Fifth Season - Episode 111

HERO WORSHIP

Stardate: 45397.3
Rating: 10 Humour: + Action: + Tension: + Romance: +

Alternate Titles: German: "DER EINZIGE ÜBERLEBENDE"

Teleplay By: Menosky, Joe
Story By: Bader, Hillary J.
Director: Stewart, Patrick
Music: Chattaway, Jay
Executive: Berman, Rick
Piller, Michael
Roddenberry, Gene
Supervisor: Taylor, Jeri
Producer: Livingston, David
Co-Producer: Lauritson, Peter
Menosky, Joe
Moore, Ronald D.

Cast

Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Patrick Stewart
Cmd. William T. Riker: Jonathan Frakes
Lt.Cmd. Geordi LaForge: LeVar Burton
Lt. Worf: Michael Dorn
Doctor Beverly Crusher: Cheryl Gates McFadden
Counselor Deanna Troi: Marina Sirtis
Lt.Cmd. Data: Brent Spiner
Timothy: Joshua Harris
Ensign Felton: Sheila Franklin
Teacher: Steven Einspahr

Plot

The Federation loses communication with a science vessel sent to explore a strange star cluster and the Enterprise is sent to investigate. When they get there, they find the ship has been destroyed and the only survivor is a young boy who tells them that the ship was destroyed by an unknown enemy. The boy suffers from the trauma of losing his parents and latches on to Data as his friend and hero. The boy begins emulating Data as a way of coping with the tragedy. Meanwhile, the Enterprise crew tries to discover the identity of the unknown assailants that destroyed the research ship.

Quotes

Picard: "Captain's Log, Stardate 45397.3. Two days ago, Starbase 514 lost contact with the Research Vessel Vico, which was sent to explore the interior of the Black Cluster. We are en route to investigate."

Picard: "Captain's Log, Supplemental. A young boy, shielded from our initial sensor scans, has been discovered pinned beneath a fallen beam. The degree of damage to the Vico is making our rescue attempt difficult."

Riker: "It's going to be okay."

Timothy: "Are you going to lift that?"
Data: "Yes."

Timothy: "How can you lift something so heavy?"
Data: "I am an android. My strength is many times that of a human."

Data: "It is going to be...okay."

Picard: "Captain's Log, Supplemental. A thorough search of the Vico has revealed no additional survivors. We have begun the process of counseling the boy with regard to the tragedy."

Beverly: "You've got your work cut out for you."

Troi: "His world is gone, Data. You're going to have to help him build a new one."

Data: "Geordi, as a child, did you ever experience a traumatic event?"
LaForge: "You're wondering about Timothy?"
Data: "Yes."
LaForge: "I was...caught in a fire once. I must have been, I don't know, about five, I guess? It was before I got the first VISOR. And, it was only a couple of minutes before my parents found me and pulled me out. And nobody got hurt, but...I tell you...that was the longest couple of minutes in my life. It was a while after that before I could even let my parents get out of earshot. It was like...I absolutely needed to know that they were there, you know?"
Data: "Timothy no longer has that kind of support."
LaForge: "Yeah."

Teacher: "Dara and her brother found themselves in the land of Targus, where the ruler, Eliamos the Magnificent, had proclaimed his law, 'No children will be tolerated within the great kingdom.' When Dara saw the proclamation she just laughed, and said, 'How magnificent a ruler, to be frightened by the likes of us!'"

Teacher: "Timothy, we're done with sculpture for now."
Timothy: "It's not finished."
Teacher: "We'll come back to it next period. Why don't you pick up your mythology book and follow along?"
Timothy: "But it's not finished!"

Timothy: "What do you think?"
Data: "Do you wish a frank evaluation?"
Timothy: [Nods yes]
Data: "It lacks the harmony that characterized this particular temple, and the Docharan culture in general."

Timothy: "You hate it."
Data: "No. I am not capable of hatred."

Timothy: "I can't do anything right."
Data: "You are making an unwarranted extrapolation."

Timothy: "Incredible."

Timothy: "Data, how come you can do that?"
Data: "I am designed to exceed human capacity, both mentally and physically."

Timothy: "Androids are better than humans?"
Data: "'Better' is a highly subjective term. I do not for example possess the ability to experience emotion as humans do."

Timothy: "No emotions? You mean you can't be happy...or sad?"
Data: "That is correct."
Timothy: "Why not?"
Data: "My positronic brain is not capbable of generating those conditions."

Timothy: "Data, can we build something else...later?"
Data: "That would be acceptable."

Timothy: "'I am designed to exceed human capacity.' 'That is correct.'"

Troi: "Hello, Timothy. Are you ready to go?"
Timothy: "Yes, Counselor, I am ready."
Troi: "How do you feel?"
Timothy: "I am functioning within estabished parameters."

Troi: "'Established parameters'? You sound like Data!"
Timothy: "'I am an android.'"
Troi: "I see. Well, let's go for a walk, shall we?"
Timothy: "'That would be acceptable.'"

Troi: "So, what would you like?"
Timothy: "Androids do not eat or drink. However, we sometimes like to taste things."

Timothy: "Would you like anything, Counselor?"
Troi: "No, I'm fine, thank you."
Timothy: "As you wish."

Troi: "So, you're no longer human."
Timothy: "'I am an android.'"
Troi: "When did this happen?"
Timothy: "I've always been an android."

Troi: "What's it like being an android?"
Timothy: "'I am designed to exceed human capacity, both mentally and physically.'"
Troi: "You don't? No emotion at all?"
Timothy: "'That is correct.'"

Picard: "Data, I would like you to make Timothy the best android he can possibly be."

Data: "Timothy, your head movements are counterproductive. Can you be still?"
Timothy: "But you do it."
Data: "The servo mechanisms in my neck are designed to approximate human movements. I did not realize the effect was so distracting."
Timothy: "I like it."

Timothy: "Data, are there any other androids in Starfleet?"
Data: "No. I am the only one."
Timothy: "How come you're not captain?"
Data: "My service record does not yet warrant such a position."

Timothy: "Data, what's the most scariest thing that ever happened to you?"
Data: "Fear is not a quality that I possess."
Timothy: "Because you're emotionless."
Data: "Correct."
Timothy: "Well, what, what if you, you had a nightmare?"
Data: "I have never had a nightmare. I do not require sleep. Are you having disturbing dreams?"
Timothy: "'I do not require sleep.'"

Data: "Is that satisfactory?"
Timothy: "It's perfect."

Beverly: "Transfer circuits are functioning properly."
Timothy: "Within established parameters?"
Beverly: "Absolutely. Input processing, pattern recognition, all 'within established parameters.'"
Data and Timothy: "Thank you, Doctor."

Data: "Perhaps you should return to your quarters."
Timothy: "I'm fine. 'The servo mechanisms in my...' mouth '...are designed to appoximate human movements.'"

Data: [Practices yawning]
Timothy: "That is not bad."
Data: "Thank you."

Data: "Timothy, you understand that you may speak to me about anything you wish ...any subject."
Timothy: "I understand."
Data: "At times, I too find it...difficult to share my thoughts with others. I am not always confident that I am...expressing myself in a manner which humans can comprehend."

Data: "He laughed."
Troi: "Yes, it's nice to see, isn't it?"
Data: "It is certainly not consistent with his android persona."
Troi: "I'd say that he is beginning the process of letting go of that fantasy."
Data: "Hmm. Then my work with him is done."
Troi: "No, I, I don't think it is, Data."

Timothy: "This is great. How is yours?"
Data: "The complex polysaccharides, in reaction with the carbon dioxide, produces an unusual combination of texture and effervescence."
Timothy: "But how does it taste? Is it good?"
Data: "I am not capable of tasting in the manner you suggest. However, I can analyze the composition of a dessert, then make comparative conclusions about its possible effect on the human palatte. But I neither like it, nor dislike it."
Timothy: "Oh, I didn't realize that."

Data: "I have often wondered what it must be like to have one's mouth...water in anticipation of the arrival of a confection. Or to feel the pleasure I have observed in humans as they consume it."
Timothy: "You sound like you don't want to be an android."
Data: "I am an android. That will never change."
Timothy: "But if you could change, would you?"
Data: "I have often wished to be human. I have studied people carefully, in order to more closely approximate human behavior."
Timothy: "Why? We're stronger and smarter than humans. We can do more than they can."
Data: "I cannot take pride in my abilities. I cannot take pleasure in my accomplishments."
Timothy: "But we never have to feel bad either."
Data: "I would gladly risk feeling bad at times, if it also meant that I could ...taste my dessert."

Data: "Timothy, androids do not lie."
Timothy: "It was...me."
Data: "Please explain."
Timothy: "It was me. I killed them all."

Timothy: "That's how it was...when it started on the Vico."

Data: "Sir, drop the shields."
Riker: "That's suicide, Data."
Data: "Captain, *drop* the shields."

Picard: "Make it so."

Troi: "Timothy's a boy feeling a great deal of pain. But, he is a boy again. Is this difficult for you, Data?"
Data: "'Difficult'?"
Troi: "To watch him, moving away from being like you."
Data: "That would require an emotional context which I cannot provide."

Data: "Hello, Timothy."
Timothy: "Hi, Data. How are you?"
Data: "I am operating within established parameters."

Timothy: "I, I think that was pretty silly when I had my hair like yours and everything."
Data: "I have been told that imitation is the highest form of flattery."

Timothy: "Can we still do things together? Even if I'm not really an android?"
Data: "I have many human friends. I would be pleased to count you among them."
Timothy: "'That would be...acceptable.'"

Revised: ddmmċċċċ