Object

Data's Prospero's Grimoire

Theatrical prop used exclusively in Data's holodeck performance of The Tempest, with no functional role outside the scene. Distinct from other books or devices in the series.

2 appearances

Purpose

Holodeck prop for Data's performance of Prospero's ritual renunciation in The Tempest rehearsal

Significance

Symbolizes Prospero's abandonment of magic and knowledge, echoing Data's exploration of tragic duality—despair at an ending paired with hope for renewal—and foreshadowing the Enterprise's crisis as unscripted forces intrude on controlled illusion

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S7E23 · Emergence

Prospero’s Last Ritual and the Train’s Arrival

The ancient-looking book in Data’s hands serves as Prospero’s grimoire, a tangible symbol of his magical power and the art he is renouncing. Data grips it dramatically as he declares, ‘I’ll drown my book,’ but the monologue is cut short by the train’s arrival. The book is not damaged in the dive, but its role as a prop is interrupted by the anomaly. After the train passes, the book lies undisturbed amid the ritual props, its narrative function now tied to the ship’s larger crisis—Prospero’s renunciation of magic mirrors the crew’s grappling with the Enterprise’s ungovernable intelligence.

Before: Clutched in Data’s hand as he recites Prospero’s lines, symbolizing the magic he is abjuring.

After: Physically unchanged but now linked to the moment of disruption, its symbolic resonance expanded by the train’s intrusion.

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S7E23 · Emergence

Train invades Holodeck rehearsal

The ancient-looking book, serving as Prospero’s grimoire, is a prop central to Data’s monologue. As he recites Prospero’s lines about 'drowning' his book, the book becomes a metaphor for the renunciation of magic—and, by extension, the end of the Holodeck’s controlled illusion. When the train appears, Data drops the book as he dives for cover, leaving it abandoned on the floor. Its post-incident state mirrors the shattered illusion: a discarded artifact of a performance that can no longer continue.

Before: Clutched in Data’s hand as part of his Prospero prop; symbolic of the magic he is renouncing.

After: Abandoned on the floor post-dive; its symbolic weight now overshadowed by the Holodeck’s malfunction.

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