TNG · SEASON 11×12

Datalore

NOMADIC PICK · ESSENTIAL VIEWINGThe first appearance of Lore.
FIRST SHOWN (US)
18 January 1988
ON
First-run syndication
STARDATE
41242.4
DIRECTED BY
Rob Bowman
PRODUCTION NO.
114

WRITTEN BYTeleplay by Robert Lewin and Gene Roddenberry; story by Robert Lewin & Maurice Hurley

IN BRIEF

SPOILER-FREE

A visit to the colony where Data was found leads to a startling discovery: another android, built in his exact image, waiting to be reassembled.

SYNOPSIS

SPOILERS
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSISHIDE SYNOPSIS

The Enterprise visits Omicron Theta, the abandoned colony where Data was discovered. In a hidden laboratory, the away team finds the parts of another android identical to Data, and brings them aboard. Reassembled, he calls himself Lore and claims to be the more perfect brother, built before Data by the colony's creator, Dr Noonien Soong. Lore explains that the colony was destroyed by a crystalline entity that feeds on life. In truth, Lore was in contact with it. He disables Data, takes his place and prepares to hand the Enterprise over to the entity. Wesley sees through the deception, but nobody believes him at first. Wesley and Dr Crusher reactivate Data, and together they find Lore in a cargo bay signalling the creature. Data fights his brother, and Wesley beams Lore into space. Without its ally, the entity departs.

DID YOU KNOW?

  1. 01Gene Roddenberry's final script credit on a Star Trek series.
  2. 02Brent Spiner suggested the evil twin idea. The original story featured a female android who looked nothing like Data and was meant to be his love interest.
  3. 03Data's inability to use contractions was added in script changes during filming, halting production while producers debated it with Roddenberry and the writers.
SOURCES WE CHECKED