So, after years of having personal liberties trampled upon, Data ends up being maybe the only sole known to the Federation willing & capable of hacking into the Borg Collective & saving everyone from assimilation after Wolf 359, for which he'd receive no promotion. (& never will) Which, on a side note, leaves me thinking Riker is a glory hog, who is happy to let years' worth of randos like Ben Maxwell shower him with praise, like everyone owes a debt of gratitude to him personally for it.
But I digress. Then, however, only weeks or maybe even days later, Data up and proves just as adept at hacking & hijacking the Enterprise. (however unknowingly) It makes me wonder if after the Earth/Borg encounter, Data WAS slated to be decorated & promoted for essentially being the only thing that stood between the UFP & utter ruin, but that stunt with Soong overriding him in Brothers, which came on its heels, maybe put the kibosh on the whole thing, because suddenly everyone got some serious cold feet about letting Data in the full commander suit aboard their ships.
It also gets me thinking about how everyone always criticizes the show for moving away from bold exploration in the latter seasons of TNG, to the point where even Picard's old professor is calling him a centurian to a bloated empire.
However, if you really think about it, who do they have in high-ranking positions on that ship? A Borg refugee as captain (Who isn't entirely over that ordeal) & the riskiest unknowable entity they maybe ever had in their service. Is it any wonder that though they owe the continuation of their entire way of life to that crew, they don't entirely trust them so much anymore & want to keep them in their line of sight?
But I digress. Then, however, only weeks or maybe even days later, Data up and proves just as adept at hacking & hijacking the Enterprise. (however unknowingly) It makes me wonder if after the Earth/Borg encounter, Data WAS slated to be decorated & promoted for essentially being the only thing that stood between the UFP & utter ruin, but that stunt with Soong overriding him in Brothers, which came on its heels, maybe put the kibosh on the whole thing, because suddenly everyone got some serious cold feet about letting Data in the full commander suit aboard their ships.
It also gets me thinking about how everyone always criticizes the show for moving away from bold exploration in the latter seasons of TNG, to the point where even Picard's old professor is calling him a centurian to a bloated empire.
However, if you really think about it, who do they have in high-ranking positions on that ship? A Borg refugee as captain (Who isn't entirely over that ordeal) & the riskiest unknowable entity they maybe ever had in their service. Is it any wonder that though they owe the continuation of their entire way of life to that crew, they don't entirely trust them so much anymore & want to keep them in their line of sight?
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Much thanks!
