Q (Star Trek)

In the Star Trek fictional universe, the Q are a race of near-omnipotent, immortal and near-omniscient god-like beings from a parallel existence called the Q Continuum. They are largely indifferent to the affairs of the non-Q beings living in normal space, with a few exceptions. The most notable of these is Q as played by John de Lancie, a mischievous Q who periodically harasses the crews of starships and space stations. He also has a flair for the dramatic, whisking away the crew to exotic locations, engaging in elaborate speeches, donning costumes and, even though he does not need to, snapping his fingers to engender many of his manifestations.

Related Topics:
Star Trek - Fictional universe - Omnipotent - Omniscient - God - Existence - John de Lancie - Starship - Space station

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Other members of the Continuum featured on the series are Q's spouse Q, their son q (called Junior by his father, and signified by a lower-case q in writing), Q2 who is a friend of Q, Quinn - a rogue Q who demands to be allowed to commit suicide, and Amanda Rogers who was raised like a human but eventually discovered her true identity. Fans have speculated that Trelane from the original series episode "The Squire of Gothos" was also a Q (see below).

Related Topics:
Suicide - Trelane - The Squire of Gothos

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some episodes have suggested that the Q evolved since the Big Bang to their current state over time, and that possibly they were like humans very early on. (One member of the Q once referred to a "New Era" among his people, during which an important change occurred in the species. No further details were given, although the New Era may have been the time at which the ancient Q finally abandoned their material bodies and became incorporeal.) Q once suggested that eventually humanity might even advance beyond the Q.

Related Topics:
Evolved - Big Bang - Human

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Q is one of the most beloved recurring characters on ', in large part due to the comedic and dramatic chemistry between actors de Lancie and Patrick Stewart (who plays Picard, captain of the Enterprise). Data characterised the relationship between the two much like that between a master and its pet. Q's later ' and ' appearances were less appreciated by many people.

Related Topics:
Patrick Stewart - Picard - Data - Master - Pet

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Q began the series as a villain, who threatened the entire human race with annihilation. In later episodes he became more of a prankster, although there was always a reason for his presence. Q evolved over time into a sympathetic, and sometimes even pitiable character. In one Season 3 episode, "Déjà Q", Q loses his powers and is cast out by the Continuum. It is in this episode we discover Q's very real human side and his loneliness and self-loathing. He is nothing without his powers, and he realises this.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Toward the end of the Next Generation series, Q is less antagonistic towards Picard, even, in the episode "Tapestry" apparently saving Picard's life and helping the captain to understand himself better. In the final episode of the series, "All Good Things...", Q seems to have reverted back to his previous villainy, ruling the human race inferior and threatening their destruction, but he does give Picard a "helping hand" in saving humanity, something for which Picard expresses regret. This unchanged attitude by Q may be explainable by what he said in "All Good Things...", "The trial never ended, Captain. We never reached a verdict. But, now we have: you're guilty." This would seem to indicate that from Q's point of view, the two episodes were contiguous.

Related Topics:
Tapestry - All Good Things...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In Q's later appearances on the other shows, he has less of the humanity that categorised his TNG appearances, and is more comic relief. The episode "Death Wish" (of ') featured the first recorded visit by outsiders to the Q Continuum ? the Q were surprised at this, as they usually do not get visitors. The native appearance of the Continuum is completely unknown to outsiders, as most non-Q would be unable to perceive or understand it. Upon such visits by humans, the Continuum decided that reinterpretations would be used to make it comprehensible, appearing as a truck stop on a desert road, a Civil War battlefield, and other forms.

Related Topics:
Comic relief - Death Wish - Truck stop - Civil War

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~