"Datalore" Lore vs. Worf scene

[Qonundrum]

This aired on H&I not too long ago. A lot of people seem to famously remember this episode for its "Shut up, Wesley" lines.

But the one scene that i like this episode for is that Turbolift showdown that had occurred between "Data" and Worf (Lore in Data's uniform).

So... it's Worf and two, maybe three, security people following him down a corridor, which Worf enters and is surprised to find Lore waiting there. There is no time for Worf to react as Lore calls out "Emergency close!" instantly causing the doors to whoosh shut in the face of the security guys.

Mistake #1: Worf draws a phaser real fast. But Lore chops that thing out of his hand even faster and declares "Now show me your warrior fierceness," challenging to a hand-to-hand combat showdown.

I thought Worf's initial response was a great moment.

Mistake #2: Instead of trying to call for help, calling for the doors to reopen, or even to reach for his phaser after the following action... he punches the hell out of Lore across the face! Lore's face turns to the side and looks at that side of the cab.

Worf's pride would prevent such calling out, but I agree - why not call for the doors and let the audience watch with delight as Lore rips open the doors and then gets shot down. That's comparatively realistic but not as dramatic. I'll admit, the awesomeness that is Ron Jones somehow looks at a very rough-edged script and manages to make what is truly a glorious soundtrack and composes the music to it (it's one of my favorites, all in a story that had good ideas but pitiful handling of the ideas. Lack of rehearsal time didn't help given the number of retakes needed, like contractions and Wesley's dialogue and contractions and Lore's dialogue and contractions and everybody's dialogue. Having said that, Lore's use to instill fear into everyone by torturing Dr Crusher and threating to turn Wesley into "a torch") was pretty grizzly. Never mind what Lore did in kicking Data's head.

Mistake #3: After punching the hell out of Lore's face, and as Lore looks at the side panel, Worf wasted a perfectly-solid opportunity to recover the phaser and blast the hell out of Lore! But no... this is the mistake that costs him BIG TIME! Because Lore then punches the hell out of Worf's torso! Worf's knees buckle and he lets out a long howl of defeat and pain as he writhes in pain. I want to talk a bit more about this some more but i'll get back to this in a bit.

Just seeing Worf being pummeled sufficed for the horror show aspect, which is the only thing the episode gets right - apart from the music. Lore's a genuine and big threat and they show it. I also suspect some valid psychological delaying from the crew as they still look at Lore and see something of Data. But that perception is likely incorrect, but I just postulated it anyway.

At the slightest hint of recovery or an attempt to recover is when Lore backhands a pain-rocked Worf across the face, sending him out of commission, cleaning his clock, and knocking him down for the count. LOL Moral of the story: if an android challenges you to a fight, DO NOT take him/her on or you're screwed! Just ask Worf who learned this lesson the hard way. Hilariously sad how Lore easily managed to take a Klingon down with just two hits.

I thought that was the point. Lore is unstoppable. The Borg did the "unstoppable, so how do we outwit it" thing rather better, but prior to that the only entity that begins to qualify is Lore.

Unfortunately, my Netflix is out and it'll be months before H&I will air "Datalore" again but someone did post this scene on YouTube but with Lore's "Are you prepared for the kind of death you've earned, little man?" line dubbed over the originally-silenced "Now show me your warrior fierceness," then with Worf saying no in response. Anyway, i keep watching that clip over and over to try and get a good look at where exactly Lore punched him the first time. It looks like Worf took the hit to the abdominal aorta... just below the chest cavity... but i can't 100% place it there as the bottom frame almost cuts it off there.

The film crew, as they were shooting that scene, probably did it that way because otherwise they would've had to have Brent Spiner actually punch Michael Dorn in the gut or it will look phony and they didn't want that and i understand that.

I actually took a punch or two to the abdominal aorta once and not only is it extremely painful but the pain lingers! So unfortunately, i know from experience how easily a hit to that area can easily take someone down and fast. But on a lighter note, I get a good laugh out of that long howl Worf bellows when he's punched. I love it! I never get tired of hearing it. In a way i feel for Worf but that is a funny fight scene. That scene is a guilty pleasure for me!

I can't find the humor in the Lore-is-showing-the-evil bits, but so much of the surrounding episode is so bad that I can imagine how people would see even the nasty stuff as being funny. The whole episode is one mishandled piece after another, especially given the core concepts - which are remarkably strong. But seeing the JC Penny mannequin with 1981 hairdo had ruined a lot of it for me then and there as well... ditto for "Chief Engineer Argyle" - add in the Scottywannabe accent and the only way to be more heavyhanded there was to give Argyle a tartan pattern uniform, in red and blue and yellow, since Engineering should be a mixture of all three command colors to begin with...

 

[Mojochi]

Do you remember if dear Mr Worf and possessed Mr Data ever came to blows in Power Play?

No. There were threats, a lengthy stare down & general hostility, he also gave Picard a solid suspended choking, but Worf never got brutalized by Data in that one, surprisingly. Worf did however, take a pretty solid phaser blast from Troi that put him down early on in the Ten Forward tussle

Thanks for mentioning it though, because Data's host DOES challenge him to attack, but Worf stands fast this time. So I guess he's wised up lol

 

[Brass]

lol, but still better than any episode featuring Vic Fontaine right?

Yikes, tough crowd. Some pally you are!

I saw this on H&I a bit ago. I always found it hilarious how they just beam Lore into space. When you think about it, you can solve most of your problems in the ST universe this way. I wonder how many episodes have the conflict resolution being something or someone is beamed into space?

 

[StarTrekRecuts]

lol, but still better than any episode featuring Vic Fontaine right?

Nope, i take vic singing over this cheesy part of the episode.