Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)

Birthright, Part I (1993)

Brent Spiner: Lieutenant Commander Data, Dr. Noonien Soong

Photos 

Quotes 

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : [on Data's vision]  I am curious, Mr. Data, why are you looking at all these other cultures?

  Lt. Commander Data : The interpretation of visions and other metaphysical experiences are almost always culturally derived, and I have no culture of my own.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Yes, you do. You're a culture of one, which is no less valid than a culture of one billion.

• Dr. Noonien Soong : I wasn't sure you'd ever develop the cognitive abilities to make it this far, but if you're here, if you can see me... you've crossed over the threshold from being a collection of circuits and subprocessors and have started a wonderful journey.

  Lt. Commander Data : What type of journey?

  Dr. Noonien Soong : Think of it... think of it as an empty sky.

  Lt. Commander Data : I do not understand.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : Sshhh. Just dream, Data. Dream.

  [long pause] 

  Dr. Noonien Soong : Data... YOU are the bird.

• [Doctor Bashir has commented on Data's more "human" attributes] 

  Lt. Commander Data : Most people are interested in my extraordinary abilities - how fast I can compute, my memory capacity, how long I will live. No one has ever asked me if my hair will grow, or noticed that I can breathe.

  Dr. Julian Bashir : Well, your creator went to a lot of trouble to make you seem human. I find that fascinating.

• [during a shutdown, Data has experienced some kind of vision] 

  Dr. Julian Bashir : Maybe you had a dream, or a hallucination.

  Lt. Commander Data : I am not capable of either of those functions.

  Dr. Julian Bashir : Yet you can't account for what happened today, can you?

  Lt. Commander Data : At present, I cannot.

  Dr. Julian Bashir : Well, maybe you should approach this from a more human standpoint. You're right that machines can't have hallucinations. But then again - most machines can't grow hair.

• Lt. Commander Data : I have created twenty-three individual illustrations in the past six hours, twenty-seven minutes. I believe you could say... I have been inspired.

  Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge : I'll say.

• Dr. Julian Bashir : Remarkable. You know, this is just the kind of thing that might get me published in the Starfleet Cybernetics Journal. Would you mind if I authored a paper on all this?

  Lt. Commander Data : Of course not.

  Dr. Julian Bashir : Thank you, Data. And... sweet dreams.

• Lt. Commander Data : [entered Picard's ready room]  I am sorry to disturb you, sir.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Oh, not at all. I'm here studying the intricacies of Bajoran aqueduct management. I would welcome a little interruption.

• Lt. Commander Data : I do not understand.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : You're not supposed to. No man should know where his dreams come from. It spoils the mystery - the fun.