Warning: HUGE spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5, episode 7, "Fully Dilated."Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 5, episode 7, "Fully Dilated," proves that Brent Spiner's Commander Data remains one of the most beloved Star Trek characters, and he'll hopefully continue to return to the world of Gene Roddenberry's vast space opera time and time again. After playing Data in all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the show's sequel movies, Spiner has reprised the character and adjacent roles in several other spinoffs. There was no disputing his importance to the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast, but Spiner's cameo in Star Trek's animated comedy solidifies his legendary status.
Spiner has also played several members of the Soong family, such as his creator, Dr Noonien Soong. This has allowed Spiner to be involved up and down the Star Trek timeline without always playing Data. However, Spiner's most prolific comeback in recent times was his announcement as part of the Star Trek: Picard cast - a show that became a spiritual and eventually direct successor to Star Trek: The Next Generation. After the end of Star Trek: Picard season 1, Spiner made a bold Data prediction, but Star Trek: Lower Decks has proven the statement wrong for the second time.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Is The Second Time Spiner Has Played Data Since Saying He'd Never Do It Again In 2020
Spiner last came back as Data in 2023's Star Trek: Picard season 3
Speaking with TV Guide in 2020, Spiner discussed his role in Star Trek: Picard season 1, wrestling with the idea of playing Data again after so long. One of his biggest concerns was his age, but then stated that he "did it in such brief sequences that it was fine." In the same interview, the actor also declared that he "wouldn't really entertain the idea of doing it again," with fears that it would be "unrealistic." Thankfully, he played Data again in Star Trek: Picard season 3, and has also done so again in Star Trek: Lower Decks' final season.
Spiner hasn't been absent from Star Trek since his comments in 2020, as he returned to the cast of Star Trek: Picard for a second season. The difference was that he was playing Adam Soong, yet another member of the family tree of Data's creator. Plus, his return as Data in Star Trek: Picard also allowed him to reprise another long-standing role - Lore, Data's brother. So, Spiner's love for the franchise is evident, so it doesn't seem to take much to tempt him back each time. Hopefully, there is still more of Brent Spiner as Data in the saga's future.
Star Trek Keeps Finding Inventive Ways For Brent Spiner's Data To Return
Data's origin makes him a difficult character to write out forever
Data's story came to a natural conclusion decades ago, so there has had to be a great canonical reason each time he has been brought back. His resurrection in Star Trek: Picard season 1 was well-written, and the fact he ended the run by being written out again also worked. That being said, there was no way Star Trek: Picard season 3's reunion of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast would have been the same without Data's presence, and the writers allowed it to happen by directly addressing Spiner's concerns about his age compared to the characters' heyday.
Spiner voicing Data from the Purple Universe is a brilliant way of letting the actor reprise his most famous role.
Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 delved deep into the franchise's bag of famous sci-tropes to bring Spiner back as Data again in "Fully Dilated." Prime Universe Data is dead by the time of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5, as his sacrifice in 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis hadn't yet been reversed by Star Trek: Picard. So, Spiner voicing Data from the Purple Universe is a brilliant way of letting the actor reprise his most famous role. Plus, Purple Data is so similar to Prime Data that they may as well be the same character - color scheme notwithstanding.
Spiner's Cameo As Purple Data Proves Why Star Trek's Animated Content Is So Vital To The Franchise
Animated Star Trek shows can allow more legacy characters to appear throughout the franchise's timeline
Although Brent Spiner was able to shelve his worries about being too old to play Data again in live-action, the concern isn't completely invalid. Star Trek has been an active franchise for a very long time, and as such, many actors have aged out of reprising their roles during certain eras. Although de-aging technology has been used to fix this at times, animated Star Trek shows are a far more elegant solution that allows for a much greater level of flexibility.
