Are B-4 or Data mentioned in any post-Nemesis Treklit?

[bfollowell]

I just finished reading A Time for War, A Time for Peace and, in preparation to start reading the post-Nemesis novels, my Wife and I just finished watching ST: Nemesis. I was curious; has B-4 or Data been mentioned in any of the post-Nemesis timeline? It seems like I'd heard it was mentioned in the newTrek Countdown comic series and possibly in some of the ST: Online storyline that Data came back through B-4 and Data's downloaded memories. Has anything like this been mentioned in any of the more traditional Treklit?

- Byron

 

[JD]

I know Articles of the Federation said that B-4 was sent to the Daystrom Institute after Nemesis. I think there might have been another mention in one of the later books, but I can't remember for sure. Andwhen the TNG Relaunch was beginning several authors said that there was no plan to Data back, and AFAIK that hasn't changed.

 

[Sakrysta]

B-4 has had a couple brief appearances and some side mentions. There have been appropriate references to Data's absence - particularly how Geordi is dealing with it. I've read so many of the post-Nemesis books recently that they've all run together, so I'm afraid I don't remember which books. All I know is pre-Destiny, though. Almost there - just one more to read first.

 

[Christopher]

Resistance showed B-4 being sent off to the Daystrom Institute. It was implied there that he was to be disassembled, but a portion of Articles of the Federation, published earlier but set later, showed B-4 intact and cooperating with Commander Maddox to petition (successfully) for recognition as a sentient being before the Federation Judiciary Council. Greater Than the Sum referenced those same events from another perspective and explained how B-4 got from being dismantled to being declared sentient.

I don't think B-4's been seen since. I pitched a B-4 novel once, but it got rejected.

 

[Sakrysta]

I confess, I really don't care to see B-4 ever ever again. I hated him in Nemesis, and I haven't seen anything yet to change my mind. In fact, I get the impression that most of the authors feel the same way. Send him off to the Daystrom Institute and leave him there with Commander Maddux.

 

[Smitty]

I really hate that they essentially killed a great character...

 

[Relayer1]

I pitched a B-4 novel once, but it got rejected.

That's a damned shame ! If the commissioning editor has changed since you pitched it, it might be worth trying again !

If we are taking the whole relaunch coherent universe seriously, B4 should become Data by the time of the Trek XI prequel comics, and that has already been addressed in the alternate universe 'Online' novel Needs of the Many by Michael Martin.

 

[Skywalker]

The ST EU (I don't think they actually call it that, but work with me, here) isn't like the Stars Wars EU, where everything (unless explicitly labeled otherwise) is considered part of the same ongoing continuity. My understanding is that Star Trek Online's continuity is separate from that of the current ongoing novel continuity. Just because STO ran with the idea of B-4 becoming Data, that doesn't mean the novel line has to do the same.

 

[Lonemagpie]

If we are taking the whole relaunch coherent universe seriously, B4 should become Data by the time of the Trek XI prequel comics, and that has already been addressed in the alternate universe 'Online' novel Needs of the Many by Michael Martin.

Except the prequel comics-verse, the Online-verse, and the Relaunch-verse are all different.

Answering the original question, Data is certainly mentioned in IFM (as is Spot), and of course in On The Spot. Don't think I mentioned B-4 in them

 

[Relayer1]

If we are taking the whole relaunch coherent universe seriously, B4 should become Data by the time of the Trek XI prequel comics, and that has already been addressed in the alternate universe 'Online' novel Needs of the Many by Michael Martin.

Except the prequel comics-verse, the Online-verse, and the Relaunch-verse are all different.

Answering the original question, Data is certainly mentioned in IFM (as is Spot), and of course in On The Spot. Don't think I mentioned B-4 in them

I thought the prequel comics-verse (and JJverse) and the Relaunch-verse were one and the same, the relaunch-verse having about 5 years to go to reach Spocks dissappearance.

The Online-verse obviously isn't...

 

[F. King Daniel]

The ST EU (I don't think they actually call it that, but work with me, here) isn't like the Stars Wars EU, where everything (unless explicitly labeled otherwise) is considered part of the same ongoing continuity. My understanding is that Star Trek Online's continuity is separate from that of the current ongoing novel continuity. Just because STO ran with the idea of B-4 becoming Data, that doesn't mean the novel line has to do the same.

Yes, they're totally seperate and incompatible continuities. Although STO has borrowed a few events and characters from the novels and the Star Trek Online novel The Needs of the Many (which features a chapter on Data's pre-Countdown resurrection, which I thought was quite well done) suggests that STO and Destiny may be "Parallels"-style alternate timelines. In the chapter featuring STO's version of the DTI, institutionalized former agent Dulmer has conflicting memories of STO, Destiny and STXI.

 

[Skywalker]

If we are taking the whole relaunch coherent universe seriously, B4 should become Data by the time of the Trek XI prequel comics, and that has already been addressed in the alternate universe 'Online' novel Needs of the Many by Michael Martin.

Except the prequel comics-verse, the Online-verse, and the Relaunch-verse are all different.

I thought the prequel comics-verse (and JJverse) and the Relaunch-verse were one and the same, the relaunch-verse having about 5 years to go to reach Spocks dissappearance.

The Online-verse obviously isn't...

The relaunch-verse only has to acknowledge the movie, not the prequel comics. They can acknowledge the comics if they want to, but (AFAIK) they're only obligated to follow on-screen continuity.

 

[Therin of Andor]

http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/B-4

 

[Relayer1]

The relaunch-verse only has to acknowledge the movie, not the prequel comics. They can acknowledge the comics if they want to, but (AFAIK) they're only obligated to follow on-screen continuity.

Possibly, but it would seem, well, dumb not to. The only thing that would have a major effect on the Treklit universe is Datas return. There's no drawback to doing it, unless you have an intense dislike of Data...

 

[Skywalker]

I'd rather B-4 use Data's memories and experiences to develop his own unique, individual personality. Having him just become Data is just cheating, plus I can't imagine Data doing something like that to his own "brother."

 

[Christopher]

I thought the prequel comics-verse (and JJverse) and the Relaunch-verse were one and the same, the relaunch-verse having about 5 years to go to reach Spocks dissappearance.

Nope. The novels and the comics are from different creative teams at different publishers. They're mostly independent of each other. And IDW's various comics miniseries do not form a consistent continuity among themselves. So while there are a couple of isolated cases of continuity between Pocket and IDW (Peter David doing a New Frontier comic, a story in Seven Deadly Sins referencing Kang's crew from Blood Will Tell), they don't represent a wholesale unity between the two.

At this point, elements of Countdown have been incorporated into Star Trek Online and vice-versa (Countdown borrowed the STO uniform designs). But there's been nothing yet that's explicitly connected the novel continuity with Countdown, beyond a couple of vague intimations. Naturally, the novels will have to remain consistent with what the actual film established about 2387 -- Romulus exploding, Spock disappearing -- but anything that comes specifically from Countdown is optional. The novelists could choose to be consistent with it, but they don't have to.

 

[Mage]

I'd rather B-4 use Data's memories and experiences to develop his own unique, individual personality. Having him just become Data is just cheating, plus I can't imagine Data doing something like that to his own "brother."

THANK YOU!!!

To me, the fact that the writers of the Countdown comics so blatenly brought Data back from the dead was disrespectfull of the character and the sacrifice he made. Even saying that B4 sacrificed himself so Data's engrams could take over makes no sense to me, Data would never want his brother to do so. And I think most Data-fans would not accept this Data as the true Data either.

So, hopefully, the current team of writers at S&S and the editor will realise this and NOT bring Data back, at all.

 

[zarkon]

I don't think that anything that reverses things that happened in Nemesis could be called cheating.

I'd call it damage control

 

[F. King Daniel]

The fact that they planned on resurrecting Data in the next TNG movie anyway (Spiner's "Justice League of Star Trek") renders any complaints against doing it in novels and comics moot.

 

[mindx2]

The fact that they planned on resurrecting Data in the next TNG movie anyway (Spiner's "Justice League of Star Trek") renders any complaints against doing it in novels and comics moot.

What was this?!

Also, I don't see anything "wrong" or "disrespectful" in bringing Data back. The whole B-4 thing was a clear setup just in case they ever wanted to bring him back.