The Taxonomy of Laughter
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Data's processing stalls over a joke; Guinan launches a dry, corrective lecture on why birds (and especially chickens) register as comic, and Data pauses, taking the eccentric taxonomy of humor seriously.
Riker interrupts with a friendly tease that triggers an unexpected three-second burst of laughter from Data; the laugh lands awkwardly, Guinan deflates the moment by explaining the joke wasn't meant to be funny, and Data is left visibly unsettled by authentic amusement divorced from intent.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Amused yet concerned, balancing lightheartedness with an underlying sense of foreboding.
Guinan provides playful yet insightful commentary on humor, teasing Data with anthropological observations, then shifts to delivering a cryptic warning about Ira Graves.
- • To mentor Data in understanding human social nuances.
- • To subtly warn Riker about the dangers of Ira Graves' ego.
- • Humor is subjective and deeply tied to human experience.
- • Great intellects often come with dangerous egos that can pose threats.
Not physically present, but his looming presence is felt through Guinan's warning.
Ira Graves is mentioned by Guinan in a cryptic warning about great egos, foreshadowing his later manipulation of Data.
- • To be remembered and respected as a great man.
- • To manipulate others to achieve his own ends.
- • His intellect and legacy justify any means to achieve immortality.
- • Others are tools to be used for his own survival.
Confused and vulnerable, seeking validation in his understanding of human social dynamics.
Data is earnestly attempting to understand human humor, analyzing joke structures with clinical precision, and reacting with mechanical laughter to Riker's casual banter.
- • To comprehend and replicate human humor.
- • To gain social acceptance through correct interpretation of jokes.
- • Humor can be systematically analyzed and understood.
- • Human social interactions follow logical patterns that he can decode.
Cheerful yet intrigued, sensing the underlying tension in Guinan's warning.
Riker engages in casual banter with Data and Guinan, triggering Data's mechanical laughter, then prepares to meet Ira Graves after receiving Guinan's cryptic warning.
- • To maintain camaraderie with Data and Guinan.
- • To prepare for the meeting with Ira Graves with heightened awareness.
- • Humor is a natural part of social bonding.
- • Guinan's insights are worth heeding, even when cryptic.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Ten-Forward bar serves as the central gathering point for the conversation between Data, Guinan, and Riker, providing a casual yet intimate setting for their exchange.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The turbolift serves as the transition point where Riker and Data leave Ten-Forward, carrying the weight of Guinan's cryptic warning.
Ten-Forward provides a relaxed yet slightly ominous backdrop for the conversation, with its panoramic viewports and ambient lighting enhancing the shift from humor to foreboding.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Guinan's warning about the dangerous egos of 'great men' foreshadows the story's central tactic—Picard's later plan to publicly deflate Graves' ego—linking early thematic caution to the climactic psychological strategy."
"Guinan's warning about the dangerous egos of 'great men' foreshadows the story's central tactic—Picard's later plan to publicly deflate Graves' ego—linking early thematic caution to the climactic psychological strategy."
"Guinan's warning about the dangerous egos of 'great men' foreshadows the story's central tactic—Picard's later plan to publicly deflate Graves' ego—linking early thematic caution to the climactic psychological strategy."
Key Dialogue
"GUINAN: Don't feel too bad, Data. Humor is subjective."
"DATA: That joke was funny. Was it not?"
"GUINAN: Great men have great egos."