completely ignores the fact that Data at the very least could have been promoted in Nemesis, since Riker was leaving.

 

[Timo]

Also, in the TOS movies the writers had no problem promoting everybody to Commander (especially as there had been no effort to design a Lieutenant Commander rank pin originally, as the ST2 script did not yet call for one!) and later many to Captain, yet retaining the original seniority dynamic, just as in the real world.

But keeping Data somewhat subordinate was in keeping with his dramatic role as an Apprentice Human, and adding the twist of Troi speeding past him was a nice refinement to that. Data's ascent was a good theme, but the ascent could not be too steep lest he emerge on top and cut short the good thing going.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Twilight Phoenix]

BTW, is it just me or does Data totally look better in the red vs gold?

See ? Another reason for a Captain Data miniseries xD

As to the OP question. I expect some android discrimination, but that certainly wouldn't come from Picard. So either Picard has pushed for it with his superiors & was shot down, or Data has never pushed for it (Which is plausible I guess).

Without the emochip, Data would probably never push for promotion as he's so painfully patient. In Hero Worship, when Timothy asks him why he isn't already a captain despite his superior skills :

TIMOTHY: How come you're not Captain?
DATA: My service experience does not yet warrant such a position.

That being said, he does insist on why Picard didn't immediately give him a temporary captaincy in Redemption II...So he probably has ambition but just makes it a long term goal rather than a short term. He's supposed to be immortal after all, so no need to rush.

There still may be 'synthephobic' pressure from Starfleet Command to slow his progression, though. Remember how Admiral Nakamura talked about Data in TMOAM and how Admiral Haftel considered him and his daughter in The Offspring...

 

[dauntless]

Simple lack of ambition?

 

[Timo]

Data has declared ambition to e.g. become human or learn various skills. But he seems to be proceeding exceedingly cautiously with every such project, supposedly because he savors the project at least as much as he anticipates its conclusion. Becoming the Head Honcho of All Starfleet may well have been marked in his calendar, simply not at too close a date. He would not wish to rush past Picard there, say -he's modest that way, a personality trait programmed in real deep.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Terok Nor]

He was going to become first officer of the Enterprise-E prior to his death. It wasn't stated but I presumed he'd be promoted to commander and wear command red.