Star Trek: Everything We NOW Know About The 25th Century

The 25th Century saw advancements in robotics, despite the ban on synthetic development that had been in place for almost twenty years. The attack on Mars by synthetic life, orchestrated by the Zhat Vash, resulted in more than 90,000 lives lost, along with hundreds of vessels being destroyed. 

Dr Altan Soong, along with Bruce Maddox, began their secret work on new positronic life, with Altan going one step further. He created a golem body, originally for his own use, designed to extend organic life beyond a standard life span. Though he wouldn't benefit directly from it, Jean-Luc Picard did. With the death of his human body, his consciousness was transferred across, thus saving him.

This all took place as the truth of the Mars attack was revealed, which led to a reversal of the ban, freeing positronic life from having to remain hidden. This was certainly good news for Lieutenant Commander Data in 2401, but it would go on to have long-lasting results.

In the 32nd Century, the success of Picard's transfer was used as justification by Dr Hugh Culber to attempt the procedure again. This time, it was to transfer Gray's consciousness out of Adira's body and into their own new golem. Once again, the procedure was a success, though Culber warned that it was far from a done deal.

This suggests that Picard's success was an exception, rather than a rule, in the 25th Century. Data's was a slightly different set of circumstances, as he had always been synthetic. The 25th Century then paved the way for these procedures, though it was clearly a long journey.