Data Had A Fascinating Life In Star Trek BEFORE The Next Generation

Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) became one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's most beloved characters, but the android had a fascinating life before the show even began. As the operations officer on the USS Enterprise-D under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Data helped save the galaxy numerous times. Without Data's enhanced android abilities and resistance to pathogens and mind manipulation, the Enterprise would have been destroyed several times over. Data was the only android of his kind serving in Starfleet, and he wanted nothing more than to be human.

Throughout its seven seasons, TNG revealed many interesting facts about Data's history. However, none of his life before the Enterprise-D has ever been shown on screen. Data was created by cyberneticist Dr. Noonien Soong (Brent Spiner), and he and his wife, Juliana (Fionnula Flanagan), came to see the android as their child. Data spent his earliest days living among the colonists of Omicron Theta, as Dr. Soong perfected the android's programming. Dr. Soong and his wife fled Omicron Theta when a mysterious Crystalline Entity attacked the planet, and the deactivated Data was left behind.

Data’s Starfleet Career Before Star Trek: The Next Generation Began Is Fascinating

Data Was A Great Starfleet Officer Even Before The Enterprise

The Federation starship USS Tripoli found Data on Omicron Theta on February 2, 2338. After being reactivated, Data's programming quickly advanced, until he achieved sentience. When Data created a daughter in TNG season 3, episode 16, "The Offspring," he reminisced about his own "childhood," saying that he had no one to guide him as his neural net was developing. Because he had been rescued by Starfleet, Data chose to attend Starfleet Academy beginning in 2341. He achieved excellent marks and graduated with honors, although he did struggle some socially.

Soon after graduating from the Academy, Ensign Data was assigned to the USS Trieste and spent the next several years advancing through the ranks. By his second year on the Enterprise, Data had already achieved several of Starfleet's highest awards, although the particular events that led to these honors have not been explored on screen. Data had an impressive and unique Starfleet career before he joined the crew of the Enterprise-D, and his life only continued to get more interesting as it progressed.

Why Star Trek Probably Won’t Show Data’s Life Before The Next Generation

Anything Is Possible, But A Data Prequel Story Would Be Difficult To Pull Off

While it would be fascinating to see Data's life before Star Trek: The Next Generation, it seems unlikely that Star Trek will show these events on screen. Brent Spiner has continued to age since 1987, so he could not play a younger version of Data. With shows like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek has a good track record when it comes to recasting iconic characters. That said, while it's possible Data could be recast with a younger actor, it's hard to imagine anyone other than Spiner portraying the beloved android (although the same was also said about Spock).

Star Trek: Lower Decks has already brought back an alternate universe version of Data (voiced by Spiner), so an animated show or film could be a possibility to explore Data's story. It's also possible that Star Trek: Section 31, which is set in Star Trek's "lost era," could reference Data or Dr. Noonien Soong somehow. Even if Star Trek never actually shows Data's life before Star Trek: The Next Generation, future projects could still reveal more about one of the franchise's most fascinating characters.