Hero Worship
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 27 January 1992
- ON
- First-run syndication
- STARDATE
- 45397.3
- DIRECTED BY
- Patrick Stewart
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 211
WRITTEN BYTeleplay by Joe Menosky; story by Hilary J. Bader
Data rescues the only survivor of a wrecked research ship, a young boy named Timothy, who copes with his loss by trying to become an android himself.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
Searching for the missing research vessel Vico, the Enterprise finds it wrecked near a black cluster. Data rescues the only survivor, a boy called Timothy, now orphaned. Traumatised, Timothy attaches himself to Data and copies the android's speech and manner, insisting that he too is an android with no feelings. Troi asks Data to play along, hoping it will help Timothy grieve. Timothy claims the Vico was attacked by aliens, but the evidence does not support him. Eventually he breaks down and confesses that he believes he destroyed the ship by falling against a control panel. Data gently assures him that the ship's safeguards would never have allowed that. As the Enterprise probes the cluster, it is battered by growing shock waves. Timothy's memories of the Vico's final moments help Data realise that the ship's own shields are amplifying the waves, and Picard lowers them just in time. Timothy, healing, returns to school, still Data's friend.
- 01Gene Roddenberry died during filming of this episode.
- 02Directed by Patrick Stewart. The story came from Hilary J. Bader, who began on the series as a season three writing intern.
- 03The Vico was named after the Neapolitan philosopher Giovanni Battista Vico.