I fucking loved this episode and for those of you who don’t understand the context of this gifset, let me briefly explain what’s happening here: In this episode of Star Trek (TNG), Data (a beloved android, the only of his kind, and member of Star Fleet), has been ordered to submit to testing and reassembling, in order to understand him better so somebody can create more androids like him. Data refused, because he didn’t believe the person who wanted to do it was capable of doing it without damaging him. Thus began a whole tribunal about Data’s personhood, and whether or not he had the right to refuse this procedure.
And at first I hated the episode. I hated it because Star Trek is supposed to be this great Utopia when all of humanity’s problems are worked out; they claim to be understanding and accepting of all other alien races and cultures, no matter how different. And yet here they are denying the personhood and agency of a being because he’s made of mechanical rather than chemical or biological parts. He has a consciousness. He is a person. And yet here they are, arguing that he is their property.
And then came this scene. If you know the story of how Whoopi Goldberg joined the Star Trek TNG cast, you’ll know how monumental this moment is. The writers created a story about denying personhood, and thus about dehumanization and slavery. And they gave this speech to the only black woman in the cast, who was inspired to act because of Roddenberry’s progressive representation of black women in TOS.
Star Trek isn’t perfect. There are issues, there are failings, for sure. But sometimes, like this time, they get it so right.
The episode that made me love this show.