Dr. Altan Soong created far more androids in Star Trek: Picard than his father Noonien Soong did during the days of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Summary
- Altan Soong, son of Noonien Soong, surpassed his father’s work in creating advanced androids, including the creation of a synthetic golem body.
- Altan and Dr. Bruce Maddox developed a method to create identical android pairs using Data’s positronic neurons, leading to a community of synthetics on Coppelius.
- Many of Altan’s android creations, like Soji and Dahj, are nearly indistinguishable from humans, blurring the line between synthetic and humanoid beings.
In Star Trek: Picard, Dr. Altan Inigo Soong (Brent Spiner) built far more androids than his father Dr. Noonien Soong. For generations, the Soong family was interested in cloning and genetics, until Arik Soong switched to researching synthetic life while in a United Federation of Planets prison in Star Trek: Enterprise. It was not until Dr. Noonien Soong, in the 2330s, that the family’s research into androids and cybernetics finally paid off. After a few less successful attempts, Noonien created Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), the most advanced android of his time and an accomplished Starfleet officer aboard the USS Enterprise-D.
Before Data, Dr. Noonien Soong created B-4, Lore (both also Brent Spiner), and at least two other prototypes. Soong later created a more realistic android recreation of his wife, Juliana (Fionnula Flanagan). B-4’s brain was not nearly as complex as Lore’s or Data’s, so the android had difficulty processing even simple information. Lore was much more sophisticated, but he quickly grew unstable, believing himself superior to the humanoids around him. Data was Noonien Soong’s greatest accomplishment. The positronic android was kind and empathetic despite his supposed lack of emotion. Noonien created six total androids, but his son, Altan, far surpassed that number.
Every male Soong, as well as Data, B-4, and Lore, have all been portrayed by Brent Spiner.
Star Trek: Picard’s Dr. Altan Soong Built Way More Androids Than TNG’s Noonien Soong
Altan Soong built on his father’s research, cementing his family’s legacy.
The Soongs could have stopped after creating Data, but Altan continued his father’s research, building on the technology used to create Data and his brothers. With help from Dr. Bruce Maddox (John Ales), Altan developed a means of creating a pair of identical androids using one of Data’s positronic neurons. Using this method, Soong and Maddox created a community of synthetics on the planet Coppelius. At this point, Altan had already created more androids than his father, but he kept working to improve the technology. Altan began creating a synthetic golem body into which he could transfer a human consciousness.
Although Dr. Altan Soong intended to use the golem body for himself, he later gifted it to Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) when the former Enterprise captain succumbed to his terminal brain abnormality. Picard’s new golem body was indistinguishable from his human one, and allowed him to live out the rest of the life he would have had. After this, Altan went back to work on his father’s androids, constructing a new android body to house the personalities of Data, Lore, B-4, and Data’s daughter, Lal (Hallie Todd). Data’s personality eventually became the dominant one, providing the android with something as close to humanity as possible.
Other scientists and cyberneticists continued to build on Altan Soong’s work. Star Trek: Discovery season 5 introduces an android named Fred (J. Adam Brown), who bears a striking resemblance to Data and has a serial number beginning with AS for Altan Soong.
Picard’s Altan Soong Made Star Trek Androids More Human
Many of Altan’s androids are nearly indistinguishable from humans.
On Coppelius, Altan Soong and Bruce Maddox created numerous android pairs, including twins Soji and Dahj Asha (Isa Briones). Soji and Dahj were so human-like that they initially believed themselves to be human, and Soji only learned of her true nature after her sister’s death drew her into a complex conspiracy. Soji and Dahj had enhanced strength and speech, but their synthetic bodies functioned almost like human ones. The synthetic golem bodies Altan created for Picard and Data also appeared incredibly human, with Data’s yellow eyes the only indication he may be something more.
Although Data exhibited many human characteristics throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation, he was always, unmistakably, a machine. Data’s upgrade in Star Trek: Picard season 3 was the culmination of both Noonien and Altan Soong’s work, and also the fulfillment of Data’s dream. Like many of the Soongs, Altan may have made some questionable decisions, but he ultimately cemented the Soong legacy as a positive one. Star Trek: Picard season 1 did not reveal exactly how many androids were living on Coppelius, but the number far surpasses the six androids created by Noonien Soong.
