Data entry: Live long and rediscover all of Data’s iconic ‘Star Trek’ quotes
Everyone’s favorite android is undoubtedly Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. The multi-faceted android is a brilliant depiction of the sci-fi wonder of artificial life and he gives wonderful depth to the entire Star Trek franchise. Data is portrayed by actor Brent Spiner whose voice and stellar mannerisms help make the character so one-of-a-kind.
While many characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation stand as icons for the franchise such as Picard & Worf, no one has the killer lines Data has. Not only can Data’s quotes be a unique source of comic relief, they’re also incredibly endearing & insightful at times.
Trekkies gather round! We’ve gathered a list of the best Data quotes that’ll undoubtedly put a smile on your face.
Hilarious objectivity
One of the fantastic aspects of Data’s personality is he has a very objective & intelligent manner of speaking from his android perspective. Some would call him socially illiterate, but we think his place in social settings provides instances of great comic relief and fun peculiarity.
“Could you please continue the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing.”
“Yes, sir. I am attempting to fill a silent moment with non-relevant conversation.”
“Apologies, Captain . . . I seem to have reached an odd functional impasse. I am, uh . . . stuck.”
“There may be a correlation between humor and sex. The need for more research is clearly indicated.”
“I could be pursuing an untamed ornithoid without cause.” (A wild goose chase.)
“In the event of a water landing, I have been designed to serve as a flotation device.”
“If you had an off switch, Doctor, would you not keep it secret?”
Treasure humanity
Perhaps even more memorable than Data’s hilarious lines are his ones demonstrating great wisdom. Instead of rejecting humanity like Star Trek’s Spock, Data embraces it and seeks to understand emotions and appreciate what humanity has to offer the world. As an android, Data can analyze the world with a sense of wonder and derive some treasurable meaning we might otherwise miss.
“I would gladly risk feeling bad at times, if it also meant that I could taste my dessert.”
“I am superior, sir, in many ways, but I would gladly give it up to be human.”
“I want to live, however briefly, knowing that my life is finite. Mortality gives meaning to human life. Peace, love, friendship. These are precious because we know they cannot endure. A butterfly that lives forever is really not a butterfly at all.”
“There are still many human emotions I do not fully comprehend – anger, hatred, revenge. But I am not mystified by the desire to be loved – or the need for friendship. These are things I do understand.”
“It is the struggle itself that is most important. We must strive to be more than we are. It does not matter that we will never reach our ultimate goal. The effort yields its own rewards.”
“This is just a thing . . . and things can be replaced. Lives cannot.”
Ode to Spot
We can’t end this list without mentioning Data’s beautiful poem he writes for his beloved feline companion Spot. Data’s starship kitty provides him with a cute friend who he cares for all the time. The charming relationship is adorable and his poem to Spot is beautiful.
“Felis catus is your taxonomic nomenclature, / An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature; / Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses / Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.”
“I find myself intrigued by your subvocal oscillations, / A singular development of cat communications / That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection /For a rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection.”
“A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents; / You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance. / And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion, / It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.”
“O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display / Connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array. / And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend / I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.”
—
Is Data your favorite Star Trek character? Tell us which quote is your favorite below.
