The Most Toys (episode)

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"The Most Toys"
TNG, Episode 3x22 Production number: 40273-170 First aired: 7 May 1990
←	69th of 176 produced in TNG	→
←	69th of 176 released in TNG	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 176 released in TNG Remastered
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Written By Shari Goodhartz Directed By Timothy Bond
43872.2 (2366)
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A trader fakes Data's death to add him to his collection of rare and unique objects.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Background Information 2.1 Video and DVD releases 3 Links and References 3.1 Guest Stars 3.2 Uncredited Co-Stars 3.3 References

[edit] Summary

Lt. Commander Data has been sent to a trader's ship to obtain a quantity of hytritium, a rare, volatile element needed to treat a tricyanate-poisoned water supply on Beta Agni II. His shuttle explodes while returning to the Enterprise, and the crew assumes that he was destroyed in the explosion. The accident was staged by the trader, Kivas Fajo, who wants to add Data to his collection of rare and valuable antiquities. Data tours Fajo's gallery; among the works on display is the "Mona Lisa." Data attempts to imitate her smile.

Fajo soon shows his true colors as a vicious, cruel and immoral creature. At one point, when Data refuses to sit in the chair Fajo intends to display him in, Fajo threatens to kill his assistant Varria with a Varon-T disruptor.

Geordi La Forge reviews the audio logs from the shuttle flight and discovers that Data failed to transmit a status message, several seconds before the explosion. Although trivial, it was a procedural error that Data never would have committed, and Geordi suspects that he was somehow unable to complete the task.

As the crew of the Enterprise delivers the hytritium to the water table on Beta Agni II, the substance responds much more quickly than expected, and Riker, Worf and Dr. Crusher beam down to investigate. They find several holes in their investigation: tricyanate is not indigenous to the planet and the only counteragent is the rare hytrithium compound conveniently provided by Fajo. Worf's tricorder readings reveal that the poisoning was indeed artificial, but Crusher finds this difficult to believe-the poison used to contaminate the water table is very unstable and difficult to transport. However, the poison is also difficult to counteract, as hytritium is the only antidote.

In a briefing, Riker points out that Fajo was in the right place in the right time to provide them with the hytritium they so desperately needed. It is speculated that Fajo poisoned the water to then sell the Enterprise crew the hytritium to make a profit, but Crusher points out that the venture would not be profitable. Picard requests a bio on Fajo, and the computer includes a list of the collected art treasures in his collection, which include Van Gogh's "The Starry Night." They determine that Data's kidnapper went so far as to replace him with a package containing the same materials used in his construction, so that the Enterprise crew, on analyzing the debris, would be convinced that Data had been destroyed.

Varria assists Data in escaping, but Fajo 'disrupts' her with the Varon-T. Her death is excruciating and painful to witness as she is destroyed from the inside out.

On hearing her scream, Data exits the escape pod he was preparing for launch, and picks up Varria's discarded disruptor, aiming it at Vajo. Vajo proceeds to taunt Data, saying that if he does not return to his chair, he will start killing others, and their blood will be on Data's hands, and that if only his programming allowed, he could kill him, and if only he could feel rage over Varria's death, he could kill him and stop it - but he has no feelings, he is only an android.

Data, however, decides that he cannot allow Fajo to continue. He draws the distruptor at a suddenly-panicking Vajo... but is beamed back to the Enterprise just as he pulls the trigger. The weapon is disabled in transport. Data hands it to Riker, and tells him to arrest Fajo for murder, kidnapping and theft. When Riker, noting Data's pose during transport, asks about the discharge, Data pauses, and says there must have been a malfunction.

Data visits Fajo in the brig and informs him that all the items he stole from others are being returned. Fajo asks Data if it satisfies him to know that Fajo's life is ruined. Data replies that he has no feelings, he is only an android.

[edit] Background Information

• The title of this episode comes from a phrase occasionally used to justify greed of varying levels: "He who dies with the most toys, wins."
• It is odd that Fajo would call Data "one of a kind", considering the existence of Lore. It is assumed he had no knowledge of Lore, or like the Enterprise crew, considered Lore to be "terminated".
• Among the artifacts in Fajo's collection is the communication device used by Sarjenka in "Pen Pals", and a small vase that would be seen in the crew quarters of Data, Worf, Miles O'Brien and many others in later episodes.
• The 1962 Roger Maris baseball card used was the first in the Topps series of 598 cards that year on account of Maris having bested Babe Ruth's single season home run record by one the previous year with 61 homers. The cards are currently (2006) not all that rare - one in decent shape can be had for about $100.
• Actor Saul Rubinek was cast as Kivas Fajo with very short notice. British actor David Rappaport was first cast in the role, but committed suicide during initial filming. All scenes featuring Rappaport were re-shot with Rubinek.
• In a deleted scene, Fajo sends Varria to test Data's sexual abilities (in which Data references his only sexual encounter from TNG: "The Naked Now"), however, Data learns of Fajo's intent, leaving Varria utterly humiliated which would later fuel her desire to betray Fajo in the climax.
• This episode features a shuttlepod Pike, named after Christopher Pike, second captain of the USS Enterprise.
• Picard reads from Data's book of collection of Shakespeare's dramas (that he gave him as a gift) a phrase from Hamlet (act 1, scene 2): "He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again".
• In April 2007, stunt actor Dennis Madalone's technician costume was auctioned off in the It's A Wrap! sale and auction and sold for $212.50.
• A collectible box set from the Star Trek Customizable Card game was aptly called "The Fajo Collection."

[edit] Video and DVD releases

• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 35, 20 January 1992.
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 3.7, 4 September 2000.
• As part of the TNG Season 3 DVD collection.

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Guest Stars

• Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien
• Nehemiah Persoff as Palor Toff
• Jane Daly as Varria
• Saul Rubinek as Kivas Fajo

[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars

• George Colucci as a henchman
• Dennis Madalone as a henchman
• Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace

[edit] References

1962; 2352; Andorians; basotile; class-2 probe; Dali, Salvador; denkir; escape pod; Ferengi; finoplak; Giles Belt; Grissom, USS; Hamlet; hytritium; Iraatan V; lapling; Lawmim Galactopedia; Lya IV; Moliam Andi tapestries; Mona Lisa; Off-Zel vase; Off-Zel, Mark; Pike; Rejac Crystal; Sector 30; Sigma Erandi system; Sirrie IV; Stacius Trade Guild; Starry Night; Tellurian spices (Tellurians); The Persistence of Memory; tricyanate; Van Gogh, Vincent; Varon-T disruptor; Veltan sex idol; Zibalia; Zibalians

Previous episode: "Hollow Pursuits"

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3

Next episode: "Sarek"