In the eleventh episode of the fifth episode of The Next Generation, Data saves a child from a collapsing spaceship, only to discover that the child has grown attached to him. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
Trigger Warning: For PTSD/trauma, death
This is the kind of episode that could only really be done on Star Trek. I’ve often talked about the aesthetic choices that the show has made, especially with The Next Generation, and I think “Hero Worship†is exactly in line with that style. While there’s one “action†sequence during the climax, it’s largely a quiet, subtle, and crushing story about how one kid deals with his own trauma. There aren’t many huge plot twists; it doesn’t rely on a boisterous premise; and Joshua Harris’s acting is never over the top.
So how does this work so well? For me, it’s the respect given to the story and PTSD that makes this such a worthy episode in the Star Trek canon. Timothy’s experience is horrific; he watches people die in front of him, is convinced that he’s the cause of the accident on his ship, and is left as the sole survivor of a disaster. When he’s rescued by Data, he sees the android as stability for him, initially choosing to face his fears whenever Data is around. It’s through this experience that Timothy sees Data’s abilities and learns of his lack of human emotions.
And it suddenly seems like the perfect means for Timothy to deal with the guilt and sadness that’s taken over his heart. Seriously, bless Joshua Harris; this kid is not only adorable, but his imitations of Data are both eerie and hilarious. On top of that, though, is an air of sadness, and it’s one of the things that makes “Hero Worship†so good. The show does not try to ignore how dreary this all can be. The kid lost everything, and as Troi puts it, he’s got to reconstruct his identity in the wake of such a loss. For those of us who have experienced trauma at a young age – and I count myself as one of them – we often know how familiar this sounds. It’s weird to think back on myself as a kid and be able to see myself doing this very thing. I’m aware of how I began to change in the wake of my trauma and how that affected who I am today.
While a non-human character is at the center of Timothy’s transformation, I think you can still see a human-like curiosity to Data’s actions. He seeks out his friend Geordi in order to better understand how human children deal with trauma. He’s open to Deanna Troi’s suggestions. And when he speaks to Timothy, he’s trying quite hard to get what this kid is going through. And that’s precisely when the show utterly breaks out hearts. Much like the scene between him and Spock in “Unification,†Data talks with Timothy about how he’d trade pretty much anything to get to be human for even a moment. It’s what the kid needs to understand that humanity is the good and the bad all wrapped up into one. You get to enjoy the purity of an ice cream sundae, and you get to suffer through the worst of it.
That’s what helps Timothy to get better, but it’s not a cure. I appreciated so much that the end of this episode did not give us an overjoyed, perfectly-fixed kid. Truthfully, that kid has a long journey ahead of him. But he’s got support. He’s got an understanding of the difficulty of being alive. And he’s got a chance to deal with his pain in a healthy environment, which is all I could ask for in a situation like this.
The video for “Hero Worship†can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
– The Mark Does Stuff Tour 2015 is now live and includes dates across the U.S. this summer and fall Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates / Appearances page.
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be the remainder of The Legend of Korra, series 8 of Doctor Who, and Kings. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
- Mark Does Stuff is on Facebook! I’ve got a community page up that I’m running. Guaranteed shenanigans!
