22. Data Dies (Star Trek: Nemesis, 2002)
Continuing that proud tradition of Star Trek characters who die with a back-up plan (except Captain Kirk, of course), Data (Brent Spiner) sacrifices his life for his colleagues when he remains behind on an enemy vessel to shut down its weapons and make sure Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) gets off alive.
The droid is caught in the catastrophic explosion that destroys the ship, but – because this is sci-fi – he’s already downloaded his memories into clone droid B-4, a close predecessor to Data.
Cue his comrades toasting him and aiming to help B-4 become more like his “brother”.
Trek Trivia: Nerd alert! During the memorial wine-glug for Data, Jonathan Frakes’ Commander – now Captain - Riker admits he can’t remember the song the android was attempting to whistle when they met.
We think you'll find the song was ‘Pop Goes The Weasel', from The Next Generation’s pilot episode.
21. The No-Win Scenario (Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan, 1982)
With word slowly leaking that Spock (Leonard Nimoy) would be popping his clogs during the second outing, the filmmakers decided to have a little fun with the fans by showing him “dying” early on during the Kobyashi Maru training simulation commanded by Kirstie Alley’s Saavik.
It’s a great opening to easily the best Trek film to date – tense, energetic and lodged firmly in the series’ mythology, with Kirk revealed as the only cadet to ever have defeated the training run “no-win scenario” - a dilemma involving a civilian ship under Klingon attack.
How did he beat it? He cheated, apparently – something that gets explored in the new film. Typical Kirk.
Trek Trivia: Kirstie Alley made her movie debut with the film, but she wasn’t director Nicholas Meyers’ first choice. He wanted Kim Cattrall, and would get his way on the sixth film, where Cattrall plays a Saavik-alike Vulcan.
Next: Stretched To Death, Is There A Doctor In The House
Comments
mattburgess
May 4th 2009, 16:33
Star Trek Generations, and the Enterprise-D is moments from being destroyed by a vastly inferior klingon warbird. But thanks to a nifty little trick by Data, they force the warbird to drop its own shields, and in one brilliant, heart stopping, breath taking moment, Commander Riker gives the order: "Fire!" A single, fateful photon torpedo later, and the warbird is a complete wreck. Brilliant! (Never mind the fact that Riker has previously asked for a spread of torpedos)
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jhr01
May 5th 2009, 21:42
6. “This Far. No Further!” (Star Trek Generations, 1994) The scene involving Patrick Steward and Alfie Woodward's Lily Sloane is from First Contact, not Star Trek's Generations! Shame on you Total Film!!!!
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jwhite
May 7th 2009, 21:26
Argh! My bad. I'm turning in my phaser and heading to the Agony Booth for a sesh. Error fixed!
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Juliette
May 8th 2009, 19:53
Brilliant article, thanks! Though I think Spock's death has to be No 1 for me, and I also have a soft spot for Chekov's 'Now would be a good time!' in Star Trek IV
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stewart
May 10th 2009, 18:08
A really good article, thanks! Personally I thought your number 3 was probably the number 1 - Kirk destroying that which he coveted above all else - and of course the exchange between Kirk & Bones that followed. I felt that Star Trek III was the best of the lot - despite the critics harangueing it no end, and largely because of the scenes from that filn that you included in this article!
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