This has probably been done before, but I've always been a Spock fan. I love his logical thinking and his little digs to McCoy. That being said It's a toss up for me.
Spock vs Data
- Thread starter spockrocks
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It's been done before, but they're really not a good comparison. Spock is a child of two worlds, trying to live up to an idealized version version of what he thinks his culture expects. The better TNG equivalent is Worf.
Spock wins but they shouldn't have to fight. 
YARN
Fleet Captain
Spock wins but they shouldn't have to fight.
The two characters in Trek most unlikely to get into a fight.
Data for me
Structurally they are virtually identical. Both are hyperlogical and yet the wisest folks aboard their ships (TUC, "Data's Day") ... and I mean wise in the most derogatory too-much-like-Dalai-Lama sense.
They were both most interesting when they were icy, when the "look, there is a warm human being beneath the Vulcan/Android" vibes were absent. To provide some examples, in "Redemption" Data is not merely ruthless towards the insubordinate first officer but also ruthless towards himself, he only cares about the mission and not about being court-martialed. When Spock tells Kirk that Keeler and Mitchell have to die and when he relieves himself of command after having thought that he had killed Kirk in "Amok Time" respectively after having nearly killed Kirk in ST09 he is also absolutely ruthlessly ethical.
I love this, none of this narcissistic "when I give up command I pretend to fear that things will not run as smoothly anymore but I actually fear that my absence does not make a difference" that many if not all of the five captains have gone through when they temporarily gave up command.
They were both most interesting when they were icy, when the "look, there is a warm human being beneath the Vulcan/Android" vibes were absent. To provide some examples, in "Redemption" Data is not merely ruthless towards the insubordinate first officer but also ruthless towards himself, he only cares about the mission and not about being court-martialed. When Spock tells Kirk that Keeler and Mitchell have to die and when he relieves himself of command after having thought that he had killed Kirk in "Amok Time" respectively after having nearly killed Kirk in ST09 he is also absolutely ruthlessly ethical.
I love this, none of this narcissistic "when I give up command I pretend to fear that things will not run as smoothly anymore but I actually fear that my absence does not make a difference" that many if not all of the five captains have gone through when they temporarily gave up command.
to each their own. I thought Spock was at his best when he found balance between stoicism and emotion, when he was at peace with his nature, like in TWOK and TUC.
I also love the scenes in Spock's quarters in TUC (which I view as the best Trek movie besides FC), who doesn't. But there is something fake about this Dalai Lama game, namely that the happiness of Spock or Data should not matter to us. Their heroics should and they are to be found, as I pointed out, when they are just themselves.
Note that despite moving towards a more balanced state of being in TUC Spock also does something pretty nasty to Valeris. The old Spock would have just done what had to be done, the new Spock did not totally suppress his disappointment and anger.
Note that despite moving towards a more balanced state of being in TUC Spock also does something pretty nasty to Valeris. The old Spock would have just done what had to be done, the new Spock did not totally suppress his disappointment and anger.
YARN
Fleet Captain
True. They were both hyperlogical agents confronted by, and wrestling with, the eccentricities of human behavior. They had differing preferred destinations (Spock wanted to exit humanity and Data wanted to join the club), but they were at similar parts of their journey.
The makers of TNG tried to mask the fact that Data is a structural retread of of the Spock character, by making him the anti-Spock.
The alien attempting to understand humans is a device that allows writers to explore issues of humanity which we take for granted and would never question. Create a character who doesn't take it for granted, who would question it, and you have a perfect excuse to pontificate about what it means to be human, to moralize, to valorize human nature, to and to scrutinize aspects of human nature, in a way that doesn't seem odd or off to the audience. "Well, X is an alien, so it makes sense that X would have to learn these things."
Joss Whedon used this trope a lot by forcing demons to become human in BtVS and Angel.
Spock's iteration of the character was useful because he was the embodiment of Enlightenment rationality which would morph into the strong positivism of the 20th century.
Spock.
It's hard for me to admit that because I'm a die hard TNG fan, and for the most part I don't care for TOS, but I'll give credit where credit is due. While I love both characters, I think that on the whole Spock is a more complex character (not to mention one of the only interesting characters featured on TOS), whereas Data has a tendency to be kind of one-note on occasion. Nevertheless, I think that both characters are great.
It's hard for me to admit that because I'm a die hard TNG fan, and for the most part I don't care for TOS, but I'll give credit where credit is due. While I love both characters, I think that on the whole Spock is a more complex character (not to mention one of the only interesting characters featured on TOS), whereas Data has a tendency to be kind of one-note on occasion. Nevertheless, I think that both characters are great.
SPOCK, I've seen TNG episode about data that are nasty GO SPOCk. (the only problem is This Side Of Paradise)
No contest. Spock by a few light-years. If he had to swab down a deck or three, he'd use Data with a bucket full of Lore/'B9' mixture.
Cheers,
-CM-
Cheers,
-CM-
Data vs. nuSpock.
Data comes off the holodeck, loaded with more awful stand-up comedy routines. He cracks a "Your mama" gag at nuSpock, who goes into a berzerker rage and rips Data limb from limb. The end
Data comes off the holodeck, loaded with more awful stand-up comedy routines. He cracks a "Your mama" gag at nuSpock, who goes into a berzerker rage and rips Data limb from limb. The end
I like them both, but Spock is one of my favorite trek characters.
I like the Original Spock just a little bit more than Data or the rebooted Spock as played by Zachary Quinto.
but Data would totally win in a fight, and that's what matters
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