The nature of the Q.

[Captain Seafort]

It is generally accepted that Q powers are innate - largely thanks to the "snap fingers and it happens" method favoured by de Lancie's Q. This was particularly true during TNG, with examples such as Amanda Rodgers from "True Q", who demonstrated the ability to use her powers subconsciously.

In Voyager's "Death Wish", however, we got this comment from Quinn:

You and your ship seem incredibly powerful to life-forms without your technical expertise. It's no different with us.

This seems to imply that the abilities of the Q, like those of the Federation and other major species, are technologically generated. This implication is reinforced by "The Q and the Grey", in which not only is Voyager able to physically enter the Continuum with the aid of a supernova and the Swiss-army-knife deflector dish, but her crew is able turn the tide of the Q Civil War by the simple expedient of arming themselves with Q weapons.

Taking this into consideration, let's have a look at the more common abilities demonstrated by the Q.

Can appear out of nowhere in a flash of light - transporters, check.
Can travel at very high speed - warp, transwarp, slipstream, check.
Can produce realistic environments for his games ("Hide and Q", "Qpid", possibly AGT) - holodeck, check.
Can time travel ("Death Wish", possibly AGT) - "The Naked Time", dozens of episodes, ST4, FC, check.
Can shrink Starships ("Death Wish") - "One Little Ship", check.
Can blow up stars - "Generations", check.

All these abilities have been demonstrated by other species than the Q, albeit in a far more limited form. Indeed, in "Devil's Due", we saw an individual using technology to simulate supernatural powers. What's to say the Q aren't doing the same?

Comments?

[Graham Kennedy]

Clarke's law springs to mind. Beyond a certain point, it doesn't really matter if the powers are innate or are accessed through technology... because I doubt the technology would even appear as anything we think of as technology.

[Captain Seafort]

Clarke's law springs to mind. Beyond a certain point, it doesn't really matter if the powers are innate or are accessed through technology... because I doubt the technology would even appear as anything we think of as technology.

True, but the same could be said of transporters, or warp drive. Indeed, to a man ever a few centuries ago, it could be said of nuclear power, or even simple muskets if we go back far enough.

The question is one of whether the Q are another example of this, or whether their abilities truly are innate, as the Organians' and the Dowds' powers apparently are. I believe the former is the one supported by the evidence available.

[Deepcrush]

My thoughts on "Q and the Gray" would not be allowed on site as it would be in a tone that would make most people sick to their guts.

The whole idea of humans having Q weapons just seemed like another moth on the dead pan that was VOY. However since it was there it must be canon so...

As Q said, this is a rundown, That humans couldn't even dream of the things that the Q could come up with to kill each other. I would take it like this. That the Q have thier powers just like the Organians do yet when facing each other in a war that may just not be enough. So, they have developed tech that can be used against other Q that somehow bypass their natural defenses like being immortal and all that good stuff.

[kostmayer]

Death Wish is one of the best Q episodes IMO (actually, I only really rate Q Who and Death Wish as really great Q episodes)

Didn't Quinn explicitly state to Tuvok that the Q aren't omnipotent, even though they like to give that impression?

[Monroe]

I agree with Deepcrush. Who's to say they can't have both? Like those noncorporeal beings in ENT flying that huge blue ship.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Can blow up stars - "Generations", check.

Comments?

I... don't remember this. I don't even recall him being mentioned at all, actually.

And I think if the Q use technology, it's be... it would appear to us as to be comprehensible.

[Sionnach Glic]

Q was in Generations?
It's been a long time since I saw that film, but I'm pretty sure Q only appears in the TV series, and not in any films.

[Captain Seafort]

Q was in Generations?

Not Q - the blowing up stars bit. The list is a comparison of abilities demonstrated by Q that have also been demonstrated by undoubtedly technological means. In this case, Soran's starbuster torpedo.

[Sionnach Glic]

Oh, right. Well, that list makes a lot more sense now.

Can shrink Starships ("Death Wish") - "One Little Ship", check.

I don't recall the episode, so please tell me there wasn't an episode where they shrunk the ship.

[Aaron]

I don't recall the episode, so please tell me there wasn't an episode where they shrunk the ship.

They shrunk a runabout. It was literally Honey I Shrunk The Kids in space jammies.

[Mikey]

I think the whole discussion centerpoint is based on a misreading of Q's phrase. He didn't say that their powers were technologically based, he said that Voyager's abilities would appear the same to a less-advanced observer, even though Voyager's abilities are technologically-based.

[Sionnach Glic]

They shrunk a runabout. It was literally Honey I Shrunk The Kids in space jammies.

Oh, christ......

[Aaron]

Oh, christ......

Remember the scene where the kids are wandering around in the lawn at looking at all the massive bottlecaps and crap? They had the same scene except it was O'Brien and Doctor Horndog wandering around in a computer.

[Deepcrush]

DUDE! I LOVED THAT MOVIE GROWING UP!