Star Trek: 10 Times The Federation Was The Bad Guy
5. Trying To Disassemble Data
You just knew The Measure of a Man would be on the list somewhere. All these years later, and it's still hard to forgive Bruce Maddox.
Maddox arrives on the Enterprise and immediately starts watching Data like an alligator after its prey. Honestly, it's pretty creepy...he's been studying Data for years and can't wait to take him apart and examine his brain. His obsession wouldn't be entirely out of place in a horror film.
He has a dream to learn how to build androids...by destroying one. He plans to take Data apart to learn the secrets of Dr. Soong's work, and surprisingly, Data's initially intrigued by the idea. But when he realises that Maddox is woefully underqualified for the task, he refuses, and no one could blame him.
However, Maddox has come prepared with orders for Data to transfer to his project. In a bid to escape the disturbing experiment, Data resigns, but Federation law dictates that Data is in fact property...and property can't resign. After all Data has done for them in the line of duty, and that's the thanks he gets.
The result is an extraordinary courtroom drama in which Picard leads the charge to prove that Data is a person, not an automaton. A him, not an it. Picard builds his case around Data's intelligence, sentience and consciousness, but it's perhaps the judge that says it best...she doesn't know if Data has a soul, but he should have the freedom to explore that question himself. He should have the right to choose.
Even after all of that, Data encourages Maddox to continue his work. And that is the measure of a man.