Season 1, Episode 10: ‘Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2’

It turns out that a show called “Star Trek: Picard” ends up actually being about Data.

Throughout the first season of the show, it is Data who has hung over much of the story. It is Data who fundamentally pushes Picard to realize his emptiness on the vineyard with an incomplete painting. It is Data who pushes Picard to find justice for his twin daughters, Dahj and Soji. And speaking of justice, it is Data’s impenetrable and idealistic sense of right, wrong and — paradoxically — humanity, that brings the season to a close.

There is no point in discussing the season finale, “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2,” without first discussing the conclusion of a complicated story line featuring Romulans, the Borg, androids, the Federation and a rogue crew: Data dies. For good, this time. And whatever convoluted plot got us to this point, the scene featuring a post-death Picard — and we’ll get to Picard’s death shortly — and a pre-death Data is a truly wonderful scene. Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart bring the best parts of their characters. They show mutual admiration and love for each other. Spiner plays Data’s calm, naïve curiosity as he always has, with great expertise. Picard’s fatherly kindness comes through in spades.

These are two actors — and characters — who understand the other’s beats just right. And the cinematography when Picard (now alive? We’ll get that to that shortly too.) literally pulls the plug on Data, showing Data truly aging for the first time, was a master stroke. A lovely touch that “Blue Skies” is playing in the background and that Picard sits by Data in his old captain’s uniform. And of course, Picard reciting Shakespeare is catnip for Stewart, who initially was reluctant to join “The Next Generation” because he was worried about what it would do to his traditional theater credentials.

But.

I am not entirely sure Data needed yet another death. A true one, so to speak. Let’s take a look at Data’s previous death in “Star Trek: Nemesis.” In an otherwise weak film, Data’s death is actually quite profound. He jumps from the Enterprise to an enemy ship — but before doing that, he gives a nod to his best friend, Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), who nods slowly in return. They both know he is not coming back. On the Scimitar, Data rescues Picard and sacrifices himself to save the Enterprise. After Picard is beamed back to the ship, Data whispers, “Goodbye.” He did not need to say much in either instance to express his affection.