Data Did Age: TNG’s Android Retcon Explained

TNG’s Data was initially presented as being ageless, but a late series retcon made it possible for the beloved android officer to eventually grow old.

Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) was initially presented as being ageless, but a late series retcon made it possible for the beloved android to eventually grow old. The product of the brilliant cyberneticist Dr. Noonian Soong (Brent Spiner), Data’s journey to become more human was one of TNG‘s most reliably potent storylines. Spiner’s subtle, largely emotionless performance somehow managed to range from hilarious to heartbreaking.

Part of Data’s existence that he had trouble accepting was his effective immortality. He once remarked to TNG‘s resident counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) that he eventually hoped to marry one day, but was concerned that he would not be able to grow old with his eventual partner. Despite Data’s agelessness becoming a plot point on more than one occasion, TNG subtly changed that aspect of the character in a late series episode, seemingly for pragmatic reasons.

Related: Picard Season 3 Will Likely Ignore Worf & Troi’s Romance

Data’s Aging & TNG Retcon Explained

Data wasn’t the only android Dr. Soong created. Data was preceded by Lore (Brent Spiner), his evil twin brother who menaced the crew of the Enterprise-D on more than one occasion. Even earlier than Lore, Soong created B-4 (Brent Spiner), a prototype android discovered in Star Trek: Nemesis that looked identical to Data and Lore but was much less sophisticated.

In the TNG season 7 episode “Inheritance,” Data met Juliana Tainer (Fionnula Flanagan), who claimed to be the wife of the late Dr. Soong who had helped him develop his androids. Tainer was eventually revealed to be an android herself, a recreation of the real Juliana Tainer who died when Soong’s colony planet was attacked by the Crystaline Entity. While examining the Tainer android, Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) noted she had an aging program – just like Data. This was the first and only mention of Data having an aging program.

Why Data Aging Has Been Forgotten By Star Trek Fans

The retcon of Data’s aging has a fairly obvious explanation. While TNG was ending with season 7, the cast and producers realized they were likely looking at a decade or so of movies featuring the TNG cast, with Star Trek Generations already in pre-production. Brent Spiner was 45 by TNG season 7, and already looked a bit older than he did during TNG‘s early seasons. The aging retcon was an easy way to keep Data around indefinitely without having to worry about Spiner’s appearance.

This retcon has more or less been forgotten by fans, largely due to the TNG movies themselves effectively ignoring it. Part of the justification for Data’s death in Star Trek: Nemesis was the idea that Spiner didn’t feel he could continue playing an ageless character any longer. Modern visual effects trickery was utilized to make the 70-year-old Spiner look about like he did in the TNG films when he returned for Star Trek: Picard in dream sequences and a virtual simulation. Data’s untimely demise is likely the worst and most long-lasting aspect of the disappointing Star Trek: Nemesis, especially considering Star Trek: The Next Generation gave him a perfectly good excuse to grow old with his Enterprise-D family.

More: The Entire TNG Crew Should Survive Picard Season 3