Star Trek is more renowned for its fantastical sci-fi storylines than its political commentary, but one particular scene had TV executives on edge.
The 1990 episode, which aired in the USA but was prohibited in Britain and Ireland for 17 years, featured Starship Enterprise character Data predicting that Ireland would achieve "unification" by 2024, albeit through violence.
Sinn Fein's new Northern Ireland leader, Michelle O'Neill, has made her own forecast, asserting that a referendum on Irish unity could occur within the next decade. However, when Star Trek touched on this sensitive topic, there was an ongoing brutal conflict involving the IRA.
The paramilitary group has a history of strong resistance to British rule in Northern Ireland, and TV executives were reportedly apprehensive about how audiences would respond if the scene were broadcast. Some believed it could have sparked further violence, particularly with The Troubles still fresh in many people's minds and the ceasefire still four years away.
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(Image: PARAMOUNT))To avoid stirring up controversy with Data's ominous prediction about the "Irish unification of 2024," the scene was omitted when the episode aired in Britain on Sky in 1992. The BBC did choose to air a version in 2007, but only once, and it has not been repeated since. The forward-looking episode, The High Ground - filmed at a time when 2024 seemed far off - saw Data explore the use of violence to achieve political objectives, reports the Express.
Data, played by Brent Spiner, made a chilling remark to Jean Luc Picard during an intense episode of 'Star Trek', stating: "I've been reviewing the history of armed rebellion, and it appears that terrorism is an effective way to promote political change," The iconic character Jean, brought to life by Patrick Stewart, responded firmly: "Yes it can be, but I have never subscribed to the theory that political power flows from the barrel of a gun."
Unfazed, Data cites historical examples to support his point: "Yet there are numerous examples of when it was successful." He continued with specific instances: "The independence of the Mexican state from Spain, the Irish unification of 2024, and the Kenzie rebellion," providing proof of his argument. The conversation sparked from a dire situation where the Starship Enterprise's chief medical officer Dr Beverly Crusher falls into the hands of the Ansata - a deadly group seeking liberation through bloodshed.
Delving deeper, Data queried further: "Would it be accurate to say that terrorism is acceptable when all options for peaceful settlement have been foreclosed? " Drawing on humanity's longstanding moral dilemmas, Jean gives a poignant response: "These are questions that mankind has been struggling with throughout history. Your confusion is only human."
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