(who also created “Andromeda,” don’t you know?) drew inspiration from the 1986 action sci-fi hit “Aliens,” helmed by AI-averse film icon, James Cameron, which came out a year prior to the show’s premiere, particularly with the tough colonial marine, Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) and the movie’s android, Bishop (Lance Henriksen).
“After ‘Aliens,’ Gene would mention Jenette Goldstein, ‘That woman established a brand new standard of feminine beauty,” Gerrold recalled in the book by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, “The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years.” “‘We ought to have something similar in Star Trek.’ Hence, we initiated with a character named Macha Hernandez, who ultimately evolved into Tasha Yar.” Regarding Data, while the similarities between Spiner’s character and the android in “Aliens” are noticeable, there were additional character attributes in the android that were also derived from some original “Star Trek” series.