Geordi's Star Trek: TNG Advice To Data Paid Off 30 Years Later In Picard

Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) learned a lot about himself throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, and one lesson from Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) came in handy decades later in Star Trek: Picard. As one of the most advanced androids of his time, Data spent most of TNG observing the humans around him, trying to learn as much about humanity as he possibly could. As he searched for ways to explore his own humanity, Data often turned to his best friend Geordi La Forge for advice.

Data proved himself to be human in all the ways that mattered on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but there were some human concepts he struggled to grasp. Data often failed to understand the nuances of humor or sarcasm, for example. Most of the main crew members on the USS Enterprise-D helped Data explore his humanity at some point, including Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Picard turned to Shakespeare to help Data, as the android performed various plays on the holodeck. Data takes on the role of Shakespeare's Henry V in the opening scene of TNG season 3, episode 10, "The Defector," and the android also learns an important lesson from Geordi in this episode.

Geordi Teaches Data To Trust His Gut In Star Trek: TNG

Geordi: "My gut tells me we ought to be listening to what this guy's trying to tell us."

In Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Defector," the Starship Enterprise rescues a supposed Romulan defector named Jarok (James Sloyan), who claims the Romulans are preparing to attack the United Federation of Planets. Captain Picard and most of the USS Enterprise-D crew members are skeptical of Jarok's claims, but Geordi tells Data that "his gut" tells him they should be listening to the Romulan. Data questions what this means, and Geordi explains that sometimes it takes factual information and instinct to find the truth in a given situation. Data then asks what to do if he doesn't have instinct or intuition, but Geordi is interrupted before providing an answer.

Later, Data visits Ten Forward to observe Jarok. As Data stares at the Romulan from across the room, Jarok asks what he is doing. Data responds: "I was attempting to ascertain what my guts tell me about you." Jarok and Data then discuss the view, as Jarok laments that he will never be able to return to his homeworld. Data then shows the Romulan kindness, taking him to the holodeck to offer him a view of Romulus. Whatever Data's "gut" told him, the android treats Jarok more kindly than almost anyone else on the ship, showing his obvious humanity yet again.

Data Heroically Trusts His Gut In Star Trek: Picard Season 3

Data: "My gut tells me I can do this." Geordi: "Your gut?"

Star Trek: Picard season 3 calls back to Data and Geordi's conversation from Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Defector," in a triumphant moment for Data and the rebuilt USS Enterprise-D. In Star Trek: Picard season 3's finale, the Enterprise-D faces off against a Borg cube. After Admiral Picard, Captain William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), and Worf (Michael Dorn) beam over to the cube, the remaining officers on the Enterprise-D must devise a way to rescue them and stop the signal being transmitted by the Borg ship.

Geordi determines that they must destroy a beacon at the heart of the Borg cube, but that no one could possibly navigate through the complicated bowels of the ship. As Geordi reiterates the impossibility of flying the Enterprise through the cube, Data insists that he can do it, saying: "Statistically, probability? Yes. It's nearly impossible. But my... My gut tells me I can do this." Geordi responds with a question, just like Data did back on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but in the end, Geordi trusts his friend and it pays off. Data expertly navigates the Enterprise-D through the Borg cube, helps save his fellow crew mates, and ultimately helps save all of Starfleet from assimilation.