Was Data crucial?

[Viceroy]

Well, lately I have been watching many episodes and most of them contained excellent display of L.Commander Data's capabilities as sophisticated robot. He is always fast, precise.. does things on the bridge and in engineery with amazing speed. I do wonder, would Enterprise collapse sooner or later without his superb positronic brain and his robotic wits? I say, he saved the crew numerous times from total annihilation. (not to mention that he managed to encrypt the Enterprise central computer before the Borg managed to hack the computer in ST: First Contact, they would assimilate the ship in a matter of hours if they managed to supress and decript his code) What is your oppinion about him and his overall influence on entire ship and it's crew?

[robbiewebster]

Data and Geordi were my favorite characters on TNG. Data was definetly a key member of the crew. He is superior in some ways to anyone else on Enterpise, and as you said he has saved them many times. His quest to become human was one of the best things about him. He had all of the intellegence in starfleet, yet he was almost like a child. I don't know what will happen without Data on the Enterprise, but I will miss him.

[calvin]

Data is my favorite Star Trek character. i was devastated that he was killed (by far the worst part of Nemesis).

his logic and rationality was more impeccable than even most Vulcans. but despite this and his lack of genuine emotions, he embodied the human spirit through the existential imperative of self-improvement.

he was also an effective plot device for exploring issues of sentience, humanity, ethics/prejudice, and self-determination. i think Data contributed greatly to the exploration of many sci-fi as well as philosophical themes in Star Trek.

[Curtis]

[robbiewebster]

[Curtis]