"Star Trek TNG": Data Trivia Quiz

Answer: Brent Spiner

Though most well known for his role as Data in the the television and movie versions of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', Spiner has also done work in other films of note, for example 'Independence Day' and 'Miss Firecracker'. His greatest love is perhaps the theater; he has made numerous stage appearances both on and off Broadway.

Answer: Positronic

The concept of a positronic brain was not developed by the creators of 'Star Trek', but was rather conjured up by Isaac Asimov in around 1939. The term is a portmanteau word, combining 'positron' with 'electronic'.

Answer: Yes

Indeed, he did. In the 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' episode 'Brothers', Dr. Soong sent for Data via a homing signal. After essentially hijacking the Enterprise, Data steered the Enterprise to Terlina III, a planet upon which Dr. Soong was hiding out. Soong's intention was to provide Data with an emotion chip, but unfortunately Data's brother Lore also appeared at Soong's laboratory and stole the emotion chip away from Soong. Soong died in Data's arms from injuries received in the scuffle with Lore.

Incidentally, all three characters (Data, Lore, Soong) were portrayed by Brent Spiner!

Answer: Operations Manager

It was originally intended that Data follow in Spock's footsteps as Chief Science Officer, but apparently the creators of the show decided to give Data some semblance of his own identity, and hence the position Operations Manager was born. After the Enterprise E was commissioned, it was intended that Data would replace Riker and become the new First Officer.

Unfortunately, the poor chap died before he was able to assume that position (see the film 'Star Trek: Nemesis', if you haven't already).

Answer: Charles Darwin

In one of the great moments in the history of the series, Data appears alongside Stephen Hawking (incidentally, the only modern day individual to portray himself in any episode of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'), Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton in the holodeck. After some snappy repartee among the players, Stephen Hawking wins the only hand shown.

Answer: Bruce Maddox

Maddox, a cyberneticist, has been given permission by Star Fleet to disassemble Data in the hopes that the secrets of Data's positronic brain would be revealed. Data, believing himself to be a unique life form, chooses not to submit to Maddox's study, and ultimately is forced to resign from Star Fleet. Maddox challenges Data's right to resign, forcing a trial in which Captain Picard, representing Data, successfully argues that Data is a sentient being, and that, by infringing on his rights, he would be treated no better than a slave.

Answer: Jenna D'Sora

In the first season episode 'The Naked Now', Data becomes intoxicated and finds himself in the loving arms of his crewmate Tasha Yar. In the much later episode called 'In Theory', Data attempts to create a relationship with Jenna D'Sora, another member of the Enterprise crew. My favorite exchange between the two is as follows:

Jenna: "What were you just thinking?"

Data: "In that particular moment, I was reconfiguring the warp field parameters, analyzing the collected works of Charles Dickens, calculating the maximum pressure I could safely apply to your lips, considering a new food supplement for Spot..."

Jenna: "I'm glad I was in there somewhere."

Answer: Beloved

Lal is a precocious child, always curious and equipped with emotions, unlike her father. Lal finds great difficulty assimilating to her environment, largely because of some malfunctions in her neural network. Her official cause of death (which occurs in the same episode) is a 'cascade failure of her neural systems'. Fortunately, before she is taken offline, Data preserves her memories in his positronic brain.

Answer: No

In fact, she is not, in actuality, a woman. Rather, she is another android created by Dr. Noonien Soong after the death of his wife, the real Juliana. During the episode, Data discovers her true nature, but does not reveal to her that she is an android.

Answer: Sutherland

Data, aboard the U.S.S. Sutherland, foils a plot launched by Sela (Tasha Yar's offspring) and the Romulans to cross into Klingon space and assist the Duras family in a war against Gowron. Data survives a challenge from his first officer (Hobson) who doesn't believe that an android is fit to command a ship. Data emphatically proves Hobson wrong!

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