3

This includes all occasions when, at least temporarily, a character or the appearance of a character fooled, attempted to fool, or was intended to fool other characters or the audience. The key point is v there has to be some notion of trickery or manipulation.

Clarifications:

  • Multiple manipulations in the same episode count as one.

Counts:

  • possession, external influence, mental illness
  • simulations, hallucinations (by the perceiver)

Doesn't count:

  • in-character lying
  • in-universe acting

In the case of borderline or unclear cases, please ask for clarification to I can improve the question.

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10
  • Does it count when a character is replaced by their mirror universe alternate?
    – Xantec
    Feb 15, 2016 at 13:40
  • 1
    @user14111, yes, that was an unfortunate typo, which wouldn't be ambiguous in any other universe :(
    – ThePopMachine
    Feb 15, 2016 at 16:21
  • @Xantec, yes, alternates fit the bill perfectly.
    – ThePopMachine
    Feb 15, 2016 at 16:22
  • Re: sheer number I'd have to land w/ Data. As to length, there is a character in DS9 that is not himself for possibly years. Don't have time to cite these things however!
    – NKCampbell
    Feb 15, 2016 at 17:40
  • 2
    Harry Kim was replaced by his alternate universe double... and stayed that way for 5 more seasons...
    – Valorum
    Feb 15, 2016 at 17:44

1 Answer 1

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3

Assuming we follow the question (as stated), where there's an actual intent to deceive then the winner seems to be TNG with Picard coming in at 8 times, closely followed by Data with 7 times.

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Other series don't seem to come anywhere near (Ent/Tucker = 3, DS9/Dax = 3, Voy/Chakotay = 4)

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13
  • 2
    Some of these may not count for Picard - the question may need more narrowing. I.E. - re: Gambit. Picard is Picard for the viewing audience - in-universe he is simply undercover (which the question precludes as 'acting/lying'). Rascals would not technically count either since he is still fully Picard, just physically younger. Even Time Squared may not count because there are two Picards.
    – NKCampbell
    Feb 15, 2016 at 19:21
  • @NKCampbell - In Rascals he pretends to be Riker's son, tricking the Ferengi intruders. In Time Squared there aren't two Picards. Only one of them is the real one, the other is...erm...not.
    – Valorum
    Feb 15, 2016 at 19:30
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    @NKCampbell - "or was intended to fool other characters" is a bit vague. Riker gets dressed up as a local in First Contact.
    – Valorum
    Feb 15, 2016 at 19:32
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    yeah @Richard - seems like the question needs some clarification. I read it as mainly seeking to identify outside influences taking over a person, not somebody going undercover or deliberate deception of an enemy (Gambit /Rascals) since it says" Doesn't count: in-character lying | in-universe acting)
    – NKCampbell
    Feb 15, 2016 at 21:03
  • @Richard, this is along the right lines, but I don't intend for it to be restricted to "deceptive takeovers". I'm going for apparent representations of the character which are not the bona fide original person or original personality. For example, I'd take "Remember Me" and "Frame of Mind" representations too. Does that help?
    – ThePopMachine
    Feb 15, 2016 at 22:27

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