Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)

Brothers (1990)

Brent Spiner: Lieutenant Commander Data, Lore, Dr. Noonien Soong

Photos 

Quotes 

• Dr. Noonien Soong : I, uh... I never felt too comfortable living anywhere without a prearranged route of escape. I admit, I, uh, I wouldn't have guessed I'd be running from a giant snowflake, but, uh...

  [shrugs] 

• Lore : [pretending to be Data]  Often Wrong's got a broken heart - Can't even tell his boys apart.

• [Data has theorized that humans need a sense of continuity to give their lives meaning] 

  Dr. Noonien Soong : And, uh... this continuity - does it only run one way? Backwards? To the past?

  Lt. Commander Data : I suppose it is a factor in the human desire to procreate.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : Oh. So you believe... that having children gives humans a sense... of immortality. Do you?

  Lt. Commander Data : It is a reasonable explanation to your query, sir.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : And to yours as well, Data.

• Lt. Commander Data : You know that I cannot grieve for you, sir.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : You will - in your own way. Goodbye. Goodbye, Data.

  Lt. Commander Data : Goodbye... Father.

• Dr. Noonien Soong : [examining Data]  I always loved that face.

• Dr. Noonien Soong : This is your lucky day, Data. You've found your long-lost father, and he's alive. What do you think of that?

• Dr. Noonien Soong : [upon the arrival of Lore]  Looks like we have ourselves a... family reunion.

• Lt. Commander Data : Why did you create me?

  Dr. Noonien Soong : Why does a painter paint? Hm? Why does a boxer box? You know what Michelangelo used to say? That the sculptures he made were already there before he started, hidden in the marble. All he needed to do was - ssht - remove the unneeded bits. Wasn't quite that easy with you, Data. But the need to do it, my need to do it, was no different than Michelangelo's need.

• [last lines] 

  Lt. Commander Data : The boys appear to have reconciled their differences.

  Doctor Beverly Crusher : They're brothers, Data. Brothers forgive.

• Lt. Commander Data : [Data has commandeered the bridge and driven the rest of the crew out. Riker and Worf are attempting to regain access through a Jefferies tube]  Computer: configure a perimeter field charge, Sections 9K through 12T.

  Commander William T. Riker : [the field charge takes effect]  What the hell was that?

  Lieutenant Worf : He's activated a force field, sir.

  Commander William T. Riker : Great. Just great.

• Lt. Commander Data : [entering security code]  1-7-3-4-6-7-3-2-1-4-7-6-Charlie-3-2-7-8-9-7-7-7-6-4-3-Tango-7-3-2-Victor-7-3-1-1-7-8-8-8-7-3-2-4-7-6-7-8-9-7-6-4-3-7-6 Lock.

• [Dr. Soong is dying] 

  Dr. Noonien Soong : Everybody dies, Data. Well... almost everybody.

  Lt. Commander Data : Do you believe that we are... in some way alike, sir?

  Dr. Noonien Soong : In many ways, I'd like to believe.

  Lt. Commander Data : Then it is all right for you to die. Because I will remain alive.

• Lt. Commander Data : I am not less perfect than Lore.

• [Soong has presented to Data an emotion chip, which he has developed to equip him with simple feelings] 

  Lore : You'd be surprised, Data. Feelings do funny things. You may even learn to... understand your "evil" brother. To forgive him.

• Lore : [singing]  There were brave men aplenty, All well known to fame, Who served in the ranks of the Tsar. Bababa bababa bababa bababa...

• Lore : [Lore is pacing the room]  You did what you had to do! What kind of an answer is that?

  Dr. Noonien Soong : It's the only one I can give you. You were not functioning properly.

  Lt. Commander Data : Lore told me the colonists envied him, because you made him so completely human.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : I wouldn't exactly have used the word "envious" Data.

  Lore : You disassembled me. You took me apart!

  Lt. Commander Data : Lore also told me the colonists petitioned you to create a less perfect android.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : The last thing you should think of yourself as Data is less perfect. The two of you are virtually identical... except for a bit of programming.

  Lt. Commander Data : [to himself]  It was a lie.

  [to Lore] 

  Lt. Commander Data : Another lie.

  Lore : [rolls his eyes and then turns back to Soong]  I would have proven myself worthy to you if you'd just given me a chance.

  [irritably] 

  Lore : But it was easier to turn your back and build your precious Data.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : [Lore starts pacing again]  You were the first. You meant as much to me as Data ever did. But you were unstable. The colonists were not envious of you. They were afraid of you. You were unstable.

  Lt. Commander Data : [to himself]  I am not less perfect than Lore.

  Lore : Why didn't you just fix me? It was within your power to fix me.

  Dr. Noonien Soong : It wasn't as easy as that. The next... the next logical step was to construct Data afterward. I planned to get back to you... to fix you.

  Lore : [to Data]  Next logical step.

  Lt. Commander Data : [still to himself]  I am not less perfect than Lore.

  Lore : [aping Data's voice]  I am not less perfect than Lore!

  Dr. Noonien Soong : Enough! Both of you... sit down!

  [Data does but Lore doesn't] 

  Dr. Noonien Soong : Sit down, Lore.

  [Lore grudgingly grabs a seat and sits with great reluctance] 

  Dr. Noonien Soong : For all these years, I've been plagued by what went wrong with all of your complexities, Lore. Your nuances. Basic emotion seemed almost simple by comparison. But the emotion turned, twisted... became entangled with ambition. Lore, if I had known that you weren't lying in pieces on some distant shelf. If I had known I could simply press a button and bring you here, I would have spent those years trying to make things right for you as well.

• Lore : You didn't fill Data with substandard parts, did you, old man?