Summary
- Data's embarrassing encounters have solidified his reputation as "fully functional" in Star Trek Annual 2024 .
- Madam Vivo's attempt to seduce Data with knowledge of his humanity backfires surprisingly.
- Data's sexual exploits have spread through the galaxy, giving him a reputation he will never escape.
Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek Annual 2024!
In his quest to be more human, Data had some embarrassing encounters, and now Star Trek has confirmed he will never live down his most cringe-worthy moment. Data returns to IDW’s Star Trek comics in Star Trek Annual 2024, hot on the trail of his brother Lore. Data’s search takes him across the galaxy–-and a certain aspect of his reputation proceeds him.
Star Trek Annual 2024 was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Rachael Stott. Data, Geordi La Forge and Chief O’Brien have arrived at the Orion homeworld, seeking an audience with the crime lord Madam Vivo. Vivo sizes up the three newcomers, and takes a particular interest in Data. She tells him that Lore informed her “where the androids of Doctor Soong sit on the spectrum of pleasure.” She then calls him “fully functional.”
Rather than entice Data, it has the opposite effect.
Data's Quest to Be More Human Was One of Star Trek's Best Character Arcs
Data's Journey Also Took Him to Some Awkward Places
Data, patterned loosely after another Gene Roddenberry character called Questor, was a one of a kind being in the Star Trek universe. Created by the brilliant but eccentric scientist Noonian Soong, Data lacked emotions. Like a futuristic Pinocchio, Data seeks to become flesh and blood. This journey led Data to some interesting places, including a sexual rendezvous with Tasha Yar in the first season Next Generation episode “The Naked Now.” In that episode, Data referred to himself as “fully functional,” just like Madam Vivo called him in Star Trek Annual 2024.
Madam Vivo is not the first woman in the Star Trek universe to reference Data’s reproductive anatomy, and subsequently tries to seduce him. In the feature film Star Trek: First Contact, the Borg Queen attempts to lure Data to her side by stimulating his pleasure centers. Data recently activated his emotion chip, which intensified the experience. Data, thanks to his strong moral character, was able to resist the Borg Queen’s advances, but it demonstrated an understanding on her part of how Data works. Much like Spock before him, Data has proven irresistible to women in the Star Trek universe.
Data Has a Surprising Reputation Around the Galaxy
Data Will Never Live the "Fully Functional" Thing Down
Yet Star Trek Annual 2024 confirms that Data will never live down the reputation his encounter with Tasha gave him. Various episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation hinted that Data’s reputation was known throughout the galaxy, but more in terms of his strength and intelligence. Yet word of Data’s sexual exploits has made the rounds as well. Given that Data was built, it makes sense that all his parts would be large and work well. Data only used it once that fans know of, but it was enough to give Data a reputation in the Star Trek universe he will never live down.
