star trek q appearances

Every Q Appearance in STAR TREK, Ranked

One of the greatest recurring characters in Star Trek history is Q , played with malevolent glee by John de Lancie . Appearing in the very first Next Generation episode, this cosmic trickster has appeared thirteen times in four live-action Trek series, and as a cameo in the animated series Lower Decks . Part of a race of omnipotent beings called the Q Continuum, they meant him to be a one-off character.

But in the 35 years since that first appearance, he’s become one of the most popular characters in the entire Trek canon. Now, some 20 years after his last visit to Starfleet, he’s back in Star Trek: Picard. And creating mischief on a grand scale again. But which is the best Q appearance in all of Star Trek ? We’re counting down every live-action Q episode in Star Trek , from worst to best.

 13. “Q-Less” ( Deep Space Nine , Season One, 1993)

We’ve argued before that Deep Space Nine was perhaps the best modern Star Trek series after the original. But Q’s single appearance in this series, which takes place very early on, felt entirely tacked on. The last time we saw Q in the Trek chronology on TNG , he had taken human archaeologist Vash on a trip through the cosmos. This episode of DS9 gave resolution to that storyline, but it all happens on a show which had no connection to that plot. The only good thing that happens in Commander Sisko and Q’s interactions is that Sisko clocks Q in the face in the boxing ring. He’d had it coming for centuries. No wonder Q never came back to DS9.

12. “The Q and the Grey” ( Voyager , Season Three, 1996)

It’s safe to say that Q’s appearances on Voyager were not as memorable as those on TNG . While Q and Captain Janeway had decent sparring chemistry, nothing could match Q and Picard’s love/hate relationship. But we will say, Voyager explored the larger Q Continuum better than TNG did overall. They even tackled a civil war between the Q. But this episode, which featured Q trying to woo Janeway into having his child, felt way icky. First off, it’s creatively bankrupt to suggest that the Q, which can exist at all times and as anything they wish, had a gender binary. Or reproduced in such basic ways. This episode ends with Q and his female counterpart having a Q baby. Which ultimately led to a better episode. But not by much.

11: “Penance” ( Picard , Season Two, 2022)

So far, Q has only appeared once on Star Trek: Picard (minus a brief cameo tease at the end of the season premiere). This is a full 20 years from his last appearance on Voyager. We learn in this episode that Q somehow altered the past, changing Picard’s present into a fascist nightmare. He’s only in the episode a few minutes, but this version of Q is way more terrifying than the last version we saw, as a concerned dad. He seems angrier, more petulant. And he slaps Picard so hard across the face he bleeds. Who does that to a 90-year-old man? This is a more vicious Q, played to the hilt by John de Lancie. If the appearance wasn’t so brief, this episode might have ranked higher.

10. “Q2” ( Voyager , Season Seven, 2001)

This was the last appearance of Q for over twenty years, and it took place in Voyager’s final season. This episode is a follow-up to “The Q and the Grey,” where Q and a female member of the Continuum conceived a child. Now a teenager, played by John de Lancie’s real-life son Keegan de Lancie, “Q Junior” was just as much a petulant brat as dear old dad. So like any crappy parent, Q dropped off his son at his “godmother’s house,” meaning Captain Janeway and Voyager , so she can teach the boy some manners. There are enough cute father and son moments to make this one worth watching, but Voyager’s insistence that the Q were really just like us but with ultimate powers continues to annoy.

9. “Encounter at Farpoint” ( The Next Generation , Season One, 1987)

Q appeared in the pilot episode of TNG , as an omnipotent entity who came to the Enterprise to force Picard to stand trial for centuries of human crimes. All while the Enterprise crew was trying to solve another cosmic mystery. The truth was, the two-part pilot episode ran too short, so Gene Roddenberry added on a whole sequence of this godlike being mocking the human crew. This proto-Q is more sinister and way less quippy and fun, but John de Lancie’s performance was so good, it made total sense they’d bring him back a few episodes later. The potential there was obvious. So, while “Farpoint” gets points for introducing Q, it’s not really a great Q episode.

8. “Death Wish” ( Voyager , Season Two, 1996)

Star Trek was often at its best when it used sci-fi metaphors to deal with real-world issues. Such was the case with “Death Wish,” Q’s first appearance on Voyager. In this episode, Janeway meets an immortal member of the Q Continuum, which they called “Q2” or Quinn. After eons of living, Q2 merely wishes to be allowed to die. But this is a no-no to the Q Continuum, who send the mischievous Q we know to convince him not to do it. (No Q had ever ended their own life). Q actually goes through character growth in this episode, and took a moral stand against his people for non-selfish reasons. An interesting way for Star Trek to tackle the issue of assisted suicide. And it’s easily the best of the three Q appearances on Voyager.

7. “Hide and Q” ( The Next Generation , Season One, 1987)

In TNG’ s first season, someone decided that John de Lancie was too good an actor not to bring back, so they did! The plotline of this episode made little sense. It showed the Q Continuum seeking to “test” humanity once more, this time by offering a regular human, Riker, the powers of the Q.  Of course, things don’t work out, and there’s a nonsensical scene of the Enterprise crew fighting pig-faced soldiers in 19th-century Napoleonic army uniforms. But we get the first scenes of Q really verbally sparring with Picard, not just judging him from above. And it really sets the tone for all Q interactions going forward.

 6. “True Q” ( The Next Generation , Season Six, 1992)

John de Lancie appeared in two season six episodes as Q, after sitting out season five. This was the lesser of the two episodes, but it’s still good. When a young intern onboard the Enterprise discovers her parents were part of the Q Continuum, our Q dropped in to mentor her in the use of her god-like powers. Or execute her if she can’t control them. And he makes some valid arguments as to why, as she could destroy galaxies with a thought. We see both sides of Q in this episode; annoying and playful (he turned Dr. Crusher into a barking dog when she’s nagging him) and menacingly cold. “True Q” is also our first real glimpse into other members of the Q Continuum and how they operated.

5. “Q-Pid” ( The Next Generation , Season Four, 1991)

This episode is extremely goofy, and it almost felt like it belonged on the original series in 1967. Q returns to the Enterprise as it hosts a conference, and transports Picard and his crew into a fantasy version of the world of Robin Hood . All as a way of repaying a “debt” he feels he owed Picard from his previous episode. By the end, Q takes Picard’s love interest, the visiting archaeologist Vash, on a rip-roaring adventure through space and time. (They followed this plotline up on Deep Space Nine , for some reason). It felt like Q was almost totally defanged by this point, fully transitioned into annoying neighbor over cosmic menace. But he had some terrific salty lines in this one, which is why it ranks so highly.

4. “All Good Things” ( The Next Generation , Season Seven, 1994)

The series finale of TNG is one of the finest series finales of all time. But although Q played a big role in it, we wouldn’t say it’s the greatest Q episode. Returning to the Enterprise -D one last time, our favorite cosmic entity helped Captain Picard solve a cosmic riddle that threatened all creation. He does this by moving Jean-Luc back and forth through time. By episode’s end, we realize Q was actually helping Picard, coming this close to admitting that he has a soft spot for the guy. And that all his lessons imparted on the crew over seven seasons were for a purpose. While it’s nice that TNG ended by coming full circle, and Q being in both the pilot and the finale, he’s not in this episode quite enough to make this his best appearance overall.

3. “Deja Q” ( The Next Generation , Season Three, 1990)

After eons of bad behavior, even by the standards of the Q Continuum, Q gets booted out in this episode and made mortal. He chooses to live out his human life on board the Enterprise . Of course, after being tricked by him time and again, the Enterprise crew doesn’t really believe he’s just an ordinary mortal man. But he actually is human, and watching a god-like entity struggle with lower back pain, falling asleep, and bad breath proves to be comedy gold. This episode also humanizes Q, as we see that he genuinely cared about the Enterprise crew (in a way). The final moments of this episode are some of the funniest in all Star Trek, as Q celebrates getting his powers back after committing a selfless act.

2. “Tapestry” ( The Next Generation , Season Six, 1993)

Not only was this a great Q episode, it’s one of the finest hours of TNG, period. When Picard lies near-death after an accident, Q appears to him, proclaiming himself to be God. Picard laughs in his face of course. The accident causes Picard’s artificial heart to start failing. A heart that is a byproduct of an incident during his wayward youth. So Q takes Picard on a trip into his past. One where he undoes the damage of his wild, younger self. This is a story about Picard’s growth. But as a sort of guide through it all, Q gets a lot of hilarious (and insightful) moments. For all his bluster and cruelty, this is the episode where we realize that Jean-Luc Picard means a lot more to Q than he’d care to admit.

1. “Q Who” ( The Next Generation , Season Two, 1989)

In his first two episodes, Q talked a big game, but ultimately caused no real harm to the Enterprise or her crew. But in this episode, Q proved he meant business. After Picard assures Q humanity is ready to face any challenge in space, Q hurtles the Enterprise into the distant Delta Quadrant. There, he introduced humanity to the Borg . A foe that is far more powerful than the Federation. And eighteen crew members die as a result. In the end, this is a lesson in humility for Picard, as he has to beg Q to get them out of the mess they’re in. Not only did this episode introduce the Borg, but it introduced us to the centuries-old rivalry between Guinan and Q. After this episode, Q’s status as a villain was toned down. But here, he showed how truly dangerous a petulant god can be.

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Q Continuum

The Q Continuum, as made perceivable to Humans

A symbolic representation of the Q's existence

The Q Continuum was an extra-dimensional plane of existence inhabited by a race of beings known as the Q . The term could also refer to the Q society itself.

As a race, the Q were immortal, but not absolutely omniscient or omnipotent (according to Quinn ). They possessed the ability to alter, create, or destroy virtually any form of matter or energy , and to affect time in essentially any way they chose. Their apparent abilities included moving entire asteroid belts and stars , creating alternate timelines , and affecting universal states of nature such as the gravitational constant . Q , when discussing the dangers of allowing Amanda Rogers to develop her abilities without supervision, offhandedly remarked that she would be capable of destroying the entire Milky Way Galaxy by accident. In fact, the only time a Q was seen as un able to do something was during a period where their powers were reduced or revoked by the Continuum. ( TNG : " Deja Q ", " Tapestry ", " All Good Things... ")

The Q claimed to have always existed, and their origins (if they had any), are unknown. ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

Based on descriptions by numerous Q, including the Q later known as Quinn, as well as Amanda Rogers (the child of two Q in Human form), the Q Continuum was a very highly ordered society, though it was also a virtually stagnant one.

In the beginnings of what Quinn called the "new era", the Q engaged in constant dialogues of discovery and other universal issues. However, eventually, the Q came to realize that they had experienced, observed, or discussed literally everything imaginable. This resulted in the virtual shutdown of the Continuum as a society, as the immortal beings simply saw no point in even conversing with one another anymore. This resulted in one of the Q, Q, deciding to simply use his powers to stir up trouble and cause chaos, simply because there was nothing else to do. As a result of Q's rebellious behavior, Quinn, a respected philosopher in the Continuum, decided that he wanted to shake things up even further by committing suicide , as he not only saw no purpose in continuing to exist, but wanted to break the monotonous stagnation afflicting the Continuum. The Continuum, however, stopped him from doing so because they were unable to predict what sort of societal chaos might result in the Continuum as a result of a Q committing suicide.

Quinn was imprisoned on a rogue comet for eternity to prevent him from ending his own life, until he was accidentally released by the crew of the USS Voyager in 2372 . In a courtroom hearing to determine his right to political asylum , Quinn described the Continuum as a lazy, old way station along a deserted desert road – he argued that the road could take them to anywhere in the universe, but the Q had already been everywhere. In addition, everything both old and new had already been discussed, and so the roadhouse was silent – there was nothing left to say. Therefore, Quinn argued that being forced to remain alive was a continued burden to him, a burden that he did not want to continue to bear. Q argued that the death of a Q would create chaos in the Continuum. Voyager captain Kathryn Janeway ruled in Quinn's favor, granting him asylum. A day later, Quinn committed suicide. ( VOY : " Death Wish ")

As a result of Quinn's action, the Continuum was plunged into a massively destructive civil war that set the " Freedom Faction " against the traditional Q. The two factions were able to construct weapons that could even compromise the immortality of a Q. When these weapons were fired in the Continuum, this resulted in massive damage to subspace , causing some stars in normal space to go supernova . Eventually, it damaged subspace to such an extent that Q outside of the Continuum lost their powers and immortality.

Q had the idea of mating with Janeway to produce a being with the powers of a Q, and to put the morals of a Human to use in order to end the war. The crew of Voyager flew through a supernova into the Continuum with help from a female Q , who had lost her powers and could not return without Voyager 's help. Voyager 's crew quickly overpowered the Q by using Q weapons. A ceasefire was called. Q mated with the female Q instead of Janeway, the damage to subspace was undone and it was restored. ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

Later on, the new Q became an intergalactic troublemaker. He started wars between innocent races, knocked planets out of orbit , detonated Omega molecules , and created havoc in every way he could. His mother disowned him, humiliated by his actions. Q, however, followed him, cleaning up all the damage.

Under advice from Janeway, Q implemented punishment on the boy. Q dumped him on Voyager , and, with the help of the "Q government", took away his powers. Q Junior , as he was called by his father, had one week to become a good citizen, or he would be sentenced to eternity as an Oprelian amoeba . Junior did well for the first few days, until he stole the Delta Flyer . After his friend Icheb was injured, however, he returned to Voyager . Janeway made him apologize to the ship he attacked, which was in fact Q, who masqueraded as a likely target to test his son's attitude.

When Judgment Day came, Junior was still found unworthy of being a Q, but was good enough to be a Human. After this sentence, Q threatened to leave the Continuum unless his son was allowed to stay. After further pleading, the Continuum agreed to grant the young Q's powers back to him on the condition that his father act as his guardian and supervisor in perpetuity , or at least until he could prove himself worthy. ( VOY : " Q2 ")

By 2399 , Cristóbal Rios and at least one of his ship 's holograms knew of the Q Continuum. The hologram in question, the ENH , described Jean-Luc Picard as the "Chief Contact" with the Continuum. ( PIC : " The End is the Beginning ")

The last known contact between the Federation and the Q Continuum was in approximately 2590 . In 3190 , Federation Security considered the Continuum as a possible candidate for Unknown Species 10-C , the creators of the Dark Matter Anomaly ; however, they were not considered likely candidates, as there had been no contact with them for 600 years and the DMA was unlike anything the Q had done before. ( DIS : " The Examples ")

Appendices [ ]

Apocrypha [ ].

The history of the Q Continuum is explored in the Q Continuum series , which features flashbacks to Q's "youth", including him being sentenced to safeguard Earth as punishment after his actions released a powerful entity known as " 0 " into the universe when Earth was damaged in the last stage of the war with 0 and his allies, which included Gorgan and the Beta XII-A entity . The conclusion of the trilogy sees 0 briefly return to this universe, achieving a level of power temporarily beyond even Q himself as his insanity from millennia of solitude allows him to warp reality at a fundamental level that Q would never be able to do without risking damage to himself. The series revealed that the Continuum was responsible for the creation of the Galactic barrier and for the imprisonment of the entity they knew as The One on the planet dubbed " Sha Ka Ree " by Sybok . This barrier was weakened as a result of the civil war in the Continuum, which was what allowed 0 to make his return, but later repaired after 0 was exiled yet again.

In The Eternal Tide , it is revealed that the Q Continuum manifested as a creative force to "oppose" the destructive potential of the Omega Continuum after it was disrupted and the decay of the universe accelerated. Voyager is later able to slow down the decay to a more tolerable level – shortening the universe's lifespan by a few million years rather than by trillions – as the only way to completely halt and undo the disruption would have erased the Q Continuum from existence as their creative force was no longer "needed". Eternal Tide also reveals that there are at least six rules that the Q must obey, with number six being "Don't bring the dead back to life", as the consequences of such an action can be problematic as not even the Q fully know what happens after death.

In the Star Trek: Ongoing story arc The Q Gambit , it is revealed that the higher species are at war and the Q Continuum is on the verge of defeat. Galvanized by their victory over the Prophets , the Pah-wraiths have turned on their other neighbors. Not even the Q can stop their onslaught because in spite of all the power the Q wield in the three-dimensional universe, they are as powerless and clueless as Humans in their own realm. Unable to find a path to victory, Q left to seek the counsel of Picard on what action to take. But when he couldn't get an answer, Q left for the alternate reality , intended to instead seek the counsel of James T. Kirk for his experience in triumphing over no-win scenarios .

External link [ ]

• Q Continuum at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
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Star Trek’s 12 most Q episodes, ranked by chaotic energy

A Q for every mood

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by Dylan Roth

Decades before the letter “Q” gained a sinister political connotation (and during a rare fallow period for the James Bond film franchise), the alphabet’s most quizzical consonant became synonymous with Star Trek . Portrayed by actor John de Lancie, the omnipotent trickster god Q debuted in the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987 and developed into the show’s signature antagonist, the perfect foil for disciplined, steadfastly moral Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Q has remained one of the most popular guest characters in the Star Trek franchise, appearing across five series including the new season of Star Trek: Picard .

Q owes his longevity as a character to de Lancie’s magnetic performance and to the multiple ways he can be employed in a Star Trek story. Q is an all-powerful authority, casting judgment over humanity and enforcing the cosmic status quo of the Q Continuum, but he’s also a cartoonish agent of chaos who takes delight in befuddling straight-laced Starfleet Captains . Most of the best Q episodes find a balance between Q’s two extremes, depicting him as part bully, part teacher, and part comic relief.

In recognition of the delicate chemistry that goes into creating a good Q episode, Polygon’s scientists have developed the Q Scale, a method of measuring the ratio of Authoritative Q to Chaotic Q in a given story. Like the pH Scale, the Q Scale starts at 0 (Fully Authoritarian) and ends at 14 (Fully Chaotic), with the median 7 representing a healthy neutral between the two extremes.

Excluding his cameo in the Lower Decks episode “Veritas” (which is too slight to include here) and his recurring role in Picard ’s second season (which shouldn’t be judged until it’s completed), we’ve ranked every appearance of Q based on where it sits on the Q Scale, ​​in ascending order of chaos.

12. “Encounter at Farpoint”

The Next Generation season 1, episode 1

In the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation , Q forces the crew of the Enterprise to stand trial on behalf of all of humanity. He introduces himself as a representative of a godlike ruling body who has determined that our species is too savage and violent to be permitted further expansion across the galaxy. The episode contains the seeds of the flamboyant, hedonistic Q of his later appearances — namely, his love of playing dress-up — but most of what makes Q pop in “Farpoint” comes from John de Lancie’s performance rather than from the script itself. de Lancie was hand-picked by Trek creator Gene Roddenberry for the role based on his ability to elevate the material, and future appearances would be written with his theatrical strengths in mind.

Q Level: 1 (Wholly authoritarian)

Q Fact: The character of Q was a late addition to the script for “Encounter at Farpoint.” Writer Dorothy “D.C.” Fontana had been instructed to write a script for a 90-minute series premiere, and when the episode was expanded to two hours, Roddenberry wrote a 30-minute “envelope” story to pad out the episode, adding the “trial for humanity” subplot. Fontana and fellow Trek writer David Gerrold later theorized that Roddenberry did this in order to deliberately pocket what would have been Fontana’s contractual bonus for writing a double-sized episode.

11. “True Q”

The Next Generation season 6, episode 6

In this Next Generation episode, young Enterprise intern Amanda Rogers (Olivia d’Abo) discovers that she’s actually a Q, born on Earth to two outcasts from the Continuum who chose to live as humans. Now that her powers are emerging, the Continuum sends our Q to retrieve her, but Captain Picard demands that she be allowed to determine her own fate. Once again, we see Q operating as an unquestioning agent of a higher authority, though this is also his sixth appearance on TNG and his familiarity and fondness for Picard has made him more amenable to compromise. Q attempts to sway Amanda by claiming that the point of being Q is to do whatever you want, but this doesn’t hold water given that he also threatens to kill her if she doesn’t cooperate with the Continuum. Notably, this is also Q at his least fun, as he spends most of the episode being a creep to a teenage girl.

Q Level: 2 (Highly authoritarian)

Q Fact: Writer René Echevarria tried to name the young Q “Samantha” after the protagonist of the 1960s sitcom Bewitched , but executive producer Rick Berman caught the reference and nixed the idea.

10. “Death Wish”

Voyager season 2, episode 18

After The Next Generation concluded, Q began guest starring on its subsequent spin-off, Star Trek: Voyager . His first Voyager episode, “Death Wish,” is undoubtedly his best, and the most successful attempt at exploring the internal politics of the Q Continuum. In “Death Wish,” Voyager encounters a second Q (who calls himself “Quinn” to avoid confusion) whose desire to become mortal has made him a political enemy of the Continuum. When Quinn applies for asylum aboard Voyager, the powers that be dispatch our old familiar Q to represent their interests in a hearing to determine Quinn’s fate. “Death Wish” is the best of the more authoritarian Q episodes, not only because it explores a complex moral dilemma in the classic Star Trek tradition, but because it interrogates the duality of Q’s character. Quinn forces Q to look at himself and realize that he’s lost his sense of mischief and sold out to The Man.

Q Level: 3 (Skeptically authoritarian)

Q Fact: John de Lancie and Kate Mulgrew ( Voyager ’s Captain Janeway) have been close friends since long before Star Trek, which no doubt contributed to the pair’s chemistry on screen.

Voyager season 7, episode 18

In Q’s final appearance on Voyager , we get acquainted with his son, Q (or “Junior,” played by John de Lancie’s real-life son Keegan). Since Junior is the first child born in the Continuum, the inexperienced Q ditches his unruly adolescent offspring with Captain “Aunt Kathy” Janeway in the hopes that she can teach him some discipline. The Continuum expects Junior to help maintain order in the universe and threatens him with severe punishment if he fails to shape up, but Q himself plays only a minor role in turning his son’s life around, letting the Voyager crew set the example for responsible behavior. When Q does finally participate, it’s by staging a cruel costume drama that tricks Junior into believing that he’s put his new friend Icheb’s life in danger. Q scares Junior into becoming more responsible by way of his classic hijinx, staging elaborate tests and deliberately annoying a Starfleet crew.

Q Level: 4 (Nominally authoritarian)

Q Fact: This is Keegan de Lancie’s final acting credit. He currently works for the US State Department .

8. “All Good Things…”

The Next Generation season 7, episode 25

The series finale of The Next Generation resumes the trial that began in “Encounter at Farpoint,” returning Picard to the scene of his first conflict with Q as well as showing him a glimpse of a possible future. As it turns out, Q has been directed by the Continuum to put Picard through one more deadly test that will either prove humanity’s potential or destroy all organic life in the galaxy. Q follows his orders, but also obtains permission to appear to Picard and occasionally drop subtle hints as to the nature of the deadly puzzle. After seven years of observing and pestering Picard, Q is now less interested in controlling or passing judgment over humanity and more invested in seeing us grow to our full potential.

Q Level: 5 (Barely authoritarian)

Q Fact: “All Good Things…” is, to date, the fourth and final Star Trek episode to win the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation . Twenty-five movies and episodes have been nominated between 1966 and 2018.

7. “Tapestry”

The Next Generation season 6, episode 15

In “Tapestry,” arguably the best Q episode of all time, Captain Picard dies after suffering damage to his artificial heart. Q greets Picard in the supposed afterlife and offers him the chance to relive a key moment from his reckless youth, the bar fight that resulted in his cardiac replacement. Q acts as Picard’s guardian angel on a time-bending journey painted with shades of A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life , teaching Picard to value the wilder parts of himself, the traits that he just happens to share with Q. Q finds the exercise amusing, sure, but he seems motivated primarily by the desire to help his “pet” human learn a difficult lesson, and to save his life in the process. Picard is permitted to make his own choices throughout the entire experience, and while he does encounter a cruel twist, it’s one of his own making and Q provides a way out of it.

Q Level: 6 (Benignly authoritarian)

Q Fact: Writer Roland D. Moore considered using “Tapestry” to visit more than one pivotal moment in Picard’s life, including the never-seen death of his best friend Jack Crusher aboard the USS Stargazer.

The Next Generation season 4, episode 20

Feeling he owes Picard a debt after their previous adventure, Q insists on doing Picard a favor in return. Since Picard refuses to offer any suggestions apart from “Go away,” Q decides to interject into Picard’s love life, forcing him to confront his feelings for the rogue archeologist Vash (Jennifer Hetrick). Q traps Picard, Vash, and the rest of the Enterprise senior staff in a recreation of the legend of Robin Hood. Once in motion, the fantasy is beyond even Q’s own control, and Picard and company have mere hours to storm Nottingham Castle and rescue Vash/Maid Marian from her scheduled execution. Q devises all the rules of this deadly game, but he also abides by them, and Picard, Q, and Vash all get something out of the experience.

Q Level: 7 (Equally authoritarian and chaotic)

Q Fact: In the episode’s climactic battle, all of the male Enterprise crew members draw swords while Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi smash vases over the heads of their opponents. Ironically, Gates McFadden and Marina Sirtis were the only members of the ensemble with fencing experience (save Patrick Stewart, who has been stage fighting since the 1970s ).

5. “Hide and Q”

The Next Generation season 1, episode 10

In his second appearance, Q endows Commander Riker with powers identical to his own and dares him to use them, while Picard insists that he resist the temptation. While Q is still acting on the authority of the Continuum and in the interests of better understanding humanity, “Hide and Q” doubles down on John de Lancie’s whimsy, casting Q even more like a tempestuous child who plays with the fates of individuals and entire species for his amusement. Q devises a high-stakes contest for the crew that is, by his own admission, “entirely unfair.” When his attempts to woo Riker to godhood fail anyway, the Continuum forces Q to abide by the conditions of his own game and leave the Enterprise alone.

Q Level: 9 (Noticeably chaotic)

Q Fact: An earlier draft of this episode would have established that there were only three members in the entire Q species .

4. “The Q and the Grey”

Voyager season 3, episode 11

Inspired by his experience with Quinn, Q leads a revolutionary movement that launches the Continuum into a civil war. Q seeks to upset the status quo he once upheld by fathering the first new Q in eons, and he wants Captain Janeway to be its mother. (This episode ignores the existence of Amanda Rogers.) Q’s maturity level swings wildly between adulthood and adolescence throughout the episode. His goal is to strike down the old order and establish a new one that is less restrictive to individual freedoms and more receptive to new ideas, but his plan hinges on some pretty wild assumptions, namely that a half-Q, half-human baby will be greeted as a messiah and that reproducing with one of his own, like his longtime “associate” Q (Suzie Plakson), would be impossible. His buffoonish attempts to seduce Janeway are embarrassing to watch.

Q Level: 10 (Actively chaotic)

Q Fact: Prior to playing a Q, Suzie Plakson portrayed Vulcan Dr. Selar the Klingon Ambassador K’Ehleyr on The Next Generation . There are winks to both of these roles in her dialogue in “The Q and the Grey.”

The Next Generation season 2, episode 16

On the outs with the Continuum, Q arrives on the Enterprise and offers to join the crew, even to renounce his powers if necessary. Picard declines, deciding that Q is too dangerous to trust. Q handles this rejection by shoving the Enterprise deep into unexplored space, where they encounter an enemy too powerful to confront without his help — the Borg . Q proves his point all too well, as the Enterprise makes first contact with a species that would threaten billions of lives and change the face of the Federation over the next 15 years. While there’s still plenty of “teacher Q” in this action, it’s also an impulsive, unilateral decision with massive repercussions that he barely seems to consider. So long as he’s properly shaken Picard, he’s satisfied.

Q Level: 11 (Maliciously chaotic)

Q Fact: Writer Maurice Hurley initially intended for the big bad revealed in Season Two to be a race of insects , but that idea proved too expensive. The Borg retained the hive mind of the original concept, but were portrayed as humanoid cyborgs instead.

2. “Deja Q”

The Next Generation season 3, episode 13

Embarrassed by his clownish antics and galaxy-spanning reputation for wanton cruelty, the Continuum casts Q out and drops him on Picard’s doorstep. Trapped in a human body, Q must now depend on the mercy and kindness of the Enterprise crew to survive when one of the civilizations he once tormented catches wind of his newfound mortality and comes looking for revenge. While he can’t get up to much trouble in his human form “Deja Q” is the first episode to depict Q as a liar and cheater who’s spent eternity tormenting weaker beings for sport. Much in the way that “Death Wish” makes Q second-guess his authoritarian bent, “Deja Q” challenges his desire to wreak havoc and force-feeds him some of his own medicine.

Q Level: 13 (Proudly chaotic)

Q Fact: In the teaser for this episode, the de-powered Q arrives on the bridge of the Enterprise totally naked. After director Les Landau struggled to find a way to achieve the desired effect via camera trickery, John de Lancie decided to simply perform the scene in the nude .

1. “Q-Less”

Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 6

Q makes a single appearance on TNG ’s first spin-off, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , in an episode that serves as a sequel to “Qpid.” After two years exploring the galaxy as Q’s companion, archeologist Vash catches a lift back to Federation space via the Bajoran Wormhole and arranges to spend some time aboard the show’s titular space station. Vash attempts to make a clean break from Q, but he refuses to leave her alone and spends most of the next week using his powers to harass her and any member of the DS9 crew who gets in his way. In “Q-Less,” Q has no goal beyond stalking a woman who’s rejected him, and has no involvement or interest in an existential threat to the station that rears its head during his visit. He’s purely there to goof off and make mischief. While the episode does offer one classic moment in which Sisko loses his patience and clocks him in the jaw, Q proved to be an ill fit for the setting and tone of DS9 and never returned.

Q Level: 14 (Bugs Bunny chaotic)

Q Fact: According to the Deep Space Nine Companion , John de Lancie was dissatisfied with the depiction of Q in this episode, feeling that “skirt-chasing” was a motivation unworthy of his character.

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Character » Q appears in 63 issues .

Member of the very powerful race known as the Q continuum, Q has been a thorn in the side of various Starfleet Captains, including Picard, Sisko, and Janeway.

Summary short summary describing this character..

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: Picard's Academy

Star Trek: The Q Conflict

Q last edited by mshirley27 on 07/24/24 03:58PM View full history

Q first made his presence known to Jean Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise D , in an effort to intimidate humanity out of further exploration of the galaxy. Q failed to steer the crew away from its pursuit of knowledge and then put humanity itself on trial, with the threat of Q destroying the human race looming overhead, Picard succeeded in proving to the Q that humans should be allowed to exist. Q was not pleased that he had lost in the eyes of his own people and returned to torment the Enterprise several other times, once giving Commander Riker the powers of a Q, and most sinister of all, introducing the Borg to the Federation sooner than the two were destined to meet.

In another meeting Q's powers were taken away from him and he was placed on the Enterprise. During his stay the Enterprise had to protect from an alien race known as the the Calamarain tried to kill. When he tried to save the Enterprise by leading the Calamarain away with a shuttle, he was given his powers back.

Deep Space Nine and Voyager

Q also had a brief encounter with the crew of DS9 , and surprisingly became somewhat of a friend to the crew of Voyager .

Powers and Abilities

• Variety of godlike powers (as a Q)
• High intelligence with the IQ of 2005 (when he is depowered)
• Extraordinary manipulation
• Omnipotence

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The Untold Truth Of Q From Star Trek

He's an enigmatic, seemingly omnipotent being who manipulates people like they're chess pieces. He's a mischievous trickster who can go anywhere and be anything in our three-dimensional space. He's Q — no other name necessary — and he's proven himself to be both a  great ally and antagonist within the Star Trek franchise .

Played by classically trained actor John de Lancie, Q is easily one of Star Trek 's most iconic creations — even though he's only appeared in 13 episodes to date in multiple Star Trek television series. Nevertheless, it sometimes seems Q is everywhere, thanks to all the Star Trek novels, comics, audio books, and video games he's popped up in.

With John de Lancie set to reappear as Q in  season 2 of Star Trek: Picard , now's a perfect time to get up close and personal with this omnipotent trickster and find out what makes him tick. Be warned though: de Lancie himself has claimed that Q, much like the infamous English poet Lord Byron, is "mad, bad, and dangerous to know." With that in mind, let's delve into the many secrets of Star Trek' s Q.

Q is named after a Star Trek fan

At first glance, Q's name seems ridiculously simple. It's just one letter — how hard could it have been to come up with? But according to the 4th edition of the Star Trek Encyclopedia, the story behind Q's designation has a curious link with the Star Trek fandom.

Q was named by none other than Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, who chose the unusual alias in honor of his friend Janet Quarton. A  long-time Star Trek fan , Quarton was the president of the Star Trek Action Group (STAG), an early Star Trek fan club. She also helped publish  Star Trek fanzines and organize Star Trek conventions in Britain. Her involvement in the Star Trek fan community caught the attention of Gene Roddenberry who corresponded closely with Quarton over the years.

Later, when Roddenberry helmed Star Trek: The Next Generation, he decided to name the new series' first antagonist after the last initial of his friend — and John de Lancie was dubbed "Q" for the series' pilot episode "Encounter at Farpoint." Given how much future Star Trek fandom would embrace the superbeing, it seems only appropriate that a fan helped name him.

He's not the only Q

John de Lancie may be the face of Q for Star Trek fans, but the truth is he's not the only member of his species — nor do all members of the Q act like him. Over the years, fans have seen many different "Q" entities who all belong to the "Q Continuum," an extra-dimensional plane of existence.

Where de Lancie's Q comes across as a trickster figure, other Qs are more benevolent. In the  Star Trek: Voyager season 2 episode "Death Wish," the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager encounters a Q who's been subtly influencing human society for the better — making sure an apple fell on Sir Isaac Newton's head to inspire his theory of gravity and saving Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes)'s ancestor during the Civil War. Other Q members prefer to live quietly, including a couple who disguised themselves as humans and had a daughter,  Amanda Rogers (Olivia d'Abo) , in the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6 episode "True Q."

In fact, in "Death Wish," it's revealed that most of Q society is bored with their immortality and power, which helps explain why de Lancie's Q likes hanging out with human beings so much — they're much more fun than his own people.

Q is very similar to a classic Star Trek antagonist

When Gene Roddenberry first came up with the idea to put Q in the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, other members of the writing team hated the character and advised him not to use him in the pilot.

Why? According to the Star Trek reference book, The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years — From the Next Generation to J.J. Abrams, the team saw Q as a copy of Trelane, a character who appears in the original Star Trek season 1 episode "The Squire of Gothos." In the story,  Captain Kirk and his crew encounter a powerful alien named Trelane (William Campbell) who makes the Enterprise crew his playthings. Although Trelane appears all-powerful, we learn he's the child of two other omnipotent beings who make him stop bothering the U.S.S. Enterprise.

While similar to Trelane, both Roddenberry and de Lancie worked to make Q a unique entity. Nevertheless, fans continue to see the parallels and non-canon Star Trek media makes links between the two. In his novel Q-Squared, writer Peter David reveals Trelane is, in fact, another member of the Q Continuum. Then in the Star Trek comic book storyline "The Q Conflict," Q assembles a team of omnipotent beings including Trelane to make multiple Star Trek crews battle in a cosmic-level game.

Q can make other people omnipotent

Q's powers are immense, which he's repeatedly demonstrated throughout his appearances throughout the Star Trek franchise. With a snap of his fingers, Q can teleport himself and anyone else to any place or time. He can rewrite the very fabric of our universe — moving asteroids or even creating pocket realities. And he's nearly omniscient, claiming in the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3 episode "Deja Q" that he has "an IQ of 2005."

And thanks to his powers, Q can give anyone the abilities of a god — which he does to  Commander William Riker in the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 episode "Hide and Q." Riker gains the ability to transport his crew mates anywhere he wants without relying on their usual transporter technology. He resurrects Worf (Michael Dorn) from the dead, ages teenager Wesley Crusher (Will Wheaton) to an adult, and even gives blind Geordi LaForge (LeVar Burton) natural vision.

However, every member of the Enterprise rejects Riker's "gifts" (although Worf does get to stay alive), causing Riker to reject his new powers. And it's a good thing too. Q only gave Riker god-like abilities as part of a bet he had with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). By choosing not to be a Q-level entity, Q is forced to leave the Enterprise alone — although he does find enough loopholes to make multiple return visits.

Q isn't all-powerful

While Q might appear to be an all-knowing and all-powerful god to some, the truth is he doesn't have limitless powers. Other members of the Q Continuum can overpower Q or even strip him of his powers, as they did in the episode "Deja Q" by turning him into an ordinary human being with back problems.

In the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4 episode "Qpid," Q transports the Enterprise crew to a pocket reality where Picard becomes Robin Hood, his crew becomes his Merry Men, and Q himself adopts the guise of the Sheriff of Nottingham. As he explains the rules of his new game, Q reveals that he's given this reality a life of its own and not even he can predict what will happen. This shows that Q is not omnipotent or omniscient, as a truly all-powerful being could not create something capable of overpowering or outsmarting him.

Indeed, this quasi-omnipotence may be the one saving grace for the Q, as involving themselves in games of chance gives them the thrill of not knowing what will happen next.

Star Trek's Q once became super-omnipotent

Q may have been at the mercy of the Q Continuum in many of his early appearances, but a non-canonical comic book storyline shows that he once became super-omnipotent — thanks to  J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot .

In the IDW Star Trek story "The Q Gambit," Q journeys to the Kelvin timeline of the Abrams' films where the younger alternate versions of Captain Kirk and Spock are having their own adventures. Q transports the crew forward into the future where they meet alternate versions of Benjamin Sisko and the crew from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Although this seems to be another one of Q's games, the trickster later reveals the Q-Continuum is in a war against another extra-dimensional race, the malevolent Deep Space Nine  villains, the Pah-Wraiths, whose power allows them to fight the Q. To stop them, Spock engineers a situation where Q merges with a member of the Pah-Wraiths' ancient enemy The Prophets. Q evolves into a supremely powerful being who eliminates the Pah-Wraiths with a wave of his hand, and then pops back into the Prime Star Trek universe to show off his super-godly powers to Jean-Luc Picard.

Let's be real: Q is in love with Jean-Luc Picard

Jean-Luc Picard may treat Q with annoyance, but Q has a unique affection for Picard. In "Deja Q," Q admits, "in all the universe, you're the closest thing I have to a friend, Jean-Luc." Data (Brent Spiner) also observes in the  Star Trek: The Next Generation series finale "All Good Things..." that, "Q's interest in you has always been very similar to that of a master and his beloved pet" before hastily adding, "That was only an analogy, Captain."

However, in the season 6 episode "Tapestry," Q indicates his interest in Picard goes beyond mere fondness when he  shows up in Picard's bed and wakes him with the words, "Morning, darling." The same episode has Q transport a dying Picard back to his Starfleet Academy days so the captain can gain a better appreciation for the mistakes of his past. This indicates Q views himself as Picard's guardian angel, albeit an impish one, who has a special love for the one he calls "Mon Capitane."

Screenwriter Ron Moore agrees, noting in Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection #90 that, "Q was in love with Picard, for some reason. That was the underpinning of the relationship... The weird love affair that he had going with Jean-Luc made that whole thing work."

Q is a lousy boyfriend and father

Sadly, when it comes to showing affection, Q's ego inevitably gets in the way of his relationships. In the Star Trek: Voyager season 3 episode "The Q and the Grey," Q's girlfriend "Lady Q" (Suzie Plankson) shows up when Q flirts with Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). The two have been a couple for four billion years, but Q emphasizes, " I never said it was exclusive " while bragging that he uses his omnipotence to seduce females across the galaxy.

In the episode, Q and his girlfriend are on opposite sides of a Q civil war, causing their relationship problems to threaten the universe with multiple supernova explosions. Q's idea to end the war is to impregnate Janeway and adding human DNA to the Continuum — an idea the Voyager captain roundly rejects. However, Janeway convinces Q to have a child with Lady Q instead, leading to a truce between the two factions.

Unfortunately, Q turns out to be a lousy father and in the Star Trek: Voyager season 7 episode "Q2," his son "Q Junior" (played by de Lancie's real-life son Keegan de Lancie) becomes a juvenile delinquent who starts wars, tampers with gene pools, and punches holes in space time. To get him to reform, Q strips Junior of his powers and dumps him on Voyager, where Junior makes friends and learns to value life. While this is good for the universe, it shows Q still tries to get other people to solve his problems instead of dealing with them himself.

Q really hates the Enterprise's bartender (and she hates him back)

Q's antics have earned him plenty of enemies across the universe, but oddly enough, one of the people who hates him the most is the  Enterprise's beloved bartender Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) . One of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's most serene and level-headed characters, Guinan reveals in "Q Who" that she has had "some dealings" with Q during the 22nd century that left them enemies. Q himself dislikes Guinan, calling her an "imp" and warning that wherever Guinan went, trouble follows.

Guinan gets a chance to strike back at Q in the season 3 episode "Deja Q" when the Q Continuum strips Q of his powers and renders him a mere human. Taking the opportunity to taunt the powerless Q, Guinan takes a fork and stabs him in the hand. Shortly after, one of Q's other enemies, the Calamarain, attacks him. As he screams in pain, Guinan only smirks and comments, "How the mighty have fallen."

Q gave Starfleet a head start against the Borg

Q once put the  U.S.S. Enterprise through a hellish experience that, strangely enough, turned out to be a favor in disguise. After Picard arrogantly tells him that his crew is prepared to deal with any dangers the universe might hold for them, Q transports the Enterprise into an uncharted sector of space where they encounter  the Borg, a powerful cybernetic race intent on assimilating all useful life and technology into its collective consciousness.

Unable to adequately counter this advanced form of life, Picard loses eighteen members of his crew to the Borg and admits his crew's shortcomings to Q, who transports the Enterprise back to the Alpha Quadrant. While Q's actions appear cruel and vindictive, Picard later realizes that the trickster gave Starfleet a "preview" of one of the biggest threats they would soon face — granting the Federation time to prepare an adequate defense. it seems appropriate that the Federation is one of the few galactic societies to have successfully fought back the Borg time and time again — probably due in part to Q giving humanity a glimpse at the threat the Borg would eventually pose.

Q has been out-debated by Spock

If there's one Star Trek character who's the antithesis of Q, it's  Spock — the cool, logical Vulcan immortalized by actor Leonard Nimoy . While Spock and Q were introduced in two separate series, they get to spend some time together when Nimoy and John de Lancie teamed up to produce the audiobook Spock vs. Q . Recorded in front of a live audience, the performance sees Ambassador Spock attempt to warn humanity of an approaching asteroid, only to be stopped by Q who believes humanity is not worth saving.

The two get into a lively debate over humanity's strengths and flaws, with Spock's clever logic ultimately triumphing over Q's chaotic ego. In the end, the Vulcan manages to convince the trickster to push the asteroid away so it'll hit Earth a several years later, buying humanity enough time to work together and stop it when it finally does arrive.

The audio drama proved popular and was followed by a sequel, Spock vs. Q: The Sequel . Weirdly, in this new story, Spock and Q switch personalities, causing Spock to become goofy and silly while Q gains a more logical perspective. More of a comedy routine than a debate, this audio performance ends with the two realizing there are higher powers in the universe than the Q.

Q appears in five different Star Trek shows

While Star Trek fans may love Q, the producers and writers tend to use him sparingly, arguing that the super being is more effective when he only appears every now and then. Nevertheless, Q has managed to appear in four separate Star Trek television shows — and will appear in a fifth when season 2 of Star Trek: Picard comes out.

Unsurprisingly, most of Q's appearances are in Star Trek: The Next Generation where he manages to annoy or threaten Picard and the Enterprise crew on eight separate occasions, including in the series pilot and the series finale. Q also appears in the  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1 episode "Q-Less" where he meets (and boxes with) Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks).

Q is reimagined in the three Star Trek: Voyager episodes he appears in, which portray him as a reluctant family man as well as a representative of the Q Continuum rather than a wandering rogue. His most recent appearance is an extremely brief cameo in the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks season 1 episode "Veritas," where he shows up just to poke fun at (who else?) Jean-Luc Picard.

Given all the different ways Q has been portrayed over the years, it's anyone's guess how de Lancie will play the trickster in Star Trek: Picard. Considering that Q's main appeal has always been his unpredictability, here's hoping his next appearance will show us some new truths of the enigmatic Q.

Star Trek: Q's 12 Best Moments From Across The Franchise

Of all the familiar faces to resurface time and time again across the "Star Trek" franchise, one of the most welcome is Q. Played by John de Lancie, the character hails from the omnipotent Q Continuum, who can bend the rules of reality to their whim in an instant. Initially something of a villain for "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Q transforms into more of a trickster pestering various "Star Trek" mainstays. De Lancie reprises his role as Q with no trouble at all in "Star Trek: Picard," once again putting Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his friends through the cosmic wringer.

For all the galactic gags, there is a surprising depth and level of nuance to Q as he observes and plays around with humanity. And with de Lancie appearing as Q in no less than five "Star Trek" series, there are plenty of fan-favorite moments to go around. Here are Q's 12 best moments across the entire "Star Trek" franchise.

Q makes his grand entrance (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Q is a character whose franchise roots go as far back as Picard and the rest of the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" cast. Appearing as the principal antagonist in the two-part series premiere, "Encounter at Farpoint," Q interrupts the Enterprise crew as they first take their assigned posts on the ship. Whisking away Picard and a handful of officers to a mock trial, Q appears before them as humanity's judge, jury, and potential executioner. Introducing himself, Q announces that he will determine if humanity deserves to exist, with Picard appointed as the species' representative.

Something that gets lost relatively quickly across Q's subsequent appearances is that he started out as an adversary, not an ally. Demonstrating his considerable reality-shaping powers from the outset, Q establishes himself as an omnipotent threat if he's not satisfied with his forced trial. Knowing what Q becomes soon thereafter, seeing him appear so menacing and relishing in being able to lord himself above Picard is something of a shock now. "The Next Generation" Season 1 is arguably the show's weakest, but Q provides the series with a heck of an opening episode.

Q reminds Picard the price of exploration (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

While always considering humanity beneath him, Q offers the species a tacit chance at survival in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Season 2 episode "Q Who." Whisking away the Enterprise across the cosmos, Q introduces Starfleet to the Borg Collective far sooner than they were projected to meet. Though this exposure helps Starfleet better prepare for the Borg threat, several Enterprise crewmen are lost in the resulting skirmish. Reeling from the loss of life and barely escaping from the Borg, Picard is privately admonished by Q after helping the Enterprise to safety.

Q dresses down Picard and reminds him that exploration always comes with the possibility of extreme risks. After Q leaves, even Picard concedes that the omnipotent annoyance helped humanity with the inevitably uncertain battle ahead. Of all the characters to vehemently defend Starfleet's frontier spirit, Q doesn't seem likely to top that list, and yet, he does in a stirring monologue. "Q Who" changes the tenor of "The Next Generation" and debuts perhaps its most memorable enemy, with Q leaving his indelible mark on the franchise in only his third appearance.

Q is stripped of his powers (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

As all-powerful as Q often presents himself, he still answers to the unseen Q Continuum, a collective of similarly powered beings. For all his shenanigans and interfering with the lives of mortals, the Continuum strips Q of his abilities in the third season episode "Deja Q." Powerless and naked, Q is begrudgingly taken in by the Enterprise as he copes with his newfound mortality. And as Q experiences everyday sensations like hunger and pain for the first time, he develops an (admittedly shallow) appreciation towards humanity.

De Lancie finds fresh ground to explore with Q in "Deja Q," no longer the sneering, extraterrestrial bully with a soft spot for Picard. Seeing Q forced to interact with Data (Brent Spiner) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) as equals fleshes out the character like never before. Q is normally someone fully in control of a given situation and now, he has to confront an overwhelming sense of vulnerability. By the end of "Deja Q," the cosmic demigod regards the Enterprise crew as genuine friends, even after his omnipotence is restored.

Q celebrates his restored powers (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Q impresses the Continuum in "Deja Q" when he lures vengeful aliens hunting him away from the Enterprise in a shuttlecraft. This selfless act leads the Continuum to fully reinstate Q's powers just in time to save the day, also restoring Q's signature smugness. Returning to the Enterprise bridge, Q takes the time to annoy Picard with an impromptu celebration by summoning a mariachi band. For Data, with whom he formed the strongest bond while mortal, Q allows the normally emotionless android to experience joyfully riotous laughter for the first time.

Q's loss of omnipotence may be temporary, but the ordeal leaves him a changed man and closer to the Enterprise crew. The spectacle on the bridge shows two very different sides to Q that endure for the remainder of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." On the one hand, Q will always be something of a nuisance to Picard, with varying levels of ostracization. On the other, Q's parting gift to Data reveals how much he grew during his brief flirtation with mortality and how much he truly cares for the crew.

Q offers Picard an alternate life (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Picard undergoes a "Christmas Carol"-style adventure in the sixth season episode "Tapestry," as Q offers him a glimpse at a road not traveled. In his youth as a Starfleet cadet, a cocky Picard instigates a barroom brawl that nearly kills him, teaching him the nature of consequences. In a near-death experience, Q shows Picard how radically different his life would be if he avoids the prior fight altogether. Revived, Picard gains a deeper understanding of himself and overcomes that past trauma as he recovers.

"Tapestry" is a late-game character study episode for Picard, with Q playing the de facto role of the Ghost of Christmas Past. One of the more amusing aspects of "Tapestry" is that Picard remains unsure whether Q is actually involved or if he's just a near-death hallucination. Still, Q's presence, imaginary or not, plays right into his usual wheelhouse and underscores his unlikely friendship with Picard. Rather than constantly grandstanding, Q coaches Picard through his past, giving him another pep talk and helping Picard connect the dots of his own life.

Q revisits humanity's trial (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" has arguably one of the best series finales of all time, split into two parts as "All Good Things..." The episode not only pays off years of storytelling and character development but comes full circle with its series premiere. Just as "The Next Generation" opens with Q challenging Picard to prove humanity's worth, it closes with Q presenting Picard with the same ultimatum. Picard receives another cosmic puzzle to solve, this time involving an anomaly affecting three different timelines simultaneously.

While less sinister than the series premiere, "All Good Things..." brings Q back to his interstellar authoritarian roots. Picard and Q may share a burgeoning friendship, but the fate of the human race still precariously hangs in the balance. Q is not only genuinely happy that Picard solves the riddle but quietly admits to even helping him figure it out. The dynamic between the two men grew considerably across the series, and "All Good Things..." feels like the perfect culmination of their journey together.

Sisko teaches Q a lesson (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine))

Q only makes one appearance in all of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and he does it early, in the first season episode "Q-Less." When Picard's former lover, Vash (Jennifer Hetrick), visits DS9, she is pursued by Q, who is infatuated with her (to her visible chagrin). With power coincidentally failing around the station upon Vash and Q's arrival, the crew naturally suspects Q is responsible. This leads Q and Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) to have their own showdown for the station's fate.

Q learns the hard way that Sisko and the DS9 crew are a far different lot than his usual playmates on the Enterprise. Provoking Sisko into a mock boxing match, Q is surprised when Sisko lays him out with a single punch, not expecting his usual tomfoolery to be met with violence. "Deep Space Nine" delves into tonally darker areas following its inaugural season, and Q's frivolities have no place in the resulting story. That said, Q's lone visit to the station signals how different "Deep Space Nine" and its characters would be from the rest of the franchise.

Q tries to extradite Quinn (Star Trek: Voyager)

After harassing Sisko, Q proves to be much more prolific on "Star Trek: Voyager," appearing in three different episodes across the series. His "Voyager" debut is in the second season episode "Death Wish," providing de Lancie with much more mature material to work with. When a fellow Q taking on the name Quinn (Gerrit Graham) grows weary of immortality, he seeks asylum on Voyager. Dispatched by the Continuum to bring Quinn back in line, Q is shocked that Quinn argues for the right to commit suicide.

"Death Wish" plays out like a courtroom drama, with Q presenting evidence to Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), arguing Quinn should be remanded into his custody. Bringing in everything from character witnesses to delivering well-articulated monologues, de Lancie really shines as Q here. While Q still relies on some mischief to make his case — including a cheeky cameo from Jonathan Frakes as Will Riker — the right to death undercuts the comedy. After numerous depictions as a prankster, it is refreshing to see de Lancie dig into a more serious side to Q.

Q murders Quinn (Star Trek: Voyager)

The most cold-blooded moment in de Lancie's performances as Q comes at the end of "Death Wish," with Q fulfilling Quinn's desire to die. With Quinn granted mortality after successfully pleading his case, Q goes one step further by fatally poisoning him. After confessing to the murder, Q admits that the entire ordeal with Quinn gave him a wider perspective on his own existence. More intriguingly, Quinn's death inspires a sense of rebellion in Q against the Continuum's authority.

It's a shame that the divided Continuum subplot is resolved as quickly as it ultimately is, with Q ending the conflict in his next appearance on "Voyager." For all his bluster about wiping out humanity, Q killing one of his fellow beings from the Continuum is as lethal as he gets. In a way, this is an inevitability; Quinn was always going to be a memorable "Voyager" one-off character . However, moving forward, until "Picard," Q is right back as the merry prankster, which feels like a step back in his development. As beloved as the mischievous Q is, there is something interesting about him diving into moral ambiguity, and de Lancie balances that perfectly in "Death Wish."

Q raises his son (Star Trek: Voyager)

De Lancie makes one last appearance in the final season of "Voyager," joined by his son Keegan de Lancie, appropriately playing Q's son, Q Junior. Introducing Junior to the Voyager crew, Q strips his son's powers and leaves him on the starship until he can learn to behave properly. With Q vanishing off, it falls on Janeway to teach the rambunctious teenager how to play nice with others. Satisfied with Junior's progress, Q advances Voyager's journey several years with a snap of his fingers as a belated thank you.

Paired with his son, Q is out of his element as a parent; all of reality is at risk if Junior isn't careful with his omnipotence. Q is frustrated and challenged like never before, and it's clear that he doesn't like that at all. Q never forms as close a bond with Janeway as he does Picard, but Janeway also helps Q in a way Jean-Luc never could, which Q certainly notices and repays. This final visit to Voyager solidifies Q and Janeway's dynamic while providing a new dimension to Q through parenting.

Picard and Q bid each other goodbye (Star Trek: Picard)

Q comes roaring into "Star Trek: Picard" Season 2 angry at Jean-Luc and ready to teach him one last lesson. Q threatens to alter the timeline by tampering with a critical spaceflight in the 21st century, prompting Picard and friends to reunite and stop him. In reality, Q is dying and uses the last remnants of his power to help Picard overcome unresolved childhood trauma involving his mother. When this becomes evident, the two men share a tearful goodbye in the "Picard" Season 2 finale , aptly titled "Farewell."

While Q regards Picard with vocal — if somewhat mocking — affection throughout "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Farewell" showcases how much he cares for him. And though long annoyed by Q's antics, Picard finally acknowledges him as a friend in the season finale, with the two men sharing a poignant embrace. Despite knowing each other for decades, it's only at the end that Picard and Q bring their companionship to the forefront in a bittersweet moment for both.

Q meets Jack Crusher (Star Trek: Picard)

Though Q presumably dies at the end of "Star Trek: Picard" Season 2, he makes a cheeky return in the final scene of the third season. After Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) follows in his parents' footsteps and enlists in Starfleet, Q approaches Jack privately in his new quarters. Pointing out that he doesn't exist linearly, Q offers Jack the same challenge he gave Picard decades ago to prove humanity's worth.

Q's death in the preceding season finale feels definitive for the immortal character, so seeing Q back and ready to play is a fun coda. After the more antagonistic turn, Q resurfacing feels more like he's back to his old tricks, in a nice return to form. The final season of "Picard" turns "Star Trek" more explicitly generational than ever, and Q's fledgling dynamic with Jack hints at interesting directions for the story to take. Hopefully,  plans for a "Picard" follow-up will come to pass because de Lancie keeps his fan-favorite cred every time Q shows up.

Q On Star Trek: Voyager Vs. TNG Real Difference Explained by John De Lancie

• Q's first appearance on Star Trek: Voyager delved into deep philosophical issues like assisted suicide, showing a more introspective side of his character.
• Voyager intentionally changed Q's storytelling by focusing on how events affect him, different from TNG where he drove the action.
• Voyager continued to develop Q's character in subsequent appearances by keeping him part of the storyline, enriching Star Trek lore.

This article contains brief references to suicide.

John de Lancie, who played Q in multiple Star Trek series, explained the real difference between the character in Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: The Next Generation . Q has become one of the most important and recognizable recurring characters in the Star Trek timeline since his debut in TNG 's pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint." An omnipotent god-like being with a wicked sense of mischief, Q has been alternately friend and foe to the main characters of shows like TNG , Voyager , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and Star Trek: Picard .

Although Q is best known for his episodes on TNG , he had a memorable arc on Voyager starting with season 2, episode 18, "Death Wish." The episode's plot revolved around Quinn (Gerrit Graham), a member of the Q Continuum who wished to end his own life rather than continue to face immortality. When Quinn sought asylum with Voyager's cast of characters , Q was sent to bring him back, leading to a trial for Quinn's right to become human and fulfill his wish to die. "Death Wish" showed a very different side of Q from TNG , and for good reason.

How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order

John de lancie explained the real difference between q in star trek: voyager and tng.

In an interview with The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine , issue 6, John de Lancie discussed how Q's storyline on Voyager was intentionally made different from his appearances on TNG . De Lancie discussed how the showrunners on Voyager were concerned with making Q's arc distinct enough from how he was used on TNG to be engaging, and clarified how this new style of storytelling and the events of "Death Wish" changed Q as a character. Read de Lancie's full quote below:

"One of the things Michael [Piller] had said was that he wanted to do a Q story, not a story about how Q affects other people, but how the story affects him, and that he goes from his usual flamboyant self to someone much more introspective. You see that he's truly troubled by a philosophical and unresolvable problem."

Up until "Death Wish," Q was almost always the driving force behind an episode's action. The formula on Star Trek: TNG was that Q would show up and create a problem for Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D that they would spend the entire episode trying to get out of. "Death Wish" allowed audiences to see a new side of Q while still keeping what made him so enjoyable . Q's mischievous nature and " flamboyant " personality were still on full display, but seeing him struggle with big issues like assisted suicide made him vastly more interesting.

Voyager Continued Its Q Story Trend With Q’s Other Series Appearances

Although Voyager could have returned to Q's original episode formula, it chose to stick with the new trend. Q appeared twice more during season 3, episode 11, "The Q and the Grey," and season 7, episode 19, "Q2." Both appearances not only dealt with the consequences of the events of "Death Wish," but also continued to have Q be part of the storyline rather than causing it . Even "The Q and the Grey," which seemingly started out with the TNG formula, turned into a plot where Q was just as much at the mercy of events as Voyager's crew.

This not only helped to create a cohesive story arc for Q's Voyager appearances but also changed the character significantly from how he had been on TNG . Voyager went a long way to showing that Q was more fallible than he seemed, and the episodes he was in expanded the lore of the Q Continuum much further than previous series' had , enriching the franchise exponentially. Ultimately, Star Trek: Voyager did more for Q's character development than TNG , even if he continues to be more well-known from his original appearances.

All episodes of Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: The Next Generation are available to stream on Paramount+.

Source: The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine , issue 6

Star Trek: Voyager

The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before. 

Cast Jennifer Lien, Garrett Wang, Tim Russ, Robert Duncan McNeill, Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo

Release Date May 23, 1995

Genres Sci-Fi, Adventure

Network UPN

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Showrunner Kenneth Biller, Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga

Rating TV-PG

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

Cast LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis

Release Date September 28, 1987

Genres Drama, Superhero, Sci-Fi, Action

Network CBS

Streaming Service(s) Amazon Prime Video

Writers Gene Roddenberry

Directors David Carson

Showrunner Gene Roddenberry

Screen Rant

After picard season 3, star trek can finally deliver the q war tng never could.

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“Never Say Never”: Picard Showrunner Says “What’s Great” About Doing Star Trek: Legacy Later

Star trek: picard's borg queen is still confusing over 1 year after season 3, seven of nine skipped 1 major requirement for becoming a star trek captain.

After the conclusion of Star Trek: Picard season 3, Star Trek has the perfect opportunity to pit Traveler Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) against the omnipotent Q (John de Lancie). While they were both introduced on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wesley and Q were very different characters who had few scenes together. As the son of Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Wesley lived aboard the Enterprise-D and had a keen interest in starships and Starfleet. Although he initially chose to attend Starfleet Academy, Wesley later joined the mysterious group known as the Travelers.

Q popped up in eight episodes of TNG throughout the show's seven seasons, bookending the show with appearances in both the series premiere and finale. A member of the Q Continuum, Q had god-like powers and perceived time and space differently from most humanoids. He developed a particular fondness for Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and enjoyed antagonizing the Enterprise Captain at every opportunity. At the end of Star Trek: Picard season 3 , Q revealed that while he had moved on from Jean-Luc Picard, he has now set his sights on Picard's son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers).

Star Trek: Legacy Can Finally Have Wesley Crusher Vs. Q

Could wesley face off against q to save his half-brother.

After Star Trek: Picard season 3 came to a close, fans began clamoring for a spin-off following the adventures of Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and the USS Enterprise-G. Despite the perfect setup and fan excitement for the long-rumored Star Trek: Legacy , Paramount currently has no plans to produce the spin-off.

After helping save the Federation from the Borg/Changeling attack at Frontier Day, Jack Crusher landed a position on the bridge of the Enterprise-G. While his exact duties as Special Counselor to the Captain remain unclear, Jack has already piqued the interest of Q.

Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas explains the positives of making Star Trek: Legacy later if the Picard season 3 spinoff happens.

As the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher, Jack is Wesley Crusher's half-brother, and Wes may have something to say if Q decides to go after Jack. Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 finally offered a glimpse into the full scope of Wesley's Traveler powers, as he fought to save the Prime Universe.

Wes has already met his little brother once, when he stopped by to visit his mom in the Prodigy season 2 finale.

If Q visits the Enterprise-G and endangers Jack, Wes could pop up to counteract whatever Q does. While Star Trek: Legacy may not happen for many years (if at all), it would be incredibly fun to see two cosmically powerful characters go head to head.

How Powerful Are Star Trek’s Travelers Compared To Q?

Q may be more powerful, but wes would do anything to save his family..

While Q's powers are very nearly infinite, Wesley's appear to have more limits. As a Traveler, Wesley can travel throughout time and space , manipulating the world around him with mere thought. Although the main purpose of the Travelers is to maintain the balance between the different universes, they generally have a hands-off policy when it comes to interfering. Wesley, however, has already shown that he's more than willing to break the Travelers' rules when it comes to his family and friends. It's also possible the other Travelers could get involved if Q became a big enough threat to the multiverse.

Neither Q nor Wesley experience time linearly, meaning they could pop up at any point in the Star Trek timeline.

In Star Trek: Prodigy season 2, Wesley sent out a powerful shockwave and then was further weakened when Asencia (Jameela Jamil) attacked his mind. However, Q may not be at the top of his game either. In Star Trek: Picard season 2, Q's powers began to wane and he came to believe he was dying. Q seemed genuinely afraid, but it remains to be seen what "dying" means for a supposedly immortal being like Q. Still, Q may not be as powerful as he once was, making a potential battle between him and Traveler Wesley Crusher all the more interesting.

Star Trek: Picard

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