Data

[USS Excelsior]

It's been suggested that the decision to kill him off was based on that he aged out of his role.

But could they not have applied some kind of facial mask to keep him looking the same, and of course they can manipulate hair anyway they want to.

 

[cardinal biggles]

I guess if they'd wanted to make Data look even more artificial they could have put some sort of mask on Brent Spiner, but ultimately it comes down to the actor not wanting to play the part anymore. Whether the aging thing was really his reason, or just a better cover story than "I'm bored and doing it for the money," I'd just as soon he left if he's no longer interested.

I do think Data would have potentially had a better death if they'd gone through with Mike Piller's original "Heart of Darkness" proposal for Insurrection, but that's all blood under the bridge at this point.

 

[CaptainStoner]

I got the impression that's what Spiner was saying, being that
1) He knows that Data has an aging subroutine and
2) The wonders of CGI for the face pigmentation and other subtle changes

but then again - there was the infamously obvious possibility of his return through B4. Had Nemesis been a First Contact, there's no doubt they'd have continued the story - probably involving a trip to the late 90's San Fransisco and B4 learning about "colorful metaphors"

 

[Kryton]

Data's head was 500 years older than his body ("Time's Arrow"), so I'm sure they could justify the time his head spent in the cave outside old San Francisco as having worn over such a long time.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Didn't they kinda spoof that on Futurama?

 

[Kryton]

Hmmm...wouldn't be surprised. I haven't re-watched the series in a while and I'm probably overdue.

I'm just geeked about the new TV-movie! :thumbsup:

 

[Peach Wookiee]

It's the episode where Fry and the gang go back to the 1940s and Fry becomes his own grandpa and Bender's head gets buried in the desert for 1000 years.

 

[Kryton]

Oh...I'd forgotten that part of it (though I *did* remember never to microwave JiffyPop popcorn from it).

 

[iamtosk]

Roswell that Ends Well.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Well, the only difference is that Bender was awake for 1000 years. Data was inoperable for 500.

 

[Ronald Held]

can you view that episode somewhere online legally?

 

[Kegek]

Marvin the Paranoid Android has a similar fate, actually. Because of having been left at the big bang and picked up at the end of time, he wound up being considerably older than the universe itself. Like Bender, he spent his time awake, and very, very bored.

Anyway, the aging subroutines was an obvious concession to Spiner having aged over the course of TNG. But look at future-Data in "All Good Things", around twenty-five years after TNG... and then see him in Nemesis, around eight years after TNG.

Which looks older?

Exactly.

Still, I, like no doubt many, would have continued to suspend disbelief in an aging android had they continued the films. Maybe they should have just made him human through some sci-fi gizmometer and that'd be that.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Ronald Held said:
can you view that episode somewhere online legally?

I don't know... Guys?

 

[CaptainStoner]

Probably not

 

[cardinal biggles]

Kegek said:
Maybe they should have just made him human through some sci-fi gizmometer and that'd be that.

And while we're at it, the Wizard can give the Scarecrow a brain, and give the Lion his courage, and give Toto a flea bath (and God, does the little mutt need it)...

No thanks. As much as the emotion chip permanently screwed up Data's character, this would damage it beyond the point of any repair.

 

[The Borg Queen]

Kegek said:
Marvin the Paranoid Android has a similar fate, actually. Because of having been left at the big bang and picked up at the end of time, he wound up being considerably older than the universe itself. Like Bender, he spent his time awake, and very, very bored.

Anyway, the aging subroutines was an obvious concession to Spiner having aged over the course of TNG. But look at future-Data in "All Good Things", around twenty-five years after TNG... and then see him in Nemesis, around eight years after TNG.

Which looks older?

Exactly.

Still, I, like no doubt many, would have continued to suspend disbelief in an aging android had they continued the films. Maybe they should have just made him human through some sci-fi gizmometer and that'd be that.

Maybe he turned the subroutines off...

Waitaminute... HOW was Data around in "All Good Things" when he dies in Nemesis?!

Oh, of course... Nemesis = Epic Fail.

 

[David cgc]

How was the Enterprise-D around in "All Good Things" when it was destroyed in Generations?

Have a little perspective.

 

[The Borg Queen]

Was it specifically stated to be the "D" or was it just another Galaxy class ship called Enterprise?

 

[shatastrophic]

It was the "D"

 

[Kegek]

The short answer is: It's a possible future.

Picard and co. discussing it at the end agree that parts of it shouldn't turn out the way they did (with the death of Troi alienating Riker and Worf from each other).

At the same time Moore and Braga were writing the script for "All Good Things" they were also writing the script for Generations (where the Enterprise-D indeed goes boom) so I think they never intended this to be the 'real' future.